Area News

A political newcomer, but certainly no stranger to civic affairs, announced this week his plans to seek the District 5 seat on the Grady County Board of Education being vacated by retiring board member Joe Porter.Scott Higginbotham, a financial advisor with Edward Jones since September 2003, plans to qualify to run for the school board…

District 5 Grady County Board of Education member Joe Porter has announced his plans not to seek re-election to the school board.Porter will have served on the board for six years when his term expires on Dec. 31 of this year.“I have thought long and hard about it, but I have decided not to seek…

Jack C. Drew Jr., formerly of Cairo and now of Tifton, has been named President and CEO of AgGeorgia Farm Credit.He was elected by the AgGeorgia Board of Directors following the recent retirement of William H. Newberry Jr. Drew has been with AgGeorgia for 28 years. He began his career with Farm Credit in 1981…

Cairo native Frank Timmerman, who is now the director of performing arts at the Cobb County Center for Excellence in the Performing Arts at Pebblebrook High School in Mableton, was signally honored this week on Atlanta’s WXIA 11 Alive.The NBC affiliate regularly features top educators in metro Atlanta and on Monday WXIA Reporter Donna Lowry…

Grady County Historical Society will gather for its annual meeting at Macedonia Baptist Church, at the intersection of Mill Pond Road and Macedonia Road in the Spence Community on Tuesday, Mar. 9, at 6:30 p.m.A meal of  “dinner on the grounds” favorites will be served by Spence ladies for a donation of $6 per person.…

Grady County School Superintendent Dr. Tommy Pharis has launched an initiative focusing on increased parental involvement in local schools.A meeting of the newly formed Parent Engagement Committee is scheduled for tomorrow night, Feb. 25, at 7 p.m. at the Cairo High School Hancock Library.Dr. Pharis encourages any and all parents interested to attend.The purpose of…

A new manufacturing prospect appears to be interested in relocating to the former Higdon Furniture Company facility on Wight Road, so much so that Grady County Joint Development Authority Executive Director Brian Marlowe has met with company officials four times in the last several weeks.Marlowe briefed members of the authority, as well as local bankers…

Not wanting to repeat a costly mistake, the Grady County Board of Commissioners Tuesday night voted to purchase six new speed detection radar units for Post 12 of the Georgia State Patrol, which is based in Thomasville.Post Commander Scott A. Woodell, a Grady County native, submitted a request to the county commission for $17,970 to…

The Cairo city manager says that any money taken from the utility department will be covered by the city’s insurance. The alleged theft is currently being investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. City Manager Chris Addleton told city councilmen Monday night the city is bonded up to $500,000, and he said the alleged theft…

A young Grady County man was seriously injured when he was hit by a car Monday morning north of Cairo. The 26-year-old was taken via helicopter to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. The Georgia State Patrol is still investigating the accident and has not released any details of the incident.Officers with the Grady County Sheriff’s Office who…