Area News

Two popular restaurants in Cairo volunteered to close in recent weeks after health inspectors cited them for violations that could result in customers falling ill.Jin’s Chinese food restaurant on North Broad Street, and Kentucky Fried Chicken on U.S. 84, both closed early the day of their separate inspections and reopened the next day with the…

Cairo Mayor Pro Tem Ernest Cloud Jr., who had considered stepping down from public service, announced this week he will seek an historic seventh term.Cloud is not only one of the longest serving city officials in Cairo’s  139-year history, but he also holds the distinction of being the first African-American elected as a city councilman.“I…

State Rep. Mike Keown announced Wednesday he will challenge Congressman Sanford Bishop in Georgia’s 2nd Congressional District. Keown filed official paperwork with the Federal Election Commission and says he will move quickly to organize a strong campaign before making a more formal announcement in several months.The 2nd District encompasses most of southwest Georgia from Thomasville…

Nightlife in downtown Cairo is getting a boost with the opening of The Garden Room restaurant inside wicker.com.Owners Debbie and Al Rocuant have spent the last six months renovating the building most recently occupied by Park Model Manufacturing Offices, and creating an opening to connect it to their stores, wicker.com and The Lunchbox, located at…

The Cairo City Council on Monday night voted unanimously to assist the Grady County Joint Development Authority financially through December. JDA officials, including Chairman Charles M. Stafford, authority member Chuck Thomas and Executive Director Brian Marlowe, appeared before the mayor and council Monday night seeking financial assistance to meet the debt service on the former…

The young man accused of killing bicyclist Martin Langmaid earlier this month, has been granted a reduction in his bond, but still remains in custody.The attorney for Chaz Michael Gomez, 22, filed a motion to reduce bond shortly after Grady County Magistrate Larry Bearden originally set it at $131,000 July 2. Bearden says after holding…

Following a call from the Cairo-Grady County Chamber of Commerce for improvements in the Grady County Recreation Department, chamber and county officials sat down together to talk in the first of possibly many future sessions to address concerns.County Administrator Rusty Moye attended the monthly chamber board of directors meeting Monday and discussed the recreation program…

Whigham Scoutmaster Travis Shepherd invites the public to attend a dedication ceremony for the new Whigham Boy Scout Clubhouse erected on the Rattlesnake Roundup grounds in Whigham.The ceremony will take place this Friday evening at 7 p.m. at the new clubhouse. Refreshments will be served following the event.The new 5,000 square foot facility is providing…

The number of Roddenbery Memorial Library patrons stepping up to support the library financially continues to grow, according to library officials.A total of $15,290 has been collected in the ongoing SP500 fundingraising campaign. The name of the campaign is a play on the Standard & Poor’s 500 financial index and was the idea of Brenda…

The Cairo-Grady County Chamber of Commerce is calling on the Grady County Commission to evaluate the recreation department and develop a vision and strategic plan for the future.Chamber Chairman William G. Jones, on behalf of the chamber’s board of directors, wrote to County Administrator Rusty Moye and the county commissioners outlining the chamber’s request and…