Top Stories

Following the Booker Gainor’s vacating of the office of Cairo mayor to run for the Georgia House of Representatives, the Cairo City Council issued a call for a special election on May 19 to elect a mayor to fill the unexpired term of the former mayor. Gainor’s term did not expire until Dec. 31, 2021.…

By Dave Williams Bureau Chief Capitol Beat News Service Every Georgia voter will receive an absentee ballot request form in the mail ahead of the May 19 primaries, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced Tuesday. The unprecedented step will reinforce the social distancing public health officials are recommending in the midst of the worldwide coronavirus…

State Park Road will likely be paved later this summer following action taken by the Grady County Commission Tuesday. The board ratified action, which had been verbally approved late last week, to accept the low bid of $485,015.85 from The Scruggs Company of Valdosta to pave the main thoroughfare to Tired Creek Lake. The county’s…

Candidates are signing on the dotted line this week confirming their intentions to run for public office as qualifying continues through Friday. As of Tuesday, there are 13 candidates who have qualified to run for local offices, and others are expected to throw their hats into the ring before Friday’s noon deadline. There are also…

By Dave Williams Bureau Chief Capitol Beat News Service As Georgians prepare to return to Daylight Saving Time this Sunday, March 8 state llawmakers want to hear from voters on how the Peach State should keep time. The state Senate unanimously passed legislation Monday calling for a nonbinding advisory referendum asking whether Georgia should continue…

By Beau Evans Capitol Beat News Service and Mesha Wind The Cairo Messenger The Georgia Senate passed legislation Tuesday aimed at loosening training requirements for volunteer fire departments in the state, and local officials say they are pleased with this development. Senate Bill 342 would create a council tasked with establishing training and certification rules…

Qualifying for county offices up for election this year opens Monday, March 2 at 8:30 a.m. and will conclude at noon next Friday, March 6. Offices up for election this cycle include sheriff, probate judge, chief magistrate, clerk of court, tax commissioner, coroner, county commissioners for Districts 1, 3 and 4 as well as board…

The Grady County Republican party is hosting a BBQ rally this Saturday at Tired Creek Golf Club beginning at noon. Invited guests include Republican candidates Vivian Childs and Don Cole who are seeking the republican nomination for the Second Congressional District. Also invited to attend is Danny Brown, a candidate for the Georgia Public Service…

Cairo City Councilman Demario Byrden is asking the city council to reconsider its restriction on slabs over graves in Forest Lawn Cemetery. According to Byrden, some of the grave sites at Forest Lawn Cemetery, on 11th Avenue N.W., appear to be “sinking in” and “looks bad.” “Maybe we should revisit putting slabs out there,” Byrden…

The Grady County Commission is poised to enter into an agreement with Enterprise Fleet Management to oversee the maintenance and servicing of the county’s 62-vehicle fleet. Chelsea Karol of Enterprise Fleet Management, who previously presented a recommendation to the board last year, appeared before the county commission this week to discuss the service agreement. Under…