News, Obituaries, & Sports

A  DISCUSSION  ON  THE  FUTURE  AND  STRUCTURING OF  JOINT PROJECTS  AT  A  JOINT  MEETING  OF   THOMASTON  CITY  COUNCIL  AND   UPSON  COUNTY  COMMISSIONERS--TUESDAY--MORPED  INTO A  MOVE  TO  EXPLORE  HOW  MUCH  A  STUDY  OF  CONSOLIDATION  WOULD  COST.  BOC  CHAIR  DAN  BRUE  SAID  HE  WANTS  VOTER  INPUT  ON  THE  MAY  BALLOT. THE  TWO  GOVERNING  BODIES  APPOINTED  THEIR  MANAGERS  TO  SEEK  SOME  ANSWERS  TO  THE  COST AND  WHO  COULD  DO  A  STUDY.

Steven McNeel has been elected to the District 18 State Senate seat following a runoff race which concluded Tuesday. Republican McNeel defeated Democrat LeMario Brown for the seat after the two received the most votes during the Jan. 20 special election. McNeel celebrated his victory with alongside family and friends in Macon Tuesday night, and says he was campaigning until the polls closed. McNeel will join the Georgia Senate mid-session, which is set to end in early April.

The Upson-Lee High School NJROTC precision team recently competed in the 2026 JROTC Service Championship (Navy Nationals) in Columbia, Missouri, earning a top-15 national finish among the country’s most competitive programs. The two-day event, hosted by the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP), was held at the Missouri Marksmanship Education Center and featured 21 teams from across the United States. Competing in the precision division, Upson-Lee posted an impressive aggregate

On February 12, 2026 at 10:50pm the residents of 1939 Yatesville Highway in Thomaston reported a Burglary. They reported that as they returned home they found that the front door to their house had been kicked open. As they entered the residence they found a white male inside. The male claimed that he was told by an unknown person that he could live there. There was a confrontation between the homeowner and the burglar as the male attempted to run from the residence. The home

ACCORDING  TO  GA.  STATE PATROL  HEADQUARTERS  IN  ATLANTA,  A  30  YEAR  OLD UPSON  COUNTY   MOTHER  WAS  KILLED  IN  A  TRAFFIC  ACCIDENT  ON  TRICE  CEMETERY  ROAD  FRIDAY  NIGHT LESLIE  LACHELLE  CRAVEN. THE OTHER MOTORIST  INVOLVED  IDENTIFIED  AS ALEX  RYAN EVANS,  AGE  24  WAS  CHARGED WITH  HOMICIDE  BY  VEHICLE, DUI,  AND  SEVERAL  OTHER  MISDEMEANOR  CHARGES. THE  GSP  SAID  JUST  AFTER  10PM ON  FEB. 13TH A  FORD  F-450  WAS  TRAVELING  NORTH  ON  TRICE CE

Press Release – February 12, 2026 The search for the next Superintendent of the Thomaston-Upson School System is underway. At their February 10th meeting, the Board of Education voted to use Georgia Leadership Associates to facilitate the search. The search firm will carry out the Board’s directives to advertise the vacant position across the state. Vacancy announcements will be sent to all school districts in Georgia and to all Georgia RESAs. The vacancy will be posted on th

The  Monroe County Sheriff's Office  is investigating after a construction worker discovered what is believed to be partial human remains on Wednesday, according to a release. The sheriff's office said that around 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, a construction worker with a crew working off Rumble Road was walking through a wooded area near St. Paul AME Church.   They said that the construction worker stumbled upon the partial remains on the ground and called investigators. The sheri

THE  UPSON  COUNTY BOARD OF  COMMISSIONERS  VOTED  TO  DENY  THE  APPEAL OF  A  VARIANCE  SOUGHT  BY   CHAIRMAN  DAN  BRUE  FOR  A  NEW  ANIMAL  ANIMAL  ON  FIRE  TOWER  ROAD  AFTER  A  PUBLIC HEARING  TUESDAY.  THE  BOARD  DECLINED  TO  HEAR  THE  APPEAL   OF  A  SPECIAL  EXCEPTION  ALSO  FROM  THE  PLANNING  COMMISSION,  AS  IT  WAS  A  MOOT  ISSUE  WITH  THE  VARIANCE  DENIAL. COUNTY  ATTORNEY  HEALTH  ENGLISH   EXPLAINED  THE  BOC  WAS   ONLY  CHARGED  WITH  DECIDING  IF 

THOMASTON  FIRE  DEPARTMENT  HAD  TO  EXTRICATE  A  COUPLE  FROM  A  BIG  SUV  AFTER  A  TWO  VEHICLE  ACCIDENT SATURDAY--AT  EAST GORDON  AND  SOUTH  BETHEL--ACCORDING  TO  THOMASTON  POLICE.    A  PASSENGER- JACKIE CHAMBERS OF MALLORY  STREET  WAS  LIFE FLIGHTED TO  A  MACON  TRAMA  CENTER  WITH  A  SERIOUS  NECK  INJURY--HER  HUSBAND  THE  DRIVER  OF  THE  TOYOTA  HIGHLANDER   JAMES  CHAMBERS OF  MALLORY  STREET POSSIBLY  HAD  TWO  BROKEN  ARMS  AND  WAS  TRANSPORTED  TO 

On Friday January 30th at 11am Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport spilled at least 10,000 gallons of jet fuel into the Flint River. Aside from the ecological impacts yet to be fully determined, the spill caused the City of Griffin to issue a “Do Not Drink” notice for all citizens and the Governor declared a State of Emergency. Despite claims of containment just downstream of the airport, Griffin citizens have reported the water from their taps burning their skin and ca

On January 30, 2026, a Spalding County jury convicted Kaomarion Lashaun Kendrick of Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault (2x), Possession of a Firearm during Commission of a Felony, Possession of a Handgun by Person Under 18 years of Age, and Violation of Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act (3x). The Honorable Benjamin D. Coker of the Spalding County Superior Court sentenced the Defendant to serve life in prison without the possibility of parole followed by eighty-five year

A Morrow man has been arrested in connection with threats that led to a lockdown at an Upson Lee North elementary school in Upson County, Sheriff Dan Kilgore said.   Demarcus Deon Spivey, 31, was taken into custody Sunday afternoon, Feb. 1, in Clayton County on warrants out of Upson County, the sheriff said.   Investigators say Spivey was responsible for threats made to Upson Lee North   Elementary School on the morning of Friday, Jan. 30. According to authorities, he called

The Spalding County Water Authority has issued a Do Not Consume Water Advisory as a precautionary measure due to a potential contamination of its water source. Earlier today, the City of Griffin, the sole water provider for the Spalding County Water Authority, was notified of a fuel spill originating near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport that reached the Flint River. While initial information indicated the spill had not reached the area of Griffin’s water inta

At approximately 9:30 a.m. today, a threat was called in to Upson-Lee Elementary School. The anonymous caller reported being inside the school and claimed to be armed. Upon receiving the threat, school personnel immediately activated their Centegix safety system, and the school was placed on lockdown. The School Resource Officer and school staff took immediate action to secure students and staff. The Upson County Sheriff’s Office responded immediately, along with additional l

Silvertown Baptist Church invites all their friends and neighbors, new and old, to worship and fellowship with the church one last time. The service starts at 10:45am. Past deacon Jamey Grover is preaching, and former music minister Kim Grover will rejoin the praise team. Come celebrate what God has done and look forward in hope to what he is doing next. If you’re able, please let them know you’re going through their Facebook event so they are  prepared for the dinner afterwa

Georgia Department of Transportation employees in the west central district are preparing to begin brine operations as a snow event is expected to impact much of the state starting Saturday morning. They will begin brining all counties east of (and including) Coweta, Meriwether, Upson, Crawford, Peach and the northern half of Houston at 7 a.m. Friday and continue overnight. This will include Interstate 85 in Coweta County, I-475, I-75, and I-16. Brine will also be applied to

TOP TEN CORPORATE TAXPAYERS FOR UPSON COUNTY – 2025 TAX YEAR  NAME ASSESSMENT COUNTY TAX AMT %TOTAL LEVY  Interfor 39,909,064 $513,039 4.24  West GA Generating 34,850,574 $329,686 2.73  Southern Natural Gas 21,991,569 $276,901 2.29  Georgia Power 21,819,515 $256,876 2.12  Solo Cup 22,673,115 $226,799 1.88  Quad-Graphics 16,486,163 $194,758 1.61  Southern Mills 17,059,887 $114,356 .95  Wal-Mart 5,644,425 $53,396 .44  Upson EMC 4,107,448 $50,241 .42  Highline 3,824,735 $36,182

ATLANTA  – Today Governor Brian P. Kemp's office announced the following judicial appointments: Steven Blackerby to the Superior Court of the Brunswick Judicial Circuit, filling a vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Robert W. “Bert” Guy; Kristi Goodwin Connell, to the Superior Court of the Augusta Judicial Circuit, filling a vacancy created by the passage of Senate Bill 145; James “Jim” Kiger to the Superior Court of the Douglas Judicial Circuit, filling a vacancy cre

No candidate topped 50 percent in the six-county special election Tuesday night. LeMario Nicholas Brown and Steven McNeel are heading to a runoff in the special election for Georgia State Senate District 18, according to unofficial results posted Tuesday night by the Georgia Secretary of State. With all precincts reporting across the six-county district, Brown, a Democrat, finished with 36.93 percent of the vote, while McNeel, a Republican, placed second with 21.29 percent. B