Area News
“Mayor for a Day” Kicks Off Georgia Cities Week with a Fresh Perspective on Leadership
For one day, the seat at the table looked a little different, and so did the view of City Hall. As part of Georgia Cities Week, the City of Valdosta officially kicked off its celebration by handing over the role of “Mayor for a Day” to Braeden Lampkin, a senior at Valdosta High School. The…
Read MoreAt 20, DNR Youth Birdathon ‘Still Going Strong’
April 21, 2026, 11:47 am The annual Georgia Youth Birding Competition turned 20 this year with about 115 young birders flocking to the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center near Mansfield Saturday for an awards banquet capping the event. Competition founder and coordinator Tim Keyes of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said the interest and turnout,…
Read MoreSGSC Students Honored for Academic Achievement During Academic Year 2025-2026
SGSC Students Honored for Academic Achievement During Academic Year 2025-2026 According to an announcement today by Vice President for Academic & Student Affairs, Sara Selby, sixty-three students received awards for outstanding achievement in academics, leadership, and community involvement. In addition, twenty-six individuals received Student Choice Awards. The recipients were students, faculty, campus safety, staff members,…
Read MoreGBI Investigates Death in Tifton, GA
Tifton, GA (April 21, 2025) – At the request of the Georgia State Patrol, GBI agents are investigating the death of Dyllyn Willoughby, age 36, of Fort Payne, AL. Preliminary information indicates that at about 1:00 p.m., a Georgia State Patrol trooper attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Willoughby after observing Willoughby’s vehicle…
Read MoreVSU Students Gain Access to Technology Through AT&T and USG Foundation Gift
Valdosta State University students now have greater access to the technology they need to succeed thanks to a recent gift of 50 laptop computers, made possible through a partnership between AT&T and the University System of Georgia Foundation. The laptops, valued at $18,500, are part of a statewide initiative that has provided 1,250 students across the…
Read MoreCarr Charges McDuffie County Man with Trafficking of Underage Female
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr today announced that Jimmy Mance, 40, of Thomson, has been charged with the trafficking and sexual exploitation of a 17-year-old female in McDuffie County. These charges were brought by the Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit after the victim disclosed that she was sold for sex. The child was recovered in…
Read MoreSGMC Health to Host Free Community Stroke Seminar
Stroke remains one of the leading causes of death and long-term disability in the United States, and timely recognition and treatment can save lives. SGMC Health invites the community to attend its 2026 Stroke Seminar on April 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the James H. Rainwater Conference Center in Valdosta to learn…
Read MoreGeorgia Power Reminds Customers to Dig Safely and “Plant the Right Tree in the Right Place” this Spring
With spring finally arriving in Georgia, many homeowners will be planting and completing home improvement projects. Georgia Power is reminding customers to call 811 before digging and to follow “right tree, right place” guidelines to improve energy efficiency and protect underground utilities during National Safe Digging Month this April. Digging-related incidents are easily preventable and…
Read MoreCurrent and Former IRS Employees Owe Millions in Student Loan Repayment Benefits
Why did we do this audit? To recruit and retain highly qualified personnel, the IRS established a Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) to help reduce employees’ student loan debts. Approval for the SLRP benefit is contingent on employees committing to continue working for the IRS for three years. Since Calendar Year 2023, the IRS repaid…
Read MoreThomasville Man with Violent Criminal Past Pleads Guilty to Gun Charge
A South Georgia man with a prior conviction for rape and kidnapping who was wanted for a north Florida bank robbery and captured in Georgia after attempting to run from deputies while carrying a firearm is facing a maximum of 15 years in prison on a federal gun charge. Jonathan Lamar Wooten, aka “Chico,” 53,…
Read More