BOC looks for budget options, Watch it now, May 21, 2013

Ga. Rep. Brooks to be arraigned on fraud charges

ATLANTA (AP) - Georgia state Rep. Tyrone Brooks is set to appear in court for arraignment on federal fraud charges.

Stocks rise on Fed stimulus hopes, home sales

IRS official Lerner: 'I did nothing wrong'

FBI: Man fatally shot in Boston bombing probe

Lowest gas price - May 22

The lowest price for regular fuel is $3.42 at Marathon, located at Ga. Highway 142 and Dixie Road.

Miracle League receives $20,000

For five years, the Miracle League of Newton County has been a simulcast host site for Chick-fil-A's Leadercast, not only showing the event live, but also using it as a fundraiser, receiving proceeds from ticket sales.

BOC tasks staff with cutting budget

Watch the Video Here

County passes new gun-firing law

Newton County has new laws on where people are allowed to fire guns recreationally.

Defective government

"Hold on, my friends, to the Constitution and to the Republic for which it stands. Miracles do not cluster, and what has happened once in 6,000 years, may not happen again. Hold on to the Constitution, for if the American Constitution should fail, there will be anarchy throughout the world."

Travis: How do teachers savor their summer? Let’s count the ways

In just a few days, the school year for Newton County children will be over. We'll see pictures of them rushing out of the schools' doors, cheering.

Yarbrough: They’re schools, not businesses, as teachers know well

Dear Public School Teachers in Georgia:

Lloyd Madison Lyda Jr.

Mr. Lloyd Madison Lyda Jr., "Butch," 68, of Oxford, passed away May 19.

Barbara Mull Norman

Mrs. Barbara Mull Norman, 61, of Covington, passed away May 20. Mrs. Norman was preceded in death by her father Hoyt Mull.

OED unveils new high-tech office

The new Covington-Newton County Office of Economic Development had its grand opening Tuesday, unveiling a conference room with state-of-the-art technology that will play a role in the recruitment and retention of industries and efforts to improve the local workforce.

Ex-children's hospital worker accused of abuse

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) - A former employee of Children's Hospital of Georgia is accused of sexual battery involving patients at the Augusta facility.

Obama health law anniversary finds two Americas

WASHINGTON (AP) - Three years, two elections, and one Supreme Court decision after President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act, its promise of health care for the uninsured may be delayed or undercut in much of the country because of entrenched opposition from many Republican state leaders. In half the states, mainly led by Democrats, officials are racing deadlines to connect uninsured residents to coverage now only months away. In others it's ...

Video from BOC March 19, 2013 meeting

NEWTON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

Survey: Low-wage workers missing out on training

WASHINGTON (AP) - As they struggle to get ahead, many low-wage workers are not taking advantage of job training or educational programs that could help them make the leap to better-paying jobs. They are often skeptical about whether such programs are even worth the trouble, a new survey shows.

Universe ages 80M years; Big Bang gets clearer

PARIS (AP) - New results from a look into the split second after the Big Bang indicate the universe is 80 million years older than previously thought but the core concepts of the cosmos - how it began, what it's made of and where it's going - seem to be on the right track. The findings released Thursday bolster a key theory called inflation, which says the universe burst from subatomic size to ...

Ga. jobless rate hits lowest level since early '09

ATLANTA (AP) - State labor officials say Georgia's unemployment rate has dropped 8.6 percent, its lowest level in the past four years.

Lowest gas price - March 21

The lowest price for regular fuel is $3.44 at Kroger, located at 5341 Ga. Highway 20 south near Brown Bridge Road.

Local libations

Take a drive to Conyers and have a beer and some bar food at the Celtic Tavern this weekend. It's a small space, but it's not the size that matters. At least not here. There's a decently stocked bar, some adorable patio seating - which is great this time of year, and the small setting comes off more as intimate and not cramped. Intimate in a good way, not in a creepy I-want-to-wear-your-feet sort of ...

It ain’t easy bein’ sleazy

Grab your friends or your boo and head out to Blind Willie's Friday for music by Delta Moon, a little Cajun food and some drinks. Use it as a chance to get a little dressed up if you want, or you can always dress down. A joint that has the motto "It ain't easy bein' sleazy" isn't going to mind if you wear jeans. It's like a little bit of the Bayou in the middle ...

Dauset Trails: FREE family fun!

Everyone enjoys having fun, and when it's free that just sweetens the deal! Take a scenic drive down to Jackson, GA and visit Dauset Trails. They have flowers, animals, a pond, picnic areas - all of it completely free. You can bring quarters and feed the fish in the pond, pack a lunch and enjoy the atmosphere, and this time of year it is phenomenal. And did I mention it was free?

Jimbo's rocks the river

If you think Jimbo's is just about burgers and chicken fingers you would be wrong. They have those, of course, along with a plethora of other tasty food and drinks, but they also have live music with local talent (like Gannon Adams later this month!), open mic nights and karaoke. And if you show them some love, they might add trivia to the mix soon! Not only can you support a local business and local talent, but you can get your entertainment close to home.

Tours and tastes at SweetWater

Take a tour of one of Atlanta's best breweries this weekend. Check out SweetWater Wed.-Sat. Check out how some of the city's best beers are made and then take a taste of what SweetWater has to offer. Tours are loose and social, but if you get there early you'll have more time to spend on the tasting part. Wed.-Fri. you can tour from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and on Sat. from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Make sure to bring ...

Judge strikes down section of GA immigration law

ATLANTA (AP) - A federal judge has permanently struck down a section of Georgia's 2011 law targeting illegal immigration that makes it illegal for someone to knowingly harbor or transport an illegal immigrant.

Chairman: Ga. Senate will back $100 lobbying cap

ATLANTA (AP) - The Senate will propose a $100 cap on lobbyist expenditures, not an outright ban, creating a conflict with House lawmakers in the waning days of the General Assembly's annual session, a leading Senate Republican said Wednesday. The Senate Rules Committee will meet Thursday to put forward its version of lobbying restrictions originally written by House Speaker David Ralston, said Sen. Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga, the committee chairman. Mullis said he hopes the ...

Wal-Mart expands test of mobile checkout program

NEW YORK (AP) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is expanding a test of a new checkout program that allows shoppers to scan items with their smartphones and then pay at self-checkout terminals. The world's largest retailer launched what it calls its "Scan & Go" program late last year in about 70 stores in the Bentonville, Ark., area, where the retailer is based, as well as Atlanta. It is now testing the program in more ...