Mecca: Elite rescue mission in Vietnam

Twenty three miles northwest of Hanoi, the tiny North Vietnamese village of Son Tay had been undisturbed for decades, if not centuries. Peasants harvested their rice crops and survived as best they could in Third-World conditions. On Nov. 21, 1970, the peaceful little village of Son Tay entered military history.

Lowest gas price - May 21

The lowest price for regular gas is $3.45 at Flash Foods, located at 4175 Salem Road and Brown Bridge Road.

BOC tasks county staff with budget cuts

The Newton County Board of Commissioners didn't make any major budget decisions Monday night, but asked the county manager and finance director to propose cuts and prepare two budgets for commissioners to study in two weeks.

Commissioners to talk budget tonight

The Newton County Board of Commissioners will talk next year's budget again at 7 p.m., tonight at the Historic Courthouse, and they could resume discussions about whether to increase the property tax rate and cut or enhance any specific services.

NCSO holds west precinct grand opening

The West Side precinct of the Newton County Sheriff's Office will host its grand opening Tuesday at 10 a.m. The precinct is located at 3665 Salem Road, Suite C2. Although there is limited space, the grand opening is open to the public.

Couple arrested for armed robbery

A man and woman were arrested and charged with armed robbery over the weekend after the victim of the robbery followed them and called police with their tag number.

Lowest gas price - May 20

The lowest price for regular fuel is $3.49 at Shell, located at 10125 Alcovy Road and City Pond Road.

Flash flood watch expires, rain continues

UPDATE: The flash flood watch issued by the National Weather Service at Peachtree City for counties including Rockdale and Newton has expired but warnings of rain storms continues through the night.

Porterdale Bar & Grill to reopen

Update, May 22: Porterdale Bar and Grill owner Linda Crawford told city officials that all issues will be resolved prior to the restaurant reopening.

Police chief: No secrecy to seized funds

Georgia's forfeiture laws have come under scrutiny lately, following an investigation into reports of alleged abuse in some counties across the state.

Gun ordinance on Tuesday's agenda

The newly-created gun-firing ordinance could be voted on by the Newton County Board of Commissioners Tuesday as county officials seek a resolution to the issue of recreational shooting, which has stirred strong emotions on both sides.

Boy Scouts descend on Newton

Zip-lines, watercraft, rock climbing and tomahawk throwing were all in a day's fun Saturday as some 4,000 Boy Scouts and their adult leaders attended a "Call to Action'' Camporee at Bert Adams Scout Reservation in Covington. The Atlanta area Boy Scouts (ages 11-17), Venturers (coed 14-20) and their leaders also enjoyed video-game based activities, rocketry, and military demonstrations. The regional campout is held every three years and is for Boy Scouts and Venturers in the ...

Improved intersection or local landmark?

Henderson's Restaurant on Ga. Highway 36 is a Newton County institution. But it also appears to be on precarious footing, as a long-discussed widening of Ga. Highway 36 could eventually force the restaurant to close.

Lowest gas price - May 17

The lowest price for regular gas is $3.48 at RaceWay, located at 5148 U.S. Highway 278 NW near Piper Street.

Sheriff seeks big budget increases

Newton County Sheriff Ezell Brown is seeking nearly $4 million in additional money for next fiscal year's budget, but with property tax revenue again expected to decline, it's unclear how much - if any - money will be available.

Police officer shoots suspect

A man was shot and killed last night after opening fire on an officer from the Covington Police Department and a trooper from Georgia State Patrol on Interstate 20.

Speeding suspect shot and killed by CPD officer

Interstate 20 opened around 5 a.m. this morning following an investigation of the scene where a firefight broke out on the interstate, and the suspect was shot and killed by a Covington Police officer.

Newton County exhausts initial supply of H1N1 vaccine

Newton County has exhausted its initial supply of H1N1 nasal spray vaccine, but health officials said additional vaccine shipments will be slowly arriving over the next few weeks.

Two men caught after burglarizing water authority

On Thursday Oct. 15, the Newton County Water Authority contacted the Newton County Sheriff's Office because of multiple burglaries they had been having at their facility on Brown Bridge Road. Through a collaborative effort between the Water Authority and NCSO, deputies were able to apprehend two individuals who were illegally on the property of the Water Authority facility at approximately 10:30 p.m. on Thursday Oct. 15. Christopher Brewer, age ...

NCSO Traffic Unit provides free driving safety class for parents and teens

Changes in Joshua's Law for teen drivers put parents squarely in the passenger's seat. It requires that anyone who applies for a permanent driver's license must have a parent, legal guardian or responsible adult sign a verification form affirming that the candidate has completed 40 hours (with six hours at night) of supervised driving experience, if the candidate has successfully completed an approved driver education course. Most parents don't feel prepared, ...

Pizza delivery driver robbed at gunpoint

Newton County Sheriff Deputy Priscilla Tyree responded to a robbery call Monday night in The Enclave subdivision.

Woman knew burglar who broke into home

A Covington woman had her home broken into by two men on Oct. 16.

Newborn Council Briefs

 Newborn City Council held a meeting on Oct. 5.

NMC’s Wound Care Center receives 2 state-of-the-art hyperbaric chambers

 A large 18-wheeler truck will pull up to The BirthCare Center entrance at Newton Medical Center on Oct. 15 loaded with two new Sechrist hyperbaric oxygen chambers.

A tasty donation

Pasta for police: Covington Elks Lodge No. 1806 recently sponsored a Spaghetti Dinner to raise funds to purchase much-needed Level III bullet-proof vests for the Newton County Sheriff's Department. Shown left to right are Captain Doug Kitchens, Elks State President Larry Capes, Exalted Ruler Butch Woodruff and Sheriff Ezell Brown. To donate contact the NCSO at (678) 625-1400.

Man sentenced to life for murder of his girlfriend

Harristown to get senior living facility

 The Harristown Neighborhood will be getting a $9 million affordable senior housing facility in late 2010 or early 2011.

Walton County Sheriff's Office employee dies at DeKalb Tech

A Walton County Sheriff's employee died Friday during training at the DeKalb Technical College's law enforcement academy.

Breedlove found guilty on all charges

A jury found Rick Ray Breedlove guilty of murder in the 2007 death of his then-girlfriend Pamela Spencer. Judge John Ott sentenced him to life in prison plus five years on the charges of malice murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Vioces from the past

On a damp, dreary mid October evening, visitors to the Historic Covington Cemetery were treated to more than tombstones and flowers. At nine selected graves around the cemetery, voices from the past told the story of each site's occupant. From preachers to gypsies, they told a variety of stories that all ended in death.