Lowest gas price - May 7

The lowest price for regular fuel is $3.42 at QuikTrip, located at 11124 Ga. Highway 142 near I-20 exit 93.

Conyers nabs Vampire Diaries prequel

A new spin-off series of CW's popular "The Vampire Diaries" has been green-lighted and will likely be shooting in Conyers.

Newton County has minor flooding

Porterdale City Council to meet tonight

The City of Porterdale will hold its regular council meeting tonight at 6:30 p.m.

Covington City Council to meet tonight

The City of Covington will hold a work session at 6 p.m. tonight, followed by their council meeting at 6:30 p.m.

Lowest gas price - May 6

The lowest price for regular fuel is $3.42 at QuikTrip, located at 11124 Ga. Highway 142 near I-20 exit 93.

New gun-firing ordinance draft created

A citizens committee put a new gun-firing ordinance on the table this past week, and while it eliminates many issues residents had with the original proposal from earlier this year, some locals wonder if it will actually cut down on illegal firing.

Cycling into a dream

Learning how to ride a bike is a childhood rite of passage. Learning how to fix a bicycle as a child has turned into a lifelong business venture for Bill Adcock.

4-H alumnus to chair Relay for Life

Five years ago, an eighth grade 4-H'er came up to me at Relay for Life, excitedly telling me how 4-H should have a team.

Community rallies to help sick baby

With Jessica Wyatt's recent news that her son, 10-month-old Lucas Cronan, may be suffering from juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia - a rare form of leukemia found in children under 2 years of age - the community has stepped up and taken action.

Hailey bids farewell

After a month-long farewell tour, recreation director Tommy Hailey received his final send-off Friday in front of his family and dozens of close friends and supporters.

Newton County under flood watch

Newton County is under a flood watch until Sunday evening, according to the National Weather Service.

Third man sentenced in Atlanta man’s murder

The family of Alvin Hall has received justice for his 2009 murder, following the sentencing of the third man accused.

Investigators search for missing teen

Authorities are working to find a 13-year-old Covington teen that they believed ran away from home between the night of May 1 and the early morning hours of May 2.

Mansfield Spring Fling rescheduled

The Mansfield Spring Fling is being rescheduled because of expected rain and storms this weekend.

NCSO cracks down on Labor Day DUIs

The summer holidays are something to celebrate. But they have a deadly reputation on the road because too many summer party-people leave their designated drivers behind at the barbecue. And that means too many Georgians will die in alcohol-related crashes during the Labor Day weekend. There's a traffic fatality every thirteen minutes on America's crash clock with no time off for holidays.

Fire Commissioner presents reward check to local citizen

John Oxendine, Georgia Insurance and Safety Commissioner, and Bud Ousborn of the Georgia Arson Control Board traveled to Newton County Fire Station No. 1 Thursday to present a reward check to the NCFD and Newton County Sheriff's Department, who accepted the $6,500 for an anonymous citizen whose tip led to the arrest and conviction of four arsonists. The information provided by the local resident pertained to an October 2006 fire that destroyed two automobiles and ...

Girl Scouts registering now

 As the new school year begins, Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta kicks off a new membership year in which parents can register their daughters, ages 5-17, to become Girl Scouts.

InVEST in the NCSO

Give what you can: The Covington News donated $600 to the Newton County Sheriff's Office Tuesday. The $600 will go toward purchasing a level III bullet-proof vest for a county deputy. The parents of recently injured Deputy Wesley Atha have organized a fundraising campaign to purchase these vests for every county deputy. Their fundraising goal is $113,000. Each vest costs between $500-$700, depending on the size. On Tuesday, Editor Jennifer T. Long, ...

Several nominees being considered for Alcovy judicial seat

With the Sept. 8 deadline nearing for local residents to nominate candidates for the fifth judge position for Alcovy Judicial Circuit, several prominent Newton and Walton county attorneys and law officials have already had their hats thrown into the ring.

Author Eric Jerome Dickey coming to Mall at Stonecrest

National bestselling author Eric Jerome Dickey will appear at Borders Books and Music at the Mall at Stonecrest at 7 p.m. Thursday to discuss and sign copies of his newest book of fiction, "Resurrecting Midnight." The New York Times calls his writing "addictive," while Entertainment Weekly hails him as "King of African-American Fiction."

Newborn resident places at NWTF shooting competition

Thomas Moseley of Newborn placed first at the National Wild Turkey Federation's 16th Annual Turkey Shoot held Aug. 14 -16. Moseley broke 40 clay targets while competing in the 20-Gauge Event, C class of the NSCA Division at The Meadows National Gun Club in Forsyth.

UGA, Tech waive fee for athletic event Web casts for military personnel

Senate Veterans, Military and Homeland Security Committee Chairman John Douglas (R-Social Circle) announced today that officials at the University of Georgia and the Georgia Institute of Technology will renew the option of free live streaming audio of all athletic events for military personnel stationed overseas and serving within the United States. The universities typically charge an annual fee for users; however, both schools are waiving this fee as a sign of their ...

Andy Irwin wins 2nd storytelling award

Covington native Andy Offutt Irwin has once again received national acclaim as a storyteller. He received the Just Plain Folks Award for Storytelling Album in Nashville on Aug. 29 for his CD Bootsie in Season. TOhe Just Plain Folks Awards are sponsored by the largest organization for independent recording artists in the world, and they considered over 42,000 albums and 360,000 songs for their various categories of awards for 2009. <font ...

Charity golf tournaments looking for competitors

Golf fanatics should brush off their clubs for back-to-back charity tournaments on Sept. 17 and 18.

An a-maize-ing maze

As the weather turns colder and the corn grows taller, Colonel Cob's Corn Maze in Oxford is preparing to open on Sept. 11, with an all new maze and several new attractions.

NCSO launches county’s most wanted list on Web site

Newton County's Most Wanted people are now listed on the NCSO Web site, newtonsheriffga.org. If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of these people, they are asked to contact the Newton County Sheriff's Office warrant division Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. at (678) 625-1411. On weekends and after business hours, contact the non-emergency dispatcher at (770) 784-2100. Information can also be given on the anonymous tip line located on our Web site. ...

Fire at John Miles Chevrolet

A fire broke out this morning at the John Miles Chevrolet dealership on Dogwood Drive, consuming about a quarter of the parts department building and causing the 30-plus employees to be safely evacuated from the property. No one was injured or hurt in the fire or evacuation, according to Rockdale County Fire Department spokesperson Mike Lee. The fire, which sent black plumes of smoke into the sky, started a little after 10 a.m. and was ...

Sen. Douglas recommends Strickland for 5th judgeship

As the state accepts nominations for a fifth Judge for the Alcovy Circuit, Sen. John Douglas (R- Social Circle) announced Friday that he is supporting Covington resident David Strickland for the position. "I have known David since 1996 and found him to be a great leader in our community, a man of impeccable legal credentials, and a rising star in judicial circles," Douglas said in a press release. "I am confident that he will ...

Qualifying week for council seats begins Monday

Residents planning on running for their local city council will be able to qualify for the Nov. 3 municipal election beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Monday. Council seats are up for election in all of Newton County's municipalities.