Solar devices will clean water sources

Newton County's two drinking-water reservoirs, Lake Varner and City Pond, are getting a helping hand from the sun in the battle to keep them as healthy and clean as possible.

Illegal street race blamed in wreck

An infant and a Covington teenager were killed Thursday night in a wreck on I-20 that police believe was caused by an illegal car race going awry.

Mom of boys is thinking pink

Kari Apted may have a lot on her plate, but the mother of three, soon to be four, has learned how to balance it all. With three boys, Eli, Zach and Jonah, Apted admits that things can get hectic. But she also says a houseful of boys is always endearing.

Sergeant arrested after single-vehicle crash

A Covington man who was a sergeant with the Rockdale County Sheriff's Office was arrested following an early morning crash on McCalla Road in Rockdale County.

Street race crash kills baby, teen

Two people were killed, including a teenager and infant, and three others injured in a wreck on I-20 in Rockdale County that police believe was caused by illegal street racing.

Lowest gas price - May 10

The lowest price for regular fuel is $3.49 at BP, located at 6229 Turner Lake Road and Brown Bridge Road.

Tea party delight for Mother's Day

If you're looking for a way to delight your mom for Mother's Day, the Phoenix Pass nonprofit for homeless women and children is offering a unique opportunity designed to make her feel like a queen.

Thief steals church’s history

Luther Hays Presbyterian Church had its history stolen recently, and the church's members are pleading for its safe return.

Mystic Grill plans move forward

Creating the real Mystic Grill restaurant - named after the popular restaurant from the TV series "The Vampire Diaries" - won't be cheap at a cost of $2.27 million, but the owners are hoping to get a low-interest loan from the state to cover at least a fraction of the cost.

Fire leaves family of five homeless

A Wednesday night fire that damaged part of an Oxford duplex and destroyed most of its contents left a family of five homeless, but the Red Cross and the family's home church is rallying to offer support.

Be part of the ‘American Dream’ tonight

Local church collects food to pack pantries

Eastridge Community Church had a mission to pack the food pantries of Newton County, and its members went out and bought enough food to fill 232 boxes.

Newton County Jail Log, May 10

Paul Frazier Allen, 22, 235 Mountainview Drive, Covington, May 2. Hijacking a motor vehicle, aggravated assault, possession of firearm or knife while trying to commit crimes, armed robbery, intimidation, taking control of substance.

Synthetic high

A concerned driver called authorities for help Sunday night after seeing a vehicle driving erratically.

Temporary burn ban now in effect

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division has imposed an Open Burning Ban for 54 Georgia counties, including Newton County, that will begin May 1 and last through Sept. 30.

Newton’s JROTC earns 8th Naval Honor Unit distinction

For the eighth consecutive year, the Newton High School Marine Corps Junior ROTC program has earned national distinction as a Naval Honor Unit. This award places Newton High in the top 20 percent of the 225 MCJROTC programs in the nation.

Newborn mayoral race heats up with 3 candidates in mix

The Newborn mayoral race will be one of the most contested in the county, as three candidates vie for the top position in the small town of Newborn. Eight-year incumbent J.W. Cummings, long-time council member James King and world-travelled engineer Roger Sheridan are all running in the Nov. 3 election.

Hundreds turn out for the annual Fuzz Run

Runners began their 5K trek at 8:30 a.m. Saturday. Kirchirchir Kimitei, 27, of Kennesaw crossed the finish line as the overall winner with a time of 14:40. Other top winners are grand master male (50+) Clark Walker, left, 51 of Hardwick, 18:39; master male (40+) Jeffrey Dundes of Conyers, 17:56; overall female Janet Cherobon, 31, of Rome, 16:40, master female (40+) Joan Walls, 51, 21:29; and grand master (50+) female Monika McCool, 62, of Athens, ...

Covington now a certified literate community

Local organizations have helped more than 6,262 Newton County adults improve their reading skills over the past eight years, and as a result, Newton County was named a Certified Literate Community by the Technical College System of Georgia. The ceremony took place at Saturday's annual Literacy Festival, where Mayor Kim Carter also declared September to be Family Literacy month in Newton County.

Boothby to resign as Chamber president

John Boothby announced today that he is resigning as president of the Covington-Newton County Chamber of Commerce, effective on Tuesday. Boothby, who has been Chamber president for more than three years, said he has enjoyed his time in Newton County, but was looking forward to pursuing some new opportunities.

DeKalb Tech to train new firefighters

DeKalb Technical College is preparing to launch its Fire Academy in October at its Alcovy Road Campus, in an effort to produce trained firefighters, while saving local fire departments money.

Fuzz Run just around the corner

The 26th annual Fuzz Run is nearly here and although the race is just days away, it isn't too late to sign up to compete. Runners can visit Baker Field from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Friday and even early Saturday morning prior to the start of the race to register.

"Vampire Diaries" to premiere tonight

The latest television series to be filmed in Covington, the "Vampire Diaries, will premiere tonight at 8 p.m. on The CW network.

Burned man identified

At approximately 7:15 p.m. Tuesday Newton County Fire received a call for a house fire at 15858 Ga. Highway 36, across from Campbell Road. Firefighters who entered the home were able to find a man -- identified by NCFD Deputy Chief Tim Smith as 72-year-old Charles Rainwater Sr -- lying in the kitchen area of the home and drag him to safety. EMTs on the scene were able to open an airway and stabilize the ...

The Georgia Kill-a-Watt Challenge

The Governor's Energy Challenge has partnered with Georgia Public Library Services to offer Georgia residents an opportunity to measure the energy consumption of appliances throughout their home and to take steps to reduce their electricity consumption and lower their utility bills. The Kill-a-Watt meter is compatible with any electrical outlet and is used to assess both the efficiency and the actual consumption of standard home appliances. The LCD display measures consumption by the Kilowatt-hour (just ...

Man severely burned in house fire

At approximately 7:15 p.m. Newton County Fire received a call for a house fire on Ga. Highway 36 across from Campbell Road.

Holiday weekend ‘quite uneventful’

According to local law enforcement officials the Labor Day weekend - Friday through Monday - was a quiet one. The Newton County Sheriff's Department reported four DUI arrests, two underage drinking arrests and one arrest for public intoxication. Only one accident with injuries was reported and occurred at the intersection of Ga. Highway 142 and U.S. Highway 278.

The women in charge

Taking over: Newton Medical Center Auxiliary recently elected a new president and president-elect. The president-elect is Val Hampton, left, and this year's president is Frances Rogers.

11 names in the mix for 5th Alcovy judge

Names have continued to come in for the fifth judge position for the local Alcovy Judicial Circuit, and as of late Tuesday, the nomination deadline, 11 candidates had been nominated. The Alcovy Circuit public defender and district attorney were both nominated, along with nine local attorneys throughout Newton and Walton counties:

Top Elk

Almon community resident Larry Capes was elected president of the Georgia Elks Association in June at the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks annual state convention at Jekyll Island.