By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
County revenues fall short of spending
Placeholder Image
Staff Report
Updated: Mar 11, 2015, 10:06 PM
Published: Mar 11, 2015, 10:10 PM

County Manager Tom Garrett presented an overview Tuesday night of the county’s General Fund finances in preparation for the 2016 budget.

For the past two years, the county’s expenditures tracked closely with budgeted amounts, but revenues fell short, Garret said.

Garrett identified several areas where the county consistently falls short, including emergency 911 services, solid waste and impact fees.

The county manager also provided a breakdown of landfill costs, and how those might change if the county were to accept a settlement with the East Georgia Land and Development Company to allow a private company to take over operation of the landfill.

See the full slideshow presented to the Board of Commissioners here. [insert link]

BOC budget presentation 3-10-2015
April 3 crash kills two young adults, injures third
Newton County Sheriff Car---WEB
Kate Verity
Published: Apr 4, 2025, 10:29 PM

NEWTON COUNTY — Around 10 a.m. on Thursday, a head-on collision on Highway 212 left two young adults dead and a third hospitalized.

Joe Navarro, 21, was driving the vehicle and Breanna Smith, 18, was in the passenger seat. Katie New, 20, sat between them.

According to the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, the vehicle lost control while going around a curve and crossed the centerline, where it collided head-on with a box truck. The crash report shows that their vehicle traveled another hundred feet after impact before coming to a stop. It spun, ended up facing the opposite direction on the shoulder of the opposite lane.

Navarro and Smith were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. New was airlifted to Grady Hospital. Her current condition is not known. 

Navarro, Smith and New were not believed to be wearing seatbelts when the collision occurred.

The driver of the box truck was not reported to have suffered any injuries.

This is an ongoing story. The News will post updates as they are made available.