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Miracle League All-Star weekend postponed due to aftermath of BioLab fire
Breaking News
Evan Newton
Published: Oct 2, 2024, 4:41 PM

NEWTON COUNTY – The long anticipated 2024 Miracle League All-Star weekend has been postponed, according to a social media post from Newton County Miracle League.

The three-day event scheduled to happen this weekend was officially postponed due to ongoing air concerns from the BioLab fire that happened just miles away in Rockdale County.

The event was set to feature children from all over the world coming together to participate in an all-star tournament. 

A parade was scheduled for Friday evening on the Covington Square which featured a drone show and other games and festivities. Games were supposed to play on Saturday and Sunday to determine the All-Star champions, as well as giving a spotlight to the Newton County Miracle League athletes.

A new date has not been set at this time.

“All-Star Weekend 2024 has been POSTPONED due to the severity of the chemical explosion that occurred in Conyers, GA (our neighboring city).,” the social media post read. “Local & state government officials deemed the air quality unsafe for individuals that may experience respiratory challenges and/or compromised immune systems. The health and safety of our players and families was paramount in making this difficult decision.

“All hope is not lost! We're working diligently to determine another date for our All-Star Weekend. We appreciate all the support, donations, and willingness to volunteer from the community (near & far)  to make our Weekend awesome! STAY TUNED!!!”

According to their official Facebook page, the Newton County Miracle League is a program “that gives children/youth/adults with mental or physical disabilities the opportunity to play baseball.”
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.