The new weekly newspaper will be called The Rockdale News and will feature local news and sports coverage of Rockdale County. The first edition was published Saturday, April 4.

Morris said the paper would emphasize local coverage on topics of community interest.

The Rockdale News will be a tabloid size and distributed through free home delivery with paid store sales and mail delivery upon request. The paper will be a Saturday morning publication in order to include local Friday night sports activities. The initial distribution will be 10,500.

T. Pat Cavanaugh, the general manager of The Covington News, will assume additional duties as the publisher of the new newspaper. Cavanaugh, who started his newspaper career at the age of 14, has a 40-year background of community newspaper publishing and owned a community newspaper in Cypress, Calif.

Tisa Smart Washington, a resident of Conyers, has been named editor. She was formerly a reporter for On Common Ground, covering DeKalb County, and online media specialist for The Covington News. Annette Godwin will work as the director of advertising sales.

The offices for the Rockdale News will be located at 974 Klondike Court, S.W. Ste. 101 in Conyers.

Along with the newspaper's launch is the debut of a new interactive news Web site covering Rockdale County and community portal, http://rockdalenews.net.