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Young Farmers hosts tractor show
Placeholder Image
Gabriel Khouli
Updated: Apr 28, 2012, 9:35 PM
Published: Apr 28, 2012, 9:36 PM

The Newton County Farm Bureau's Young Farmers association hosted its second annual tractor show on the square Saturday and doubled in size this year to around 25 entrants.

Local resident John Coltharp Sr. won first place for his restored 1953 Ford Jubilee, which he's owned for 12 years.
"I just enjoy restoring tractors. I'm retired now, and I enjoy restoring them or helping out friends with their tractors," said Coltharp, who has been participating in tractor shows for about 15 years.

Dale Wiley won second place, while Keith Ellis took third place.

"We as the Young Farmers wanted to promote agriculture and let people know that agriculture is still here in Newton County," said group Chairman B.J. Marks, who owns a beef cattle and hay farm in Mansfield.
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.