The conversation is engaged and ongoing at our Facebook site, and we thank you.

It's where issues and fun stuff gets discussed, news tips are shared, rumors are squelched or confirmed, and you can talk with us or amongst yourselves. It's an electronic community forum, and we're grateful for your interest and input.

Items that may not make it into print can be answered here. For instance, last week folks were curious about why emergency personnel were at East Newton Elementary School. A quick call and our police reporter, Amber Pittman, was able to post that it was just smoke coming from a bathroom fan. No big deal, but people wanted to know. We're glad we could help.
Wednesday, we got the dialogue going about chickens. The city of Covington is considering relaxing its ordinances regarding the keeping of poultry and other fowl, and that got you talking.

Amberly Smith wrote in about the pet chicken she had as a kid that she named "Supper," and Judy Julie Cooper shared that she has two lacy hens that her grandchildren love to watch. Robert Nash got onto a tangent about rabbits, and Elizabeth Christian-Allen shared that there's a veritable pride of feral cats that traipse through her yard.

It's the kind of conversation you used to hear around the square downtown. Check it out and join in.

We're here to keep you informed and entertained, not just in print, but online and in social media, too.

You can also comment on stories online at Covnews.com. Look for the comment box at the bottom of a story or column and have your say.

Letters to the Editor can be sent to tgiddens@covnews.com, or you can send your letter by regular mail to:
The Covington News
1166 Usher St. N.W.
Covington GA 30014.

We do have some guidelines that need to be followed:
- You need to keep your comments to 350 words or less. To help you judge how long that is, there are 346 words in this column from the start to the end of this paragraph.
- Please include your full name, your telephone number and your hometown. We need to confirm that you sent the letter.
- Original, coherent content only, please. Don't forward the work of someone else.
- No letters, please, involving personal or business disputes.
- Letters regarding matters or faith or memorial tributes may be rejected.
- Letters may be edited for space and content.
We want to hear from you, and we want you to be part of the conversation, whether it's in print, in person or on Facebook. The choice is yours.

Tharon Giddens is editor of The Covington News. Reach him at (678) 750-5011 or at tgiddens@covnews.com.