• At the Board of Commissioners work session on Monday and meeting on Tuesday, a special events ordinance that would have required a permit for special events on public property but not on private property was deferred after the Sheriff brought up concerns about not being given advance notice for big private events that might require more public safety assistance.
Also at the BOC work session, Sherriff Jeff Wigington said he was looking at an emergency notification system that could reach about 500,000 people at a time with a 60-second message via landline phone, cell phone, text message or email. The program would cost about $21,000 and be covered by a 50 percent grant with 50 percent match from the Sheriff's Department. Training hours alone for emergency personnel could contribute to that match.

• The Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce held its 56th annual meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 26 at the Georgia International Horse Park Carriage House, where the gavel was passed from 2009 president John Kelly to 2010 president Bill Daniels. Bill Huey was honored with the A.R. Barksdale Lifetime Achievement Award, Lorraine Harrison won the Step up to the Plate award, Government Committee Chair David Shipp was recognized as the James P. Culpepper Committee Chairperson of the Year, the city of Conyers won the Beautification Award for its West Avenue beautification project, First Baptist Church of Conyers won the Community Spirit Award for its many projects in the community. (See page 11)

• At the Water and Sewerage Authority meeting Tuesday night, Richard McDaniel of Rockdale Water Resources reported that 4,372 small water meters had been changed out through the Meter Exchange Program. Small meters more than 10 years old read with about 89 percent accuracy, said McDaniel, representing a loss of around $62,500 annually by the 2,500 such meters that were replaced.

Authority member Garvin Haynes reported 105 miles of pipes had been identified as "red pipe," or water pipes put into the ground before 1970, and some as far back as 1913, mostly concentrating in the city of Conyers area, As part of an effort to reduce the amount of unbilled water through leakage, the Authority will seek SPLOST funding to replace the pipes, doing the replacements in coordination with street resurfacing.

• Longhorns Steakhouse in Conyers is building a new restaurant building next to its Iris Drive location, roughly slated to open in the summer and featuring a brand new look for the chain restaurant. It is uncertain what will happen with the old building, which was leased, according to a restaurant spokes person