Community

The tables were piled high with back-to-school supplies on Saturday morning when the Jimmy Davis Park Partnership Advisory Council held a community-wide Back-to-School Rally at the park near downtown Eatonton. CONTRIBUTED

The tables were piled high with back-to-school supplies on Saturday morning when the Jimmy Davis Park Partnership Advisory Council held a community-wide Back-to-School Rally at the park near downtown Eatonton. CONTRIBUTED

JDP advisory council hosts back-to-school rally

News Staff
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
The Jimmy Davis Park Partnership Advisory Council conducted a community-wide Back-to-School Rally Saturday morning at the park.“It was a huge success, and we appreciate each who purchased supplies, made a donation, or helped us out,” JDP Partnership Advisory Council chairperson Janie Reid said.“We...
The Sisters of Faith, out of Griffin, opened the second half of Saturday night’s Mothers Against Crime Gospel and Praise Concert at Putnam County Middle School’s Little Theater in Eatonton. IAN TOCHER/Staff

The Sisters of Faith, out of Griffin, opened the second half of Saturday night’s Mothers Against Crime Gospel and Praise Concert at Putnam County Middle School’s Little Theater in Eatonton. IAN TOCHER/Staff

Annual gospel concert entertains and inspires

Ian Tocher
Wednesday, July 23, 2025
The spirit was strong Saturday evening at Putnam County Middle School’s Little Theater, where six talented, local gospel groups gathered for the annual Mothers Against Crime (MAC) Gospel and Praise Concert.Mothers Against Crime cofounder and concert organizer Georgia Smith couldn’t recall exactly...
Members of the Athens-based John W. Hancock Memorial Chapter 531 of the Military Order of the Purple Heart pose with the daughter of Charlie Bonner Award for Advancing Education winner Richard “Ole” Olsen, holding a photo of her father. IAN TOCHER/Staff

Members of the Athens-based John W. Hancock Memorial Chapter 531 of the Military Order of the Purple Heart pose with the daughter of Charlie Bonner Award for Advancing Education winner Richard “Ole” Olsen, holding a photo of her father. IAN TOCHER/Staff

STMA Bonner Award presented to UGA’s Olsen

Ian Tocher
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
The Steffen Thomas Museum of Art held its annual Founder’s Day Celebration on Saturday to honor the memory of Sara Douglass Thomas, who in 1997 opened the museum in rural Buckhead to showcase and honor her husband’s prodigious efforts in many varied art disciplines.The highlight of each year's...
Ronda Rich/Columnist

Ronda Rich/Columnist

Rich: The intelligence quotient

Ronda Rich
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Tink was in his office, supposedly, working. We both have home offices because we are both writers and work from home. I am a serious writer who composes prose for books and this column.You would be surprised how much harder it is to write this column of 650 words than it is to write an entire book.
Mark the Magic Man’s daughter performs a trick from the magic wand that produces flowers. She learned this trick at his magic camp. LEIGH LOFGREN/Staff

Mark the Magic Man’s daughter performs a trick from the magic wand that produces flowers. She learned this trick at his magic camp. LEIGH LOFGREN/Staff

Greensboro’s Festival Hall hosts magical night

Leigh Lofgren
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Mark the Magic Man entertained a large audience on July 10 at Festival Hall, having the crowd laugh, have fun, and try to figure out how things magically appeared and disappeared.This evening included members from the audience, who were picked at random by Mark, along with children from Mark’s...
Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce President Robbie King (second from left) and Putnam County Commission Chairman Bill Sharp flank Tractor Supply store manager April Smith after she cut the ribbon on Saturday to officially open the company’s new Eatonton location. IAN TOCHER/Staff

Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce President Robbie King (second from left) and Putnam County Commission Chairman Bill Sharp flank Tractor Supply store manager April Smith after she cut the ribbon on Saturday to officially open the company’s new Eatonton location. IAN TOCHER/Staff

Tractor Supply opens in Eatonton

Ian Tocher
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
It took a few tries early Saturday morning, but store manager April Smith finally managed to cut the ribbon that officially signified Tractor Supply is open for business in Eatonton.“That was a lot harder than I thought it would be,” Smith said with a laugh, as Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce...
Eatonton Police Chief Howell Cardwell, left, accepts the award by Georgia Municipal Association from Eatonton Mayor John Reid. IAN TOCHER/Staff

Eatonton Police Chief Howell Cardwell, left, accepts the award by Georgia Municipal Association from Eatonton Mayor John Reid. IAN TOCHER/Staff

Excellence in Policing award goes to EPD

Ian Tocher
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
Near the conclusion of the July 1 Eatonton City Council meeting, Mayor John Reid announced the Eatonton Police Department, led by Police Chief Howell Cardwell, had received an Excellence in Policing award from the Georgia Municipal Association.Cardwell explained that the award was achieved by...
Ian Tocher/Staff

Ian Tocher/Staff

Lake Sinclair lights up for the 4th

Ian Tocher
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
The rockets’ red glare was on full display Friday night as hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of boats carrying even more thousands of boaters dispersed across the waters of Lakes Sinclair and Oconee, taking in dozens of shoreside fireworks shows in honor of our nation’s birthday.Such was the case...
Ronda Rich/Columnist

Ronda Rich/Columnist

Rich: The Tinker diaries

Ronda Rich
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
In my office is a beige wicker suitcase with brown leather straps.Inside are 32 handwritten diaries produced by Charlie Tinker during his years working at the White House for his cherished friend, Abraham Lincoln.In another area, squirreled away by Tink, is a hand-duplicated set of those diaries.
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