Putnam County

LENA HENSLEY/Staff

LENA HENSLEY/Staff

GMC, PCHS JROTC cadets complete cleanup

Lena Hensley
Thursday, April 27, 2023
Georgia Military College’s 144th Corps of Cadets, along with Putnam County High School JROTC cadets, conducted Operation Pick Up Putnam on April 15, for their 2022-2023 service-learning project.
Eatonton Messenger/File Graphic

Eatonton Messenger/File Graphic

BOC halts short-term rental applications

Rufus Adair
Thursday, April 27, 2023
The Putnam County Board of Commissioners last week cut off applications for new short-term rental permits with a 91-day moratorium and suggested more applications might be needed for serving on Putnam General Hospital’s board of directors.
Eatonton Messenger/File Graphic

Eatonton Messenger/File Graphic

EPWSA explains how improvement expenses add up

Rufus Adair
Thursday, April 27, 2023
With financing set up and engineering work nearing completion, contracts for $ 6.2 million worth of “catch-up” water system projects in and around Eatonton could be started this summer – and possibly completed by the end of the year.
District 10 Congressman Mike Collins (center) speaks with Putnam County Manager Paul Van Haute (in green), with (l-r) County Clerk Lynn Butterworth, Eatonton Councilmember Janie Reid and Eatonton Mayor John Reid among local dignitaries touring the county’s new fire station under construction behind the county offices off the Hwy. 441 bypass. IAN TOCHER/Staff

District 10 Congressman Mike Collins (center) speaks with Putnam County Manager Paul Van Haute (in green), with (l-r) County Clerk Lynn Butterworth, Eatonton Councilmember Janie Reid and Eatonton Mayor John Reid among local dignitaries touring the county’s new fire station under construction behind the county offices off the Hwy. 441 bypass. IAN TOCHER/Staff

Congressman Collins visits PC Commission

Rufus Adair
Thursday, April 20, 2023
Old-school politics were on full display April 6 in Putnam County. A tour of a new building under construction. Public visibility and handshaking.
Putnam County Sheriff's Photo/File Photo

Putnam County Sheriff's Photo/File Photo

Sheriff Sills rants on recidivism

Lynn Hobbs
Thursday, April 20, 2023
After the arrest of six local men last week on drug-selling-related charges, local authorities expressed fervent frustration at the number of previous times the suspects had been convicted of similar charges.
Leslie Hooton will be Georgia Writers Museum’s “Meet the Author” presenter at noon on Tuesday, May 2 (doors open at 11:30 a.m.). CONTRIBUTED

Leslie Hooton will be Georgia Writers Museum’s “Meet the Author” presenter at noon on Tuesday, May 2 (doors open at 11:30 a.m.). CONTRIBUTED

GWM interviews Leslie Hooton

News Staff
Thursday, April 20, 2023
Leslie Hooton will be Georgia Writers Museum’s “Meet the Author” presenter at noon on Tuesday, May 2 (doors open at 11:30 a.m.). Hooton will be presenting and discussing her newest book, After Everyone Else, and signing copies afterward.
Among the attendees were Class of ‘67 member and local BSA Troop 232 Scoutmaster Willie Frank Thompkins, (with hat) and former Assistant Police Chief Leila Williams and Pledge Cannon, both of the Class of ‘59 (right). CONTRIBUTED

Among the attendees were Class of ‘67 member and local BSA Troop 232 Scoutmaster Willie Frank Thompkins, (with hat) and former Assistant Police Chief Leila Williams and Pledge Cannon, both of the Class of ‘59 (right). CONTRIBUTED

Butler-Baker alumni reminisce and raise funds

Ian Tocher
Thursday, April 20, 2023
The Butler-Baker Alumni Project, Inc. (BBAP) held its annual fundraiser on March 25, in the renovated auditorium of the decommissioned Butler-Baker school that now serves as an event center.
A copy of the Eatonton Messenger with Spivey's story featured in it. IAN TOCHER/Staff

A copy of the Eatonton Messenger with Spivey's story featured in it. IAN TOCHER/Staff

Frank Spivey:Putnam County’s ‘Marble King’

Rufus Adair
Thursday, April 20, 2023
On one of the walls in the north hallway at the Plaza Arts Center hangs a photograph – and with it, one of my favorite stories to tell visitors to the Old School History Museum.
J.S. “Sammy” Blackwell Jr. sits in one of his conjoined showrooms in downtown Eatonton as he reminisces about the history of Blackwell Furniture.

J.S. “Sammy” Blackwell Jr. sits in one of his conjoined showrooms in downtown Eatonton as he reminisces about the history of Blackwell Furniture.

Blackwell Furniture closing

Ian Tocher
Thursday, April 20, 2023
A literal end of an era arrived for Eatonton on April 13, as Blackwell Furniture, a mainstay of the city’s downtown business fabric for 78 years, officially began its going-out-of-business sale. Opened in 1945 by John Samuel Blackwell Sr.
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