South Metro's News Leader
THOMASTON POLICE RESPONDED TO UPSON-LEE PRIMARY SCHOOL TO INVESTIGATE A REPORT OF A CHILD ABUSE INCIDENT. THE T-U SCHOOLS ISSUED THIS STATEMENT:
THOMASTON-UPSON SCHOOLS ARE UNABLE TO SHARE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THIS INCIDENT. THIS MATTER INVOLVES A MINOR AND IS PART OF AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Please be advised of a temporary change in your garbage collection service location. Construction is under way on the Lee St Parking Lot. The City and GFL are working together to ensure that your waste collection services remain uninterrupted. However, there will be a temporary change in the location of the dumpster. Beginning tomorrow, Tuesday March 3rd, the dumpster will be moved to a new location. See picture attached. GFL has agreed to provide each business with residential carts to help with transporting your garbage to the new dumpster location. If you need additional carts, please let us know.
This change could be in effect for up to 2 months.
We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work through this process.
Thanks,
Kyle McGee,
Public Works Director
City of Thomaston
303 Veterans Drive Thomaston, GA 30286
Office: 706-647-7144 Cell: 706-741-1021
UPSON COUNTY SHERIFF DAN KILGORE REPORTS A MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT SUNDAY AFTERNOON ON 19 NORTH SOUTHBOUND AT THE DOLLAR GENERAL CURVE. THE SHERIFF TOLD 101 NEWS A HENRY COUNTY FEMALE PASSENGER ON BIKE FELL-OFF AND WAS LIFE-FLIGHTED TO AN OUT OF TOWN TRAUMA CENTER.
AFTER A 15,000 GALLON JET FUEL SPILL AT THE ATLANTA AIRPORT IN THE FLINT RIVER - GRIFFIN'S WATER SOURCE-- JAN. 20TH THE CITY OF GRIFFIN PLANS TO SPEND $100,000 ON NEW WATER CONTAMINAATION DETECTION EQUIPMENT. SOME RESIDENTS SAID THEIR WATER SMELLED LIKE WD-40 BUT THE EPD AND CITY HALL SAID IT WAS SAFE TO DRINK--THE AJC REPORTED. WHEN THE SPILL OCCURED THE CITY OF GRIFFIN ISSUED A DO NOT CONSUME ADVISORY AND SHUT-OFF ITS WATER INTAKE FROM THE FLINT BUT WHEN SAMPLES CAME BACK NEGATIVE FOR TOXINS -- THE ADVISORY WAS LIFTED.
THE FEDERAL EPA SAYS OVER 15,000 GALLONS OF JET FUEL HAS BEEN COLLECTED FROM THE FLINT AND AT THE AIRPORT AND OVER 80 CUBIC YARDS OF CONTAMINATED DEBRIS WAS RECOVERED. THE EPD INVESTIGATION IS ON-GOING.
GRIFFIN'S CITY MANAGER JESSICA O'CONNOR TOLD THE AJC CITY OFFICIALS ARE MEETING WITH ATTORNEYS TO SEE IF CITY HALL CAN SEEK COMPENSATION FOR THE SPILL
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THOMASTON KIWANIS HELD ITS ANNUAL STAR STUDENT /STAR TEACHER PROGRAM TUESDAY AND UPSON=LEE SENIOR HELI TARAK DAVE WAS ANNOUNCED AS STAR STUDENT AND MRS. REBEKAH BUSBY WAS SELECTED AS HER STAR TEACHER. HELI PLANS TO ATTEND GA. TECH MAJORING IN BIO MEDICAL ENGINEERING AND THEN ATTEND MEDICAL SCHOOL.
ACCORDING TO THOMASTON POLICE A FEMALE WAS SCAMMED OUT OF $14,500 IN CASH BY SCAMMERS CLAIMING TO WORK FOR A LOCAL BANK AND THE FDIC. SOMEONE CLAIMING TO BE JONATHAN, AN EMPLOYEE OF A LOCAL BANK ASKED ABOUT A PURCHASE IN FLORIDA FROM A CHASE ACCOUNT THEN SOMEONE CLAIMING TO BE FROM THE FDIC ORDERED THE WOMAN TO WITHDRAW $14,500 FROM HER BANK ACCOUNT SO THEY COULD CHECK HER MONEY. OUTSIDE THE BANK SHE MET A BLACK FEMALE WEARING A COVID MASK AND GAVE HER THE CASH. HER HUSBAND TOLD POLICE HE HAD BEEN CALLED ABOUT WITHDRAWING $7000 AND MAILING IT TO JONATHAN AT A MERIWETHER COUNTY POST OFFICE--BUT THEIR DAUGHTER PICKED-UP ON THE SCAM AND BROUGHT HER PARENTS TO THE PD.
A FEMALE WAS ARRESTED FOR HINDERING THOMASTON FIRE DEPARTMENT FROM FIGHTING A GRASS FIRE AT PEACHBELT ROAD AND WOODLAND ROAD. THE PD REPORT SAID 66-YEAR OLD KIMBERLY DAVIS WAS LIVID WITH FIRE-FIGHTERS AFTER A TREE FELL OVER POWER LINES AND STARTED THE GRASS FIRE. UNITS HAD TO WAIT FOR THE POWER COMPANY BEFORE THEY COULD GET TO WORK AND THE REPORT SAID THE FEMALE TOLD THEM THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND CREATED A SCENE THAT HINTERED THEIR WORK.
AN EMPLOYEE OF A CONTRACTOR DOING WORK AT UPSON REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER WAS ARRESTED FOR STEALING SPOOLS OF WIRE FROM THE PROJECT. THE SUSPECT 26 YEAR OLD KALAEB BELL ALSO HAD SOME CABLE CONNECTORS IN HIS TRUCK THAT APPARENTLY CAME FROM THE WORK SITE.
CITY OF THOMASTON MAYOR J.D. STALLINGS HAS VETOED A MEASURE TO PAVE THE STREETS IN FAIR OAKS, THE UPSCALE SUBDIVISON OFF PEACHBELT ROAD. THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED 4-1 AT THE FEB. 17 MEETING TO APPROVE A CHANGE ORDER FOR ALMOST $300,000 TO PAVE THE STREETS WHERE COUNCILMAN JERRY ADAMS LIVES. COUNCILMAN JEFF MIDDLEBROOKS CAST THE ONLY NO VOTE, TELLING 101 NEWS THERE ARE OTHER STREETS WITH A HIGHER PRIORITY FOR PAVING.
THE FUNDING WAS ORIGINALLY TARGETED FOR PARK LANE, BUT CITY MANAGER RUSSELL THOMPSON EXPLAINED IT CAN WAIT BECAUSE STREETS WILL BE IMPACTED BY THE RENOVATION OF THE EX-EAST THOMASTON SCHOOL HOUSE--THE FUTURE SITE OF SENIORS APARTMENTS.
IN CASTING A RARE VETO, MAYOR STALLINGS STATED--HE STRONGLY SUPPORTS IMPROVING THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE BUT THIS PARTICULAR MEASURE REQUIRES FURTHER REVIEW
UPSON SO REPORTS MORE JURY SCAMS THIS PAST WEEK. THE CALLER CLAIMS YOU HAVE MISSED JURY DUTY AND MUST PAY A FINE OR BE JAILED--A FINE PAID VIA A GIFT CARD. THEY USE THE NAME OF AN SO DEPUTY TO ADD CLOUT TO THEIR SCAM. SHERIFF KILGORE URGES THE PUBLIC TO HANG-UP ON SUCH CALLERS--HE TOLD US HIS OFFICE DOES NOT OPERATE THAT WAY.
NEWS RELEASE
On Thursday, February 19, 2026 at 6:31pm deputies responded to a person shot call at 2030 Wiley Street in Thomaston. Upon arrival, Conner Wesley Walker, 19, of a Martin Luther King Drive address was located in an outbuilding at that location. Walker had been shot in the head with an AR15 style rifle. Walker is deceased.
A juvenile male, age 14, was located and is being held in connection with the shooting. Sheriff’s investigators are actively interviewing witnesses and gathering evidence in this case. The GBI responded to work the crime scene.
Update to NEWS RELEASE
The fourteen year old male involved in this investigation has been referred to Juvenile Court on charges of Reckless Conduct and Involuntary Manslaughter. Under Ga law both of these charges are classified as misdemeanors.
Our investigation has shown that at the time of the shooting three young males were at the incident location on Wiley Street. Walker, the deceased, had a AR15 style rifle with him that belonged to him. The 14 year old charged in the incident was handling the gun without clearing the chamber when it discharged while pointed in the direction of Walker resulting in Walker being shot. The third male present at the scene witnessed the incident and confirmed the series of events. Evidence at the scene supports the witnesses statements.
The juvenile will be detained at RYDC pending a hearing scheduled for Monday February 23
As of July 1st, 2026, Crestside Christian Academy will be official. After eight years of being Skipstone Academy, we will be home grown and operated. Paula Walters will remain principal, and Maggie Pritchett will be the assistant principal. We will maintain our current staff of highly qualified teachers. We will be accredited with distinction by the Georgia Accrediting Commission. Dual enrollment through colleges and technical schools will still be offered. We plan to continue to offer sports and fine arts. We will accept the GA Promise Scholarship; most Upson County students will qualify, and many surrounding counties, as well. Our commitment to educating and teaching Jesus to our students continues to be our primary goals.
CITY MANAGER RUSSELL THOMPSON IS URGING PROPERTY OWNERS SOUTH OF 12TH AVE. IN EAST THOMASTON ON B. STREET--E AND F STREETS TO AGREE TO A TIE-IN OF CITY UTILITIES OR THE LINES TO THE PROPERTY WILL BE CAPPED AND THERE WILL BE NO WATER SERVICE. CITY HALL HAS SENT 2 LETTERS ALEADY WITH A 3RD UPCOMING TO PROPERTY OWNERS TO BE SIGNED AND RETURNED FOR THIS FREE TIE-IN VIA THE CBG GRANT. COUNCIL HAS ALREADY HEARD FROM ONE PROPERTY OWNER WHO IS BALKING ON THE AGREEMENT. THE MANAGER STRESSED TO COUNCIL TUESDAY--IF THE PROPERTY OWNER DOES NOT AGREE THERE WILL BE NO WATER SERVICE.
COUNCIL APPROVED A CHANGE ORDER FOR $267,000 BENEFITING STREET PAVING IN FAIR OAKS SUBDIVISON OFF PEACHBELT ROAD. THE FUNDING IS CHANGING FROM PARK LANE BECAUSE THE STREET WILL BE TORN-UP FOR THE NEW EAST THOMASTON SCHOOL RENOVATION FOR SENIORS APARTMENTS.
COUNCIL HAS ACCEPTED A $2.5 MILLION STATE GRANT FOR THE SMITH-DOUGLAS COMPANY FOR 90 HOUSES OFF NORTH CHURCH AND WEST GORDON. CITY UTILTY UPGRADES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULED OUT TO BID NEXT MONTH. SMITH-DOUGLAS OFFICIALS TOLD COUNCIL THEY PLAN TO CONTRUCT 17 HOMES PER MONTH.
UPSON WENT BIG FOR REPUBLICAN STEVEN MCNEEL IN TUESDAY'S RUN-OFF FOR DISTRICT 18 STATE SENATE WITH ALMOST 13% TURN-OUT. MCNEEL A MACON ATTORNEY GOT OVER 66% OF THE VOTE OVER DEMOCRAT LEMARIO BROWN WITH ALMOST 33%. A TOTAL OF 2682 VOTES CAST TO REPLACE JOHN KENNEDY WHO RESIGNED TO RUN FOR LT. GOVERNOR.
Our next meeting is Monday, Feb. 23rd, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. at the Senior Center. Our speaker will be Chris Madrid with the Georgia World War II Heritage Trail. The Pettigrew-White-Stamps House Museum is currently on the trail. Be sure and come hear about the trail and see how Thomaston-Upson County was instrumental in the war effort
