Georgia has more than 100 news organizations statewide that work hard to keep Georgians informed, entertained and educated about the issues and events that surround them. Many of these organizations have websites that list their most popular stories. Looking at these stories can give us a good idea of what news items captivated the attention of Georgians each week. This is a roundup of the stories you and your fellow Georgians have been reading this week.
Looking at this week’s top stories across Georgia, one thing is clear — y’all love a good crime story.
Free Gas On The Government Dime: A fire chief in the tiny town of Oak Park was arrested this week. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the now ex-chief used the fire department’s fuel card for his own personal use. The tax payers and police were not amused.
To Victor, With Love: Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill has always been a polarizing figure who has both haters and admirers with little in between. However, one Clayton resident may be guilty of admiring the controversial sheriff too much. The woman was arrested for sending multiple declarations of love to the sheriff, which law enforcement considered to be harassment.
Parents give 4-year-old a meth drink: One of the most read stories in the Northwest portion of the state was about a couple that gave a four-year old a drink containing meth. The two were charged with cruelty to children.
‘Lost mind’ leads to murder: In Dalton, the most read story was about a man who killed two women and told police he was ashamed and had “lost his mind.” The incident began when one of the two women he shared a home with said something that “triggered” him, but he couldn’t remember what she said or which woman said it. The two women were mother and daughter. The suspect was not romantically involved with either one.
Pistol-Whipped: There are certain words and phrases in headlines that are guaranteed to grab attention. One of those phrases is “pistol-whipped.” The most popular story this week out of the Thomasville Times-Enterprise was about a suspect who pistol-whipped two clerks while robbing a store. The suspect was caught within 15-minutes because pistol-whipping is not something that should be taken lightly.
On a more serious note: While most of the most read stories this week related to crime stories that didn’t have much impact on those reading the stories, the most popular story in Macon was a piece about how Macon-Bibb County is keeping its employees from being furloughed due to a budget the county commission passed last summer that did not include holiday pay for the workers.
And on a more fickle note: The most popular story listed on the Savannah Morning News’ website was a story about a casting call for extras in a Hallmark movie that is filming there. Remember, the state’s new governor was sworn in this week and lawmakers started a new session under the gold dome, but none of that was as important as an opportunity at 15 minutes of fame. Or probably 15 seconds, considering they were looking for background actors.
