A Crawford County sheriff’s department investigator was arrested Wednesday stemming from an investigation into his use of force during an incident last month. Dennis Ballard, of Crawford County, was arrested and charged him with Aggravated Assault and Violation of Oath of Office. Ballard is an investigator with the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office and had been […]
Posted inBusiness
Georgia’s top county for small businesses will surprise you
Oconee County has the highest concentration of small businesses in Georgia, according to a new study from a New York-based financial technology company. The report, compiled by SmartAsset, ranked counties based on the percentage of the county’s total tax returns filed by small business owners and the percentage of income derived from small businesses. In […]
Posted inGeorgia By The Numbers
What is Georgia’s favorite conspiracy theory?
Whether you believe them wholeheartedly, hate them, or just read about them for entertainment, conspiracy theories have become a hot topic in American life. An explosion in content about conspiracy theories — including the recent documentary Viral: The 5G Conspiracy —inspired the USDirect team to do some research and find which conspiracy theory Georgia residents are […]
Posted inSports
Valdosta High School football team stripped of 7 wins
VALDOSTA — As the investigation into possible rules violations and improprieties by the Valdosta Wildcats high school football program continues, the Georgia High School Association has handed down sanctions against the team. Fines totaling $7,500 have been issued, along with the forfeit of seven wins from the 2020 season, a postseason ban for the upcoming 2021 season, and five players ruled ineligible for the 2021 season as […]
Posted inYour Family
Will Georgia colleges increase tuition in the fall?
Students at Georgia’s 26 public colleges and universities won’t be hit with a tuition increase this fall for the second year in a row. The University System of Georgia Board of Regents voted Tuesday to hold the line on tuition during the 2021-22 school year. The vote marked the fourth time in the last six […]
Posted inCrime
DeKalb police kill knife-wielding man at Decatur apartment complex
A 35-year-old DeKalb County man is dead after a confrontation with police Monday afternoon. DeKalb County police officers responded to a 911 call about a man with a large knife at the Terraces Apartments at 2577 Terrace Trail in Decatur Upon arrival, officers encountered the man with the knife and attempted to take him into […]
Posted inCrime
Two soldiers indicted in slaying of another soldier at Fort Stewart
Two former soldiers have been indicted in U.S. District Court alleging a murder conspiracy after another soldier was found dead in his barracks room in June 2020. In a newly unsealed federal indictment, 28-year-old Byron Booker, of Ludowici, and 21-year-old Jordan Brown, of St. Marys, are charged in the death of Specialist Austin J. Hawke, 24, at […]
Posted inCoronavirus
Georgia halts Johnson & Johnson vaccines due to blood clot risk
Georgia has paused distribution of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine as part of a nationwide halt after reports of blood clots in six people in the U.S. who had received the shot. The six cases of “a rare and severe type of blood clot” are among more than 6.8 million doses of the […]
Posted inGeorgia By The Numbers
Atlanta named one of the top 5 cities for urban gardening
If it seems everyone has a green thumb, it’s because millions of Americans fell in love with gardening during the pandemic. Community gardens, container gardens, and vertical plant walls are sprouting all over. But not every concrete jungle is ripe for urban gardening, so where can city-dwelling green thumbs find their slice of paradise? To […]
Posted inIn The News
Black Faith Leaders Bash Abrams and Biden Over Election Law Statements
(The Center Square) – A group of Black ministers and pastors have published a full-page ad against President Joe Biden and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams to combat their criticisms of the state’s new election law. In the ad, which appeared in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Conservative Clergy of Color accused Biden and Abrams […]
Posted inTraffic & Transportation
Overturned tanker truck at Spaghetti Junction shuts down traffic
An overturned tanker truck on I-85 South near Spaghetti junction has blocked all lanes in I-85 an I-285 in DeKalb County. All Southbound traffic is being diverted off onto Interstate I-285 East or Westbound. The ramps are blocked to Interstate 85 Southbound from I-285. The Georgia Department of Transportation is advising motorists to avoid […]
Posted inTraffic & Transportation
Slow Down Atlanta: New 25 mph speed limit signs installed
ATLANTA — If you’ve driven in downtown Atlanta recently, you may have noticed that 25 mph speed limit signs have been installed throughout the city. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms authorized the installation of 25 mph speed limit signs throughout Atlanta. Administered by the Atlanta Department of Transportation, this initiative aims to reduce speeds is part of a citywide commitment made in […]
Posted inCrime
Three Georgia officers shot during police chase that ended near elementary school
A police chase that ended near an elementary school early Monday morning sent three police officers to the hospital and resulted in the death of one suspect and the arrest of another. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, preliminary information indicates that at about 3:34 a.m. a Georgia State Patrol Trooper stopped a 2015 […]
Posted inCrime
Road rage blamed for Greene County homicide
A South Carolina man died in Greene County, Georgia after being shot multiple times. Authorities say the man was a victim of road rage. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. the Greene County 911 center received a call about a wreck at mile marker 132 on I-20 in Greensboro, Georgia. The call came at […]
Posted inIn The News
Could Biden’s jobs plan bring traffic relief and rural broadband to Georgia?
White House officials highlighted sluggish highway traffic, slow bus travel and spotty rural internet service in Georgia Monday as part of pitch to boost support for President Joe Biden’s $2.3 trillion infrastructure package. The high-priced “America Jobs Plan,” which has not yet gained Congress’ approval, would take aim at road and bridge repairs to cut […]
Posted inCrime
Armed robbery at Bibb County Dollar General
The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a Commercial Armed Robbery that happened at the Dollar General at 5544 Thomaston Road at 10:25 p.m. Sunday night. According to the Bibb County Sheriff’s Department, a man entered the store brandishing a pistol. The robber demanded money from the clerk and fled on foot before deputies arrived, […]
Posted inIn The News
11 Things you missed during Spring Break
If you’re like many Georgians who were on Spring Break last week, you probably didn’t keep up with the news or passively glanced at headlines during dull moments. If news wasn’t your thing during your spring vacation, we’ve got you covered. Below are some of the news items you missed while you were on break. […]
Posted inMissing
32-year-old Joshua James Usry has been missing since July 2019
Authorities in Georgia are still searching for clues into the disappearance of a 32-year-old man on July 2, 2019. Details of Disappearance: Joshua James Usry was swimming at mother-in-law’s residence in Coosa with his wife and kids and he said he was going to take a walk. He has never been seen again. His shoes were […]
