The Barrow County Board of Commissioners has signed off on a new 10-year local redistricting map that makes a few changes in the six BOC and board of education districts but has little impact on the sitting incumbents.

The Barrow County Board of Commissioners is now scheduled to hold a public hearing and vote Dec. 14 on a newly-proposed county ordinance that would allow for the installation of speed humps on county-maintained roads within subdivisions where speed-control devices are deemed warranted and wh…

Winder officials plan to make a push for federal funding to pay for most of a reconfiguration of an often-congested intersection in the downtown area and a study that would analyze other transportation needs in the city.

The American Red Cross has the following upcoming blood donation drives in Barrow County:

Advance voting for the two Winder City Council runoff elections has been scheduled for Nov. 22-24 ahead of the Nov. 30 runoff date.

The Statham City Council is set to vote next week on a rezoning request for property south of Atlanta Highway that would allow for a townhome development and commercial uses, but the project faced significant pushback from residents during a public hearing on the request last week.

ATLANTA – Georgia’s redistricting process took a major step forward Tuesday, as the Republican-controlled state Senate adopted a new map that redrew that chamber’s legislative lines for the next decade.

ATLANTA — Former Georgia U.S. Sen. and Secretary of State Max Cleland died Tuesday at the age of 79.

ATLANTA – A federal appeals court has halted enforcement of the White House’s employer vaccine mandate a day after Gov. Brian Kemp and Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr filed a lawsuit against the requirement.

ATLANTA – Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan isn’t running for reelection.

An amended Planned Suburban Village (PSV) ordinance — allowing for convenience stores, drive-thru restaurants and other commercial uses — was added to the City of Auburn’s official zoning map during the city council’s Nov. 4 meeting.

The American Red Cross will hold a blood donation drive from 2:30-7 p.m. Nov. 29 at Bethlehem First United Methodist Church, 709 Christmas Ave.

Three petitions aimed at making major changes to the City of Winder’s charter have been declared invalid by the mayor and city council after each of them failed to garner enough signatures to force a voter referendum.

Barrow County voters opted Tuesday, Nov. 2, to continue the countywide 1-cent special-purpose local-option sales tax that funds capital-improvement projects around the county for another six years once the current one expires.

Statham began to usher in new leadership Tuesday, Nov. 2, as voters elected three new city council members in a five-person race with no incumbents.

Six votes separated the three candidates for the two open Auburn City Council seats, with incumbent Robert Vogel III winning re-election and challenger Taylor Sisk apparently unseating incumbent Bill Ackworth.

One of the three Winder City Council incumbents was re-elected easily Tuesday, Nov. 2, while the other two remain in contention but will have to wait another four weeks to find out whether they’ll be serving another four years.

There will be a special rate of $14.50 for a one-year subscription to the Barrow News-Journal offered for two weeks, Nov 3-17.

New COVID case numbers across the area continue to drop and hospitalizations are down, but the winter could look different according to one local health official.

ATLANTA – The University System of Georgia (USG) experienced a slight decline in enrollment this fall after seven straight years of growth.

The Barrow County Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Businesswoman of the Year luncheon and announce the winner among its five nominees during the event Nov. 16.

ATLANTA – Democrats and Republicans will converge at the state Capitol Nov. 3 to begin redrawing Georgia’s congressional districts, a once-a-decade exercise to accommodate population shifts reflected in the U.S. Census.

ATLANTA – Georgia has joined six other states in filing a long-threatened complaint against President Joe Biden and other federal agencies over the White House’s COVID vaccine mandates.

ATLANTA – Gov. Brian Kemp announced Thursday, Oct. 28, that $110 million is being dedicated to combat violent crime in the state.

President Joe Biden’s revised – but still massive – infrastructure spending bill includes several major wins for Georgia’s two Democratic U.S. senators.

Barrow County officials said last week that an uptick in resident complaints about speeding drivers has them considering a process that could pave the way for speed humps to be installed on locally-owned roads and streets — if enough residents want and are willing to pay for them.

An Atlanta-based development company has agreed to purchase a portion of Barrow County-owned Park 53 to build a speculative commercial building aimed at attracting a new company to locate at the industrial park.

ATLANTA – State health officials said Monday, Oct. 25, that 50% of all Georgians, or 5,154,793 residents, are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

ATLANTA – In 2011, majority Republicans in the General Assembly drew such heavily partisan legislative maps that the GOP captured a “supermajority” — 38 of 56 seats — in the state Senate the following year.

ATLANTA – The Georgia House and Senate Democratic caucuses on Oct. 21 released their own proposed congressional map ahead of the special legislative session starting Nov. 3.

With the number of new cases of COVID-19 in Georgia steadily declining, more and more Georgians are driving and traveling.

During its Oct. 21 work session, the Auburn City Council considered a $1,000 water connection fee increase for future development that has been recommended for approval by staff when the council holds its monthly voting session next week.

Statham’s mayor and the city council faced questions about a proposed millage-rate increase from a pair of residents at a public hearing last week as the council prepares to set the rate next month.

The Barrow County School System recorded its highest-ever graduation rate in 2021 — 91% — since statewide measuring of rates began in 2000, the school district announced Oct. 21.

The nine candidates running for the three Winder City Council seats on next month’s election ballot agreed last week that there have been positive changes in the city’s downtown district in recent years, but that hurdles remain to help improve the future economic development outlook in the city.

Effective this week, the Barrow County School System rescinded its district-wide indoor mask requirement amid a decline in Covid-19 cases.

ATLANTA – More Georgia families will be getting help from the state paying for child care under an initiative Gov. Brian Kemp announced Monday.

As President Joe Biden’s $1 trillion infrastructure plan continues stalling in Congress, Georgia U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff is hoping to get $10 billion included in the budget reconciliation bill for high-speed passenger rail for Georgia and the Southeast.

Statham and Winder elementary schools will benefit from a federal grant awarded to one of the Barrow County School System’s non-profit partners focused on promoting arts-integrated education.

The Barrow County Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, Oct. 14, canceled an Auburn City Council candidate forum that had been scheduled for Thursday night at the Perry Rainey Center due to no confirmed attendees. 

The local Amvets Riders Chapter 12 will host its second annual fundraiser cookout Saturday, Oct. 16, starting at 10:30 a.m. at the VFW Post 1187 headquarters, 59 Lee St., Winder, next to the Army National Guard building.