English Bulldog Puppies for Sale in Macon-Bibb County, GA

In the late hours of Thursday night, and early hours of Friday morning, September 27, Hurricane Helene made its way through Macon-Bibb County, causing trees and power lines to fall, knocking out power for more than 6,000 families. Our crews worked before, throughout, and after the storm to make sure our community stayed safe.

Our Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was activated with our Emergency Management Agency, representation from our Fire Department, Sheriff’s Office, School District, Public Works, Parks & Beautification, and many more read to work. We maintained communication with our community ahead of the Hurricane with texts, tweets, email, phone calls, social media posts, and live updates. We also stayed in communication with them after the storm, as many reached out to report storm damage.

“We got very lucky in the fact that we only had minor damage compared to our neighbors around the state,” said EMA Director Spencer Hawkins. “I am proud of this diverse emergency management team that prepares for and responds to disasters affecting our community.”

Our crews worked with Georgia Power to get power lines removed and reopen closed roads.

“We were fortunate with this storm, while so many other communities were not. Please continue to pray for them and find ways to send support to their communities,” said Mayor Lester Miller. “Thank you to everyone locally that stepped up in the aftermath to help friends and neighbors, and to our own crews for riding out the storm through the night and away from their families. They have been working throughout the weekend to get us all back to normal.”

Amerson River Park

Amerson River Park is partially reopening on Thursday, October 3 after being closed due to flooding from the Ocmulgee River because of Hurricane Helene. Some sections of trail and the boat launch and takeout are still closed due to a layer of slick mud and sand. Those will be cleaned the next several days. Please do NOT go past any barriers.

The Ocmulgee Heritage Trail remains closed due to the mud left behind from the flooding and so crews can begin the cleanup.

Reporting Damages

To report downed trees and other damage, call 478-751-7500 or use the MBCAlert Mobile app, which can be downloaded from Apple or GooglePlay.

Stay Informed

To stay informed, sign up for automatic calls, texts, and emails from MBCAlert at www.maconbibb.us/mbcalert, download the MBCAlert on Apple or GooglePlay, and follow the Emergency Management Agency on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

Days after Hurricane Helene ripped its way through Georgia, communities across the state are still reeling from tree damage, lost power, flooding and damaged homes and buildings.

As of Monday, the death toll in Georgia was at least 25, Gov. Brian Kemp said. Utility companies were also reporting more than 500,000 power outages still.

Most of middle Georgia was spared the worst of the damage. While initial reports had the storm striking the area head on, Helene took a last minute jog east and sent most of its destruction towards south and east Georgia.

County crews Georgia Power spent the weekend clearing tree debris and restoring power, according to Macon-Bibb County officials.

Crews cleared about 40 roads in the days following the storm, and as of Sunday only Nottingham Drive and Ayers Circle remained closed, according to the county.

Officials still urge citizens to report downed trees or other damage on the MBCAlert app or by calling 478-751-7500.

Bibb County has also allowed residents to dump tree and yard debris free of charge at two locations, 4214 Fulton Mill Road and 1010 11th St. Both centers will be open every day this week.

While power has been restored and much of the tree damage cleared, the Ocmulgee River remained high Monday. Amerson River Park and the Spring Street Boat Ramp were still closed Monday.

“While the storm has passed, we are expecting the Ocmulgee River to rise to a dangerous level, therefore we are closing the entire park and the boat ramp near Downtown,” said Parks & Beautification Director Michael Glisson in an email from the county. “We will reassess as soon as we are able and open the park when we determine it is safe for everyone to enjoy.”

Houston County also dodged the storm.

As of Monday morning, Georgia Power was reporting that power was almost fully restored to the area, with only four customers without power.

Many businesses in Houston County have also re-opened at normal hours, and sustained minimal damage.

According to the Houston County government’s website, there were no road closures remaining due to the storm.

Due to the immense damage in areas south and east of Houston County, the Houston County Fire Department announced on Facebook that four of its firefighters had been deployed to Lanier and Lowndes counties over the weekend to assist with search and rescue efforts.

This story was originally published September 30, 2024, 2:02 PM.

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The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) and the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority (MBCIA) today announced that Graphic Packaging International (GPI), a leading company in the design and manufacturing of packaging for commercial products, will invest $136 million in the modernization of its Macon mill. GPI employs more than 1,330 employees in Georgia, and the Macon mill investment will help retain more than 460 manufacturing jobs. 'Georgia has a rich history in manufacturing, and many strategic assets that enable companies in this industry sector to find success here and abroad,' said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. 'GPI's decision to modernize its operations is a testament to our state's position as a global leader in the industry, and we are excited to see the company flourish in Macon.' GPI's Macon mill makes paperboard used in packaging for the food and beverage industry. The investment will enhance its capability by adding a state-of-the-art curtain coater, automate certain processes, and upgrade the water, generator and air systems to improve the mill's environmental profile. 'After a thorough analysis of our manufacturing needs and the available local resources, it was clear that Macon – Bibb Country was ideal for this capital investment,' said Michael Doss, President and CEO of Graphic Packaging International. 'A number of factors influenced our decision, including the facility location; access to a diverse, educated and skilled local workforce; and our relationship with Macon – Bibb County and the State of Georgia.' 'I'm delighted Graphic Packaging is investing in its plant here and making a commitment to be a part of our community for many years to come,' said Macon-Bibb County Mayor Robert Reichert. 'Our location in the state and country makes us a prime location for companies to be successful and expand.' Georgia successfully competed against other states to win this investment. GDEcD regional project manager, Candice Scott, represented the Global Commerce division in partnership with Stephen Adams at MBCIA, Central Georgia Technical College and GDEcD's Workforce Division. About Graphic Packaging International Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE: GPK), headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is committed to providing consumer packaging that makes a world of difference. The Company is a leading provider of paper-based packaging solutions for a wide variety of products to food, beverage and other consumer product companies. The Company operates on a global basis, is one of the largest producers of folding cartons in the United States, and holds leading market positions in coated unbleached kraft paperboard and coated-recycled paperboard. The Company's customers include many of the world's most widely recognized companies and brands. Additional information about Graphic Packaging, its business and its products is available on the Company's web site at www.graphicpkg.com.

A devastated homeowner in Georgia is suing Macon-Bibb County officials after he claimed they demolished the home he was fixing up for his family without a court hearing.

Eric Arnold bought the property in Macon, Ga. – located 90 miles southeast of Atlanta – in February 2022 for just $15,000 for himself and his children, according to local news station WMAZ.

“It’s like they just took it all away from me,” Eric Arnold the outlet. “They took my dignity away from me, like I wasn’t even a person. Like ‘You don’t even exist, we just going to do what we want. This is our town.’”

The home was supposed to be a “fixer-upper” that Arnold was renovating and eventually planned to live in, but the plans changed when a dumpster ended up on his property and his home was labeled an “imminent threat to the community.”

The county had already listed the home for demolition when Arnold purchased the home.

However, Arnold’s lawyers allege that the father was not aware and that there were no liens on the home and no public record of Code Enforcement.

It was eventually demolished in November 2023.

The demolition was part of Mayor Lester Miller’s Blight Fight launched in 2021, which aimed to remove dangerous structures from neighborhoods but Arnold insists he paid his taxes and got the permits needed in order to save the home before it was torn down.

“I did everything I was supposed to do. I thought I was okay. I wasn’t okay. They still knocked my house down,” Arnold said.

“While he still had work to do, the yard was neat, the exterior was clean, the house was locked up, and, most importantly, it was in a vastly improved state of repair compared to when he purchased it,” Arnold’s lawyer Christie Herbert wrote in a statement on her website.

Herbert claims the county “secretly sped up the demolition” after Arnold asked them to stop and remove his home from the demolition list.

All that’s left on the property now is a concrete slab at the end of a driveway and a post where the mailbox used to be.

Arnold requested to be paid back the cost of the house and the cost of renovations, according to The Macon Telegraph.

Arnold’s home is the latest casualty of renovation projects that were abruptly stopped due to the eager bulldozers in the neighborhood, according to neighbor Jerry Collins.

“There’s a lot of folks that are doing their best to bring these old houses back to life and revitalize the neighborhood. I see good things but if this keeps up, those good things may not happen and that’s what really concerns me,” Collins told the outlet.

“Eric’s lawsuit isn’t about just one man’s house, it’s about protecting the constitutional rights of all property owners in Macon-Bibb county,” Herbert said during a press conference on the empty lot where the home used to be.

According to WMAZ, the county said they haven’t seen any lawsuit yet but did release a statement about the demolished house.

“We are aware of the demolition on Sunnyvale Drive. A letter designating it as a Nuisance Per Se and blighted and that it would be torn down if not repaired was provided several years ago,” Macon-Bibb County wrote.

The statement from county officials claims the property was marked as blighted before being sold to Arnold in February 2022. They say the new homeowner had 20 months to “pull any construction permits or fix it up” but they were not made aware of any so a demolition moved forward.

Tropical Storm Helene approached Central Georgia on Thursday and brought plenty of storms with it. Here's a full look at the impacts

Credit: WMAZ

MACON, Ga. — Even though Tropical Storm Helene has not made landfall yet, the impacts in Central Georgia have already been felt. Some tornado warnings and heavy rainfall have already led to roads being washed out and more.

Here's a look at power outages, road closures and damage reports as they stream into the newsroom.

According to Georgia Power and Flint Energies maps, several customers are seeing power outages across Central Georgia.

According to the US Power Outage map, there are over 700,00 people without power in the state of Georgia. As of around 5:30 p.m., on Saturday, Sept. 28, 42,538 Central Georgia residents are without power.

Lowndes County has been affected the most by power outages so far, according to the US Power Outage Map. They say 31,545 customers are without power as Hurricane Helene continues through Central Georgia.

Macon-Bibb County:

Houston County: Several roads are closed or blocked in Houston County due to tree's being down, floods or power lines being down. The following roads are closed.

Laurens County: Sherriff said the vast majority of roads in the county are impassible due to downed trees or power lines. Gov. Brian Kemp recently announced that Interstate-16 is fully closed.

Washington County: Sheriff said the vast majority of road in the county are impassible due to downed trees or power lines

Storm Damages and Flood pictures from around Central Georgia

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Nicholas Ayerbe

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