About The Eatonton messenger. (Eatonton, Ga.) 18??-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 11, 2025)
5200 JACKPOT PRIZE FOR PERFECT RALLOT IN FOOTBALL CONTES »SEE PAGE B5 VOLUME 164 • NO. 37 PUBLISHED CONTINUOUSLY SINCE 1861 ("bwww.msgrnews.com Gatonton dessenuer V . Official organ of Putnam County and City of Eatonton V - Locally Owned by Smith Communications Inc. 4) County and City of Eatonton THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2025 G PA SPCIAIL GNEWS Family survives house fire thanks to passerby Lynn Hobbs lynn@msgrnews.com A passerby who alerted resi dents that their home was on fire may have saved their lives. However, the family’s pets perished in the housefire early Saturday morning. “It was two cats and one dog that didn’t make it,” Eatonton Fire Chief Jamey Williamson said. “And their car burned up, too. But the family said they were thankful someone let them know to get out.” The good Samaritan was driving by about 7 a.m. and noticed flames and black smoke billowing through the roof of the brick ranch-style house on the 800 block of Monticello Road. “Whoever it was pulled into the driveway and called 911 and kept blowing their car horn trying to make sure everyone woke up and got out of the house,” Williamson said. Inside at the time were a mother and two teens, according to Williamson, who said the woman’s husband was at work at the Itime. Williamson CHIEF WILLIAMSON/Contributed Smoke and flames can be seen on the back of the house as City of Eatonton and Putnam County MORE FIRE » A6 firefighters begin to battle the blaze. IAN TOCHER/Staff L-R: Indy Brennan, marketing director for "Sanctified," was joined by writer, director and producer Javon Johnson, and Jarvis Wingfield, who stars in the show making its debut this Saturday night in Eatonton. Gospel musical Sanctified at The Plaza this weekend Ian Tocher ian@msgrnews.com This Saturday night, The Plaza Arts Center in Eatonton will host the premiere of Sanctified, a new gospel musical comedy. Written, directed, and produced by Atlanta-based Javon Johnson, familiar to many as a recur ring cast member and writer on Tyler Perry’s The Oval, the show blends heartfelt storytelling, comedy, and a wide range of church music traditions. “Sanctified” depicts a small Southern church grappling with change. A young interim pastor arrives determined to rejuvenate a dwindling congregation by involving younger voices and modernizing the MORE PLAZA » A5 Employee takes more than $10k in copper wire Lynn Hobbs lynn@msgrnews.com When a local busi ness manager noticed copper wire myste riously disappearing from the company’s inventory, he installed surveillance cameras. What he saw on the Gus Davis security videos prompted a call to Eatonton Police Department. Eatonton Police Officer Tommy Williams responded to the call at Lone Star Tire and Axle Company on Industrial Boulevard on Aug. 27, where the manager reportedly told Williams about the cameras and provided footage. The videos show one of Lone Star Tire and Axle’s employees, Gus Davis, taking the copper wire from a box, then using a company forklift to put the wire into a barrel in the back of a pickup truck he was driving. The theft was occurring after business hours, according to Eatonton Police Chief Howell Cardwell. After reviewing the video footage, Williams and EPD Investigator Hargrove Jones went to Hallman Recycling Center and learned that MORE THEFT » A7 Council considers vape shops, mail service, county contracts Ian Tocher ian@msgmews.com Eatonton City Council held its first of two routinely scheduled monthly meetings Sept. 2, at the county commission building north of downtown alongside Hwy. 441. The first order of business led to unanimous approval for a special event pouring license for the annual “Taste of Eatonton” event scheduled and orga nized by the Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce for Oct. 6 on the front lawn of The Plaza Arts Center on North Madison Avenue. The council then voted to renew the city’s participation in the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, administered by the Georgia Department of Human Services. City Administrator Gary Sanders explained that the program provides one-time heating payments to qualifying residents during the winter. Community action agency Overview, Inc. will continue to screen applicants and distribute funds. A series of funding agree ments with local organiza tions followed. The council authorized a memorandum of understanding with the Down- town Development Authority, approved a contract with The Plaza Arts Center for cultural programming, and reaffirmed a tourism promotion part nership with the Chamber of Commerce. That agreement dedicates 62.5 percent of the city’s hotel-motel tax revenues MORE CITY » A6 0 94922 87854 WEATHER 87 HIGH Thursday Sunny 61 LOW Detailed forecast / DX For breaking news or to subscribe, visit |www.msgrnews.com] or call 706-485-3501 SMITH COMMUNICATIONS Newspapers • Magazines • Printing War Eagles defeat Rebels » PAGE Bl George thinks the Department of Transportation needs to rethink its grand plan of widening Highway 44 at Lake Oconee. They are five years too late. And starting in Greensboro means they have to address the I-20 bridge. That could take years. The real problem is between Carey Station Road at St. Mary's Hospital in Greene County and Old Phoenix- Harmony Road at the Pyramid in Putnam County. Throw in another 4,000 homes and at least five retail developments now under construction and you have a recipe for disaster. The Plan was fumbled from the kickoff. I think DOT is also the folks PUTNAM INSIDE THIS WEEK that turned loose a vertical tree eating Bush Hog on the Putnam side of 44. Looks like Atlanta after Sherman blew through and burned everything. Surely there is a better way to trim bushes and trees. See Lake Oconee Academy lost Classifieds D2 Public Record A7 Community C1 Opinions A4 Crossword Puzzle C5 Obituaries A6 Legal Notices D4 Sports B1 43-0 to Brentwood last week, Greene County lost 62-20 to Morgan County, and Gatewood is 0-4 after losing 28-25 to Southland Academy. But Putnam County War Eagles won 16-14 over Haralson County. Good football weather. Understand University of Florida may cancel their season? nely Looking for a Family Dentist? 600 New Patient YL Exam & X-Rays Add a Cleaning for Just $69 (save up to $288*) LAKE DENTISTRY DDavid Bradley Dr Patti Bradley &. Associates A LY OWNED & OPERA LOCALERATED SINCE- LAKE OCONEE’S DENTIST VOTED THE LAKE AREA’S BEST DENTIST FOR 12 YEARS RUNNING! Call 706-438-4444 today for your appointment Located off Hwy. 44 in Greensboro, between Publix and the movie theater *Cash only, or your insurance may cover at usual and customary fees. LAKE OCONEE DENTISTRY, Personalized & Comfortable
