In the church I grew up in, I remember that “being a Christian” meant that I had “accepted Jesus into my heart” or had “accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior.”

The Rockdale County Public School System is investigating a student assault on a teacher Thursday at Heritage High School.

COVINGTON — Crews from Newton County and the Georgia Department of Transportation have begun picking up debris placed on the rights of way in the southern portion of Newton County Monday.

A student at Alcovy High School has been arrested after a K-9 officer alerted on the student’s car and a knife was found during a search of the vehicle.

The following charges and arrests were reported by the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, Covington Police Department, Oxford Police Department, Porterdale Police Department, the Georgia State Patrol and Georgia Pardons and Parole from Jan. 18 to Jan. 24, 2023:

It appears federal grant funding for a Westside Youth Facility in Newton County will be withdrawn after Congressman Hank Johnson’s office notified the county that the project is not eligible for funding at this time.

Michael Ramos has been named president of Raymond, an architectural and engineering company that was founded in Rockdale County 30 years ago.

State Representative Jon Burns (R-District 159), of Newington in Effingham County, is not new to the State House, having joined the body in 2005, nor is he new to leadership, having served as the GOP House majority leader since 2015. But he is new to the Office of Speaker, arguably the second most powerful elected position in state government, and he will be bringing a slightly new approach to wielding that big gavel.

In our relativistic age in which everyone has his or her own "truth" and none is to be preferred over another so long as the individual feels good about it, why should anything be considered scandalous?

Seniors in Rockdale County Public Schools will travel to DeKalb County for graduation ceremonies this year.

A moratorium on the issuance of new permits for on-premises consumption of alcohol at drinking places and nightclubs has been extended by the Conyers City Council.

COVINGTON — Fourth District Congressman Hank Johnson recently visited Newton County College & Career Academy to congratulate 17-year-old senior Kevin Wadsworth as the winner of the Congressman’s 2022 Congressional App Challenge.

The following charges and arrests were reported by the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office, Conyers Police Department, Georgia State Patrol, and Georgia Pardon and Parole for the period of Jan. 17 — Jan. 23, 2023:

Lots of people in the Southeast -- and beyond -- grow this plant as a shrub or hedge without really knowing its identity.

Newton County is offering financial assistance to its residents through the American Rescue Plan Act

CONYERS — The graduation rate for Rockdale County Public Schools students involved in Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education programs increased to an all-time high of 99.13% for 2022, continuing to exceed the statewide rate, which held steady at 97.1%. This rate applies to students wh…

Like Halley’s Comet that only comes around every 75 years, the resignation of a top politician from office is a rare occurrence.

The Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals has announced that Newton High School Principal Dr. Shannon Buff is a finalist for Georgia High School Principal of the Year.

The city of Conyers is partnering with the Atlanta Regional Commission to complete an update of the city’s comprehensive plan for the years 2023 to 2028. The city is seeking public input to provide feedback for a more well-rounded, complete plan.

It took multiple rounds, but in the end, Liberty Middle School eighth-grader An Hoang emerged victorious in the Newton County School System Spelling Bee. She now holds bragging rights as the district’s super speller.

Boost the flavor and nutritional value of winter meals by growing a container of greens indoors. Plant, tend and harvest greens for garden-fresh flavor now and throughout the year.

Gathering friends and family doesn't need to be fancy. With its prime positioning between breakfast and lunch, brunch is a more casual and lighter alternative to the typical dinner party.

Any form of separation or leaving a loved one is difficult. Today when our loved ones are leaving us, whether it’s losing them to death, or them moving to another state or out of the country, we try to hold on to every memory.

Bats evoke strong emotions in people. Some people love to have them around, while others prefer to watch them only on television documentaries. Here are some "bat facts" that may help you appreciate this flying wonder better.

United States government officials specializing in trade began important, in-depth negotiations with counterparts from Taiwan on Jan. 14 in Taipei, the capital of the island.

The death at age 54 of Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis, got me thinking again about the two-edged sword that is fame.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division (DNR LED) and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) filed charges Jan. 12 against eight individuals in connection with the illegal trafficking of venomous and prohibited exotic snakes.

Businesses and residents affected by the severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes on Jan. 12 can now apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

A driver and passenger were injured Wednesday night when their tractor-trailer overturned on Interstate 20 in Newton County.

Newton County’s Department of Public Works finished an ambitious sign replacement project enhancing nearly 200 road signs in 2022.

The Conyers Municipal Court judge and associate judge will receive a bump in pay following a vote by the Conyers City Council Wednesday.

By the late 1970s, the famed nearly 50-foot tall Cyclorama painting of the Battle of Atlanta during the Civil War was moldy, wet and rotting in places and making its way toward a landfill somewhere.

The following charges and arrests were reported by the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, Covington Police Department, Oxford Police Department, Porterdale Police Department, the Georgia State Patrol and Georgia Pardons and Parole from Jan. 11 to Jan. 17, 2023:

A request to rezone nearly 35 acres on Turner Lake Road to allow a multi-family housing development was deferred to Feb. 6 by the Covington City Council at the request of the applicant.

Sen. Brian Strickland, R-McDonough, has been reinstated as chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary for the 2023 Legislative Session.

It's the branch of a tree, but this tree is no good for a tree house.

Piedmont Newton Hospital and the Newton County Health Department received the 2023 Car Seat Mini Grant from the Georgia Department of Public Health's Injury Prevention Program. Through the mini grant, Piedmont Newton and the local health department work together to provide car seats and education to financially eligible families in Newton County.

SNELLVILLE — Piedmont Eastside Medical Center’s Inpatient Rehabilitation Program has been ranked in the top 10% of 861 inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) that qualified to be ranked in the IRF database of Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation for cases discharged between Oct…

The following charges and arrests were reported by the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office, Conyers Police Department, Georgia State Patrol, and Georgia Pardon and Parole for the period of Jan. 10 — Jan. 16, 2023:

Last July, the U.S. chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. Mark Milley, visited Jakarta where he said China's military has become significantly more aggressive and dangerous over the past five years.

The keynote speaker at the 38th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration in Newton County called on the community to continue to work toward King’s vision of a Beloved Community.