As the new year begins, The Baldwin Bulletin takes an annual look back at some the significant people and events that shaped its weekly narrative. In this first edition of 2026, we reflect on January to May 2025, with the second half of the year to be recapped next week.
JANUARY
Starting off the year, 62 Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office’s officers of various positions gathered Jan. 2 in the legislative chamber in Georgia Military College’s (GMC) Old Capital Building to be sworn in. Following all officers being sworn in, Baldwin Sheriff Bill Massee promoted Major Scott Deason to chief deputy of uniform services, administration, and the jail.
Georgia College & State University President Cathy Cox was named to Georgia Trend’s 2025 list of “Notable Georgians.”
The Baldwin County Board of Education sought community input as it considered opting out of Georgia House Bill 581, a new law set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2025.
On Jan. 6, Matt Roessing of The Roessing Firm emailed a letter to House District 149 Representative- Elect Floyd Griffin requesting an investigation into the Central State Hospital Local Redevelopment Authority’s (CSHLRA) proposed sale of the Binion, Walker, Jones, and Green buildings, as well as the Rivers State Prison and Men’s State Prison at Central State Hospital. After thorough review of the original letter, on Jan. 17, Griffin emailed a letter to Georgia State Inspector General Nigel Lange requesting an official investigation into allegations of fraud, waste and abuse by the authority.
On Jan. 9, Baldwin County entered a state of emergency in preparation for extreme winter weather. Emergency Management Director Wayne Johnson reported everything was fine besides icy roads in the northern county.
Milledgeville Mayor Mary Parham-Copelan read a proclamation naming Jan. 14, the day that Baldwin County Fire Safety & Rescue Fire Chief Victor Young officially retired, as Fire Chief Victor Young Day. The proclamation thanked Young for his 35 years of service.
Milledgeville-Baldwin County Habitat for Humanity honored President Jimmy Carter’s life by inviting the community to sign a commemorative door. The signed door was picked up Jan. 17 and permanently displayed in the Macon Area Habitat for Humanity Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Community Room, alongside a door honoring Rosalynn Carter.
Georgia Military College President Lt. Gen. William B. Caldwell, IV was named to Georgia Trend’s 2024 “Georgia 500: Georgia’s Most Influential Leaders” list.
The Georgia Department of Education recognized Lakeview Primary as a 2023-24 Reward Schools. Reward Schools are among the greatest- improving 5% of Title I Schoolwide and Title I Targeted Assistance schools when comparing the content mastery scores from the 2021-22 and 2022-23 of statewide assessments.
FEBRUARY
Georgia College’s Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy, in partnership with the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, celebrated former first lady Sandra Deal’s 83rd birthday Feb. 1 by reading to 12 classes at the Baldwin County Early Learning Center.
Seven Baldwin County High School students won first place Feb. 6 in the region Oconee RESA Regional Technology Fair Competition at Central Georgia Technical College and advanced to state inMcDonough.
Georgia Military College Prep School announced Cadet Liam Beauchamp as the Class of 2025 valedictorian and Cadet Carlie Cochran as the Class of 2025 salutatorian.
Milledgeville’s Sam Montgomery claimed victory Feb. 8, in the American Fishing Tour (AFT) Division 72 tournament held on Lake Sinclair.
Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman Ben Cleveland was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence Feb. 12 in Milledgeville.
Both the Baldwin Braves and Bravettes were named Georgia High School Association Region 4-AAA Basketball Champions Feb. 14 at home.
Sydney Warren, a sixth-grade Oak Hill Middle School student, won the district spelling bee and advanced to the Georgia Association of Educators Region 7 Spelling Bee on Feb. 22 in Putnam County.
Baldwin County Superintendent Dr. Noris Price earned the 2025 Dr. Jimmy Stokes Distinguished Service Award at the Georgia Association for Educational Leaders’ winter conference.
Baldwin County mourned the loss of 12-year-old Dalton Hill, a promising dirt bike racer. Dalton passed during a racing accident at Echeconnee Motocross in Crawford County.
Commissioner Emily Davis made a motion to look into amending the ordinance regarding chairmanship to alternate chairman by district each January rather than be voted in by majority vote. The motion was ultimately rejected 3-2, with Commissioner Sammy Hall, Chairman Andrew Strickland, and Commissioner Scott Little denying it.
Allied Arts hosted a multi-gallery reception showcasing “My Abstract City,” “Life of a Flower,” and Grace Wood’s photography.
Allied Arts hosted its inaugural ArtiGras event, bringing the community together to watch various art shows and participate in mini workshops.
MARCH
The John Milledge Academy (JMA) Board of Trustees announced the appointment of David Allen Simmons Jr. (Allen) to serve as the next head of school.
The Baldwin County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution March 4 to request a state performance rating for the Baldwin County Board of Tax Assessors. Chairman Andrew Strickland and Commissioners Sammy Hall and Scott Little voting in favor and Vice-Chair Kendrick Butts and Commissioner Emily Davis voting in opposition.
Local photographer Jessica Whitehead was featured in the Art of Georgia exhibit and had her photography exhibited at the Georgia capitol.
The Baldwin County Board of Education announced Dr. Kristina Brooks as the sole finalist for the position of superintendent.
Friends of Baldwin County Animals (FBCA) partnered with Heart of Georgia and Mid-Atlantic Germans Shepherd Rescue to save Mila, a three-year-old deaf German Shepherd, from being euthanized. Pilot and Paws picked Mila up from the Baldwin County Regional Airport and flew her to Maryland, where she began training with Mason Dixon K9.
The Baldwin County School District participated in the 2025 Malcolm Mitchell Reading Bowl districtwide and held its own local competition to see what school would log the most “touchdowns” during the event. Midway Hills Primary won the district wide 2025 Malcolm Mitchell Reading Award, earning their school the title of READBowl Champion.
Georgia Military College Prep School won the State Literary Competition, securing the championship title for the 10th consecutive year.
GMC Prep’s Liam Beauchamp received the 2025 BLAZE Award for Baldwin County, recognizing the highest ACT score among all other high school seniors in the area.
The body of a missing boater was found after two days of searching led by the Baldwin County Public Safety Drive Team. The victim was identified as 36-year-old Chester Upton IV.
GMC Prep junior Natalie Jadol was named a 2025 Governor’s Honors Program (GHP) finalist in visual arts. Georgia GHP is a highly competitive residential summer program designed to provide intellectually gifted and artistically talented high school sophomores and juniors with an educational experience.
Dr. Jeff Wells, vice president of online academics and professor of history at Georgia Military College, served as chairman of the Baldwin County Lafayette Bicentennial Celebration Committee, which hosted the 200th Anniversary Celebration of General Lafayette’s Visit to Milledgeville on Wednesday, March 26.
Georgia College & State University hosted a week of events in celebration of Flannery O’Connor’s 100th birthday, their most famous alum.
Baldwin High School announced Jessica Biyogmam as salutatorian and Ayesha Patel as valedictorian.
APRIL
The Georgia Military College Board of Trustees named Maj. Gen. Terrence McKenrick, USA (Ret) as the sole finalist and eventual 22nd president of Georgia Military College.
Kinetic, a local residential and business fiber internet service provider, officially inaugurated Lake Sinclair and east Baldwin County’s highspeed fiber internet expansion, connecting over 700 households in the area. This $1.9 million transformative project was a collaborative effort between state and local governments and Kinetic to enhance digital connectivity and bridge the digital divide in the region.
The House adopted Senate Resolution 8, legislation that dedicated several roads in the state, including State Route 49 from the Milledgeville Bypass State Route 29/U.S. 441 to the Macon Bibb County line in Baldwin County to be named as the Latasha R. Butts Memorial Highway.
The 11th annual ArtHealthy Festival was held April 12 on Georgia College’s front campus by the Center for Recreation Education Arts Technology and Enterprise.
The Coopers Park Reimagine project began with the completion of a rain garden and splash pads to be completed by August.
Jessica Whitehead released her photography book Seeking Asylum, which captured the emotional weight and complex history of one of Georgia’s most storied psychiatric institutions.
Georgia Military College (GMC) celebrated Military Heritage Weekend, inducting Lt. Col. Marvin Layfield into the GMC Hall of Heroes.
The Old Capital Car Club in Milledgeville held its inaugural Spring Car Show at the Farmers Home Furniture parking lot alongside Hwy. 441, north of town. Approximately 60 custom and classic cars, trucks, and motorcycles were entered.
Georgia College professor Amy Johnson partnered with Allied Arts to host the “Public Life, Public Space” exhibit, featuring four research presentations by student teams in her Ethnographic Methods class.
GCSU held its largest Research Day ever with more than 250 projects showcased, an increase of 32% over last year’s event, including 38 graduate projects and 216 undergraduate projects.
GCSU President Cathy Cox received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Supreme Court of Georgia during the 25th annual Justice Robert Benham Awards for Community Service.
The Milledgeville branch of Vernay Manufacturing celebrated its grand re-opening on April 24. Vernay is a global leader in precision flow-control components and has manufacturing locations in Georgia, Holland, Italy, and China. Fifty percent of the locations are in Georgia, with factories in Kennesaw and Griffin in addition to Milledgeville.
A Milledgeville man pled guilty in Baldwin County Superior Court to the 2023 murder of a Putnam County man. Tavish Nigel Goddard was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Joshua Corey Jones, 43, formerly of Thomas Drive on Lake Sinclair in Putnam County.
MAY
GMC announced its annual employee awards. Employee of the Year was Ken Franks, Teacher of the Year was Maj. Terri Youngblood, and Educator of the Year was Dr. Melissa Willis.
Georgia College’s Abigail Lee was the 2025 recipient of the Eve Puckett Giving Tree Award. It is given annually to an organization or person who “leaves a lasting legacy of service at the university,” according to the announcement.
Allied Arts hosted its reception for the Oconee Artists Exhibit and the Big Click: Beyond the Lens Exhibit. Artists, photographers, and locals gathered to view the submissions and to hear the announcement of the winners.
Baldwin County, Midway Hills Primary School partnered with the Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) program, introducing specially trained therapy dogs into their library. Students read to collies Skye and Laddie, in the school library once a week, guided by their owners Jay and Susan Wucher.
A Georgia Department of Transportation contractor closed United States 441 Business/State Route 29 Business at Fishing Creek to repair the 76-year-old Mayor Harry G. Bone Bridge, originally constructed in 1949. It was below current design standards.
Spencer Kirkley became the first graduate of the GC THRIVE program at Georgia College & State University. GC THRIVE enables young adults ages 18 to 28 with intellectual disabilities to attend college with their peers.
Mayor Mary Parham-Copelan visited Atrium Health Navicent Heart and Vascular Care in Macon to read a proclamation naming May 6-12 National Nurses Week to encourage all citizens to celebrate nurses’ efforts and accomplishments. The proclamation was awarded to Chief Nursing Officer Angela Lintz at Atrium Health Navicent Baldwin.
On May 9 and 10, Georgia College & State University conferred 1,425 degrees on both undergraduate and graduate students in the class of 2025. There were 12 valedictorians in the class of 2025, each having earned a perfect 4.0 final grade point average while completing their undergraduate degree.
Students could be seen observing smoke coming from Atkinson Hall at approximately noon May 14 at Georgia College & State University. The source of smoke in Atkinson Hall was an overheated fan coil motor in an air conditioning unit located on the basement level. There were no active flames during the incident and no injuries or damage to the building reported.
GMC sophomores Hannah Craig and Ross Tetrault received the Mason Cup, named for Harold Mason, a longtime GMC supporter and given to a deserving individual on the Men’s and Women’s Golf Teams who best represents the game of golf and Georgia Military College’s “Character Above All.”
A 13-month joint drug investigation led The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) to arrest and charge 13 people in Milledgeville.
Chairman Andrew Strickland awarded Certificates of Recognition to pilot Don Heironimus, flight nurse Melissa Michie, and paramedic James Caulfield for their life-saving efforts on April 4 during the monthly meeting.
Exchange Bank announced Caden Loyd as the recipient of its 2025 Baldwin County area scholarship.
YEAR IN REVIEW