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 second edition of 2026, we reflect on June to December 2025. The first half of the year was recapped last week.
JUNE
Our halfway point through the year began with Georgia College & State University winning the 2024-25 Men’s Basketball Team Sportsmanship Award at the The Peach Belt Conference.
Baldwin High School was awarded the 2024 Platinum Award for Greatest Gains by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GOSA). This recognition placed Baldwin High in the top 1% of all Georgia schools for academic growth over the past three years.
The Baldwin County School District hired Dr. Rodney Tyson, Sr. as its new deputy superintendent.
ServPro of Baldwin, Jones, & Putnam Counties was named the Small Business of the Year by the Milledgeville-Baldwin County Chamber of Commerce.
Milledgeville was also named among the “The 15 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2025” by Smithsonian Magazine. The article was the outcome of a large media push started by the Centennial Celebration of Flannery O’Connor.
The Baldwin County School District was named one of the Best Communities for Music Education by The National Association of Music Merchants Foundation for the 10th consecutive year.
The Georgia Chamber of Commerce Foundation announced that Oak Hill Middle School was one of 24 middle school civic leaders from eight communities across Georgia to compete in the National Civics Bee Georgia State Finals in Atlanta.
About 30 people gathered for a ‘No Kings’ protest in downtown Milledgeville on Saturday, June 14, at the intersection of Hancock and Wilkinson streets.
The Baldwin County 12 Youth Allstars beat Locust Grove June 15 to go undefeated through the Georgia district and state games.
Local author Mike Brown, also known as T. M. Brown, was awarded certificates for the best historical fiction novel, best fiction cover, and Spotlight on Georgia Fiction by the Georgia Independent Author Association for his novel The Last Laird of Sapelo.
Milledgeville’s District 5 Councilwoman Shonya Mapp received the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute Certificate of Recognition June 23 during the Georgia Municipal Association’s annual convention in Savannah.
JULY
The Baldwin County School District unveiled its newly renovated Board of Education building at a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Milledgeville/ Baldwin County Chamber of Commerce.
Local and state leaders unveiled the LaTasha R. Butts Memorial Highway at the intersection of Highway 49 and the 441 Milledgeville Bypass.
Freedom Fireworks released a public apology July 8 for disappointment around its July 4 fireworks display. In this apology the company offered a full refund of the amount of $13,500 to the city of Milledgeville and a 50 percent discount to upcoming fireworks displays hosted by the city or its affiliates.
Chard Wray Food Pantry received a $12,000 Operation Roundup grant from Tri-County EMC for the purchase of food for the food insecure. The grant was funded by the voluntary contributions of Tri-County EMC members to the Tri-County EMC Foundation.
Georgia College & State University had 152 student-athletes named to the 2024-25 Peach Belt Conference’s Presidential Honor Roll.
Georgia College & State University’s “Voice of the Bobcats” Scott MacLeod was recognized by Friends of Georgia Radio alongside eight other honorees. His broadcasts have covered Georgia College and high school sports along with Georgia Military College football games.
The Roberts Road Bridge over Goss Creek, near 226 Roberts Rd., was closed due to storm damage. The abutment wing walls were beginning to fail resulting in structural damage, initially caused by a flooding event in April.
Georgia College & State University’s Continuing & Professional Education Department debuted its coding camp July 7-11, introducing eight sixththrough- ninth graders to the science behind our everyday technology.
Baldwin County cut the ribbon July 21 to its 20 new outdoor lighted pickleball courts at the Baldwin County Recreational Center.
Clay Wiggins, the only circuit-wide investigator for the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit, which includes Baldwin County, was honored with statewide recognition for his outstanding investigative work leading to convictions in homicide and death penalty cases.
The Georgia Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Milledgeville received the National Cemetery Administration Operational Excellence Award.
Georgia College & State University men’s golfer Andy Scott won the 106th Georgia State Golf Association Match Play Championship.
The Georgia Dept. of Transportation recognized the Baldwin County Regional Airport for Outstanding Promotions in Aviation from a group of 102 eligible airports.
AUGUST
The district-wide 2025 Teachers of the Year were announced including Megan Shuman at Lakeview Primary, Brandi Lawrence at Midway Hills Primary, Rhonda Crane at Lakeview Academy, Jessica Moose at Midway Hills Academy, Tiandra Canty at Oak Hill Middle School, and Alicia Johnson at Baldwin High School.
The Milledgeville Theatre Collective (MTC) launched with the goal of hosting inclusive theatrical experiences for performers, partners, and patrons. MTC operates as a nonprofit collaborative with a seasonal mix of mainstage productions, youth programming, and pop-up performance events.
Georgia Military College welcomed its 22nd president, Maj. Gen. Terrence J. McKenrick, and said goodbye to Lt. Gen. William B. Caldwell, IV Aug. 8 in a Change of Command Ceremony hosted in the NewDay USA Center of Leadership Baldwin High School was recognized as a Safe Sports School by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, making it the 21st school in Georgia to receive the designation.
Program Coordinator for the High Achievers Program Kenneth Daniels, in Georgia College’s Office of Afterschool Achievement, was awarded the Outstanding OST Professional Award by the Georgia Afterschool and Youth Development Initiative. The award recognized a youth development professional that demonstrates excellence in working with youth.
Baldwin County Fire Rescue, Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, Baldwin County Emergency Management Agency, and Atrium EMS responded to a Cessna 310 plane crash at around 6:30 p.m. Aug. 23 off of Nelson Road in Milledgeville. A Florida man, identified as 78-year-old Robert Dluhos, and his dog were killed in the crash.
Milledgeville Police Department officers responded to a shooting Aug. 23 at Buffalo Wild Wings, at 2472 N. Columbia St., which resulted in the passing of Wild Wings employee Nytavious Stone, 25, from multiple gunshot words. Micha Brown was charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. William Brown was charged with aggravated assault.
RaceWay staff officially opened Raceway No. 7014 Aug. 27 at 2920 N. Columbia St. with two ribbon cuttings. Mayor Mary Parham-Copelan, Sheriff Bill Massee, and Baldwin County Fire Rescue Chief Phillip Adams were each presented with $500 to commemorate their support of the business.
Baldwin High School junior Brayshin Choice and senior Raelee Martin were chosen to attend the National Flute Convention as part of the Georgia College & State University Flute Choir.
SEPTEMBER
The Georgia Department of Veterans Service (GDVS) opened the Transitional Support Unit (TSU) Sept. 2 at the Georgia War Veterans Home. The unit provides comprehensive physical, mental, and behavioral health services to Georgia veterans suffering from a variety of ailments, including PTSD, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), and limb amputations.
Midway Hills Academy was recognized by the Georgia Department of Education with the John Hancock Award, celebrating the school’s commitment to excellence in cursive instruction.
At Milledgeville’s Wrestlemania, Bad Company went against Dead Man’s Hand in a tag-team match between Jay Shaw and Chris Nelms against Chop Top and Jerry Nelms for the Georgia Tag Team Championship. Though it was a tough match, Bad Company beat Dead Man’s Hand to win the championship Treevana Powered by Sanctuary opened its doors at 3015 Heritage Place NE. Treevana is a state-licensed medical cannabis facility that aims to educate on and make low-THC products more accessible for patients across Georgia.
Three years and four months after his arrest, a Milledgeville man entered a guilty plea to the shooting death of a 20-year-old woman, also from Milledgeville. Both were attending a party in Jones County. Jeremy Xavier Butts, 30, was sentenced Sept. 12 in Jones County Superior Court to 20 years with the first 15 years to serve in confinement for the lesser-included offense of voluntary manslaughter.
Georgia College & State University held a ribbon-cutting to announce its newly renovated Simulation and Translational Research Center. The $633,000 investment provided healthcare students with advanced learning technology, such as fullbody mannequins with reactive pupils, pulses, heart, lung, and intestinal sounds.
Olivia Hill, substitute teacher, parent, and alumna of Baldwin High School, was selected to serve on the Georgia Department of Education’s State Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Council. Hill succeeded Dr. Kristina Hill, another Baldwin parent who served on the council for the past two years.
Georgia College & State University earned national recognition when the institution was certified as StormReady by the National Weather Service. One of 18 institutions in the state to earn this distinction, Georgia College was recognized for being prepared for severe weather events.
The Atlanta Police Department (APD) released a statement that 32-year-old Kandice Grace of Milledgeville was taken into custody and was charged with murder in the second degree and cruelty to children in the second degree for her involvement in the homicide of her son that occurred at 311 Scott St. SW in Atlanta on April 6.
From the Ground Up of Georgia Representative Mike Couch, a former resident of Milledgeville and past executive director of Central State Hospital Local Redevelopment Authority, announced plans for a new four-star Hilton Hotel project on North Jefferson Street in Milledgeville.
Baldwin County School District Deputy Dr. Rodney Tyson joined the Baldwin County Health Department Advisory Council and identified two areas of improvement for the school system: vaping and immunization.
OCTOBER
The U.S. government officially shut down Oct. 1 due to a lapse of funding.
Oak Hill Middle School Instructional Coach Tiandra Canty was selected as the 2025-26 Teacher of the Year Oct. 1 during the annual banquet in Georgia College’s Magnolia Ballroom.
The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 2 for the Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) and the re-grand opening of the 911 Call Center.
The Baldwin High School Band of the Braves were named runners-up Oct. 4 at the Hurricane Classic at Monroe Area High School.
Two victims, 77-year-old Margaret Moss and 61-year-old Brian Moss, lost their lives in a cooking fire at their home located at 108 Hubbard Drive.
Piedmont Macon executives presented Milledgeville local Jeff Youmans with a Community Hero Award for his efforts to bring hope to the less fortunate across Middle Georgia.
Baldwin College and Career Academy Director James Lassetter was named the Georgia Marketing Education Association Administrator of the Year.
The Baldwin County School District’s Nutrition Department was nationally recognized with the Innovation in Nutrition Education Award as part of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Action for Healthy Kids’ Healthy Meals Incentives Recognition Awards.
Georgia College & State University celebrated the 50th anniversary of its student radio WGUR and the 100th anniversary of the school newspaper, The Colonnade.
John Milledge Academy trounced Tatnall Square Academy 52-7 in Milledgeville to clinch its seventh region football title in the last eight years.
The Deep Roots Festival returned Oct. 18 for its 22nd year in downtown Milledgeville. They hosted the largest artisan market this year with 80 arts and crafts vendors registered.
Georgia College & State University alumnae standouts Shanteona Keys (’15) and Whitney Okvist Pape (’14) were inducted Oct. 17 into the GCSU Athletics Hall of Fame.
Georgia’s Old Capital Heritage Center and Seeking Asylum launched the Haunting History Tour around the Central State Hospital grounds Oct. 24 with a sold-out weekend. The tour highlighted the Powell, Walker, Green, Jones, Women’s Convalescent, and Auditorium buildings.
NOVEMBER
Mayor Mary Parham-Copelan was reelected as mayor over former city council member Walter Reynolds.
Four of CREATE Inc.’s youth cyclists were invited to take part in the London to Paris 24-Hour Cycling Challenge in May. They began training to complete 185 miles within 24 hours.
Lakeview Academy was named a 2025 Title I Reward School by the Georgia Department of Education, meaning it was in the top 5% of Title I schools in the state for making the most progress in improving performance in English Language Arts and Mathematics.
The Baldwin County Legacy Project hosted a meeting on the steps of Milledgeville City Hall with signs Oct. 28 to report on a survey of nearly 300 residents titled “Holding On To Home: Voices of the Unaddressed Housing Crisis of Baldwin County.”
The John Milledge Academy Trojans were set to return to the GIAA AAA state semi-finals for the seventh time in eight years following a dominant 56-0 performance against Piedmont Academy in Milledgeville.
Georgia Military College appointed Wes Ransom as chief of police, joining the GMC family with over 15 years of law enforcement experience in patrol, investigations, campus safety, and command-level leadership.
Georgia’s Old Capital Heritage Center at the Depot celebrated the 200th anniversary of the Brown-Stetson-Sanford House, a home that launched the movement of historic renovations in Milledgeville.
The Baldwin County School District was able to expand its Holiday Nutrition Program due to a $2,000 grant from the Tri-County EMC Foundation Board of Directors. Tri-County EMC funded pre-break food distributions providing take-home meal boxes designed to provide “balanced breakfasts, lunches, and snacks throughout the holiday season” for identified families.
CEO of Atlas Universal Inc. Dr. Ken Singh worked with Daniel Legato and many volunteers to distribute 500 Kroger turkeys to the community in preparation for Thanksgiving.
John Milledge Academy Trojans captured its fifth state title in the past seven seasons. The Trojans brought the victory home to Milledgeville by defeating Deerfield-Windsor 28-20.
A team of five Georgia College & State University students organized a two-week battery recycling competition from Nov. 3-13 at Midway Hills Academy, leading up to National Recycling Day. MHA students collected 27 pounds of batteries.
The Kappa Alpha Order chapter at Georgia College & State University partnered with the Kappa Alpha Order at Mercer University to fund $26,000 to purchase an all-terrain track chair for veteran MSgt. Michael Rollins.
First responders put out a request for the Coopers Community to look out for 15-year-old Jeffrey Epps, a nonverbal autistic boy, that had been reported missing. After more than two-and-ahalf days of searching, with over 200 reported community members and multiple organizations assisting, Epps’ body was recovered from a pond about a mile from his residence on the 100 block of Torrence Road.
Hank Griffeth retired as city manager and Melba A. Hilson-Butts was appointed to serve as interim county manager to fill Griffeth’s role.
Georgia Military College Preparatory School won its seventh One-Act competition championship.
DECEMBER
Milledgeville-Baldwin County Allied Arts debuted its Deck the Walls exhibit Dec. 5 at the John Marlor Arts Center.
Milledgeville lit its downtown tree on Dec. 5, despite the rainy day and cancellation of the Holiday on Hancock events. As part of the lighting, Milledgeville Main Street brought December’s first snow to its downtown streets.
This year, Communities in Schools of Milledgeville and Baldwin County added a brand-new twist to traditional food donations. CIS created “ingredient bags” that functioned like a Blue Apron or HelloFresh box but were built entirely from non-perishable items donated and assembled in the Baldwin community. The bags were planned to be distributed to over 700 people.
Baldwin County High School hosted the 2nd annual Tasha Butts Classic where the Baldwin Braves (6-0, 2-0) boys’ basketball team maintained its perfect record in the 2025-26 season with a sixth-straight win. The 75-54 final also marked Baldwin’s second win over the Putnam County War Eagles this year, following a one-point advantage late last month in Eatonton.
Three women began their new lives at the newly debuted “Wings of Hope” Recovery Home. The home is located at 327 Allen Memorial Dr. and was an ongoing project for Brighter Days Ministry and the Ocmulgee Adult Treatment Court Collaborative.
The Baldwin County Board of Education was named a 2025 Exemplary School Board by the Georgia School Boards Association, the highest distinction awarded through GSBA’s Governance Team Recognition Program.
America’s Car-Mart in Milledgeville delivered 188 toys to Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital, part of the Atrium Health Levine Children’s family, in Macon.
State Representative Floyd Griffin recognized Midway Hills Academy for receiving the the Georgia Department of Education’s John Hancock Award for Excellence in Cursive Instruction earlier in the year.