Top Stories for August 15th
Publish Date: August 15th
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From the Ingles Studio, Welcome to The Community Podcast. This Podcast brings you the top stories from the Rockdale-Newton Citizen and the Morgan Citizen.
Today is Friday, August 15th and Happy birthday to Joe Jonas
I’m Peyton Spurlock and here are your top stories presented by Times Journal
Plus, Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on Food Apps
These stories and more are coming up in today’s edition of the Community Podcast for Rockdale, Newton, and Morgan Counties! Please like, follow, and subscribe.
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STORY 1: Driver flees state trooper, strikes two vehicles
A chaotic scene unfolded Monday on Sigman Road when a driver fleeing a Georgia State Patrol trooper caused a multi-car crash.
It started with a simple traffic stop—Jamal Green, 40, of Stockbridge, was pulled over for following too closely. But instead of stopping, Green hit the gas, leading the trooper on a chase eastbound.
At the intersection of Sigman and Rockbridge roads, Green ran a red light, slamming into a white Ford F-150, which flipped and landed upside down. His car then collided head-on with a gold F-150.
Green tried to fight the trooper after the crash, but two bystanders stepped in to help subdue him.
Everyone involved reported injuries and was taken to the hospital, according to GSP.
STORY 2: Police contacted weeks earlier due to CDC shooter's 'thoughts of suicide,' GBI says
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation shared new details Tuesday about the tragic shooting outside the CDC’s Atlanta headquarters last week.
Patrick Joseph White, 30, of Kennesaw, had no criminal record but had recently expressed suicidal thoughts, prompting a call to law enforcement weeks before the attack, GBI Director Chris Hosey said. Investigators later found writings at White’s home criticizing COVID-19 vaccines—angry, but not explicitly threatening.
White fired over 500 rounds, hitting six CDC buildings, before taking his own life. Emory police didn’t hit him, Hosey confirmed.
DeKalb County Officer David Rose, one of the first responders, was fatally shot by White. “He died a hero,” said FBI Special Agent Paul Brown.
White’s weapons, a mix of rifles and a shotgun, belonged to his father, who told investigators White broke into the gun safe.
The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information is urged to contact the GBI tip line.
STORY 3: Covington woman pleads guilty to pandemic loan fraud
A former SBA loan officer, Rena Barrett, 45, has admitted to scamming the very system she was supposed to protect. On Aug. 11, Barrett pleaded guilty to making false statements tied to over $550,000 in fraudulent COVID-19 loans.
Here’s the kicker: she approved her own $170,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loan after it was initially denied. And that wasn’t all—investigators found she greenlit loans for herself and her relatives, pocketing nearly half a million dollars.
Barrett resigned after the scheme unraveled. Sentencing is set for Nov. 12.
In a related case, Sheena Thompson of Conyers pleaded guilty to trying to snag $150,000 in fraudulent loans. And in an unrelated scheme, Detra Lewis of Atlanta admitted to stealing $1.25 million through a fake PPP loan for “God’s Anointed Youth Ministry.”
The DOJ’s COVID-19 Fraud Task Force continues to investigate pandemic-related scams.
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We’ll be right back
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STORY 4: City approves deannexation of land on Edgefield Lane
A property owner’s push to de-annex from the city of Covington just got the green light from both the Newton County Board of Commissioners and the Covington City Council.
The two tracts—multi-family units on Edgefield Lane—were found, thanks to GIS mapping, to be inside city limits, not unincorporated Newton County as previously thought. The owner’s motivation? Taxes, according to County Attorney Patrick Jaugstetter.
The Board approved the request July 15, and the City Council followed suit on Aug. 4. Final approval is still pending. Once finalized, the county will need to rezone the property.
In other news, the City Council approved $712,500 in federal funding for Covington Municipal Airport. The funds, requiring $18,750 in matching money, will go toward fixing the northwest apron asphalt and updating the airport layout plan.
STORY 5: Newton County school board approves tax increase
The Newton County Board of Education settled on a 15.5 millage rate for 2025 Tuesday night—a slight drop from 15.75 but still above the rollback rate of 14.84.
District 1’s Trey Bailey pushed hard for the rollback rate, arguing it would ease the tax burden, especially with rising property values.
But after multiple failed motions—one for 15.7, another for 15.447—the board landed on 15.5, passing it 4-1.
For homeowners, this means higher taxes. A $325,000 home will see a $1,953 school tax bill—$83 more than last year, and even higher if property values increased.
The board’s reasoning? Maintaining the fund balance. The 15.5 rate will bring in $313,237 more than budgeted, while the rollback rate would’ve left a $3.6 million gap.
Still, some, like Shakila Henderson-Baker, opposed the decision, sticking to her stance of offering property owners relief.
We’ll be right back.
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And now here is Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on Food Apps
We’ll have closing comments after this.
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Signoff-
Thanks again for hanging out with us on today’s Community Podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast, the Marietta Daily Journal, or the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties. Read more about all our stories and get other great content at https://www.rockdalenewtoncitizen.com/ and https://www.morgancountycitizen.com/news/
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