November 15, 2024 * Issue 404 | |
|
Last chance for Mayor's Sneaker Ball tickets | |
|
Are you ready to dance the night away in your favorite sneakers? The 3rd Annual Mayor's Sneaker Ball is just weeks away on Saturday, December 14, 2024. The last day to purchase a table or individual tickets is Friday, November 22.
The Ball will be happening at 8:00 p.m. at Macon City Auditorium (415 1st Street). It will feature live music and DJ, dancing, cash bar, silent auction, and more! All proceeds will go towards funding the ball and the Lester M. Miller Academic Scholarships.
“This is our time to celebrate! Celebrate our successes this year, and the celebrate each other,” says Mayor Lester Miller. “It’s a time where so many of us from different walks of life, different views, come together to be one to be Team Macon-Bibb.”
Tickets and tables MUST be purchased online. You will not be able to purchase tickets at the door.
Thanks to a partnership with Hotel Forty Five, you can book a night's stay at a discounted price by clicking here.
| |
|
On Thursday, November 14, Macon-Bibb County’s IT Department, Planning & Zoning, and NewTown Macon participated in the fourth annual The Opportunity Project for Cities (TOPC) Demo Day, which is hosted by The Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation at Georgetown University and the Centre for Public Impact.
Over the last few months, our IT Department has been working with other tech experts through TOPC to make the business license and permit process a lot easier for business owners through our website. On Thursday, they presented those plans as well as a demo of what navigating the website looks like.
“We want Macon-Bibb to be as business friendly as possible, and that meant bringing together a team from multiple agencies and departments to streamline the licensing and permitting process…and making it easier to understand,” said County Manager Dr. Keith Moffett. “They all tackled the problem early on, and with the support of our national partners, are preparing to launch an amazing new resource.”
The fourth cohort of TOPC partnered local governments and community organizations with pro bono support from technologists at Google.org to design new digital tools that address resident challenges, powered by local data. Click here to read full details of Macon-Bibb’s participation.
“We actually began this process in the third cohort by looking at how our partners interacted with each other and creating internal process solutions,” said Barbara Marlin, Macon-Bibb County GIS Manager. “With the internal process streamlined, we were ready to begin working on how the public accesses these services, and we know this will help businesses both large and small.”
Our IT Department is expecting to fully launch the new site in early Spring 2025.
This year’s Demo Day featured local governments and community organizations from Akron, OH; Macon-Bibb County, GA; Miami-Dade County, FL; and Ramsey County/Saint. Paul, MN as they showcase the digital tools they are developing, powered by open data, to address pressing community challenges. TOPC is supported by the Knight Foundation, with pro bono support from technologists provided by Google.org.
| |
|
The Macon-Bibb County Office of Planning & Public Spaces is inviting the public to share their thoughts on the future of the former Bibb Mill site, which is now known as the East Bank Project. The opportunity to provide feedback will be November 21 at the Mill Hill Community Arts Center (213 Clinton Street).
During the event, there will be two presentations followed by a Question & Answer session with the planners, and those will happen at 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. In between those times, people can drop in to provide their feedback.
“We want to hear from our community what they think of this area and what they want to see their in the future, from the buildings, trails, public spaces, and more,” says Director of Planning & Public Spaces Alex Morrison. “This is a critical junction between Downtown, East Macon neighborhoods, Centreplex, and the Park, and we only get one chance to get it right and make sure we are meeting the needs of our community and its residents.”
“I hope that residents and businesses surrounding the Park and Downtown attend and help us create a new gateway into our community and into our past,” says Visit Macon President & CEO Gary Wheat. “With Macon-Bibb leading this process, we can ensure the development complements the National Park, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, East Macon, Downtown, and all we have going on to move our community forward.”
“We want to see everyone's ideas of how to make that area of Macon thrive – as well as feedback on the issues and obstacles the area faces – that can be included in the National Park strategic planning process that will begin in 2025,” says Matt Chalfa, Director of Strategic Planning for the Ocmulgee National Park & Preserve Initiative. “We’re especially interested in the local knowledge and perspective that residents of East Macon and Fort Hill can provide as to what they think would benefit their neighborhoods and what role the Park can play in that.”
| | |
 | |
It’s time for your weeks and months of training to finally pay off as you get ready to cross the finish line of the Macon Music Half Marathon. In its second year, the race will take place on Saturday, November 16, 2024, beginning at 8:00 a.m. in Carolyn Crayton Park.
“We’re excited to say this half marathon is back and better than ever,” said Mayor Lester Miller. “Last year, at our first half marathon, we had hundreds of people participate in this race who came from different states to be part of this, and we’re looking forward to welcoming people back to our community!”
“We have strong running community here in Macon-Bibb County and we’re hoping this will bring more people to the sport and attract more people to our city,” said Macon Tracks President F.M. Barron.
“Atrium Health Navicent is proud to support community health and wellness by again serving as presenting sponsor for the Macon Music Half Marathon,” said Atrium Health Georgia Market President Delvecchio Finley. “Exercise is an important part of overall health, and running can be a great way to stay fit. I hope you’ll join me on Nov. 16 in running past so many of the landmarks associated with Macon’s rich cultural and musical heritage and crossing the finish line at historic Luther Williams Field.”
The route will be similar to last year but will feature live music as you go past historic musical locations, such as the Big House Museum. This year, the finish line will be at home plate at the Historic Luther Williams Field. Runners and their friends and families will be able to enjoy more live music from the A2Z Band on the field along with food and drinks.
“We’re incredibly exited to be a part of it and be a host for the race,” said Macon Bacon President Brandon Raphael. “What better way to finish a race than stepping on home plate as you cross the finish line.”
The Macon Music Half Marathon is being organized by the Macon Tracks, Macon-Bibb County, Visit Macon (our Convention & Visitors Bureau), and Presenting Sponsor Atrium Health Navicent.
| | | |
|
On Tuesday, Macon-Bibb County held a groundbreaking ceremony to commence the start of a $600,000 SPLOST-funded improvement project at Claystone and Arrowhead Parks.
“We’re really excited to finally give these parks the love and care they deserve,” said Mayor Lester Miller. “These improvements are something our visitors are going to be excited to experience.”
Claystone’s campground closed on November 4, and Arrowhead’s campground will close December 4. They are expected to open later in the Spring of 2025; the rest of the parks will remain open during the construction.
“This construction is going to help us attract more campers to Lake Tobo because it’s going to greatly improve their experience here,” said Lake Tobesofkee Director Donald Bracewell. “They’ll have better access to water and electricity, and the pads will be much more durable and easier to set up on.”
Dunwody/Beeland, Architects, Inc. and Warrens Associates, Inc. are bringing this project to life in the upcoming months.
Both campgrounds will get new landscape timbers and gravel poured, electrical boxes, and in-ground and above ground water connections. The biggest change will be replacing the asphalt pads with concrete pads. A total of 9 docks will be added to the two campgrounds that will be available for campers to use.
| |
|
Teaching skills and making a difference
Students pitch mural ideas to Brookdale Resource Center
| |
Four boys, students with Men About Change, sat around a table with artist and owner of Mama Hawk Draws Erin Hawkins, brainstorming and sketching out ideas that will make people feel good.
“Even if you’re in a dark place, hopefully the peace sign makes you feel better,” said Jordan, 8th grader at Weaver Middle School.
The boys were presenting two ideas for a mural that will go up inside of the Hello House at the Brookdale Resource Center. That area is the converted gymnasium providing people who are not ready to go through the full program at the Center with a safe overnight shelter where they can sleep out of the elements.
The first, a blue mural with the words “Stay Strong” and peace sign they designed together.
The second was blue and purple with the words “Hello House” and a peace sign.
“It makes me feel better,” said Taquan, 8th grader at Howard Middle School, when asked why he liked the second design the best. “The colors make you feel like you have hope.”
This presentation is part of a six-week program with Mama Hawk Draws that will allow students to paint a mural from start to finish. Prior to this, they re-painted a mural at the entrance of the of the Brookdale Resource Center.
“We walked them through the beginning steps of meeting with the client, then we brainstormed, sketched, pitched to the client, and next week we’ll be painting,” said Erin Hawkins, owner and founder of Mama Hawk Draws. “A big goal for them is to have soft skills. For them to be able to talk to adults, explain their ideas, tell them how they came up with these ideas, and show them.”
The mural installations are funded with a $10,000 Macon Violence Prevention grant from Macon-Bibb County through the Community Foundation of Central Georgia.
“Our goal is they have these soft skills after the program,” said Hawkins. “During the program, we’re meeting with them after school, and on break. We’re keeping them off the street and showing them they can use that time in different and safer ways.”
Once the mural has been chosen by Brookdale staff, the students will paint it during Fall break.
“The best part is they will have a sense of ownership when this mural is done,” said Hawkins.
|  | | |
 | |
The Booker T. Washington Community Center is celebrating 45 years of serving the Historic Pleasant Hill Neighborhood and Macon-Bibb County. On Friday, November 8, the Center held an Open House and unveiling of a plan for a sensory room.
This year’s Leadership Macon Class presented to the Macon Mental Health Matters Alliance the plan to create a new sensory room. Each year, the Leadership Macon class picks a project they work on throughout the year that will benefit the community.
“This class heard us and recognized the need in our community to have a safe space like this, and they responded in a most amazing way,” said Andrea Cooke, Macon Mental Health Matters Director. “This new sensory room will be available for both agencies in the Center to use as needed and our community.”
A sensory room creates a safe space in a building where children can go to self-regulate and decompress using calming, therapeutic features. The Leadership Macon class is converting a room in the Center by painting the walls calming colors and adding special lighting, soft chairs, therapeutic toys, sound machines, and more. Members of the class will be available during the open house to describe the benefits of the room and how the public can help make it a success.
“The Booker T. Washington Center has become a place where our community comes together to support children and meet them where they are when it comes to their needs, and we wanted to provide the children and the personnel here with something special,” said Olivia Walter with the Leadership Macon Class. “We are creating a calming, safe space that will be of great benefit to all who come through these doors either for assistance or to provide support.”
After the Booker T. Washington Community Center celebrated its 45th anniversary with a Partner Appreciation Open House. The event was hosted by Macon Mental Health Matters and Southern Center for Choice Theory and was sponsored by Francis and Wade and the Urban Development Authority. Light refreshments will be served.
| | | |
 | |
On Thursday, November 7, Macon-Bibb County and Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful (KMBB) celebrated student creativity at the annual Clean Streets Matter Art & Essay for the fourth year. This year’s theme was “What I do to help keep Macon-Bibb beautiful?”
“Our departments and partners do a great job attacking things that bring down our neighborhoods, like littering and illegal dump sites, but we need to make sure our children know the importance of a clean street if we’re going to make a true difference,” said Macon-Bibb County Executive Director of Community Affairs Dr. Henry Ficklin. “If we can show the children of today why clean streets matter, then we can get to a day when people stop littering.”
More than 500 students from 14 different schools in Macon-Bibb County participated in this year’s contest. There were four categories: K-2nd Grade Art; 3rd-5th Grade Art, 6th-8th Grade Essay, and 9th-12th Grade Essay.
“We want to encourage creative expression, critical thinking, and communication skills through a combination of visual art and written analysis,” said Asha Ellen, Executive Director of KMBB. “This is a great opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of maintaining a cleaner and greener environment.”
Each winner earned a monetary prize, and the first-place winner in the essay categories read their submission to the audience.
“This contest promises a better future for the environments promoting clean air, unpolluted water and recycling and beautification,” said contest organizer and KMBB Board Member Janice Habersham.
All winners and their parents will be invited to KMBB Night at the Macon Mayhem game on February 1, and they will represent KMBB on a float in the Cherry Blossom Festival Parade.
| | |
|
From YKK (U.S.A.) - YKK (U.S.A.) Inc. announces the 50th anniversary of its Macon Factory, a milestone marking half a century of commitment to quality, innovation, sustainability, and community in the heart of Georgia.
On November 9, YKK celebrated this special occasion with a Family Day dedicated to its employees. The event featured speeches from notable figures including Mayor of Macon-Bibb County Lester Miller, Consul General of Japan Mio Maeda, YKK Corporation Chairman Masayuki Sarumaru, President of YKK Corporation of America Jim Reed, and President of YKK (U.S.A.) Inc. John Smith.
John Smith, President of YKK (U.S.A.) Inc., highlighted the pivotal role of the Macon Factory in embodying the company’s philosophy and its enduring commitment to the community. “As we mark this significant milestone, we express our deep gratitude not only to our dedicated employees, whose tireless efforts have been instrumental, but also to the city of Macon for their unwavering support over the past fifty years. We are enthusiastic about extending this legacy of excellence and community partnership well into the future,” said Smith.
| |
|
Macon Christmas Jolly Parade December 15
Participants can sign up as now!
| |
|
Macon-Bibb County’s annual Christmas Parade will take place Downtown on Sunday, December 15, 2024, beginning at 4:00 p.m., and this year’s theme is “Macon Christmas Jolly.” The route will begin at the Historic Macon Terminal Station, travel down Cherry Street, turn on First Street, and then turn on Mulberry Street to finish at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.
“This is a great opportunity for churches, dance schools, marching bands, nonprofits, schools, and more to participate in one of our greatest holiday traditions,” says Mayor Lester Miller. “Please join us in the parade or seated along the route cheering on Santa Claus and our amazing community partners.”
Registration is open now for groups and organizations to march in the Macon Christmas Jolly Parade. To participate, fill out an online application by clicking here: https://www.maconbibb.us/maconchristmasparade/.
All potential participants should attend one of two virtual meetings, either on November 7 at 5:30 p.m. or November 18 at 5:30 p.m. Registration for those two meetings are below.
November 7 * 5:30 p.m.
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0vduCsqTosEt2Sv7hpmYGiJhNIsDpOXugN
November 18 * 5:30 p.m.
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUuf-CurDsoHtwAE-lT_ePfXYZlEGDZ7Z41
All costs and rules to participate are in the registration form. There are also a limited number of professional floats available to rent, and the organization will need to provide their own tow vehicle. To request one of these, select “Professional Float” in the registration.
For questions about participating in the Macon Christmas Jolly Parade on December 15, email mbcchristmasparade@maconbibb.us or call 478-751-7190.
| |
The world's first Valentine Pickleball Retreat finds its perfect match in Macon | |
From Visit Macon - Love is in the air... and on the courts in Macon! Visit Macon & Southern Pickleball are thrilled to announce the annual Macon Love Valentines Pickleball Tournament returning to Macon, Georgia’s Rhythm & Rally Sports & Events (the world’s largest indoor pickleball facility) this February 2025! Registration for the tournament will open on Wednesday, November 20th, 2024 at early-bird registration prices.
Last year's 2024 Macon Love Valentine's Tournament set a record as the largest tournament ever hosted in Macon – hosting 850 players registered from over 17 states – and contributed over $400,000 in economic impact. The tournament also proved to be the Nation’s largest Valentine tournament!
Macon, Georgia is proud to announce that this year’s tournament will offer more to do as part of the event than ever before!
“So much so that we’ve decided to call it a retreat!” explains Gary Wheat, President & CEO of Visit Macon. “Along with the tournament, players will find a 5-day line-up of events, excursions, experiences and even self-care! We are leaning into the season and plan to have a lot of fun with it along the way. There is no better way to get all eyes on Macon and highlight our stronghold in the market, than doing it with some fun and flair!”
Do you play single? Paired up? Perhaps winning is your only love language? Macon Love is the answer. Maybe you are still looking for love (of the game). Or, perhaps you have already fallen head over heels for the fastest growing sport in the world. Macon Love is for you! In between serves and volleys, attendees can rekindle romances or forge new friendships through a variety of specially curated events designed to entertain and engage. Entries into the tournament gives you access to an entire retreat encompassing your love language, and your whatever ‘status’ you’d like to experience by, but there will also be singles, couples & even some anti-Valentine’s retreat packages available for reservations as well!
“Southern Pickleball is excited to work with Visit Macon to make the Macon Love Valentines Pickleball Tournament THE premier valentine pickleball event on the planet," said Paul Midkiff, co-founder of Southern Pickleball. “Rhythm & Rally is simply the best place on the planet to play indoor pickleball… and it is right here in Macon, Georgia. Very few facilities can host a tournament of this size during the winter months with no weather-related interruptions! That is very cool. And, with the help of Visit Macon, we hope to activate more of the Macon-Bibb community around making this a sought-after annual event they can look forward to year after year!"
“We are leaning into the holiday season!” suggested John Roberts, General Manager for Rhythm & Rally Sports & Events. “Where else in the world can you find love, escape with your partner, or even leave all your anti-Valentineanxieties on the court while enjoying pickleball at a world-class level! Pickleball enthusiasts from all over the country will be gathering in Macon to showcase their skills and passion for the game.”
Schedule of Events, includes (but is subject to change as announcements continue to be released):
Wednesday, February 12:
➹ Registration & Packet Pick-up ➹ A Vendor Af(fair) ➹ Cocktail Hour
➹ Singles Mingle (presented by Choose Macon: choosemacon.com)
Thursday, February 13:
➹ Matchmaking on the Court ➹ Couple’s Sports Massages ➹ Hot Yoga ➹ Cooking Classes (to Keep you OUT of the Kitchen) ➹ Dirty Dancing’s Couples or Singles Pottery Fun
Friday, February 14:
➹ Tournament: Women’s Doubles & Men’s Singles
➹ Swing Dancing ➹ Situationship Rage Room ➹ Love on the Brain Karaoke
Saturday, February 15:
➹ Tournament: Mixed Doubles
Sunday, February 16:
➹ Tournament: Women’s Singles & Men’s Doubles
And, so much more!
Registration for the tournament (including many themed add-ons) will be $65 for a single event (i.e. Singles, Doubles or Mixed). Additional events are only $20 more. Early registration is highly encouraged as these categories will fill up quickly!
Hotel specials & packages are also soon to be announced!
For more information, please contact Visit Macon’s Director of Marketing, Marisa Rodgers, at (478) 743-1074 x106 or email mrodgers@visitmacon.org.
| | | |
|
The Hub is Macon-Bibb County's source of information for employees, residents, businesses, and partners. With this regular e-blast, the Office of Communications provides a consistent flow of information about the efforts and successes of the consolidated government and partners to strengthen Macon-Bibb as the Hub City of Middle Georgia.
| | |
|
The Office of Communications include Media Relations, event planning, photography and video services, criss communication, and more. Its goal is to provide people information about the consolidated government and partner organizations,
and to give them the chance to provide feedback, ask questions,
and request services.
The Office has earned multiple
recognitions for its efforts.
| |  |
|
Macon-Bibb County
Macon-Bibb County is the fourth largest city in Georgia. Created on January 1, 2014 after being approved by the voters, it is Georgia's newest consolidated government and serves about 155,000 residents and thousands more visitors.
Its governing body consists of 10 Commissioners, with the Mayor serving as its Chair and the Chief Executive Office of the administration.
| | | | | |
