July 12, 2024 * Issue 386 | |
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Have you ever wondered what it takes to knock down a blighted structure? How do industries and businesses make their way to Macon-Bibb? What does the M. in Mayor Lester M. Miller stand for? What in the world is a bond?
The Office of Communications is launching a new way to answer all those questions and more, and get information to people in our community! On Tuesday, July 16, 2024 the Office will release two episodes of its new podcast Macon It.
“Local government can often be confusing and quite simply, boring. So, we want to change that perspective and make the information as clear as possible,” says Public Relations Specialist and host Edna Adams. “We want to engage people and allow them to give us ideas for topics and guests. This is for our community; the podcast belongs to them.”
“Starting this podcast is great way to expand our reach in the community,” says Public Relations Specialist and host Olivia Walter. “There’s so much to learn about the inner workings of Macon-Bibb County, and now people can listen and learn while driving, doing chores, cooking, or wherever they might listen to podcasts.”
"We get great feedback when people hear us being interviewed in a more in-depth, conversational way, and a podcast gives us the chance to do that with more regularity,” says Chris Floore, Chief Communications Officer. “People deserve to hear from and understand their government, and I’m excited we’re expanding our communication efforts into this medium.”
The podcast takes a deeper dive into how local government works and features guests who make our community what it is. Featured guests include Mayor Lester Miller, Andrea Cooke with Macon Mental Health Matters, Jeremy Grissom with Macon Violence Prevention, Alex Morrison with the Urban Development Authority, Stephen Adams with the Industrial Authority, J.T. Ricketson with Code Enforcement, and many more!
You can stream it on all major podcast services including Apple, Spotify, and Amazon. A new episode will be released every first and third Tuesday of every month.
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The Macon Mental Health Matters (MMHM) team will host its monthly Wellness Weekend beginning July 11, at 7:00 p.m. The four-day event is a chance for people to focus on improving their mental health through a variety of activities. All events during the weekend are free and open to everyone in the family.
Women's Wellness Circle Empower Her Hour is happening on Thursday, July 11 from 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at Chic Culture Inc. (446 Cotton Avenue). Join ladies for tea and conversation!
Yoga in the Plaza is happening Friday, July 12, in Cotton Avenue Plaza (intersection of Cotton Avenue and Second Street) beginning at 6:00 p.m. You can bring your own yoga mat, but if you don’t have one, some will be available. In case of rain, yoga will be moved to the McEachern Art Center (332 Second Street).
The next day, Saturday, July 13, the Pop-Up Gym will be hosted at the Bloomfield-Gilead Recreation Center, (1931 Rocky Creek Road) from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., rain or shine. People will be able to consult with a licensed therapist, practice yoga and meditate, be part of a drum circle, get free produce from the Melanated Community Stimulation Project, and more.
The final day – Sunday, July 14 – is the Healing Hike at 10:00 a.m. at the Pig Trail (4730 N Mumford Road). The hike will allow people to walk at their own pace to clear their mind and talk with a mental health professional, if needed.
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Summer in the City
Learning Experience for Teenage Girls
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The Girls Dig Deeper Initiative (GDDI) – in partnership with Macon-Bibb County Recreation – is hosting a Summer Learning Experience for teenage girls at the Rosa Jackson Community Center (1211 Maynard Street) from July 16-19 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. There are only 10 slots available, and registration can be completed by clicking here.
The themes for the week include: Life and Leadership; My Mental Health Matters; Art is Life; and Fostering Positive Friendships. Some of the topics will have have guests come in to talk about their experiences and areas of expertise.
“This is a chance for us to continue provide quality programming and positive youth development for our youth and help them realize their full potential as they move from adolescence into adulthood,” says Najiva Timothee with GDDI. “Summer in the City will be a time of dedication and commitment for our youth girls to elevate the importance of learning and growing through healthy mindset practices and positive behavior.”
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Community Wellness Event to focus on women's health
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The Girls Dig Deeper Initiative (GDDI) – in partnership with Piedmont Macon and Macon-Bibb County Recreation – will hold a Community Wellness Event at the Rosa Jackson Community Center (1211 Maynard Street) on Saturday, July 20, from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. The event is open to the public, but GDDI is asking people to register to help with planning. To register, click here.
“We’re holding this event primarily for women to help them access valuable health resources and improve the overall well-being of our community,” says Najiva Timothee with GDDI.
Key topics and services will include: stroke awareness and prevention, maternity services, nutrition, blood pressure checks, BMI and Hip-to-Waist ratio checks, breast cancer information and self-screening tutorial, heart health, and eating healthy on a budget.
GDDI received $15,500 in grant funding in 2023 from the Macon Violence Prevention (MVP) program. In the first round of funding, they received $5,500 and in the second round this year, they received $10,000 to offer leadership development programs designed to help young girls overcome barriers such as childhood poverty, chronic absenteeism, poor academic achievement, disability, adverse childhood experiences and community violence.
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Macon-Bibb County Planning & Zoning (MBPZ) needs your input as the department works to update the Design Guidelines for central business districts and historic districts. You can take the survey by clicking here.
The survey is for all residents, property owners, and stakeholders in the central business districts and historic districts interested in changes to building exterior, new constructions, and demolitions in historic districts. The historic districts included in this initiative are Intown, Central Business District, Vineville, and Cherokee Heights. Each district represents an integral part of Macon's rich cultural and architectural heritage
“We are seeking community input to ensure that everyone involved in the planning and review process is using modern, consistent and well-defined criteria,” says MBPZ Executive Director Jeff Ruggieri. “Based on citizen input and experts’ point of views new design guidelines will be devised to better safeguard the character of our historic districts.”
MBPZ hired qualified consulting firm, Ethos Preservation, to facilitate the creation of the new guidelines. To ensure anonymity, the authorship of all responses in the survey will be kept confidential and will only be visible internally within the Ethos Preservation team.
The deadline for the survey is August 19, 2024. For more information, please visit the project’s website at www.preservemacondistricts.com.
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“Life isn’t easy when you come from a background of mental health and drug issues, not because you know of better, but because you don’t know anything else.” True words spoken by Timothy Hart, who will soon be moving into the Tiny Cottages of Macon, which were built and will be managed by River Edge Behavioral Health.
The Cottages is a village of ten tiny homes built on Norris Street in East Macon to provide stable living for people who have experienced homelessness and have a mental health or substance use disorder disability. With stable housing, people can lead better lives as they seek wraparound services to assist them in their recovery.
More than $1.7 million in HOME Investment Partnership grant funds from Macon-Bibb County through its Economic & Community Development Department helped make the construction possible. If an individual is interested in the tiny homes and believes they qualify, they can contact the Macon-Bibb Economic Opportunity Council (EOC) at 478-738-3240 to take an assessment.
“We’re thrilled to unveil this beautiful property in East Macon, offering those who are homeless with a disability modest means of affordable housing,” said Chief Executive Officer of River Edge Behavioral Health Cass Hatcher. "We are confident that these tiny cottages will enable residents to build a bright future with supportive services provided by River Edge, and we are thankful to everyone who helped materialize this vision.”
Funding this construction is part of Macon-Bibb County’s efforts to assist people experiencing homelessness, provide mental health support to people who need it, and build more affordable housing. Since 2021, millions of dollars have been allocated to provide safe living spaces at the Brookdale Resource Center, construct affordable housing in various areas, provide free mental health services at community centers and public events, and more.
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High temperatures are making their way to Middle Georgia and we want you to be prepared! Make sure you stay hydrated and cool, and keep your pets cool. Please help spread the word to the most vulnerable in our community by letting them know our County and Community partners have cooling and hydration stations across our community. | |
Macon on My Mind Day Returns This Year To Carolyn Crayton Park | |
From Visit Macon - Visit Macon is delighted to announce the return of "Macon on My Mind Day," a special event designed to celebrate and promote local businesses in Macon. This community event offers a unique opportunity to learn more about these businesses and understand their contributions to tourism in our city.
The event will take place at Carolyn Crayton Park, in the Round Building, on July 13th from 3 PM to 6 PM, with free admission. During the event, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy great food and music. There will be two food trucks, Pinky’s Shaved Ice and Frios Gourmet Pops, offering delicious treats for purchase. Music will be provided by Trombone Love, a local musician, singer, and trombonist known for his electric repertoire spanning funk, jazz, R&B, Motown, and more.
In addition to the food and music, attendees can explore booths and displays from a diverse array of local businesses. Participating establishments include Visit Perry, Rigby’s Entertainment Complex, Macon Pops, Macon Middle Georgia Black Pages, Garner Hotel Macon West, Ocmulgee Outdoor Expeditions, St Joseph Catholic Church/School, Ocmulgee Mounds Association, Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Park, Macon Area Tennis Association, Explore Georgia, Hotel Forty-Five, and New Town Macon. Each booth will offer insight into their services, upcoming events, and the stories behind their success.
Throughout the event, guests can take advantage of free promotions, enter prize draws, free license plates from Visit Macon and engage in various activities provided by the participating businesses. It’s a perfect opportunity for the community to come together, support local enterprises, and celebrate what makes Macon a vibrant place to live.
“Macon is on a lot of people’s minds as we were recently named ‘Top 10 Best Places to Visit in 2024’ by CNN! And, have a spotlight on our city awaiting the highly anticipated ‘Georgia’s First National Park!’” says Visit Macon’s Director of Visitor Services Kimberly Chambliss. “We want to provide our community with resources that allow them to learn more about the places our visitors love and allow them to be the best advocates for tourism as well. And, plus, who doesn’t love free admission and fun!”
For more information about “Macon on My Mind Day,” please contact Kimberly Chambliss, Director of Visitor Services at Visit Macon’s Visitor Center, at (478) 743 – 1074 x100, or email kchambliss@visitmacon.org.
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Volunteer this summer at the Gardens at Brookdale | |
The Gardens at Brookdale is in need of volunteers this summer as crops are booming during harvest. People of all ages, with gardening experience or none at all, are welcome to join in on the fun and help a good cause.
You can help harvest, plant, weed, mulch, prepare beds for planting, compost, and so much more, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday through August from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.
“This is a wonderful way to give back to our community as all of the food we harvest goes straight into the kitchen at the Brookdale Resource Center,” said Gardens at Brookdale Manager Susan Fisher. “This is also a great way to get volunteer hours before heading back to school, a great activity for camps or kids looking something to do this summer.”
Since the first planting at the Gardens in April of 2023, we have harvested more than 1,350 pounds of produce including, peas, green beans, tomatoes, peppers, corn, cucumbers, watermelon. Cantaloupe, blueberries, and many herbs.
If you’re interested in volunteering, we encourage wearing sun protection and bring water to stay hydrated.
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Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful selected as a 2024 AARP Community Challenge Grantee |  | |
From KMBB - Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful is thrilled to announce we have been selected to receive a 2024 AARP Community Challenge grant. We are one of only 343 grantees selected (out of 3,300+ applications!) from across all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
With this quick action grant we will beautify the Fort Hill Community Park on Eastview Ave. in the Fort Hill Neighborhood located in East Macon. The grant funds will be used to enhance the current community garden on the site and to provide opportunities for community members that are 50+active living through gardening. Other deliverables will consist of new park benches, picnic tables, a sensory garden, etc.
“We are incredibly proud that AARP selected Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful for this investment to make the Fort Hill Neighborhood more livable for residents of all ages, “stated Asha Ellen, Executive Director of Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful. “AARP is a nationwide leader in making communities more livable and we are honored that they see the tangible value this project will bring to the area.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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