An explosion felt throughout the Chattahoochee Valley shot a bright orange fireball and mushroom-shaped cloud thousands of feet into the air Sunday night over the privately-owned Radius Recycling Plant on 10th Avenue in Columbus, Georgia. However, the explosion happened amid a month-long debate by city officials over the need for city-owned recycling centers and other waste management issues. Explore the full story for the questionable details.

When Interim Chief Stoney Mathis announced the new annual event for our city’s police force, our city showed huge support. Placing the department’s unity on full display, CPD’s Family Fun Day was a massive success. Explore the full story to see how a little leadership goes a long way in uniting people together for a common purpose.

Having Ralston Towers up to code isn’t some magical thing — it's the absolute bare minimum required. However, after standing idly by for decades without bothering to fix it until a man died from the atrocious conditions, local officials are now abhorrently applauding one another for solving a problem their offices perpetuated in the first place. Explore the full story to see why having local officials do the bare minimum required isn’t worthy of an ‘attaboy.’

On this Labor Day, we’d like to thank you: the hard-working men and women who make this city of ours go around. As we all enjoy the day, we ask that you help us in extending a special thank you to the very best of us who remain on the job, 24/7/365: our Armed Forces, Law Enforcement, Fire & EMS, Hospital Staff, Lineman, and all others who continue to hold the line. Thank you to each and every one of you!

The city told local Army veteran Ronaldo Morrison he would need to use his wheelchair to traverse a major street without sidewalks to access the city’s Dial-A-Ride program. However, his neighbors were receiving door-to-door service. Explore the full story to see how Morrison and fellow veteran Kirk Holcombe used civic engagement to move city policy and improve the lives of many in Columbus.

Back in June 2021, then-Second Lieutenant Joseph Guerra was out celebrating with friends on the 1000 block of Broadway in downtown Columbus, Georgia when gunfire erupted from the street. Guerra jumped into action without regard for his own safety, saving the lives of four people from a targeted mass shooting. Explore the full story for the details on how Guerra’s selfless bravery epitomizes what it means to be an American Soldier, both on and off duty.

Though Interim Chief Stoney Mathis has only been leading CPD for a few short months, saying he’s improved the atmosphere and culture within our police force would be an understatement. Now, Mathis has delivered a solid plan to grow that momentum through a clever win-win solution. Explore the full story to see how Mathis’ initiative and realistic outlook are setting our city up for success.

Each year, the city manager’s office is responsible for issuing business licenses and collecting occupational tax. However, despite it now being the eighth month of the year, Isaiah Hugley still has not delivered this year’s licenses to local businesses. Explore the full story to see how staggeringly low the city’s occupational tax has fallen on Hugley’s watch, along with how officials called him out.

The Johnson family has lived in their home on Steam Mill Road for generations, working very hard to build the life they have. However, the city slated their home for demolition to make way for a newly-planned roundabout without even bothering to notify them, let alone to follow up for a personal meeting. Explore the full story to see how city councilors were absolutely livid when they found out, along with the disgusting response from the city manager’s office.

After the city bailed out the previous owner of Legacy Terrace in 2009, maintenance issues have continued to accrue at rates close to the housing development’s revenue. Now, those maintenance costs exceed the city’s entire fund balance for the housing units by more than 20%. Explore the full story to see how city council just voted to bail out the fiscally insolvent housing project in another example of why subsidized housing isn’t a sustainable plan for our future.

During the city council meeting held on July 11, the mayor & city manager praised a new state-funded program, which is now housed under the city manager’s office. However, the program duplicates many functions already in CCG, allowing the state-funded ‘NGO’ to undermine local governmental efforts to their own preferable ends. Explore the full story to see the serious concerns of city councilors.

The CCG Board of Tax Assessors tried to charge property taxes to the CCG Hospital Authority for owning Spring Harbor. However, the government-owned retirement community is public property whose revenue is used to repay the bonds that built it. Explore the full story to see how the Tax Board lost three times on final appeal in a landmark case of governmental double-dipping.

If you haven’t heard, City Council just saved taxpayers $7 million in the city’s new budget by lowering the property tax millage rate. However, the order of events in the process for planning that budget almost made those millions in savings impossible. Explore the full story to see if you can spot the huge design flaw in CCG’s budget planning process.

A few weeks ago, we revealed that the local United Way is forcing Columbus nonprofits to ask local kids about their sexuality or lose their funding. Now, leaked documents including funding contracts obtained by the Muckraker undeniably prove it. Explore the full story to see the documents for yourself, along with how the United Way knowingly lied to City Councilors’ faces in an effort to cover it up.

City officials only expect an income of $322 million for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins on July 1. However, their budget for FY2024 has continued to expand well beyond that projected income and now sits at a bloated $336 million. Explore the full story to see how city officials are now planning to draw over $14 million from the city’s reserve funds to make up the difference, all while raising an additional $10 million off the backs of taxpayers.

After Columbus property owners were mailed their annual property tax assessment notices on May 30, many were shocked by the huge increase in the taxes they might now have to pay. However, even Chief Assessor Suzanne Widenhouse says the county knows they make mistakes when assessing property values. Explore the full story to see how you can potentially save thousands on your tax bill.

The now-canceled parking fee for the upcoming GOP Convention featuring President Donald J. Trump wasn’t even listed on the city’s agenda for the May 30 council meeting. Instead, city manager Isaiah Hugley chose to blindside council with no advance notice, hoping they would vote for the parking fee under the guise of ‘public safety.’ Explore the full story to see how Hugley tried to alter our local laws for his own political purposes without having a public hearing.

Each year, city departments can request additions to their budgets. This year, those additions total more than $1.5 million geared toward crime reduction and our justice system, with almost all of it coming from the city’s reserve funds. Explore the full story to see the complete itemized list of approved budget additions for yourself.

We emailed CCG and asked point-blank if Mayor Henderson had the power to unilaterally appoint a police chief without City Council’s approval. The response we received confirms CCG knows the Mayor overstepped his legal authority, but has taken no action to correct it nor to hold the Mayor accountable. Explore the full story to see the entire email thread for yourself in CCG’s own words, proving our city currently does not have a legally-appointed police chief.

During the recent budget review committee meeting, city councilors voted to approve funding for our city’s law enforcement to fight our outrageous crime rates. However, city manager Isaiah Hugley tried to block the funding, speaking out against council’s vote. Explore the full story to see how several city councilors stepped up to put Hugley in his place as the overpaid and underperforming employee that he is.

Violence continues to increase throughout the Fountain City as officials begin to finally realize our epidemic of deadly crime requires their full attention. However, those efforts may need to be expedited before it’s too late. Explore the full story to see how current projections show our city is on-track for a huge increase in violent crime this year if we don’t prevent it right now.

Over the past year, Columbusites have experienced the effects of rising costs on everything from groceries to their power bills as they’re forced to do more work for fewer dollars. Now, those same effects have taken root in the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office on everything from basic materials to gasoline for their vehicles. Explore the full story to see the breakdown of why MSCO needed an additional $1.5 million added to their budget this fiscal year.

Stoney Mathis’ impressive credentials do appear to make him an ideal candidate for our city’s chief of police. However, his appointment must be made in accordance with proper legal procedure. Explore the full story to see how Mayor Henderson’s tyrannical overreach violated city law by unilaterally appointing a police chief without getting council’s vote of approval first.

Last month, former police chief Freddie Blackmon signed a very generous $400,000 severance contract that he wasn't entitled to, offered by the City of Columbus. Now, Blackmon appears to have willingly and openly violated the terms of that contract in several different ways. Explore the full story to see how his several breaches of contract could result in losing his pay and benefits.

Long-time servant-leader Colonel John House and his beloved wife Marilyn both received honors from the City of Columbus and Ft. Benning Tuesday night as House retired from public life. After House’s nominee was approved by a vote, Tyson M. Begly was sworn in to serve as the city’s new district ten at-large councilor. Explore the full story to hear the heartfelt words Col. House and his colleagues had to say during the rare and historic event.

As City Councilor John House leaves public life to care for his beloved family, there are incredible things about his leadership that we should all come to appreciate. Through an entire career of public service, John House and his wife Marilyn have given us all more than we could have hoped for. Explore the full story to see how Colonel John House continues to set the example for us all to follow throughout his life of servant leadership.

In a violent and lawless weekend throughout the Fountain City, no less than two people are dead from gunshot wounds, two others shot, and one innocent bystander was killed by a fleeing vehicle in a high-speed car chase. As the Columbus Police Department remains without an interim chief at the indecisive mercy of Mayor Henderson, our city largely continues to go underpoliced. Explore the full story for our interactive map with the details.

Internal messages show the Springer knew their adult play with nudity and simulated sex should require patrons to sign a waiver, but the executive staff trashed that idea opting to allow children to attend instead. After our published exposé, the Springer changed course and hastily added two contradictory disclaimers to their website. The nudity was ultimately removed and parents were finally advised of the show’s content. Explore the full story to see how the Springer scrambled to literally cover their behinds.

Though the Springer is producing a play featuring profane language, simulated sexual acts, and real nudity, its staff currently aren’t planning to exclude children from attending. As the State Theatre of Georgia, the Springer sees no problem with using its state funding to distribute sexual content to minor children. Explore the full story to see how the disturbingly-adult content could land the Springer in seriously hot water.

Given the extreme fallout that has occurred in recent months, the initial appointment of police chief Freddie Blackmon was rather obviously quite flawed. When examined, a long pattern of behavior from our city’s elected officials reveals how that came to be. Explore the full story to see how the Columbus City Council can avoid a repeat ‘Blackmon Scenario.’