Back in July, city council approved a ‘top-down’ audit schedule of the city’s most influential offices, with the city manager at the top of the list. Now, after ‘a series of events’ have ‘surfaced concerns,’ Joanne Cogle moved to hire the nation’s premiere governmental investigative firm to accompany that audit. Explore the full story to see how Cogle initiated city council’s investigative powers, along with the full text of her approved motion.

While CCG loves to brag about how ‘amazing’ it is, the state of its own downtown riverfront, trails, and downtown area remain filthy enough for local nonprofits to pick up thousands of pounds of garbage. The Chattahoochee River Conservancy will be hosting a Riverwalk Cleanup on Friday, September 15 starting at 9:00 a.m. Explore the full story for the details to see how you can now contribute your labor in addition to your tax dollars.

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.

From an Army Paratrooper being awarded one of our nation’s highest honors for saving four people in a downtown shooting, to city council removing a board member after exposing an illegal conflict of interest, to the treasurer of our city’s youth orchestra being listed as a ‘co-conspirator’ on Trump’s latest indictment, here’s all the muck that’s fit to print from the Columbus, Georgia area, along with a look at what to expect in the week ahead.

Fulton County’s indictment of former President Donald J. Trump includes 30 unindicted co-conspirators who allegedly helped ‘subvert’ the 2020 election results. One of those alleged accomplices is the new treasurer of the Youth Orchestra of Greater Columbus. Explore the full story to see how Columbus local Joseph Brannan is ‘Individual 9’ in one of the nation’s most controversial conspiracies.

Since its original publishing in July 2022, the words of this article unfortunately continue to be proven true with each passing day. Though Columbus says it wants to retain talented and educated people, its actions continue to drive them away. Explore the full story to see how this irony may provide the valuable insight needed to get it right.

When councilors take office, they swear an oath to uphold our City Charter, granting them more power and responsibility than any other local elected official. However, it seems councilors may need a gentle reminder of what that oath empowers them with and requires of them. Explore the full story to see the full oath sworn by our city councilors, along with what its wording actually means.

For the last four years, a member of the Golf Authority board simultaneously operated a business that illegally conflicted with her role as a public official. When the rest of the board discovered it, they unanimously requested city council remove her from the board for cause. Explore the full story to see how council flexed their powers against illegal conflicts of interest in a rare public hearing.

At Mayor Henderson’s request, the city approved $740,000 of ‘crime prevention’ grants from taxpayers’ money. However, with 44 local organizations receiving the funds ranging from the Columbus Symphony Orchestra to a fraternity‘s shell company registered at the City Manager’s own house on Steam Mill Road, the credibility of ‘crime prevention’ is laughable. Explore the full story for the details.

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.

From the Interim Chief of Police presenting a solid plan to pay our city’s cops more, to a local man cleaning up graffiti on his own accord and setting the example for others to reclaim their neighborhoods, to a Sheriff’s Deputy teaming up with CPD & Fire/EMS to save a mother and child on the RiverWalk, here’s all the muck that’s fit to print from the Columbus, Georgia area, along with a look at what to expect in the week ahead.

Have you been contacted about your car’s extended warranty? Tired of worrying if that email is safe to open? Thankfully, Sergeant Jane Edenfield of the Columbus Police Department is hosting a free seminar on August 30 at Covenant Woods to help you better protect yourself from financial crimes like fraud, scams, and exploitation. Explore the full story for the details and see how you can attend.

In today’s day and age, the importance of having the right tactics, techniques, and procedures can mean the difference between life and death for our city’s police officers. Now, city officials have decided to arm our force with access to a vast database of digital training aides and curriculum to enhance the department’s already above-average skillsets. Explore the full story for the details.

Just like any other day, Sheriff’s Deputy Aliyah Miller went out on a walk during her lunch hour. However, she had no idea that her daily stroll would result in working hand-in-hand with both CPD and Columbus Fire & EMS to save the lives of a distraught mother and a newborn infant on the RiverWalk. Explore the full story for the heroic details of how our city’s public safety came together to save the day.

Are you ready to step up and make a difference in our community? The Columbus Police Department is hosting a dynamic hiring event on August 19 at 510 Tenth Street from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Interested applicants are required to register prior to the event. Explore the full story for the details to see how your talent can help build one of the best police departments in the country.

In recent months, the MidTown community has seen an uptick in wannabe criminals misplacing their ‘artwork’ on private storefronts and public infrastructure. When the city wouldn’t keep up, local Chris Harman decided to grab his pressure washer and take care of his community himself. Explore the full story to see how Harman set the example for others to step up and reclaim their neighborhood.

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.

From the city not delivering annual business licenses despite it already being August, to the approval of $740K in ‘crime prevention’ grants that magically funneled $25K through the city manager’s personal home, to CCG forgetting to order emergency medical equipment for the new $50 million city hall complex, here’s all the muck that’s fit to print from the Columbus, Georgia area, along with a look at what to expect in the week ahead.

Though not yet required by state law, government buildings should all have Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) in the event of a medical emergency. However, no one in CCG thought to order them for the new City Hall complex until after it was already open for business. Explore the full story to see how the city manager’s office made a $183k emergency purchase for 83 AEDs as an afterthought.

Back in July, officials first tried to allow CPD officers to drive their work vehicles home into Alabama, though a rather callous liability waiver left officers on the hook with an uninsured vehicle.Now, Interim Chief Mathis has worked with city councilors to quickly and efficiently fix the problem for our city’s finest.Explore the full story to see how strong common-sense leadership produced results.

Since January, Joanne Cogle has hounded Isaiah Hugley to maintain basic Uptown infrastructure by repainting parking lines. When Hugley’s excuses persisted, Cogle did Hugley’s job for him, giving him a list of contractors and funding he said couldn’t be found. Explore the full story to see how Cogle’s accountability and initiative got it done in a week, despite the city manager excusing his away.

At Mayor Henderson’s request, the city approved $740,000 of ‘crime prevention’ grants from taxpayers’ money. However, with 44 local organizations receiving the funds ranging from the Columbus Symphony Orchestra to a fraternity‘s shell company registered at the City Manager’s own house on Steam Mill Road, the credibility of ‘crime prevention’ is laughable. Explore the full story for the details.

Unlike every other city employee, City Manager Isaiah Hugley was forcing Fire & EMS personnel to landscape the city’s fire house grounds, out of their own pockets, while on duty. After councilors learned of the unacceptable scenario, the city will be picking up the tab. Explore the full story to see how councilors called out Hugley on his usual antics and approved a $100K budget to fix it immediately.

From the city planning to demolish a family’s generational home to make way for a roundabout, to the Government Center’s $225 million replacement not having a project manager, to the city clandestinely using a property tax increase as collateral on the issuance of new Hospital Authority bonds, here’s all the muck that’s fit to print from the Columbus, Georgia area, along with a look at what to expect in the week ahead.

A few weeks ago, city councilors learned that the city manager’s office had completely dropped the ball on planning the city’s indigent care program, with almost no local healthcare providers even bothering to apply. Now, officials are requiring that a healthcare consultant be retained to help guide Isaiah Hugley through doing his own job. Explore the full story for the details.

Every five years, the Columbus Hospital Authority sells tens of millions of dollars in bonds to fund city medical facilities. However, the Hospital Authority didn’t generate enough revenue to pay back the bonds, leaving CCG to bail itself out. Explore the full story to see how CCG just pledged a future four mill property tax increase to bail out the Hospital Authority if the problem happens again.

On August 5 in front of Frank’s Alley, local volunteers of Paws Humane will be holding a fundraiser, bake sale, and donation event to help provide desperately-needed supplies for our city’s needy animals. Donations of pet food and supplies will also be accepted, with a list of recommended items in the article. All proceeds from the event will go directly to Paws. Explore the full story for the details!

After decades of willful neglect, the city’s downtown government center building is set to be demolished and replaced with a new $225M structure. However, the project’s increasingly expensive plans lack a designated professional project manager other than the city’s own Director of Inspections & Codes. Explore the full story for a look at the details along with how the costs continue to grow.

As approved in April, the Columbus Golf Authority has conducted a feasibility study for adding nine additional holes to the Oxbow Creek Golf Course. Now, contingent upon a final report from the vendor, officials approved payment for its $26,000 cost. Explore the full story to see how CCG is doubling-down on its ‘master plan’ for golf course expansion while our city’s employment rate continues to plummet.

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.