A Rainy Christmas on Liberty
Despite the rain and the chill, the Annual Christmas on Liberty was a success. The rain let up just in time to allow the hundreds of visitors to Downtown Waynesboro to visit the shops and vendors in relative comfort. Well-known local caterer and food vendor J.J. Jones was set up...
Midville discusses renaming Murphy Street
MARGARET ANNE BROGAN
thetruecitizen.margaret@gmail.com
The City of Midville tabled an agenda item requesting that Murphy Street be renamed to MLK Jr. Ave during the monthly council meeting Tuesday, December 2. Murphy Street runs from Highway 17 to Old Wadley Road. “The problem with that is part of it belongs to the county and the...
Keysville’s Swearing-in
Augusta Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Jesse Stone swore in the newly-elected mayor of Keysville James Neely along with re-elected councilmembers Harold Kight and Maggie Terrell Monday, December 8, at Keysville City Hall. (l to r) Vice Councilwoman Sharon Neely, Councilwoman Maggie Terrell, Mayor James Neely, Councilman Freddie Harden, Judge...
Christmas Parade Rescheduled
The Annual Downtown Development Authority Christmas Parade was rained out on Saturday, December 6th, but has been rescheduled for Saturday, December 13th, at 1PM. The DDA has sponsored the parade since 2012. It was at the annual Boss Hog Cook-Off that a chance encounter between Downtown Development Director Don Lively,...
WFMC to host second annual drive-thru live nativity
MARGARET ANNE BROGAN
thetruecitizen.margaret@gmail.com | December 9, 2025
The Waynesboro First Methodist Church is hosting its second annual drive-thru live nativity on Saturday, December 13. The live nativity will feature living actors along with “professional” live animals sourced from Lizalynn’s Petting Zoo in Thomson, Georgia. There will be several sheep, several goats, a donkey and a cow included...
Chamber Hosts Annual Legislative Breakfast
From Staff Reports | December 9, 2025
The Burke County Chamber of Commerce welcomed community leaders, elected offi- cials, and business owners last Thursday morning for its Annual Legislative Breakfast—an event designed to strengthen the connection between state policymakers and the local business community. Held at The Ice Plant, the gathering provided attendees with timely updates on...
MAGNOLIA SPRINGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS
December 9, 2025
Friday, Dec. 12th Camp Lawton: Prison Life – 3-4 p.m. Join us a the Camp Lawton History Center for a ranger-led hike to the spring that provided essential clean drinking water. Along the way, we will discover more about these prisoners’ struggle for survival. Admission to the History Center is...
Patriot’s Grave Discovered
SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE JESSE C. STONE | December 9, 2025
Last year, my good friend Jeff Palmer sent me a photograph of a tomb stone that he uncovered in his front yard in Barrett Plantation. I was already aware of an African- American cemetery on Jeff’s property with some grave markers for persons born before the Civil War, a signifi-...
The Empty Stocking Fund continues legacy of giving
MARGARET ANNE BROGAN
thetruecitizen.margaret@gmail.com | December 2, 2025
The United Way of the CSRA along with community members and volunteers are hard at work to ensure every child in the CSRA experiences the magic of Christmas through The Empty Stocking Fund. The Empty Stocking Fund empowers local parents experiencing financial hardships by allowing them to choose the perfect...
BCHS football loses to Carver- Columbus in the Final Four
BRANNON BRADDOCK
Jbraddo4@gmail.com | December 9, 2025
For the second year in a row, the Burke County Bears met Carver-Columbus in the playoffs. Last year, it was in the state championship, and this year it was in the final four. Unfortunately for the Bears, this year ended in the same result, a Burke County 14-33 loss. Scoring...
BC esports ends fall season; Rocket League makes it to Elite Eight
BRANNON BRADDOCK
Jbraddo4@gmail.com | December 9, 2025
For the third season in a row, the Bears have had an esports team reach at least the Elite Eight in the playoffs. In years past, they had teams make Final Four and championship appearances. Unfortunately, this season didn’t experience that much success, but three teams qualified for the playoffs,...
Bears basketball defeats East Jackson in a Saturday game
BRANNON BRADDOCK
Jbraddo4@gmail.com | December 9, 2025
The Bears basketball team has started their season 2-0 after a successful win against East Jackson last Saturday. The Bears' game plan was firing on all cylinders as they won by an overall score of 86-47. The best word to summarize this year’s team is “chemistry.” With athletes like La’Quinton...
BCHS wrestling travels to Rutland for a quad match
BRANNON BRADDOCK
Jbraddo4@gmail.com | December 9, 2025
The Burke County Bears and Lady Bears wrestling teams had two matches last week, traveling to Evans on Wednesday and Rutland on Friday. Unfortunately, they lost all the dual matches. On Wednesday, they lost to North Augusta, Evans, and Harlem, and on Friday, they lost to Rutland and ACE Charter....
Spartans extend winning streak with 53- 41 victory over Thomas Jefferson Jaguars
MADISON HITCHCOCK
EBA Sports Contributor | December 9, 2025
The Edmund Burke Academy Spartans continued their strong start to the season with a 53-41 win against the Thomas Jefferson Jaguars. This victory improves the Spartans’ record to an impressive 5-0. Freshman Bella Williams led the Spartans in scoring with 19 points making 9 of 12 free throws, and also...
WRECK THE HALLS
Laura Reeves | December 9, 2025
Teaching school during the Christmas Season is an allencompassing and extremely exciting time of year--if by exciting you mean regulating hundreds of amped up children who cannot wait for Santa to make his appearance. The creatures are stirring. The visions of sugar plums are not the only things dancing. The...
EATING OUT AND ABOUT
Don Lively | December 9, 2025
(Reprinted from 2008) I’ve never claimed to have a lot of class when it comes to classy dining. The Southern cuisine that I grew up enjoying didn’t call for much elegance or grace, as long as the grace was said over it before the eating commenced. I don’t know where...

Rebecca “Beck” Widner Reddick
December 9, 2025
Rebecca “Beck” Widner Reddick, 77, departed from her earthly home for her heavenly home on December 7, 2025. She was born on November 25, 1948, to the late Wesley and Juanita Widner of Sardis, Georgia. Beck was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother whose life was a testament to faith,...
Joyce Runnette Smith
December 9, 2025
Joyce Runnette Smith, 81, entered into rest Friday, November 21, 2025. She was born in Kite, GA to the late Bessie and Euylas Lamb. She worked as a clerk at the Columbia County Tag Office. Runnette loved crafting and ceramics, spending many hours at the recreation department doing both and...

Curtis Lee Jones
December 9, 2025
Mr. Curtis Lee Jones, 63, of Midville, Georgia, was born on May 18, 1962 and entered into rest on Sunday, December 7, 2025. Family visitation will be held on Friday, December 12, 2025 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM and public viewing will be held from 4:00 PM to 6:00...

Phyllis Justina Lewis
December 9, 2025
Mrs. Phyllis Justina Lewis, 60, of Waynesboro, Georgia, was born on November 2, 1965 and entered into rest on Friday, December 5, 2025. Family visitation will be held on Friday, December 12, 2025 from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM and public viewing will be held from 4:00 PM to 6:00...

Lizzie Mae Jones-Price
December 9, 2025
Mrs. Lizzie Mae Jones-Price of Brooklyn, New York, entered into rest on Saturday, November 29, 2025. Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday, December 13, 2025, 1:00PM at Red Hill Baptist Church, 24 South Rosedale Road, Waynesboro, GA. Interment will be held in the Church Cemetery. Phinazee and Son Funeral Home...
All public schools to have naloxone by spring
TY TAGAMI
Bureau Chief
Capitol Beat News Service | December 9, 2025
In a nod to the spread of opioids, Georgia is installing overdose reversal kits at all 2,300 public schools in the state using money from a legal settlement with the pharmaceutical industry. Distribution began this fall in parts of metro Atlanta and in southwest and central Georgia. The initiative is...
Lawmakers seek Lottery money for need-based college scholarships
TY TAGAMI
Capitol Beat News Service | December 9, 2025
A record number enrolled in Georgia’s public colleges and universities this fall as the state’s lottery continued to produce a windfall for academic scholarships, but a bipartisan legislative committee thinks too many students are still being left behind. More than 2 million have received a HOPE Scholarship since the public...
BURKE EMA REPORT
December 9, 2025
The Burke county Emergency Management Agency responded to 119 patients’ calls during the week end Dec. 7. Of those, 82 resulted in transports, including 49 to Augusta hospitals and one to another out-of county hospital. Forty three of the transports were determined to be emergencies and 39 were non-emergent. The...
LOOKING BACK
August 20, 2025
20 YEARS AGO – AUGUST 20, 2005 Southern Nuclear Operating Company officially informed the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission that it has selected Plant Vogtle for evaluation for possible new generating units. One of the county’s five public schools failed to meet Adequate Yearly Progress criteria required by the No Child...
CHURCH NEWS
December 9, 2025
Pre-Anniversary Revival Services Neely Grove Christian Methodist Episcopal Church 1051 Herman Lodge Road, Waynesboro, will hold its Pre-Anniversary Revival services 7 p.m. Dec. 10. The Rev. Wendell Smith of Thomas Grove Missionary Baptist Church will be the guest speaker. The Rev. S.T. Amelia Briggs invites the public. Church Anniversary Neely...
Special Sections
July 29, 2025
May 20, 2025
February 18, 2025
December 23, 2024
July 30, 2024
Loading crossword puzzle. One moment please.
