Call Center Company in Macon-Bibb County, GA

The funding comes alongside an increased demand for lifesaving services, especially those that come free of charge through groups like Crisis Line & Safe House.

MACON, Ga. — On Tuesday, Macon-Bibb County awarded $243,000 in community development block grants to Bibb County organizations that help people in need. The grants are leftover COVID-19 pandemic relief funds from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The increase in funding comes alongside an increased demand for lifesaving services, especially those that come free of charge through organizations like Crisis Line & Safe House of Central Georgia.

Director of Programs Suzanne Walker says their shelter, which houses a dozen survivors at once, remained full for more than 90% of the year in 2024.

"We have seen a steady increase every year from people reaching out for help and assistance," Walker said. "Our numbers continue to climb over a variety of programs. That means that there are continuing to be individuals out there who need domestic violence and sexual assault services."

Walker says the $38,500 grant will provide healthy meals, medical supplies, prescriptions and first aid kits to their clients.

It's a similar story for Brookdale Resource center, which has an uptick in client intake over the last few months, according to Executive Director Alison Bender.

Bender says their $72,290 dollar grant will bring help provide disposable cleaning supplies and meals to their shelter.

"Numbers are increasing, more so than they did oddly enough during the winter months," Bender said. "Last year, we spent over $88,000 on food. Getting this amount will put a huge dent in that and help us expend that money in other areas we need it most."

Bender says their center is adjusting policies to better accommodate an uptick in youth homelessness, specifically individuals ages 18-24.

Meanwhile, Crisis Line & Safe House is looking to expand and create a "one-stop shop" for their clients.

Construction is underway at the Old Virgil Powers Building at for their One Safe Place Macon Family Justice Center at 1120 Second St.

"We'll be a one stop shop for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault and other crimes," Walker said. "Instead of having to go around town [they] can come to one location to meet with 17 different agencies that are co-located together."

Bibb leaders also awarded $100,000 to First Choice Primary Care and 16,494 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Heart of GA.

There is not a set date for when One Safe Place Macon will open, according to Walker.

Crisis Line & Safe House of Central Georgia has resources on their website. Or you can always call 478-745-9292.

The Bibb County Sheriff's Office has decided to halt citations from school zone speed cameras due to scrutiny and pending legislation.

MACON, Ga. — The Bibb County Sheriff's Office has decided to suspend all tickets issued by school zone speed cameras until further notice, according to a Facebook post from Bibb County Sheriff David Davis.

"Effective immediately, no citation that has been issued by these school zone cameras will be approved by the Bibb County Sheriff's Office," Davis said.

He said that scrutiny on the cameras from both the public and lawmakers influenced his office's decision to suspend these speed cameras.

There are multiple bills being considered by Georgia lawmakers at the moment in relation to these school speeding cameras.

House Bill 651, which passed in the House and now sits before the Georgia Senate, would revise several regulations about the school zone speeding cameras. House Bill 225 would render them illegal and do away with the cameras outright.

That bill is sponsored by Macon Rep. Dale Washburn.

Davis said the sheriff's office will wait for the state legislature to make a decision regarding school speed cameras, and proceed based on their decision.

"Let's hope that we will get some guidance from our lawmakers very soon," Davis said. "But in the meantime, please drive carefully and please obey the speed limits in the school zones."

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Drivers in South Bibb County are calling for action as dozens find identical screws stuck in their tires, causing costly repairs and frustration.

MACON, Ga. — Drivers are sharing their frustration after experiencing some tire troubles in South Bibb County. Dozens of people took to social media earlier this week after discovering they had identical screws stuck in their tires.

Local tire shops like Mavis Tires on Watson Boulevard confirmed with 13WMAZ that they've seen a jump in customers approaching them with screw issues. Manager Bryce Crawford says his shop has repaired or replace tires on nearly 75 vehicles over the past week, which led them to double their regular tire shipments.

Now, drivers are calling on county leaders and state agencies to help track where the screws are coming from.

Bret Wooden is the store manager of the Mavis Tires on Hartley Bridge Road. He says repairs for more than 25 vehicles have ranged from small removals and patches, to full tire replacements since Friday.

"I've never seen a pattern of that much of the same exact screw over and over again," Wooden said. "[Drivers] are very confused on what's going on. They didn't know if it was on purpose, like someone was spilling them all over the road, or if it fell off a truck ... a whole bunch of screws. They are frustrated, but luckily, we are trying to take care of the customers and make them more at ease with the situation."

Wooden says the average cost of a tire replacement is $200. Most of his customers told him they noticed tire issues after driving through Macon's Industrial Parkway area, including Highway 49, Highway 41, as well as local routes like Sardis Church Road and Houston Road.

"I've talked to the Watson Boulevard location, I've talked to the Presidential location, they have seen these screws in other people's tires too," Wooden said. "If it's too close to the sidewall of tire, we can't repair it, unfortunately, because it would just ruin the integrity of the tire. If it's a thicker tread, typically it'll puncture, but it won't go all the way through and cause the tire relief."

Haleigh Peacock, who lives near Hartley Bridge Road, first noticed a screw in her front passenger tire on Friday. When she brought her car to Wooden's shop on Monday, a technician removed 13 screws stuck in all four tires.

"I did not have to get any of my 13 screw holes patched and I didn't have to replace any of my tires," Peacock said. "Obviously it was a gut punch whenever I realized that I had screws in all of my fairly brand new tires. Unfortunately, there are people that don't have warranty on their tires. They're having to pay per screw ... for a patch and some are having to buy brand new tires."

This was the reality for drivers like Chrissy Gunter, who brought her car to Mavis to get one of her tires patched on Saturday.

Two days later, Gunter returned after finding two more screws in her tires, which led to a full replacement.

"It's costing a lot of people money in repairs and time off of work and it's not that easy for everybody to just purchase new tires," Gunter said. "I'd like to know the root of the cause, and I hope that the city of Macon could get out there and clean it up for us so it doesn't happen to anybody else."

District 7 Commissioner Bill Howell told 13WMAZ Macon-Bibb's Public Works Department is aware of the ongoing issue and is looking into the reports to help locate where exactly the problem spot is.

He is encouraging drivers to report roads they believe could be a problem area through the county's "See, Click, Fix" system.

Meanwhile, the Georgia Department of Transportation says they have not received reports of loose screws near their current roundabout project along Highway 41.

While drivers await answers surrounding where exactly their tires picked up the screws, drivers like Peacock say they are looking for local and state agencies to take action before the issue grows.

"I would love to see some accountability from 'See, Click, Fix' or G-DOT... I would love to see some accountability being done about the streets being cleaner that's also something we can work on being done more often," Peacock said. "That way, more people are having less issues with their vehicles."

Residents are split between supporting the suspension and questioning its impact on road safety, with some calling for alternative traffic control methods.

MACON, Ga. — Residents of Macon-Bibb County are voicing mixed reactions to Sheriff David Davis' recent decision to suspend citations from school zone speed cameras pending legislative guidance.

The move has sparked debate among locals, with some expressing concerns about child safety, while some welcome the pause.

Jim Jones, who received a ticket when the cameras were first activated, said he supports the sheriff's decision.

"I don't agree with the cameras being on all the time," Jones said. "During school hours, yes, I do agree people need to slow down and be careful."

Dorene Lance, who also received a ticket near Sonny Carter Elementary School, said she would support alternative measures.

"Having traffic cops there after school - before and after when school is in session would help," Lance said.

Some residents, like Madison Flores, said she's received a ticket on non-school days.

"It wasn't a school day and then I got pulled over because I guess I was going over the 25 speed limit of the school zone," Flores said.

Karen Quinn, who avoids school zones during her daily commute, said still supports the sheriff's office.

"I think it's fair. I think they should take very careful note of how many people they're ticketing," Quinn said.

While some worry that the suspension might encourage speeding, Jones said it's important to focus on road safety regardless of camera presence.

"A lot of times I think people just got it on their mind that, hey, I need to get from point A to point B, as quick as I can, but be mindful of other people on the road and obey the traffic," he said.

As the debate continues, county leaders urge drivers to obey posted speed limits and prioritize safety in school zones, regardless of the cameras' status.

RELATED: Bibb County halts school zone speed tickets due to legislative review | Here's what you need to know

RELATED: Toss it? Or fix it? Lawmakers weigh fate of automated school speed zone camera systems

Davis said if they bring back the citations, they'll work to make it more clear when you will or won't get a ticket

MACON, Ga. — If you now drive by one of Macon-Bibb's school zone cameras, you won't be issued a ticket, according to Sheriff David Davis. He's paused all ticketing from school zone cameras starting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19.

Davis said he wants to wait on guidance from the legislative session. Currently, two bills have passed through the house that could either ban these tickets altogether, or limit the hours you get ticketed.

"I mean nobody's gone to fist-a-cuffs over it or anything like that but it has been, it has been a hot, it has been a strong verdant conversation in our community about that," Davis said.

He said all the chatter, and miscommunication around the school zone tickets, are part of why he's decided to hit the reset button the cameras. The cameras are still in operation, and will capture speeding offenses. But Davis said the sheriff's office won't be signing off on any tickets for the time being.

"Until we get some clarity from the general assembly, or decide how uniform we're gonna make these cameras be in our community, and how we're gonna do it going forward," Davis said.

If neither bill passes, he said he will decide whether to bring back the cameras, but maybe with different regulations.

"I've wrote hundreds, thousands of speeding tickets and tickets in my career. And I don't think there's a time that I've wrote anybody for one mile an hour over," Davis said.

He said if they bring ticketing back, it'll be fair and uniform. The public schools and private schools will have the same camera conditions. And Davis wants to work on making the rules more clear to the public.

"An education process to the public to let people know what to expect and to know exactly when these cameras will be operational under what conditions," Davis said.

He said this has never been about raising revenue. If it was, he wouldn't have suspended the tickets. He wants to bring the conversation back to what cameras can do for public safety.

"I believe that they can really serve a purpose. And that they certainly go a long way in changing driver behavior, it's just in the way that they are applied," Davis said.

For people who've paid their tickets in the past, Davis said no refunds will be issued. If you get a ticket in the mail that was issued before 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19, you still have to pay it.

Davis said when the county first had the cameras installed, there were some kinks to work out which is why some people got ticketed outside of normal hours. Davis said the cameras shouldn't do that anymore, but if a camera got your ticket wrong- let the sheriff's office know so they can fix it.

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