In a time when it seems everyone wants to declare their candidacy for mayor of a Macon-Bibb County consolidated government, it’s almost refreshing to discover that at least some people in Bibb County aren’t really running.

Count among them the Bibb County government spokesman, Kevin Barrere, who put two posts on his personal Facebook wall announcing his run for mayor. Barrere told The Telegraph the posts coming from the

Writing right

Former Macon City Councilman Erick Erickson wants to find more reporters who are right, or at least right-wing.

Erickson posted on his RedState.com site he wanted reporters who could tell stories “pointing to the true north of conservatism and letting policy makers and legislators decide how far from that (true) north they must deviate.”

Qualifications aren’t neutral: “You’ll need to live in Washington. You’ll need to be self-directed. You’ll need to be pro-life.”

See what now?

Without blockbuster issues like massive budget cuts or transportation funding on the docket, state legislators seem to be looking to other arenas for their activity.

The Telegraph’s legislative reporter, Maggie Lee, notes that on Monday the Senate is set to take up Senate Bill 194, which, led by a Chattanooga, Tenn.-area senator, seems geared to protecting “See Rock City” barns that have fallen on hard times.

The bill seeks to block some state regulations that would “prohibit a person from restoring and utilizing an agricultural structure, including but not limited to barns, erected prior to 1965 that previously promoted Georgia tourist destinations to the traveling public for the purpose of advertising or promoting Georgia products or tourist destinations.”

Forsyth election probe continues

When The Telegraph reported on the latest State Election Board actions, details from a Forsyth case were not yet available. The investigation dates back to late 2011, after former Forsyth Mayor Tye D. Howard alleged he’d found similar handwriting on some 120 applications for absentee ballots.

State law says people helping physically disabled or illiterate voters apply for absentee ballots must themselves sign the application.

The board’s newly released minutes show the board issued letters of instruction to Judge Karen Pittman and Truett Goodwin, and dismissed a case against Dyann Davis. But all other cases are being sent to the Attorney General’s Office.

Monroe County’s newspaper reports that some 21 Forsyth voters will have their cases reviewed. The newspaper said the state’s chief elections investigator, Chris Harvey, gave examples of how some people voted absentee with apparent malicious intent, such as woman who voted four times in the election by using each of her two brothers’ names twice. The brothers said they didn’t know she’d voted for them, the newspaper reported.

Writers Maggie Lee and Mike Stucka contributed to this report.