Marijuana, baby dolls and E. coli. A recap of last week in Macon.
Missed important news stories last week? Don’t worry, we’ve got you.
Will Macon-Bibb decriminalize marijuana?
A local official who supported $75 fines for people caught with less than an ounce of marijuana delayed bringing a proposal before the Macon-Bibb County Commission last week.
Mayor Pro Tem Al Tillman said he plans to work closely with law enforcement and court officials before bringing the bill back before the Public Safety Committee.
Tillman proposed the small fines instead of the current law which could call for jail time and hefty fines.
Currently, possessing less than an ounce of marijuana is a misdemeanor violation under state law. The maximum penalty in Georgia is one year in jail, a $1,000 fine and probation.
Black handyman from Macon made rare, historic dolls
When Leo Moss wasn’t working for some of the wealthy white families of Macon during the late 1800s and early 1900s, he was painting the faces of friends and family on papier-mâché heads.
The dolls, colored with chimney soot or boot dye, are now rarities worth thousands of dollars. Moss, however, died poor and never saw a penny from his dolls.
The story is one of several The Telegraph is publishing about Macon items of historic, noteworthy or unusual significance.
Georgia’s first black Supreme Court justice to step down
The first African American to serve on the state’s highest court plans to step down.
Justice Robert Benham will leave the court next year rather than seek reelection to a six-year term, the court announced in a press release Friday.
Benham, 72, was appointed to the court by former Gov. Joe Frank Harris in 1989. He served as Georgia’s Chief Justice from 1995-2001 after being elected to the position by his colleagues.
Benham would have reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 shortly before the next term began. A statewide election in May 2020 will determine his successor.
57 tons of beef recalled for possible E Coli
A meat company in Georgia has recalled ground beef for possible E. Coli contamination, reports the Associated Press.
The bacteria has sickened 156 people — hospitalizing 20 of them — in 10 states. The AP reported the bacteria was an “unusual strain” and that ground beef was the likely source.
The company K2D Foods, which does business as Colorado Premium Foods of Carrollton, Georgia, is recalling about 56.7 tons (51.4 metric tons) of meat. The meat is in 48-pound boxes labeled “ground beef puck” for institutional use.
This story was originally published April 29, 2019 at 10:22 AM.