New bridge and roundabout, cool small towns and other Middle Georgia news you may have missed
Missed the big stories last week? Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered.
New bridge project, roundabout meeting
The Georgia Department of Transportation has awarded a $19.5 million contract for four bridges and approaches, about a mile long, on US 41, State Route 11 and State Route 49 over Rocky Creek, Rocky Creek Overflow, Tobesofkee Creek and Tobesofkee Creek Overflow, according to a department news release.
The department is also hosting an open house in Macon regarding a roundabout project.
They plan to convert the intersection of State Route 11, State Route 247, Houston Road, Pio Nono Avenue and Broadway into a multi-lane roundabout.
Residents can view the renderings, ask questions and comment on the project at the event. The open house will be held on Aug. 27 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at 4499 Riverside Drive.
Read more here.
Middle Georgia city named one of the ’10 Coolest Small Towns in America’
Milledgeville was named one of the 10 coolest small towns in America, according to online magazine Budget Travel.
“Milledgeville is the former Georgia state capital and a charming southern town that seamlessly balances historical pre-Civil War roots and the modern role of hosting the state’s only designated public liberal arts university,” the magazine states.
“Under the towering oaks that line the streets, you’ll find a bustling, energetic downtown complete with hip coffee shops, made-to-order brick oven pizza, cool beers on draft, eclectic boutiques, and antique shops.”
Want to see what else they had to say? Read here.
Markers installed at Atlanta monuments
New markers adding historical context to a statue erected at Atlanta’s Piedmont Park in the years following the Civil War went up last week.
Two markers were installed Friday in front of the 1911 Peace Monument commemorating post-Civil War reconciliation efforts between North and South, the Associated Press reports.
The markers aim to give a more complete account of widespread civil rights abuses in the post-war South.
Georgia law bars the removal of such monuments. Other Southern states including Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia also have state laws protecting Confederate monuments, AP reports.
“This monument should no longer stand as a memorial to white brotherhood; rather, it should be seen as an artifact representing a shared history in which millions of Americans were denied civil and human rights,” reads one of the new markers.
Squirrel hunting season to open soon
Georgia’s squirrel season is set to open Aug. 15.
The Associated Press reports licensed hunters are allowed to kill up to 12 gray or fox squirrels per day during the season. The season lasts through Feb. 29.
This story was originally published August 5, 2019 at 12:07 PM.