Local

5 of the top stories in Macon, Middle Georgia in December

Stories by Macon Telegraph journalists, with AI summarization

The final month of 2025 featured no shortage of news. The Telegraph's reporters aimed to bring you timely, impactful reporting that kept readers in the know.

December's top stories revolved around public safety and local business in and around the Macon area. Here are five of our top stories from the month.

1. Woman killed in car accident in North Macon authorities say. What we know. 2. A Macon restaurant struggling with recent health inspections gets another C 3. A dozen-plus new restaurants & businesses open, coming to Warner Robins & Perry 4. Surveillance video captured fatal Macon shooting. Gas station clerk recalls the scene 5. Middle Georgia turned to public nuisance lawsuits to crack down on crime. Is it working?

Read more in the stories below.

Police and sheriff deputies in Lancaster, South Carolina said there was a “shooting incident” at the Walmart store on April 1, 2025. By Getty Images

NO. 1: WOMAN KILLED IN CAR ACCIDENT IN NORTH MACON, AUTHORITIES SAY. WHAT WE KNOW.

A car crash in north Macon Friday evening killed a woman and hospitalized a man, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. | Published December 1, 2025 | Read Full Story by Lucinda Warnke

“C” for a score from 70 to 79 for “marginal compliance” on a Georgia Department of Public Health restaurant inspection.

NO. 2: A MACON RESTAURANT STRUGGLING WITH RECENT HEALTH INSPECTIONS GETS ANOTHER C

A restaurant that’s been struggling recently with its state health inspections was the only one in Macon to earn below a “B” at its routine inspection during the reporting period of Nov. | Published December 2, 2025 | Read Full Story by Becky Purser

A Meridian Brunch & Bar is coming to 1818 Houston Lake Road, Suite A300, in Perry. By Becky Purser

NO. 3: A DOZEN-PLUS NEW RESTAURANTS & BUSINESSES OPEN, COMING TO WARNER ROBINS & PERRY

A host of new restaurants and businesses are now open or coming soon to Warner Robins and Perry. | Published December 8, 2025 | Read Full Story by Becky Purser

Bibb County Deputy Coroner Luann Stone enters a crime scene where De’Kerrio Cobb, 18, was killed around noon on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, at Citgo gas station on the 1900 block of Shurling Drive in Macon, Ga. By Jesse Fraga

NO. 4: SURVEILLANCE VIDEO CAPTURED FATAL MACON SHOOTING. GAS STATION CLERK RECALLS THE SCENE

Editor’s note: | Published December 18, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jesse Fraga

This house at 626 Carnation Street was the location of a bar, restaurant, and entertainment venue called The Bootleg. The owner was allegedly operating without legal alcohol permits, among other things, which led the county to file a lawsuit on Nov. 5, 2025, calling it a “public nuisance,” according to court records. By Alba Rosa/The Telegraph

NO. 5: MIDDLE GEORGIA TURNED TO PUBLIC NUISANCE LAWSUITS TO CRACK DOWN ON CRIME. IS IT WORKING?

One of the ways counties in Middle Georgia have addressed criminal activity over the past five years is through the legal system, targeting local businesses where crime is most concentrated, rather than focusing on individual offenders. | Published December 28, 2025 | Read Full Story by Alba Rosa

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.