Jessica Payne
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I am a reporter for the Macon Telegraph. It is my passion to share people's stories.
@mahoningmatters
Articles by Jessica Payne
New documentary celebrates a legendary Macon musician, his life and love of community Original
A new documentary is celebrating one of Macon’s most beloved and talented hometown musicians. “NEWT - A Short Documentary” will follow the journey of Newton Collier from his start in music to his remaining impact on the Macon community. The documentary came about when producer and director Win Scott was working on another independent film in Macon. Scott said while on set, the crew wanted to film at the Douglass Theatre and happened to run into Collier on the street.
Chances to shadow pros, scholarships: New car dealership owners want to help Macon youth Original
A Macon car dealership is set to celebrate a new beginning in a big way. On Saturday, Grand Infiniti of Macon will celebrate its new ownership with a grand re-opening that will include the Bibb County School District and Macon Chamber of Commerce. The new owners took over in June and are now ready to celebrate with the community, according to Chris Williams, Grand Infiniti of Macon’s general manager. Williams said the company is working on scholarship opportunities for students.
Century-old Macon house added to list of properties in need of restoration. It’s for sale Original
A house built in 1910 has been added to Historic Macon’s Fading Five list, a watch list of buildings that could be imperiled by poor conditions. The Hillyer-Kernaghan House was recently added to the list that also includes the D.T. Walton Building, the Dr. E.E. Green House, First National Bank And Trust Co., and the Roxy Theater.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s final visit to Macon remembered with new downtown mural
This story was originally published by The Telegraph. A new mural in downtown Macon is honoring Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and serving as a reminder of his last visit to the community. Kevin Scene Lewis, a local artist known already for his work depicting civil rights heroes, has painted the icon on a building on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
The Telegraph is looking for Middle Georgia’s best football player last week. Nominate now Original
High school student-athletes have a big impact on their community. Not only do they bring pride to their respective schools, but they also bring communities together through games and other athletic events. Middle Georgia has a plethora of phenomenal student athletes and the Macon Telegraph wants to learn about the ones in your community. From Wednesday to Friday at 12 p.m., we’ll let you vote on who the top football year was in Bibb, Peach, and Houston counties for Week 5.
Central Georgia Black Business and Community Expo returns to Macon for annual event Original
The Central Georgia Black Business and Community Expo is returning to Macon for its annual event on Sept. 21. The expo, which began in 2023, is hosted by the Central Georgia Coalition of Black Businesses and the Macon Middle Georgia Black Pages.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s final visit to Macon remembered with new downtown mural Original
A new mural in downtown Macon is honoring Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and serving as a reminder of his last visit to the community. Kevin Scene Lewis, a local artist known already for his work depicting civil rights heroes, has painted the icon on a building on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. “The fact that Martin Luther King, Jr. was here in Macon and did his last speech at Zion Baptist shows the importance Macon held in the civil rights movement,” he said.
Pageant, Pride in the Park, more: See the schedule of events for Macon’s Pride celebration Original
The 2024 Macon Pride Week is scheduled to kick off Sept. 20 with “Storytellers: Pride Edition” at the Serenity Entertainment Complex. Macon Pride President Scott Mitchell said the event was started five years ago to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community living in Middle Georgia. He said the festival keeps expanding. “We started as a small one-day festival in 2019 and have now grown to a 10-day festival that includes national entertainment headliners,” Mitchell said. • Macon it Out to the Movies : Sept.
New housing development approved by Macon officials. How many homes will be built? Original
A new housing development with a dozen homes has been approved by the Macon-Bibb Planning & Zoning Commission. The commission approved the proposal Monday. The development off Wesleyan Drive, which will have lot sizes of at least one-third of an acre, will include 12 single-family houses. The design of the cluster will be consistent with the existing housing in the area, according to information shared in a hearing about the plan.
Macon cemetery had bad conditions on plots. One man decided to take on some upkeep himself Original
A social media post from someone frustrated by a lack of upkeep at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Macon led to an unexpected act of kindness. Cliff Rozar, who was visiting the area for a class reunion at Miller-Lanier High School, said on social media that he visited relatives buried at Rose Hill and found the plots were overgrown and in poor shape. The post, shared in the MACON, GA on my MIND group in late August, stated that Rozar was both surprised and disappointed.
Craving a taste of the Mediterranean? Look inside this recently reopened Macon eatery Original
A Greek restaurant in Macon has opened in a new location after a years-long closure. Greek Corner Deli, now nestled in its new home at 781 Spring St. in Macon, invites diners to go on a Mediterranean culinary journey. Since reopening in April 2024, the restaurant has quickly become a favorite spot for both locals and visitors, offering a refreshing take on Greek cuisine. “I felt this area could use some fresh, healthy options,” said owner Arty Passias.
New business owner shares touching journey to opening plant shop in downtown Macon Original
Downtown Macon will look a little greener as the Fig and Ivy Plant Shop, owned by Taylor Mitcham, is open and holding its grand opening Friday and Saturday. Mitcham, a hospice nurse, always loved plants and gardening. She started her plant business three years ago traveling to festivals such as the Mulberry St. Arts and Crafts Festival and other pop-ups. However, her life took a turn at the beginning of the year.
This Warner Robins player was unstoppable in rivalry game, wins player of the week vote Original
Warner Robins’ standout football player helped his team to a rivalry win and won our Football Player of the Week poll as a result. Dinkins topped our poll with 58% of the 2,095 votes. Dinkins, who plays safety, wide receiver and running back, dominated against the Northside Eagles. The Demons took the win 34-12. Dinkins showed up with an impressive two interceptions, two pass break ups and five tackles. He also had two touchdown receptions, one rushing touchdown and 46 return yards.
No Macon restaurants got bad grades in recent health inspections. Who got perfect scores? Original
Several Macon restaurants earned perfect scores on their routine health inspections in August. A total of 18 restaurants and four food trucks received a score of 100. More than 40 restaurants received “A’s” on their inspections which equates to a score from 90-99 while more than 10 received a “B” grade scoring anywhere from 80-89. There were no Bibb County restaurants that received a “C” grade or failed their routine health inspection, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.
New coffee shop with an eclectic atmosphere opens in Macon’s Ingleside Village Original
Ingleside Village now has a new spot to grab a cup of Joe. Village Coffee, which did a soft opening on Monday, will officially open to the public Friday. The new coffee shop is housed in the old Oh Honey Baking Co. location which shut down abruptly in July. “We are tired, but it feels great to open,” said owner Brandon Lawler. Lawler said in a previous interview with The Telegraph he knew immediately that he wanted to continue what Oh Honey had started.
POLL: Who was the best high school football player in Middle Georgia in Week 3?
Week 3 of high school football season saw great games across the board in Middle Georgia. The Houston County Bears stunned the Perry Panthers with a 31-17 win, Warner Robins swept past Northside 34-12 in a longstanding Georgia high school rivalry, Peach County dominated Berkmar 49-7, and Dodge County rolled over Central 42-12.
One team gets decisive win in latest game of longstanding Warner Robins football rivalry Original
Six decades of rivalry picked up again under Friday night lights as the Northside Eagles took on the Warner Robins Demons at McConnell-Talbert Stadium last week. Friday marked the 67th meeting between the two teams with Warner Robins taking the win 34-12. The showdown that began in 1964 features two schools that sit just over 2 miles from each other. Sam Said, Northside High School director of football operations, said this rivalry is special.
Macon hotel brings James Beard nominee in to run the restaurant. A look inside his kitchen Original
A Macon hotel has recently elevated its culinary game by bringing in a James Beard nominee to lead its restaurant. Hotel Forty Five brought on Executive Chef Jayson Reynolds to head up the kitchen in April. Reynolds runs the hotel’s restaurant, Loom, its Hightales Rooftop Bar and the Reckon Coffee & Wine Bar. Inside his kitchen, guests can expect a blend of innovation and sophistication, with Reynolds incorporating locally sourced ingredients and cutting-edge food prep techniques.
This Perry running back is one of the top in the state, wins player of the week vote Original
Ahmad Gordon of Perry High School in Houston County has won The Telegraph’s Football Player of the Week poll for Week 2. Gordon topped our poll with 63% of the votes. The senior running back shined in his game against the Peach County Trojans. The Panthers took the win 49-39 to keep Perry undefeated. Gordon ran past the Trojans with an impressive 29 carries for 181 yards rushing and two rushing touchdowns.
More Red Lobster restaurants are set to close. One of the latest is close to Macon Original
The closures haven’t stopped yet for a restaurant which was once the largest seafood restaurant chain in the world. Red Lobster is closing more locations and one is in central Georgia: the location on Tara Boulevard in Jonesboro, just north of Macon, is shutting down, according to CNN. The central Georgia location will be the fourth to close its doors in the state in the past year. USA Today reported the closure of the Dublin, Roswell, and Athens locations in May.
Who was the best high school football player in Middle Georgia in Week 2? Vote here Original
Week 2 of high school football season saw great games across the board in Middle Georgia. The Northeast Raiders rolled over the Southwest Patriots 36-14, the Houston County Bears edged out Effingham County 44-41 and the Perry Panthers won again with a 49-39 victory over the Peach County Trojans.
King of Soul Music Festival returns to Macon to celebrate the legendary Otis Redding Original
Macon will again celebrate a man with major impact on American music next month at the King of Soul Music Festival. The King of Soul Music Festival celebrates the life and legacy of Otis Redding, bringing together a diverse lineup of artists to honor his contributions to music and culture.
A Georgia preschool expanded and is now open in Macon. It’s the school’s 13th location Original
A new preschool is now open in Macon: Cedars Preschool Macon opened its doors Monday and offers several programs. As a leader in Early Childhood Education, Cedars Preschool is expanding its mission to enrich the lives of the families within the Macon community, according to Andy Sherrard, CEO of O2B Early Education, the parent company of Cedars Preschool. Sherrard said the new location represents a major milestone in Cedars Preschools commitment to providing exceptional educational experiences.
This Macon running back dominated in his season opener, wins player of the week vote Original
We asked and you answered - Kadiphius (KD) Iverson of Westside High School in Macon has won The Telegraph’s Football Player of the Week poll for Week 1. Iverson topped our poll with 52% of the 4,397 votes. The senior running back dominated in his season opener against the Howard Huskies. The Seminoles took the win in overtime 26-20. Iverson showed up with an impressive 34 carries for 205 yards rushing and four rushing touchdowns.
Magoo’s dip and lemon OREO pancakes? These popular restaurants may be coming to Macon Original
Macon may soon get a new Huey Magoo’s and an IHOP. The Macon-Bibb Planning & Zoning Commission recently added two restaurants and other businesses to a September agenda draft. The agenda also includes a QuikTrip and Club Colossal Event Center. The commission will vote on the new businesses in September as long as they are not removed from the agenda. All tentative businesses must be approved before construction can begin.
Perry resident wins big lottery prize, but Mega Millions is up for grabs. How much is it? Original
A Perry resident is now a little richer after winning big in Tuesday’s lottery drawing. The lucky recipient received $40,000 after matching four of the first five winning numbers plus the Mega Ball, according to the Georgia Lottery. The $40,000 ticket, which increased from $10,000 to $40,000 with the 4X Megaplier, was purchased at Publix Super Market #1233 at 275 Perry Parkway in Perry, the Georgia Lottery said in a news release.
Mammograms made easy? New Macon imaging center is catering to women’s convenience Original
A new Macon imaging center is making mammograms and women’s health a priority with convenience. Women’s Imaging Specialists opened in July and offers 3D screening and diagnostic mammograms, breast ultrasound, general ultrasound and bone density scans. Many women postpone their annual mammograms due to three primary concerns: fear, cost, and time, according to Megan Croff, director of business development.
Over 300 jobs coming to central Georgia through $6.3 million investment. What we know
FreshRealm, Inc., a national leader in fresh meal delivery, is putting a $6.3 million investment into Georgia that will create more than 300 new jobs, according to Gov. Brian Kemp. The investment will expand the company’s presence in Montezuma, less than an hour from Macon. “Georgia is proud to offer opportunities for innovative companies like FreshRealm to thrive in our state’s No. 1 industry - agriculture,” Kemp said.
A Macon health, fitness club will permanently close its doors next month. Here’s why. Original
Ambitions Health Club has announced it will cease operations and permanently close its doors in September. The club announced in a Facebook post that Sept. 15 would be its final day of business. “It is with profound sadness that we must inform you of the difficult decision to close Ambitions Health Club,” the post stated.
Poll: Who was the best high school football player in Middle Georgia in Week 1? Original
Week 1 of high school football season saw great games across the board in Middle Georgia. The Westside Seminoles took down the Howard Huskies 26-20 in overtime for their season opener, Northside High School rolled over Eagles Landing High School 38-18 and Houston County High School dominated in a 57-10 win over Alpharetta High School. State champion Perry Panthers toppled Baldwin High School 37-6.
Beloved Macon restaurant set to reopen after a fire forced a temporary shutdown Original
A popular Mexican restaurant in Macon will reopen following a kitchen fire in early August at its Tom Hill Sr. Boulevard location. Guitarras Mexican Grill announced via social media on Aug. 4 that it was temporarily closing its doors due to a fire that broke out in the kitchen overnight. Restaurant co-owner Giovanna Pina told The Telegraph the staff was prepping Monday and Tuesday to reopen its doors at 11 a.m. on Wednesday.
Border Collie wins Middle Georgia’s cutest dog. She represents ‘healthy change’ for owner Original
In Macon, remarkable resilience and joy are an unexpected part of the story of the dog selected Middle Georgia’s cutest. At just 11 months old, Daisy has become a symbol of positive change and unwavering companionship for her owner, Wes Nobles. And with 45% of the 34,353 votes in our poll last week, she has been crowned Middle Georgia’s cutest dog. “Daisy represents a healthy change. I would not have bought a puppy or adopted one as I was not looking for another dog.
Community welcomed to join as HGTV is coming to Macon to film TV show. See where. Original
HGTV is coming to Macon for the filming of “The American Dream” and business owners are asking the community to show up and show out. The Home and Garden Television show will be at The Society Garden to film and highlight Macon Saturday. “I received a call earlier this week from the show’s host, Brooke Joblinkske, who said after talking with people around town and Visit Macon, the Society Garden was the number one choice on where they should film,” said Society Garden co-owner Meagan Evans.
Georgia State Capitol reopens after email threat hoax. What we know Original
The Georgia State Capitol has reopened in Atlanta following an unsubstantiated email threat on Thursday. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported the Capitol was evacuated due to the threat about 2 p.m. Officers cleared the building and said there was no threat, according to the outlet. Text messages from Capitol police said, “All persons inside should evacuate in an orderly fashion,” according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Later, texts said: “ALL CLEAR! No threat was located.
New downtown Macon restaurant is making its debut with a soft opening. Take a peek inside Original
Macon residents now have more options when eating downtown. Jalapenos Cantina is making its Macon debut with its soft opening happening Thursday. “It is a great feeling to make it to opening day. I have been living near this area since 1995 - for me it is a dream come true,” said owner Ramon Saucillo. “I’m super excited to serve the Macon and downtown community.” The family-owned business currently has a successful Jalapenos Cantina location in Gary off of Gray Highway, according to Saucillo.
Remember Macon Mayhem hockey? See team’s major come back with new branding, leaders Original
The Macon Mayhem hockey team, a member of the Southern Professional Hockey League, is making some big moves in an effort to create stability and produce growth for the franchise. From a seasoned new coach and successful new owner to a re-imagined viking logo - the Macon Mayhem are ready for a new season.
Macon restaurant announces abrupt closure. It’s the third closure at same location Original
Another Macon restaurant has abruptly closed its doors. Marrow 41 announced via social media Tuesday that it was closed effective immediately. The eatery, which was in Bolingbroke - a charming house at the end of Alexander Court, is the third restaurant to close at the location. The restaurant said in a Facebook post that the decision wasn’t made easily. “It is with a heavy heart that we announce Marrow41 will be closed effective immediately.
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