The Baxley News-Banner

Some three years ago, a seemingly never-ending series of studies, audits and reports criticized the Georgia Department of Transportation on a variety of fronts. Harsh comments made headlines across the state. Georgians were left to wonder if the DOT was an unaccountable, broken, unfixable bureaucracy. [Full Story »] 

Dear Editor,

What do you see in the picture on the front page of The Baxley News-Banner on March 30, 2011? What does it look like? What is it saying to us? Focus on this picture spiritually. [Full Story »] 

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to focus on the health and safety of Georgia’s children. Prevent Child Abuse Appling, will join Prevent Child abuse America in April to raise public awareness of the need for prevention and the critical need to break the cycle of child abuse. Child abuse has far-reaching effects on our community. The overwhelming majority of incarcerated criminals report a personal history of child abuse. By eliminating child abuse, we can ensure a safer today and a brighter tomorrow for our children. Children are a valuable resource and we want to see prevention a priority for everyone in Georgia. [Full Story »] 

The area around Baxley City Hall came to life Friday evening and Saturday for the annual Tree Fest. [Full Story »] 

The 41st annual Rose Show will be held at Peoples State Bank and Trust on Wednesday, April 20. The lobby of the bank will come alive with scores of beautiful roses. The Rose Show is co-sponsored by the Peoples State Bank and Appling County Cooperative Extension. [Full Story »] 

The Easter Bunny is making a special appearance in Baxley! Everyone is invited to hop on down to Water Works Park located at 93 Tippins Street in Baxley on Saturday, April 23, at 10:00 a.m. for a chance to see the Easter Bunny in action. [Full Story »] 

By David Miller

The Appling County Pirates played the visiting Jeff Davis Yellow Jackets in a key region 2AA matchup on Tuesday night. The game would turn out to be an intense pitcher’s dual. Byron Buxton got the ball for the Pirates and Jesse Deats would take the mound for the Jackets. The two would match each other pitch for pitch and out for out. Deats gave way to Stephen Farris in the bottom of the seventh and Farris would surrender the winning run with two outs via a walk-off single by Colby Griffin. Pirates won the game 2-1. [Full Story »] 

The Miss Vision Scholarship Pageant will be held Saturday, April 16 starting at 5:00 p.m. at the Appling County Elementary Complex. Young ladies from the surrounding area will be competing for the titles of Little Miss Vision, Jr. Miss Vision, Teen Miss Vision and Miss Vision. Reigning queens are Little Miss Tia Jones, Jr. Miss Alexus Boles, Teen Miss Brittany Moore and Miss Vision Odessa Nails. The evening’s entertainment will be rendered by Briana Hayes performing a solo vocal as well as a piano performance; Ryan Hayes and Odessa Nails will perform a solo. Alexus Boles will render a trumpet solo; Brittney Moore will present a poetic recital and Angel Jackson a piano performance. [Full Story »] 

ACHS Choral Department will perform their exciting American Bandstand program on Saturday, April 16. [Full Story »] 

By Laverne Courson, Curator

Friday, April 22 (Good Friday) the Appling County Heritage Center will have a spring barbecue fundraiser. This is our first sale in the spring. We will have Boston butts and slabs of ribs, cooked by Jack Davis.
To purchase a ticket call the Heritage Center at 367-8133. The directors also have tickets for sale. [Full Story »] 

Rhonda and Aaron Lilliott are proud to announce the birth of their son, Joshua Aiden Lilliott. [Full Story »] 

By David Miller

The Appling Pirates traveled to Vidalia on Friday to play a region game that was originally scheduled for Thursday night but was postponed due to inclement weather. In fact the game marked the first time the team took the field since March 26 versus McIntosh County Academy. The Pirates would come out on top 14-3. [Full Story »] 

Dawn Marie and Michael Ward Lightsey are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Aubrey Lynn Lightsey. [Full Story »]