EAST METRO Top Stories for December 5th
Publish Date: December 5th
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From the Ingles Studio, Welcome to The Community Podcast. This Podcast brings you the top stories from the Rockdale-Newton Citizen and the Morgan Citizen.
Today is Friday, December 5th and Happy birthday to Walt Disney
I’m Peyton Spurlock and here are your top stories presented by Times Journal
- Sheriff Levett vows full investigation into inmate's escape
- Rec. Department Asks County To 'Front' $1.8 Million For New Turf To Make Madison A Travel Baseball 'Hub'
- Mansfield Elementary celebrates with Book Parade
Plus, Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on carrots
These stories and more are coming up in today’s edition of the Community Podcast for Rockdale, Newton, and Morgan Counties! Please like, follow, and subscribe.
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STORY 1: Sheriff Levett vows full investigation into inmate's escape
It’s a story straight out of a movie: an inmate, a hospital gown, and a 31-hour escape that had law enforcement scrambling.
Timothy Shane, 52, managed to slip away from Grady Memorial Hospital early Monday morning during medical testing. Shackles off for the procedure, he bolted—on foot, no less. What followed was a chaotic spree: stealing an SUV (and a Glock inside), crashing it, then swiping a Pontiac near Mercedes-Benz Stadium. By the time he ditched that car at a Publix, he’d somehow called an Uber—without a phone—and vanished again.
Shane’s escape, which authorities now believe was planned, started with a fake suicide attempt at the Rockdale County Jail. He was recaptured Wednesday morning, hiding in an abandoned house in Covington after a K-9 team tracked him down.
Sheriff Eric Levett says the investigation is ongoing, with questions swirling about security lapses and how Shane coordinated his getaway.
Shane, no stranger to trouble, faces a long list of charges, including drug and weapon offenses. For now, he’s back in custody, but his brief taste of freedom has left plenty of questions.
STORY 2: Rec. Department Asks County To 'Front' $1.8 Million For New Turf To Make Madison A Travel Baseball 'Hub'
Morgan County’s shiny new $25 million rec complex, which opened this spring, is already dreaming bigger—$1.8 million bigger. The goal? Install artificial turf on the baseball fields and turn Madison into the travel baseball hub of east Georgia, potentially raking in millions over the next decade.
The Rec Department asked the county to front the cash, promising to pay it back through sponsorships, rentals, and tournament profits. But the Board of Commissioners (BOC) hit pause, tabling the request for now.
Local developer Walter Rabern made an emotional plea, calling the project a no-brainer. “This isn’t just about money,” he said, tearing up as he remembered his late son, Bennett, a talented young ballplayer. “These fields teach kids about life—teamwork, character, winning, losing. It’s an investment in our youth.”
Rabern also pointed to the financial upside: more tournaments mean more visitors, which means more business for local hotels, restaurants, and shops.
Still, not everyone’s on board. Commissioner Ben Riden noted some residents are fuming on social media, accusing the Rec Department of asking for $1.8 million to fix mistakes. “That’s just not true,” Riden said. “This is about making the fields more durable long-term.”
Rec Director Lance Alexander argued the turf would save money over time—no more daily maintenance or costly regrading—and attract more tournaments by reducing rainouts.
For now, the project’s future is uncertain, but Rabern urged the BOC to act.
STORY 3: Mansfield Elementary celebrates with Book Parade
Mansfield Elementary just pulled off one of its most beloved traditions—the annual Book Parade—and, honestly, it was pure magic. Kids and teachers went all out, transforming into their favorite storybook characters with costumes that were funny, clever, and downright adorable.
Leading the parade? None other than The Pride of Eastside drumline and the state champ Eastside Lady Eagles softball team. The whole thing was a whirlwind of dragons, fairytale heroes, and classic characters that felt like they’d leapt right off the page.
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We’ll be right back
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STORY 4: Madison’s Planning Board Recommends Approval for Controversial Apartment Proposal on Historic Town Square
After a summer fire gutted four businesses on Madison’s historic square, a bold new vision is taking shape—a three-story, mixed-use development that could bring life back to Hancock Street.
On Monday, Madison’s Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) voted to recommend approval for a variance and conditional-use permit to make the project possible. The plan? Ground-floor retail for at least three businesses, with 50+ loft apartments above. But it’s not without controversy.
Preston Snyder, who owns the fire-damaged site, wants to rebuild bigger, but the project needs exceptions to zoning rules—height, width, square footage—to move forward. Architect Joe Smith, known for historic preservation, says the design nods to the past, inspired by tall hotels that once stood on the square before burning down over a century ago.
Not everyone’s convinced. Celia Murray of the Madison Historic Coalition called the variances “a direct violation” of zoning laws, warning the project could permanently alter the square’s character. Elisabeth Bell argued the plan skews too residential, violating the ordinance’s requirement for commercial priority.
Parking was another sticking point. Still, others saw opportunity.
The PZC’s recommendation now heads to the Madison City Council, which will make the final call on Dec. 8.
STORY 5: Lt. governor candidate calls for cutting state income tax
At a Rockdale County GOP meeting Monday night—held, of all places, at Jim ’N Nick’s Bar-B-Q—lieutenant governor candidate Blake Tillery didn’t hold back. His main pitch? Ditch Georgia’s state income tax.
Tillery, a Republican senator and chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, argued that cutting the tax would make Georgia more competitive with states like Tennessee and Florida.
But how to pay for it? By slashing tax credits and exemptions—what he called “corporate welfare.” He waved a thick folder, saying, “This totals $30 billion. The income tax brings in $16 billion. Do the math.”
Tillery didn’t mince words about wasteful incentives, like a tax break on yacht parts. “How does that help a family in Rockdale buy groceries? It doesn’t,” he said.
Tillery’s message? Bold and blunt.
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And now here is Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on carrots
We’ll have closing comments after this.
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Signoff-
Thanks again for hanging out with us on today’s Community Podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast, the Marietta Daily Journal, or the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties. Read more about all our stories and get other great content at https://www.rockdalenewtoncitizen.com/ and https://www.morgancountycitizen.com/news/
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