Federal judge sends Zula Casino lawsuit back to Georgia state court
Federal judge Clay D. Land sent Georgia Gambling Recovery LLC’s lawsuit against Zula Casino’s operator and two Blazesoft companies back to Georgia state court on November 3, 2026. His order grants the plaintiff’s request to return the case to the State Court of Muscogee County. The case...
After mayor died, Smiths Station explains how the vacancy will be filled
The City of Smiths Station has announced the process it will follow to determine its next mayor. Mayor Richard Cooley died Oct. 24 at Columbus Hospice House. He was elected in August 2025 . According to Alabama law, the city council fills the vacancy by electing a successor to serve the remainder of the four-year term, which runs through November 2029. The council may elect a successor among its five members or any other Smiths Station resident. Mayor Pro Tem Victoria Greene has been filling in
Retiring Russell County superintendent lists school district’s achievements during tenure
Russell County School District superintendent Brenda Coley is retiring. Coley plans to work through the end of December. She has worked all 37 years of her education career, including the past 11 as superintendent, in the school system where she was a K-12 student. “Even though I still enjoy it, I don’t want to feel like you burn out,” Coley, 60, told the Ledger-Enquirer. “… I just know that my assignment is complete because God has given me confirmation on that, and I feel like He’s just redire
Columbus State hosts groundbreaking ceremony for $22.2 million technology center
Local education leaders and Columbus State University donors broke ground ceremonially Wednesday inside the Elizabeth Bradley Turner Center for the Jack and JoRhee Pezold Center for Emergent Technology which CSU announced last month. The $22.2 million center will house CSU’s new Institute for Emergent Technology, its robotics engineering program and its Coca-Cola Space Science Center, which the university will move from its downtown location. “This facility will provide expanded, state-of-the-ar
Georgia’s New 911 Constitutional Amendment to impact local police departments
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — Georgia voters approved three constitutional amendments. One of those amendments allows lawmakers to create a new fund and determine, through state law, which revenue sources would support the state’s 911 services. Columbus Police Department officials said many issues they face come from not having enough funding to provide the best service […]
Victim of deadly dog attack in Columbus identified
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — The victim of a deadly dog attack that occurred in Columbus has been identified by Muscogee County Buddy Bryan. According to Bryan, the victim, 66-year-old Gregory Raven, was pronounced dead on the scene at 9:30 a.m. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation medical examiner determined Raven’s death was accidental and caused by […]
Jury seated in first murder trial at new Columbus judicial center
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - A jury was seated Monday in the first murder trial at the new John D. Allen Judicial Center in Columbus. Christopher Tice is charged with beating 45-year-old Craig Perry to death with a baseball bat. Opening statements begin Tuesday morning in Judge Carolyn “Tippi” Cain Burch’s courtroom.
New hope for pancreatic cancer patients
New hope for pancreatic cancer patients Piedmont Oncology providers with the John B. Amos Cancer Center at Piedmont Columbus Regional are among the first community oncologists in Georgia to administer a groundbreaking new cancer treatment for pancreatic cancer. In late August, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Rasonque, a dai…
‘A big step.’ Columbus 10-year-old plays NAACP leader’s daughter in feature film
This year, 10-year-old Nova Biggers , a Columbus actress who goes by her stage name Nova Valentina, made her feature film debut. In the 2026 historical thriller “By Any Means,” a film about the investigation into the 1966 firebombing murder of Mississippi NAACP leader Vernon Dahmer Sr., Nova played a young Bettie Dahmer , Vernon’s only daughter. The historical thriller released in theaters Sept. 4. It’s directed by Elegance Bratton , producer of the reality TV show “My House” and director of the
No. 21 Spencer upsets 10th-ranked Westover to improve chances for state playoff berth
In an upset that went down to the last play of the game, the Spencer Greenwave (6-3, 5-2) held on for a 21-18 win against the Westover Patriots (7-3, 5-3) Monday night at Odis Spencer Stadium in Columbus. Spencer’s victory boosted the Greenwave over 10th-ranked Westover into third place in Region 1 of the Georgia High School Association Class 4A. The GHSA’s latest postseason rankings have the Greenwave at No. 21 in Class 4A with one game left in their regular season. The top 32 teams in each cla
