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SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The city of Griffin’s downtown Living Centers Initiative design is being revised with the replacement of some its large planter boxes. “Hill and Taylor (streets) are the only ones being redone,” said City Manager Kenny Smith. “If you’ll recall, one of the planter boxes got hit by a vehicle. They’re just […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Griffin City Manager Kenny Smith is responding to citizen concerns regarding the curfew enacted Tuesday night by the Board of Commissioners. According to Smith, the purpose of the curfew is to limit transmission of COVID-19. “Hopefully it will keep people from being out spreading the coronavirus. They just need to stay […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The city of Griffin has promoted Jessica Whatley-O’Connor to the newly created position of deputy city manager. She was promoted from her previous position of chief of staff/staff attorney, a position she has held since July 2016. O’Connor says her new position will assist in further streamlining city operations. “The reporting […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The GRIP has learned that Griffin Police Department Chief Mike Yates did have a response to Publisher Sheila Mathews’ Sept. 11 email that included a list of questions regarding whether his actions in fabricating and disseminating a false document had violated GPD policies or state criminal laws. Although he did not […]
STAFF REPORT ::: The Federal Bureau of Investigation has recovered nearly all of the $802,499.21 stolen from the city of Griffin during a June 2019 cyberattack. According to a press release issued by the city of Griffin, $789,065.16 was recovered by the FBI, and of the remaining $13,434.05 deficit, the city will pay a $10,000 […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The city of Griffin has lost $802,499.29 in two separate online transactions that officials say were fraudulent. Griffin Police Department Master Patrol Officer Chip Johns on Friday, June 28, responded to city offices located at 100 S. Hill St., where he met Chuck Olmstead, an official of the Finance Department. “He […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: In response to unequal restrictions and demands invoked against The GRIP by Griffin Police Department Chief Mike Yates, Publisher Sheila Mathews met with Griffin City Manager Kenny Smith in an effort to reach a resolution that would facilitate an impartial professional relationship. The basis of this meeting was the structure of […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The city of Griffin Board of Commissioners will on Tuesday, Nov. 28, determine whether it will establish a retirement plan for individuals elected or appointed to serve on that governing body. According to Griffin City Manager Kenny Smith, the retirement plan for commissioners has been in under consideration for some time. […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: After refusing since Feb. 3 to produce certain personnel records sought in an Open Records request submitted by The GRIP Publisher Sheila Mathews, the city of Griffin on Sept. 1 reversed that long held decision and released the exempted documents. At the crux of the dispute were the pre-employment computer voice […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: After reporting on the Griffin Police Department’s Internal Affairs administrative investigation of Curtis Keys and Dwayne Hancock, which resulted in both officers being demoted one rank, and Keys being the subject of a GBI criminal investigation, The GRIP was alerted that pertinent information had been omitted. The GRIP then notified the […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: A Griffin Police Department Internal Affairs investigation of Curtis Keys and Dwayne Hancock substantiated both officers falsified multiple official records and violated their oath of office pertaining to the agency’s Off Duty/Extra Duty Job Policy. This information was obtained subsequent to an Open Records request submitted to the city of Griffin […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Tropical Storm Irma stormed through Griffin-Spalding County, leaving in her wake much property damage and thousands of homes and businesses without electricity. Widespread damage has been reported throughout the city of Griffin and Spalding County. Much of the damage appears to have been caused by fallen trees toppled by strong winds. […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Griffin Board of Commissioners has approved changes to the city’s yard waste collection service that includes a price increase to $8.75 per month, while also now providing a measure of consumer protection. The service will continue to be provided by Dependable Waste out of Pike County. “We’re basically just amending […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: City of Griffin and Spalding County officials are working to move forward with a 2017 TSPLOST referendum. According to representatives of both city and county government, it is needed to address longstanding and urgent transportation needs. “There’s not enough money for transportation. We put transportation in the current SPLOST, but it’s […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: A federal racial discrimination law suit filed Jan. 9, 2015, by Dwayne Jones and Terry Brock against the city of Griffin and Griffin City Manager Kenny Smith is under appeal after a summary judgment was issued after the court determined the plaintiffs “failed to establish a genuine issue of material fact […]
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