Evan Newton

Suspended District 113 State Representative Sharon Henderson (D-Covington) is expected to plead guilty to charges relating to pandemic unemployment fraud.Henderson was indicted in December 2025 on two counts of theft of government funds and 10 counts of making false statements related to alleged unemployment fraud from the COVID-19 pandemic.According to a recent court filing, Henderson is set to go before a judge in Atlanta on July 30 at 10 a.m. for a change of plea hearing. This hearing comes just over a month after Henderson was given 30 days to determine whether she would like to change her plea to guilty or take the case to trial.

Newton County’s former human resources director, Amanda Shoemaker, has filed an appeal to the Newton County Board of Commissioners for what she calls an “unsupported” termination from the county.According to a 31-page notice from Shoemaker’s attorney, Dwight L. Thomas of Atlanta, Shoemaker was fired from the county on June 25 over alleged morale concerns and financial misuse. She was previously placed on paid administrative leave on May 28 following a contentious closed-doors executive session discussing her fate.

When I purchased my home a little over a year ago, it came with a battered American flag that’s seen better days. It sits right outside of my carport that’s attached to my house. I originally thought it would be good to replace the flag with something else. My first thought was an Atlanta Falcons flag, but then everyone would know I’d be suffering from Falcon Derangement Syndrome. I then thought about buying a Dale Earnhardt flag, but that could’ve been disingenuous considering he passed before I was even born.

A Covington man is set to spend the next quarter century behind bars for his role in trafficking drugs. Walter Brian Johnson, 52, pled guilty in Newton County Superior Court on Monday to an array of drug-related charges including trafficking of methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana. The charges stem from two different incidents that occurred two years ago.

A countywide vehicle checkpoint resulted in 14 arrests. The checkpoints were set up across the county on Friday, June 26 from 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. The checkpoints were initiated by the Newton County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) and held in conjunction with the Covington Police Department, Georgia State Patrol and surrounding Central Region Traffic Enforcement Network agencies.

A pedestrian was reportedly killed in a crash on I-20 in the early hours of Thursday morning. At around 5:30 a.m on July 9, the Newton County Sheriff’s Office said that it responded to “a fatal pedestrian incident” on I-20 eastbound near Exit 101.

Don’t we all love great things? I know I sure do. But there’s that familiar cliche we all know that says “all good things must come to an end.” Well, folks, this is that time. After 2.5 years — 1.75 of that as managing editor — I will be departing The Covington News. My last day was Friday, so by the time you’re reading this, I will have already exited the building. I am leaving for another media opportunity that is “closer to home.”

Former Joint Development Authority (JDA) board member Marcello Banes and his co-defendant Stephanie Lindsey have been acquitted of federal money laundering charges.

A routine traffic stop turned into a large drug bust on Wednesday night.

Days after the Monticello City Council voted 4-1 to approve a highly-contested annexation of three privately owned parcels into the city limits, the members who voted to approve it are defending their decision.