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EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second in a four-part series looking back at the year 2024 in Troup County.

April 4

County limits short-term vacation rentals

The Troup County Board of Commissioners has approved more regulations for short-term vacation rentals, including limiting the number of permits approved each year, the number of permits approved per applicant, and the number of days the locations are available for ren

April 6

Eclipse ready 

A total solar eclipse was seen across parts of Mexico, the United States and Canada. Alabama and Georgia were not on the path to see the total eclipse. A partial eclipse could be seen in the Southeast.

April 16

Two accidents caused by wrong way drivers result in crashes. 

The April 14 weekend saw two wrong-way accidents on I-85. A Saturday crash resulted in multiple injuries resulting in airlifts to local hospitals, but no fatalities. On Sunday night, the second crash occurred. The driver in one of the accidents attempted to flee and later passed away from injuries sustained during a PIT maneuver. 

April 18

Troup inaugurated first Hall of Pride class

Six Troup High alumni were inducted into the first Hall of Pride class. Plaques with their photos now adorn the entry hallway at THS reminding students of some of the school’s best and brightest. 

April 27

Veterans center opens 

Discovering Soldiers Potential – The Second Time Around (DSPII) WayPoint will officially launch its new full-service Veteran Service Center in the newly renovated former Georgia State Patrol Post on Hamilton Road in LaGrange on April 27. 

May 15

TCSS students to receive free meals

Troup County School System will be providing free breakfast and lunch to all students next school year. During a TCSS board work session, the Director of Nutrition, Diane Pain, announced the district would be able to provide students with free meals through the federal program Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) starting July 1.

May 16

Five Troup High Students involved in a car crash

At approximately 12:39 pm today, five Troup High students were in a car heading east on Whitfield Road toward Hogansville Road. The car pulled out, crossing across Hogansville Road into the path of a Troup County School System maintenance truck heading north on Hogansville Road. The truck struck the car. Two passengers were ejected and injured, while one was airlifted to a hospital in Atlanta. One of the passengers, Mary Joy Moosman would later pass away from her injuries. 

Callaway High student struck by car of TCSS employee

A Callaway High School student was struck by a car driven by a Troup County School System employee this morning. The incident happened as the student was crossing the parking lot to the main entrance of the school. The student is stable and was transported to an area hospital by stat flight.

May 18

BOE names Hazel named superintendent finalist

The Troup County Board of Education has announced Dr. Rachel B. Hazel as the sole finalist for Superintendent of the Troup County School System. Currently serving as the Deputy Superintendent of Volusia County Schools in Deland, Florida.

May 22

Primary election sees new and old faces get seats

Results came in late during the May primary election. Arrington won the Mayoral seat during the special election to fill the late Willie T. Edmondson’s seat. Darby Pippin was elected to Arrington’s vacated seat on the council. Erin Hackley was reelected Coroner, James Woodruff as Sheriff, Jackie Taylor as Clerk of the Superior Court, Ferrell Blair as Troup County School Board member and Morris Jones as Commissioner. 

With so many races in the primary, results came in late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning. Some of the new faces were elected to the school board. Dan McAlexander won the District 5 school board seat, Tripp Foster for District 6, and Mark Thompson for District 3. 

Two commission seats headed to runoff elections. 

May 24

Couple ties not at Kiwanis club

Two members of the LaGrange Kiwanis Club were married in a ceremony during the club’s normal weekly meeting on Thursday at Highland Country Club.  Club President Eric Davenport and Tasha Hubbard gave their wedding vows in front of their fellow Kiwanis during their regular weekly lunch meeting.

Callaway student gets surprise graduation

A special graduation ceremony was held for 17-year-old Anja McCord, a Callaway High School student at Piedmont Columbus Regional Midtown.  McCord, who was struck by a vehicle at the high school, missed the opportunity to walk across Callaway Stadium. Since she missed the big night, TCSS staff and Piedmont organized a surprise graduation for her and her family at the hospital.

May 30

Budget brings hike to LaGrange

While the city is planning to continue not collecting property taxes, utility rates are expected to increase to help pay for fixed costs from Plant Vogtle. With the proposed increase, the average residential electric service bill would increase from $123.60 to $126.27.

June 1

KIA begins EV9 assembly

The 2025 Kia EV9 is the first electric vehicle assembled in the state of Georgia and joins the award-winning Telluride, Sorento, and Sportage SUVs currently assembled at Kia’s West Point facility.

June 2 

We are not in Kansas anymore: Superman movie brings production to LaGrange

Troup County is serving as a stand-in for Smallville, Kansas with the new Superman movie, codenamed Genesis, bringing production to the Troup County area. Pre-production took place on the 600 block of Stovall Rd. at a home owned by the Whitlow family with production equipment being stored in the former Whitesville Road Middle School.

June 4

Two children shot on Bartley Street

On June 4, 2024 at 10:41 PM, deputies with the Troup County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a home in the 1600 block of Bartley Road in regards to two juveniles, a male and a female that were shot. The shooting was later found to be accidental. 

June 14

Sauce company to bring 267 jobs to new LaGrange facility

The Georgia Department of Economic Development announced that Lee Kum Kee Sauce Group, a global name in Asian sauces and condiments, will invest up to $288 million in a new manufacturing facility in LaGrange, creating up to 267 jobs in Troup County over the next several years.

June 15

Shumate says goodbye

Outgoing TCSS Superintendent Dr. Brian Shumate had his final board meeting as the head of the school system. Shumate had served in the position for five years. 

June 18

Troup Softball rallies around Arnold during her road to recovery

The Troup High softball sisterhood is one such family. The bonds and tethers that bind the Troup softball program so closely together were shattered last month when one of their own, Hadilee Arnold, was involved in a tragic car accident that left her in stable but critical condition. As Arnold continues to make small and large strides in what will be a long recovery, her softball family is there for her every step of the way.

June 19

Three primary election races were close enough to result in a runoff.

Rex Scott, who beat incumbent Lewis Davis for the District 3 Commission seat, won the seat outright in June. Jaime Jaime Thrailkill would claim the Republican nomination from incumbent Ellis Cadenhead during the runoff after tying with 999 votes each in a packed primary. Thrailkill would later win the seat against Democrat Andrew Moody during the general election. Brian Jack beat Mike Dugan for the U.S. Congressional Republican nomination, later winning the seat against Maura Keller.  

June 21

Joyride for Mary Joy

The “Jeeping for Joy ride for Mary Joy” took place yesterday, which saw over 100 cars, motorcycles, and jeeps escorted from Troup High School, through the county and ending at Johnny’s. The ride was in celebration of Mary Joy Moosman’s eighteenth birthday. Moosman, who had attended Troup High and been a resident of West Point, passed away after being in a car accident on May 16. Proceeds from the event went to the Mary Joy Moosman Foundation, which funds scholarships for THS students. 

June 24

Edmondson inducted in GMA hall of fame

​​The late LaGrange Mayor Willie T. Edmondson was inducted into the 2024 Georgia Municipal Government Hall of Fame posthumously on June 24 at GMA’s annual convention in Savannah.

June 29

Griggs pool opens

A ribbon cutting was held for the grand opening of the new Don Weatherington Aquatics Center at the William J. Griggs Center on Thursday morning.  The new aquatics center is the culmination of the second phase of renovations at the Griggs Center.