Top Stories for August 22nd 

Publish Date: August 22nd 


Commercial: PREMEIER HEATING AND AIR 


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, August 22nd and Happy birthday to Norman Scharzkoff 

 

I’m Peyton Spurlock and here are your top stories presented by Times Journal 
Trans Am Takeover: October event to celebrate ‘Smokey and the Bandit’ 
Madison and Morgan Forge Alliance On Northside Bypass Proposal 
EchoPark Speedway to host two NASCAR weekends in ’26 

Plus, Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on budgeting 



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. 

  

BREAK: ARTISAN MARKET 

 

STORY 1: Trans Am Takeover: October event to celebrate ‘Smokey and the Bandit’ 

  Remember Smokey and the Bandit? Turns out, Jonesboro played a big role in the 1977 classic, and this fall, the town’s rolling out the red carpet—well, metaphorically—for a weekend-long celebration. 

The Trans Am Takeover runs Oct. 17-19, with Saturday, Oct. 18, dedicated to downtown Jonesboro. Expect 100+ Trans Ams (yes, including the Snowman semi-truck), local food trucks, filming location tours, and even a live band playing Jerry Reed’s hits. 

Fun fact: Burt Reynolds himself visited Jonesboro in 2017 for the movie’s 40th anniversary. He got a key to the city—and a day named after him. 

 

STORY 2:  Madison and Morgan Forge Alliance On Northside Bypass Proposal 

Madison’s push for a Northside Bypass—a $30 million project to connect Highway 83 to Highway 441—sparked a lively debate Tuesday between city and Morgan County leaders. The goal? A safer, less congested Madison. But not everyone’s sold. 

City Engineer Aaron Wadley pitched a route along Head Road, designed to minimize land grabs.  

County Commissioner Ben Riden wasn’t convinced.  

Collaboration remains key, but tensions linger. 

 

STORY 3: EchoPark Speedway to host two NASCAR weekends in ’26 

 NASCAR fans, mark your calendars: EchoPark Speedway is bringing the heat in 2026 with two action-packed race weekends. 

First up, the spring race weekend, Feb. 20-22, kicks off just after the Daytona 500. The headliner? The brand-new Autotrader 400, promising high-speed drama and, if history repeats, record-breaking lead changes. 

Then, July 11-12, it’s back under the lights for the Quaker State 400. This year, it’s part of NASCAR’s In-Season Tournament—think 190 mph duels for a $1 million prize. 

Doubleheaders, night races, and non-stop adrenaline. Atlanta’s high banks are ready. Are you? 

 

We have opportunities for sponsors to get great engagement on these shows. Call 770.799.6810 for more info. 


We’ll be right back 


Break: COPY CENTRAL 

 

STORY 4:MoCo Marlins Make Big Splash At 2025 Championship 

The MoCo Marlins made waves—literally—at the 2025 GRPA Class C State Championship, leaving the competition in their wake. 

Jordan Ferguson couldn’t stop raving about the team’s performance: top-eight finishes in nearly every race, a haul of first-place wins, and personal bests all around.  

Shoutout to Coaches Beth Austin-Bowen, Thomas Bradshaw, and Emelia Austin-Bowen for guiding these young athletes to greatness. 

From individual victories to relay domination, the Marlins owned the pool. Special congrats to every swimmer—you’ve earned every cheer and then some. 

 

STORY 5: Georgia lawmakers plan for federal cuts to already ‘underfunded’ public health services 

With federal funding cuts looming, Georgia lawmakers are scrambling to rethink the state’s public health system. At a hearing Wednesday, they dug into the numbers: nearly half of the $922.5 million public health budget comes from federal dollars—money that could dry up fast. 

Dr. Kathleen Toomey, the state’s public health commissioner, called it a chance to “reimagine” public health, but there’s a catch. More flexibility might mean fewer services, especially in rural areas already struggling. 

With a potential government shutdown weeks away, the clock’s ticking. 


We’ll be right back. 

 

Break: NEWTON FEDERAL BANK 

 

And now here is Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on budgeting 

 

We’ll have closing comments after this.  


Break: Ingles Markets


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/ 

Did you know over 50% of Americans listen to podcasts weekly? Giving you important news about our community and telling great stories are what we do. Make sure you join us for our next episode and be sure to share this podcast on social media with your friends and family. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home Briefing and be sure to like, follow, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. 

POST ROLL:  

Produced by the BG Podcast Network 

  

Show Sponsors: 
www.ingles-markets.com 
copycentralga.com 
newtonfederal.com/ 
copycentral.com 

 

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Top Stories for August 22nd&nbsp;
Publish Date: August 22nd&nbsp;
 Commercial: PREMEIER HEATING AND AIR&nbsp;
 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.  &nbsp;
Today is Friday, August 22nd and Happy birthday to Norman Scharzkoff&nbsp;
&nbsp;
I&rsquo;m Peyton Spurlock and here are your top stories presented by Times Journal&nbsp;
<ol>
<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="%1." data-font="Calibri" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Trans Am Takeover: October event to celebrate &lsquo;Smokey and the Bandit&rsquo;&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="%1." data-font="Calibri" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1">Madison and Morgan Forge Alliance On Northside Bypass Proposal&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="%1." data-font="Calibri" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1">EchoPark Speedway to host two NASCAR weekends in &rsquo;26&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
Plus, Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on budgeting&nbsp; 
These stories and more are coming up in today&rsquo;s edition of the Community Podcast for Rockdale, Newton, and Morgan Counties! Please like, follow, and subscribe.&nbsp;
 &nbsp;
BREAK: ARTISAN MARKET&nbsp;
&nbsp;
STORY 1: <a href="https://www.rockdalenewtoncitizen.com/news/trans-am-takeover-october-event-to-celebrate-smokey-and-the-bandit/article_f3a7f44e-a5cd-546c-b9cd-6768c7c3c19d.html">Trans Am Takeover: October event to celebrate &lsquo;Smokey and the Bandit&rsquo;</a>&nbsp;
  Remember Smokey and the Bandit? Turns out, Jonesboro played a big role in the 1977 classic, and this fall, the town&rsquo;s rolling out the red carpet&mdash;well, metaphorically&mdash;for a weekend-long celebration.&nbsp;
The Trans Am Takeover runs Oct. 17-19, with Saturday, Oct. 18, dedicated to downtown Jonesboro. Expect 100+ Trans Ams (yes, including the Snowman semi-truck), local food trucks, filming location tours, and even a live band playing Jerry Reed&rsquo;s hits.&nbsp;
Fun fact: Burt Reynolds himself visited Jonesboro in 2017 for the movie&rsquo;s 40th anniversary. He got a key to the city&mdash;and a day named after him.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
STORY 2:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.morgancountycitizen.com/news/madison-and-morgan-forge-alliance-on-northside-bypass-proposal/article_e1211934-7fe4-4d8b-ba47-63a20f4cf7b2.html">Madison and Morgan Forge Alliance On Northside Bypass Proposal</a>&nbsp;
Madison&rsquo;s push for a Northside Bypass&mdash;a $30 million project to connect Highway 83 to Highway 441&mdash;sparked a lively debate Tuesday between city and Morgan County leaders. The goal? A safer, less congested Madison. But not everyone&rsquo;s sold.&nbsp;
City Engineer Aaron Wadley pitched a route along Head Road, designed to minimize land grabs.&nbsp;&nbsp;
County Commissioner Ben Riden wasn&rsquo;t convinced.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Collaboration remains key, but tensions linger.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
STORY 3: <a href="https://www.rockdalenewtoncitizen.com/news/echopark-speedway-to-host-two-nascar-weekends-in-26/article_750a0148-0ab0-535f-827e-b3e29e53e1df.html">EchoPark Speedway to host two NASCAR weekends in &rsquo;26</a>&nbsp;
&nbsp;NASCAR fans, mark your calendars: EchoPark Speedway is bringing the heat in 2026 with two action-packed race weekends.&nbsp;
First up, the spring race weekend, Feb. 20-22, kicks off just after the Daytona 500. The headliner? The brand-new Autotrader 400, promising high-speed drama and, if history repeats, record-breaking lead changes.&nbsp;
Then, July 11-12, it&rsquo;s back under the lights for the Quaker State 400. This year, it&rsquo;s part of NASCAR&rsquo;s In-Season Tournament&mdash;think 190 mph duels for a $1 million prize.&nbsp;
Doubleheaders, night races, and non-stop adrenaline. Atlanta&rsquo;s high banks are ready. Are you?&nbsp;
&nbsp;
We have opportunities for sponsors to get great engagement on these shows. Call 770.799.6810 for more info.&nbsp;
 We&rsquo;ll be right back&nbsp;
 Break: COPY CENTRAL&nbsp;
&nbsp;
STORY 4: <a href="https://www.morgancountycitizen.com/news/moco-marlins-make-big-splash-at-2025-championship/article_47e27fd9-2e2e-4366-b500-4447e55f31c3.html">MoCo Marlins Make Big Splash At 2025 Championship</a>&nbsp;
The MoCo Marlins made waves&mdash;literally&mdash;at the 2025 GRPA Class C State Championship, leaving the competition in their wake.&nbsp;
Jordan Ferguson couldn&rsquo;t stop raving about the team&rsquo;s performance: top-eight finishes in nearly every race, a haul of first-place wins, and personal bests all around.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Shoutout to Coaches Beth Austin-Bowen, Thomas Bradshaw, and Emelia Austin-Bowen for guiding these young athletes to greatness.&nbsp;
From individual victories to relay domination, the Marlins owned the pool. Special congrats to every swimmer&mdash;you&rsquo;ve earned every cheer and then some.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
STORY 5: <a href="https://www.rockdalenewtoncitizen.com/news/georgia-lawmakers-plan-for-federal-cuts-to-already-underfunded-public-health-services/article_da63c370-8fd1-5395-8cf3-1ead95ad77b7.html">Georgia lawmakers plan for federal cuts to already &lsquo;underfunded&rsquo; public health services</a>&nbsp;
With federal funding cuts looming, Georgia lawmakers are scrambling to rethink the state&rsquo;s public health system. At a hearing Wednesday, they dug into the numbers: nearly half of the $922.5 million public health budget comes from federal dollars&mdash;money that could dry up fast.&nbsp;
Dr. Kathleen Toomey, the state&rsquo;s public health commissioner, called it a chance to &ldquo;reimagine&rdquo; public health, but there&rsquo;s a catch. More flexibility might mean fewer services, especially in rural areas already struggling.&nbsp;
With a potential government shutdown weeks away, the clock&rsquo;s ticking.&nbsp;
 We&rsquo;ll be right back.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Break: NEWTON FEDERAL BANK&nbsp;
&nbsp;
And now here is Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on budgeting&nbsp;
&nbsp;
We&rsquo;ll have closing comments after this. &nbsp;
 Break: Ingles Markets
 Signoff-   &nbsp;
Thanks again for hanging out with us on today&rsquo;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 <a href="https://www.rockdalenewtoncitizen.com/">https://www.rockdalenewtoncitizen.com/</a>&nbsp; and <a href="https://www.morgancountycitizen.com/news/">https://www.morgancountycitizen.com/news/</a>&nbsp;
Did you know over 50% of Americans listen to podcasts weekly? Giving you important news about our community and telling great stories are what we do. Make sure you join us for our next episode and be sure to share this podcast on social media with your friends and family. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home Briefing and be sure to like, follow, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.&nbsp;
POST ROLL:&nbsp;&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.bgpodcastnetwork.com/">Produced by the BG Podcast Network</a>&nbsp;
&nbsp;&nbsp;
Show Sponsors:&nbsp;
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<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="●" data-font="Calibri" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;●&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ingles-markets.com/">www.ingles-markets.com</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="●" data-font="Calibri" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;●&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://copycentralga.com/">copycentralga.com</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
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<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="●" data-font="Calibri" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;●&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://newtonfederal.com/">newtonfederal.com/</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
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</ol>
&nbsp;
#NewsPodcast #CurrentEvents #TopHeadlines #BreakingNews #PodcastDiscussion #PodcastNews #InDepthAnalysis #NewsAnalysis #PodcastTrending #WorldNews #LocalNews #GlobalNews #PodcastInsights #NewsBrief #PodcastUpdate #NewsRoundup #WeeklyNews #DailyNews #PodcastInterviews #HotTopics #PodcastOpinions #InvestigativeJournalism #BehindTheHeadlines #PodcastMedia #NewsStories #PodcastReports #JournalismMatters #PodcastPerspectives #NewsCommentary #PodcastListeners #NewsPodcastCommunity #NewsSource #PodcastCuration #WorldAffairs #PodcastUpdates #AudioNews #PodcastJournalism #EmergingStories #NewsFlash #PodcastConversations&nbsp;

Bringing you the top stories from the Morgan County Citizen and the Rockdale Newton Citizen

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