News

The Blade goes to Swansboro, North Carolina

Pictured is Dwight Watt holding a copy of The Forest-Blade in front of the City Hall in Swansboro, NC. While attending two conferences in eastern North Carolina last week, he passed through …

Foster sworn in as District 5 Councilman

Pictured is Roddriguez M. Foster, Sr being sworn in by Probate Judge Chase Sherrod. The swearing in took place Friday, April 11 at 6 p.m. at the Swainsboro City Hall. Foster filled the vacant …

Fire & Rescue Banquet Honors Heroism, Teamwork, and a Life Saved

A man from Norristown is alive today thanks to Emanuel County Fire & Rescue, and a plaque for the Above & Beyond Award now hangs in Charles Headrick’s living room, reminding him daily of the role …

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

Each year for many years now we, at The Sunshine House Children’s Advocacy Center, try to focus on Child Abuse Prevention in the month of April. Special awareness events are planned in the schools …

Happy Easter!

We will celebrate Easter this Sunday, April 20. Children are anxiously awaiting, hoping to get their Easter baskets filled with all sorts of goodies! Of course, there’s more to Easter than …

First Baptist Church of Swainsboro to hold community Easter egg hunt

Join Us for a Free Community Easter Egg Hunt Saturday, April 19, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Vann Community Park. Celebrate the season with an afternoon of springtime fun at our Free Community Easter Egg …

Chancellor Sonny Perdue proposes consolidation of Georgia Southern University, East Georgia State College

University System of Georgia (USG) Chancellor Sonny Perdue announced today he will recommend a consolidation to the Board of Regents of Georgia Southern University and East Georgia State College …

Why won’t anyone come for Mason?

A Heart-Wrenching Story of Hope, Abandonment, and a Dog Still Waiting Mason’s story starts like so many others. He was just another tail in a long line of strays at the pound—a medium-sized …

Six sentenced in Superior Court

The following occurred during the Emanuel County Superior Court January 2025 term: Anthony Bender, repeat offender, negotiated a guilty-alford plea on one count aggravated assault (reduced) …

Emanuel County Senior Center to hold Easter Services

Emanuel County Senior Center will have its first Easter service. The service will be on Thursday, April 17, 2025 at 9 a.m. at the Senior Center with breakfast immediately following the service. …

World Famous Nerveless Nocks to perform at the Pine Tree Festival

Get ready for an unforgettable experience as the extreme aerial daredevils, the Nerveless Nocks, take center stage at the 78th Annual Pine Tree Festival! On Saturday, May 3rd, prepare to be thrilled …

Officers respond to shots fired

On Wednesday, April 2, officers were called to the area of Lewis St. in reference to multiple shots fired. Officers were advised that several males ran toward Lee St. and made contact with a male …
Sports
Sports Headlines
Obituaries
William “Bill” Clifford Schofill, 86
William “Bill” Clifford Schofill, age 86, passed away on April 9, 2025, in Helen, Georgia. Memorial services were held Saturday, April 12, at 2 p.m. at Cleveland First Baptist Church with Dr. …
Lester Branch, 75
Lester Branch, age 75, departed this life on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Pruitt Health Home in Swainsboro following an extended illness. A Celebration of Life was held Saturday, April 12, at 11 a.m. …
Fannie Mae Boynton, 83
Fannie Mae Boynton, age 83, passed away Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Funeral services will be held Saturday, April 19, at 2 p.m. at Williams Grove Holiness Church with Bishop Clyde Fowler, Jr. presiding. …
Don Enoch Braswell, 80
Mr. Don Enoch Braswell, age 80, of Swainsboro, passed away Wednesday, April 9, 2025, after an extended illness. Memorial service was held Sunday, April 13, at 3 p.m. in the Chapel of Chapman Funeral …
Winnie J. Stoddard, 93
Winnie J. Stoddard, 93, of Chapel Hill, NC, formerly of Garfield, passed away Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Pittsboro, North Carolina, following an extended illness. Graveside service was held …
Education
Martin awarded March Kindness Award
On Wednesday, March 12, David Emanuel Academy held All School Chapel. At this chapel service every month, Mrs. Haylee Free awards one student the Kindness Award. Kindness is something that is always …
Local students receive Prestigious Georgia Scholars Recognition
Every year, the Georgia Department of Education honors students who have carried exemplary course loads during their four years of high school, performed excellently in all courses, successfully …
Emanuel County participate at the State 4-H Livestock Judging Contest
The senior/junior team from Emanuel County participated in the Georgia 4-H State Livestock Judging contest on March 22 at the Georgia FFA-FCCLA Center in Covington. The team consisted of Nathaniel …
East Georgia State College receives $15,000 in scholarships
The East Georgia State College (EGSC) Foundation is pleased to announce that it has received a generous $15,000 donation in the form of needs-based scholarship funds from the Georgia Power …
Katelyn Harris crowned 2025 Miss East Georgia State College
The 2025 Miss East Georgia State College Scholarship Pageant was held Friday, April 4 at 6 p.m. in the Luck F. Gambrell Center Auditorium. Katelyn Harris was crowned the new Miss East Georgia State …
Crime
    • SPD: 4.16.25

      Officers with the Swainsboro Police Department (SPD) reported… April 7 Detective was positioned at the scene of a traffic stop being …

    • ECSO: 4.16.25

      According to the Emanuel County Sheriff’s Office… April 7 Deputy took a walk-in report where complainant stated she never received her …

    • JAIL: 4.16.25

      The following persons have been booked into Emanuel County Jail, according to Emanuel County Sheriff Jeffrey Brewer, on warrants obtained by one …

SOCIAL
Social

Veterans visit Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum

The Veterans at the Library traveled to Savannah Friday, April 11, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. to visit the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum. With Chair Johnny Tapley in charge, they had 28 in attendance. …

Veterans hold fish fry at Farmhouse Cafe

The Veterans at the Library held their weekly meeting at the Farmhouse Cafe in Adrian Monday morning, April 14, at 11:30 a.m. With Chair Johnny Tapley presiding, they had 51 in attendance. Johnny and …

Senator Burns speaks to Exchange Club

On Tuesday, April 11, 2025, Senator Max Burns, who serves the 23rd Georgia Senate District, spoke to the Swainsboro Exchange about the highlights of the recent legislative session, among other …
Features

Loss of the Veterans

Again, this week in our small community, we lost three veterans that can’t be replaced - Mr. Pete Boatright (USAF), Mr. Otis Smith (USMC), and Mr. Jack Sutton (US Army). These men supplied the …

Keep Emanuel Beautiful to hold Trash Bash

Keep Emanuel Beautiful’s second annual “Southern Trash Bash” will be held Saturday, April 19, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Prizes will be awarded to the groups with the most volunteers making the …

Tax Commissioners office will be moving soon

Dear Citizens of Emanuel County, We have exciting news! The Emanuel County Tax Commissioner’s Office is moving to a new building, and to make the transition smooth, our office will be closed on …
Faith

Holy Zion Church of Metter to hold 47th Church Anniversary

Holy Zion Church of Metter will have their 47th Church Anniversary January 16, 17 and 19, at 7:30 p.m. nightly. Thursday night, January 16, guest speaker will be Bishop Larry MacMiller with Bible …

Living Way Ministries to hold annual women conference

Living Way Ministries will have their annual women conference Friday, June 7 and Saturday, June 8, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, June 9, at 2:30 p.m. The theme for the conference will be ‘Surely God can do …

Oak Chapel renovation

About the time Covid reared its ugly head early in 2021 and churches were suspending in-house services for a while, another problem arose at Oak Chapel Baptist Church. While inspecting some low spots …
Opinion

Putting the accent on how we talk in the South

Well now, don’t that just beat all? A new study from Answering Service Care reveals that the Southern accent is officially the friendliest in the U.S. A third-generation family-owned business, …

#1 son - Happy birthday!

It was blistering hot on June 18, 1957, as I waddled around the house of my parents. I was so ready to have the baby! Since this was our first child, I had come home to Momma and Daddy’s to deliver …

A dream interrupted

The struggle to succeed is constant in the life of any small community. Ups and downs are to be expected as cities and counties fight to survive and grow. You learn to take the good with the bad and …
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