The Macon Melody

06/10/2026

The percentage of chronically absent students in Bibb County public schools dropped to 22.7% this year.

District officials say they are on track to halve that number by 2030.

The percentage of chronically absent students dropped to 22.7% this year, a vast improvement over a peak of 53.2% in 2022.

06/09/2026

A downtown restaurant serving up Korean food, a cuisine that's unexplored territory here in Macon, may be one of the most exciting additions to Macon's restaurant scene in recent years, writes food columnist Billy Hennessey.

Gangnam Grill introduces Macon diners to a cuisine they may never have experienced while making them feel completely comfortable from the very first bite, writes food columnist Billy Hennessey.

06/08/2026

After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in late April that a second majority-Black congressional district in Louisiana was unconstitutional, state legislators across the South have moved to redraw congressional maps to suit their political interests.

Learn the answer to this question in the fact brief in partnership with Gigafact.

06/08/2026

The new documentary “Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul” premieres at Macon’s Piedmont Grand Opera House June 11 but has already sold out. There will be four additional screenings later this month. The documentary will transport many fans to those early 1970s days in Macon during the Capricorn era.

The upcoming premiere of the new documentary “Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul” has Melody columnist Michael W. Pannell feeling nostalgic.

06/08/2026

Much has changed in the decades since HIV and the disease it causes, AIDS, entered the medical vocabulary. Still, Georgia remains among the hot spots in the country for new diagnoses, ranking second in the nation when measured per capita.

A rare lung infection that struck five previously healthy young men in Los Angeles 45 years ago, marked the official arrival of the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV.

06/07/2026

While resilience can be a strength, it can also become a barrier when it prevents someone from seeking medical care when they need it. Many of the most common health conditions affecting men can develop silently over time.

06/06/2026

It may seem counterintuitive that plants that are not fully developed could make a significant contribution to a healthy diet but sprouted seeds have many nutritional benefits.

Sprouts are functional whole foods and considered “nutrient-dense” in their ability to support health, prevent disease and manage chronic illnesses.

06/05/2026

Turnout for the Georgia Supreme Court and appellate elections suggested that a Democratic victory was practically a fait accompli, writes columnist Marc Hyden. But it wasn't the clear victory some were expecting. A few theories are already circulating in the news and on social media that could explain the unexpected turn of events.

The stars recently seemed aligned for Georgia Democrats to accomplish something truly extraordinary: unseating two Republican-appointed Georgia Supreme Court justices.

06/05/2026

Billy Wooten resigned as the dean of Middle Georgia State's School of Arts and Letters on May 20 after being sentenced to more than a year in prison for stealing at least $145,000 from a university in Virginia.

Wooten resigned from his Middle Georgia State role on May 20, a university spokesperson wrote in an email. He will be replaced on an interim basis by Sheree Keith, an associate dean and professor of communication studies.

06/05/2026

After moving from the Philippines to Macon in 2022, Jaiden Geolingo has brought home the Georgia Poet Laureate’s Prize for his poem "Peach State Migration".

Jaiden Geolingo, a rising senior at Howard High School, won this year's Georgia Poet Laureate's Prize for his work titled "Peach State Migration."