It Simply Waits

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Good morning, Spalding County!

A few mornings ago, I watched someone sitting at a coffee shop working on a crossword puzzle from the newspaper. No laptop. No headphones. No phone propped against the cup. Just a pencil, a folded page, and a long pause over seven letters across.

Every few minutes, the phone on the table would light up. They never touched it.

That small scene stuck with me because it feels like more people are looking for things that work exactly that way. Film cameras that make you wait to see the picture. Journals that never ask you to log in. Crafts that take an entire afternoon and produce nothing more impressive than something you made with your own hands.

None of these hobbies are new. What is new is how peaceful they feel. So much of modern life is built to interrupt us, measure us, and keep us coming back. A crossword does none of that. It simply waits.

Maybe that is what people are rediscovering. Not nostalgia, exactly, but the pleasure of doing something that asks for your attention without trying to steal it.

- Chad

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THE DIGEST

Downtown Griffin Playground Officially Opens

The new Downtown Griffin Playground officially opened July 8 with a ribbon cutting and community picnic near the Welcome Center at 143 North Hill Street. The train-themed play area was developed through a partnership involving the City of Griffin and the Rotary Club of Griffin. Local officials, community groups, and families attended the opening, which marked the completion of the project and the addition of a new public play space in the downtown district. The playground is located near shops, restaurants, city events, and the Welcome Center, making it accessible to families already spending time downtown. The opening was part of Griffin’s broader summer schedule of community events and downtown activities.

Griffin’s First Drone Show Closes Downtown Celebration Week

Griffin wrapped up their America 250 and Spalding County 175 celebration week on July 11 with the All-American Summer Block Party in downtown Griffin. The day included a car show, food vendors, downtown shopping and dining specials, family activities, live music, and a bike safety event. The celebration ended that evening with Griffin’s first patriotic drone show, which used coordinated lights in the sky to create a series of themed images above downtown. The event served as the final major gathering in a week that also included the July 4 parade, community birthday activities, fireworks, and a countywide park scavenger hunt.

Federal Funding Remains Key to New Regional Airport Timeline

Planning and site preparation are continuing for the new Griffin-Spalding County Area Regional Airport, which is expected to open around 2030 if funding stays on schedule. The airport will be built across Highway 16 from The Lakes at Green Valley, between Banks Road, Sapelo Road, and Highway 155. The project includes a 5,000-foot runway designed to handle most business jets, with room for a future extension to 6,000 feet. State and federal funding has already been committed, but the federal portion is distributed over time through annual FAA grant allocations rather than as one lump sum. Croy Engineering says that creates uncertainty as the project approaches major earthwork expected to cost between $20 million and $25 million. That funding must be secured before the work can be advertised for bids.

CIVIL NEWS

Monday opens with two Griffin-Spalding County Airport Authority sessions at One Griffin Center, 100 South Hill Street. The City of Griffin’s official agenda publisher lists a separate Airport Authority meeting at 3:00 PM, followed by the authority’s regular monthly meeting at 5:00 PM. The earlier session is tied to discussions surrounding future service-delivery agreements and construction and funding for the new regional airport. The 5:00 PM meeting is the authority’s regular public session, where residents can follow updates involving the existing airport and the replacement airport project.

Tuesday is the busiest day on the local government calendar, with four confirmed meetings. The day begins at 8:15 AM with the Griffin Downtown Development Authority in the City of Griffin Municipal Courtroom at 100 South Hill Street. The DDA focuses on downtown redevelopment, business recruitment, public improvements and projects intended to strengthen the city’s central business district.

At 9:00 AM, the Spalding County Board of Assessors meets in Room 108 of the Spalding County Courthouse Annex, 119 East Solomon Street. The official 2026 meeting page specifically lists the July 14 session, and the board’s published agendas place its regular meetings at that time and location. This board oversees the administration of property assessments, exemptions, valuation appeals and preparation of the county tax digest.

The Spalding County Naming Committee meets at 4:00 PM in Room 108 of the Courthouse Annex. Unlike many committee listings, this one has a specific agenda: members will discuss the naming of the Heritage Park Event Center. Anyone following the new event facility and the broader redevelopment of the Heritage Park and Fairmont area may want to keep an eye on this meeting.

Tuesday concludes with the Spalding County Board of Elections and Voter Registration at 6:00 PM, also in Room 108 of the Courthouse Annex. The agenda includes citizen comments, approval of the June 23 meeting minutes and the election director’s report. No new or old business is listed for action. This is the meeting to follow for local election administration, voter registration and updates from the county elections office.

DUMP SCHEDULE

Monday & Thursday: Carver (610 Carver Rd) and Woodroof (4245 Old Atlanta Rd) 11am-7pm

Tuesday & Friday: Blalock (5756 Newnan Rd) and Cabin (3865 Jackson Rd)
11am-7pm

Saturday: All centers open 7am-1pm (plus Akin for bulky items only)

Sunday & Wednesday: Closed

Got big stuff? The Akin Collection Center (841 S McDonough Rd) is for bulky items only—no regular household garbage. Open Saturdays 7am-1pm.

All centers closed on county holidays.

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’

MONDAY

Bike Night with Family Tradition RC
When: Monday, July 13, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
What: Catarina’s Mexican Restaurant is hosting a community Bike Night with Family Tradition RC. Motorcycle riders and local residents can stop by for an evening of bikes, food, drinks and live music. The event is open to those who ride as well as anyone who simply wants to see the motorcycles and enjoy a casual night out.
Where: Catarina’s Mexican Restaurant, 650 North Expressway, Griffin, GA 30223

TUESDAY

Earth, Blooms, and Buzz Nature Series: Soil, Grass, and Water
When: Tuesday, July 14, 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM
What: UGA Griffin is hosting the first session of its Earth, Blooms, and Buzz Nature Series with a hands-on look at soil, grass, and water. Participants will learn about soil health, soil testing, turfgrass, grass diseases, weed management, and water quality with UGA experts and guests from the City of Griffin and UGA Extension. The session includes lunch and time outdoors touring campus locations to see environmental science in action. Cost is $10, space is limited to 15 participants, and registration closes July 12. Closed-toe shoes and pants or a long skirt are required.
Where: Redding Building, 325 Woodroof Drive, UGA Griffin Campus, Griffin, GA

Club Fitness 20th Anniversary Ribbon Cutting
When: Tuesday, July 14, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
What: The Griffin-Spalding Chamber of Commerce is helping Club Fitness celebrate 20 years in the community with a public ribbon cutting. Local residents, Chamber members and longtime gym customers are invited to stop by, recognize the milestone and meet the team behind the Griffin fitness center.
Where: Club Fitness, 549 North Expressway, Griffin, GA 30223

WEDNESDAY

Manna From Above Back-to-School Teacher Resource Day
When: Wednesday, July 15, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
What: Local teachers can visit Manna From Above for free classroom supplies, including notebooks, paper, pencils, binders, sanitizer and cleaning wipes. Supplies will be distributed while they last, and educators must bring a valid school identification card. The organization is also accepting classroom-supply donations from residents who would like to help local teachers prepare for the new school year.
Where: Manna From Above, 110 North Expressway, Griffin, GA 30223

THURSDAY

2026 Business Resource Fair
When: Thursday, July 16, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
What: The Griffin-Spalding Chamber of Commerce is organizing a resource fair to welcome approximately 130 newly hired Griffin-Spalding County School System employees during their orientation. Participating businesses can introduce themselves, share local resources and provide promotional items to incoming teachers and staff. Businesses must register to reserve a table.
Where: Griffin High School, 1617 West Poplar Street, Griffin, GA 30224

Open Championship Par-Tee at Southern Social
When: Thursday, July 16 – Sunday, July 19, 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM
What: Southern Social is turning Open Championship weekend into a four-day watch party for golf fans. The tournament will be on the screens Thursday through Sunday, with golf-themed drink specials running all week. Saturday brings a little extra fun with a golf simulator contest, prizes, a “dress the part” theme, and a golf ball hunt for free shots. A good downtown stop for anyone who wants to catch the tournament with a drink in hand and a little friendly competition on the side.
Where: Southern Social by Fire Maker Brewing, 122 W Bank Street, Griffin, GA 30223

UPCOMING

Rachel Forehand Live at Southern Social
When: Friday, July 17, 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
What: Southern Social is hosting an evening of live music with Rachel Forehand in downtown Griffin. Guests can settle in for food, drinks, and a three-hour set, with Forehand also highlighting music from her new album, “Blackwater.” A good Friday-night option for anyone looking for local live music without leaving town.
Where: Southern Social by Fire Maker Brewing, 122 W Bank Street, Griffin, GA 30223

Jazz Night @ Tipsy Daisy
When: Saturday, July 18, 8:00 PM
What: The Tipsy Daisy is bringing jazz to downtown Griffin with live music from LALA & the YAYAS. The music is set to start at 8:30 PM, making this a good Saturday-night stop for anyone looking for something a little different downtown, whether you are grabbing a drink, meeting friends, or just want to hear live music close to home.
Where: The Tipsy Daisy, 132 S Hill Street, Griffin, GA 30223

WEATHER

MONDAY

83° 🌡️ 68° | ⛈️ | 70% | S 5 mph

TUESDAY

82° 🌡️ 69° | ⛈️ | 90% | E 5 mph

WEDNESDAY

86° 🌡️ 70° | ⛈️ | 60% | Light/calm

THURSDAY

88° 🌡️ 72° | ⛈️ | 40% | Light/calm

THANKS!

Thanks for reading today’s Griffin Grapevine.

The whole reason this exists is to make Griffin and Spalding County a little easier to keep up with, especially when the calendar is full, the school year is already sneaking up on us, and nobody has time to check five different websites just to figure out what is going on around town.

If you know someone who would enjoy the Grapevine, send this issue their way. The more local readers we have, the better this works.

And if you have an event, news tip, local story, or something happening around Spalding County that I should know about, just reply to this email. I read every message. Local businesses interested in reaching Grapevine readers can reply here as well or email me at griffin@welldiem.com.

Enjoy the rest of your summer while it is still here.