AFTER YEARS OF DECLINE IN ATTENDANCE AND PROFITS... THE GEORGIA STATE FAIR ALMOST DIDN'T HAPPEN THIS YEAR.
BUT WITH NEW OWNERSHIP... THE FAIR IS GETTING A SECOND CHANCE.
AS CANDACE ADORKA SHOWS YOU... THE NEW GROUP HOPES TO REVAMP THE IMAGE... BY BRINGING ON A BIGGER SECURITY FORCE.
<<FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN A DECADE... RUSSELL EDWARDS IS SPENDING A DAY AT THE GEORGIA STATE FAIR.
"So far it's a nice layout, its a little bit more comfortable, a little bit more spread out, and so far the quality of the food's been good and the rides have been fun.
HE AND HIS FAMILY ARE PART OF AN ESTIMATED 20-THOUSAND PEOPLE WHO HAVE ATTENDED THE FAIR OVER THE WEEKEND.
"We'd like to see at least 50 thousand people through here."
MARK LOVELL... PRESIDENT OF UNIVERSAL FAIRS... SAYS HE HOPES TO KEEP THAT MOMENTUM THROUGH THE WEEK... AND IN COMING YEARS.
"we don't expect to double and tripple it right of the bat but we'd like to see a nice little increase every year for 4 or five years..."
EVENTUALLY LOVELL HOPES TO GET 100-THOUSAND PEOPLE BUYING TICKETS... BUT HE SAYS HE HAS TO FIGHT THE PERCEPTION THAT THE FAIR IS FILLED WITH VIOLENCE AND TROUBLE MAKERS...
"Just because it has been that way in the past, does not mean it has to be that way in the future. And so I think my job is to get rid of that negative connotation."
AND TO DO THAT... HE'S BROUGHT ON ABOUT 50 SECURITY GUARDS... MACON POLICE.... AND BIBB SHERIFFS TO ENFORCE A NO-TOLERANCE POLICY.
"We had some punks out there acting stupid and we sent about 15 cops out there and we broke em up and sent them on their way."
"it makes you feel safe. It lets you know that if anything does get started, which events can happen, that it will be shut down quickly."
LOVELL SAYS IT'S ALL PART OF A SIMPLE FORMULA FOR A SUCCESSFUL FAIR.
"Make it clean, safe, family friendly, and give them a lot of value for their money."
CANDACE ADORKA.. 13 WMAZ EYEWITNESS NEWS.
>>
LOVELL SAYS THEY'RE HAVING A PROMOTION ON MONDAY FROM 1 TO 4.... 20 DOLLARS GETS YOU ADMISSION AND A WRISTBAND FOR UNLIMITED RIDES ALL DAY.
HE SAYS THAT SAVES 7 DOLLARS OFF REGULAR PRICE.
****TURN TO 3***
A MAN ROBBED A BIBB COUNTY STORE CLERK AT GUNPOINT EARLY THIS MORNING.
LIEUTENANT SEAN DEFOE WITH THE BIBB COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE SAYS IT HAPPENED AT THE WALTHALL CHEVRON GAS STATION ON OCMULGEE EAST BOULEVARD AROUND 1 A-M.
DEFOE SAYS A MAN FIRED A SHOT INTO THE CEILING WITH A BARRLE SHOTGUN.. THEN TOOK MONEY FROM THE CASH REGISTER... AND FIRED ANTHER SHOT AS HE WAS LEAVING.
DEFOE SAYS THE CASHIER WAS TREATED FOR MINOR INJURES FROM FLYING DEBRIS.
HE SAYS THE GUNMAN WAS A WHITE MALE.. WITH A SLENDER BUILD.. AND A MOHAWK STYLE HARICUT.
HE WAS LAST SEEN WEARING BLUE JEANS.. TAN OR BEIGE COLORED BOOTS... AND LEFT IN A 1990'S MODEL TOYOTA TACOMA TRUCK.
ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THIS INCIDENT CAN CALL THE BIBB COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AT 478-746-9441.
THAT NUMBER AGAIN... 478-746-9441.
TONIGHT... MOSTLY CLEAR WITH AREAS OF FOG AND LOWS IN THE UPPER 50S.
MONDAY... MOSTLY SUNNY WITH HIGHS NEAR 90.
MONDAY NIGHT... PARTLY CLOUDY WITH FOG POSSIBLE AND LOWS NEAR 60.
THANKS, JOHN. WE'LL CHECK BACK WITH YOU LATER.
TOMORROW PEOPLE IN BYRON HAVE THE CHANCE TO HEAR FROM CANDIDATES VYING FOR GEORGIA'S SECOND DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL SEAT.
RICK ALLEN... KEN DELOACH... AND JOHN HOUSE ARE ALL SCHEDULED TO PARTICIPATE IN A POLITICAL FORUM AT THE BYRON WELCOME CENTER AT 7 P-M.
ALL THREE MEN ARE TRYING TO WIN THE SECOND DISTRICT SEAT CURRENTLY HELD BY SANFORD BISHOP.
THE NEWLY DRAWN DISTRICT COVERS A 29 COUNTY SPAN... INCLUDING MOST OF MACON AND CRAWFORD.. PEACH.. TAYLOR.. AND DOOLY COUNTIES.
YOU MAY BE NOTICING A BIT OF RELIEF... AT THE PUMP.
THAT'S BECAUSE GAS PRICES CONTINUE TO DROP.
TRIPLE A SAYS PRICES FELL BY A NICKLE THIS WEEK.. WITH THE AVERAGE PRICE FOR A GALLON SITTING AT 3-82 NATIONWIDE.
THE AUTO CLUB SAYS PRICES ARE 8 CENTS LOWER THAN A MONTH AGO.. AND 5 CENTS LOWER THAN THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
AND THAT TREND HOLDS UP IN MACON.
LAST MONTH... THE AVERAGE PRICE FOR A GALLON OF REGULAR GAS WAS 3-80... TODAY IT'S 3-59.
EXPERTS SAY STABLE CRUDE OIL PRICES HAVE HELPED MOVE GAS PRICES LOWER.
JOHN'S GOT A CHECK ON YOUR WEATHER ... AFTER THE BREAK.. STAY WIHT US.
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ADLIB WEATHER
LET'S HAVE ONE LAST LOOK AT WEATHER
TONIGHT... MOSTLY CLEAR WITH AREAS OF FOG AND LOWS IN THE UPPER 50S.
MONDAY... MOSTLY SUNNY WITH HIGHS NEAR 90.
MONDAY NIGHT... PARTLY CLOUDY WITH FOG POSSIBLE AND LOWS NEAR 60.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
FOR YOUR LATEST NEWS ALL DAY EVERY DAY... VISIT 13WMAZ DOT COM.
HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. WE'LL SEE YOU BACK HERE FOR EYEWITNESS NEWS AT ELEVEN.