The Rocketman himself... Delighting crowds of fans... Not just Central Georgians, but people traveling from all over the state to the Macon Centreplex, where they got a listen to the music...and a look at the show.
Good evening, everyone...and thank you for joining us.
I'm Frank Malloy.
Leah Johnson has the night off..
He's known as the rocket man...and mr. Fantastic... But to Central Georgia tonight..he was the main attraction.
A large crowd filled the seats at the Centreplex to enjoy an evening with Elton John..
13WMAZ's Katelyn Heck joined the crowds tonight.
People from across the state dawned their boas and colored glasses... Ready to see the man behind some of their favorite hits.
<rocketman, everything he sings, I love, I have always loved him.>
And it's not just his songs that drew in the crowds.
<i'm in the tenth row and this is the closest I'll ever be to seeing Elton John. I grew up with him, because I was 18 when he first came on the scene, so we've grown up together, grown old together, and he's still hot.>
<you hear people on the award shows saying who their influences have been and over and over again you hear Elton John, Elton John. I think he's very influential, and he's withstood the test of time.>
<he's outspoken and he won't stop stating his opinions. He's one of the first people that came out being openly gay, which is awesome.>
Sir Elton John canceled last Friday's show in Birmingham, Alabama for medical reasons.
But thousands of fans were glad to see him back in full swing for his peach state performance.
Katelyn Heck 13WMAZ Eyewitness News
13WMAZ's Web Producer...Cody Rhodes...was on photographer duty tonight.
He put together a photo gallery you can find at 13WMAZ-dot-com.
Scroll down the homepage to slideshows.
You can either sit back and watch the images as a slideshow...or you can click on each picture you want to see.
Thats's at 13WMAZ-dot-com.
So with the chill coming in...plus all the rain and other stuff on Friday...the folks at Cherry Blossom decided to relocate some of the popular outside events.
The Third Street Park Founder's Day Event, always attracts a crowd eager for a taste of that free ice cream.
So people can enjoy it...without being too cold themselves... It'll be held at terminal station from 11:30 until 1:30 p.m.
And the Jazz concert on Coleman Hill...moving inside to the Cox Capitol Theater Friday night from 6 until 8 p.m.
You can still bring a picnic...cash bar still available.
Thanks Ben. We'll talk to you again a little later in this newscast.
A fire damaged at least 10 apartments at a complex in North Bibb County.
Lullwater Apartments are located on Bass Drive near Bass Pro Shops.
Captain Glover with the Macon-Bibb Fire Department told 13WMAZ the fire started around 6 o'clock tonight.
The damaged apartments are in Building 500. Captain Glover said the flames were out by 8:30. He said most of the damage is from water from fire hoses.
In other news tonight...the teenager police say...committed two shootings...within days of each other a couple of years ago... Pleaded guilty to one charge... and saw the other dropped.
According to the Bibb County District Attorney's office,
18-year-old Robreon Lee was sentenced to 15 years for aggravated assault...He has serve five of those in prison but gets credit for time already spent in jail since he was charged..
Lee pleaded guilty to the first shooting incident... which happened at a bus stop on Virginia Drive on August 24th... 2011... where two Westside High school students were shot.
Lee was also charged with murder for a shooting at a birthday party, just three days later.
Arquentris Fountain died from his wound.
Just like when you drive a car ... Georgians who operate a boat on the state's waterways are subject to a blood alcohol limit.
That limit is point-one-zero (.10).
But Georgia lawmakers want to lower it a little..
A bill in the state house this session would lower the current blood-alcohol to point-zero-8 for anyone operating a water vessel on Georgia rivers, ponds, and lakes.
The measure cleared the House and now heads back to the Senate for more discussion.
Boating safety became a critical issue after several deaths on Lake Lanier last summer...including the high-profile death of Usher's 11-year-old stepson.
That charge was dropped by the D-A's office because victims and witnesses weren't fully cooperative.
Sandra Matson from that office also says another reason charges were dismissed was because Lee pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in the first shooting.
After years of helping make decisions affecting the city's decisions and operations...Macon city council member Tom Ellington says he will not run for a seat in the consolidated Macon-Bibb government.
After almost six years on council... And chairing the Appropriations committee... Ellington says he's ready to step down.
<i am committed to doing that work right until the end of my term. I am also committed to work in the community as a private citizen. There are a lot of ways of serving besides holding an elected office, and I am certainly not going to walk away from the community.>
Ellington also serves on the consolidation transition task force.
Outstanding character... proven leadership... and service to others landed a big title for one Rutland High School student.
Tyler Ragin won Youth of the Year for the Boys and Girls Club state competition.
The competition called for several activities... like public speaking and writing essays.
In one essay... Ragin had to explain what the Boys and Girls Club means to her... and the role that character plays in today's youth.
Ragin is a honor student juggling her time between running track... being a role model for her younger siblings... and participating in the Boys and Girls Club.
She says the win was unexpected... but proof that hard work pays off.
< Tyler Ragin, 2013 Student Youth of the Year, Boys and Girls Club: If you tell me I can't do something, I'm going to try my best to prove you wrong. I have a set goal in life. I have many goals in life and I try to plan for each one of them and have point A's and point B's and try to reach every goal.
Leland Ragin, Macon: She's a 3 point 6 GPA, AP honor roll student and first and foremost she's just a good kid. >
Ragin secured a 5 thousand dollar scholarship by winning the state competition... and a one thousand dollar scholarship from the boys and girls club.
She will spend time traveling across the state for speaking engagements... as part of her duties as State Youth of the Year.