Hello, Statesboro!
If you woke up to rain this Monday, it should clear out tonight. What comes in behind it is the first week that feels like fall: highs in the 70s through Wednesday, and a low near 54 Wednesday night. Find the jacket.
One thing has a deadline of today. Monday, October 5, is the last day to register to vote in the November 3 election. Details are in the briefs.
The rest of the week's news is about growth and who gets a say in it. Residents opposed to the Burkhalter Road data center are now collecting signatures to put the city's data center ordinance to a citywide vote. East Georgia Regional announced a $16 million expansion of its emergency department. And a manufacturer north of the airport won a $4 million federal award to more than double its plant.
Also in this edition: the Eagles won their Sun Belt opener, Statesboro High scored 43 points before halftime, Tractors & Tunes moved to this Friday, and James Madison comes to Paulson on Saturday night.
Let's get into it.
📰 TOP NEWS
A Petition Drive Wants to Put the City's Data Center Ordinance to a Vote. It Needs 3,116 Signatures.
There are now three tracks in the Burkhalter Road data center fight. The developers are working toward a special use permit. Eleven residents and the nonprofit Coastal Communities United are in Superior Court trying to reverse the rezoning. And as of this week, a group calling itself Protect Statesboro is collecting signatures to force a referendum on repealing the city's data center ordinance altogether.
"My goal is repeal of the whole ordinance, and I think that it needs to be rewritten, if they're going to rewrite one, with input from people like our Riverkeepers and other nonprofits who know more than they do about this," lead organizer Ameigh Denali told the Statesboro Herald.
Here is how it would work. A state law, Georgia Code 36-35-3, lets voters in a city of Statesboro's size call an election to amend or repeal a city ordinance if at least 20 percent of the voters registered in the last general city election sign a petition. Statesboro had 15,578 registered voters in the 2025 city election, according to figures Denali got from Bulloch County Election Supervisor Shontay Jones. That puts the target at 3,116 valid signatures, and the city would have to verify each one as a registered voter who lives inside the city limits.
As of Friday, the petition had 697 signers, and 246 of them were known to live in the city. That is about 8 percent of the way there. Denali said the group has "not run a ground campaign really at all" and believes the number is reachable. The petition started smaller, as a message to Mayor Jonathan McCollar with a goal of 1,025 names, his margin of victory in the last election. Earlier signers have been told the purpose changed.
The ordinance in question passed 3-1 on June 2. It bans data centers larger than 50 acres in the city and allows smaller ones only as a special use in four zoning districts.
The developers, meanwhile, gave the Herald more of their side. Charles Way and Bobby Bagwell of 4AM Development said all four investors are residential developers, and that the data center came out of wanting an alternative to the 240 to 285 apartments first planned for the site. They expect 10 to 15 permanent jobs once it is running, and far less traffic than apartments would bring. Way was plain about the other reason: it "would be more financially beneficial to us than the apartments." They have not named an end user. They have turned in a preliminary sound study and a water use plan.
It is this week's poll question. Tell us below how you would vote.
East Georgia Regional Will Spend $16 Million to Expand Its Emergency Department
East Georgia Regional Medical Center treated more than 53,000 emergency patients in 2025. That works out to about 145 a day. On Thursday the hospital announced a $16 million expansion and renovation of the emergency department to keep up.
The plan adds 6,118 square feet, 12 new treatment rooms, and two fast-track bays for patients with less serious problems. When the whole project is finished, the department will have 43 patient treatment areas, a larger waiting area, a redesigned entry and triage area, and its own parking for emergency patients and visitors. Completion is set for late 2027.
"As the Bulloch County and Southeast Georgia area and surrounding communities continue to experience rapid growth, the need for increased emergency care capacity has become increasingly important," said Cheri Wagner, the hospital's director of emergency services.
What it means for you: the emergency department stays open around the clock through all of it, but the way in is about to change. Starting in late October, the main emergency entrance moves temporarily to the hospital's main Outpatient Entrance. The hospital has not published an exact date yet. It is worth knowing before the night you need it.
The hospital began expanding its cardiac catheterization lab this spring.
A Statesboro Manufacturer Won a $4 Million Federal Award, and Says It Will Fill a New Plant by February
ShaloTek makes precision machined parts, mostly for aerospace and defense, in a 10,000-square-foot plant off Highway 301 North just past the airport. It moved here in June 2025. Last week it received a $4 million award from the U.S. Small Business Administration, and SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler toured the plant Thursday with Congressman Rick Allen, State Sen. Billy Hickman and State Rep. Butch Parrish.
Owner Travis Brewer said the money goes to a 15,000-square-foot building next door. "Instead of putting one or two machines in it at a time, by February, that whole new facility will be full again," he said.
The company's numbers are worth a look. Brewer and co-founder Matthew Genton started in 2021 in a 1,000-square-foot shop in Savannah making 8,000 parts a month. The Statesboro plant now runs 34 computer-controlled machines on three shifts, around the clock, seven days a week, with about 100 workers turning out more than 130,000 parts a month. Brewer described the company as "a second-step contractor for missile components" and a supplier to several firearm manufacturers. Parts for a humanoid robot hand were on display during the tour.
If you or someone you know is looking for work, this is the part to read. "I would say 60% of the staff in this building had never touched a machine before they came in this building," Brewer said. "I look for good people. I'll take good people and we'll train them up." He said ShaloTek is sending 24 employees through Ogeechee Tech's new robotics center over the next two years.
📋 LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS
Today Is the Last Day to Register to Vote in the November 3 Election
Monday, October 5, is the registration deadline for the November 3 general election and any runoffs. Early voting runs October 13 through October 30. The last day to request an absentee ballot is October 23, and Georgia counts a mailed ballot only if it arrives by 7 p.m. on Election Day, so a postmark is not enough. State Elections Director Blake Evans's advice for voting by mail: "go ahead and get your request in now." You can check your registration on the state's My Voter Page.
Tractors & Tunes Was Rained Out and Moves to This Friday
The Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Statesboro Development Authority postponed last Friday's Tractors & Tunes because of the storm forecast. It is now Friday, October 9, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on East Main Street, still free, with farm equipment, farm animals, a bouncy house and The Mud Road Band. Sponsor tents will be on the courthouse lawn.
A UGA Study Ties 7,234 Bulloch County Jobs to Georgia's Ports
The University of Georgia's Terry College of Business puts the number of Bulloch County jobs supported by the state's ports at 7,234, up 345 from last year's report. That is third among the coastal counties in the study, behind Chatham at 77,732 and Liberty at 7,344. Across the 11-county coastal area the total is 110,368 full-time and part-time jobs.
A Southeast Bulloch Middle Teacher Is One of Nine in Georgia Honored for Mentoring New Teachers
Melissa Whiteman, who teaches sixth-grade social studies at Southeast Bulloch Middle, received a Georgia Mentor Teacher Award for her work with Georgia Southern education majors doing their student teaching in her classroom. A Georgia Southern faculty member nominated her. She has more than 28 years in the classroom, 14 of them in Bulloch County. "My classroom has benefited greatly from our partnership with Georgia Southern University," she said. She will be honored November 19 on St. Simons Island.
More Than 700 Eighth-Graders Tried Out Careers at Georgia Southern
Students from Bulloch, Candler, Evans, Effingham and north Bryan counties spent Wednesday, September 30, at the Nessmith-Lane Center for the RISE 8th Grade Experience West. Thirty-two companies from around the region set up hands-on exhibits on manufacturing, logistics and assembly work. A week earlier, Ogeechee Tech hosted Bulloch County's 10th-graders for its own career expo, with Crider Foods, Ajin Georgia, Howard Lumber, Briggs & Stratton and others taking part.
Headed to Savannah? A Lighter Week of Closures
This week's 16@95 advisory lists one item: an intermittent right lane closure on I-95 northbound at mile marker 99, nightly from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. through Saturday, October 10. GDOT says other closures can pop up inside the work zone, so check 511ga.org before you go.
📅 THIS WEEK'S EVENTS (October 5 to 11, 2026)
Library Teen Leaders
Monday, Oct. 5 | 5 p.m. | Statesboro Regional Library, 124 S. Main St. | Ages 12 to 18 | (912) 764-1341
Statesboro Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, Oct. 6 | 9 a.m. | Council Chambers, City Hall, East Main Street
Children's Book & Fall Garden Festival
Tuesday, Oct. 6 | 4 to 5 p.m. | Statesboro Regional Library, 124 S. Main St. | Ages 6 to 12 | (912) 764-1341
Bulloch County Board of Commissioners
Tuesday, Oct. 6 | 5:30 p.m. | Board of Commissioners Room, North Main Annex, North Main Street
Teen Craft Activity
Thursday, Oct. 8 | 4:30 p.m. | Statesboro Regional Library, 124 S. Main St. | Ages 12 to 18 | (912) 764-1341
Bulloch County Board of Education Regular Session
Thursday, Oct. 8 | 6:30 p.m. | Central Office/Transition Learning Center, Williams Road
Kids' History Club
Friday, Oct. 9 | 4 p.m. | Statesboro Regional Library, 124 S. Main St. | Ages 6 to 11 | (912) 764-1341
Children's Book & Fall Garden Festival at the Community Garden
Friday, Oct. 9 | 4 to 5 p.m. | Community Garden, 130 Parker St. | Ages 6 to 12 | (912) 764-1341
Tractors & Tunes
Friday, Oct. 9 | 5:30 to 8 p.m. | East Main Street, downtown Statesboro | Free | Rescheduled from Oct. 2
The Undercovers: Rogers, Richie & Robinson
Friday, Oct. 9 | 7 p.m. | Emma Kelly Theater, Averitt Center for the Arts, 33 E. Main St. | Tickets at averittcenterforthearts.org or (912) 212-2787
Main Street Farmers Market
Saturday, Oct. 10 | 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | 222 S. Main St., behind Visit Statesboro | Free to browse | Greens, broccoli and winter squash are coming in
Georgia Southern vs. James Madison
Saturday, Oct. 10 | 7:30 p.m. | Allen E. Paulson Stadium | ESPNU
Friday downtown is a two-for-one. Tractors & Tunes and The Undercovers are on the same block of East Main, a half hour apart. High school football is all on the road or at Bulloch Academy this week. Details in Sports below.
🦅 GEORGIA SOUTHERN UPDATES
Georgia Southern Moved Up 15 Spots in the U.S. News Rankings
The 2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges list puts Georgia Southern at No. 328 among national universities, up 15 places from last year, and tied for No. 175 among public schools. Undergraduate engineering came in tied at No. 106, business at No. 230, nursing at No. 243 and computer science at No. 276. The university says more than 33,000 students enrolled this academic year, a record.
The University System Has a New Chancellor
The Board of Regents on Thursday named Thomas A. Fanning chancellor of the University System of Georgia, which includes Georgia Southern and 24 other public colleges and universities. Fanning led Southern Company, Georgia Power's parent, from 2010 to 2023. He starts January 1, the day after Sonny Perdue retires. Fanning said his priorities are keeping college accessible, supporting innovation and supplying the state's economy with graduates.
Community Classes This Fall, Including a Wreath Workshop
Georgia Southern's Division of Continuing and Professional Education has a wreath making workshop on the Statesboro campus Saturday, October 17, from 9 to 10 a.m., and two evening sessions at the Botanic Garden in November: one on food preservation November 3 and one on soil November 12. It is also hosting an AI Impact Conference November 5 at 10449 U.S. Highway 301.
🏈 SPORTS & CAMPUS EVENTS
The Eagles Won the Fourth Quarter and the Sun Belt Opener, 31-24 at Coastal Carolina
Georgia Southern led 17-10 at halftime on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Max Johnson to Zay Hilliard, a 41-yard Tripp Bryant field goal and a 67-yard touchdown run by Weston Bryan. Coastal tied it at 17 in the third quarter. Then Johnson went 5 of 6 for 77 yards in the fourth, with touchdown passes to Alex Taylor and River Helms, and the defense held the Chanticleers to minus-1 rushing yard in the quarter with three sacks.
Johnson finished 18 of 29 for 233 yards and three touchdowns and passed 1,000 yards for the season. Bryan ran for 88 yards on eight carries. Brandon Tyson had 10 tackles and forced a fumble at the goal line in the first quarter. The Eagles did not turn the ball over.
Georgia Southern is 2-3 overall and 1-0 in the Sun Belt. James Madison comes to Paulson Stadium Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on ESPNU. Check the forecast below before you tailgate.
Statesboro Led 43-0 at Halftime and Beat Groves 49-14
The Blue Devils scored on offense, defense and special teams Thursday night in Garden City. Beckham Jarrard threw touchdown passes to Todd Easter, Kevin Sello and Davis Harrison. Caleb Scroggins returned a blocked punt 20 yards for a score, and Jammie Chavers got a safety. Statesboro finished with 402 yards, 254 of them on the ground. "The best part of the night is that every kid on our roster played football tonight," coach Matt Dobson said. Statesboro is 4-2 and plays at Evans on Friday.
Southeast Bulloch Lost Its Homecoming Game to Harlem, 28-14
Two calls went against the Yellow Jackets in the fourth quarter at Fred Shaver Field. An apparent fumble return was ruled an incomplete pass, and Harlem scored on the next play to go up 21-7. JK Small hit Eli Reed for a 22-yard touchdown on fourth down to make it 21-14 with 5:15 left, but Harlem scored again. Reed caught both Southeast Bulloch touchdowns. "We can't blame him for that. We gave up 28 points," first-year coach Jason Anthony said of the official. The Yellow Jackets are 2-4 and play at Windsor Forest Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Portal and Bulloch Academy Are Back From Their Bye Weeks
Both teams had last week off. Portal is 5-1 on a five-game winning streak, and Grice Connect has the Panthers at the top of their region. Bulloch Academy is 6-1 and hosts Savannah Country Day on Friday.
🍽️ RESTAURANT SPOTLIGHT
Azul Tex-Mex, 408 S. Main St.
Tasting Statesboro is a week from Thursday, with more than 40 restaurants handing out samples for the United Way. Azul is first on the list, thanks to the alphabet, and it is a good place to start if you have not been.
It sits at the fork on the Blue Mile, near the Honey Bowen Building, and it opened in October 2023. The name comes from the Blue Mile itself and from the blue agave plant in the logo. Owner Lorena Cisneros told Grice Connect at the opening that her favorite thing on the menu is the burrito, which you build yourself. There are vegetarian options, a walk-up bar and a patio, and dogs on a leash are welcome.
"We hope to create an environment that welcomes everyone for the long run," Jorge San Juan said back then. Three years on, there is a second Azul at 608 Brannen St.
One thing to know: it opens at 7 a.m. every day.
Hours: Sunday to Wednesday 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Phone: (912) 259-9565
Tasting Statesboro the United Way is Thursday, October 15, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Anthony P. Tippins Family Training Facility next to Paulson Stadium. Tickets are $35 in advance and $50 the day of the event. Advance sales close Wednesday, October 14, at 11:59 p.m. Details at Grice Connect.
🌤️ WEATHER ADVISORY
Rain today, then four dry days that feel like October. The middle of the week is the time for anything outdoors. Rain comes back for the weekend.
Monday: High near 74, showers and thunderstorms, rain 86 percent
Tuesday: High near 76, mostly cloudy, rain 9 percent
Wednesday: High near 79, mostly sunny, rain 1 percent
Thursday: High near 82, mostly sunny, no rain expected
Friday: High near 80, partly sunny, rain 14 percent, rising to 28 percent Friday night
Saturday: High near 77, showers and storms likely, rain 55 percent, 66 percent Saturday night
Sunday: High near 76, showers and thunderstorms, rain 76 percent
Overnight lows run from 54 to 62, with the coolest night Wednesday.
Pulled live from the National Weather Service at 9:20 a.m. Monday. No active alerts for Bulloch County at that time. Check weather.gov before you commit to an outdoor plan.
Friday evening looks fine for Tractors & Tunes, which already lost one date to weather. Saturday is the problem. The farmers market in the morning has better odds than the Eagles game at night, so pack a poncho for Paulson.
We still need the rain. The U.S. Drought Monitor map dated September 29 has all of Bulloch County abnormally dry for the second straight week, and the share in moderate drought has not moved from 16.18 percent in seven maps.
If the city's data center ordinance went to a citywide vote, how would you vote?
👀 LOOKING AHEAD
Tuesday, Oct. 13: early voting begins for the November 3 election and runs through October 30.
Thursday, Oct. 15: Tasting Statesboro the United Way, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. next to Paulson Stadium. Advance tickets close the night before.
Thursday, Oct. 15: the Board of Education work session, 6:30 p.m. at the Central Office/Transition Learning Center on Williams Road.
Saturday, Oct. 17: the 21st annual Buddy Walk in Savannah's Forsyth Park, hosted by the Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society. Opening ceremonies are at 10 a.m.
Around Wednesday, Oct. 21: the city's response to the data center lawsuit is due, 30 days after it was served on September 21.
Friday, Oct. 23: the last day to request an absentee ballot.
Saturday, Oct. 24: the Ogeechee Riverkeeper's free fall community day, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Ogeechee Crossing Park in Louisville.
Late October: the emergency entrance at East Georgia Regional moves to the main Outpatient Entrance.
Thursday, Oct. 29: the gas tax suspension ends.
Tuesday, Nov. 3: Election Day, including the District 2 special election. Loletta Donaldson Elliott, Maleek Jones and Kathleen "Katie" Keehner are on that ballot.
Tuesday, Nov. 17: the tabled Zetterower Road rezoning comes back to the council.
✉️ THANKS FOR READING!
This was a week about a growing town: more ER rooms, a bigger plant north of the airport, and a petition asking who decides what gets built next to a neighborhood. Wherever you land on that last one, the first step is the same, and it is due today. Check your registration.
Got a tip, a correction, or an event we missed? Hit reply. We read every message.
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