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Hello, Statesboro!
Halloween is Saturday, and this is the week it all lands. There is a trick-or-treat somewhere in the county every night from Wednesday through Saturday, and they have their own section below. The weather is on our side: sunny most days, highs near 80 by the weekend, and nothing more than a slight chance of rain until Sunday.
Saturday night has one wrinkle. Georgia Southern hosts App State at 6:30 p.m., right in the middle of the city's 6 to 8 p.m. trick-or-treat hours. If you live near campus, plan around game traffic.
In the news: the city named its only finalist for city manager, the budget cut list now has a date, Kroger broke ground on Veterans Memorial Parkway, and early voting ends Friday.
Also in this edition: Statesboro won at Evans on a hook-and-ladder with 19 seconds left, Bulloch Academy is region champion, and a tapas bar on South Main.
Let's get into it.
📰 TOP NEWS
The City Has One Finalist for City Manager, and He Already Works at City Hall
Jason Boyles, Statesboro's assistant city manager since 2018, is the sole finalist to replace City Manager Charles Penny, the city announced Friday. Georgia law requires the city to name a finalist at least 14 days before the council votes. That vote is expected at the council's regular meeting on Tuesday, November 17, at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, and the meeting is open to the public. If approved, Boyles would start January 1, 2027.
Boyles has 25 years in local government, including leadership roles in public works and engineering, water and wastewater, and planning and development. He holds a bachelor's in civil engineering technology and a master's in public administration from Georgia Southern, and the Credentialed Manager designation from the International City/County Management Association. The city says Developmental Associates ran a national search.
"Boyles is an accomplished local government executive who has successfully led major initiatives," Mayor Jonathan McCollar said in the announcement.
Why it matters: the next manager inherits the budget problem in the next story. Penny said this month that he made his cut recommendations as the outgoing manager so his successor would not have to start with them. Boyles has been at City Hall through all of it.
The Budget Cuts Come Back on Election Day, and Visit Statesboro Wants a Higher Hotel Tax
Last Tuesday's council work session was the second look at City Manager Charles Penny's list of about $1.34 million in cuts, the gap left when the council kept the tax rate at 8.625 mills instead of 9.60. The city has not posted minutes yet, and we found no news report on the discussion, so here is what the city's own slides show.
The last budget slide, headed "Discussion from Council," lists four items: Youth Connect at $52,000, Village Builders at $13,996, four Downtown Live concerts at $50,000, and the employee holiday bonus at $180,000. Together they come to $295,996. The same slide says a budget amendment goes to the council at its November 3 meeting. That is Election Day, and first-Tuesday meetings start at 9 a.m.
The slides also explain how the city got here, in its own words. Since the county dissolved the fire district, the city pays the full cost, and the general fund's transfer to the fire fund went from $3.2 million to about $7.49 million. Last year the city covered the gap with loans from its enterprise funds, which the slides call "unsustainable" and say "must be repaid." The positions left unfunded or frozen include a police professional standards sergeant, a police administrative corporal and a police dispatcher.
The hotel tax pitch: Visit Statesboro asked the council to raise the city's lodging tax from 6 percent to 8 percent. Its presentation says Statesboro is one of 25 of 298 Georgia communities still at 6 percent, and that the change would bring in about $531,000 more a year, paid by hotel guests. State law sends every cent of the increase to tourism, so none of it could reach the general fund or soften the cuts. The path, per the slides, is a council resolution and then a local act from the legislature.
Also Tuesday night: the council approved the rezoning at Fair Road and Veterans Memorial Parkway for an Express Oil, 3-0. With the District 2 seat vacant and Councilmember Ginny Hendley absent, three members carried every vote.
Kroger Broke Ground on Veterans Memorial Parkway. It Opens in Fall 2027.
Kroger held a groundbreaking Wednesday for its $45.7 million Marketplace store at Veterans Memorial Parkway and Country Club Road. Construction actually started in August. The 99,000-square-foot store will anchor a 21-acre shopping center with four outparcels and another 10,850 square feet of retail. District manager Jonathan Orr said the store should bring 250 to 300 jobs.
What's going in: produce, meat, bakery, deli and floral departments, Murray's Cheese, fresh sushi, a full-service pharmacy with a drive-thru, a fuel center next door and grocery pickup.
"I think this is a project that not only speaks for this moment, but for the future of our community," Mayor Jonathan McCollar said at the ceremony. The store is set to open in fall 2027.
Your K-Cup Has Been Sitting in a Warehouse for Months
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📋 LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS
Early Voting Ends Friday
This is the last week to vote early in the November 3 election: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Bulloch County Annex, and at Brooklet City Hall through Friday on the same hours. On Election Day, Statesboro Precinct 11 votes at the Jones-Love Building at Luetta Moore Park, 585 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, not the Old William James Complex. District 2 city voters also have the special election for the council seat vacant since May, with Loletta Donaldson Elliott, Maleek Jones and Kathleen "Katie" Keehner on the ballot. Check your sample ballot on the state's My Voter Page, or call the Board of Elections at (912) 764-6502.
Cardinal Glass Will Close Its Statesboro Plant, Affecting 115 Workers
In case you missed it this month: Cardinal Glass Industries filed a state notice that it will permanently close its plant at 8373 Zell Miller Parkway, affecting 115 employees in production, leadership and support jobs. The first separations are set for December 6, the second for June 30, 2027. Per USGlass Magazine, the company cited changing conditions in the laminated glass market. Cardinal bought the plant in 2021 from Apogee, the parent company of Viracon Statesboro, after Apogee had planned to close it.
Hyundai's Metaplant Made the United Way of Southeast Georgia's Largest Corporate Gift Yet
The Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant in Ellabell presented $150,000 Wednesday to two United Way chapters. The United Way of Southeast Georgia, which serves Bulloch and five neighboring counties, received $50,000, which president and CEO Carey Cassedy said is the chapter's largest corporate contribution to date. She said it will help replace money lost as area businesses close. "There's going to be a lot of need out there with people that will now be unemployed," she said.
Two Fires Sunday Afternoon, and a Family of Three Lost Their Home
At 4:23 p.m. Sunday, county firefighters were sent to a pole barn fire in the 18300 block of Ga. Highway 46 near Nevils. The barn, a truck and farm equipment were a total loss, and the fire spread into the woods until Georgia Forestry cut a firebreak. While crews were still there, a second call came from the 3300 block of Bass Court off Highway 301 North, where a double-wide mobile home burned. Two adults and a child were displaced. Bulloch VOAD is housing the family for now through a United Way of Southeast Georgia grant. The causes are undetermined.
Order Your Hospice Chicken Dinner Plates by Friday
Ogeechee Area Hospice's annual chicken dinner is Friday, November 6, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Plates are $10: half a grilled chicken, green beans, corn on the cob and cookies. Order by this Friday, October 30, at 200 Donehoo Street or by calling (912) 764-8441, and pick up there on the 6th. Orders of 10 or more plates get free delivery to your office. New this year: boxes of five cookies for $5. Every dollar goes to hospice patients and families in nine counties.
🎃 TRICK-OR-TREAT THIS WEEK
Wednesday through Saturday, eight chances for candy.
Pittman Park Treat Trail
Wednesday, Oct. 28 | 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. | Pittman Park United Methodist Church, 1102 Fair Road | Free
Trunk-or-treating, hot dogs, games and a hayride. The church says the whole community is invited.
East Main Street Church of God Trunk or Treat
Wednesday, Oct. 28 | 6:30 to 8 p.m. | 403 E. Main St. | Free, register ahead
Free pizza, cold drinks and candy. The church asks you to register each child on its site first.
Bulloch County Recreation and Parks Trick or Treat
Thursday, Oct. 29 | 5 to 7:30 p.m. | Bulloch County Ag Arena, 44 Arena Blvd. | Free
The county's biggest one: a long candy trail, games, train rides and inflatables, with concessions and food trucks for sale. It runs rain or shine. Park in the marked areas and stay out of the school lots across the street. If it rains, shuttles run from the parking areas.
Splashy's Spookfest
Friday, Oct. 30 | 5 to 7 p.m. | Splash in the Boro, 1388 Ga. Highway 24 East | $10
The water park's fall festival for younger kids. No registration needed.
Portal Heritage Society Trunk or Treat
Friday, Oct. 30 | 6 to 8 p.m. | Turpentine Still, 112 First Ave., Portal
Decorated trunks and candy at the old still. If you printed our guide, note the time: the society's own page now lists 6 to 8 p.m., not the 7 to 9 p.m. we printed.
Girls in Bloom Fall Festival at Franklin's Farm
Saturday, Oct. 31 | 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. | 10610 U.S. Highway 301 South | Free
Carnival games, a pumpkin patch, pumpkin decorating, inflatables, a hayride and story time.
Tailgatin' Trunk or Treat at Paulson Stadium
Saturday, Oct. 31 | 4:30 to 6 p.m. | Paulson Stadium tailgate lots and Eagle Walk
Before the App State game, Georgia Southern student-athletes hand out candy along Eagle Walk, and tailgaters are invited to decorate and pass out treats. Tailgaters register at GSEagles.com/TrunkorTreat.
Neighborhood trick-or-treating
Saturday, Oct. 31 | 6 to 8 p.m. | Statesboro
The city's observed hours. Porch light on means candy. Carry a flashlight, and watch for game-day traffic near campus.
Every event, address and price is also in our free Halloween in the Boro guide.
📅 THIS WEEK'S EVENTS (October 26 to November 1, 2026)
Haunted Forest of Statesboro
Monday, Oct. 26 to Saturday, Oct. 31 | From 8 p.m. | Kiwanis Ogeechee Fairgrounds, 16942 Ga. Highway 67 | Monday is student night, $10 for students; Tuesday to Saturday $15 adults, $10 ages 17 and under | Scary
All proceeds go to Freedom Through Recovery, which supports people and families affected by addiction. More than 2,000 people came last year.
Monsters & Mad Scientists Week
Tuesday, Oct. 27 to Friday, Oct. 30 | Experiments 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily; Spooky Slime Lab 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday to Friday; library story time 3:30 p.m. Tuesday | Georgia Southern Museum, 2142 Southern Drive | $5, under 3 free | Free candy if you come in costume
Data Center Community Forum
Tuesday, Oct. 27 | 6 to 8 p.m. | Jones-Love Cultural Center at Luetta Moore Park, 585 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive | Free | The last of Georgia Southern's three small-group forums
Early Voting
Monday, Oct. 26 to Friday, Oct. 30 | 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Bulloch County Annex, and Brooklet City Hall
Letters of Hope
Through Saturday, Oct. 31 | Visit Statesboro, 222 S. Main St. | Free | Take a letter of encouragement, leave one for someone else
Habitat for Humanity Pumpkin Patch
Daily through Saturday, Oct. 31 | Monday to Friday 3 to 7 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. | 101 S. Main St. | No entry fee
Wicked South Haunted Forest
Thursday, Oct. 29 to Sunday, Nov. 1 | Gates open between 7 and 8 p.m. | 3001 Lawrence Church Road, Pembroke | $15 to $30 online, $5 more at the gate | Scary
Haunted Lazy River, Late Night
Friday, Oct. 30 | 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. | Splash in the Boro, 1388 Ga. Highway 24 East | $10 | Scary
Main Street Farmers Market
Saturday, Oct. 31 | 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | 222 S. Main St., behind Visit Statesboro | Free to browse
Georgia Southern vs. App State
Saturday, Oct. 31 | 6:30 p.m. | Paulson Stadium | ESPN+ | White Out
🦅 GEORGIA SOUTHERN UPDATES
Three New Busts at Paulson, and a Birthday Card for Erk Russell
Georgia Southern is celebrating what would have been Erk Russell's 100th birthday at the App State game. At 3 p.m., the university unveils busts of College Football Hall of Famers Tracy Ham, Adrian Peterson and Paul Johnson at Parrish-Scoggins Plaza, next to the Erk Russell statue. Inside the stadium, an exhibit built with the Georgia Southern Museum, "One More Time: The Traditions & Legacy of Erk Russell," shows his memorabilia, championship artifacts and photos, with a giant birthday card to sign. It is on the Bishop Fieldhouse Patio inside Gate 10 from 5 p.m. through halftime.
🏈 SPORTS & CAMPUS EVENTS
App State Comes to Paulson on Halloween Night
The Eagles (3-4, 2-1 Sun Belt) come off their bye to host App State on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN+. It is the third straight White Out, so wear white head to toe. App State won 35-32 at Coastal Carolina in its last game.
Two Eagles picked up Sun Belt player of the week honors for the win at Old Dominion: linebacker Anthony Bynum on defense, with eight tackles, two sacks and the late strip-sack that sealed it, and kicker Tripp Bryant on special teams, for three field goals and 11 points. The question we could not answer: whether quarterback Max Johnson, who hurt his throwing shoulder in that game, is back. We found no update since, so watch for one this week.
Costume contest at the game: register at The Hangout inside the stadium between 5 and 6:30 p.m. Best Erk Russell and Most Creative each win a $100 gift card.
Statesboro Won It 36-35 on a Hook-and-Ladder and a Two-Point Try
The Blue Devils trailed Evans 35-28 with 19.4 seconds left. Quarterback Beckham Jarrard threw to Todd Easter, who flipped it to MJ Kimble, and Kimble ran it in to make it 35-34. Coach Matt Dobson skipped the tie and went for two. DJ Brooks, who had already scored three touchdowns, pushed it in for the first Statesboro lead of the night. Evans got one last deep pass, and Keyshawn Polk intercepted the Hail Mary as time ran out. Statesboro is 5-3 and plays at Jenkins in Savannah on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Bulloch Academy Is Region Champion, and Southeast Bulloch Volleyball's Run Ended in the Sweet 16
Bulloch Academy beat Frederica Academy 51-0 on Senior Night to win the region and secure home field through the GIAA Class AAAA playoffs. Connor Perry ran for three first-half touchdowns. The Gators finished the regular season 9-1, are off this week, and will host a second-round game. Coach Phillips said this senior class has won three region titles and gone 38-5 in the regular season.
Southeast Bulloch's volleyball team, the 24th seed, fell to Cherokee Bluff in three sets in the Class 4A second round. Coach Stephanie Lane said making the Sweet 16 beat the power rankings, and six seniors played their last match.
🍽️ RESTAURANT SPOTLIGHT
Aura Cocktails & Tapas, 454 S. Main St.
For the grown-ups, once the candy is handed out. Aura is a downtown cocktail bar with a small-plates menu on South Main. It calls itself "a hidden oasis right in the heart of Statesboro," built on hand-crafted cocktails and a chef-driven tapas menu.
It stays open until 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, which makes it a good stop after the game or the Haunted Forest. Reservations go through Resy.
Hours: Monday to Wednesday 5 to 11:30 p.m., Thursday 5 p.m. to midnight, Friday 4:15 p.m. to 1 a.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., closed Sunday, per its Google listing. Hours vary by listing, so call ahead.
Phone: (912) 732-8776
🌤️ WEATHER ADVISORY
A warm, dry Halloween week. The only real rain chance arrives Sunday.
Monday: High near 75, sunny, low near 45
Tuesday: High near 77, sunny, low near 46
Wednesday: High near 78, mostly sunny, low near 57
Thursday: High near 78, partly sunny, rain 7 percent, low near 56
Friday: High near 81, sunny, low near 58
Saturday: High near 81, partly sunny, rain 12 percent, low near 58
Sunday: High near 80, rain 38 percent, storms possible Sunday night
Pulled live from the National Weather Service forecast updated at 8:32 a.m. Monday. No active alerts for Bulloch County at that time. Check weather.gov before you commit to an outdoor plan.
Trick-or-treat night looks easy. Saturday's low is 58 and the rain chance stays under 20 percent until after midnight, so most costumes will not need a coat over them. Mornings stay cool early in the week, then the nights warm up into the upper 50s from Wednesday on.
On the drought: no change. The U.S. Drought Monitor map dated October 20 matches the week before: about 62 percent of Bulloch County is out of drought categories, and about 16 percent is still in moderate drought. Sunday's showers would be the first real rain in the forecast, so burn carefully until then.
Where will you be on Halloween night?
👀 LOOKING AHEAD
Sunday, Nov. 1: clocks fall back an hour at 2 a.m. as daylight saving time ends.
Tuesday, Nov. 3: Election Day, including the District 2 special election. The city council meets at 9 a.m., and the city's slides say the budget amendment comes then.
Friday, Nov. 6: the Ogeechee Area Hospice chicken dinner, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Order by Oct. 30.
Saturday, Nov. 7: Homecoming. The True Blue 5K starts at 8:30 a.m. at M.C. Anderson Park (early registration ends Oct. 30), and the Eagles host Marshall.
Tuesday, Nov. 17: the council votes on Jason Boyles as city manager, 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.
Tuesday, Nov. 24: Shopping by Lantern Light at the farmers market, 5:30 to 9 p.m., with more than 100 vendors expected.
Thursday, Dec. 31: the county's moratorium on data center permits expires.
✉️ THANKS FOR READING!
Four nights of candy, a rivalry game in white, and a ballot to finish by Friday. It is a full week in the Boro. Before the costumes come out, check your polling place, and if you live near campus, give yourself extra time Saturday night.
Got a tip, a correction, or a Halloween photo you want to share? Hit reply. We read every message.
Know someone who'd love the Statesboro Brief? Forward this to a neighbor, a coworker, or the parent you will see on the candy trail Thursday. It's the single best way to help us grow. See you next Monday!
