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Forecasted winter weather freezes Tuesday's operations
weatheralert

Days after snowfall touched down in Newton County for the first time in several years, residents may not have to wait long to see winter weather once more.  Though the likelihood of snowfall is uncertain, the coming days are sure to bring freezing temperatures and icy wind. 

As of Monday afternoon, Jan. 20, The Weather Channel projects that Covington has a 24 percent chance of wintry precipitation on Tuesday, Jan. 21. There is an expected high temperature of 34 degrees Fahrenheit and a low of 14 degrees.  

But with winds between 10-15 miles per hour all day, the forecast predicts the temperature will feel no warmer than 30 degrees.

The city is under simultaneous advisories for winter weather and cold weather through Wednesday morning. Monday afternoon, Governor Brian Kemp declared a State of Emergency in anticipation of the winter weather encore. 

Newton County Schools (NCS) will be closed for students and staff on Tuesday. The NCS Board of Education’s 7 p.m. meeting has also been canceled, to be rescheduled for a later date. 

However, the board’s public hearing regarding House Bill 581, which is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday, is still on. It will be held at the Board of Education office at 2109 Newton Drive NE.

NCS said on Facebook that parents and staff can expect updates on school operations for the remainder of the week by 4 p.m. each day. All after-school athletic events for Tuesday will be rescheduled.

As of Monday afternoon, there have been no announcements of canceling or rescheduling the Newton County Board of Commissioners’ or local city council meetings on Tuesday. There is also no current word on if local government offices will open or not.

The Covington city council is set to hold a work session on House Bill 581 at 5:30 p.m. before holding its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. 

The city of Oxford is still set to hold a Trees, Parks and Recreation board meeting at 5 p.m. and a city council work session at 6:30 p.m.

The city of Social Circle has a city council meeting scheduled for 6:30.

The Newton County Board of Commissioners will hold its regular meeting as scheduled at 7 p.m.

Covington man convicted of child abuse and neglect by Newton County jury
Carey Donovan Clark

NEWTON COUNTY – Last Thursday evening, a Newton County jury found Covington resident Carey Donovan Clark guilty of six counts of cruelty to children in the second degree and one count of aggravated battery.

According to a press release from the Newton County District Attorney’s office, the charges stem “from the abuse and neglect of multiple children.” There were a total of six children affected, all of whom were younger than 10. 

The case warranted the involvement of Newton County and Cherokee County DFCS and the children involved received services from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and A Child's Voice Child Advocacy Center. The investigation and arrest washandled by the Newton County Sheriff’s Office.

According to Assistant District Attorney Bailey Wilkinson, the three older children went to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and one child remained hospitalized for a few days due to internal and external injuries.

Clark’s co-defendant in the case, Nora Rodgers, was sentenced in December 2023 after pleading guilty. Rodgers received 60 years with the first 30 years in confinement. 

Nora Rodgers
Nora Rodgers

Clark’s sentencing will be held at a later date. A pre-sentencing report is still being completed, and Clark will remain in custody until he is sentenced.

According to the press release, both Rodgers and Clark would make the children involved perform exercises and would not give the children “necessary sustenance.” A doctor testifying from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta reportedly called the children’s experiences “torture.” 

According to Wilkinson, the abuse was dealt at the hands of both Rodgers and Clark. The eight of them had lived together since 2018.

When Rodgers was sentenced, a statement released detailed some of the exercises the children were forced to perform. 

“Over the years the children had suffered torture under the guise of punishment. They were forced to do extreme bootcamp style exercises,” the statement with Rodgers’ sentencing read. “They would have to run laps, squats with large

logs from the yard, jumping jacks, etc., for extended time periods and to the point of exhaustion and injury. They would often have to perform these exercises in the middle of the night and in the heat of summer."

The statement further declared that Rodgers would “beat” the children if their exercise was not up to her standards and that she would spar with them as well, often hitting them. 

Wilkinson told The Covington News that the methods to punish the children were decided on together by Clark and Rodgers. Clark did not engage in the sparring, but he was aware of it. She added that Clark did engage in the exercise and physical punishments, but not to the same extent as Rodgers.