By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Garrett Pitts named sports editor of The News
Garrett Pitts
Garrett Pitts
Staff Report
Updated: Sep 8, 2023, 6:41 PM
Published:

COVINGTON, Ga. — Garrett Pitts has been hired to be the sports editor for The Covington News effective immediately, Proprietor and Publisher Patrick Graham announced today.

“This is a great hire,” Graham said. “Garrett hasn’t even graduated from college yet, but his award-winning work as a sports correspondent for the paper has shown me he is ready for prime time, so to speak, and I’m confident he is going to excel in his first full-time position in our industry.”

Pitts replaces Phillip B. Hubbard, who has been named the managing editor of the newspaper. 

Pitts is an Alcovy High School alumnus. For the past four-plus years, Pitts has been a correspondent for The News, too. He even won first place in the 2023 GPA Sports Feature Story category in June. 

Additionally, Pitts is pursuing a degree in journalism at Kennesaw State University. 

Pitts can’t wait to get started leading The News sports department. 

“I am both excited and honored to be the new sports editor at The Covington News,” Pitts said. “It is going to be a good opportunity to be more involved with the great stories and student-athletes in Covington.” 

Pitts’ first official day as sports editor will be Thursday, Sept. 14. 

Pitts can be reached at gpitts@covnews.com.
Two Covington residents killed in unrelated vehicle accidents
crashes map march 25, 2025
Two unrelated vehicle crashes resulting in fatalities took place on the morning of March 25, 2025 in Newton and Walton counties. The pins indicate the approximate locations of the incidents.
Kate Verity
Published: Mar 28, 2025, 6:32 PM

NEWTON COUNTY — Two Covington residents died in separate, unrelated vehicle accidents on Tuesday.

Brian Hix, 46, died in a crash in Walton County near Social Circle. According to a spokesperson from the Georgia State Patrol (GSP), Hix was driving a white Dodge Ram truck north along Social Circle Parkway near Laurel Street. At approximately 6:40 a.m., Hix’s vehicle crossed the centerline and hit a tractor-trailer head-on. 

Hix succumbed to his injuries at the scene, and the driver of the tractor-trailer, who remains unnamed, was not reported to have any injuries.

Social Circle Parkway from Cannon Drive to South Cherokee Road was closed for much of Tuesday morning due to the crash. 

Later that morning, 28-year-old Chason Weldon was involved in a crash on Access Road in Newton County. 

According to the GSP, a wide-load tractor-trailer with an excavator turned onto Access Road from a private drive just past Old Oxford Road and headed west.

Weldon was driving a white GMC east on Access Road at the time. According to the GSP spokesperson, the front left side of Weldon’s vehicle struck the truck, specifically hitting the tracks of the excavator.

Weldon was also declared deceased at the scene of the crash.