Downtown Dalton Summer Music Series returns Friday

DALTON, Ga. —  The Downtown Dalton Summer Music Series returns Friday with “The Sounds of Dalton” featuring The Half Notes, Ginny & the Tonics and The Peacock Alley Jazz Band at Burr Performing Arts Park at 7:30 p.m. These free concerts continue every Friday night until Aug. 31. Many talented musicians will play the stage during this summer’s concert series including local favorites Blackbird Revival and Barry J. Brown as well as some new faces to the Dalton area such as Arcadian Wild and Bluetastic Fangrass. There are a variety of music genres this year, from Southern rock to reggae, bluegrass, jazz, country and more. For a complete list of concerts or for more information, visit www.daltonevents.com. The Downtown Dalton Summer Music Series is in its third year and is an effort among the Dalton Visitors Bureau, Creative Arts Guild, Community Foundation of Northwest Georgia, Downtown Dalton Development Authority, BB&T and BB&T Insurance Services.

Federal grant brings 1,000 free books to Milledgeville

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — Nearly 1,000 copies of a Georgia author’s up-and-coming book will be available to local residents this fall. 

For much of the past 20 years, Atlanta author Tayari Jones has gained notice in the literary world for her novels exploring themes of loss and young protagonists coming of age. After such prestigious prizes as a Lillian Smith Book Award and a selection by Oprah’s Book Club, a grant by the National Endowment for the Arts will bring Jones’ work to a Milledgeville audience. 

This is not the first time the local community has been awarded a Big Read grant. Grants were previously awarded in 2009, when the local community selected “Fahrenheit 451” for its Big Read and in 2008, when “A Lesson Before Dying” was chosen.

As the federal government’s designated agency for promoting domestic arts and culture, since 2006 the NEA has funded more than 1,400 Big Read grants to communities throughout the country. With awards such as the $15,000 recently given to Georgia College for Jones’ third novel, “Silver Sparrow,” the Big Read provides local beneficiaries everything from free copies of the book to steps for planning literary discussions. In conjunction with local schools, GC’s Ina Dillard Russel Library, and the Twin Lakes Library System, Bragg hopes to use several local outreach events to spread Jones’ work to as many community members as possible. 

City gas prices retreat

VALDOSTA, Ga. — Gasoline prices slipped in the city slightly last week, following state and national trends, according to numbers.The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the city Sunday was $2.75, down from $2.80 seven days earlier, according to the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report.The lowest price reported in Valdosta Sunday was $2.62 a gallon in several locations, according to the price tracking website gasbuddy.com. That does not include prices at buying clubs where the lowest price is reserved for club cardholders.Sunday, Valdosta had the seventh most expensive gas out of 17 major Georgia fuel markets tracked by AAA.Nationally, the average price of gasoline Sunday was $2.95 a gallon, down a couple of cents from the previous Sunday, while the Georgia average of $2.82 a gallon was down two cents in the same time period, according to the auto club.In Friday market action, benchmark U.S. crude fell $1.23 to settle at $65.81 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, lost 77 cents to settle at $76.79.Natural gas rose a penny to $2.96 per 1,000 cubic feet, heating oil fell 3 cents to $2.18 per gallon and wholesale gasoline lost 2 cents to $2.14 per gallon.

Friday Night Done Right offers fun for all ages

WHITE SPRINGS, Fla. — Friday Night Done Right offers fun, food and games for the children and adults.

Friday Night Done Right will be held June 15 at the Ogburn Field in White Springs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

There will bounce houses, games, prizes and more.

Hamilton County Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Coalition and Students Working Against Tobacco are the event sponsors.

For more information, call 386-792-9388.