Subscribe | Get featured

Hey Macon, hope your week’s off to a good start!

In today’s wallet-friendly edition: Music revue at the Cherry Blossom Festival, leaders become principal for a day, and Cedric Smith’s reimagined ads + lots of fun things to do for free.

Quick money tip: 2025 was gold’s best year since 1979. Silver did even better, climbing nearly 150%. Analysts expect the momentum to continue, making precious metals a smart way to protect your savings. Curious how it works? Check out AHG’s free investor guide.*

📰 In the news

A closer look at leadership: Earlier this month, Macon community leaders stepped into Bibb County schools as principals for a day, shadowing meetings and classrooms to better understand how school leaders support students and staff — see how the program works.

Reframing vintage iconography: Layers of Becoming, open at Wesleyan College’s Leadership Lab gallery, showcases Macon artist Cedric Smith’s reimagined ads and labels centering Black subjects, plus select photographic works, on view through March — read the full story.

Pools face staffing crunch: Warner Robins recreation director Preston Pooser proposes raising lifeguard pay from $15 to $20 an hour to recruit staff and keep pools open, and will ask city council for approval — see what’s being proposed.

Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.*

Paying hundreds of dollars a month for car insurance? Switching providers could save you up to $600 a year, and shopping around is way faster than it used to be – free comparison tools like this one make it easy.*

Highlights this week:

• Celebrate Cherry Blossoms with Georgia Big Band
• See if you qualify for expungement
• Shop field-cut tulips at Mulberry
• Unlock clinical-level wellness data from home*

💎 Local business spotlight

Let the pups loose: Barks N Brews is Macon’s off-leash dog park and bar where pups roam while you sip from the Airstream bar. Locally run by Macon native Kate Lambert Barnes, it’s relaxed, fenced-in fun, perfect for midweek energy burns or weekend hangs with your four-legged extrovert.

A true neighborhood haunt: Low-key drinks, loud laughs, and maybe a new dart rival await inside Billy’s Clubhouse. Think pool tables, a friendly crowd, and music that keeps you for just one more… with neighbors you actually like.

Fresh-face reset: If winter skin’s saying nope, Spa Medical offers facials, HydraFacial, and skin treatments that feel like progress, not a throwaway splurge. Give yourself a quick reset this week, and let future you high-five present you for the glow.

These aren’t ads or sponsored placements, just some cool nearby spots we think are worth a visit.

🫶 We got your back

Makeup that actually works: My sister and I were talking the other day about how the makeup we used in our 20s… just doesn’t work now that we’re in our 30s and 40s. Laura Geller’s entire makeup line addresses this shift, with formulas that smooth, brighten, and actually stay put. If you’re in the same boat, *their curated kits are worth a look →

The $1,300 mistake most Americans make every year: According to the National Financial Education Council, poor financial literacy costs the average American over a thousand dollars annually. That’s not investment losses. That’s money lost to bad decisions, missed strategies, and advice from people who may not always put your interests first. There’s a free way to fix that, and it starts with one question. Find out what it is →

$22k in interest (on a $30k balance): That’s what minimum payments cost you over 20 years. You’ll pay back nearly double what you borrowed, and your credit card company is counting on you not doing that math. Debt settlement programs negotiate balances down and get people out of debt in 2-4 years instead of 20. Learn more about how they work →

Why your last diet didn’t work: Sustained weight loss is nearly impossible with diet alone. Your body literally fights back by making you hungrier the moment you start restricting calories. That’s why more doctors are recommending GLP-1s. The best part? Getting them has never been easier. We compared five programs to help you find the right fit. See which ones stood out →

Your homeowners insurance has a blind spot: It covers your house if a tree falls on it. It doesn’t cover your furnace when it quits in January, your AC when it dies in July, or your water heater when it starts leaking on a Tuesday. Those are all classified as “normal wear and tear,” and they’re 100% on you. We looked into solutions that fill that gap. Here’s what we found →

📆 Free events worth checking out

Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →

All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.

🎓 GED Official Testing @ Central Georgia Technical College (Macon Campus) | Thursday (3/19) at 8:00 AM – Take three days and knock out your GED at Central Georgia Tech, for free, because paying to suffer through algebra again is overrated. Supportive instructors, official testing, and a fast track to better jobs. Do it for you, then brag at Sunday dinner.

🎷 Mercer Jazz Combo @ Mccorkle Music Building, “Fickling Hall” | Friday (3/20) at 7:30 PM – Swing by for the Mercer Jazz Combo concert, with Monty Cole at the helm, channeling the Jazz Messengers. Close your eyes, hear Art Blakey in spirit, open them, and enjoy that it’s free, open to everyone, and beats another night reorganizing the garage.

🚲 Ride Ready: Family Bike Basics @ Amerson River Park – Playground Parking Lot | Saturday (3/21) at 9:00 AM – Teach the kids to ride like humans, not lawn darts. Bike Walk Macon offers a free class at Amerson River Park for kids who can already pedal, with ABC Quick Checks, helmet fit, path etiquette, and a roll, plus helmets and lights while supplies last.

🚗 Annual Car Show @ Abundant Life Church – Macon | Saturday (3/21) at 10:00 AM – Macon’s annual car show rolls in with polished chrome, lawn chairs, and the kind of rivalry that makes grown adults debate paint codes. Enter your ride for $25 to chase Best in Show, Best Paint, Best Original, or Best Unique, or just wander in free.

💚 Black Wellness Expo @ Southwest High School Macon GA | Saturday (3/21) at 10:00 AM – If you’ve been meaning to put wellness on the calendar, consider this your friendly nudge. Macon Chapter of The Links is hosting a FREE Black Family Wellness Expo with real talk, resources, and community, free of gimmicks. Bring the crew, leave lighter, and probably smarter.

🐛 Wonderful World of Mealworms @ Wild Birds Unlimited | Saturday (3/21) at 12:00 PM – This in-store talk digs into mealworms, their surprisingly tidy life cycle, and why your neighborhood bluebirds will thank you. Shari, our resident worm whisperer with four years under her belt, keeps it fun, factual, and weirdly charming. It is free, of course.

🧘 Spring Equinox Hatha Yoga @ Wellness Hug | Saturday (3/21) at 1:15 PM – Spring equinox calls for a reset, so come flow with Shan at a Hatha practice built to awaken, restore, and realign. Equal light, equal dark, equal parts stretch and sigh. It’s free, Macon, so snag a spot on Mindbody, then thank yourself later.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

📻 Macon report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 52°F – Low: 29°F – Precip: 0%

Widespread frost before 8am. Sunny, with a high near 52. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Later: Mostly clear, with a low around 29. Northwest wind 0 to 10 mph.

—

Tomorrow – High: 55°F – Low: 33°F – Precip: 0%

Partly sunny, with a high near 55. East wind 0 to 5 mph. Later: Mostly clear, with a low around 33. East wind around 0 mph.

This house is wild

Designed by James A. Berg Sr. in 1972, this reimagined Macon one-level stunner pairs rustic French beams and a luxurious barrel ceiling with 2 fireplaces and sweeping natural views. A chef-smart kitchen links the Morning Room, Bar, and Dining Room. Spa-level primary suite anchors one wing. Daylight lower level, climate-controlled two-car garage, and gated grounds with new drive and uplighting.

Take a peek inside →