🍇 Right Outside The Door

Good morning, Spalding County!

May has a funny kind of energy to it. It is not quite summer yet, but it is definitely not spring in the slow, gentle sense anymore. May is when the calendar starts acting like it had three cups of coffee and suddenly remembered everything it was supposed to do before school lets out. There are end-of-year programs, awards ceremonies, graduations, recitals, field days, sports banquets, final projects, church events, summer signups, family plans, and about six different things that somehow all land on the same Thursday night.

It feels a little like the Friday of the school year. Everybody is still working, still driving, still packing lunches, still answering emails, still trying to get through the normal routine. But mentally, you can feel summer standing right outside the door. The kids can feel it. The teachers can definitely feel it. Parents are trying to keep the wheels on for just a few more weeks. Even the evenings feel different, like they are asking us to stay outside a little longer than usual. So if this week feels full, you are not imagining it. May has a way of turning the pace up right before it gives everyone permission to breathe.

- Chad Robert

Your current trading platform is probably letting you down

Liquid is one of the fastest growing trading platforms, allowing users to trade stocks, commodities, FX, and more 24/7/365 from their phone and computer.

Trading on Liquid is as simple as:

The best part is that Liquid markets never close. So no matter what is going on in the world, you are able to keep your portfolio positioned properly.

Start trading 24/7 today

Reading instruction across Griffin-Spalding County Schools will follow a single, research-based playbook for the first time. At the April 28 board meeting, education leaders adopted Policy IFAD, the district's first unified literacy policy, emphasizing science-of-reading approaches, early intervention, and ongoing teacher development. Board Member R. Syntel Brown, who led drafting with help from the Center for Strong Public Schools, said the policy "puts our scholars first." That same week, State School Superintendent Dr. Richard Woods recognized five local schools: Beaverbrook, Crescent, Futral Road, Moreland Road Elementary, and Rehoboth Road Middle as State Literacy Leaders.

Rinnai America has officially opened its new Commercial Manufacturing Facility and Distribution Center in Griffin. The company celebrated the 306,000-square-foot facility with an April 29 ribbon-cutting at 510 S. McDonough Road, across from its original Griffin manufacturing site in The Lakes of Green Valley Industrial Park. Rinnai now has about 250 employees at its first Griffin facility and 50 more at the new building.

The new site will support assembly, distribution, and training operations while serving as a key manufacturing hub for Rinnai’s commercial water heating products, including Demand Duo systems and Tankless Rack Systems. It will also help with distribution of finished goods and service parts. Company leaders said the expansion strengthens Rinnai’s long-term commitment to Griffin. Local officials also pointed to the project as another sign of Griffin’s growing role as a manufacturing and industrial center, bringing more jobs, investment, and economic opportunity to the area.

Monday & Thursday: Carver (610 Carver Rd) and Woodroof (4245 Old Atlanta Rd) 11am-7pm

Tuesday & Friday: Blalock (5756 Newnan Rd) and Cabin (3865 Jackson Rd)
11am-7pm

Saturday: All centers open 7am-1pm (plus Akin for bulky items only)

Sunday & Wednesday: Closed

Got big stuff? The Akin Collection Center (841 S McDonough Rd) is for bulky items only—no regular household garbage. Open Saturdays 7am-1pm.

All centers closed on county holidays.

Georgia National Travel & Tourism Week Summit

When: Monday, May 4, part of a May 3–5 summit
What: A tourism-focused “un-conference” hosted in Griffin+Spalding, with statewide agencies, national experts, local business owners, and officials discussing tourism, events, visitor traffic, and local economic impact.
Where: Griffin-Spalding Chamber of Commerce, 143 North Hill Street, Griffin, GA 30223

Netwalking — May

When: Tuesday, May 5, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
What: Lace up and walk-and-talk your way through a casual hour of conversation and connection with the Griffin-Spalding Chamber. Open to all fitness levels — light exercise, no pressure, and a great way to meet local entrepreneurs, neighbors, and community members.
Where: 885 Memorial Drive, Griffin, GA 30223

SBDC Small Business Consultations

When: Wednesday, May 6, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
What: Sit down one-on-one with a UGA Small Business Development Center consultant for free guidance on starting, growing, or refining your business. Appointments are required, so book your slot through the Chamber ahead of time.
Where: 143 North Hill Street, Griffin, GA 30223

National Day of Prayer 2026

When: Thursday, May 7, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
What: Join neighbors, faith leaders, and community members for a midday gathering observing the National Day of Prayer. The hour-long program brings residents together in reflection and unity at one of downtown Griffin's central gathering spaces.
Where: 132 East Solomon Street, Griffin, GA 30223

Ribbon Cutting: The Archivist

When: Thursday, May 7, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
What: Welcome The Archivist, downtown Griffin's newest antique shop and curated gallery. Step inside to meet the owner, browse vintage merchandise, historical pieces, and home décor, and help toast a fresh creative addition to West Broad Street.
Where: 301 West Broad Street, Griffin, GA 30223

GDOT SR 16 Bridge Replacement Open House

When: Thursday, May 7, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
What: Drop in any time during the hour to view Georgia DOT's plans for replacing the State Route 16 bridge over the Norfolk Southern rail line. Staff will answer questions and share construction and detour details, and a court reporter will be on hand to capture verbal comments. Free and open to the public.
Where: Historic City Hall, 201 East Solomon Street, Griffin, GA 30223

Small Business Navigator

When: Thursday, May 7, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
What: Discover the resources available at every stage of running a small business in this hour-long session co-hosted by the UGA Small Business Development Center and the Griffin-Spalding County Public Library. Registration required — call 770-412-4770 to save your seat.
Where: Griffin-Spalding County Public Library, 800 Memorial Drive, Griffin, GA 30223

Spalding County Citizens Academy

When: Thursday, May 7, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
What: Get a behind-the-scenes look at how Spalding County government actually operates during this evening session of the Citizens Academy program. Meet department leaders and walk through the day-to-day work that keeps the county running. Contact Cherryl Burks at 770-228-8200 for details.
Where: 1005 Memorial Drive, Griffin, GA 30223

City of Griffin Citizen's Public Safety Academy

When: Thursday, May 7, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
What: Sit in on week seven of the eight-week Public Safety Academy, where Griffin Police and Griffin Fire-Rescue walk participants through real operations via lectures, simulations, and field experiences. Dinner provided. Contact Capt. Krueger-Hayes at 770-229-6450 for late-add availability.
Where: Griffin Public Safety Center, 143 North Hill Street, Griffin, GA 30223

Nothing in this section is sponsored. They're just the things you need to know. I'll always let you know when something's sponsored.

77° 🌡️ 45° | ☁️ | 10% | 💨 SW 8 mph (7 knots)

78° 🌡️ 49° | ⛅ | 10% | 💨 S 12 mph (10 knots)

80° 🌡️ 58° | ⛅ | 20% | 💨 SW 11 mph (10 knots)

75° 🌡️ 60° | 🌧️ | 75% | 💨 SW 13 mph (11 knots)

Thanks for reading the Griffin Grapevine. I appreciate you taking a few minutes to keep up with what is happening around Spalding County.

If you know a friend, family member, or neighbor who would enjoy knowing what’s happening around town, forward this email to them and encourage them to subscribe. Every new reader helps the Grapevine become a stronger local resource for the community.

And if you see something happening around town that people should know about, just hit reply and let me know. A new business opening, a community event, or something that simply caught your attention, I would love to hear about it. Some of the best tips come from people who are out there noticing things in real time.

Have an amazing week!

P.S. We are opening up a few spots for businesses that want to be the premium sponsor of the Griffin Grapevine. If that sounds like a fit for your business, reach out at [email protected] or just reply to this email.