🍇 Stubborn Idea

Good morning, Spalding County!

There’s a brand-new American flag leaning in the corner of my office as I write today’s Grapevine. It still has that crisp, straight-from-the-package look, the kind that makes you hesitate before you carry it outside and let the Georgia weather have its say. Tomorrow it will be on the porch. Tonight it is just sitting there, quiet and unavoidable.

I keep looking at it because this is not just another Fourth of July week. We are marking 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, and that number is hard to get your arms around. Before there were fifty stars, before this country had anything close to its present shape, there was a stubborn idea on paper that Americans could govern themselves. Two and a half centuries later, the country is still noisy and unfinished, still argued over and still loved. That may be the most American thing about it.

- Chad

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World Cup excitement is not staying inside Atlanta city limits. With Mercedes-Benz Stadium hosting matches throughout the tournament, soccer fans across the region have been getting into the spirit, and Griffin is no exception. Local watch parties have been popping up around town as fans follow the action, and one stop this week brought the buzz even closer to home. Atlanta United midfielder Will Reilly visited Chick-fil-A on North Expressway, where he met local fans, signed shirts, posed for photos, and talked soccer with people following the tournament. For a sport that already has the world’s attention, this summer has given Griffin fans an easy reason to join in.

Spalding County’s latest data center proposal is on pause after the applicant withdrew its zoning, special exception, variance, and future land-use requests tied to a proposed campus. The county said the withdrawal was made so the project could receive full Board of Commissioners review and allow more public participation if it returns later. The decision does not end the broader data center conversation in Spalding County, but it does take one of the biggest development items off the immediate calendar. Data centers have become a major local issue because they raise long-term questions about land use, roads, utilities, water, power, and the kind of growth residents want to see. For now, the proposal is no longer moving forward in its current form.

Former Spalding High School standout Dee Alford is coming home next month to host his second annual youth football camp, and local families have already filled every spot. The July 11 camp at Spalding High School was capped at 200 kids and is now sold out, showing the excitement around Alford’s return and the connection he still has with his hometown. The camp will give young athletes a full day of football drills, skill work, competition, and leadership activities. Just as important, it gives kids a chance to learn from someone who came through the same school and turned that path into an NFL career. For Spalding County families, the sold-out turnout says a lot about the power of seeing a hometown name come back and invest in the next generation.

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.

Chess Club for Kids and Adults
When: Monday, June 29, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
What: Drop in for a few friendly games of chess at the library. Kids and adults are welcome, and you do not have to be a serious player to enjoy it. It is an easy Monday-night outing for anyone who likes a quiet challenge and a break from screens.
Where: Griffin-Spalding County Library, 800 Memorial Drive, Griffin, GA 30223

When the Stars Fell on Georgia
When: Monday, June 29, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
What: Georgia has a long history of encounters with asteroids and comets from last summer's meteorite fall in Henry County to a rock more than 20 miles wide that struck central Georgia more than 800 million years ago, excavating the 150-mile-wide Roosevelt impact structure across much of central Georgia. Planetary geologist Scott Harris, from UGA and The Weather Channel's Earth Unlocked series, will discuss these events and have samples for you to view and touch. For all ages. No registration required.
Where: Griffin-Spalding County Library, 800 Memorial Drive, Griffin, GA 30223

First Baptist Church Presents Randall Sheets Organist
When: Tuesday, June 30, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
What: First Baptist Church of Griffin is welcoming organist Randall Sheets for an evening music program downtown. For anyone who enjoys traditional church music or just wants a peaceful weeknight concert close to home, this is one to keep on the calendar.
Where: First Baptist Church of Griffin, 106 West Taylor Street, Griffin, GA 30223

SBDC Small Business Development Center Business Consultations
When: Wednesday, July 1, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
What: The Small Business Development Center will be at the Griffin+Spalding Chamber offering one-on-one business consultations. This is a practical stop for someone working through a business idea, trying to grow a local company, or needing help with the behind-the-scenes parts of getting something off the ground.
Where: Griffin+Spalding Chamber of Commerce, 143 North Hill Street, Griffin, GA 30223

Patriotic T-Rex Tea Party
When: Wednesday, July 1, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
What: The library is leaning into summer fun with a Patriotic T-Rex Tea Party for kids. It is a playful indoor option for families heading into the July 4th week, especially if you need something easy to do with younger children on a hot summer morning. Registration is required.
Where: Griffin-Spalding County Library, 800 Memorial Drive, Griffin, GA 30223

SABA - July 2026
When: Wednesday, July 1, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
What: The South Atlanta Business Association meets for its July luncheon with networking, lunch, and a guest speaker. For local business owners and professionals, it is a straightforward way to meet people, hear what others are working on, and stay connected to the broader Griffin business community.
Where: Conner Westbury Family Life Building, 1891 West McIntosh Road, Griffin, GA 30223

Family Storytime at the Library
When: Wednesday, July 1, 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM; Thursday, July 2, 10:30 AM – 11:15 AM
What: Families with younger children can stop by the library for storytime on Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning. It is a simple summer outing with books, a little structure, and a chance for kids to get out of the house without turning it into a full-day production.
Where: Griffin-Spalding County Library, 800 Memorial Drive, Griffin, GA 30223

87° 🌡️ 71° | ⛈️ | 30% | SW 5 mph

90° 🌡️ 73° | 🌤️ | 10% | WSW 7 mph

90° 🌡️ 74° | 🌦️ | 30% | WNW 6 mph

90° 🌡️ 74° | 🌦️ | 30% | WNW 6 mph

That’s it for today’s Griffin Grapevine.

Weeks like this are a good reminder that the big national story usually shows up in small, familiar places. The country may be marking 250 years, but most of us will feel it closer to home, on a porch with a flag out front, around a table with family, or somewhere in Griffin where the fireworks are just loud enough to make every kid look up.

That is part of what makes local news worth paying attention to. A community is not only shaped by the headline moments. It is shaped by the everyday things people notice, talk about, build, fix, open, attend, and pass along. Griffin has plenty of those stories, and the Grapevine is better when readers help point them out.

So keep sending in what you see around town. A quick note is more than enough to get something on my radar.

And if you know someone who likes keeping up with Spalding County, forward them this issue. Be sure to follow Griffin Grapevine on Facebook and Instagram for updates between emails.

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July!