CRC - Blakely Gateway Connectivity Project

Q&A with John Engler, McKnight-Blakely, LLC and Susanne Reynolds, Blakely-Early Co. Economic Development 1. How will a data center affect the water supply? Susanne: QTS uses a closed-loop water system for cooling purposes and that means there are no cooling towers. The cooling system does not consume water once it becomes operational. This efficient design will not put a strain on local water wells. The water also never leaves the system, so it doesn’t get discharged into an

The Downtown Development Authority of Blakely/Main Street is seeking applications to fill 2 (unexpired terms) board seat vacancies....

Pictured left to right: Sam Hattaway, Chairman Mike Newberry, Dee Grist, Secretary-Treasurer Steve Singletary; 2025 EC Growth Scholar,...

The outlined strategic economic development actions were approved by the Development Authority of Early County Board of Directors on...

Published in The Albany Herald  on July 31, 2025. By Lucille Lannigan Steam pumps from stacks at the Georgia-Pacific Cedar Springs Mill,...

Published in The Albany Herald on July 23, 2025 By Lucille Lannigan Community members from Early County and surrounding counties came...

The WorkSource GA Rapid Response Team will be at GP-Cedar Springs on June 10 & 12 to provide employees with resources that include:...

Employees by County (GA) Shared with permission from Georgia-Pacific Public Affairs COUNTY NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES Dougherty 1 Calhoun 11...

Published in the Early County News on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. In a catastrophic and stunning blow to Early County and the entire...

The goal of the Foundational Leadership and Entrepreneurship Experience, known as FLEX, is to create prosperity and revitalize rural entrepreneurial ecosystems through the education of students on the rewards, sacrifice and processes incurred in the establishment of small businesses. The workforce crisis continues to grow and is felt most acutely in rural communities.

The Development Authority of Early County is pleased to announce it is now accepting applications for the 2025 Early County Growth Scholarship, sponsored by the authority with funds provided by Silicon Ranch. The deadline for completed applications is Friday, May 16, by 4 p.m.

The Downtown Development Authority of Blakely hosted Shellie Phelps, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce in Wetumpka, Ala., for an encouraging community visioning session at Funny Girl Deli & Catering Co. The standing-room-only event took place on Monday, March 31, 2025, and was packed with local business owners, property owners and community supporters from all walks of life.

Jon McBrayer with ECG Economic & Community Development, facilitated a panel on Downtown Development with Jessie Owensby, Community Development Director with the City of Cornelia, and Susanne Reynolds, Director for the Development Authority of Early County & Blakely DDA. The Electric Cities of Georgia (ECG) Summit was held at the Westin Jekyll Island & Convention Center from March 17-19.

The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation released its 2025 list of 10 Places in Peril in the state and a little known Early County landmark has made the list. Thanks to the diligent efforts of Early County’s Executive Director of Economic Development Susanne Reynolds, and the cooperation of the Collier and Watson families (property owners), the renovation of the Powell Opera House in Blakely might one day be a reality.

The Downtown Development Authority of Blakely is pleased to offer the Historic Blakely Court Square Facade Grant Program as an incentive to encourage revitalization. The purpose of the program is to simulate downtown revitalization, redevelopment, economic development and tourism in Blakely. Downtown is the historic core of the community and serves as the seat of business, government and service for Blakely and Early County.

On Wednesday, November 20, 2024, the doors to Blakely’s newest eatery, William and Lizz Gallegos’s Rodeo Cantina & Grill, opened with a ribbon cutting. The beautifully renovated property is part of the restoration-in-progress of the Wallchap Shopping Center, formerly Sawyer Shopping Center in Blakely. Mandy and Chad Chapman and Brad Waller purchased the property last year to reinvest in their hometown.

After many years of sitting dark on Early County’s Court Square, the eternal flame on the Veterans Memorial finally burns bright again. In a ceremony held on Veterans Day, the torch was ceremonially lit again to remember all those from Early County who left home to defend the United States of America.

In May 2022, the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission was selected as one of Georgia’s seven recipients of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfield Assessment Grants, totaling $485,000. The funds are available to Early County industrial, commercial and multi-family housing properties.