Chuck Williams
WRBL News 3
Columbus, GA, United States
Contact Chuck
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
| Recent: |
|
| Past: |
|
Past articles by Chuck:
Embattled Columbus Police Chief Freddie Blackmon set to present strategic plan to council
Tuesday is a much anticipated day for Columbus Council and Police Cheif Freddie Blackmon. An operational assessment of the Police Department was presented to the council last month. The outside study by consulting firm Jensen Hughes found leadership and transparency issues within the department. → Read More
Regents name new Columbus State president; Stuart Rayfield becomes first woman to lead the university
The Georgia Board of Regents on Thursday named Dr. Stuart Rayfield as the president of Columbus State University, effective July 1. Rayfield becomes Columbus State's sixth president and the first woman to lead the University System of Georgia institution. → Read More
UPDATE: Two woman found shot to death on Clay St.
UPDATE 3/7/23 12:12 p.m.: The deceased are two women, Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan said. They died of multiple gunshots, Bryan said. COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — Columbus police are investigating after two bodies have been found on Clay St. in Columbus. WRBL has a crew on the way to the scene and will provide more information as details become available. → Read More
National Infantry Museum, Columbus State hosts Iraq War symposium this week
National Infantry Museum, Columbus State hosts Iraq War symposium this week Later this week, a two-day discussion of the Iraq War will be held at the National Infantry Museum. It will be a wide-ranging symposium with many different voices talking about the conflict that started 20 years ago. → Read More
Sunday Conversation: CSU’s Dr. David Kieran talks about upcoming Iraq War symposium at National Infantry Museum
This week's Sunday Conversation: is with Columbus State University's Dr. David Kieran. He is an associate professor and the Col. Richard R. Hallock Distinguished Chair in Military History at CSU. The Sunday Conversation focuses on the upcoming Iraq War symposium at National Infantry Museum. → Read More
Columbus councilors meet in closed session to discuss over-200-page agenda
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — Columbus councilors are meeting tonight to address a variety of personnel matters — one of which may be Police Chief Freddie Blackmon. There are 18 people on tonight’s agenda, with topics ranging from public safety to an increase in crime under current leadership, which is especially under fire after a Jensen […] → Read More
Five Columbus councilors confirm discussions about Police Chief Freddie Blackmon’s job performance
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — Columbus Police Chief Freddie Blackmon’s job performance has been the topic of discussion among a number of city councilors. WRBL has talked to multiple city councilors today and asked them a couple of questions. The first one was if they were involved in discussions with other Columbus Council members regarding Chief […] → Read More
Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Trail: ‘A series of gardens designed to attract and protect the beautiful monarch butterfly’
PLAINS, Ga. (WRBL) — They were cleaning up Wednesday in downtown Plains. The street markings were getting fresh paint. And the flower beds were getting new pine straw. This comes less than a week after news broke that former President Jimmy Carter entered home hospice care. One place that was getting a lot of attention […] → Read More
Sunday Conversation: Rep. Drew Ferguson talks about politics and his representation of Columbus
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — Congressman Drew Ferguson is a West Point Republican who has been in the U.S. House of Representatives since January 2017. Last week, he was touring the National Infantry Museum just outside the Fort Benning gate when he sat down with WRBL’s Chuck Williams for a Sunday conversation. It was a wide-ranging […] → Read More
Gov. Kemp talks about street gang issue in Columbus and how the state can assist local authorities
The governor has made attacking the street gang problem part of his legislative agenda, forming a task force inside the Attorney General's office to prosecute gang cases across the state. Right now he has a bill in the General Assembly that would toughen laws against those who recruit children into criminal street gangs. → Read More
Columbus council gives Police chief a month to come back with plan to deal with concerns
“If Columbus is going to contend to be the amazing place that we say it is, Columbus Does Amazing, then we need to be amazing and – no pun intended – police our own household," he said. → Read More
Eufaula courting South Korean agricultural business for possible East Alabama manufacturing facility
Eufaula is working overseas prospects as the East Alabama community steps up its economic development game. It’s all an international effort to secure good-paying manufacturing jobs. → Read More
Two separate murder trials scheduled for last week resulted in eight guilty pleas. Why?
Six co-defendants entered guilty pleas in the Upatoi case on Monday. Two sisters facing murder charges in an unrelated case entered guilty pleas Tuesday. After lengthy delays caused by everything from Covid to a corrupt DA who ended up in prison, to issues with the Government Center that limited use of courtrooms, the Muscogee County Court system shifted into a new gear last week. → Read More
UPDATE: Phenix City police arrest two suspects in fatal stabbing
UPDATE 2/10/23 10:37 a.m.: The Phenix City Police Department made two arrests in connection to last night’s fatal stabbing. 64-year-old Michael Huff and 68-year-old Rhonda Crute, both of Phenix City, face charges relating to Dunn’s death. Police say Huff is the brother of the victim, while Crute is Huff’s girlfriend. This investigation is ongoing. Anyone […] → Read More
Muscogee Co. Coroner’s Office: Macon Road crash leaves one man dead
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — A 24-year-old man died in an overnight crash after colliding with a pole, according to Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan. Just before midnight, Columbus police received the call about this single-car wreck. Bryan says a Mustang traveling east on Macon Road sustained significant damage when it hit a nearby pole at […] → Read More
Only two co-defendants left to be sentenced in deadly Upatoi home invasion
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — The fourth co-defendant in the 2020 deadly Upatoi Ridge subdivision home invasion was sentenced Wednesday afternoon. Laqwane Kindred was sentenced on Feb. 8 to 15 years in prison, nine years and two months to serve. That is higher than the recommendation made by the prosecution in a plea deal agreed to Monday. […] → Read More
Third co-defendant in deadly Upatoi home invasion sentenced
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL)— The third co-defendant in the 2020 deadly Upatoi Ridge subdivision home invasion was sentenced Wednesday morning. Anthony Foster was sentenced on Feb. 8 to 30 years, 18 to serve in prison for his role in the 2020 Upatoi home invasion that turned deadly. Superior Court Judge John Martin accepted a pre-arranged plea […] → Read More
Norfolk Southern Ohio derailment prompts questions about if that could happen in Columbus
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — The aftermath of a train derailment last week in Ohio is being felt more than 800 miles away in Columbus, Georgia. A Norfolk Southern train went off the rails, causing a toxic gas leak, evacuations and great concern in the community not far from Pittsburgh. Norfolk Southern has extensive operations in […] → Read More
Anti-Semitic flyers found in Atlanta suburbs similar to ones discovered in Midtown Columbus last month
ATLANTA (WRBL) — Anti-Semitic flyers were found over the weekend in several Atlanta suburbs. They were similar to pamphlets found a month ago in Midtown Columbus. The “hate-filled” flyers were reportedly found in several communities on Saturday in metro Atlanta, including Sandy Springs and Dunwoody. The literature drew a quick response from members of the […] → Read More
WestRock unions vote to accept contract offer, end nearly four-month papermill lockout
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — The unions representing about 400 East Alabama papermill workers voted Tuesday to accept the company’s latest contract offer. West Rock union workers have been locked out of the Cottonton mill since early October. This was not a strike. It was a lockout by WestRock of the union employees after months of […] → Read More