From the National Weather Service:

The National Weather Service survey team determined that an EF-1 tornado, with winds around 110 mph, touched down in Bibb County. The tornado touched down around 6:02 a.m. Saturday, April 16, 2011 about 5 miles northwest of Macon.

The path length was 2.6 miles and ended 5 miles north-northwest of Macon. At its widest point, the tornado was 500 yards. A total of 25 homes sustained damage, 10 of which received major damage and 4 were destroyed. A motel and other business buildings sustained roof damage. Approximately 200 trees were downed by the tornado.

Former Macon mayor C. Jack Ellis officially kicked off his mayoral campaign Saturday morning.

About 100 people gathered to celebrate the ribbon-cutting for Ellis' formal announcement.  The topics included the importance of community in moving Macon forward.

Ellis says his previous record proves that he's a leader.

He says he plans to focus on building jobs and fighting crime in the city.

But Ellis also said his top priority would be taking care of city workers.

"We must look out for their welfare," he said.  "We can't tell them we're just going to take all their insurance away when we've made certain promises to them."

Ellis also says he wants to turn some areas with few homeowners on one street into green space or community gardens, rather than revitalizing them.

Former Macon Judicial Circuit acting District Attorney Wayne G. "Biff" Tillis died from an apparent heart attack Saturday, according to District Attorney Greg Winters.

Tillis died while visiting his mother in Florida, a news release said.  He served as acting District Attorney for the Macon Judicial Circuit from June 28, 2010 until Dec. 31, 2010.

The news release says, in part:

After being honorably discharged from the United States Navy, Tillis enrolled in the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University. He graduated and was admitted to the Georgia Bar on June 9, 1978. He honorably served the citizens of the Macon Judicial Circuit for over 30 years. He was an Assistant District Attorney from 1979 to 2007. He became the Chief Assistant District Attorney in January 2008 and served in that capacity until becoming the interim District Attorney on June 28, 2010, following the resignation of Howard Simms.