People from across the country gathered in Central Georgia Saturday to compete in the 2011 Haesan National Martial Arts Tournament.

People of all ages from 300 hundred martial arts schools showed off their skills at Westside High School in Macon. Competitors broke boards, showed their Tae Kwon Do forms and spared with one another.

One of the participants says Tae Kwon Do is a good sport to get into if your not in the best shape.

"Its a martial art.. it takes a lot of focus and some physical conditioning but you don't have to be a triathlon super athlete to do it," said Laura Bialon.

Those who participated in the tournament were competing to take home the national championship trophy.

A proposed sales tax for Bibb County could pay for major improvements to the county's parks and recreation areas.

Macon Mayor Robert Reichert and Bibb County Chairman Sam Hart announced their service delivery strategy Thursday.

The strategy includes a SPLOST election in November. If it passes, the county would take over the recreation department.

Recreation has been a concern for some time.

Director of the Macon-Bibb Parks and Recreation Department, Dale Dougherty says, "It's something that's long overdue for this region probably by 20 or 30 years."

The pinochle club, that comes together every week day at the Frank Johnson Recreation Center, knows firsthand about the problems with the facilities.

Herbert Davis says, "It's been leaking. It's been raining in here for a while and we've not been able to do anything about it."

Macon State College kicks off their annual arts festival this Monday, March 14. The theme is “The Arts at Work” and free events which are open to the community continue through March 16 at both the Macon and Warner Robins campuses. Events include a fine art forum with Craig Burkhalter and Marike LeBel; music session with Matt Miller and Elliott Wall; dance forum with Pilar Wilder, Asmi & Isabel Kabbani, and Jane Madison; performances by Dynamic Expressions and the comedy duo Bean and Bailey. Click here for the full lineup of events or call 478.471.2015.