Joe Kovac Jr. is Macon bureau chief covering Middle Georgia for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is a Warner Robins native and he previously reported for the Macon Telegraph, where he was a staff writer for three decades. He was a Pulliam Fellowship recipient in 1991, working for the Indianapolis News. His stories have appeared in the Washington Post, the Seattle Times and Atlanta Magazine. He has been a Livingston Award finalist and won Georgia Press Association, Georgia Associated Press and Green Eyeshade journalism awards.