MACON, Ga. — Now that it's summer, many Central Georgia students get to stay home during the day instead of school.
Student-athletes Timothee Hall, 12, and his brother Quantious Hodge, 14, say they want to spend their time outside playing sports.
The 5'8" - 6'4" duo lives with their mom, grandma and grandpa Arthur Hall.
Since moving into their home a couple of years ago after a fire damaged their old house, they've had a basketball hoop at home.
Hall said he doesn't want his grandkids to go everywhere because of violence.
"I can't watch 'em," he said. "So, I had 'em in the backyard."
Q remembers what happened then: "It was in the backyard, but then snakes were back there. So, me and [Timothee] picked up the goal and brought it up here."
Though they're playing on the pavement, it's a more stable ground where the basketball hoop has sat out for at least two years now, the duo said.
Over time, it's fallen over and lost some stability, but the hoop still works, so the brothers still play.
Several neighbors compliment the boys on their skills and say they enjoy seeing the kids playing outside. They watch from their front porches regularly, they said.
They said the boys sometimes bring a few friends to play there, too.
When cars approach them in the street, the boys move to the sidewalks to let the vehicles pass before they continue to shoot hoops again.
Arthur said that some neighbors even try to challenge the boys and compete against them, but they usually give up after the brothers start winning.
They said no one complained to them until about a week ago.
Timothee said an officer approached him and his brother last Tuesday and told them, "We couldn't have that out here because they were getting complaints."
It was a verbal warning to move the goal.
Without a physical citation, ticket or the identity of the officer who approached them, Hall said he contacted the Bibb County Sheriff's Office directly to inquire about what happened.
"They told me if he comes back out here, get his name and badge number, but he never did come back," Hall said.
However, the boys said they haven't come outside to play since because they fear getting arrested.
That disappoints Arthur because he said he wants people to play outside.
"I mean, in this day and age, all kids do is play computer games in the house," Hall said. It's finally going to be summertime. I want them to enjoy summer. What do they want? Everyone to become obese?"
Verify: Can people place basketball hoops on their neighborhood street?
Sources: Macon-Bibb Code of Ordinances, Bibb County Sheriff's Office and Georgia State Law
According to the code, basketball goals and other obstructions in the street, including sports equipment, are declared nuisances if they endanger the public's health, welfare or good order.
The sheriff's office said in a statement that the deputies contacted the family because of complaints and to protect the kids.
BSO added the family lives near a main road, "Pio Nono Avenue, which a basketball goal in the street can obstruct and create a hazard of a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle."
Georgia Law (16-11-43.) also prohibits the obstruction of highways, streets, or sidewalks.
Answer: No, people cannot place basketball hoops on their neighborhood street.
"If you gonna take my goal down, then you gotta go all over Macon, Georgia and take down every goal."
13WMAZ asked BSO how the officers approached the basketball hoop problem. They said, "The Bibb County Sheriff's Office does not receive a large number of complaints from civilians regarding basketball goals obstructing roadways in Bibb County. When a complaint has been made, we investigate and make a reasonable request of the resident to remove the obstruction from the roadway."
BSO is hosting a free basketball skills camp at the Rosa Jackson Recreation Center this summer.
It's happening from June 3 thru June 7 and June 17 thru June 21.
The free camp is open to the first 60 kids, and those between the ages of 9 and 17 are welcome.
