Piedmont University accounting students prepare tax returns during a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance session, where students provide free federal and state tax preparation under faculty supervision.
DEMOREST, Ga. – Piedmont University and the University of Georgia Extension are offering free federal and state income tax preparation to residents of Habersham and Banks counties through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.
The program provides no-cost tax preparation for individuals and families. Services include filing federal and state returns and checking eligibility for tax credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit.
Piedmont University accounting students participating in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program pose for a group photo. From left to right: Tamar Tompkins, Noelle Poteete, Keegan Goins, Zannat Mongia, Tyler Vogt, Sean Bailey, Nicholas Winter, and Julian Ortega.
The VITA program is in its third year at Piedmont University and its fourth year through the UGA Extension office. UGA Extension operated independently during its first year and later partnered with Piedmont to expand capacity and increase the number of returns prepared.
Jay Long, associate professor of accounting in Piedmont University’s Walker College of Business, oversees the program. Trained accounting students prepare returns under faculty supervision.
Piedmont University and the University of Georgia Extension are offering free federal and state income tax preparation through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, with appointments available in Homer, Cornelia, and Demorest.
Clients who schedule appointments with Piedmont University students meet at the Swanson Center on campus. Appointments run in 30-minute intervals from 8:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., Monday through Thursday. Additional appointment times are available through UGA Extension locations in Homer, Cornelia, and Demorest for clients who need alternate scheduling options.
“Last year’s VITA students were able to double the number of returns prepared for individuals in Habersham and Banks County, and we are excited for even more growth during the second year of the program,” Long told Now Georgia.
Appointments can be scheduled by calling 706-677-6230 or 706-754-2318. Requests may also be submitted by scanning the program’s QR code. Individuals who need language access services or reasonable accommodations are asked to make requests at least three weeks in advance.
The Bride is a reimagining of sorts of The Bride of Frankenstein. Written and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, this new version is no doubt going to polarize its target audience, but I found it to be a wacky, campy, audacious mess.
Jessie Buckley stars in dual roles as Ida the Bride as well as Mary Shelley from beyond the grave. As Shelley, she admits she wanted to tell another story after Frankenstein, but couldn’t because of her death. But that doesn’t stop the movie from giving us the story anyway.
As Ida, she’s a woman in Chicago in 1936 who intends to expose the criminal activities of a boss, but his gangsters get to her first and have her murdered.
Christian Bale costars as Frankenstein’s monster, who works with a scientist (Annette Bening) who specializes in reanimation. Frank is desperate to find a mate, and so he and the doctor exhume the corpse of, you guessed it, Ida, and through a scientific experiment, they bring her back to life. There’s only one catch: She has no memory of who she used to be.
Frank and Ida, whom he now calls The Bride, become a couple, but then their whirlwind romance turns into a Gothic incarnation of Bonnie and Clyde after Frank saves her from being assaulted by a couple of thugs. They now have to go on the run.
Penelope Cruz and Peter Sarsgaard are a couple of detectives trying to track them down. Their investigation leads them to check out every movie theater in a few states, as that serves to be their favorite pastime.
As I mentioned, the movie takes a wildly campy approach to the material, and part of that approach is Gyllenhaal allowing both Buckley and Bale to play their roles beyond the ceiling. To call their performances overacting would be putting it mildly, as their energy knows no bounds.
The Bride may work as unabashed camp, and on that level, I admit, I was thoroughly entertained when I shouldn’t have been. There are some bizarre musical sequences that only further reinforce its eccentricities. It may seem murky, but it’s not boring. The plot is surprisingly straightforward and stays afloat thanks to Buckley and Bale. This movie provided the level of goofiness and audacity that I looked for and missed in Wuthering Heights.
Some plot elements feel as though they belong in a different movie and distract from the central story between the two main characters. Scenes involving the mob boss, along with moments featuring the detectives, appear throughout the film but don’t contribute much to the overall plot.
Still, Buckley and Bale are hard to resist, and they make The Bride come to life when it shouldn’t. Their performances make it worth recommending on a campy level.
Grade: B+
(Rated R for strong/bloody violent content, sexual content/nudity and language.)
Reviewer’s Note: I saw this movie at the Historic Strand in Jesup.
A multi-agency search for missing fisherman David Payton continues on and around Lake Russell in Elbert County. Payton was last seen on March 3, 2026. (Elbert County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
ELBERTON, Ga. — The search continues for a missing fisherman who disappeared last week in Elbert County.
David Payton has not been seen since March 3 after going fishing in the area of Highway 368 near Lake Russell, according to the Elbert County Sheriff’s Office.
David Robert Payton was last seen on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Facebook)
Sheriff Jamie Callaway said deputies and emergency personnel spent Saturday expanding search efforts around the lake, using both foot teams and all-terrain vehicles to comb additional areas.
Multi-agency search
The weekend search follows a large, multi-agency effort on Friday focused around the Coldwater Creek boat ramp area.
Agencies assisting in the search included Elbert County Emergency Services, Elbert County Fire, the Elbert County Dive Team, Hart County Emergency Services, Oglethorpe County Emergency Services, Madison County Emergency Services, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Georgia State Patrol Aviation Unit.
Officials said crews searched the area for hours using drones, K-9 units, boats and aircraft.
(Elbert County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook)(Elbert County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook)
Callaway thanked everyone who helped in the search. Authorities say the search and investigation remain ongoing.
Anyone with information about Payton’s whereabouts is asked to contact Elbert County Central Dispatch at 706-283-2420 or call 911.
A local man was killed when his motorcycle crashed at the intersection of River Road and Double Churches Road Saturday night. The Muscogee County Coroner identified the driver of the motorcycle as 31-year-old Brantley Eli Satterfield. His next of kin has been notified.
Satterfield was pronounced dead at Piedmont ER at 8:29 pm in Columbus March 7, 2026. The cause of the crash is under investigation by the Columbus Police Department.
Pharmacy thief flees with cough syrup (Lee County Sheriff's Office)
Saturday, March 7, 2026, at approximately 5:30 AM CST, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a glass break alarm call at U Save Pharmacy located in the 2000 block of Lee Road 430 in Smiths Station.
Lee County Sheriff’s Office Deputies arrived four minutes after the call and found the drive-thru window was broken into.
Video surveillance shows an unknown person, dressed all in dark clothing with face and hands covered, break into the pharmacy and attempt to access the controlled substance cabinet. When the subject could not access the cabinet, he took one bottle of over-the-counter cough syrup and fled the scene through the broken window.
Georgia Tech head coach Damon Stoudamire, center right, argues a call with a game official, center left, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Louisville in Louisville, Ky., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Tech fired coach Damon Stoudamire on Sunday, one day after the Yellow Jackets’ season ended with a 12-game losing streak.
Georgia Tech athletic director Ryan Alpert announced the move after the Yellow Jackets finished 11-20 overall and 2-16 in the Atlantic Coast Conference following Saturday’s 79-76 lossat Clemson.
The Yellow Jackets finished last in the conference, failing to qualify for the ACC tournament as Stoudamire was unable to solve the late-season losing streak.
Stoudamire was fired after posting a 42-55 record in three seasons, including a 19-39 ACC mark.
“On behalf of Georgia Tech, I want to thank Damon for his commitment to the Institute, our men’s basketball program and, most importantly, our student-athletes,” Alpert said in a statement released by the school. “He is highly respected and admired throughout the Georgia Tech community and has been a strong representative of the Institute. We wish him the very best.
“Georgia Tech men’s basketball has a proud history and is an important part of our athletics department and community. We are committed to identifying an excellent basketball coach that will build a championship-level program, and fulfill our missions of academic excellence and preparing our student-athletes for life beyond basketball. Georgia Tech’s commitment to men’s basketball is unwavering, and we will invest the resources necessary to compete for championships at the highest levels.”
Assistant coach Greg Gary, a former coach at Mercer, will serve as interim head coach.
Alpert will launch a search for a new coach who will be asked to revive a program which once flourished, advancing to nine consecutive NCAA tournaments under Bobby Cremins from 1985-93. Georgia Tech reached the NCAA championship game under Paul Hewitt in 2004.
Georgia Tech’s last NCAA tournament appearance came in its last winning season in 2020-21 under Josh Pastner. The Yellow Jackets lost in the first round that year and have not won a game in the tournament since 2010.
Stoudamire, a former NBA point guard, was hired on March 14, 2023, only three days after Pastner was fired.
Stoudamire’s only previous head coaching experience came at Pacific, a West Coast Conference school where he posted a 71-77 record over a five-year tenure. He never reached the postseason but was selected as the league’s coach of the year in 2020.
Before being hired by Georgia Tech, Stoudamire had been a Boston Celtics assistant since 2021.
Stoudamire’s 13-year playing career in the NBA began when he was named Rookie of the Year in the 1995-96 season with Toronto. Only 5-foot-10, he earned the nickname “Mighty Mouse” and also played with Portland, Memphis and San Antonio.
Republican Rick Jackson speaks to schoolchildren after qualifying to run for governor on Friday, March 6, 2026, at the Georgia Capitol in Atlanta (AP Photo/Jeff Amy)
ATLANTA (AP) — A two-month sprint to the May 19 primary elections in Georgia’s governor and U.S. Senate races has begun as the final candidates qualified Friday for crucial posts in the closely contested swing state.
Republicans looking to oust incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff are touting their support for President Donald Trump and focusing more on slamming the Democratic incumbent than each other. Candidates to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Brian Kemp are jockeying for position in wide-open Republican and Democratic fields.
Qualifying in Georgia is a weeklong political festival at the state Capitol where candidates try out their best lines and try to project strength. Here is a look at what people had to say:
U.S. Senate
Ossoff is opposed by Republicans including U.S. Reps. Mike Collins and Buddy Carter as well as former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley.
Ossoff rallied with supporters Monday, arguing voters should reelect him because “they recognize this president has gone too far, that the chaos and the corruption and the cruelty are wrong for Georgia and wrong for the country.”
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Georgia Democrat, rallies supporters in Atlanta on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (Photo by Julia Beverly for the Georgia Recorder)
Ossoff said voters see “a need for checks and balances” against Trump, warning: “My opponents will be his puppets.”
Collins called Ossoff “California’s third senator.” Collins touted endorsements including Wednesday’s nod by The Club for Growth, a conservative advocacy group.
“We need to be spending every minute that we got making sure that this country is safe, making sure it’s productive, and making sure that it is affordable to people here,” Collins said.
Dooley said his years as a coach give him the ability to reach people who don’t normally cast GOP ballots.
“It’s important we have a candidate that can appeal to a lot of these crossover voters, people who don’t always vote in the midterms, who don’t always vote Republican,” he said.
Carter had one thing on his mind as he registered to qualify: “We’ve got to get rid of Jon Ossoff.”
“My plan is to win,” Carter said. “Let’s keep the main thing the main thing.”
Republicans for Governor
Republican Rick Jackson found himself shaking hands with schoolchildren Friday after he became the last major candidate for governor to qualify, with the health care baron saying that despite his heavy spending on ads that “there is no way to buy an election. You’ve got to earn it.”
FILE – Georgia Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones speaks at a rally kicking off his 2026 campaign for governor, Aug. 26, 2025, in Flovilla, Ga. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy, File)
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, endorsed by Trump, said he is unfazed by Jackson’s splashy entrance into a field of eight Republicans.
“The newness is going to wear off, and they’re going to look to the person who’s been most consistent throughout the years,” Jones said. “And I have that.”
Despite a resolution last year by the Georgia Republican Party calling on party officials to refuse to qualify Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, he signed papers Wednesday without a hitch. The resolution shows the deep hostility many Republican activists have toward Raffensperger following his refusal to help Donald Trump overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia.
Raffensperger is sidestepping those questions in his run for governor, saying “the most important thing right now is how do you kind of deal with this affordability crisis and you create good paying jobs.”
Attorney General Chris Carr, the fourth major Republican candidate, touts his record on recruiting jobs and fighting crime, saying that people “care about jobs, safety, education, affordability.”
“They don’t really want to talk about social issues the way the right and the left traditionally have,” Carr said, even as Jackson and Jones have jousted over the treatment of transgender children and adults
Democrats for Governor
Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, regarded by many as the front-runner among the eight Democrats running for governor, told reporters Monday that her issues, including affordability, free technical college, and cutting state income taxes for teachers, will appeal not just to Democrats, but to general election voters who haven’t elected Democrats for the last 24 years.
“I’m speaking my truth on what I feel a leader and a governor in this state needs to offer to people, so I don’t have to worry about changing my message for a general election audience,” Bottoms said.
Democrat Geoff Duncan Jackson signs papers to qualify to run for governor, Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at the Georgia Capitol in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy)
Republican-turned Democrat Geoff Duncan again touted his possible crossover appeal, saying he is “focused on the affordability crisis, the health care crisis, and unfortunately still the Donald Trump crisis.”
Former state Sen. Jason Esteves touted his own platform, but also aimed some fire at Bottoms and Duncan. He noted that Bottoms chose not to run for a second term as mayor and that Duncan, after supporting Republican policies as lieutenant governor that he now disavows, also stepped out of the political arena.
“We can’t afford to have folks that will stay silent, nor can we have folks that are going to be absent or quit when the going gets tough,” Esteves said.
Former DeKalb County CEO Mike Thurmond teared up as he described his low-income upbringing as a Black man to his track record of political success today as evidence of the “American dream.”
“I’m here representing all of those Georgians who couldn’t afford to be here today, who are pulling two jobs, working overtime, can’t afford the pay their insurance,” he said.
Rev. John Harrison is the pastor of Nacoochee Presbyterian Church in Sautee Nacoochee. The church is located at 260 GA-Hwy 255 North in Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia. (Photo courtesy Nacoochee Presbyterian Church)
I think often about a story of two friends I used to work with who had known each other since childhood. They became addicts as teenagers, and they used drugs together until one (I’ll call him Bob) went to prison and the other (I’ll call him Ted) got clean. When Bob got out of prison, he saw Ted in the street looking so put together that Bob did not recognize him at first. When Bob did recognize him, he stopped Ted and said, “What happened to you?” Ted responded with one word: “Jesus!”
Ted went on to become a pastor, Bob went on to die of an overdose, and I watched Ted preach at Bob’s funeral.
Bob and Ted come to mind when I read the story in the gospels about a man with a demon living on the outskirts of town, doing great harm to himself and lashing out in such a way that no one else dares come near him. No one thinks twice about him other than to give him a wide berth, until one day Jesus heals him. It’s only when they see that same man “clothed and in his right mind” (Mark 5:15) that they become afraid and ask Jesus to leave. That’s how I imagine Bob felt when he saw Ted “in his right mind,” disoriented to see someone he had known since childhood change so much, and scared for what might happen if he changed that much, too.
Do it anyway
Some of the things God is doing in our lives will seem crazy to the people around us. They may cost us friendships or even family members. Good friends will correct us when we are “beside ourselves,” acting out of character at work, with a spouse, or in a financial decision. But there are times when our faith calls us to do those things anyway, even if it comes at great cost.
Paul says it this way when he reaches out to the people who don’t know what to make of him: “If we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.” — 2 Cor. 5:13.
A sheet of paper that used to hang on the wall in Mother Teresa’s convent sums up what it looks like to be “beside oneself” for God:
People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.
People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway.
Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway. — Kent M. Keith
Hard rules to live by
Loving people who are difficult to love; doing right when the world does wrong; standing firm in one’s convictions; staying the course when doubt creeps in about whether anything we do really matters; these are what it means to be beside oneself for God.
Those are hard rules to live by in a world where many people are beside themselves for things other than God. Parents disown their children because they are gay. People trusted to keep the peace shoot first and ask questions later. Family members stop talking to each other because of politics or a disputed inheritance. These behaviors might make sense if we start from a place of self-righteousness, or entitlement, or grievance, or insecurity, but that is not where God calls us to start when we claim to be sane.
“If we are in our right mind, it is for you.”
When someone is sick on the sabbath, Jesus says the sane thing to do is to take care of that person, not tell them to “come back tomorrow.” If someone is thirsty, he says the sane thing is to give them a drink. If someone is hungry, he says to feed them. If someone is a stranger, he says to welcome them. He doesn’t stop us first to ask how we voted, or where we’re from. He doesn’t ask to see our birth certificates. He treats the person in front of him like a human being, no matter who calls him crazy for doing it, and he calls us to do the same.
When I think of war, I imagine the terror rising in a child. She lies in her bed, listening to the sounds of a battle she does not understand. Her pillow covers her head to muffle the noise of sirens and explosions. “Will I be here tomorrow?” is the question that whirls in her mind as she fights to sleep. “If I go to sleep, will I feel the pain of dying?”
Neither I nor any American child truly understands the nightmares experienced by the children of war. As conflicts causing suffering and death are ravaging our world, it is crucial to pause and remember the innocent.
From Ukraine and Russia to the Middle East, we witness the devastation caused by war. We see the starving children in Gaza, the families huddled in bomb shelters, and all those who are struggling for survival.
Most of us have never fallen asleep to the sound of sirens or awoken with the fear of losing a child before morning. For many Americans, war is a distant reality. For millions, it is part of their lives.
Currently, as conflicts spread, we are reminded that war is a real, human, and heartbreaking experience for far too many. In times like this – both abroad and at home – we need to grasp hands. We should focus less on internal cultural strife and more on what unites us: our compassion for human suffering.
When our personal space is calm, our citizens often find ways to disrupt that peace. We may argue about financial issues, politics, or religion. While we don’t literally point cannons at one another, we certainly point fingers. In doing so, we forget about the real battles that cause bloodshed and bring grief to entire nations.
Evil surrounds us, and we are not immune to its influence. It grows from the seeds of bias, the thirst for power, and an abundance of greed. To prevent hatred from igniting conflict in America, we must embrace our faith and expand our appreciation for freedom.
I don’t believe that the average American intends to be unkind, but we can often come across as harsh. A quick look at social media reveals that negativity can spread easily through our words. With so many conflicts happening in the world, we certainly don’t need to start personal battles among ourselves.
It is very difficult to walk in another person’s shoes when all you own are designer sneakers. It is hard to be humble when you have never experienced humility. How can we comprehend hunger when our plate is full? The child, nestled in her warm bed at night, cannot truly grasp the fear of another child who worries whether she will wake up tomorrow.
It is time to reach across the rivers, pastures, and streets of America and become friends. Unite to forge not only a great nation, but a compassionate one. Let’s show the world our might not through powerful weapons, but through our hearts.
All of us suffer at times. We grieve, we cry, and we face loss, yet we still have a warm place to call home. How blessed we are to have that security.
While Americans debate around our kitchen tables, families in war-torn regions run to shelters. While we count votes, those families count their children. While we still hold on to hope, others find themselves without any.
Considering the safety provided by our ancestors and soldiers, the least we can do is lower our voices, steady our hearts, and reach for one another rather than push each other away.
War reminds us how fragile life is. If we only had one day left to live, would we be grateful for the days we experienced, or angry about the tomorrows we will not see? What if we never had a choice or opportunity to complete our lives because war took that away from us?
Tonight, in many parts of the world, a child will fall asleep to the sound of explosions, while American children will sleep in quiet rooms. That is not something to boast about; it is something we must protect.
We cannot stop every war overseas, but we can choose not to wage one at home.
Let us be the nation that softens its voice before raising a fist. Let us be the people who hold hands in turmoil – not because we agree on everything, but because we understand what truly matters.
Jayden Ryan Wallace is charged with first-degree vehicular homicide in the death of North Hall High math teacher and golf coach, Jason Hughes. (Hall County Sheriff's Office)
GAINESVILLE, Ga. — A Gainesville teenager is facing felony charges after a late-night incident Friday that began as a prank and ended in a fatal crash.
The Hall County Sheriff’s Office Accident Investigation Unit has charged 18-year-old Jayden Ryan Wallace with first-degree vehicular homicide and reckless driving in connection with the death of North Hall High School math teacher and coach, Jason Hughes.
Deputies responded around 11:40 p.m. on Friday, March 6, to the 4400 block of North Gate Drive after receiving reports that a man had been run over by a vehicle. Hall County Fire Rescue transported Hughes to Northeast Georgia Medical Center, where he later died.
According to investigators, Wallace and four other individuals had gone to Hughes’ home and “rolled” his trees with toilet paper. When Hughes came outside, the group got into two vehicles to leave.
“As Wallace began driving his pickup truck on North Gate Drive, Hughes tripped and fell into the road and was run over by the vehicle,” a spokesperson for the Hall County Sheriff’s Office said.
“Our hearts are broken. Jason Hughes was a loving husband, a devoted father, a passionate teacher, mentor, and coach who was loved and respected by students and colleagues.” – Stan Lewis, Hall County School District
Wallace and the others stopped and attempted to render aid while emergency crews were responding, investigators said.
Deputies arrested Wallace at the scene. In addition to the felony charges, he is also charged with criminal trespass and littering on private property, both misdemeanors.
Four others who were with Wallace were also arrested at the scene and charged with criminal trespass and littering on private property, authorities said. They were identified as Elijah Tate Owens, Aiden Hucks, Ana Katherine Luque, and Ariana Cruz, all 18 and all with Gainesville addresses.
The incident remains under investigation.
A loss to the community
Jason Hughes taught at North Hall High School for eight years. He and his wife, Laura, also a teacher, began working in the math department in 2018. In addition to his teaching duties, he served as the school’s golf coach and assistant coach for baseball and football.
Hall County School District Director of Communications and Athletics, Stan Lewis, issued a statement Saturday in memory of the beloved teacher and coach: “Our hearts are broken. Jason Hughes was a loving husband, a devoted father, a passionate teacher, mentor, and coach who was loved and respected by students and colleagues. He gave so much to so many in numerous ways. Our hearts and prayers go out to his wife and family.”
North Hall High School opened its gymnasium to students and staff Saturday afternoon so they could “come and grieve and receive support.”
Laura and Jason Hughes (Photo courtesy Sides Media)
Friends and acquaintances remember Jason for his kindness and ability to connect with people.
“Jason never met a stranger. Whether it was a quick conversation, a laugh on the sidelines, or just that familiar smile and wave, he made people feel seen and valued,” Daniel Sides shared on social media.
The local photographer shared photos of the young couple smiling after a race. He added that, while hearts are heavy in the wake of Hughes’ death, “we’re also grateful for the memories, the laughter, and the example he set of how to treat people. The world needs more people like Jason Hughes — and our community was lucky to have him.”
Others commented on Hughes’ faith and the positive impact he had on young people’s lives.
Gainesville High School shared a post of solidarity with its cross-town sports rival, the North Hall Trojans, saying, “We are with you, Love Big Red.”
Gaines Waldon from Level Grove Elementary played the role of Papa Bear in the trial against Goldilocks. (photo submitted)
CLARKESVILLE, Ga. — Order in the court.
Third-grade students in the Habersham County Schools Discovery Program traded their classroom seats for courtroom benches Feb. 18, stepping inside the Habersham County Courthouse to put a familiar fairy-tale character on trial.
The gifted enrichment program, based at Habersham County Schools’ Discovery Center at Fairview Elementary School, organized the mock trial as a hands-on civic learning experience. Students are transported from their home schools to the Discovery Center one day each week to participate in interdisciplinary enrichment focused on critical thinking, research and communication skills.
Eliza Colston from Woodville Elementary played the role of Goldilocks. (photo submitted)
A fairy tale meets the justice system
In the case before the court, Goldilocks faced charges of breaking and entering, trespassing and destruction of property at the Bear family home.
Classmates took on key roles in the courtroom drama. Students portrayed Goldilocks, Mama Bear, Papa Bear, Baby Bear and even a forest ranger. A student jury listened to testimony, examined the facts and weighed arguments before reaching a verdict.
According to the prosecution, the Bear family returned home to find Goldilocks had entered without permission, sampled their food, broken Baby Bear’s chair and fallen asleep in one of the beds.
The defense argued Goldilocks was a lost and exhausted little girl who meant no harm and made poor decisions out of fear and confusion.
The goal, educators said, was to allow students to experience an authentic court environment while acting out a legal case in an age-appropriate way.
Real judges, real courtroom
The trial was organized and presided over by the Honorable Lori Pearson, chief juvenile
Townsen Canup from Clarkesville Elementary played the role of the Forest Ranger. (photo submitted)
court judge of the Mountain Judicial Circuit. Pearson guided students through courtroom procedures, explaining each step of the judicial process while maintaining the structure of a real trial.
The Honorable Brian Rickman, presiding judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals, also participated. Rickman led the jury through deliberations and later spoke with students about the appeals process, describing how cases can move to higher courts for further review.
Legal professionals from across the circuit helped bring the experience to life. Jessica Martin served as prosecutor, Kerry Morris acted as defense attorney, Jami Dailey served as court reporter, Richard Sinclair as bailiff, Eric Luders represented the Sheriff’s Office and MaryBeth Hopkins acted as clerk of court.
Throughout the proceedings, students practiced public speaking, critical thinking and collaboration while learning courtroom roles, legal terminology and the importance of listening carefully before reaching a decision.
The jury was played by Maggie Porter from Hazel Grove Elementary, Peter Qiu from Clarkesville Elementary, Dani Solorzano from Cornelia Elementary, Asher Reagan from Baldwin Elementary, Sasha Viskouskaya from Demorest Elementary, Lukas Woodard from Level Grove Elementary, Caroline Crane from Fairview Elementary, and Porter Wood from Demorest Elementary. (photo submitted)
Beyond the regular classroom
The Discovery Program is a gifted resource pullout model serving elementary students across the district. Its goals include extending learning opportunities, developing individual potential and fostering independent, lifelong learners.
Georgia’s gifted eligibility process requires a collection of student data in mental ability, achievement, creativity and motivation. At the Discovery Center, instruction emphasizes critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving through integrated units of study with a focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, enhanced by the arts.
By transforming a beloved fairy tale into a civic lesson inside their own county courthouse, students gained more than a day out of school. They left with a firsthand look at how the justice system works in their community — and a deeper understanding of the rule of law.
Before you go to bed on Saturday, be sure to move your clocks one hour ahead. Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 8.
The time change creates a 23-hour day and often disrupts sleep schedules, but fire safety officials say it also provides a helpful reminder to check home safety devices.
Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King said families should take a few minutes to test smoke alarms and ensure they are working properly.
‘Taking just a few minutes to check your smoke alarms can save your life,” King said. “These devices are often the first and only warning a family receives during a fire.”
Investigators frequently find smoke alarms that are disconnected, missing batteries or not functioning in homes where fatal fires occur. Fire officials recommend replacing batteries twice a year, testing alarms monthly and clearing dust or debris from sensors.
Some newer smoke alarms contain sealed 10-year batteries designed to last the life of the device, so residents should check the manufacturer’s instructions to determine what type they have. Fire officials also recommend taking time to create and review a home fire escape plan.
The twice-a-year clock change remains unpopular with many Americans, but efforts in Congress to adopt a permanent system have stalled.
