A Georgia State trooper takes photos of the scene while investigating the crash on Camp Creek Road on Jan. 15, 2026. (Daniel Purcell/NowGeorgia.com)
DEMOREST, Ga. — A Cornelia man was seriously injured Thursday evening after his pickup truck overturned on Camp Creek Road, according to officials. The accident happened shortly before 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 15, just south of Camp Creek Baptist Church.
According to the Georgia State Patrol’s preliminary investigation, 63-year-old Terry Loudermilk of Cornelia was southbound in a Toyota Tacoma when the truck ran off the road in a curve. State troopers said Loudermilk overcorrected, crossed both lanes of the roadway, struck a ditch, and overturned. The pickup wound up on its side in a private yard.
Firefighters and police work to free the injured driver from the pickup after it crashed into a yard at 1678 Camp Creek Road in Cornelia on Jan. 15, 2026. (Daniel Purcell/NowHabersham.com)
Loudermilk sustained serious injuries. Habersham EMS transported him to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville for treatment. Authorities said charges are pending.
The wreck shut down Camp Creek Road between Chase Road and Demorest-Mt. Airy Highway for nearly an hour as crews cleared the wreckage.
CLARKESVILLE, Ga. — Approximately two dozen demonstrators gathered on the Clarkesville square Thursday afternoon for a peaceful protest against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The “Sign Waving” event, organized by the 9th District Congressional Democrats with support from the Habersham County Democratic Party, was part of a broader series of “Blue Wave” gatherings. Organizers stated the events are intended to affirm constitutional principles, reject authoritarianism, and demonstrate the role of peaceful protest in a democratic society.
Participants stood at the intersection of Highways 115 and Historic US 441, displaying American flags and placards with slogans such as “Melt ICE for GOOD,” “Stop violence by ICE,” and “No secret police.” One demonstrator displayed a Greenland flag, citing opposition to presidential rhetoric regarding the potential acquisition of the Danish territory.
The demonstration occurred amid heightened national tensions following the shooting death of Renee Good, which has sparked ongoing confrontations between protesters and ICE agents in Minneapolis.
(Joshua M. Peck/NowGeorgia.com)
Demonstrators gather at the intersection of Highway 115 and Historic US 441 in Clarkesville, Ga., on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, to protest ICE and advocate for constitutional principles. The peaceful “Sign Waving” event was organized by the 9th District Congressional Democrats. (Joshua M. Peck/NowGeorgia.com)
(Joshua M. Peck/NowGeorgia.com)
A protester waves the Greenland flag in apparent solidarity with the Danish territory’s resistance to being seized or sold to the United States. (Joshua M. Peck/NowGeorgia.com)
Despite the presence of a counter-protester across the street, the gathering remained civil. Organizers urged participants to remain “positive and respectful,” emphasizing a community-focused approach. “Remember, we are speaking to our neighbors,” the Habersham County Democratic Party noted in a social media post.
The event drew participants from Habersham and neighboring counties, including Stephens and White. Additional demonstrations are scheduled to continue on Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Clarkesville and other locations throughout Georgia’s 9th Congressional District.
January 19 is a federal holiday marking the observance of Civil Rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The third Monday of January was chosen for MLK Day to keep the holiday as close as possible to King’s birthday, which was January 15.
Banks and local government offices will be closed, but celebrations of Dr. King’s legacy are planned, and both encourage giving back.
The Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Award Breakfast hosted by the men of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Delta Iota Lambda Chapter kicks off at 7:06 am Monday morning at the Columbus Convention and Trade Center. The success of the event over the last 32 years afforded Alpha Phi Alpha the ability to present hundreds of high school seniors in the Fountain City and surrounding areas with hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships.
The Unity Award Breakfast also recognizes an individual or an organization that has consistently promoted unity in our community.
Then at Noon, Piedmont Columbus Regional’s Pastoral Care department will host an MLK Day Chapel Service at the hospital’s conference center, located at 710 Center Street.
The service will feature special music, a word of inspiration and a rendition of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech will be performed by Senior Chaplain Marlon Scott. The event is free and open to the public; participants must wear a mask.
Piedmont Columbus Regional’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) council is also honoring the life and legacy of Dr. King by collecting items for Valley Rescue Mission and the Stewart Community Home. Hygiene products, hair supplies, toiletry items, laundry detergent, bedding, blankets, winter clothing, toys and baby supplies may be dropped off at the chapel service or in donation boxes at the lobbies of Piedmont Columbus Midtown and Northside.
Both events reflect one of Dr. King’s favorite quotes, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”
A Cornelia man was arrested on January 7 after a deputy stopped his vehicle and linked him to drugs found in a gas station bathroom, officials said.
Deputies charged 30-year-old Austin Orien Rhodes with possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, abandonment of a dangerous drug, and defective tires.
According to the incident report from the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy was conducting a business check at the RaceTrac in Cornelia around 1 a.m. He observed a woman and Rhodes at the coffee station. The deputy noted the smell of marijuana coming from the pair.
The two left the store in a gray Jeep Wrangler. The deputy inside the convenience store said he observed the vehicle had tires with “wires and metal showing in places” and pulled the vehicle over.
During a search of Rhodes, the deputy found a jewelry bag containing a box and a black metal container.
“Austin stated it contained cocaine,” the deputy wrote in the report regarding the box. “Austin stated this contained cocaine as well as some pills,” he added regarding the metal container.
Deputies said they found drug paraphernalia, suspected marijuana and various pills, including hydrocodone and alprazolam, on Rhodes.
While conducting the investigation, the deputy who stopped Rhodes learned that another deputy had found a bag of methamphetamine in the RaceTrac bathroom. The deputy with Rhodes noted that he had used the restroom just before Rhodes and knew no one else had entered or exited in that time.
When asked about the drugs found in the store, Rhodes reportedly admitted they were his.
“Austin stated he thought he had bought cocaine,” according to deputies. “Austin stated he stuck his finger in the bag while in the bathroom, and it burned his gums, so he left it there.”
Rhodes was arrested and transported to the Habersham County Detention Center.
People walk on a street in Nuuk, Greenland, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
WASHINGTON (States Newsroom) — President Donald Trump threatened Friday to place tariffs on Greenland and any country that opposes his efforts to take over the Arctic island, as members of Congress from both political parties were in Europe to assure allied nations that lawmakers won’t go along with his plans.
“I may do that for Greenland too. I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland because we need Greenland for national security,” Trump said. “So I may do that.”
Trump has been increasingly focused on acquiring Greenland during his second term in the Oval Office and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier this month that “utilizing the U.S. Military is always an option at the Commander in Chief’s disposal.”
Lawmakers not on board
Republicans and Democrats in Congress have been skeptical or outright opposed to Trump’s aspirations for Greenland, a territory of Denmark, which is a NATO ally.
Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Maine independent Sen. Angus King, co-chairs of the Senate Arctic Caucus, met with officials from Denmark this week to try to reassure the country’s leaders.
King wrote in a statement after the meeting that “the Denmark and Greenland coalition reiterated to us that they are fully prepared to cooperate with the United States in any way to expand our national security presence in Greenland – an agreement which goes back 75 years.”
“It was a very productive meeting and I’m hopeful that the administration will finally realize that taking Greenland over by a military force is almost unthinkable — to attack essentially a NATO ally,” King added. “That would be the greatest gift to (Russian President) Vladimir Putin that this country could possibly bestow.”
Murkowski wrote that the “United States, Denmark and Greenland should be able to count on each other as partners in diplomacy and national security.”
“Respect for the sovereignty of the people of Greenland should be non-negotiable, which is why I was grateful for the opportunity to engage in direct dialogue with Foreign Ministers from Denmark and Greenland,” Murkowski wrote. “Meetings like the one held today are integral to building stronger relationships with our allies that will continue to endure amid a shifting geopolitical landscape.”
House speaker derides ‘media narrative’
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said during a press conference this week that he hasn’t heard any plans for military action in Greenland at any briefings he’s attended and that he believes “this is a media narrative that’s been created.”
Johnson said he doesn’t “anticipate any boots on the ground anywhere anytime soon,” though he added the United States does have national security and critical mineral interests in Greenland.
“Greenland is of strategic importance, its geography and everything else. So look, again, you have to wait for that to play out. I’m going to leave it to the administration to articulate it how they will,” Johnson said. “But I think what the president is articulating is something that everybody objectively has to acknowledge, that Greenland has strategic significance to us and also to other countries around the world, so we need to play that very seriously.”
A bipartisan congressional delegation was in Denmark on Friday to communicate to leaders of that country and Greenland that they don’t support Trump’s efforts.
Lawmakers on the trip include Delaware Democratic Sen. Chris Coons, Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, Murkowski, New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, as well as Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Madeleine Dean, Maryland Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer, California Democratic Rep. Sara Jacobs, Delaware Democratic Rep. Sarah McBride and New York Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks.
Michael Thomas York, age 73, of Cornelia, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, leaving behind a legacy of faith, service, and deep devotion to family.
Born on October 15, 1952, in Demorest, Michael was the beloved son of the late Ralph James York and Annie Bell Zimmerman York. From a young age, he carried a strong sense of duty and purpose that would define his life. At the height of the Vietnam War, Michael answered the call to serve his country by enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps. Through dedication and perseverance, he rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant. In recognition of his outstanding work in electronic communications, he was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal—an honor he accepted with humility and pride.
Following his military service, Michael continued a life of service through his career, eventually retiring from Northeast Georgia Health System as a Network IT Specialist. Known for his reliability, intelligence, and steady presence, he was respected by colleagues and friends alike.
Outside of work, Michael found great joy in investing in the lives of young people. He loved to play Santa Claus for his grandchildren before Christmas. He also devoted countless hours to coaching youth sports, especially soccer and baseball, teaching not only the fundamentals of the game but also the values of teamwork, discipline, and sportsmanship. His influence extended far beyond the field.
Michael was a faithful member of B.C. Grant Baptist Church, where his love for God guided every aspect of his life. Those who knew him best knew that his priorities could be clearly summed up as: Family, God, and Country. He lived those words daily—as a husband, father, grandfather, veteran, and friend.
In addition to his parents, Michael was preceded in death by his cherished grandson, Preston Lane York, whom he held close in his heart.
He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Ann-Denise Schuler York; his children, Anissa “Amy” Michele York Gosnell (Randy), Sean York (Hope), and Ryan Paul “Rudy” Hill; and his grandchildren, Zakk Gosnell, Cheyenne Larkin (Michael), Presley York, Hadley York, Hannah Hill, Hunter Hill, Caitlyn York, and Ryan York. He also leaves behind his bonus grandchildren, Madison, Kaylee, Colton, and Ellie, each of whom brought him immense pride and joy.
Michael is also survived by his nephew, Tim York; his niece, Lynn York Hatton; and his cousins, Kathy Anderson, Rose Bramlett, and Casey Bramlett.
Michael Thomas York will be remembered as a man of quiet strength, unwavering faith, and selfless love. His life was a testament to service, and his memory will live on in the hearts of all who were blessed to know him.
Michael’s wishes were to be cremated, and a private family gathering will be held.
An online guest registry is available for the York family at www.mcgaheegriffinandmcentire.com.
McGahee-Griffin & McEntire Funeral Home of Cornelia, Georgia (706-778-8668) is in charge of arrangements.
State Senator Ed Harbison (Robbie Watson/NowGeorgia.com)
Georgia Republicans are crafting a plan to eliminate the state income tax. Lt. Governor Burt Jones created the Senate Special Committee on Eliminating Georgia’s Income Tax to forge ahead with his plan to eliminate the state income tax by 2032. Democratic State Senator Ed Harbison of Columbus is on the bipartisan committee.
Harbison said “We have to make sure that when we eliminate one thing we can replace it because it’s always about robbing Peter to pay Paul. It’s just so much money in that $39 billion dollar budget. We’ve got $16 billion dollars of that comes from income tax. Well, if we remove it how do we replace it? We depend on sales tax. We depend on this scheme or that scheme but right now we have a horse that’s running, it works. We are attracting people to the state of Georgia, we’re growing and we’re lowering the income tax incrementally.”
State Representative Debbie Buckner has similar concerns about where money would come from to make up for the state income tax. “This is probably not a popular thing for me to say but it makes me nervous to take that large amount of money out of the budget because there are needs that need to be covered by the funds that those taxes cover,” Buckner said.
“We have made changes to the income tax law the last four years. We’ve been ratcheting down our rate and I really think that with things uncertain on the national level, not knowing how much federal money is going to be pulled because over a third of our budget is federal money so if they pull money we’ve got to make up that…there are a lot of things at play and I feel sometimes it’s better to stay in the boat and not rock it for right now. I’m not against it long term maybe or next term or whatever but I’m thinking right now there are too many uncertainties to feel comfortable making drastic changes to our tax laws,” Buckner said.
When school lets out this May, South Habersham principal Daphne Penick will retire after a 32-year career with Habersham County Schools. (Patrick Fargason/Now Habersham)
CORNELIA, Ga. — When Daphne Penick thinks back to her first year in education, her mind goes not to lesson plans or classrooms, but to a principal who shaped how she would spend the rest of her career.
Her first teaching job was at the old South Habersham building — now the site of Cornelia Elementary School — where longtime educator Larry Hill served as principal. Hill, who spent his entire career in education and led South Habersham Middle School for 20 years before retiring, became Penick’s mentor early on.
“He was ok with you making a mistake, as long as you learned from it,” Penick said. “I learned that very quickly — you make a mistake, you get the lesson, and you grow.”
The mindset of grace, reflection, and growth became a throughline for Penick’s career. This May, she will retire as principal of South Habersham Middle School after 32 years as an employee of Habersham County Schools. Superintendent Patrick Franklin made her retirement announcement during the Board of Education meeting Monday and noted Penick’s 48-year connection to the system, a figure that includes her time as a student growing up in Habersham County.
The exterior of South Habersham Middle School where Penick has been employed for the last 32 years. (Patrick Fargason/Now Habersham)
‘Habersham is truly special to me’
Penick never pictured herself working anywhere else.
“Habersham is just truly special to me,” she said. “I just never saw myself anywhere else.”
The one exception came at Hill’s urging, when Penick left the county briefly to gain counseling experience after earning her degree from Clemson University. Hill told her the system wasn’t hiring counselors without experience, but he also made it clear she would be back.
“He knew a retirement was coming up,” she said. “He said, ‘Go get what you can get under your belt, and you’re going to come back.’ And I was back.”
It’s the little things
Over time, Penick said her view of education changed. Early in her career, she thought success came from big, visible initiatives. Experience taught her otherwise.
Principal Penick posed in front of the South Habersham Wall of Remembrance honoring those who have passed on, including her mentor, former principal Larry Hill. (Patrick Fargason/South Habersham)
“The little things matter,” she said. “When I first started out, I thought it had to be big and shiny. That’s not where it’s at. The little things make big things — for good or for bad.”
As principal, those “little things” helped define the culture at South Habersham Middle School. Penick is quick to deflect praise, saying the school’s strength lies in its people — staff, parents, and students — and the relationships they have built.
“There’s a spirit here at South Habersham that I can’t explain,” she said. “When you walk in the door, you feel it. Visitors feel it. Substitute teachers feel it. Parents can’t always explain it, but they know it’s there.”
South Habersham is a family
She describes the school as a family, united by shared expectations: students come first, mutual respect is required, and tough love is paired with care.
Principal Penick speaks with the school’s counselor Mandee Davis in the hallway. Penick was also Davis’ basketball coach when she was a student. (Patrick Fargason/Now Habersham)
One of the moments that makes her most proud comes during an ordinary walk down the hallway. Penick notices how students greet adults — smiling, waving, saying good morning — often trying to beat her to it.
“We’ve instilled that every child needs to feel a sense of self-worth,” she said. “I never wanted a child to pass an adult in the hallway and not get a smile or a greeting.”
Those small habits, she said, carry beyond middle school. Field trips routinely prompt calls praising South Habersham students’ behavior.
“They want to represent us well because the adults here pour into them,” she said.
Years later, those connections still surface in unexpected ways. Penick recently ran into a former student in the community — now an upperclassman in high school — who asked if she had received his Christmas card. When it arrived through interoffice mail after the holidays, it brought her to tears.
“He said, ‘You’re the best principal. You made middle school fun, but we were safe,’” she said. “Those were the things I needed to hear to say, ‘Ok, I can close this chapter.’”
Asked how she hopes her staff remembers working with her, Penick returned to her core values.
“I hope they remember how I treated students first,” she said. “And then how I made them feel — sometimes that’s tough support, but always with love.”
The door to Penick’s office letting her students and staff know where she is at all times. (Patrick Fargason/Now Habersham)
Retirement was not an easy decision
The decision to retire was not an easy one. Penick said she wrestled with it for years, especially after reaching the 30-year mark. Ultimately, she felt a sense of clarity.
“This is a ministry,” she said of education. “Sometimes that ministry needs to take a turn. It felt like it was time — bittersweet, but time.”
Penick keeping her nose to the grindstone as she tries not to think about her retirement in May. (Patrick Fargason/Now Habersham)
When May arrives, Penick said she looks forward to giving time back to her family after decades of long hours at school. She credits her husband, children, and extended family for making her career possible. Her family’s next chapter includes a daughter’s wedding this summer, a son in college, another serving in the military, and time spent caring for her mother, who lives next door.
“I need to go home and be an excellent wife, mother and daughter,” she said.
Reflecting on her career
Summing up her career in one sentence, Penick said it comes down to giving back what was once given to her — as a teacher, counselor, administrator and counseling coordinator.
“What was done for me is what I wanted to do for others,” she said.
As for the moment when the final bell rings on her last day as principal, Penick paused.
“I don’t even want to think about it,” she said. “It’s going to be tough.”
Iditarod racer Karen Land visits the Harris County Library. (Photo courtesy of Iditarod. com)
As cold weather descends upon the Chattahoochee Valley and maybe even a snow flake or two in the next few days, the timing couldn’t be more perfect to meet an Iditarod racer and her husky.
Three-time Iditarod racer Karen Land and her amazing Alaskan husky, Sophia, will be at the Harris County Public Library, Friday afternoon, at 3:30 pm.
Karen is a writer, public speaker, and library-lover, giving Iditarod dog mushing presentations at schools and libraries across the country. To date, she has delivered over 1000 talks in 35 states. In the sport of mushing, a sled dog team is often referred to as a “string of dogs.”
Come meet a real Iditarod musher, hear fascinating stories from the trail, and get up close with Sophia! This is a fun and unique experience you won’t want to miss—perfect for all ages.
Bring your curiosity and your love for dogs and adventure!
A Clarkesville man is in jail after a road rage incident that escalated into a hit-and-run and an alleged firearm threat Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 14.
Jesse Lafayette Parker, 84, turned himself in at the Habersham County Detention Center later that day. He is charged by the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office with three counts of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The Georgia State Patrol also charged Parker with misdemeanor hit and run, failure to stop and render aid, and passing in a no-passing zone.
According to the sheriff’s office, deputies were called at 1:59 p.m. to Cornelia Christian Church on the 441 Bypass after a reported hit-and-run tied to a road rage incident that began on Level Grove Road near the GA 365 southbound ramp.
The victim told deputies that traffic slowed when Parker stopped his silver Mercury Grand Marquis to allow another vehicle to turn onto the ramp. After the victim honked, Parker allegedly followed him, honking his horn.
The victim told deputies Parker appeared to be holding a hatchet out the driver’s window. As the victim pulled over near the northbound ramp to let the car pass, the Grand Marquis reportedly swerved into his lane and struck his vehicle before leaving the area.
Both vehicles continued toward Cornelia. When the victim later pulled into a parking lot near the church, he said he saw the man, later identified as Parker, standing outside his car, aiming what appeared to be a shotgun at him.
The victim provided officers with photos allegedly showing Parker holding and pointing a black, pump-action shotgun. When Parker left the scene, the victim called 9-1-1.
“After a lookout was issued by Cornelia police for the Grand Marquis and deputies were searching for it, Parker called and told a Cornelia police officer he was on his way home to put away his groceries then would turn himself in,” said sheriff’s office spokesperson Rob Moore. Around 3 p.m., he arrived at the detention center and was arrested without incident.
Investigators say the two men did not know each other. Bond was set at $15,000 on all charges.
Gov. Brian Kemp gives two thumbs up at his final state of the state address in the Georgia Capitol Thursday. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
(Georgia Recorder) — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp called for an expedited income tax rate cut and another tax rebate, new spending for law enforcement retirement savings and funding for a needs-based scholarship program in his annual state of the state address Thursday before the Georgia General Assembly.
The speech — Kemp’s eighth and final address as governor — highlighted many of the policies that have shaped his legacy, including his efforts to raise wages for teachers and other state employees, issue tax rebates during years the state had a revenue surplus and shore up the state’s multibillion-dollar reserves. According to Kemp’s projections, Georgia’s state reserves and rainy day fund combined will have more than $10 billion by the time he leaves office. The state’s current reserves sit at $14.6 billion.
“There’s no question the state of our state is stronger, more prosperous and safer today than it was in January of 2019,” he told lawmakers.
But Kemp’s speech also highlighted the rising costs of living across the state, and cautioned lawmakers against taking the state’s economic stability for granted.
“The reality is that too many of our citizens are still struggling to make ends meet and everyday costs are still too high,” he said. “Groceries, rent, insurance, clothes for the kids, it all adds up to more than it used to.”
In his speech, Kemp also previewed his priorities for his last legislative session as governor, which includes a proposal to accelerate a plan lowering the state income tax rate below 5%.
Kemp’s proposed tax cut would bring the state’s income tax rate to 4.99%, down from 5.19%. His proposal would take effect for this year’s tax year and cost the state about $750 million each year in future lost revenues.
“This will fulfill a promise to the people of the state that I made during my re-election campaign to lower our state income tax rate to under 5% and with the General Assembly’s passage and my signature, it will come a full three years ahead of schedule,” he said.
But there is a push in the Senate to move aggressively toward eliminating Georgia’s income tax. A special Senate panel recently released a plan that would waive the tax on up to $50,000 a year for individuals and $100,000 for married couples starting in 2027 – and eliminate the income tax entirely by 2032. Republican House leaders say they are also readying a bill that would nix the property tax on primary residences.
Victor Anderson. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
Rep. Victor Anderson, a Cornelia Republican and chair of the House Governmental Affairs Committee, said that with Kemp’s proposed accelerated income tax cut, lawmakers could consider some sort of property tax relief reduction without impacting local government services.
“I also think there’s plenty of room for us to work with our local government on property taxes and still allow them to provide the services the citizens need,” Anderson said.
Notably absent from Kemp’s speech were discussions of hot-button social issues like banning diversity, equity and inclusion efforts or restricting access to gender-affirming care.
Instead, Kemp centered his speech on cost-of-living issues, including a proposal to distribute a one-time $2,000 bonus to state employees, and fund a needs-based scholarship for Georgia students that had previously been funded through private donations.
The University System of Georgia Foundation’s DREAMS Scholarship would complement the state’s existing HOPE Scholarship, which is awarded to students based on merit. Under Kemp’s proposed budget, the DREAMS Scholarship would receive a one-time contribution of $325 million from the state to create more opportunities for Georgia residents to graduate without student debt.
“I believe we owe it to every child to ensure they start out on a level playing field, no matter their zip code,” Kemp said.
House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley applauded Kemp’s push to fund the scholarship during his final year in office.
“We’ve been asking for a need-based scholarship for years,” she told reporters after the speech. “As you know, HOPE started out as a needs-based proposition, and they turned it into a merit-based scholarship. So I’m happy that on his way out the door, he’s giving a nod to something that we’ve been asking for for several years.”
But Hugley, a Columbus Democrat, also criticized Kemp’s proposal to send out one-time tax rebates to Georgia residents, saying it would not go far enough to address the state’s affordability issues.
This year’s rebates, which also require lawmakers’ approval, would be the fourth time Georgia taxpayers received an extra payment in recent years, and it would again show up as $250 for individuals, $375 for head of household and $500 for married couples filing jointly. All told, the rebates would cost the state’s rainy day funds about $1.2 billion.
The rebates “will not take care of the needs that most families are thinking about,” she said. “They’re thinking about child care. They’re thinking about paying rent. But a one-time $250, a one-time $500, what is that really going to do?”
In the official Democratic response to Kemp’s address, Hugley argued that Republican-led plans to eliminate the state income tax and property taxes would primarily benefit wealthy Georgians, while placing an increased burden on families and local governments.
“This is not tax relief,” Hugley said. “This is cost shifting.”
Kemp also released his budget proposals Thursday. Here are some other notable details from his spending plans:
Kemp’s budget would use $46.4 million to replace the recent reduction of federal funding for a key food aid program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The cuts were included in last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The governor’s plan would also add about $18 million to go toward reducing the state’s payment error rate to avoid future federal funding cuts to the program.
Roughly $2 billion in Kemp’s proposed budget would go toward highway improvements around metro Atlanta, and another $250 million would be allocated to local road projects. Rural parts of the state would also receive $100 million to strengthen or replace failing bridges, and $35 million for natural gas infrastructure upgrades. He highlighted these infrastructure projects at Wednesday’s Eggs and Issues event.
The proposal would also include $5 million to fund a full hand recount for this year’s election, and another $1.8 million to help scan and tabulate ballots based on the human-readable text.
The new spending will bring the size of this year’s budget up to $42.3 billion. Next year’s budget, which will take effect in July, is set at $38.5 billion.
The governor sets the spending levels each year in his budget proposals, and while lawmakers can’t increase the money available, they can move money around in the budget to reflect their own priorities. Lawmakers are set to hold budget hearings next week.
Georgia Recorder editor Jill Nolin and reporter Alander Rocha contributed to this report.
Marijuana plants are cultivated and processed in this 118,000 square foot facility at Fine Fettle in Macon-Bibb County. (Fine Fettle/Facebook)
ATLANTA, Ga. — As national attention continues to focus on possible changes to federal marijuana policy, Georgia lawmakers say recreational marijuana legalization — and changes to state criminal law — are not expected during the 2026 legislative session.
At the federal level, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is considering rescheduling marijuana from a Schedule I drug to Schedule III, a move that would acknowledge medical uses for cannabis and place it in a lower-risk category than drugs such as heroin. Even if approved, the change would not legalize recreational marijuana in individual states.
In Georgia, lawmakers say state law would remain largely unchanged.
A tightening of current regulations
Instead, legislative discussions are centered on tightening regulations around hemp-derived products and making limited adjustments to the state’s existing medical marijuana program.
Brian Strickland, a Henry County Republican and chairman of the Senate Judiciary
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Brian Strickland tells Now Habersham the legislature’s main concern is reworking marijuana regulation. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
Committee, said Georgia already has a structured licensing system for medical marijuana but lacks consistent oversight of hemp products sold outside that system.
“What you see right now is a whole license structure around medical marijuana,” Strickland told Now Habersham. “And then you see this other market of stuff being dumped into our state — all the hemp stuff. It’s not really regulated the same way, and we are trying to figure out how to fill that gap.”
Strickland said one of the main concerns driving the conversation is access to highly potent products sold in gas stations and convenience stores, including access by minors.
“We’re also making sure that kids can’t walk into a gas station and buy stuff 10 times more potent than somebody with a prescription, which they kind of can right now,” he said. “You don’t know what’s in that. We don’t even know what’s in it.”
He said lawmakers have been told Georgia has become a destination for unregulated products as other states adopt tighter standards.
“What I’ve been told is Georgia has become a dumping ground because other states are regulating stuff and we aren’t,” Strickland said.
State criminal law will not change
While some lawmakers are looking at whether to expand the list of qualifying medical conditions for Georgia’s low-THC oil program, Strickland said there are no active proposals to change how marijuana is treated under state criminal law.
“There’s actually a movement to look at whether or not we expand any of the medical conditions that qualify for the medical marijuana side, at the same time tightening up this other market out here,” he said. “But I’m not aware of any efforts when it comes to our criminal laws that change how we treat marijuana in Georgia.”
Strickland said marijuana remains illegal under Georgia law and emphasized enforcement remains a priority.
“Marijuana is still something that’s illegal in my mind,” he said. “We’ve got to start with enforcing the law, and I just think we need to continue unless the feds are going to do something different with it down the road.”
He also pointed to impaired driving as one of the biggest unresolved challenges for prosecutors and law enforcement as marijuana-related products become more widespread.
“Our biggest challenge for prosecutors and for local law enforcement is somebody driving under the influence of marijuana,” Strickland said. “Our science is not caught up with that. We can test you for alcohol. I don’t have the ability to test you for marijuana in the same way.”
Strickland said the legal gray areas surrounding hemp-derived products further complicate enforcement.
“So much is legal now, you don’t know for sure if what you took was even legal,” he said. “That’s an issue we’re also wrestling with, but nothing I’m aware of to undo our marijuana laws.”
(NowGeorgia.com)
Blue-Ribbon Committee
Georgia currently allows registered patients with qualifying medical conditions to use low-THC oil through the state’s medical marijuana program. A legislative “blue ribbon” committee has been studying potential changes to that program, including expanded access and stronger regulatory oversight.
Bills from the previous session that did not pass may carry over into 2026, though lawmakers say those proposals focus on medical access and regulation — not recreational marijuana or criminal penalties.
Even if federal marijuana policy shifts, Georgia officials say recreational use would remain illegal unless state lawmakers take separate action, something legislative leaders indicate is unlikely this year.
Now Habersham’s crime reporter Kevin Angell contributed to this report.
