Law enforcement responds to the scene where a person was reported to be barricaded in a home in east Toccoa on Jan. 8, 2026. (Photo by Steve Fournier)
TOCCOA, Ga. — The Toccoa Police Department has announced a major break in the investigation regarding the “barricaded suspect” call that triggered a massive law enforcement response on US Hwy. 123 earlier this week.
In an update provided today, Police Chief Bruce Carlisle confirmed that investigators are following up on a “strong lead” and are currently in the process of serving a search warrant to positively identify the suspect.
Authorities now believe the fraudulent 911 call originated from the Texas area. According to Chief Carlisle, the individual responsible is suspected of perpetrating similar hoaxes in several other jurisdictions recently.
“We believe we will get the suspect identified and arrested soon,” Chief Carlisle stated.
Background on the Incident
The investigation stems from an incident on January 8, 2026, when law enforcement officers from multiple agencies—including the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia State Patrol, and the GBI—converged on a residence in East Toccoa. The response was triggered by a 911 report of a barricaded gunman holding hostages.
Officers established a perimeter and deployed snipers, shutting down traffic on Highway 123. However, after making contact with the lone male occupant of the home, police determined there were no hostages, no sniper rifle, and no threat, classifying the event as a “swatting” incident—a dangerous prank designed to draw a heavy police response to a victim’s home.
Police are continuing to work with external agencies to finalize the identification and arrest of the suspect.
Banks County firefighters fought off a structure fire Sunday afternoon. (Banks County Fire and Rescue)
COMMERCE, Ga. — Firefighters contained a structure fire Sunday afternoon at a single-family home on McDonald Circle in Banks County.
Banks County Fire and Emergency Services responded at about 12:24 p.m. Jan. 11 to a reported residential fire at 880 McDonald Circle, according to Fire Chief Steve Nichols.
“When crews arrived, they found smoke and fire showing from the structure,” Nichols said.
Firefighters made an aggressive interior attack and confined the fire to the room of origin. The remainder of the home sustained heat and smoke damage, and the residence was listed as having extensive damage.
Several occupants were home at the time of the fire, but no injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Nichols said it appears to be accidental and that cooking could not be ruled out.
Fire crews cleared the scene at approximately 1:48 p.m. Jackson County Fire Department assisted with the response. The American Red Cross was requested to assist the family.
The Toccoa Police Department assisted in the arrest of Nicholas Alexander with the GBI's ARDEO task force. (Stephens County Jail)
The Toccoa Police Department assisted the GBI ARDEO Drug Task Force in the arrest of Nicholas Alexander. Alexander was wanted on a confirmed felony probation warrant issued out of Baldwin County, Georgia.
Officers took Alexander into custody without incident at 49 Parkway Drive in Toccoa. Law enforcement verified the warrant prior to the arrest. According to records, Alexander is a documented member of the “Rolling 60s Crips” criminal street gang.
After the arrest, Alexander was transported to the Stephens County Jail where he will await further judicial proceedings.
The Toccoa Police Department stated in a social media post that they continue “to work closely with state and local partners to locate and apprehend individuals wanted on felony warrants and to enhance public safety throughout the community.”
FILE-White County Chamber of Commerce. (Photo submitted)
WHITE COUNTY, Ga. — As a voter-approved sales tax aimed at lowering property taxes takes effect in White County, the White County Chamber of Commerce is reminding local retailers to ensure the additional 1% tax is being properly collected.
The Property Tax Reduction Local Option Sales Tax, or PTRLOST, was approved by White County voters in the Nov. 5, 2025, election and went into effect Jan. 1. The tax applies to consumable goods sold in the county and is designed to directly reduce property tax bills.
The county’s new sales tax rate is now 8%, up from 7% last year.
Chamber reaching out to retailers
White County Chamber of Commerce President Beth Truelove said the Chamber has been proactive in communicating with businesses to prepare them for the change.
“We’ve been talking to our retailers about making sure they are collecting that 1% extra sales tax,” Truelove told Now Habersham. She said the Chamber has reached out through direct calls and emails to avoid confusion or compliance issues as the tax is implemented.
“We have been sharing that info to ensure that retailers are aware and able to collect the new tax,” Truelove said. “We have communicated through personal calls and emails to prepare the retailers for this change. No one wants to get a surprise tax bill from the Georgia Department of Revenue.”
Under state law, revenue generated by the PTRLOST can only be used to roll back property tax millage rates and cannot be spent on general operations or new projects.
Chamber: Property owners will see relief in 2027
According to Truelove, the additional 1% sales tax will be collected throughout 2026. Property owners will not see the benefit immediately; instead, the reduction tied to the tax will be reflected on 2027 property tax bills, after a full year of collections.
Because the tax is collected at the point of sale, a portion of the revenue will come from visitors and nonresidents who shop, dine, or travel in White County. County commissioners leaned into that point when putting the tax referendum on the ballot, assuring voters that money from the tax would shift part of the local tax burden away from property owners.
More information about how the PTRLOST works is available at whitecountyflost.com.
A digital mural rendering depicting a proposed design honoring Miss Sally’s Lunch Room (1960–1987), presented as a conceptual visualization. The mural is presently under construction.(Carly McCurry / Now Habersham)
I shook Abigail Bennett’s hand and noticed the pink sweater first, soft and unassuming. She carried herself like someone used to listening closely. She looked young, but not at all uncertain. The kind of confidence that comes from having done the work.
Abigail, a student at the prestigious William and Mary University, did not come to Cornelia to unveil a finished mural or sell a prepackaged vision. She came because she was invited to help residents shape history and culture into color and definition. Audrey Davenport organized her arrival not as a guest appearance but as a collaboration.
Audrey Davenport and Abigail Bennett open the meeting, welcoming those assembled at Cornelia City Hall. (Carly McCurry / Now Habersham)
Audrey first encountered Abigail during a webinar, where a question about revitalization without displacement revealed a shared passion. How can public investment honor a neighborhood without hollowing it out? That question carried Abigail from North Carolina to a room at Cornelia City Hall.
Brushstrokes of Change
Although the gathering took place in City Hall, there were no votes or resolutions: The podium became a place for stories rather than statements. Cornelia City Manager Dee Anderson was there along with a few others. The mood felt more like a workshop than a presentation, a space where unfinished ideas still mattered.
Audrey opened the evening by framing the project not as a single mural, but as an ongoing process. Brushstrokes of Change, she explained, turns stories into landmarks — not monuments imposed from above, but symbols shaped by the people who live with them.
The murals planned for Jim Smith Park are only one part of that work. The other is Parking Spaces to Community Places, a companion project built around a simple question: What can underused spaces become? Even a big, overlooked parking lot can be something more — a gathering place, a children’s fair, a block party, a garden, a place that belongs to people when the cars are gone.
The Miss Sally’s Lunch Room mural takes shape, honoring the historic Black-owned lunchroom as work continues on the site. (Carly McCurry / Now Habersham)
Honoring memories and legacies
Bennett spoke about her work with CASA, where a mural emerged through intentional dialogue with the people it represented. She shared early sketches, deliberately rough, faces suggested rather than fixed, surrounded by words like care, courage, family, education, and love. The goal was not polished. The goal was participation. As Bennett explains, “a mural fails when it reflects only the artist.”
One of the meeting’s goals was to propose concepts for murals at Jim Smith Park, located across from Shady Grove Baptist Church. These works of art are intended to preserve and honor the memory, history, and cultural legacy of Cornelia’s historically Black neighborhoods; accordingly, the murals under discussion should reflect and represent that heritage.
The work continues
“Brushstrokes of Change”: A Memory Mapping Workshop at The Café invites the community to reflect, remember, and reimagine shared history on MLK Day, centering Dr. King’s vision of the Beloved Community. (Carly McCurry / Now Habersham)
The Jan. 8 meeting at Cornelia City Hall was just the beginning. The work continues with more events planned to finalize concepts. The community is invited to be part of that planning.
A memory-mapping workshop is scheduled for 1 p.m. on MLK Day, Jan. 19, at The Cafe on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Residents are encouraged to come share their stories and bring photos of The Hill.
“Help remember and call the names of our community pillars that uplifted our neighborhood,” encourages Davenport. “Mapping will involve recalling what houses we once had and the families that lived there.”
Information gathered at the mapping workshop will be used to create images for murals. Time will also be devoted to discussing the Parking Spaces to Community Places project.
Another community gathering is scheduled for February 19 at 5:30 p.m. at Cornelia City Hall.
Long-term maintenance
These murals not only enhance Cornelia’s visual landscape but also help establish a distinct identity for the city as a destination for public art. This growing reputation has already contributed to increased tourism and local appeal—and, importantly, these works appear to be here to stay.
When asked about long-term maintenance, Cornelia City Manager Dee Anderson explained that a protective sealant is applied once the murals are completed, helping them withstand time and weather. “If we see that one needs some work or a touch-up, we’ll put money in the budget and take care of it,” Anderson said.
As the meeting room emptied on Jan. 8 and conversations lingered, one thing felt clear: Brushstrokes of Change is not just about the murals, but about the process behind them. The invitation remains open. The work continues. And the city, for a moment, feels unfinished in the best possible way.
Interested in joining the conversation? Follow this link HERE.
Washington State Prison on August 12, 2022. (Grant Blankenship/GPB News)
DAVISBORO, Ga. (AP) — Three inmates were killed and a corrections officer and several other inmates were injured when a fight broke out Sunday at a state prison in Georgia, according to local police.
The fight that started among inmates at the Washington State Prison left three inmates dead, Davisboro Police Chief Leondus Dixon said in an email. A corrections officer was injured and 12 inmates were taken to local hospitals for treatment, Dixon said.
The Georgia Department of Corrections had not posted any public statements about the incident to its website or social media accounts by Monday afternoon and had not responded to calls and emails from The Associated Press seeking information.
It’s not yet clear what prompted the fights or how the inmates were killed and injured or how the officer was injured. Washington County Deputy Coroner Mark Hodges said there were three deaths related to the incident, but he didn’t have any further information.
The medium security prison in Davisboro, about 130 miles (209 kilometers) southeast of Atlanta, has a capacity of about 1,550 inmates, according to the Department of Corrections website.
The Department of Corrections is leading the investigation, Dixon said. In addition to Davisboro police, he said the Washington County and Johnson County sheriff’s offices and Georgia State Patrol responded to the scene.
The Georgia State Patrol referred questions to the Department of Corrections.
The Department of Justice in 2024 issued a report saying Georgia prison officials are “deliberately indifferent” to unchecked deadly violence, widespread drug use, extortion and sexual abuse at state lockups. The report, following a civil rights investigation, found sophisticated gangs run prison black markets trafficking in drugs, weapons and electronic devices such as drones and smart phones. Investigators also cited a rising number of homicides in Georgia prisons, from seven in 2018 to 35 in 2023. Homicides later rose to 66 in 2024, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and were on pace to top in 2025 through June.
State officials have denied that they were violating inmates constitutional rights at the time of the 2024 report, but Corrections Commissioner Tyrone Oliver and others have acknowledged that the pandemic led to a staffing crisis in state prisons as many prison guards resigned. The state has pumped more than $600 million in new spending into the Department of Corrections in recent years. That has helped the state hire more guards, but Oliver told lawmakers in December that the state is still 1,000 guards short of recommended staffing levels.
State Rep. Billy Hitchens, a Republican from Rincon, said at the December hearing that he’s concerned the prison system isn’t making meaningful progress toward preventing inmates from jamming or disabling cell-door locks. Broken locks allow inmates to roam freely and commit attacks. Oliver said then that fully replacing cell-door locks could take years.
Three arrested for animal cruelty (LCSO)/NowGeorgia.com
On January 12, 2026, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a concerned citizen in reference to possible animal cruelty that occurred in the 8100 block of Lee Road 146 in the Beauregard community of Lee County, AL.
Lee County Deputies and Investigators responded to the scene and located approximately 29 deceased dogs that had been placed in plastic bags and thrown in a pile in the back yard of the residence. The deceased animals ranged from puppies to adult dogs.
Investigators located approximately 24 additional dogs inside the residence that were alive but appeared to be emaciated. Lee County Animal Control responded and took possession of the live animals.
Curtis Dewayne Haralson (63), Patricia Ann Sims (54) and Tiffany Ann Sims (27) all resided at the residence and were taken into custody and transported to the Lee County jail. The Investigation is on-going at this time and will more than likely result in felony charges for all three individuals.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Lee County Sheriff’s Office at 334-749-5651 or Central Alabama Crime Stoppers at 334-215-STOP (7867).
Michael Joseph “Mike” Savage, age 65, of Demorest, Georgia, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, January 11, 2026.
Mr. Savage was born on July 25, 1960, in Habersham County, Georgia, to the late Joseph Odell Savage, Jr. and Mae King Savage. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Joseph Odell, Sr., and Clercy Savage; maternal grandparents, Gus and Lillie King.
Mike was a proud graduate of Piedmont College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. He devoted 35 years of service to LP Service before retiring, a milestone that reflected his strong work ethic and commitment. Mike was a member of Mount Carmel Baptist Church in Demorest, where he especially enjoyed fellowship with the Misfits Sunday School Class. His church family was an important part of his life, offering friendship, laughter, and spiritual support. Mike was a devoted University of Georgia Bulldogs fan and rarely missed an opportunity to cheer on the Dawgs. In his quieter moments, he found great joy in collecting baseball cards, a passion he pursued with enthusiasm and pride. His impressive collection was a testament to his patience, dedication, and love for the hobby. He enjoyed golf, tennis, and fishing with his long-time friend, Paul, and his Uncle Bob.
Survivors include his sister and brother-in-law, Sue and Jimmy Smith, of Demorest; nephew, Jared Smith and his wife, Ivy, of Demorest; and two grand-nephews, Connor Wilson and Easton Smith.
Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at the Mount Carmel Baptist Church in Demorest with Dr. Josh Taylor, Rev. Ricky Ward, and Mr. Bob King officiating. Interment will follow in the Yonah Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 13, 2025, at the Whitfield Funeral Home, North Chapel.
Stephen Hester Patton, age 77, of Clarkesville, passed away on Sunday, January 11, 2026.
Born on December 29, 1948, in Athens, he was a son of the late C. Hester Patton and Mary Alice Church Patton. A 1967 graduate of Central Gwinnett High School, he pursued his education at DeKalb College before answering the call to serve his country and community. Steve dedicated his career to the Army National Guard, where he exemplified the values of discipline, leadership, and sacrifice. Over decades of service, he rose through the ranks to retire as a First Sergeant. As a 1SG, he was the “backbone” of his unit, mentoring countless soldiers with a firm hand and a compassionate heart. Steve also retired from the Building and Planning department of both Gwinnett and Habersham Counties. Steve and his beloved wife, Sybil, spent many years raising their family in Lawrenceville, building deep roots within the community. Following his retirement, they moved to Clarkesville, where they have enjoyed the beauty of the North Georgia mountains for the last 29 years. A legacy of service remains an inspiration to all who served alongside him.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Robert and Velma Gunter; brother-in-law, Bobby Gunter; brother-in-law, Gerry Gunter; sister-in-law, Vicki Gunter and sister-in-law, Lynn Gunter.
Steve is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Sybil (Gunter) Patton of Clarkesville; son, Stephen (Michelle) Patton of Lavonia; daughter, Kristin (Ryan) Walls of Opelika, AL; son, Jonathan Hester (Casey) Patton of Clarkesville; brother, Bruce (Joan) Patton of Winder; grandchildren, Bree, Blythe, Brennan, Gunter Stephen, Shelly Rae, Ken, Elijah Hester, Lilly, Elizabeth, and Caitlin Mary; two great grandchildren; sister-in-law, Jane (Jimmy) Sell of Lawrenceville; brother-in-law, Joe Gunter of Franklin, NC; and sister-in-law, Sandra Gunter of Lavonia; numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and a host of friends.
Funeral services are 2 pm on Saturday, January 17, 2026, in the Chapel of McGahee-Griffin & McEntire Funeral Home, 175 VFW Road, Cornelia, GA, 30531, with Rev. Hobie Wood and Rev. Dwain Cassady officiating. Prior to the service, the family will receive friends from 12 noon until the service hour on Saturday at McGahee-Griffin & McEntire Funeral Home. Interment will follow the service in Bethlehem Baptist Church Cemetery in Clarkesville, with military honors provided by the Grant Reeves Veteran’s Honor Guard.
There will also be a visitation held at Tim Stewart Funeral Home, 300 Simonton Road SW, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30046, on Friday, January 16, 2026, from 5-8 pm.
Grand opening for Raising Cane's on Tuesday January 13 at Columbus Park Crossing.
Will 13 be your lucky number? Tuesday, January 13 marks the official Grand Opening of Raising Cane’s at 5720 Whittlesey Boulevard. The first 100 customers for the 9:00 am opening will receive a free Cane’s hat and a Box Combo card to use on their next visit.
You know how these things work, right? The big deal is that 20 lucky people in line will win free Raising Cane’s for a year when they enter to win between 8:00 am and 9:00 am, thus getting up with the chickens to stand in line could give you something to crow about.
Raising Cane’s Box Combo is a customer favorite.
This will be their 12th location in Georgia and first in Columbus, joining more than 828 spots across the country. Raising Cane’s is consistently named in the top three for chicken fast food along with Chick-fil-A and Zaxby’s. Of course. This doesn’t count the local popularity for similar fare.
Founder Todd Graves’ Labrador Retriever, Raising Cane, is the official mascot of the fast food chain.
Founder Todd Graves started the business from scratch in Baton Rouge, Louisiana 28 years ago and named it after his beloved Labrador Retriever, Raising Cane.
He is probably a consideration in presenting a $1,000 check to Animal SOS at the opening of his latest venture tomorrow.
Raising Cane’s will be open from 10 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Arizona Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly speaks with reporters in the Mansfield Room of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)
WASHINGTON (States Newsroom) — Arizona Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly sued Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the department on Monday for trying to demote Kelly’s retirement rank and pay after he appeared in a video where he and other lawmakers told service members they didn’t need to follow illegal orders.
Kelly’s suit, filed in the federal district court for the District of Columbia, says attempts by the Trump administration to punish him violate the First Amendment, the separation of powers, due process protections and the Speech and Debate clause of the Constitution.
“Pete Hegseth is coming after what I earned through my twenty-five years of military service, in violation of my rights as an American, as a retired veteran, and as a United States Senator whose job is to hold him—and this or any administration—accountable,” Kelly wrote in a statement. “His unconstitutional crusade against me sends a chilling message to every retired member of the military: if you speak out and say something that the President or Secretary of Defense doesn’t like, you will be censured, threatened with demotion, or even prosecuted.”
Kelly appeared in the video alongside Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, Colorado Rep. Jason Crow, Pennsylvania Reps. Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan and New Hampshire Rep. Maggie Goodlander — all of whom are former members of the military or intelligence agencies, though none of the others are still subject to the military’s legal system.
President Donald Trump was irate after seeing the video, posting on social media that he believed it represented “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”
DOD investigation
The Defense Department announced in late November that it was looking into “serious allegations of misconduct” against Kelly, a retired Navy captain, for participating in the video.
Kelly said during a press conference on Capitol Hill in December the Defense Department investigation into him, along with one by the FBI into all of the lawmakers in the video, marked “a dangerous moment for the United States of America when the president and his loyalists use every lever of power to silence United States senators for speaking up.”
Hegseth, who originally threatened to court-martial Kelly, said in early January the Defense Department would instead downgrade his retirement rank and pay.
“Captain Kelly has been provided notice of the basis for this action and has thirty days to submit a response,” Hegseth wrote in a social media post. “The retirement grade determination process directed by Secretary Hegseth will be completed within forty five days.”
Kelly said at the time he would challenge Hegseth’s course of action.
First Amendment cited
The 46-page lawsuit marks the next step in the months-long saga, with Kelly asking a federal judge to declare the effort to demote him “unlawful and unconstitutional.”
“The First Amendment forbids the government and its officials from punishing disfavored expression or retaliating against protected speech,” the lawsuit states. “That prohibition applies with particular force to legislators speaking on matters of public policy. As the Supreme Court held 60 years ago, the Constitution ‘requires that legislators be given the widest latitude to express their views on issues of policy,’ and the government may not recharacterize protected speech as supposed incitement in order to punish it.”
The lawsuit alleges that the Pentagon’s actions against Kelly “also trample on protections the Constitution singles out as essential to legislative independence.”
“It appears that never in our nation’s history has the Executive Branch imposed military sanctions on a Member of Congress for engaging in disfavored political speech,” the lawsuit states. ”Allowing that unprecedented step here would invert the constitutional structure by subordinating the Legislative Branch to executive discipline and chilling congressional oversight of the armed forces.”
Kelly’s legal team asked the judge to grant “emergency relief” in their favor by Friday, Jan. 16.
The case was assigned to Senior Judge Richard J. Leon, who was nominated to the bench by President George W. Bush.
Juanita Marie Colbert, age 85, of Alto, Georgia, went to be with the Lord on Saturday, January 10, 2026.
Ms. Colbert was born on November 22, 1940, in Habersham County, Georgia, to the late Dennis and Dora Bice Colbert. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother and sister-in-law, Dennis Earl and Jimmie Colbert; half-sister, Neva Jean Rini.
Juanita had retired from Mt. Vernon Mills following many years of service. She was an avid lover of all animals and old cars, winning several awards for her Chevy Nova. Juanita attended BC Grant Baptist Church and will be remembered for being such a strong woman throughout her life.
Survivors include her niece, Rose Bramlett, of Alto; great-niece, Casey Bramlett, of Alto; great-great nephew, Judd Bramlett; nephew and spouse, Anthony and Teresa Colbert, of Cornelia; great-nephew and spouse, Derrick and Erin Colbert; great-great nephews, Bennett, Bryant, and Carter; great-nephew, Zachary Colbert and fiancé, Phoenix; cousins, Mildred Lathan, of Cornelia; and Donna Shirley, of Cornelia.
Memorial Services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at the Whitfield Funeral Home, North Chapel
The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Habersham County Animal Shelter, 4231 Toccoa Highway, Clarkesville, Georgia 30523.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Whitfield Funeral Homes & Crematory, North Chapel at 245 Central Avenue, Demorest, Georgia 30535. Telephone: 706-778-1700
Stephen Hester Patton, age 77, of Clarkesville, passed away on Sunday, January 11, 2026.
