Rita Young, the executive director of Participant Directed Advocates of Georgia, speaks at the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities’ December board meeting. (Maya Homan/Georgia Recorder)
(Georgia Recorder) — A key program aimed at helping individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities gain access to home care may be getting a refresh in 2026.
Officials at Georgia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities unveiled a series of proposals during a December board meeting aimed at restructuring the waiting list for a state-run Medicaid program that provides waivers to people with disabilities designed to keep them out of institutional settings. The waivers can be used to provide services like medical supplies, personal care assistants and emergency alert systems.
However, the proposals made to the board are just recommendations, and a timeline to move forward with the plan has not yet been set.
Georgia had over 7,800 people on a waiting list for waivers as of this past March, though the agency says not everyone who is on the list has an urgent need for services. Boosting state funding to provide services to more people has long been a perennial issue at the state Capitol, and there’s been a push in recent years to work toward ending the wait list entirely.
Members of an advisory council dedicated to addressing the issue say the first step to revamping the program will be to identify which applicants have the most urgent needs so their applications can be prioritized.
“When I hear on the street that we’ve got 7,000 people on a planning list, everybody panics,” said Bruce Lindemann, who serves as the chair of the state’s Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Advisory Council. “We need to understand, first, what comprises that planning list.”
Under a new proposal, Georgia’s existing waiting list would be restructured into a three-tiered system that distinguishes between those with urgent needs, those who are expected to need services in the next one to five years and those who may need services even further in the future. The council also recommended that the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities create a new type of waiver for individuals with disabilities who don’t currently qualify for the New Option Waiver or Comprehensive Support Waiver Program, and implement a new assessment tool to improve data collection.
“Our charge is to ensure Georgia’s planning list assessment process is fair, accurate and aligned with national best practices, while remaining workable for DBHDD staff,” said Rita Young, the executive director of Participant Directed Advocates of Georgia, a nonprofit that supports individuals and families who participate in the two waiver programs.
Georgia leaders are also taking inspiration from states like Louisiana and Pennsylvania, which already have systems in place to prioritize waiver services based on the urgency of the applicant’s need.
D’Arcy Robb, the executive director of the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities, expressed cautious optimism about the board’s recommendations.
“I think the key is really going to be the implementation,” she said. “It’s going to require an ongoing commitment from the state, and I think in order to be done well, DBHDD needs to continue having very serious input and shared decision-making power with people with disabilities, their families and with organizations.”
As the state grapples with the impact of Medicaid funding cuts under the federal budget reconciliation package, colloquially known as the “big, beautiful bill,” Robb said she hopes state leaders will ensure that Georgians with disabilities continue to have access to the services they need.
“The problem is that [the bill] makes such big cuts to Medicaid, states are going to have to make hard choices,” Robb said. “We want to make sure that our state leaders are aware of the many ways Medicaid touches the lives of people with [disabilities], and that those are not impacted.”
Smoke rises from Fort Tiuna, the main military garrison in Caracas, Venezuela, after multiple explosions were heard and aircraft swept through the area, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
The U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and flew him out of the country early Saturday has also disrupted Caribbean travel at a busy travel time for the region.
No airline flights were crossing over Venezuela on Saturday, according to FlightRadar24.com. And major airlines canceled hundreds of flights across the eastern Caribbean region and warned passengers that the disruptions could continue for days after the Federal Aviation Administration imposed restrictions.
Flights were canceled to and from Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Aruba and more than a dozen other destinations in the Lesser Antilles island group that lies north of Venezuela. The airlines are waiving change fees for passengers who have to reschedule their flights this weekend.
At the Queen Beatrix airport in Aruba, a popular holiday destination for U.S. vacationers just 15 miles (24 kilometers) off Venezuela’s coast, officials said they expected operations to resume normally on Sunday after a day of canceled flights that stranded travelers or blocked them from flying to the island Saturday.
In Barbados, Prime Minister Mia Mottley said at a news conference that “the consequences of the conflict have been exceedingly disruptive to both of our ports of entry,” an airport as well as a seaport from which cruise ships sail.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a social media post that “the FAA restricted the airspace in the Caribbean and Venezuela to ensure the SAFETY of the flying public.”
“When appropriate, these airspace restrictions will be lifted,” he said on the social platform X. “Please work with your airlines directly if your flight has been impacted.”
Lou Levine, his wife and their three children were due to fly home to the Washington, D.C., area from Puerto Rico on Saturday morning. Instead he woke up to his wife saying their flight was canceled. He found out why when he checked his phone.
They first tried calling JetBlue to reschedule. The airline called back about two hours later, but the agent couldn’t help them. Levine and his wife saw others messaging JetBlue on social media and did the same. The airline responded and booked them on another flight leaving next Saturday, turning the Levines’ weeklong New Year’s holiday into a two-week sojourn.
Levine, a manager at a software company, said he’s fortunate to have a flexible and understanding employer. But his daughter will be missing a week of high school. And then there are the unexpected expenses.
“I love it here. But we have dog-sitting and cat-sitting and car rental. It’s fine. It’s just really painful on the wallet,” Levine said.
The Levines hope to book an earlier trip back if flights resume early.
This weekend was already past the peak 13-day holiday period when AAA projected 122.4 million Americans would travel at least 50 miles from home, but there were plenty of travelers still trying to squeeze in some more time on tropical beaches and resorts before heading back to colder temperatures.
“The Caribbean is a top destination this time of the year,” said AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz. “We do have a lot of people who are trying to get back home this weekend ahead of work and school on Monday.”
Diaz said “it’s understandable we want to unplug” but travelers should keep track of what’s going on and allow airlines to send them phone alerts.
The FAA had earlier said it imposed a temporary airspace restriction on Puerto Rico’s international airport and surrounding regions.
An announcement by Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, that was posted on X said restrictions were put in place because of the “security situation related to military activity” in Venezuela.
As a result most commercial flights to and from the airport that are operated by U.S. airlines were suspended or canceled.
Foreign airlines and military aircraft were not included in that restriction, the statement said. Air Canada said its flights to the Caribbean were operating normally Saturday, though it gave travelers an option to rebook. Another Canadian airline, WestJet, said it canceled Aruba flights “out of an abundance of caution.”
New York-based JetBlue said it canceled about 215 flights “due to airspace closures across the Caribbean related to military activity.” It also noted that flights farther west to the Dominican Republic and Jamaica were not affected by the U.S. government’s restrictions. Customers could rebook their travel or request a refund if the flights were canceled, the company said.
United Airlines said it was adjusting its schedule to account for airspace closures. It said customers could change their travel plans in the region for free as it continued to monitor the situation and worked with U.S. aviation authorities.
Southwest Airlines said it canceled all Aruba flights for Saturday and suspended Puerto Rico flights until further notice, but flights to the Dominican Republic were unaffected.
American Airlines said it was waiving change fees for flights to and from about 20 island destinations, including Anguilla, Antigua, Curacao, St. Lucia and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.
Delta Air Lines said it has issued a travel waiver for customers traveling to or from 13 impacted airports through Tuesday.
Dutch airline KLM said it canceled flights affecting thousands of passengers but planned to resume service Sunday to and from Curacao, Aruba, Bonaire and other islands.
The flight disruptions also affected some travelers booked for Caribbean cruises. Cruise operator Virgin Voyages said airline travelers unable to make it to San Juan in time for an upcoming cruise departure would be able to get a full credit for a future trip.
Dr. James Robert (Bob) Williamson of Clarkesville, Georgia, passed away on New Year’s Day. He was 74 years old.
Bob was called to ministry during his freshman year in college. He attended the University of Georgia, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and served seven churches in Georgia. His last position was on staff at Decatur First Baptist Church, outside Atlanta, where he ministered for 28 years. Bob was highly regarded by all who met him, for the love he had for his Savior Jesus Christ, for the way he conducted himself in ministry, and for the pure sweetness of his soul. He also had a terrifically funny sense of humor for those who listened hard enough to hear it. Since retirement, Bob has served as a volunteer at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Clarkesville.
Bob followed his grandfather, Rev. Herman Wilder, and his great-uncle, Rev. Ansley Jordan, into ministry–two men in whom he held in great esteem. Both of Bob’s parents also worked within the church, both on staff or voluntarily.
Bob was married to the love of his life, Margaret Freeman Williamson, whom he met as a freshman at UGA. They celebrated their 51st anniversary in 2025.
Probably what gave Bob the most joy was his children and their spouses, his grandchildren, and the dogs. He leaves behind son Scott Freeman Williamson (Yesia) of Barnesville, Georgia, and daughter Jennifer (Jenna) Williamson Shaw (Benjie) of Dacula, Georgia, as well as his grandchildren, Nathan (Nate) James Williamson (age 21), Mya Hernandez Williamson (age 22), Ava Margaret Shaw (age 11), and Caleb James Shaw (age 8).
Bob was born in Macon, Georgia, on December 2, 1951, to Christine (Cris) Wilder Williamson and James (Jim) Bryant Williamson. He had two siblings: his brother Joe Williamson from Nashville, Tennessee, and his sister Jan Williamson (deceased), who resided in Athens, Georgia.
If you would like to honor Bob’s memory, consider making a gift to the Bethlehem Baptist Church’s debt reduction fund or go plant a tree somewhere.
Funeral services will be held at 3:00 PM, Tuesday, January 6th, at Bethlehem Baptist Church. Interment will follow the service in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends at the church, prior to the service, from 1:00 PM until 2:30 PM.
January 2026 hero named. (Photo courtesy Piedmont Columbus Regional)
Piedmont Columbus Regional has named Richard Barfield Jr. with Columbus Fire & EMS as the organization’s First Friday Hero for January.
Barfield came upon the immediate aftermath of a severe head-on collision while off duty. Without hesitation, he stopped his truck and ran directly toward the wreckage to help save seven people involved in the accident.
Upon reaching the first car, Barfield found a young girl trying to crawl out. He carried her to a safe place away from traffic before returning to rescue a small boy trapped in the car. Barfield broke a window to extract the boy and reunite with his sister. He returned to the car where he found the mother of the children partially out of the passenger side and was badly injured. When the mother alerted him that her four-month-old son was still missing, Barfield Jr. crawled back into the wrecked car to find the baby. He freed the infant and recognized an injury to the boy’s head and carried him to safety. Soon after, Barfield was informed the driver, the father, remained trapped, unconscious and not breathing. Barfield immediately cleared debris from the driver’s airway so he could begin breathing again. He then utilized trauma kits to stabilize the driver’s head wound, and when additional first responders arrived, he assisted in cutting through the car to free the pinned driver.
Throughout the incident, Barfield continued to triage and provide medical support. He organized the scene, ensured traffic and fire hazards were contained, and worked alongside EMS personnel, who transported all critical patients to Piedmont Columbus Regional’s Emergency Trauma Center and Pediatric Emergency Department. Because of Richard Barfield Jr.’s quick thinking, medical knowledge and selfless courage, many lives were saved.
A ceremony with Barfield and hospital leadership will be held later to commend him for his response. His story is also featured throughout the hospital on commemorative posters and Piedmont Columbus Regional’s social media pages.
Piedmont Columbus Regional created the First Friday Hero program in 2016 to recognize first responders and everyday heroes each month who have gone above and beyond the call of duty.
“Their line of work is often a thankless job, and we want to make the community aware of what our local heroes do to make the Chattahoochee Valley a safer place,” said Piedmont Columbus Regional CEO Scott Hill.
Flames from a house fire on Paradise Valley Road in White County light the night sky on Jan. 2, 2026. (White County Emergency Services)
WHITE COUNTY, Ga. — The Georgia State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating a fire that destroyed a home Friday night in White County.
Just before 8 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 2, White County 911 dispatched firefighters to a residence on Paradise Valley Road after a caller reported smoke and heat coming from the home. The homeowner told responders that no one was inside the house at the time.
When crews arrived, they found the single-story home fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters quickly began suppression efforts and were able to bring the fire under control.
Crews remained on scene for several hours, extinguishing hot spots and making sure the fire did not reignite.
Responding agencies included White County Fire Services, the Cleveland Fire Department, the White County Sheriff’s Office, and White County Emergency Medical Services. The White County Emergency Management Agency’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) also responded with a rehab unit to support firefighters during recovery operations.
No injuries were reported. The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.
The Buddhist monks depart Good Hope, Georgia, early Saturday, Jan. 3, heading through Bishop and Watkinsville in Oconee County as they make their way east. (Walk for Peace/Facebook)
ELBERTON, Ga. — A long-distance Walk for Peace that had been expected to pass through Northeast Georgia will no longer travel through Athens or Elbert County, according to local officials. The Buddhist monks will instead travel south of Athens to the town of Bishop in Oconee County on Saturday, Jan. 3.
The monks announced on social media that they will stay overnight Saturday at Oak Ridge Lodge in Arnoldsville in Oglethorpe County. The lodge is located at 33 Oak Ridge Trail. Visiting hours are from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday.
“We warmly invite everyone to visit us during the visiting hours!” they said.
Elbert County Emergency Services said it was notified Thursday morning by the Walk for Peace journey coordinator that the group’s route has shifted south and will now travel through Columbia, S.C, bypassing Elbert County entirely.
“Due to this routing change, the group’s course has shifted south, and they will no longer be passing through Elbert County,” the agency said in a news release issued Jan. 2.
County officials, along with the Elberton city government and Elbert County government, said they appreciated receiving advance notice of the change and extended best wishes to the participants as they continue their journey.
Through a Facebook post, June Cottingham, the Athens coordinator for Walk for Peace, stated, “the monks have now changed routes and will not come through Athens.” Cottingham did not respond to Now Habersham’s request for additional information.
Cross-country journey
The 2,300-mile-long Walk for Peace began in Fort Worth, Texas, and is aimed at promoting peace, compassion, and nonviolence as participants walk thousands of miles toward Washington, D.C. The group is made up primarily of Buddhist monks and supporters and has drawn attention across several states as it moves east.
Earlier reports had indicated the walkers could pass through parts of Georgia, including areas near Athens and Elbert County, and the South Carolina upstate. With the revised route, the group is now expected to continue south of these cities on a trajectory towards Columbia, eventually making its way toward the Mid-Atlantic region.
Media reports from South Carolina indicate the walkers are expected to arrive in the Columbia area in the coming days as they continue the next leg of their journey.
Elbert County officials said no local events or traffic impacts related to the walk are now expected.
Residents interested in following the Walk for Peace can track updates and route changes through the group’s official social media pages and public updates as the journey continues toward its final destination in the nation’s capital.
Multiple arrests made during holiday detail (CPD)/NowGeorgia.com
The Columbus Police Department conducted a Special Operations detail focused on criminal activity and crime reduction, along with a Traffic Unit DUI detail on New Year’s Eve and over a five-day period (December 27–31, 2025) surrounding the holiday.
Special Operations Unit – New Year’s Eve Results
• 141 contacts
• 16 arrests
• 7 warrants cleared
• 6 firearms recovered
• Drugs recovered included fentanyl, meth, cocaine, marijuana, promethazine, and other pills
Traffic Unit – New Year’s Eve Results
• 169 contacts
• 5 arrests
• 6 DUI arrests
• 1 firearm recovered
Combined New Year’s Eve Detail Results (Special Operations + Traffic Unit)
• 310 total contacts
• 21 arrests
• 6 DUI arrests
• 7 warrants cleared
• 7 firearms recovered
• Drugs recovered included fentanyl, meth, cocaine, marijuana, promethazine, and other pills
Traffic Unit – Five-Day Detail Results (Including New Year’s Eve)
• 892 contacts
• 37 arrests
• 20 DUI arrests
• 3 firearms recovered
• 1 stolen vehicle recovered
The victim of a deadly New Year’s Eve house fire in the Cataula community of Harris County has been identified. The fire on Macon Drive claimed the life of Ursula Macon according to ABC affiliate WTVM in Columbus.
Multiple departments responded to the incident that happened just after 9pm New Year’s Eve. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The Harris County Coroner’s office has not yet positively identified the victim.
Georgia guard Jeremiah Wilkinson (5) shoots against Auburn forward Filip Jovic (38) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Jeremiah Wilkinson scored 31 points, including two 3-pointers in overtime, and No. 23 Georgia kept up its high-scoring pace as the Bulldogs held off Auburn 104-100 on Saturday in the Southeastern Conference opener for each team.
Auburn’s Keyshawn Hall made two of three free-throw attempts with 0.7 seconds remaining in regulation. Kevin Overton rebounded the missed third attempt and sank a buzzer-beating jumper to send the game to overtime at 92-92.
Marcus “Smurf” Millender scored 24 points for Georgia (13-1, 1-0), which began the day leading the nation with 99 points per game. The Bulldogs blocked eight shots, including five by Somto Cyril, who had 15 points. Georgia’s 7.9 blocked shots per game entering the game also led the nation.
Tahaad Pettiford led Auburn (9-5, 0-1) with 25 points, including a floater with 25 seconds remaining to trim Georgia’s lead to 87-85. Hall scored 20 points and Overton had 19.
First-year coach Steven Pearl guided Auburn through a rugged nonconference schedule. The Tigers’ first four losses came against top-10 teams, losing to No. 1 Arizona, No. 2 Michigan, No. 5 Purdue and No. 8 Houston. Each loss came away from Auburn.
This was the second straight year Georgia was ranked No. 23 for a game against Auburn. On Jan. 18, 2025, No. 1 Auburn beat Georgia 70-68 in Athens.
Cyril needed help leaving the court with an apparent injury to his right leg midway through the second half. He appeared unable to put pressure on his right foot as he was helped to the locker room, but he returned to the court minutes later.
Protesters rally outside the White House Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Washington, after the U.S. captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in a military operation. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) issued a strong statement today after President Trump announced that U.S. forces had carried out “a large scale strike against Venezuela” and said the United States would “run the country now” until what the White House described as a “proper transition” takes place.
Warnock called the strike a reckless escalation with serious risks and urged Congress to assert its constitutional authority.
“Americans do not want U.S. troops involved in yet another endless war or their government running another government,” Warnock said. “Yet that is what Donald Trump who, as a candidate, promised to get us out of foreign wars has announced. ‘We will run’ Venezuela. We have seen that awful movie before.”
Warnock acknowledged that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is a dictator and involved in drug trafficking, but noted that other bad actors exist around the world.
“To be sure, Nicolás Maduro is a dictator involved in the death dealing international drug business,” the senator said. “But there are many such bad actors around the world. In fact, one who trafficked hundreds of tons of illegal drugs into the United States was recently pardoned by Donald Trump without any good explanation.”
The senator described the strike as a major escalation with no clear strategy and warned it could lead to more violence and instability in Venezuela.
Georgia US Sen. Raphael Warnock (US Senate photo)
“The recent attack on a sovereign nation in our own hemisphere is also without a good explanation,” Warnock said. “This huge escalation with no clear strategy risks bringing more violence and instability to a nation of 28 million people, potentially causing more drug trafficking and more migration to the United States.”
Warnock said the action reflects another broken campaign promise by the president, arguing that Trump appears more focused on foreign policy than on domestic economic issues.
“Americans want to know who is actually fighting for them,” he said.
The senator also expressed relief that no U.S. service members were killed, while offering prayers for those injured. He reiterated that the Trump administration must justify the military action and clarify how it plans to govern Venezuela.
“As the voice of a large military state, I am relieved that no service members were killed and I am praying for the injured service members,” Warnock said. “The Trump administration owes the American people answers justifying this attack and explaining how the United States will ‘run’ Venezuela. It’s time for an increasingly feckless Congress to finally act and put this reckless president in check.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on as President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Palm Beach, Fla. (livestream image)
WASHINGTON (States Newsroom) — President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States will “run the country” of Venezuela until “a proper transition can take place,” following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a strike against the South American nation, a stunning move conducted without congressional notice or approval.
Trump in a press conference from his Florida estate made it clear how much the secret Friday military operation related to securing oil, and he detailed how petroleum companies would finance the rebuilding of Venezuela’s oil infrastructure.
Trump, as well as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, also signaled other countries, such as Cuba, could face the same interventionist fate as Venezuela. “If I lived in Havana and worked for the government, I’d be concerned,” Rubio said, referring to the communist nation’s capital.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who was also captured, will be brought to New York to face a U.S. indictment on narco-terrorism and conspiracy charges originally levied in 2020. The Venezuelan’s reelection to the presidency in 2024 was determined by many countries, including the U.S., to be illegitimate, and he has been characterized by the administration as the leader of a drug cartel.
“This extremely successful operation should serve as (a) warning to anyone who would threaten American sovereignty or endanger American lives,” Trump said. “What happened to Maduro could happen to them.”
The early morning military strike quickly drew strong rebukes from Democratic lawmakers, who said the action superseded Congress’ authority to declare war. It’s also caused deep concern among world leaders, some of whom pushed for an emergency United Nations meeting.
However, Republicans in Congress stood by the president’s decision, saying it was justified.
Trump did not give a timeline for how long the unusual U.S. intervention in Venezuela might go on, but said the next year would look different for the nation.
“We are going to run the country until such time that we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” Trump said. He added that the U.S. would make Venezuela safe for “the great people of Venezuela, and that includes many from Venezuela that are now living in the United States and want to go back to their country.”
Since taking office, the Trump administration has tried to end temporary and humanitarian legal protections for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan immigrants. Trump during the press conference repeated accusations that Maduro has sent Venezuelan immigrants with ties to the Tren de Aragua gang to the U.S.
Friday’s military action campaign, named “Absolute Resolve,” came after Trump waged a months-long pressure campaign to oust the authoritarian leader. Dozens of boat strikes have been carried out in the Caribbean that the president and members of his administration have justified, without showing evidence, by saying the boats were carrying drugs to the U.S.
“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country,” Trump wrote on his social media site, Truth Social, early Saturday. “This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement.”
Before the Saturday press event at Mar-a-Lago started, the president posted a picture to social media of Maduro handcuffed, blindfolded and aboard the U.S.S. Iwo Jima Navy ship.
‘We’re not afraid of boots on the ground’
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine speaks during a news conference with President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Trump at the press conference was joined by Rubio; Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth; Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine; CIA Director John Ratcliffe; and senior White House adviser Stephen Miller, who is a lead architect of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
Trump said that an “overwhelming American military power” was used to capture Maduro and his wife in the “dead of night” from “air, land and sea.”
He added that no U.S. military members were killed in the operation, but did not rule out a continued presence for American troops in Venezuelan territory.
“We’re not afraid of boots on the ground,” Trump said.
Trump said those officials standing behind him at his press conference, “for a period of time,” would “be running” Venezuela.
The president offered few details on what that U.S. intervention would look like, but called it a “partnership.” It’s unclear if there are any American officials or troops stationed yet in or near Venezuela.
Cuba
Trump also lodged a thinly veiled threat against the Cuban government.
“Cuba is not doing really well right now,” Trump said. “I think Cuba is going to be something we’ll end up talking about.”
He added that the U.S. also wants to help Cubans who have been “forced out of their country,” so they can return to the island nation. The Trump administration has also moved to end humanitarian protections for more than 110,000 Cubans.
Rubio, whose parents were part of the first wave of Cuban exiles before the Fidel Castro regime took over Cuba, agreed, and criticized Cuba’s government as being run by “incompetent, senile men.”
It’s unclear how the next in line to the presidency for Venezuela, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, will fare.
Trump said that Rubio had a conversation with Rodríguez, and said “she’s essentially willing to do what is necessary to make Venezuela great again.”
María Corina Machado, the leader of Venezuela’s opposition party, and recent Nobel Peace Prize winner for her work to advance democracy in her home country, called for national unity and said that “the hour for freedom has arrived.”
“We have struggled for years, we have given it our all, and it has been worth it. What had to happen is happening,” she said in a statement.
Indictment in Southern District of New York
President Trump shared this image of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on his social media page. The US removed Maduro and his wife from the Latin American country in a nighttime raid after the pair was indicted on criminal drug charges in New York. (The White House/Facebook)
Maduro and his wife will face a trial in the U.S. They have been indicted in the Southern District of New York, Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on social media.
The DOJ also indicted their son, Nicolás Ernesto Maduro Guerra, along with several other Venezuelan politicians, and the alleged leader of the Tren de Aragua Venezuelan gang, Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores.
President Maduro is charged with “Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States,” Bondi said.
In 2020, the first Trump administration lodged the same four counts of narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and conspiracy to possess machine guns.
The new indictment includes Maduro’s wife, son and the alleged leader of the Tren de Aragua gang.
Andy Kim: Officials ‘blatantly lied’ to Congress
The news drew ire from Congress, which has the authority to declare war. New Jersey Democratic Sen. Andy Kim said for weeks Trump officials briefed Congress that the boat strikes were not “about regime change.”
“I didn’t trust them then and we see now that they blatantly lied to Congress,” Kim wrote on social media. “Trump rejected our Constitutionally required approval process for armed conflict because the Administration knows the American people overwhelmingly reject risks pulling our nation into another war.”
However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Republican of South Dakota, said the capture of Maduro meant the Venezuelan president would be held accountable.
“President Trump’s decisive action to disrupt the unacceptable status quo and apprehend Maduro, through the execution of a valid Department of Justice warrant, is an important first step to bring him to justice for the drug crimes for which he has been indicted in the United States,” Thune said.
He added that when senators return to Congress Monday, he looks forward to additional security briefings from Trump officials.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, Republican of Louisiana, made similar remarks and called the attack “justified.” He said he’s working with the Trump administration to schedule briefings with House lawmakers when they return to Washington.
The top Democrat on the House Rules Committee, Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, wrote on social media that without “authorization from Congress, and with the vast majority of Americans opposed to military action, Trump just launched an unjustified, illegal strike on Venezuela.”
Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, who is also co-chair of the Congressional Venezuela Democracy Caucus, said in a statement that the “capture of the brutal, illegitimate ruler of Venezuela … is welcome news for my friends and neighbors who fled his violent, lawless, and disastrous rule.”
However, she called for the opportunity for Venezuelans to partake in democracy, such as being able to swear in the presidential candidate who won Venezuela’s election in the summer of 2024.
President-elect Edmundo Gonzalez was forced into exile and fled to Spain under asylum. Voter results showed that Gonzalez won by a large margin, but Venezuelan government officials, without providing proof, determined that Maduro won.
Mike Lee speaks to Rubio
Utah’s GOP Sen. Mike Lee initially questioned “what, if anything, might constitutionally justify this action in the absence of a declaration of war or authorization for the use of military force.”
But Lee later changed course after speaking with Rubio.
“He informed me that Nicolás Maduro has been arrested by U.S. personnel to stand trial on criminal charges in the United States, and that the kinetic action we saw tonight was deployed to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant,” Lee said of Rubio.
Rubio has long stated that Venezuela’s president is not legitimate, nor is his government. Rubio accused him of being the head of a drug cartel.
“He is not the legitimate president of Venezuela,” Rubio said during Saturday’s press conference. “He is a fugitive of American justice.”
Rubio, who while in Congress was a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, also defended a lack of notification to lawmakers.
“This is not the kind of mission you can do congressional notification,” Rubio said.
For months, Democrats and a handful of Republican lawmakers have tried to curb the president’s strikes in the Caribbean, which have killed about 115, but Congress failed to pass several War Powers Resolutions.
The War Powers Resolution of 1973 is a tool for Congress to check the power of the executive branch by limiting the president’s ability to initiate or escalate military actions abroad.
Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine, who has pushed for the Senate to vote on the War Powers Resolution, said he will again advocate a vote to curb Trump’s military actions in Venezuela.
Venezuelans in the US
As the U.S. conducts military land strikes on Venezuela, more than half a million Venezuelan immigrants are legally fighting the Trump administration’s move to end Temporary Protected Status.
TPS is granted when a nation’s home country is deemed too dangerous to return to, due to violence, such as war, or a major natural disaster.
More than 600,000 Venezuelans have TPS, which was initially granted in 2021, just one day before the first Trump administration finished its term. Temporary protections were granted to Venezuelans due to Maduro’s regime.
Trump has also tried to apply the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to any Venezuelan national, aged 14 and older, who is a suspected gang member, for the purpose of removing them from the U.S. without due process.
Trump and Maduro also clashed after several deportation planes carrying Venezuelan immigrants landed in El Salvador, where more than 200 men were detained at a brutal mega-prison known as CECOT.
Maduro called the move a “kidnapping,” and several months later the Venezuelans were returned to their home country in a prisoner exchange.
World leaders call for UN to convene
It’s unclear what the consequences of the Trump administration’s move to capture a foreign leader will have on international relations, but many world leaders disavowed the attacks and called for an emergency United Nations General Assembly meeting.
The U.N., which is five miles away from the New York court where Maduro will stand trial, did not immediately respond to States Newsroom’s request for comment.
Mexico’s President, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, condemned the attacks and said they violated Article 2 of the United Nations Charter.
“Based on its foreign policy principles and its pacifist vocation, Mexico makes an urgent call to respect international law, as well as the principles and purposes of the UN Charter, and to cease any act of aggression against the Venezuelan government and people,” she said in a statement.
Sheinbaum Pardo called on the United Nations to “act immediately to contribute to the de-escalation of tensions, facilitate dialogue and create conditions that allow a peaceful, sustainable solution in accordance with international law.”
Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also criticized the attack in Caracas, Venezuela.
“The justifications put forward for these actions have no factual basis. Ideological hostility has prevailed over pragmatic, businesslike approaches and over efforts to build relationships based on trust and predictability,” according to Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said on social media that the U.S. moves to capture Maduro and bomb Venezuela “cross an unacceptable line.”
“Attacking countries, in flagrant violation of international law, is the first step toward a world of violence, chaos, and instability, where the law of the strongest prevails over multilateralism,” he wrote.
The Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, called for de-escalation and said that international law “and the principles of the United Nations Charter must be respected.”
FILE PHOTO - Demorest City Council (Carly McCurry/NowHabersham.com)
DEMOREST, Ga. — The Demorest City Council will take up a slate of governance and infrastructure-related items Tuesday night, including a long-awaited return to the table on proposed 2026 water rates that were postponed last month amid questions from council members.
The council is scheduled to meet for a work session at 6 p.m., followed by its regular meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 6, at the Demorest Municipal Conference Center, 250 Alabama St.
Among the most closely watched agenda items is consideration of 2026 water rates. The council tabled a decision on the rates during its December meeting to allow for additional review and discussion after concerns were raised about the proposed increases and their impact on customers. The issue will be discussed during the work session and is listed for possible action during the regular meeting.
Council members will also hold a public hearing and consider a second reading of multiple home rule amendments to the city charter. The proposed changes address a range of operational issues, including procedures for the sale or lease of city property, ordinance adoption processes, contracting requirements, and the powers and duties of the mayor. Final action on the amendments is expected Tuesday following the public hearing.
In other business, the council is set to make mayoral appointments, including naming a mayor pro tem and designating authorized check signers. The agenda also includes consideration of the city’s Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LMIG) funding, which is used for street and road projects.
The council will also consider declaring surplus a 1997 Simon fire truck and review a proposed city manager contract. A manager’s report and review of financials are scheduled near the end of the regular meeting.
During the earlier work session, council members are expected to discuss a workers’ compensation policy, damage to the city gym and a related proposal, as well as the water rates, LMIG funding and the potential surplus of the fire truck.
Both meetings will include opportunities for public comment, with speakers asked to limit remarks to two minutes.
