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US strikes Venezuela, captures Maduro and his wife

By
Associated Press
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CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The United States hit Venezuela with a “large-scale strike” early Saturday and said its president had been captured and flown out of the country after months of intense pressure on Nicolás Maduro’s government — an extraordinary nighttime operation announced by President Donald Trump on social media hours after the attack.

The legal authority for the strike — and whether Trump consulted Congress beforehand — was not immediately clear. The stunning American military action, which plucked a nation’s sitting leader from office, echoed the U.S. invasion of Panama that led to the surrender and seizure of its leader, Manuel Antonio Noriega, in 1990 — exactly 36 years ago Saturday.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, would face charges after an indictment in New York. Bondi vowed in a social media post that the couple would “soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.”

Maduro and other Venezuelan officials were indicted in 2020 on “narco-terrorism” conspiracy charges, but it was not previously known that his wife had been and it wasn’t clear if Bondi was referring to a new indictment. The details of the allegations against Flores were not immediately known.

Early Saturday, multiple explosions rang out and low-flying aircraft swept through the Venezuelan capital, as Maduro’s government accused the United States of attacking civilian and military installations, calling it an “imperialist attack” and urging citizens to take to the streets.

With Maduro’s whereabouts not known, the vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, would take power under Venezuelan law. There was no confirmation that had happened, though she did issue a statement after the strike.

“We do not know the whereabouts of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores,” Rodríguez said. “We demand proof of life.”

Maduro, Trump said, “has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement.” He set a news conference for later Saturday morning.

Pedestrians run after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

The attack itself lasted less than 30 minutes and the explosions — at least seven blasts — sent people rushing into the streets, while others took to social media to report what they’d seen and heard. Some Venezuelan civilians and members of the military were killed, according to Rodríguez, the vice president, without giving a number.

It was not known if there more actions lay ahead, though Trump said in his post that the strikes were carried out “successfully.”

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, posted on X that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had briefed him on the strike and said that Maduro “has been arrested by U.S. personnel to stand trial on criminal charges in the United States.”

The White House did not immediately respond to queries on where Maduro and his wife were being flown to.

Maduro last appeared on state television Friday while meeting with a delegation of Chinese officials in Caracas.

The strike came after the Trump administration spent months increasing pressure on the Venezuelan leader, including a major buildup of American forces in the waters off South America and attacks on boats in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean accused of carrying drugs. Last week, the CIA was behind a drone strike at a docking area believed to have been used by Venezuelan drug cartels — the first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the U.S. began strikes in September.

As of Friday, the number of known boat strikes was 35 and the number of people killed at least 115, according to the Trump administration. Trump said that the U.S. is engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels and has justified the boat strikes as a necessary to stem the flow of drugs into the U.S.

Maduro has decried the U.S. military operations as a thinly veiled effort to oust him from power.

Some streets in Caracas fill up

Venezuela’s government responded to the attack with a call to action: “People to the streets!”

Armed people and uniformed members of a civilian militia headed into the streets of a Caracas neighborhood long considered a stronghold of the ruling party. As daylight broke, some people rallied and yelled “Bring back Maduro!” while holding posters of the leader.

Smoke raises at La Carlota airport after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

In other areas of the city, the streets remained empty hours after the attack. Parts of the city remained without power, but vehicles moved freely.

Video obtained from Caracas and an unidentified coastal city showed tracers and smoke clouding the landscape as repeated muted explosions illuminated the night sky. Other footage showed cars passing on a highway as blasts illuminated the hills behind them. The videos were verified by The Associated Press.

Smoke was seen rising from the hangar of a military base in Caracas, while another military installation in the capital was without power.

“The whole ground shook. This is horrible. We heard explosions and planes,” said Carmen Hidalgo, a 21-year-old office worker, her voice trembling. She was walking briskly with two relatives in Caracas, returning from a birthday party. “We felt like the air was hitting us.”

The Venezuelan government’s statement said that Maduro had “ordered all national defense plans to be implemented” and declared a state of emergency that gives him the power to suspend people’s rights and expand the role of the armed forces.

The website of the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela, a post that has been closed since 2019, issued a warning to American citizens in the country, saying it was “aware of reports of explosions in and around Caracas.”

“U.S. citizens in Venezuela should shelter in place,” the warning said.

Reaction begins to emerge

Inquiries to the Pentagon and U.S. Southern Command since Trump’s social media post went unanswered. The FAA warned all commercial and private U.S. pilots that the airspace over Venezuela and the small island nation of Curacao, just off the coast of the country, was off limits “due to safety-of-flight risks associated with ongoing military activity.”

The Armed Services committees in both houses of Congress, which have jurisdiction over military matters, have not been notified by the administration of any actions, according to a person familiar with the matter and granted anonymity to discuss it.

Lawmakers from both political parties in Congress have raised deep reservations and flat out objections to the U.S. attacks on boats suspected of drug smuggling on boats near the Venezuelan coast and Congress has not specifically approved an authorization for the use of military force for such operations in the region.

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said the military action and seizure of Maduro marks “a new dawn for Venezuela,” saying that “the tyrant is gone.” He posted on X hours after the strike. His boss, Rubio, reposted a post from July that said Maduro “is NOT the President of Venezuela and his regime is NOT the legitimate government.”

Cuba, a supporter of the Maduro government and a longtime adversary of the United States, called for the international community to respond to what president Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez called “the criminal attack.”

“Our zone of peace is being brutally assaulted,” he said on X. Iran’s Foreign Ministry also condemned the strikes.

President Javier Milei of Argentina praised the claim by his close ally, Trump, that Maduro had been captured with a political slogan he often deploys to celebrate right-wing advances: “Long live freedom, dammit!”

By Regina Garcia Cano and Konstantin Toropin

Iran’s leader says rioters ‘must be put in their place’ as protest death toll reaches at least 10

By
Associated Press
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FILE - In this photo released by an official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks in a ceremony to mark the Shiite holiday of Eid al-Ghadir, in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, June 25, 2024. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP, File)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s supreme leader insisted Saturday that “rioters must be put in their place” after a week of protests that have shaken the Islamic Republic, likely giving security forces a green light to aggressively put down the demonstrations.

The first comments by 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei come as violence surrounding the demonstrations sparked by Iran’s ailing economy has killed at least 10 people. The protests show no sign of stopping and follow U.S. President Donald Trump warning Iran on Friday that if Tehran “violently kills peaceful protesters,” the United States “will come to their rescue.”

While it remains unclear how and if Trump will intervene, his comments sparked an immediate, angry response, with officials within the theocracy threatening to target American troops in the Mideast. They also take on new importance after Trump said Saturday that the U.S. military captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a longtime ally of Tehran.

The protests, have become the biggest in Iran since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody triggered nationwide demonstrations. However, the protests have yet to be as widespread and intense as those surrounding the death of Amini, who was detained over not wearing her hijab, or headscarf, to the liking of authorities.

Khamenei makes first comments on protests

State television aired remarks by Khamenei to an audience in Tehran that sought to separate the concerns of protesting Iranians upset about the rial’s collapse from “rioters.”

“We talk to protesters, the officials must talk to them,” Khamenei said. “But there is no benefit to talking to rioters. Rioters must be put in their place.”

He also reiterated a claim constantly made by officials in Iran that foreign powers like Israel or the United States were pushing the protests, without offering any evidence. He also blamed “the enemy” for Iran’s collapsing rial.

“A bunch of people incited or hired by the enemy are getting behind the tradesmen and shopkeepers and chanting slogans against Islam, Iran and the Islamic Republic,” he said. “This is what matters most.”

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard ranks include the all-volunteer Basij force, whose motorcycling-riding members have violently put down protests like the 2009 Green Movement and the 2022 demonstrations. The Guard answers only to Khamenei.

Hard-line officials within the country are believed to have been pushing for a more-aggressive response to the demonstrations as President Masoud Pezeshkian has sought talks to address protesters’ demands.

But bloody security crackdowns often follow such protests. Protests over a gasoline price hike in 2019 reportedly saw over 300 people killed. A crackdown on the Amini protests of 2022, which lasted for months, killed more than 500 people and saw over 22,000 detained.

“Iran has no organized domestic opposition; protesters are likely acting spontaneously,” the Eurasia Group said in an analysis Friday. “While protests could continue or grow larger (particularly as Iran’s economic outlook remains dire), the regime retains a large security apparatus and would likely suppress such dissent without losing control of the country.”

Deaths overnight in protests

Two deaths overnight into Saturday involved a new level of violence. In Qom, home to the country’s major Shiite seminaries, a grenade exploded, killing a man there, the state-owned IRAN newspaper reported. It quoted security officials alleging the man was carrying the grenade to attack people in the city, some 130 kilometers (80 miles) south of the capital, Tehran.

Online videos from Qom purportedly showed fires in the street overnight.

The second death happened in the town of Harsin, some 370 kilometers (230 miles) southwest of Tehran. There, the newspaper said, a member of the Basij, the all-volunteer arm of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, died in a gun and knife attack in the town in Kermanshah province.

Demonstrations have reached over 100 locations in 22 of Iran’s 31 provinces, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported.

The protests, taking root in economic issues, have heard demonstrators chant against Iran’s theocracy as well. Tehran has had little luck in propping up its economy in the months since its June war with Israel in which the U.S. also bombed Iranian nuclear sites in Iran.

Iran recently said it was no longer enriching uranium at any site in the country, trying to signal to the West that it remains open to potential negotiations over its atomic program to ease sanctions. However, those talks have yet to happen as Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have warned Tehran against reconstituting its atomic program.

By Jon Gambrell

Trial to begin for police officer charged in delayed response to Uvalde school shooting

By
Associated Press
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FILE - Flowers and candles are placed around crosses to honor the victims killed in a school shooting, May 28, 2022, outside Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

Families who lost loved ones in the 2022 attack on an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, have sought for nearly four years to hold accountable the police who waited more than an hour to confront the shooter while children and teachers lay dead or wounded in classrooms.

Now one of the first officers on the scene is about to stand trial on multiple charges of child abandonment and endangerment. Former Uvalde schools police officer Adrian Gonzales is accused of ignoring his training in a crisis with deadly consequences. His attorney insists he was focused on helping children escape from the building.

The trial that starts Monday offers potentially one of the last chances to see police answer for the long delay. The families have pinned their hopes on the jury after their gun-control efforts were rejected by lawmakers, and their lawsuits remain unresolved. A few parents ran for political office to seek change, with mixed results.

The proceedings will provide a rare example of an officer being criminally charged with not doing more to stop a crime and protect lives.

Jesse Rizo’s niece was one of 19 children and two teachers killed by the teenage gunman in one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. Nine-year-old Jackie Cazares still had a pulse when rescuers finally reached her, Rizo said.

“It really bothers us a lot that maybe she could have lived,” he said.

Only two of the 376 officers from local, state and federal agencies on the scene have been charged — a fact that haunts Velma Lisa Duran, whose sister, Irma Garcia, was one of the teachers gunned down.

“What about the other 374?” Duran asked through tears. “They all waited and allowed children and teachers to die.”

The charges reflect the dead and wounded children, but not her sister’s death or that of the other teacher who was killed.

“Where is the justice in that?” Duran asked. “Did she not exist?”

Prosecutors will likely face a high bar to win a conviction. Juries are often reluctant to convict law enforcement officers for inaction, as seen after the Parkland, Florida, school massacre in 2018.

Sheriff’s deputy Scot Peterson was charged with failing to confront the shooter in that attack. It was the first such prosecution in the U.S. for an on-campus shooting, and Peterson was acquitted by a jury in 2023.

The attack, the delay and the indictments

Police and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott initially said swift law enforcement action killed Uvalde gunman Salvador Ramos and saved lives. But that version quickly unraveled as families described begging police to go into the building and 911 calls emerged from students pleading for help.

The reality was that 77 minutes passed from the time officers first arrived until a tactical team breached the classroom and killed Ramos.

Multiple reports from state and federal officials cataloged cascading problems in law enforcement training, communication, leadership and technology, and they questioned whether officers prioritized their own lives over those of the children and teachers.

FILE – This booking image provided by the Uvalde County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office shows Adrian Gonzales, a former police officer for schools in Uvalde, Texas. (Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office via AP, File)

Gonzales was charged two years later in an indictment that alleged he placed children in “imminent danger” of injury or death by failing to engage, distract or delay the gunman and by not following his active shooter training.

The indictment said he did not advance toward the gunfire despite hearing shots and being told where the shooter was.

The only other officer to be charged is former Uvalde schools Police Chief Pete Arredondo. His trial on similar charges has not yet been set.

Uvalde County District Attorney Christina Mitchell did not respond to requests from The Associated Press for comment on the indictments or whether a grand jury considered charging other officers.

According to a report by state lawmakers, Gonzales was among the first officers in the building. They heard gunfire and retreated without firing a shot after Ramos shot at them.

Gonzales told investigators he later helped break windows to remove students from other classrooms.

“He was focused on getting children out of that building,” said Gonzales’ attorney, Nico LaHood, a former district attorney and prosecutor in San Antonio. “He knows where his heart was and what he tried to do for those children.”

The trial was moved from Uvalde to Corpus Christi, 200 miles away, after defense attorneys and prosecutors agreed a change of venue would be the best way to find an impartial jury.

A divided community

In Uvalde, a city of about 15,000 people, the Robb Elementary building is still standing, but it’s empty. A memorial of 21 white crosses and flowers sits in front of the school sign. Another memorial is displayed at a downtown water fountain plaza. Murals of the victims cover walls on buildings around town.

Craig Garnett, owner and publisher of the Uvalde Leader-News newspaper, said people who were not directly affected by the attack “have found it pretty easy to move forward.”

Garnett also believes getting the trial out of Uvalde was a good move for the city.

“The community was terribly divided in the aftermath,” he said. If the trial were held there, “you would have so many opportunities to inflame things.”

Some victims’ parents sought political office but with little success.

Javier Cazares, Jackie’s father, ran unsuccessfully in 2022 for the Uvalde County Commission as a write-in candidate on a platform that called for more rigorous police training. Kimberly Mata-Rubio, whose daughter Lexi was killed, made a bid for mayor in her memory in 2023 but lost.

Rizo, who won a seat on the school board in 2024, agreed that many Uvalde residents have moved on from May 24, 2022. He finds that maddening.

“I hear, ‘They tried the best they could’ and ‘Do you blame them? Would you have taken a bullet?’” Rizo said. “It angers me and frustrates me.”

Uvalde has a strong tradition of supporting law enforcement. Two of the people killed came from law enforcement families.

Mata-Rubio’s husband was a sheriff’s deputy who went to the school after the attack started. The other teacher killed, Eva Mireles, was married to one of the first officers to enter the building.

Families pursued multiple paths for justice

The families have sought justice through multiple legal paths. Federal and state lawsuits have been filed against law enforcement, a gun manufacturer, a video game company and the Meta social media company over the shooting. Those cases are still pending.

The families reached a $2 million settlement with the city that promised higher standards and better training for police.

Relatives also lobbied state and federal lawmakers for stricter gun control laws that never advanced. But earlier this year, Texas lawmakers passed the Uvalde Strong Act, which sets new requirements for active shooter training and shooting response plans for police and schools.

Duran wants accountability not just for her sister but also for a beloved brother-in-law who died two days after the shooting.

Irma’s husband, Joe, was watching a television report on the shooting when he heard that authorities missed their chance to end the attack quickly. He immediately fell to the floor with an apparent heart attack, Duran said.

The conviction of a single officer out of almost 400 would bring little in the way of justice, Duran said.

“The only justice is going to be when they take their final breath,” she said. “And then God will judge them.”

By Jim Vertuno

Drought continues to worsen across Georgia

By
Tyler Penland
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(NowHabersham.com)

We’ve seen several brushfires cause issues across North Georgia in the past day, with several others also reported across the state. More are likely in the coming couple of weeks because, despite some rain on Friday night, we are expected to remain largely dry for the foreseeable future.

The latest from the US Drought Monitor now shows 99.63% of the state in a D1 (moderate) drought or higher. The only sliver still in only D0, abnormally dry, lies in Richmond and Columbia Counties along the Savannah River in east central Georgia. A large area of D2, severe, drought is rapidly expanding across northwest and north-central Georgia as well now reaching as far east as Union County.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone as it has been very, very dry recently. A quick look at the past 7 and 30 day rainfall totals across the southeast paint a very sad picture. Much of the north/northeast section of the state has seen less than 1″ of rain in the past month. In fact, north of Macon only Rabun County has seen any real meaningful rainfall in the past month. Generally, only 1-1.5″ has fallen.

This is bad timing since December into January is the wettest time of the year for the majority of the state. Monthly averages for both December and January range from 4″ over central Georgia to as much as 6″ over the mountains. This has driven our rainfall deficits significantly higher with 30 day deficits around 3-6″ across the northern half of the state.

30 day rainfall deficits

60-day deficits look even worse, with sections of Northeast Georgia showing 8-10″ below average since the beginning of November. Central Georgia has fared only slightly better with a handful of Gulf systems and deficits in the 4-7″ range. Far south Georgia, where an extreme drought was underway just a couple months ago, have seen significant improvement.

60 day rainfall deficits

Unfortunately, we won’t be seeing any significant rainfall anytime soon. The latest modeling shows around 1″ for the system on Friday and Saturday but very little beyond that. There are some signs, mainly from the European model, for some decent rainfall late next week. The latest 10 day rainfall forecasts from both the Euro and GFS models are below.

Because of this, the NICC keeps all of Georgia under an above normal risk for significant fires over the next couple of months. With the current long range upper level patterns, a switch to a predominantly wet pattern seems unlikely though not impossible.

We here at Now Georgia strongly encourage you to keep a very close eye on our Fire Danger forecasts that we put out each day. Do not do any burning if the risk is high and up, and use extreme caution on moderate days.

Firefighters battle major blaze at Denver apartment complex under construction

By
Associated Press
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This photo provided by The Denver Fire Department shows a large blaze in Denver, Friday evening, Jan. 2, 2026. (The Denver Fire Department via AP)

DENVER (AP) — More than 100 firefighters battled a large blaze Friday evening as it tore through a three-story apartment complex under construction in southeast Denver, officials said.

Firefighters were continuing to work to extinguish the blaze more than two hours after it started, said Robert Murphy, division chief of operations for Denver Fire.

“It’s major,” he said. “I can’t tell you the last time in Denver we had a three-alarm fire this big.”

There have been no reports of injuries, according to the fire department.

The building is next to a major thoroughfare that the Denver Police Department said in a post on the social platform X has been temporarily closed in both directions.

Some residents of a nearby apartment building were advised to leave because of the heat radiating off the fire, Murphy said.

The Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management said in a post on X that the fire has caused “significant power outages.” Officials have opened a temporary overnight shelter at an event center in the nearby city of Glendale.

Marty Supreme

By
Justin Hall
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Marty Supreme showcases Timothee Chalamet in a role that dwarfs all of his previous performances and that’s saying something. It’s very rare to find a type of performance that has such a hypnotic, mesmerizing quality that we are completely glued to the screen eager with anticipation to see what the character does next. Chalamet has mastered such a performance.

Chalamet is guided by the sure handed touch of director/co-writer Josh Safdie who made Good Time and Uncut Gems with his brother Benny once again delves deep into individuals who have gargantuan obsessions which keeps them in a constant state of panic while thoroughly ludicrous moments that make us question of the character will ever feel of sense of normalcy or crumble under the weight of their own ambition.

Chalamet plays Marty Mauser, a young Jewish show salesman living in New York in 1952. He’s also a professional table tennis player and is so talented that he’s been selected to play at the British Open. Mauser is overconfident to a fault but is defeated during the tournament and has to spend the rest of his time abroad entertaining the masses for the Harlem Globetrotters.

Once Marty returns home to New York, he finds himself in one preposterous predicament after another beginning with having an affair with his childhood friend (Odessa A’zion) who is married but pregnant with Marty’s child. He also learns that he’s banned from playing tennis for his failure to pay a fine which could prevent him from competing in the World Championship.

Gwyneth Paltrow costars as a former actress now doing stage work and she begins having a dalliance with Marty. Paltrow doesn’t have a whole lot of screen time but what she has proves to carry equally as much weight and involvement as Chalamet or anyone else in the cast.

This is truly Chalamet’s finest performance yet. Will it be enough to nab him his first Oscar? I’d say he’s more than deserving. He’s immensely skillful in the table tennis sequences which are fast and furious and are just as riveting as any major action sequence in a superhero film. However his narcissistic approach towards his goals and his way of evading the quandaries he finds himself in inevitably become his Achilles heel.

This is a performance that obviously took a lot of effort and detail on the part of Chalamet and Safdie helps navigate him into uncharted waters that any other actor would not have been as effective. Nor does his screen time suffer from overkill; he’s always doing something engrossing with the character each time he’s on screen which thankfully is quite often.

The movie does have its fair share of absurd dilemmas and crippling anxiety which is Safdie in his element. It’s interesting that his brother Benny also directed The Smashing Machine starring Dwayne Johnson in yet another movie about an individual obsessed with his craft that takes its toll.

For two and a half hours, Marty Supreme leaves us more than satisfied and exhausted; it reinforces that great cinema is still here.

Grade: A

(Rated R for language throughout, sexual content, some violent content/bloody images and nudity.)

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Johnson has another triple-double and the Hawks beat the Knicks 111-99

By
Associated Press
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Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, right, is defended by New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby during second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Johnson had 18 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in his seventh triple-double of the season, leading the Atlanta Hawks to a 111-99 victory over the New York Knicks on Friday night.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 23 points and Onyeka Okongwu had 22 for the Hawks, while both Zaccharie Risacher and Luke Kennard scored 12.

Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 24 points. OG Anunoby had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Mikal Bridges added 18 points.

Ariel Hukporti, who replaced Karl-Anthony Towns (illness) in the starting lineup, grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds for New York.

The Knicks got off to a quick start, taking an 11-2 lead. Trailing 30-29, the Hawks scored the final four points of the first quarter and never trailed again.

Atlanta extended its lead to 60-45 on Okongwu’s short jumper with 1:16 remaining in the second quarter before Brunson’s runner cut the Knicks’ deficit to 60-47 at halftime.

Alexander-Walker’s driving layup with 1:14 left in the third quarter gave the Hawks their biggest lead of the game at 94-68 and they were ahead 94-70 at the end of the quarter.

The Knicks scored the first 11 points of the fourth quarter and pulled within 94-81 before Kennard connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to end the streak.

New York mounted a final rally following consecutive 3-pointers by Bridges to edge within 108-99, but never got any closer.

The Hawks, who have won two in a row following a season-high, seven-game losing streak, became the first team to hold the Knicks to fewer than 100 points this season.

Atlanta’s Trae Young (bruised right quadriceps) and Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (left ankle injury management) each missed their third straight games.

By Jeffrey Bernstein

Claudette Bonds Griffin

By
Now Habersham
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Claudette Bonds Griffin, age 88, of Hiawassee and Baldwin/Cornelia, Georgia, took her heavenly flight home to be with her Lord and Savior on Thursday, January 1, 2026, following an extended illness.

A woman of deep faith, gentle strength, and unwavering love, Claudette leaves behind a legacy of compassion, service, and music that will forever echo in the hearts of those who knew her.

Born on March 26, 1937, in Banks County, Georgia, she was the oldest daughter of the late Avery Cleveland Bonds and Carrenia Pritchett Bonds. From an early age, Claudette embodied a servant’s heart—one that would guide her life’s work and ministry.

Claudette was the former co-owner of McGahee-Griffin Funeral Home, where for many years she faithfully assisted her beloved husband, Weyman, in the day-to-day operations. In that role, she became a source of comfort and calm for countless families during their most difficult moments. Through her beautiful voice and gifted hands at the piano, she ministered through music, offering solace and hope at innumerable services.

A dedicated member of the Order of the Eastern Star for many years, Claudette lived a life rooted in faith, fellowship, and service. After retirement, she and Weyman made their home in Hiawassee, Georgia, where she found her “small country church” at Union Hill United Methodist Church. There, she continued her lifelong devotion to church music, serving as choir director and pianist, joyfully praising God through song.

Above all else, Claudette cherished her family. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who delighted in every moment spent with her loved ones. Affectionately known as “Mama Dette,” she was the heart of her family—steadfast, nurturing, and endlessly loving. Though she has laid down her earthly burdens, the song of Claudette Bonds Griffin’s life continues—heard in every memory, every hymn, and every heart she touched.

In addition to her parents, Claudette was preceded in death by her loving husband, Weyman O. Griffin; her brother, Ricky Matthew Bonds; and her great-grandson, Zack Cothran.

She is survived by her children, Weyman Matthew (Tammy) Griffin and Weyna Dee (Michael) Sands; grandchildren, Jason (Tashua) Sands, Nicholas Sands, Michael Sands, Marie (Robert) Lupinek, Michael (Kim) Babbitt, Joseph (Justina) Griffin, Brittany Griffin, and Andrew Griffin; great-grandchildren, Chase Sands, Grant Babbitt, Autumn Babbitt, Carter Sands, Kyndal Sands, Billie Griffin, Beau Weyman Griffin, Madison Griffin, Fern Lupinek, and Max Lupinek; sisters and brothers-in-law, Barbara Ann Gordon, Juana Faye Cunningham Green (Randall), and Joan Parks (L.C.); along with numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, and dear friends.

Funeral services are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Monday, January 5, 2026, from the Chapel of McGahee-Griffin & McEntire Funeral Home, with Rev. Billy Burrell officiating. Interment will follow in the VFW Memorial Park Cemetery in Demorest.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 4, 2026, and again from 9:00 a.m. until the service hour on Monday.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that memorial donations be made to Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital by visiting give.choa.org.

An online guest registry is available at www.mcgaheegriffinandmcentire.com.

McGahee-Griffin & McEntire Funeral Home of Cornelia, Georgia (706-778-8668), is in charge of arrangements.

Doris Burch Lewallen

By
Now Habersham
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Doris Burch Lewallen, age 81, of Baldwin, Georgia, passed away on Thursday, January 1, 2026.

Mrs. Lewallen was born on April 15, 1944, in Franklin, North Carolina, to the late Guy Woodrow Burch and Hazel Brown Burch Beckman. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother and sister-in-law, Howard Paul and Elizabeth Ferguson Burch.

Doris spent her younger years traveling with her family between North Carolina, Georgia, and Washington State. She graduated in 1962 from Sedro Woolley High School in Sedro Woolley, Washington. After graduation, she and her sister traveled back to Georgia, where Doris rekindled a childhood connection with the man who would become her husband of 62 years. Together, they created a beautiful life and family.

Doris retired in 2006 from Regions Bank, formerly First National Bank, after nearly 42 years of dedicated service. After retirement, she enjoyed spending time outdoors working in her yard and tending to her beloved flowers. If she wasn’t outside, you could usually find her inside baking one of her delicious sour cream or caramel pound cakes. As she grew older and could no longer spend as much time gardening or baking, she could often be found in her favorite spot on the couch, reading or working on word search books.

To her family, she was lovingly known as Mama or Nanny. She took great pride in her grandchildren and spent countless hours watching them play their favorite sports. Watching her family grow filled her with immense joy. When her great-granddaughters arrived, they brought an extra sparkle to her eyes. Doris cherished every opportunity to be with her family, especially making memories during annual family beach trips to Florida.

Doris was the heart and soul of her family and has left an immeasurable void.

Survivors include her loving husband, Clarence Lewallen, of Baldwin; son and daughter-in-law, Ronald and Stephanie Lewallen, of Demorest; daughter and son-in-law, Paula and Martin Westbrook, of Baldwin; grandchildren, Caleb Lewallen and his fiancée, Carla Gann, of Ringgold; Charlotte and Taylor Greer, of Demorest; great-grandchildren, Gracen Greer and Blakely Greer, both of Demorest; sister, Sue Wilson, of Chehalis, WA; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Larry and Jeri Lewallen, of Baldwin; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Doris and Chad “OP” Coward, of Cornelia.

Funeral Services will be held at 3:00 p.m., Sunday, January 4, 2025, at the Whitfield Funeral Home, South Chapel, with Rev. Daniel Parker and Rev. Terry Rice officiating. Interment will follow in the BC Grant Baptist Church Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 12:00 p.m. to 2:45 p.m., Sunday, January 4, 2025, at the funeral home prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the BC Grant Baptist Church or Cornelia Masonic Lodge #92 Scholarship Fund.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Whitfield Funeral Homes & Crematory, South Chapel at 1370 Industrial Boulevard, Baldwin, Georgia 30511. Telephone: 706-778-7123.

Drought conditions fuel spike in brush fires

By
Joy Purcell
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A firefighter extinguishes a brush fire near a home on Ben Jones Road near Clarkesville. (Patrick Fargason/NowGeorgia.com)

Fire crews across Northeast Georgia are battling a familiar and growing problem: dry ground, gusty winds, and fast-moving fires that can turn dangerous in minutes.

An outbuilding and yard fire north of Clarkesville Friday evening marked the second fire in just 24 hours in the area. Flames spread quickly through dry vegetation and pushed close to nearby homes. A rapid, coordinated response kept the fire from causing major damage, but officials say it is part of a wider pattern unfolding across North Georgia.

Multiple brush fires were reported across the region and elsewhere in the state over the past day. Fire officials warn more are likely in the coming weeks as dry weather persists, even after some rain moved through Friday night.

Drought deepens statewide

(Patrick Fargason/NowGeorgia.com)

The latest update from the US Drought Monitor shows just how widespread the problem has become. About 99.63% of Georgia is now classified as D1, moderate drought, or worse. Only a small area in Richmond and Columbia counties along the Savannah River remains classified as abnormally dry.

More concerning for Northeast Georgia, a large area of D2, severe drought, is rapidly expanding across northwest and North Central Georgia and now stretches east into Union County.

This trend reflects weeks of very limited rainfall. Much of North and Northeast Georgia has received less than one inch of rain over the past 30 days. North of Macon, Rabun County stands out as the only area to see anything close to meaningful rainfall, generally just 1 to 1.5 inches.

A bad time to be dry

The lack of rain is especially troubling because December and January are typically the wettest months of the year. Average rainfall usually ranges from about four inches across central Georgia to as much as six inches in the mountains.

Instead, rainfall deficits of three to six inches have developed across much of northern Georgia over the past month. Looking back even further, 60-day deficits are worse. Parts of Northeast Georgia are now running eight to ten inches below average since early November.

Fire danger already playing out

Heavy smoke could be seen for miles as a brush fire threatened a commercial property near South East Metals off Hwy. 123 east of Toccoa on Dec. 31, 2025. (Carnes Creek Fire Department)

Those dry conditions were on full display New Year’s Eve in Stephens County, where firefighters saved a commercial building from being destroyed by a large brush fire near Highway 123 and East Tugalo Street.

Carnes Creek Fire Department Public Information Officer Lee Woody said the fire broke out around noon and was fully contained around 3 p.m. after a multi-agency response. Flames had spread to the side of a metal building where a large amount of plastic materials was stored, creating thick smoke visible for miles.

Firefighters from Shiloh, Big Smith, Carnes Creek, Martin, and Toccoa worked for hours to protect the structure. “They did a great job stopping this fire from destroying the building,” Woody said. No injuries were reported.

Fire crews in Stephens County also responded to two other brush fires that same day, both caused by fireworks. Officials said the incidents were unrelated but highlight how easily fires can start under current conditions.

Little relief ahead

While showers brought some temporary relief, totals generally ranged from about a half inch to one inch across Northeast Georgia. Sunshine returned quickly, and the overall pattern remains dry.

Forecast models show little additional rainfall beyond that system, with only limited chances late next week. Because of the continued dryness, the National Interagency Coordination Center has placed all of Georgia under an above-normal risk for significant fires through January and February.

Use caution

At Now Georgia, we urge residents to closely monitor daily fire danger forecasts. Avoid outdoor burning when fire danger is high or greater, and use extreme caution even on moderate days.

With dry fuels, low humidity, and wind, it will not take much for the next fire to spread fast.

Christopher Lewis Sisk

By
Now Habersham
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Christopher Lewis Sisk, age 43, of Demorest, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, January 1, 2026, surrounded by the love of his family.

Christopher was a devoted husband, father, son, brother, and friend whose life was defined by hard work, loyalty, and love. He was employed with Kendall Vegetation Services for over 25 years, where he built a reputation for dedication and dependability. Christopher took great pride in working hard to provide for his family, and nothing meant more to him than ensuring they were cared for and supported.

He was preceded in death by his father, Dale Sisk, and his mother-in-law, Vickie Barber.

Christopher is survived by his loving wife, Gina Lynn Sisk; his sons, Hunter Sisk, Bryce Sisk, and Darious Waller; his daughter, Brooklynn Waller; his brothers, Steven Sisk and Matthew Sisk; his sisters, Tonia McCallister (Keith) and Angela Palmer (Brandon); his father-in-law, Anthony Barber; his brothers-in-law, Rusty Barber and Jason Barber; his sister-in-law, Andrea Swain; and many cherished nieces and nephews.

Outside of work and family, Christopher found joy in the simple things he loved most. He enjoyed playing video games and proudly ran his own YouTube channel, where he connected with a community of over 2,000 subscribers. He also loved fishing, appreciating the peace and quiet that came with time spent outdoors.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at Amy’s Creek Baptist Church, with Pastor Eddie Tanner officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Monday, January 5, 2026, from 6:00–8:00 PM, and again on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, from 11:30 AM until 1:30 PM.

An online guest registry is available for the Sisk family at www.mcgaheegriffinandmcentire.com

McGahee-Griffin & McEntire Funeral Home of Cornelia, Georgia (706/778-8668) is in charge of arrangements.

Indiana and Oregon to meet again at the Peach Bowl with a spot in the CFP title game on the line

By
Greg Beacham
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Indiana players celebrate after a win over Alabama in the Rose Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Curt Cignetti’s perpetual seriousness has become a big part of the Indiana coach’s burgeoning lore. His ever-glowering face on the sideline has sparked countless memes and has come to personify the sharp-eyed, no-nonsense manner in which these Hoosiers have rocketed through the sport in just two seasons.

With a couple of minutes left in Indiana’s 38-3 thrashing of Alabama in the 112th Rose Bowl on Thursday, Cignetti allowed himself a broad smile that was captured by TV cameras. He showed a few teeth again on the podium while the Hoosiers celebrated their first bowl victory since 1991 with confetti and roses.

Receiver Elijah Sarratt said it was “just about” the biggest smile he’d ever seen from his coach.

“You won’t be getting too much of those from coach Cig, so anytime you get one, you’ve got to appreciate it,” Sarratt said with a laugh.

But just a few minutes later, Cignetti had his business face back on. He was already thinking about the season-defining test presented to his Hoosiers (14-0, No. 1 CFP) by Oregon (13-1, No. 5 CFP) in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Friday.

“We’ll have a very big challenge ahead of us next week,” Cignetti said. “It’s very hard to beat a really good football team twice. There’s no doubt about that.”

Indeed, Indiana is responsible for the only blemish on the Ducks’ record. The Hoosiers won 30-20 in Eugene on Oct. 11, physically trouncing the defending Big Ten champions in one of the landmark wins of Cignetti’s incredible tenure.

The Hoosiers are the Big Ten champions now after they knocked off Ohio State last month. They’ve added their school’s first Rose Bowl victory and its first Heisman Trophy since that trip to Autzen Stadium.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, second left, shouts as he celebrates with his players after defeating Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

But the Ducks have also grown and matured in the past three months, and the quarterfinals left them as clearly the biggest threat to stop Indiana’s march toward history. They earned that opportunity with an impressive 23-0 victory over Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl on Thursday.

“That team in that locker room has shown time and time again that they’re ready for big moments,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said.

Lanning smiles and laughs a whole lot more than Cignetti, in public at least. But the coaches share a deep respect for what they’ve both built at two schools that have never won a national title in football.

With Mississippi and Miami surprising most of the sport by advancing from the other two quarterfinals, it’s clear the winner of the Peach Bowl will be a significant favorite to claim an inaugural national title in the championship game on Jan. 19 in South Florida.

And while Oregon is on an eight-game winning streak after throttling Texas Tech’s high-priced roster, Indiana has done nothing to suggest it shouldn’t be the favorite to cap this unprecedented two-year transformation by winning the biggest trophy of all.

A 35-point win the Rose Bowl was the latest improbable feat by Indiana, which had been in this stadium roughly 15 months earlier for the first Big Ten road game of Cignetti’s tenure. The Hoosiers beat UCLA that weekend, and they’ve transformed into a powerhouse since then.

The Hoosiers and their grateful fans were having plenty of fun in Pasadena, but there’s little danger they’ll carry a celebratory hangover into Atlanta. From Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza to the support staff, nobody at Indiana seems to take this success for granted — because they all realize just how recently this position seemed impossible for the Hoosiers.

“We like being the underdogs,” defensive tackles coach Pat Kuntz said. “We like when people think we’re just ‘old Indiana.’ That’s all we need. We like that mentality. I hate it when we’re favored. I want us to be underdogs all the time. That’s our mentality. Never satisfied, always humble and hungry.”

The Hoosiers will also be the favorites because they didn’t show any significant weaknesses while rolling the Tide.

Meanwhile, Oregon’s offense wasn’t terribly impressive in the Orange Bowl, posting 309 yards and struggling on the ground with just 1.4 yards per rush when sacks were factored. The Ducks managed only 267 yards in their loss to the Hoosiers three months ago, while the Indiana defense has only improved, now ranking second in the nation in yards allowed (252.6) and points allowed (10.3).

Dante Moore was held to 186 yards passing with two interceptions by the Hoosiers, but the quarterback and his Ducks have a week to figure out how to knock off unbeaten Indiana.

“You never want to look too far ahead,” Moore said. “You want to be where your feet are at, being in the present moment. We’ve got to worry about the next day.”

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