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LaGrange police investigate shooting

By
Robbie Watson
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LaGrange police investigate shooting (NowGeorgia.com)

On December 20, 2025, at around 7:37PM, LaGrange Police Officers responded to 1514 Vernon Road, WellStar West Georgia Medical Center in reference to person who reported he had been shot. The victim indicated that he was walking in the 100 block of Snelson Street (Incident Location) when an unknown(s) person began shooting at him. The victim sustained a non-life-threatening injury and was treated. The Criminal Investigation Division was notified to respond and continue the investigation. The victim was unable to provide any information as to the description of the suspect(s) who shot him.

Anyone with information pertaining to this investigation are encouraged to contact Detective Blane at 706-883-2620.

Individuals who wish to remain anonymous can submit tips through the Tip411 system. This can be done via the mobile application, through the online portal, or by texting the keyword LAGRANGE to 847411. These channels are designed to ensure the public can share critical information confidentially and securely.

Garage fire damages home, destroys three vehicles in Hall County

By
Staff Report
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Hall County firefighters battled a residential fire Tuesday night that damaged a garage, attic space and destroyed three vehicles. (Hall County Fire and Rescue)

HALL COUNTY, Ga. – Hall County firefighters battled a residential fire Tuesday night that damaged a garage, attic space and destroyed three vehicles, according to Kimberlie Ledsinger, public information officer for Hall County Fire Rescue.

Crews were dispatched around 7:30 p.m. to the 4100 block of Topsail Ridge after receiving reports of a house fire. First-arriving units encountered heavy fire conditions in and above the garage, Ledsinger said.

Firefighters initially attacked the blaze from the exterior before repositioning inside the home, where they knocked down fire that had extended into the attic above the garage. Three vehicles were also fully involved and later towed from the scene.

When firefighters arrived, they found three also found three vehicles fully involved. (Hall County Fire and Rescue)

Two adults and two children were inside the home at the time of the fire but were able to exit safely before firefighters arrived. All occupants declined assistance from the American Red Cross.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Hall County Fire Marshal’s Office, Ledsinger said.

Lady Tigers complete comeback to claim Jingle Jam Classic title over host Banks [VIDEO]

By
BLITZ Sports
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The #9-ranked Dawson County Lady Tigers (9-3) outscored Banks County 28-14 in the second half to complete a comeback in the Jingle Jam Classic championship game on Tuesday. When the final horn sounded, Dawson won 46–38.

Despite All-State senior guard Maddie Siuta going down late to an injury, her teammates rallied, including a 14-point second half for Lilly Brown. Siuta had two 3-pointers in the opening quarter, including a buzzer-beater for a 14-12 lead.

The Lady Leopards (8-6) had a great second quarter, outscoring Dawson 12-4 to take a 24-18 halftime lead. Maecee Crumley had three shots from downtown for Banks. The Lady Tigers began the comeback with a 15-7 third frame.

Brown had two huge 3-pointers in the third, and Addison Smith added a couple in the fourth.

Brown led all scorers with 14 points, while Ava Roberson had 10 for the Lady Tigers. Smith closed with eight, Siuta and Baylee Green six each, and two for Kadence Rhodes.

Banks was led by Marleigh Dale and Adarae Thomas with 10 apiece. Crumley had nine, Janakate Gibson added five, and Ansley Moore closed with four.

Georgia judge tosses landmark racketeering charges against ‘Cop City’ protesters

By
Associated Press
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A police officer watches as protester holds a Stop Cop City sign against the door in Atlanta City Hall. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)

ATLANTA (AP) — A Georgia judge on Tuesday tossed racketeering charges against dozens of defendants accused of a yearslong conspiracy to halt the construction of a police and firefighter training facility that critics call “Cop City.”

Fulton County Judge Kevin Farmer said in the order that Republican Attorney General Chris Carr didn’t have the authority to secure the 2023 indictments under Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations law, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Farmer said he needed permission from Gov. Brian Kemp.

Carr’s office said in a statement that they plan to appeal.

“We strongly disagree with this decision and will continue to vigorously pursue this domestic terrorism case to ensure that justice is served,” his office said.

The 61 defendants in what experts call the largest criminal racketeering case filed against protesters in U.S. history faced such allegations as throwing Molotov cocktails at police officers and providing protesters with food. Each defendant faced up to 20 years in prison on the racketeering charges.

Five of them have also been indicted on charges of domestic terrorism and first-degree arson related a night in 2023 when masked activists burned a police car in downtown Atlanta and threw rocks at a skyscraper home to the Atlanta Police Foundation. Farmer has said Carr also didn’t have the authority to pursue the arson charge but that the domestic terrorism charge can likely stand.

Amanda Clark Palmer, an attorney for one of the protesters, praised the judge’s decision, saying “the prosecution did not follow the law when filing these charges,” according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“We are relieved the dismissal order has been entered but our relief is not complete yet as we wait to see whether the Attorney General will appeal,” Clark Palmer said in a statement.

The long-brewing controversy over the training center came to a head in January 2023 after state troopers who were part of a sweep of the South River Forest killed a 26-year-old activist, known as “Tortuguita,” who authorities said had fired at them while inside a tent near the construction site. A prosecutor found the troopers’ actions “ objectively reasonable.” Tortuguita’s family filed a lawsuit, saying his hands were in the air and that troopers used excessive force when they initially fired pepper balls into the tent.

Protests erupted, with masked vandals sometimes attacking police vehicles and construction equipment to stall the project and intimidate contractors into backing out. Opponents also pursued such civic paths to halt the facility as packing City Council meetings and leading a large-scale referendum effort that got tied up in the courts.

Carr, who is running for governor, had pursued the case. Kemp hailed it as an important step to combat “out-of-state radicals that threaten the safety of our citizens and law enforcement.”

Critics had called the indictment a politically motivated, heavy-handed attempt to quash the movement against the 85-acre (34-hectare) project that ultimately cost more than $115 million.

Tigers win catfight over Leopards in 2OT thriller [VIDEO]

By
BLITZ Sports
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In what goes down as an instant classic, the Dawson County Tigers (6-6) won a 92-81 double overtime game on Tuesday night against host Banks County in the Jingle Jam Classic.

The game was an offensive showcase in which seven different players reached double figures, and a total of 14 3-pointers were made.

The opening quarter saw Banks County’s Macade Huff go off for 11 points, while Dawson’s Brody Sorensen countered with six as the Leopards led 21-18.

Jack Ledbetter had a huge second quarter, as did Landon Lee. The latter had a 3-point play to pull within one. The Leopards’ Gavin Barker hit a couple of deep shots as well, with Banks holding a 41-35 halftime lead. Huff had 14 points by the break, while Lee had 10 for Dawson.

Huff picked up where he left off with the first eight Banks County points in the third, but a hot-handed Tigers team remained tight on a splash from downtown by Sorensen. Entering the fourth frame, Banks County was up 56-52.

The Leopards (7-6) were never quite putting the game out of reach, but they appeared to be in control late before a surge by the Tigers. Both teams got off a final heave at the end of the fourth but came up empty with a 75-75 score.

That fourth quarter was intense, as Dawson got triples from Corbin Cantrell and Landon Lee, while Banks County had a 3-point play by Caden Watson.

Suddenly, momentum shifted when Mason Harvey grabbed a steal and a layup, and Cantrell added a fast break lay-in for a 69-66 Dawson lead. Huff had a putback with 1:10 on the clock to push the Leopards back up 73-72. Not to be outdone, Harvey had a layup for a 74-73 lead with 49 seconds left. Both teams reached 75 before final tries before regulation was out.

One overtime wasn’t enough to determine a winner. The teams scored four points apiece in the initial 4-minute extra period. Barker momentarily had the Leopards ahead on a clutch 3-pointer with 28 seconds left, but Dawson nailed a free throw to force a second OT.

Banks County ran out of gas, as Dawson outscored the Leopards 13-2 in the final extra period, highlighted by Cantrell’s dramatic 3-point play that put the game on ice.

Dawson was led in scoring by Cantrell’s 23 points (12 in the 2nd half) which included four 3-pointers. Lee had 19, Ledbetter had 16, Sorensen 15, and Cayson Chester 13. Harvey had four and Colton Graham added two.

For Banks County, Huff had a game-high 28 points, followed by Dayden Rogers’ 18, and nine apiece for Griffin Hill and Barker. Aidan Beasley and Caden Watson each had seven, while Brayden Knight finished with two.

Buddhist monks persist in peace walk despite injuries as thousands follow them on social media

By
Associated Press
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The Buddhist monks and their dog, Aloka, leave Morrow, Georgia, for Decatur on the morning of Dec. 30, 2025. The monks are on a 120-day, 2,300-mile journey from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C. to raise awareness of "peace, loving kindness, and compassion across America and the world," their website states.

ATLANTA (AP) — A group of Buddhist monks is persevering in their walking trek across much of the U.S. to promote peace, even after two of its members were injured when a truck hit their escort vehicle.

After starting their walk in Fort Worth, Texas, on Oct. 26, the group of about two dozen monks has made it to Georgia as they continue on a path to Washington, D.C., highlighting Buddhism’s long tradition of activism for peace.

The group planned to walk its latest segment through Georgia on Tuesday from the town of Morrow to Decatur, on the eastern edge of Atlanta. Marking day 66 of the walk, the group invited the public to a Peace Gathering in Decatur Tuesday afternoon.

The monks and their loyal dog Aloka are traveling through 10 states en route to Washington, D.C. In coming days, they plan to pass through or very close to Athens, Georgia; the North Carolina cities of Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh; and Richmond, Virginia, on their way to the nation’s capital city.

The group has amassed a huge audience on social media, with more than 400,000 followers on Facebook. Aloka, who is named after a Sanskrit word meaning enlightenment, has its own hashtag, #AlokathePeaceDog.

The group’s Facebook page is frequently updated with progress reports, inspirational notes and poetry.

RELATED ‘Walk for Peace’ enters West Georgia

“We do not walk alone. We walk together with every person whose heart has opened to peace, whose spirit has chosen kindness, whose daily life has become a garden where understanding grows,” the group posted recently.

The trek has not been without danger. Last month outside Houston, the monks were walking on the side of a highway near Dayton, Texas, when their escort vehicle, which had its hazard lights on, was hit by a truck, Dayton Interim Police Chief Shane Burleigh said.

The truck “didn’t notice how slow the vehicle was going, tried to make an evasive maneuver to drive around the vehicle, and didn’t do it in time,” Burleigh said at the time. “It struck the escort vehicle in the rear left, pushed the escort into two of the monks.”

One of the monks had “substantial leg injuries” and was flown by helicopter to a hospital in Houston, Burleigh said. The other monk with less serious injuries was taken by ambulance to another hospital in suburban Houston. The monk who sustained the serious leg injuries was expected to have a series of surgeries to heal a broken bone, but his prognosis for recovery was good, a spokeswoman for the group said.

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy that evolved from the teachings of Gautama Buddha, a prince turned teacher who is believed to have lived in northern India and attained enlightenment between the 6th and 4th centuries B.C. The religion spread to other parts of Asia after his death and came to the West in the 20th century. The Buddha taught that the path to end suffering and become liberated from the cycle of birth, death and reincarnation, includes the practice of non-violence, mental discipline through meditation and showing compassion for all beings.

While Buddhism has branched into a number of sects over the centuries, its rich tradition of peace activism continues. Its social teaching was pioneered by figures like the Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh, who have applied core principles of compassion and non-violence to political, environmental and social justice as well as peace-building efforts around the world.

JFK’s granddaughter dies at 35

By
Associated Press
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FILE - Tatiana Schlossberg, the daughter of Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg, addresses an audience during the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award ceremony, at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Oct. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

Environmental journalist Tatiana Schlossberg, one of three grandchildren of the late President John F. Kennedy, has died after she was diagnosed with leukemia last year. She was 35.

Schlossberg, daughter of Kennedy’s daughter, Caroline Kennedy, and Edwin Schlossberg, revealed she had terminal cancer in a November 2025 essay in The New Yorker. A family statement disclosing her death was posted on social media Tuesday by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.

“Our beautiful Tatiana passed away this morning. She will always be in our hearts,” the statement said. It did not disclose a cause of death or say where she had died.

Maria Shriver, a niece of John F. Kennedy and a former award-winning TV journalist, grieved for Schlossberg on social media and called her “the light, the humor, the joy” and a great journalist who “used her words to educate others about the earth and how to save it.”

“She loved her life, and she fought like hell to try to save it,” Shriver wrote.

Schlossberg told of being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in May 2024 at 34. While in the hospital for the birth of her second child, her doctor noticed her white blood cell count was high. It turned out to be acute myeloid leukemia with a rare mutation, mostly seen in older people.

In the November essay, “A Battle With My Blood,” Schlossberg recounted going through rounds of chemotherapy and two stem cell transplants and participating in clinical trials. During the most recent trial, she wrote, her doctor told her “he could keep me alive for a year, maybe.”

Schlossberg also criticized policies pushed by her mother’s cousin, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., in the essay, saying policies he backed could hurt cancer patients like her. Her mother had urged senators to reject his confirmation.

“As I spent more and more of my life under the care of doctors, nurses, and researchers striving to improve the lives of others, I watched as Bobby cut nearly a half billion dollars for research into mRNA vaccines, technology that could be used against certain cancers,” the essay reads.

Schlossberg had worked as a reporter covering climate change and the environment for The New York Times’ Science section. Her 2019 book “Inconspicuous Consumption: The Environmental Impact You Don’t Know You Have” won the Society of Environmental Journalists’ Rachel Carson Environment Book Award in 2020.

Schlossberg wrote in The New Yorker essay that she feared her daughter and son wouldn’t remember her. She felt cheated and sad that she wouldn’t get to keep living “the wonderful life” she had with her husband, George Moran.

While her parents and two siblings tried to hide their pain from her, she said she felt it every day. Her siblings, Rose and Jack Schlossberg, are JFK’s other grandchildren.

“For my whole life, I have tried to be good, to be a good student and a good sister and a good daughter, and to protect my mother and never make her upset or angry,” she said. “Now I have added a new tragedy to her life, to our family’s life, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.”

Schlossberg’s mother Caroline was 5 years old when her father, President Kennedy, was assassinated in Dallas in 1963. She was 10 when her uncle, Robert F. Kennedy, was assassinated in Los Angeles in 1968 while he was running for president.

Caroline’s brother, John F. Kennedy Jr., died in 1999 when the single-engine plane he was piloting plunged into the Atlantic Ocean, near Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. His wife, Carolyn, and her sister, Lauren Bessette, also died in the crash.

Shriver called Schlossberg valiant, strong and courageous.

“She was smart, wicked smart, as they say, and sassy. She was fun, funny loving, caring, a perfect daughter, sister, mother, cousin, niece, friend, all of it,” Shriver wrote.

No. 3 Georgia and No. 6 Mississippi brace for rematch in the Sugar Bowl CFP quarterfinal

By
Associated Press
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Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and team celebrate after a Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game against Alabama, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — For the Georgia Bulldogs and coach Kirby Smart, last year’s Sugar Bowl brought a heavy dose of sadness that had more to do with life — and the loss of it — than football.

As fate would have it, the third-ranked Bulldogs (12-1, No. 3 seed CFP) are back one year later to take on No. 6 Mississippi (12-1, No. 6 seed CFP) in the quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoff on Thursday night.

When Georgia’s team plane touched down at Louis Armstrong International Airport this week, it “brought back some memories,” Smart said. “It was a different mood, a different time. A very different frame of mind.”

In the early morning hours of Jan. 1, 2025, Georgia players and coaches were in a hotel just a few blocks up Canal Street from where an attacker turned right onto Bourbon Street and plowed his truck into pedestrians — killing 14 — before dying in a shootout with police.

After that day’s Sugar Bowl was delayed by a day, Georgia lost to Notre Dame. Then Smart’s father, Sonny, who’d injured his hip in a fall on New Year’s Eve, died in a New Orleans-area hospital from complications during surgery.

“You can’t help but think a little bit about the last time I was here, what I was going through,” Smart said.

“It was a terrible time in this city,” Smart continued. “It was a horrific deal. It changed everything in this city and really the celebration of New Year’s.”

Still, Smart sounded gratified by his opportunity to be part of another big game in the Big Easy.

“We owe it to all those guys over there in sweat suits to be focused on the task at hand,” Smart said, gazing across a hotel ball room to where many of his players had gathered for media interviews. “Our guys are excited to be back.”

For Ole Miss, the game is a chance to redeem its only loss this season — a 43-35 setback at Georgia on Oct. 18. It’s also a chance for the Rebels to demonstrate how capable they can be without Lane Kiffin, who coached them the whole regular season before leaving for LSU on Nov. 30.

Kiffin was replaced by Pete Golding, a feisty defensive coordinator who made his head-coaching debut in a 41-10 rout of Tulane in the CFP’s first round.

Golding also happens to be from Hammond, Louisiana, across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans.

“It’s awesome coming back home,” Golding said. “It’s a great city to host, great city to play football in, and a great city to eat in as well.”

The winner will move on to the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8 for a CFP semifinal against the winner of the Cotton Bowl between No. 2 seed Ohio State and 10th-seeded Miami.

Second bite

The first meeting between these teams in October was a thriller in which Ole Miss led in the fourth quarter before Georgia scored 17 unanswered points.

While Smart was proud of the resilience the Bulldogs showed in that game, he downplayed the significance of the previous meeting.

“It’s way more about living in the moment,” Smart asserted. “There’s nothing about our last game against Ole Miss that’s going to help us in this game.”

One significant difference is that Kiffin won’t be on the Ole Miss sideline. But Golding suggested that how his defense plays will be a bigger factor; Georgia never punted in the previous meeting.

There were “double-digit missed tackles,” and “busts on critical downs,” in the last meeting, Golding said. “That’s been the big message to our players. You’re in the playoffs. You’ve got to play your best.”

Keep dreaming

The game features a pair of quarterbacks who emerged from humble beginnings and became dynamic, resourceful playmakers who are poised in the clutch.

Mississippi’s Trinidad Chambliss is a transfer from Division II Ferris State. He began the season as a backup, but kept the starting job for good after first coming in as an injury replacement. The dual-threat QB has passed for 3,298 yards and 19 TDs to go with 506 yards and eight TDs rushing.

“It’s really cool to see where I am right now,” Chambliss said, noting that he considered giving up football and playing small-college basketball instead.

When asked if he could have envisioned his success at Ole Miss, he responded, “If you would have told me that before the season, I would have just laughed at you.”

Gunner Stockton, who grew up in rural Georgia, arrived at Athens with little promise of playing time.

Toughness and work ethic helped him become a backup last season. An injury to then-starter Carson Beck thrust Stockton into last season’s SEC title game and he helped lead Georgia to a comeback win over Texas before getting his first college start in last season’s Sugar Bowl.

Beck later transferred to Miami and Stockton kept his starting role in 2025, passing for 2,691 yards and 23 TDs while also rushing for 442 yards and eight TDs.

“It’s crazy how much I’ve grown in a year,” Stockton said. “I feel more comfortable and more confident.”

Near-sighted

Ole Miss became a poster child for college football’s new paradigm — and what’s wrong with it — when Kiffin had to decide whether to leave the Rebels for LSU two days after the regular season.

Since then, several of Kiffin’s top offensive assistants — including offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. — have committed to join him in Baton Rouge in 2026, but have been permitted to remain with Mississippi until the postseason ends.

Goldings said working with those short-timers hasn’t been as much of an issue as one might suspect.

“I felt pretty comfortable throughout the entire process, regardless of whether they were going to be coaching somewhere else next year or at Ole Miss, they were going to finish what they started for our players,” Golding said. “We have a good relationship with them on a personal level anyway, so there’s a respect factor.”

Cathy Williams Hough

By
Now Habersham
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Cathy Williams Hough, born on August 6, 1961, in Habersham County, Georgia, passed away peacefully on December 25, 2025, at CaroMont Regional Medical Center in Gastonia, North Carolina, surrounded by her loving family.

Cathy was known for her dedicated career as a Pharmacy Technician, at Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Gainesville, Georgia and Lake Norman Regional Medical Center, Mooresville, NC. where she brought her skills and compassion to the community. Her work in the pharmacy was a reflection of her caring nature, always striving to help those around her. She retired and also enjoyed working at Goodwill Publishers in Gastonia, NC where she had many friends, she enjoyed being with.

A cherished member of Landmark Baptist Church, Cathy held her faith and church family close to her heart. She dedicated herself to her church and found joy in being a part of that community. Alongside her devotion to her faith, she had a profound love for her pets, which were an integral part of her life and well-being.

Cathy will be deeply missed by her husband of almost 20 years, Garry Hough, who stood by her side through the various chapters of life. She is also survived by her loving brothers, Dennis Williams and Tommy Williams, and her sisters, Tonia (Raymond) Franklin and Debbie (Ronnie) Franklin; sisters-in-law Marsha Burney and Mandy Kennedy (Kenny). In addition, many nieces and nephews, whom she loved dearly. Cathy was fortunate to have many wonderful friends who surrounded her with love and support throughout her life.

She is preceded in death by her beloved parents, E.C. Williams and Pearl Forester Williams, as well as her brothers, Roger Williams and Ottis Williams, and sister-in-law, Benita Williams. Their memories will forever be cherished by all who knew her.

Funeral services are at 2 p.m. on Monday, January 5, 2026, at Good News Baptist Church in Cornelia. Interment will follow in Yonah Memorial Gardens.

The family will receive friends at McGahee-Griffin & McEntire Funeral Home from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. on Monday, January 5, 2026, prior to the service.

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

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

7 displaced by Clermont house fire

By
Joy Purcell
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Hall County firefighters battle a house fire on Stringer Road in Clermont on Dec. 30, 2025. (Hall County Fire Rescue)

HALL COUNTY, Ga. — Firefighters battled a residential blaze Tuesday afternoon that damaged a two-story home in Clermont, officials said.

At about 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 30, crews with Hall County Fire Rescue (HCFR) were dispatched to reports of a house fire in the 6700 block of Stringer Road. First-arriving units found smoke and flames coming from the structure, said HCFR spokesperson Kimberlie Ledsinger.

Firefighters attacked the fire from both inside and out, quickly knocking down the bulk of the flames. No injuries were reported.

Seven people were displaced when this house on Stringer Road in Clermont caught fire on Dec. 30, 2025. (Hall County Fire Rescue)

The fire displaced four adults and three children. The American Red Cross was notified to assist the affected residents.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Hall County Fire Marshal’s Office.

Earlier Tuesday, one person died in a separate early-morning house fire elsewhere in Hall County. That incident remains under investigation.

Butch Martin

By
Now Habersham
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Butch Martin, age 79, of Cornelia, Georgia, passed away on Wednesday, December 24, 2025.

Mr. Martin was born on August 19, 1946, in Stephens County, Georgia, to the late Otho H. Martin and Ressie Ayers Martin. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his loving wife, Linda Williams Martin; sisters, Katherine Martin Dalton, Sue Martin Woodberry, Ruth Martin Whitfield Kepler; brothers, Earl Martin, Ed Martin, Hansel Martin, Jim Martin, and William Martin.

Butch Martin, a proud veteran of the United States Army, honorably served his country during the Vietnam War, an experience that shaped his strong character and deep sense of dedication. Butch was an avid outdoorsman who found great joy in hunting and fishing. He was known for his incredible ability to work on just about anything; no problem was too big or too small. With patience and ingenuity, he could always find a solution and was often the one family and friends turned to when something needed repairing. In addition to his mechanical talents, Butch was an excellent cook who loved preparing meals for those he cared about. He also possessed a unique and impressive skill as a seamstress, sewing with care and precision, a talent that never failed to impress those around him. Above all else, Butch will be remembered for his loving heart. He was a devoted family man and an extraordinary grandfather. To his grandchildren, he was affectionately known as “Paw-Paw,” a role he cherished deeply and fulfilled with unconditional love, guidance, and warmth.

Survivors include step-son, Mike Williams, of Cornelia; grandson, Dillon Williams, of Cornelia; adopted grandson, Luke Ramey, of Toccoa; grandson, Nick Williams, of Cornelia; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, December 31, 2025, at the Whitfield Funeral Home, South Chapel, with Rev. Ray Davis and Rev. Edward Chambers officiating. Interment will follow in Baldwin City Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 9:00 a.m. to 10:45 am, Wednesday, December 31, 2025, at the funeral home prior to the service.

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

One dead after early-morning house fire in Hall County

By
Staff Report
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A fire in Hall County early Tuesday morning claimed the life of one person. (Hall County Fire and Rescue)

HALL COUNTY, Ga. — The investigation continues following the early morning death of a man in a Hall County house fire.

Investigators say Mark Anthony Ogden, Sr., 58, was alone inside his residence in the 3700 block of Tanners Mill Road when the fire occurred. Hall County Fire Rescue crews and Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) deputies were dispatched to the scene just after 3:40 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30. A 911 caller indicated Ogden, who was wheelchair bound, was inside the house.

“During a primary search of the residence, fire crews located Mr. Ogden’s body. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A dog also died inside the residence,” said Hall County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer B.J. Williams.

Ogden’s body was transported to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office in DeKalb County for autopsy.

The origin and cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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