HABERSHAM COUNTY, Ga. — The Habersham County Chamber of Commerce has named a new president.
The Chamber’s Board of Directors unanimously selected Candice Holcomb after a three-week interview process that included community leaders and current board members, according to Chairman Tommy Thurmond.
New Habersham County Chamber of Commerce President Candice Holcomb
Holcomb brings more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, marketing, and community engagement. She most recently served as president and CEO of Georgia Foothills United Way, leading a multi-county organization serving Habersham, Stephens, and Rabun counties.
In that role, Holcomb worked closely with business leaders, educators, nonprofit partners, volunteers, and donors to strengthen collaboration and expand community impact. She is widely known for her relationship-driven approach and focus on long-term partnerships.
“Relationships are the foundation of strong communities,” Holcomb said. “The work I’ve been privileged to do through United Way reinforced how important it is to listen, collaborate, and bring people together around a common goal. Those same values are at the heart of the Chamber’s mission.”
As Chamber president, Holcomb will focus on supporting and advocating for local businesses, increasing member engagement, encouraging economic development, and strengthening connections across the business community. She succeeds Ellie Van Doornum who abruptly resigned as Chamber president in October.
Holcomb’s ties to Habersham
Holcomb has deep ties to Habersham County. Her husband, Justin, is a lifelong resident, and she has lived in the county for more than 20 years. The couple has raised their family in the community.
Chamber leaders said they look forward to Holcomb’s leadership as the organization continues its work to support local businesses and economic growth across Habersham County.
A snapped utility pole waits for repair after storms swept through Northeast Georgia on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (Habersham EMC/Facebook)
CLARKESVILLE, Ga. — Strong storms that moved through Northeast Georgia overnight knocked out power to thousands of customers across the region, prompting utility crews to work through the night to restore service.
As of Wednesday morning, Habersham EMC reported 12 customers without power. Across the state, electric membership corporations were reporting more than 4,000 outages, with the majority concentrated in North and Northwest Georgia, stretching from Dalton to Hiawassee.
HEMC linemen work overnight to restore power to members whose electricity was knocked out by the storm. (Habersham EMC/Facebook)
On their Facebook page this morning, Habersham EMC wrote, “Crews have been working through the night to restore power from the damage that the wind is causing in our area. We are expecting high winds today so please be safe and know that we are here for you and are responding to outages 24/7. We appreciate your patience and understanding.”
Georgia Power reported more than 5,000 customers without electricity statewide.
In Northeast Georgia, Rabun County reported the highest number of outages among Georgia Power customers, with 284 accounts without service. Hall County reported 57 outages, while Stephens County reported 20.
Utility crews continued restoration efforts as conditions improved, with many outages caused by storm-related damage, including downed trees and power lines. No injuries were immediately reported.
Additional restoration updates were expected throughout the day as crews assessed remaining damage and worked to restore power to affected customers.
Sgt. Quornelius Radford, a suspect in the shooting of five soldiers at Fort Stewart, is escorted by military police into a booking room at the Liberty County Jail in Hinesville, Ga., Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Lewis M. Levine)
FORT STEWART, Ga. (AP) — An Army sergeant charged with attempted murder in the shootings of five people at a Georgia base last summer faces arraignment Friday before a military judge.
Sgt. Quornelius Radford, 28, is scheduled to appear in a courtroom at Fort Stewart a week after Army prosecutors referred his case to a general court-martial, which handles cases involving the most serious crimes under military law.
Officials say Radford opened fire with a personal handgun Aug. 6 on members of his supply unit at Fort Stewart in southeast Georgia, injuring four soldiers and a civilian worker who was Radford’s romantic partner, before fellow soldiers were able to disarm and restrain him until military police arrived. The Army initially said all five victims were soldiers.
A week after the shootings, Army prosecutors charged Radford with six counts of attempted murder and assault, with the sixth victim being a person the shooter fired at and missed. They also charged him with domestic violence. That charge was added because the injured civilian worker was Radford’s “intimate partner,” Michelle McCaskill, a spokesperson for the Army prosecutors’ office, told The Associated Press.
The Army has not released the victims’ names and Fort Stewart officials have declined to comment on what led to the shooting.
Under military law, attempted murder carries a potential penalty of life imprisonment.
Since the shootings, Radford has been held in pretrial confinement at a Navy brig in Charleston, South Carolina. His military attorney, Lt. Col. Dylan Mack, said last week that his office does not comment on pending cases.
The largest Army post east of the Mississippi River, Fort Stewart is home to thousands of soldiers assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division. It is located about 40 miles (64 kilometers) southwest of Savannah.
Radford has been serving as a supply sergeant in the division’s 2nd Armored Brigade. Army records show he enlisted in 2018.
Soldiers in Radford’s unit said they followed the sound of gunfire into the hallways of an office building where they found hazy gun smoke in the air and wounded victims on the floor and in nearby offices.
Brig. Gen. John Lubas, the 3rd Infantry’s commander, credited soldiers with saving lives by immediately rendering first aid, in some cases using their bare hands to staunch bleeding gunshot wounds.
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll visited Fort Stewart the day after the shootings to award Meritorious Service Medals to six soldiers who helped restrain the gunman and treat the victims.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki, left, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attend an official welcome ceremony before their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders agreed on Friday to provide a massive interest-free loan to Ukraine to meet its military and economic needs for the next two years.
The 27-nation bloc’s heads of state had planned to use some of the 210 billion euros ($246 billion) worth of Russian assets that are frozen in Europe, mostly in Belgium. But despite working through the night into Friday morning, they failed to convince Belgium that the country would be protected from any Russian retaliation if it backed the “reparations loan” plan.
They settled on an alternative: borrowing $106 billion on capital markets.
After almost four years of war, the International Monetary Fund estimates that Ukraine will need 137 billion euros ($161 billion) in 2026 and 2027. The government in Kyiv is on the verge of bankruptcy, and desperately needs the money by spring to pay for everything from ammunition to infrastructure repairs.
Here’s what to know about the loan.
EU to shoulder debt
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had brought to Thursday’s summit two proposals to keep Ukraine afloat.
The first plan had been to use some of the 210 billion euros ($246 billion) worth of Russian assets that are frozen in Europe, mostly in Belgium. The money has been frozen under EU sanctions slapped on Moscow after its launched its full-scale war in 2022.
Leaders like German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron backed this first option, especially since that method of funding would require support from two-thirds of the 27 EU nations.
That majority was expected to be far easier politically to reach than the total unanimity required by the EU foundational treaty for the second option: borrowing money from capital markets.
But throughout the long night, Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart de Wever refused to budge on the reparations loan. It was Hungary, whose leader Viktor Orbán has long objected to Brussels’ embrace of Ukraine, that compromised.
The European Council said it would use Article 20 of the Treaty of Europe to allow the EU to shoulder debt for a zero-interest loan to Ukraine.
It’s a simpler and possibly safer solution compared to the reparations loans. It is also akin to how the EU took on 750 billion euro in debt in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic for a gigantic economic recovery fund. Large borrowing has become a hallmark of the administration of von der Leyen.
Outliers protected from financial burdens
Not all countries agreed to the loan package. Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic refused to take on debt for Ukraine, but a deal was reached in which they did not block the loan package and were promised protection from any financial fallout.
Orbán, who is Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest ally in Europe, claimed double victory at the summit in a post on X.
“We did not allow Europe to issue a declaration of war on Russia by using Russian assets” and “we succeeded in protecting Hungarian families” from additional debt, he said. He estimated the cost to Hungarians would have been 1000 billion HUF or $3 billion.
Orbán praised the cooperation of Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, which were all excluded from financial burdens from the loan to allow for the unanimity required by the EU treaty.
But Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš distanced himself Friday from Slovakia and Hungary’s anti-Ukraine position during the summit, and said that Prague could simply not afford additional debt.
Use of Russian assets still on the table
The plan to use frozen Russian assets got bogged down at the summit as De Wever rejected it as legally risky. He warned that it could harm the business of Euroclear, the Brussels-based financial clearing house where 193 billion euros ($226 billion) in frozen assets are held.
Belgium was rattled last Friday when Russia’s Central Bank launched a lawsuit against Euroclearto prevent any loan being provided to Ukraine using its money.
But while the reparations loan was set aside, using frozen assets remains on the table.
The EU has said the assets will remain frozen until Russia has paid war reparations to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that would cost over 600 billion euros ($700 billion.)
“If Russia does not pay reparations we will — in full accordance with international law — make use of Russian immobilized assets for paying back the loan,” Merz said.
EU leaders agreed that “this loan would be repaid by Ukraine only once Russia compensates Ukraine for the damage caused by its war of aggression. Until then, Russia’s assets will remain immobilized and the EU reserves the right to use them to repay the loan, in accordance with EU and international law,” according to a statement.
Council president Costa said that the EU “reserves its right to make use of the immobilized assets to repay this loan.”
Few believe Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay reparations, so the assets could well remain in Europe and make their way to Ukraine.
What the loan will be spent on
At a press conference on Friday in Warsaw, Zelenskyy said the loan gives Ukraine “financial certainty for the coming years” and said it would be spent on either reconstruction or arms.
“If Russia drags out this war — and that is exactly the signal the entire world hears from Moscow, as they continue to threaten us — we will use these funds for defense, if the war continues,” he said. “If the world compels Russia to make peace, we will use these funds exclusively for the reconstruction of our country.”
RABUN COUNTY, Ga. — A Lakemont man is in custody following a traffic stop Saturday night on Highway 441. Deputies arrested 32-year-old Stephen Dorminey Sumner of Lakemont on outstanding felony warrants stemming from an incident reported earlier this year.
According to the Rabun County Sheriff’s Office, the original incident occurred on May 20. Stephen Sumner is charged with aggravated assault and two counts of cruelty to children in the third degree.
The report provides no details on what took place nearly seven months earlier. The report does detail that the victim is the “present spouse” of the suspect, that she had made “more than 10” previous complaints, that children were involved or present during the incident, that “superficial injuries” were sustained, and that “abusive language” was used during the incident
The arrest took place on December 13th at approximately 8:45 pm, when the RCSO Investigator assigned to the case alerted Deputies that a FLOCK license plate reader had identified a vehicle associated with a wanted person. The car, a blue Saturn Ion, was traveling southbound on GA 15 at the time.
Deputies located the vehicle near the Blue Ridge Honey Co. After confirming the driver matched the description of Stephen Sumner, deputies pulled the car over near 9146 Hwy 441 S in Lakemont.
Deputies placed Sumner under arrest without incident and transported him to the Rabun County Detention Center.
The initial report regarding the May incident was filed with the sheriff’s office on December 11.
Georgia center Somto Cyril, center, dunks during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Western Carolina, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Jeremiah Wilkinson tied his career high with 26 points and No. 25 Georgia beat Western Carolina 112-82 on Thursday night in the Bulldogs’ first game after moving into the AP Top 25.
Georgia (10-1), which leads the nation in scoring at 98.3 points per game, topped 100 points for the fifth time in 11 games.
Somto Cyril had 14 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and a blocked shot for the Bulldogs. Cyril’s jam with 4:43 remaining gave Georgia 100 points.
Marcus “Smurf” Millender added 17 points for Georgia. Blue Cain, who scored a career-high 22 points in the Bulldogs’ 84-65 win over Cincinnati on Saturday in Atlanta, added 11 points.
Georgia improved to 34-0 in home nonconference games in four seasons under coach Mike White.
Western Carolina (4-7) had 7-foot center Abdulai Fanta Kabba and forward Samuel Dada foul out in the first 10 minutes of the second half.
CJ Hyland scored 14 points for the Catamounts, who lost at No. 6 Duke 95-54 on Nov. 8 in their only other game against a Top 25 team. Hyland was helped off the court with an apparent cramping issue with 9:44 remaining.
Justin Johnson had 13 points for the Catamounts despite playing much of the second half with four fouls. Marcus Kell also scored 13 points for Western Carolina, which never led.
Wilkinson also scored 26 points in Georgia’s only loss, 97-94 in overtime against Clemson on Nov. 23.
Georgia Public Service Commission Electric Unit Director Robert Trokey testifies at the Dec. 10, 2025, hearing in Atlanta. (Alander Rocha/Georgia Recorder)
(Georgia Recorder) — State regulators are set to vote Friday on a massive energy capacity request from Georgia Power that proponents say protects ratepayers but environmental and consumer groups warn relies on uncertain data center demand, which critics say could cost customers billions.
The Georgia Public Service Commission is considering the utility’s request to approve nearly 10,000 megawatts of new energy infrastructure, roughly five Hoover Dams’ worth of energy, primarily to serve a projected surge in data centers. Commission staff and Georgia Power recently reached an agreement that allows the utility to proceed with its full request under specific conditions. Under the deal, the utility has agreed to protect existing customers from rate increases until 2031 if the projected data center boom fails to materialize.
“Staff now supports the stipulation with Georgia Power, which addresses the core concern of protecting ratepayers from speculative load forecasts,” said PSC Electric Unit Director Robert Trokey at the Dec. 10 hearing.
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.
Trokey and other commission staff testified that the provision allows at least $8.50 per month in “downward pressure” on residential rates during this period, even if the spike in demand does not materialize as forecasted, and that Georgia Power would assume financial risk through 2031.
Before the agreement was made public, commission staff recommended a more conservative approach, approving only one-third of the utility’s 10,000-megawatt request and giving conditional approval to another third.
Environmental and consumer advocacy groups, including the Southern Environmental Law Center, Georgia Interfaith Power and Light and Southface Institute, are asking the commission to reject the plan. In a closing brief, the groups argued that, with interest included, customers could end up paying as much as $60 billion of the cost of building out the massive energy infrastructure. The groups also argued that the protections in the agreement are insufficient, warning the commission that overbuilding for data centers that may never materialize is a risk to its customers.
“This 10,000 megawatt request is not about reliability, or the risk of blackouts; it is about on what ‘timeline’ Georgia Power may accommodate prospective new large load customers,” the SELC wrote in its filing ahead of the vote. “For existing customers in Georgia Power’s territory, the risk of underbuilding — which only arises if Georgia Power chooses to cancel a conditionally certified resource — is that Georgia Power may have to ask prospective customers for a longer load ramp, something they already are doing.”
A new report commissioned by SELC and produced by Greenlink Analytics and Science for Georgia challenges the utility’s energy demand projections, suggesting they are statistically improbable. The report indicates that Georgia Power is basing its 10,000-megawatt request on a highly improbable 1-in-500 scenario, asking for more capacity alone than the 2,400 to 6,700 megawatts of growth they projected for the entire Southeast.
“Infrastructure planning or investment decisions that rely on high demand forecasts risk driving unnecessary investments and infrastructure,” according to the report. “We recommend healthy skepticism of aggressive utility forecasts to avoid underutilized or stranded assets and increased retail electricity costs for ratepayers.”
Athens-Clarke County police have identified a suspect and obtained arrest warrants in a shooting that killed 26-year-old Anargyros Mantas.
Police said officers responded to a “person down” call around 2:23 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 18, near the intersection of W. Broad Street and Pulaski Street. When officers arrived, they found Mantas in the roadway, police said. He was taken to a local hospital, but later died from his injuries.
ACCPD said Jamarioun Clark, 22, of Madison, has active warrants tied to the case. The warrants include aggravated assault, felony murder, possession of a firearm by convicted felon, and possession of a firearm during commission of a crime.
Police said the investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Christina Bradshaw at [email protected] or 762-400-7323.
STATESVILLE, N.C. (AP) — A business jet crashed Thursday while trying to return to a North Carolina airport shortly after takeoff, killing all seven people aboard, including retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family, authorities said.
The Cessna C550 erupted into a large fire when it hit the ground. It had departed Statesville Regional Airport, about 45 miles north of Charlotte, but soon crashed while trying to return and land, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol said.
Flight records show the plane was registered to a company run by Biffle. The cause of the crash wasn’t immediately known, nor was the reason for the plane’s return to the airport in drizzle and cloudy conditions.
Biffle was on the plane with his wife, Cristina, and children Ryder, 5, and Emma, 14, according to the highway patrol and a family statement. Others on the plane were identified as Dennis Dutton, his son Jack, and Craig Wadsworth.
“Each of them meant everything to us, and their absence leaves an immeasurable void in our lives,” the joint family statement said.
Biffle, 55, won more than 50 races across NASCAR’s three circuits, including 19 at the Cup Series level. He also won the Trucks Series championship in 2000 and the Xfinity Series title in 2002.
NASCAR said it was devastated by the news.
“Greg was more than a champion driver; he was a beloved member of the NASCAR community, a fierce competitor, and a friend to so many,” NASCAR said. “His passion for racing, his integrity, and his commitment to fans and fellow competitors alike made a lasting impact on the sport.”
The plane, bound for Florida, took off from the Statesville airport shortly after 10 a.m., according to tracking data posted by FlightAware.com.
Golfers playing next to the airport were shocked as they witnessed the disaster, even dropping to the ground at the Lakewood Golf Club while the plane was overhead. The ninth hole was covered with debris.
“We were like, ‘Oh my gosh! That’s way too low,’” said Joshua Green of Mooresville. “It was scary.”
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration were investigating.
The Cessna plane, built in 1981, is a popular mid-sized business jet with an excellent reputation, aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti said. It has two engines and typically seats six to eight passengers.
In 2024, Biffle was honored for his humanitarian efforts after Hurricane Helene struck the U.S., even using his personal helicopter to deliver aid to flooded, remote western North Carolina.
“The last time I spoke with Cristina, just a couple of weeks ago, she reached out to ask how she could help with relief efforts in Jamaica. That’s who the Biffles were,” U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, a Republican from North Carolina, said.
Wadsworth was Biffle’s friend and helped him with odd jobs, including delivering supplies to places hit by Hurricane Helene, roommate Benito Howell said.
“He didn’t know how to say no,” Howell said of Wadsworth, who had worked for several NASCAR teams. “He loved everybody. He always tried to help everybody.”
The joint family statement also spoke about Dutton and his son Jack, saying they were “deeply loved as well, and their loss is felt by all who knew them.”
With 2025 almost over, there have been 1,331 U.S. crashes this year investigated by the NTSB, from two-seat planes to commercial aircraft, compared to a total of 1,482 in 2024.
This image taken from video provided by the FBI shows a person of interest in the investigation of the shooting that occurred at Brown University, in Providence, R.I., Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (FBI via AP)
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A man who is suspected of killing two and wounding several others at Brown University has been found dead in a New Hampshire storage facility, officials said.
Claudio Neves Valente, 48, a Brown student and Portuguese national, was found dead Thursday evening from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Col. Oscar Perez, the Providence police chief, said at a news conference.
Investigators believe Valente is responsible for both the shooting at Brown and the killing of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor who was fatally shot in his Brookline home Monday, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. Authorities have not formally confirmed a connection between the two shootings.
The official could not publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.
Two people were killed and nine were wounded in the mass shooting Saturday at Brown University. The investigation had shifted Thursday when authorities said they were looking into a connection between the Brown mass shooting and an attack two days later near Boston that killed MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro.
The FBI previously said it knew of no links between the cases.
How the Brown investigation has unfolded
It has been nearly a week since the shooting at Brown. Frustration mounted in Providence that the person behind the attack managed to get away and that a clear image of their face hadn’t emerged.
A second individual who was identified in proximity to the suspect came forward after Wednesday’s press conference and helped “blow the lid” off the case, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said.
“When you crack it, you crack it. That person led us to the car, led us to the name,” Neronha said.
Although Brown officials say there are 1,200 cameras on campus, the attack happened in an older part of the engineering building that has few, if any, cameras. And investigators believe the shooter entered and left through a door that faces a residential street bordering campus, which might explain why the cameras Brown does have didn’t capture footage of the person.
What can be learned from past investigations?
In such targeted and highly public attacks, the shooters typically kill themselves or are killed or arrested by police, said Katherine Schweit, a retired FBI agent and expert on mass shootings. When they do get away, searches can take time.
In the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, it took investigators four days to catch up to the two brothers who carried it out. In a 2023 case, Army reservist Robert Card was found dead of an apparent suicide two days after he killed 18 people and wounded 13 others in Lewiston, Maine.
The man accused of killing conservative political figure Charlie Kirk in September turned himself in about a day and a half after the attack on Utah Valley University’s campus. And Luigi Mangione, who has pleaded not guilty to murder charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan last year, was arrested five days later at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania.
MIT mourns the loss of an esteemed professor
Loureiro, who was married, joined MIT in 2016 and was named last year to lead the school’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, where he worked to advance clean energy technology and other research. The center, one of MIT’s largest labs, had more than 250 people working across seven buildings when he took the helm. He was a professor of physics and nuclear science and engineering.
He grew up in Viseu, in central Portugal, and studied in Lisbon before earning a doctorate in London, according to MIT. He was a researcher at an institute for nuclear fusion in Lisbon before joining MIT, the university said.
“He shone a bright light as a mentor, friend, teacher, colleague and leader, and was universally admired for his articulate, compassionate manner,” Dennis Whyte, an engineering professor who previously led MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, told a campus publication.
Loureiro had said he hoped his work would shape the future.
“It’s not hyperbole to say MIT is where you go to find solutions to humanity’s biggest problems,” Loureiro said when he was named to lead the plasma science lab last year. “Fusion energy will change the course of human history.”
By Alanna Durkin Richer and Eric Tucker contributed to this report
The Habersham County Tax Commissioner's Office only had a few clients in the office Thursday morning, but expects a big crowd Friday. (Patrick Fargason/Now Habersham)
CLARKESVILLE, Ga. — Habersham County property owners have until midnight Friday, Dec. 19, to pay their property tax bills, and county officials are urging residents not to wait until the last minute as crowds build at the Tax Commissioner’s Office.
Habersham County Tax Commissioner June Black-Warren said her office typically sees a surge of walk-in customers on the final day before the deadline, with lines extending well beyond the building.
“Yeah, they wait to the last minute,” Black-Warren said. “So we expect the lines, if it’s like normal and prior years, they’ll be out the door, up the road.”
By the time the deadline arrives, Black-Warren said between 83% and 85% of Habersham County property owners typically have already paid their tax bills.
Avoid the line, come early
Black-Warren encouraged taxpayers who have not yet paid to come in as early as possible to avoid long waits.
“The best word of wisdom is to go ahead and come on in today, let’s get it knocked out,” she said. “We’ve had a good flow. We’re constantly busy, especially after everybody wakes up and gets to going. You may have a little bit of a wait today, but it won’t be nothing like tomorrow.”
The Tax Commissioner’s Office is located at 130 Jacobs Way, Suite 202, in Clarkesville.
Have your payment ready
Black-Warren said preparation can significantly speed up the payment process.
Habersham County Tax Commissioner June Black-Warren said if you plan to pay your property taxes on Friday, Dec. 19, on deadline day, expect long lines. (Patrick Fargason/Now Habersham)
“The easiest thing to do is bring your bill and your check, have your check already made out, or your cash, so that it’s fast,” she said. “If you get here and you don’t have anything, we’ve got to look it up. If you’ve got to write your check, it just makes the line longer.”
Taxpayers who arrive with their bill and payment ready may also use the office’s drive-thru service.
“If you’ve got your check ready and your bill with you, then you can use drive-thru and just zoom through,” Black-Warren said.
Black-Warren said residents who miss the deadline will face escalating penalties.
“So on midnight on the 19th, you do get hit with the interest fee,” she said. “One hundred twenty days after that, you get a 5 percent interest. On Feb. 1, we send out late notices. March 1, we send that to the attorneys. You get a $300 hit because the attorneys don’t work for free.”
Homestead Exemptions
She also addressed questions about homestead exemptions, noting that the deadline to apply for the current tax year has already passed.
“Once the bills come out, you’re done,” Black-Warren said. “The assessments went out, you’ve got 45 days to pay the bill. Homesteads are due by April 1. Once that tax bill goes out, the only thing you can do at this point is to pay your bill.”
However, residents can still apply for a homestead exemption for next year while visiting the courthouse.
“So while you’re here, step across the hallway, go to the assessors, and let’s go ahead and get you knocked out for next year and apply for that,” Black-Warren said.
Staff shout out
Black-Warren also praised her staff for their work during one of the busiest weeks of the year and asked residents to be patient and respectful as they navigate long lines.
“They’re great. They really work hard, especially this time of year,” she said. “Other than lunchtime, you’re going to see a window or two that’s open. Otherwise, all the windows are filled, ready to help you. They have a good attitude, so we ask that you bring your good attitude with you.”
“If there’s an issue, let’s resolve it, but let’s resolve it respectfully,” she added. “That way everybody can have a Merry Christmas with no guilt.”
Property taxes must be paid in full by midnight Dec. 19 to avoid penalties, interest and potential attorney fees.
Tax deadlines for area counties
Lumpkin County: In Lumpkin County, property tax bills are generally due Dec. 1 each year. Taxpayers who fail to pay by that date may face penalties and interest, and mailed payments must bear a U.S. Postal Service postmark by the deadline. For more information, contact the Lumpkin County Tax Commissioner’s Office at 706-864-3742 or visit lumpkincountytax.com.
White County: White County property tax bills are mailed in August and are due Nov. 15, with payments accepted in person, by mail or online. Residents with questions can call the White County Tax Commissioner’s Office at 706-865-2225 or visit whitecountyga.gov/tax-commissioner.
Hall County: In Hall County, the Tax Commissioner’s Office said 2025 property tax bills mailed Nov. 20 are due Jan. 23, 2026, giving taxpayers a 60-day window from the mailing date to pay without penalty. For details, call 770-531-6950 or go to HallCountyTax.org.
Banks County: Banks County property tax bills do not have a specific due date posted online, but penalty and interest begin accruing after Dec. 1, and the office honors U.S. Postal Service postmarks on deadline payments. Taxpayers can reach the Banks County Tax Commissioner’s Office at 706-677-6204 or visit bankscountyga.org/tax-commissioner for exact current-year due dates.
Rabun County: Rabun County property taxes are generally due by Dec. 20 each year, and mailed payments with a USPS postmark by that date are accepted. Residents with questions can contact the Rabun County Tax Commissioner’s Office or visit rabuncountytax.com.
Stephens County: In Stephens County, real estate and business personal property taxes are generally due Nov. 15 annually. Taxpayers should contact the Stephens County Tax Commissioner at 706-886-4753 or visit stephenscountytax.com for payment details.
Franklin County: Franklin County property taxes are typically due Nov. 15 each year. For payment options or questions, contact the Franklin County Tax Commissioner at (contact info listed on taxes.franklincountyga.com) or visit taxes.franklincountyga.com.
Hart County: In Hart County, property taxes are due Dec. 20, and mailed payments with a USPS postmark on or before that date are accepted. Contact the Hart County Tax Commissioner’s Office at (phone listed on hartcountypay.com) or visit hartcountypay.com for more information.
GMA consultant Pete Pyrzenski works with the Alto Council on their 2026 budget concerns. (Patrick Fargason/Now Habersham)
ALTO, Ga. — Alto’s repeatedly delayed 2026 budget remains unresolved because the town’s 2025 financials have only been reconciled through August, leaving council members without the data needed to accurately project revenues and expenses, a Georgia Municipal Association consultant told the council during a nearly three-hour meeting this week.
Council members said they called for monthly financial reports more than a year ago, but with more than four months of 2025 still unreconciled, projecting a realistic 2026 budget has been nearly impossible.
2025 Financials
Chief Financial Officer Lisa Turner told the council and GMA consultant Pete Pyrzenski that the delay stems from her work on a state-mandated audit, which she said has taken up most of her time.
Alto Town Council Members Debbie Turner (left) and P.J. Huggins go over the proposed 2026 budget. (Patrick Fargason/Now Habersham)
Pyrzenski told the council that while staff prepares financial reports, elected officials are responsible for setting and enforcing expectations.
“You set the expectations you were supposed to get monthly reports,” Pyrzenski said. He said the council needs clear answers from Turner or the town’s CPA on where the town stands financially, including whether Alto is projected to finish 2025 over or under budget, before adopting a 2026 budget.
Pyrzenski warned that if the financials cannot be reconciled soon, the town should bring in outside help.
“If someone has the job responsibility, they should be able to push a button and print that out,” he said, adding that delays leave council members guessing and create tension between elected officials and staff. He said the responsibility ultimately rests with the council if expectations are not enforced.
Councilman Allen Fox said the late-year budget pressure is familiar but more severe than in the past.
“This is my sixth go-round at the end of the year having the press against the wall, but it’s never been so tight before,” Fox said. He warned that once a budget is adopted and pressure eases in January, the town risks repeating the same cycle unless underlying issues are addressed.
Employee overtime
Employee overtime was also cited as a significant challenge in building the budget. Pyrzenski said the town must identify which departments are driving overtime, what is causing it and how much it is costing.
He noted that Georgia law and the Fair Labor Standards Act require employees to be paid
Alto Councilmen James Turner (left) and Eddie Palmer discuss the town’s staffing concerns. (Patrick Fargason/Now Habersham)
for overtime worked and that the town cannot simply prohibit it. However, he said the council must put parameters in place to manage costs, such as tighter oversight, limiting hours or adding part-time help where appropriate.
Councilman James Turner said department heads should attend council meetings moving forward so questions can be answered in real time.
“All managers need to be at these meetings with us,” Turner said, adding that delays in getting answers compound budget problems.
City-owned vehicle use
Pyrzenski also urged the council to develop a written policy governing employees who take city-owned vehicles home. He said a clear policy would outline permissible and prohibited uses, protect taxpayer-funded assets and provide consistent expectations for employees. He cautioned the council not to rush the process and suggested setting a timeline, such as late February, to adopt the policy.
Addressing the immediate budget impasse, Pyrzenski said the town should not attempt to adopt a budget without a complete financial picture.
“If you can’t have a full budget by next week, there’s no way you can stop the budget because you don’t know where you are,” he said. “That’s my professional opinion.”
Pyrzenski urged Mayor Gail Thompson and Councilwoman PJ Huggins to contact a CPA as soon as possible to help reconcile the town’s finances and chart a path forward.
“We’re in trouble. We don’t have a balanced budget,” Pyrzenski said, encouraging town leaders to seek direct guidance on how to complete the reconciliation and finalize a budget as quickly as possible.
Council to-do list
Pyrzenski also outlined a to-do list for the council, including addressing overtime costs, appointing an interim employee if necessary and preparing to post a position for the water plant once accurate financial data is available.
The council took no action on the 2026 budget during the meeting.
