Due to anticipated weather later in the day, Saturday’s football game between Georgia and Austin Peay will now be played at 2:30 p.m., instead of the scheduled 3:30 p.m.
The game will still air on ESPN +.
Georgia-Austin Peay game time moved up to 2:30 p.m.
Alto cancels November election after incumbent withdraws
Habersham County Elections Supervisor Laurel Ellison announced the cancellation on September 5, following the withdrawal of Councilmember P.J. Huggins.
A former mayor of Alto, Huggins was elected last year to complete the unexpired term of Carolyn McCabe, who died in September 2023. That term ends on December 31.
With Huggins out of the race, John Smith will assume the Post 1 council seat. Incumbent Post 3 Councilmember Allen Fox and Post 5 Councilmember Debbie Turner are also unopposed and will automatically continue in office beginning January 1.
Under Georgia law, unopposed candidates are deemed to have voted for themselves and are declared duly elected.
Teen girl shot dead in Uptown Columbus
An 18-year-old female was shot in the head as she sat in a car with others near 11th and Bay Avenue late Friday night. Kalielah Davis was transported to Piedmont Midtown Hospital, where she was pronounced dead just before midnight.
The incident took place in a high-profile area of Uptown Columbus on a busy Friday night. The investigation is ongoing, and no suspect has been named at this time.
Bill Bradley resigns as Habersham Central girls basketball coach
On Friday afternoon, Bill Bradley announced his resignation as the head girls basketball coach of the Habersham Central Lady Raiders.
Bradley took over the program ahead of the 2017-18 season, and sports a 102-106 overall record in those eight seasons.
Last year, the Lady Raiders went 14-12 and won the region championship, their first top finish since 2011-12. Habersham went on to the Sweet 16 in a surprising year in which the majority of the roster was comprised of underclassmen.
After back-to-back 5-win seasons to start his tenure, the next six campaigns all reached the postseason, including three Sweet 16 runs and four winning seasons.
Week Four scores & recaps
Already four weeks in the books. Here’s what transpired on Friday night.
#1 Jefferson 42, Stephens County 14
Jefferson started and ended really well, with the Indians owning the third quarter. Prior to that, the #1 Dragons were up 28-0 at the break courtesy of two TD runs by Max Brown (one for 70 yards), and Colton Grant and Griffin Drake found pay dirt as well. The second half featured Stephens County rallying with a TD by Morris Perkins and a trickeration TD from Davon Swinton to Ahmad Ivey. Zoonk Patterson had two interceptions, and Stephens County was in the red zone at the end of the third with a chance to make it a one-score game. But Dylan Berardinelli, Chance Payne, and another Dragon tallied interceptions. Grant and Eli Primm had second half TD runs to polish it off at 42-14.
Dawson County 32, Banks County 22
Jaybo Shaw claimed his first win at Dawson County with a xx-xx victory over Banks County in Dawsonville. Lane Morris got the Leopards up early with a 74-yd TD run, but Cody McBrayer’s score and Aden Bannister’s 2-point conversion had the Tigers in front 8-7. A long lightning delay stopped play for quite some time. When it resumed, so did the Dawson offense. McBrayer had an 8-yd TD run for a 15-7 advantage, which held to the break. Gunnar Weaver and Dylan Edwards connected to start the third with a 17-yd TD strike, and Morris threw his first TD pass of the season for Banks when he linked up with Caden Watson. Morris added a 2PC to make it a 22-15 game in favor of the Tigers. Jacob Felkai had a 35-yd field goal to get some of the points back late in the third. Early in the fourth, Morris added another TD run, bridging the gap to a 3-point deficit for Banks. Dawson responded with a TD run from Weaver, sealing a 32-22 victory.
Madison County 27, Commerce 21 (4th Quarter)
The Tigers finally got their game in though they had to wait a little longer than planned as the game started in a delay. Demarco Huff got it started with a 62-yd TD run before Madison County scored twice unanswered. Bronc Cash had a scoop-n-score in the second, but the Red Raiders led 20-14 at the break. After another lightning delay, Madison County started putting the game out of reach with another TD. Jace Lyle had a 30-yd TD to get the game within 27-21.
Dunwoody 24, Lumpkin County 19 (Halftime)
It was 24-19 in favor of Dunwoody at the half in a game that was significantly delayed due to lightning. Lumpkin got on the board first on a Nolan Matthews TD run. The ensuing kickoff was taken back for the tying score, though Matthews again found the end zone to push the Indians up 13-7. Dunwoody would pull ahead 21-13 at the end of the first. Late in the half, Matthews got the hat trick with his third score to pull within 21-19.
Cherokee Bluff 35, Habersham Central 14
The Raiders suffered a 35-14 loss at Cherokee Bluff, now going to 2-2 overall. Both losses came to a Flowery Branch area team, and the season has featured alternating wins and losses to this point.
#6 Rabun County 49, Dalton 42
A straight-up barn-burner, as Rabun County takes a 49-42 roller coaster on the road. The Wildcats was often ahead, as Reid Giles had a 15-yd TD in the first before Dalton tied it up. Ty Truelove hit Reed Burrell on a 3-yd TD, and Lake Evans’ 5-yd TD run made it a 21-7 game, but Dalton would keep coming back. Giles did add a 98-yd kickoff return for a TD for a brief 28-14 lead, but the home team scored twice before the break to tie it at 28 apiece. Giles’ third TD was a 35-yd score through traffic in the third, but Dalton kept pace to tie it yet again, and not for the last time. In the fourth, Rabun had to come from behind, as Dalton went ahead 42-35. Evans had the equalizer with a 5-yd TD at the 7:33 mark. Then in the closing minutes, Giles shoved off several would-be tacklers, and turned nothing into a 22-yd game-winning TD for his fourth TD with 1:16 left. The defense held it from there.
Union County 27, Murray County 7
Rob Stowe wins his first game at Union County with a 27-7 victory over Murray County. The Panthers used a strong run game in the win, as Bentley Rich had two TD runs, and Daniel McPhee had a 14-yd TD. It was 14-0 going into the fourth. Rich scored on runs of four and 13 yards. Kamden Kendrick iced the game with a 30-yd TD pass to Mikey Davis late.
East Jackson 31, White County 0
The Warriors were upended 31-0 against East Jackson, though it was only a 7-0 game at the half. By the end of the third, it had ballooned to 24-0 for the Eagles.
Towns County @ Greenville (SC) (Unknown)
Other local games of interest
#2 Buford 58, #5 Roswell 21 (3rd Quarter)
Flowery Branch vs Hart County (Delayed)
#5 North Hall 31, East Hall 21 (3rd Quarter)
West Hall vs Johnson (Unknown)
Chestatee 7, East Forsyth 0 (Halftime)
Bethlehem Christian 19, Riverside 6 (Halftime)
Lakeview 27, Windsor Academy 8
Dragons start, finish strong at The Reservation to remain perfect [VIDEO]
It was Homecoming in more ways than one at The Reservation on Friday night, as former Stephens County coach Travis Noland and his #1-ranked Dragons (4-0) paid a visit and left with a 42-14 victory. The game wasn’t without drama, as the Indians (2-2) rallied from down 28-0 to cut the deficit in half and had a chance to make it a one-possession game.
Jefferson started and ended strong, with the third quarter belonging to the home team. The Indians forced a punt to open the game, and had apparent momentum when Branson Stowe hooked up with Davon Swinton to get near the red zone. Moments later, though, Chance Payne picked off a pass and took it down to the 11-yard line. From there, Griffin Drake ran it in on the next play for the game’s first score.
RELATED Week Four scores & recaps
On the next Dragons drive, Max Brown reeled off a 42-yard run. But on third and long, Colton Grant tried a tight window but was intercepted by Zoonk Patterson.
It was still a low-scoring game at 7-0 until midway through the second. Jefferson nickeled and dimed its way down the field until Brown scored on a 10-yard TD to push it up to 14-0. Less than a minute later, he sprinted away on a 70-yd TD. Before the break, Grant had an 8-yard TD run as well to send us to the half with a 28-0 blowout.
Whatever coach Thomas Flowers told Stephens County in the locker room, it was a different look for the Indians. Their opening drive went the distance and chewed up a lot of time, ending with a Morris Perkins 2-yd plunge into the end zone.
Patterson recorded another interception off Grant, and a trick play resulted in a Swinton 22-yd TD pass to a wide open Ahmad Ivey. All of a sudden it was a 28-14 game, and got even more interesting when Brown’s next carry was fumbled, and recovered by Stephens County’s Ashton Winters at the 20-yard line.
The pendulum again swung quickly, as the Dragons’ Dylan Berardinelli intercepted Stowe. He took it 76 yards back inside the five. Grant converted a third and two for the 2-yard TD, making it a 35-14 Jefferson lead. Jefferson didn’t let up, as #16 picked off the next pass from Stowe, and the Dragons took that momentum into the fourth. Eli Primm added a 1-yd visit to the end zone.
The Dragons got two TDs each from Brown and Grant, and Stephens County’s 14-point output is more than the previous three games combined against Jefferson.
MORE
Braves’ late surge stuns slumping Mariners as Chris Sale shines in 4-1 win
ATLANTA (AP) — Chris Sale pitched 6 2/3 strong innings, Ozzie Albies went 3 for 4 with an RBI and the Atlanta Braves used a three-run eighth inning to beat the slumping Seattle Mariners 4-1 on Friday night.
The Mariners, who hold the final American League wild card spot, lost for the sixth time in seven games during their current nine-game road trip.
The Braves’ outburst made a winner out of Tyler Kinley (5-3), who pitched a scoreless eighth inning. Kinley has 12 consecutive scoreless appearances for the Braves and has given up just 1 run in 15 games since being acquired from the Colorado Rockies.
Raisel Iglesias pitched a perfect ninth for his 24th save.
Sale, in his second start since missing 62 games with a broken rib, gave up one run and four hits with nine strikeouts and no walks in 92 pitches.
Jurickson Profar was 2 for 4 with two runs scored. He led off the eighth with a double, then scored on Matt Olson’s single. Albies tripled home Olson, then scored on a single by Drake Baldwin.
The Braves were leading 1-0 when Sale was lifted with a runner on first and two outs in the seventh. Dominic Canzone and Leo Rivas singled off Dylan Lee to tie the game 1-1 before Lee struck out Harry Ford. It was the first at-bat of Ford’s MLB career.
Mariners starter Logan Gilbert gave up one run in six innings. He struck out seven and surrendered five hits and one walk.
Key moment
The first four batters for the Braves reached base in the eighth inning against Mariners reliever Gabe Speier (2-3), who failed to record an out. Olson’s single broke a 1-1 tie and Albies’ triple to right put the Braves in front 3-1.
Key stat
Chris Sale has pitched at least six innings and given up no more than one run in his last eight starts.
Up next
Mariners RHP Bryce Miller (4-5, 5.71) will face Braves rookie RHP Hurston Waldrep (4-0, 1.01) on Saturday.
Piedmont Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Open Season at Converse Kickoff
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Piedmont University men’s & women’s cross country team took on the Converse Kickoff late Friday afternoon as the only Division III team represented.
For the women’s team, senior Bella Caccamo led the group, placing 70th at the meet while turning in a time of 22:50.
Freshmen Madison Worsham and Katie Payne rounded out the finishers for the meet, with Worsham running a time of 23:38.5 while Payne turned in a time of 27:23.
On the men’s side, senior Layton Bradford led the group, placing 34th at this kickoff with a time of 20:49.1.
Returner Brody Geckler followed behind Bradford and turned in a time of 22:25.9.
Newcomer from the sprints side Xander Wiley made his debut this meet with a time of 28:03.2.
Up next, the Lions will take on the UNG Invite next Friday, Sept. 12 in Oakwood, Georgia.
Complete Women’s Results:
Bella Caccamo – 22:50
Madison Worsham – 23:38.5
Katie Payne – 27:23
Complete Men’s Results:
Layton Bradford – 20:49.1
Brody Geckler – 22:25.9
Grady Sanders – 23:01.5
Sam Maddox – 26:57.8
Keegan Ivey – 27:19.1
By Bella Caccamo: Piedmont Athletic Communications Intern
Women’s Soccer Falls 2-0 in Home Opener to Oglethorpe
Piedmont women’s soccer saw its first defeat of the 2025 season, falling to a stout Oglethorpe team 2-0 on a beautiful Friday night in Demorest.
After opening on the road with four wins in four days last weekend, the Lions returned and saw their home debut spoiled by a strong Stormy Petrels defense.
Two loud strikes from Harlow Cregar proved to be the difference, with one coming in each half.
She struck first in the 30th minute with a top left blast off a feed from Abigail Zerm to give the Stormy Petrels 1-0 going into the break.
While Oglethorpe controlled possession and dominated the shot count, 10-1, in the first half, the second saw the Lions flip the field and create numerous scoring chances.
However, it was transfer Adriana Blumer’s shot that hit the crossbar in the 85th minute that proved to be Piedmont’s chance to equalize. Unfortunately, Oglethorpe added on with Cregar’s second of the night less than two minutes later.
Piedmont totaled 10 shots in a strong second half with five on goal.
TURNING POINT:
– After Blumer’s blast hit the crossbar late, Oglethorpe was able to add to its lead with a second goal to move the score to 2-0.
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
– Each playing 45 minutes in goal, Piedmont goalkeepers Hannah Thompson and Maggie Leger each totaled four saves.
NEWS AND NOTES:
– Piedmont came into Friday night’s contest leading all of Division III in goals scored.
– Prior to the contest, Head Coach Timmy McCormack was honored for picking up his 100th career win last weekend.
Georgia to send over 300 National Guard troops to Washington
(Georgia Recorder) — Georgia is sending 300 soldiers and 16 support staff from the Georgia National Guard to Washington, Gov. Brian Kemp announced Friday.
The guards will assist the Trump administration “in restoring public safety” in the nation’s capital, where Trump activated the D.C. National Guard in an attempt to address a “crime emergency,” even though crime in Washington is in at a 30-year low.
“Georgia is proud to stand with the Trump administration in its mission to ensure the security and beauty of our nation’s capital,” Kemp said in a statement.
State Rep. Eric Bell, a Jonesboro Democrat who served in the U.S. Navy, criticized Kemp’s decision in a phone interview Friday and described it as a threat to American freedom and a return to feudalism.
“This isn’t the America that I was promised in social studies. This isn’t the America that I bought into as a veteran who defended this country. I’m all out of thoughts and prayers. Time for action.” Bell said, calling for people to stay united and vigilant against authoritarianism.
After Trump said that he may deploy troops to New Orleans, Bell said it’s “only a matter of time” before troops are deployed in Atlanta.
D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb sued the Trump administration Thursday over the ongoing presence of National Guard troops in Washington, arguing the deployment amounts to a military occupation and violates the district’s right to self-rule.
According to the state department of defense, up to 16 support staff from the Georgia Guard were sent this week to Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling to serve as medical, physician assistant and military police support staff. A larger deployment of 300 Georgia Guard soldiers is scheduled to mobilize in mid-September, but the timing is subject to change.
The Georgia Guard is joining more than 2,200 National Guard members from seven other states to provide support to D.C. law enforcement. Louisiana, South Dakota, Ohio, West Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi and South Carolina have sent troops to the nation’s capital.
The troops, who may be armed, will have a visible presence in the city, with their specific duties determined by the needs of their law enforcement partners, according to a press release.
Kemp’s office stated that there are more than 14,000 soldiers in the Georgia National Guard and that the deployment “will not impact its ability to support the state in the event of an emergency,” but Bell said the Georgia’s National Guard should instead focus on local issues, such as helping those affected by recent storms and ensuring school safety rather than being deployed elsewhere.
“I think our National Guard needs to come home and to protect and not intimidate our students as they go to school, as they are witnesses to massacres across the nation, in the state, by right-leaning, conservative, typically MAGA-supporting individuals. We need our guards here, if anything,” Bell said.
White County breaks ground on new fire station
White County officials and community members gathered this week to break ground on Fire Station 9, a new facility designed to expand the fire and emergency response in the Mount Yonah community.
Located on Sonnys Circle off Duncan Bridge Road, the station is strategically placed to improve coverage for a community experiencing both residential growth and increased tourism.
According to county officials, the SPLOST-funded project reflects the county’s commitment to reinvesting local tax dollars into critical public safety infrastructure. Precision United of Cleveland, Georgia, will manage construction, with completion expected in summer 2026.
Better protection and ISO rating
Once operational, Fire Station 9 will cover 1,502 structures in its response zone. Of those, 817 structures are within 1,000 feet of a hydrant and will qualify for a Class 4 ISO rating. The rest will receive a Class 4Y rating—both major improvements from the previous Class 10. County leaders say the new ratings will provide faster response times, better protection, and lower insurance costs for many property owners.
“This station represents a major step forward in public safety and quality of life for White County residents,” said White County Commission Chairman Travis Turner. “It’s a smart investment in both safety and our community’s future.”
GBI: Norcross drug lab tied to North Georgia meth pipeline
A major meth trafficking operation with deep ties to North Georgia has led to two arrests in Norcross.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) says the arrests are part of a long-running investigation into a drug trafficking organization (DTO) linked to Georgia Department of Corrections inmate Kevin Lee Daniel Mashburn, 41, of Blue Ridge in Fannin County. Investigators say Mashburn’s organization has been responsible for moving large amounts of methamphetamine along the I-515/575 corridor into Cherokee, Pickens, Gilmer, Fannin, and Union counties.
Over the past year, more than a dozen suspects connected to the Mashburn DTO have been arrested, and authorities have seized over 35 kilograms of meth, according to GBI Special Agent in Charge Ken Howard of the Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office (ARDEO).
MORE NEWS White County traffic stop leads to meth trafficking arrest
The latest arrests came this week after agents with the ARDEO, the FBI Conasauga Safe Streets Task Force, and the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a home on Colony Park Drive in Norcross. Inside, they say they found a meth lab converting oils into crystal meth for distribution, along with roughly four kilograms of suspected meth, cocaine, ecstasy pills, and a firearm.
Two suspects — Arturo Perez-Huizache, 40, and Carla Michelle Abarca Jiminez, 22, both of Guerrero, Mexico — are now charged with trafficking methamphetamine.
The case has drawn support from law enforcement agencies across North Georgia, including sheriff’s offices in Fannin, Gilmer, Union, Pickens, and Cherokee counties. Officials say the investigation is ongoing and more arrests are expected.
The GBI is encouraging anyone with information on drug activity to call ARDEO at (706) 348-7410 or submit an anonymous tip online at gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online.