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Baldwin seeks public input on 2025 Comprehensive Plan

By
Patrick Fargason
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Learn how to prevent Type 2 Diabetes. Meetings on Monday nights from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the community room at Baldwin City Hall. (Joy Purcell/NowHabersham.com)

BALDWIN, Ga. — The Baldwin City Council on Tuesday night hosted its fifth public meeting seeking input from residents on the city’s upcoming 2025 comprehensive plan.

The plan is a long-term, locally adopted document that guides community growth and development, addressing land use, economic development, transportation and other factors. Required by state statute and approved by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA), it serves as a framework for decision-making and must be updated at least every five years, with a full update every 10 years.

Joe Rothwell, a regional planner with the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission who is assisting with the plan, said public involvement is critical.

“Having the public here and being able to assist us with your comments to the plan is important,” Rothwell said. “We wouldn’t be able to draft this living document for the city to utilize without your feedback.”

While no residents spoke during the meeting, city leaders said they were encouraged by the participation so far.

“In my eight years in Baldwin, we’ve never had the amount of participation that we’ve had this year,” Mayor Pro Tem Alice Venters said. “So, I’m really thankful.”

Venters noted that 63 surveys have been completed to date. Residents have until Sept. 12 to participate.

Mayor Stephanie Almango also urged attendees to make their voices heard.

“Take the survey,” Almango said. “It’s important that everyone take the survey. We want to hear what you want in Baldwin as well. I encourage you to tell your neighbors to take this survey that will inform our responses in writing this plan.”

Surveys are available online in English and Spanish: Baldwin 2025 Survey, Baldwin 2025 Encuesta en Español.

The final public hearing for Baldwin’s 2025 comprehensive plan will be held Sept. 9.

WATCH COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PRESENTATION

Colorado and Georgia Tech meet for the 1st time on the field since splitting the 1990 national title

By
Charles Odum
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FILE PHOTO (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Even through a rough start to the 1990 season and the highly debated “fifth-down” controversy, there the Colorado Buffaloes were in the closing seconds of the Orange Bowl, one stop away from a potential national title.

Defensive back Deon Figures intercepted a Notre Dame pass and ran around long enough for the clock to hit zero. His teammates piled on to celebrate, crushing his ribs with their weight. He could barely breathe and thought he might pass out.

A fond memory for sure, he said, because it paved the way to the Buffaloes’ one and only national football title. Painful for a reason beyond his bruised ribs: They had to split that 1990 national title with Georgia Tech.

“We wanted it all,” Figures recalled. “We wanted to sit at the top of the mountain — by ourselves.”

On Friday night, the Yellow Jackets and Buffaloes will meet for the first time ever on the football field. It’s a chance for bragging rights nearly 35 years after the programs became forever linked in the days when split titles were possible, long before major college football shifted to a tournament.

“It is exciting,” said Charles Johnson, a quarterback on that 1990 Colorado team. ”But it’s kind of like two great fighters in their prime and it was a great debate about who was the greatest and then years later, when they’re both kind of not in that spotlight, they finally match up. It’s like, ‘Oh, we finally get the great fight.’ The thrill of what that debate was 35 years ago, it’s hard to carry much of that over today.”

Back then, there was no College Football Playoff. Instead, it came down to votes, with the Buffaloes (11-1-1) crowned as champions in The Associated Press poll and Yellow Jackets (11-0-1) winding up on top in the coaches’ poll.

They’ve would’ve preferred to settle things on the field.

“Hopefully the kids that are playing now will understand the ramifications behind (this game) a little bit more,” former Buffaloes receiver Mike Pritchard said. “Just have it have a degree of importance.”

It’s there, all right.

“We’re excited to go play Colorado. An opportunity to settle the 1990 national championship,” said Georgia Tech coach Brent Key, whose team is favored and was 12 at the time of that split title.

The title

Glance around Folsom Field and there it is between suite levels on the east side of the stadium, in bold lettering: “1990 National Champions.”

“Wow,” tackle Jordan Seaton said of learning the Buffaloes split it with the Yellow Jackets. “I’m very eager to play them.”

Before the CFP, co-champions happened, if rarely, with nearly a dozen since the early 1950s and the last coming in 2003 (LSU and USC). The split titles spurred arguments and eventually led to postseason changes in determining a true national champion. The College Football Playoff, which has expanded to a 12-team bracket, began with the 2014-15 season.

The Buffaloes sure wish that format would’ve existed 35 years ago.

“I guarantee you we would’ve whooped them,” said Figures, who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as part of the 2024 class. “I would’ve bet the house on it.”

The Buffaloes received 39 of 60 first place votes in the AP poll (the Yellow Jackets had 20). Georgia Tech topped the UPI/Coaches poll with 30 of 59 first-place votes (Colorado had 27), which ultimately gave the Yellow Jackets a 847-846 point advantage.

Each squad beat coach Tom Osborne and the Nebraska Cornhuskers — the Buffaloes by a 27-12 score in Lincoln and the Yellow Jackets winning 45-21 in the Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Day.

“Both Colorado and Georgia Tech had fine teams that year and we lost to both of them,” Osborne wrote in an email. “Georgia Tech beat us more soundly than Colorado, but both teams were talented. Colorado won a controversial game in which they were given 5 downs at the goal line.”

After a liver transplant in 2023, Figures will be watching Friday night’s game on television. He will be thinking of his coach, too: Bill McCartney died in January at 84. McCartney assembled a star-studded group featuring names such as Darian Hagan, Johnson, Eric Bieniemy, Pritchard, Figures, Chad Brown, Alfred Williams and Kanavis McGhee.

“Coach Mac would have loved this game,” Figures said. “I can hear him now with that rah-rah speech.”

The Georgia Tech path

The Yellow Jackets were coached by Bobby Ross and featured a group of players such as William Bell, Shawn Jones, Ken Swilling, Marco Coleman, Scott Sisson, Willie Clay, Greg Lester, Mike Mooney and Coleman Rudolph. Their only bump in the road was a tie at North Carolina. Two weeks later, they beat No. 1 Virginia on Sisson’s field goal with seconds remaining.

“They believed in themselves; they believed in what they were doing,” Ross said in the fall 2021 issue of Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine. “They were just that type of team. They had confidence and a little bit of a swagger, and that was good.”

The Colorado path

It was a rocky start for the Buffaloes, who tied with Tennessee, beat Stanford and lost at Illinois. They dropped from preseason No. 5 to No. 20 in the AP poll. They would win out, including the controversial “fifth-down” victory at Missouri. There was an error when the chain crew didn’t flip the down marker. It set up an extra down and the Buffaloes capitalized as Johnson scored the winning TD on a keeper as time expired.

“There’s so much back-story behind the down thing,” Pritchard said. “We obviously would have executed differently. We were going by what the officials were telling everybody.”

The Buffaloes caught another fortunate break in the Orange Bowl when a clipping call negated a late punt return for a score by Notre Dame’s Raghib Ismail. The Buffaloes held on for a 10-9 win.

“It was amazing how that season unfolded,” recalled Johnson, whose team lost to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl the season before to finish 11-1. “I mean, just about every oddity or wrinkle that you could imagine would take place, took place.”

The Buffaloes of the past are anxious for this week’s game..

“I’m definitely going to be out there on that field in spirit,” Figures said.

HOW TO WATCH THE GAME:
Friday, Aug. 29
Boulder, Colorado | Folsom Field
6 p.m. MT | 8 p.m. ET
ESPN

Atlanta Journal-Constitution to stop printing as it transitions to all-digital news

By
Jeff Amy
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Home page of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution website. Georgia's flagship newspaper announced it will stop publishing its print publication by the end of this year. (NowHabersham.com)

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Journal-Constitution will stop providing a print edition at the end of the year and go completely digital, marking a dramatic change for a storied newspaper that was founded just a few years after the end of the Civil War.

The decision will make Atlanta the largest U.S. metro area without a printed daily newspaper, although some smaller metro Atlanta newspapers continue printing.

Publisher Andrew Morse made the announcement Thursday, saying the news organization will continue to report news using online, audio and video products.

“The fact is, many more people engage with our digital platforms and products today than with our print edition, and that shift is only accelerating,” Morse wrote in a letter to subscribers posted on the Journal-Constitution’s website. The AJC has about 115,000 total subscribers, of whom 75,000 are online only; Morse has set a goal of gaining 500,000 online subscribers.

The newspaper is privately owned by descendants of the Cox family. Former Ohio Gov. James Cox bought The Atlanta Journal in 1939 and The Atlanta Constitution in 1950. The Atlanta Constitution was founded in 1868 only a few years after the Civil War left Atlanta in ruins and was the platform of famous editors including New South booster Henry Grady and anti-segregationist Ralph McGill.

Morse said The Journal-Constitution will offer a new mobile app by the end of the year and will provide an electronic replica edition for subscribers who prefer the experience of the paper edition.

Many smaller newspapers have stopped printing, while others have cut back their days of publication. For example, The Tampa Bay Times, which serves Tampa and St. Petersburg, Florida, prints only two days a week. But it’s been unusual until now for major metropolitan newspapers to entirely abandon print. The highest profile example is The Star-Ledger of Newark, New Jersey. Once the top-selling newspaper in New Jersey, it stopped printing in February. The Newhouse family, which owns the Star-Ledger, has also stopped printing other sizable newspapers in New Jersey and Alabama.

The Cox family has invested in the news organization since Morse, a former CNN executive, became publisher in 2023. The Journal-Constitution has hired reporters in the Georgia cities of Athens, Macon and Savannah, expanded an offering focused on Black culture, and pushed new audio and video offerings. The business also moved into a new office in Atlanta’s Midtown neighborhood, returning inside the city limits from an office in the northern suburbs.

Company executives said the print edition was still profitable. The Journal-Constitution closed its own printing plants and outsourced printing to another newspaper in Gainesville, Georgia, in 2021. When Morse came on board, he paused a plan to curtail the print edition, but said now the time is right.

“We will begin the new year as a fully digital organization, committed, as always, to being the most essential and engaging news source for the people of Atlanta, Georgia and the South,” Morse wrote.

New FAFSA form to be ready by Oct. 1, Education secretary says

By
Shauneen Miranda
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(NowHabersham.com)

WASHINGTON — The updated form to apply for federal student aid will launch for all students by Oct. 1, U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon told congressional leaders in a letter this week.

The department began testing in early August for the 2026-27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid — better known as FAFSA — to address any bugs or technical issues before opening it up to everyone in the fall.

The agency signaled earlier this year that the form would open up to the general public by Oct. 1, the typical opening date for the annual form that’s now congressionally mandated.

The department noted that for the 2026-27 FAFSA, 2,435 forms were started, 1,372 were submitted and 1,347 had been processed, as of Monday.

McMahon’s letter to lawmakers on Tuesday followed the botched rollout of the 2024-25 FAFSA, which faced several highly publicized hiccups during then-President Joe Biden’s administration’s attempts to implement a makeover after Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act in 2020.

The rollout of the following 2025-26 form, still under the Biden administration, took a staggered approach that included several rounds of testing and gradually increased the number of people able to complete the form.

Though that form debuted earlier than the 2024-25 application, the full rollout still came nearly two months later than the usual Oct. 1 date.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, our team has prioritized technical competence and expertise, which has led to the earliest testing launch of the FAFSA form in history,” McMahon said in a statement Wednesday.

“The Biden Administration failed the FAFSA rollout two years ago, leaving millions of American students and families without clear answers or a path forward in their educational journey,” she said. “Congress gave us a mandate to improve the form and deliver it on time for students, families, and institutions of higher education — and I am proud to certify that the form will launch on time this fall.”

McMahon’s letter to the chairs and ranking members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and the House Committee on Education and Workforce follows a law signed by Biden last December that ensures the FAFSA rolls out by Oct. 1 each year.

The law also requires the Education secretary to notify Congress by Sept. 1 annually on whether the department will meet that Oct. 1 deadline.

Fed Governor Cook sues Trump, blasts attack on central bank’s autonomy

By
Ariana Figueroa
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WASHINGTON (States Newsroom) — Lisa Cook, a Federal Reserve governor, sued President Donald Trump Thursday, calling his move to fire her an “unprecedented and illegal attempt” that jeopardizes the independence of the board.

The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, sets up a fight between the Federal Reserve and the president who has tried to pressure the independent board to lower interest rates. The challenge could go all the way to the Supreme Court.

The suit argues that the president’s Monday decision to remove her was political and violated her due process rights because she had no chance to respond to the allegations of mortgage fraud a Trump appointee lodged against her. Cook has not been charged with any crime.

“It is clear from the circumstances surrounding Governor Cook’s purported removal from the Federal Reserve Board that the mortgage allegations against her are pretextual, in order to effectuate her prompt removal and vacate a seat for President Trump to fill and forward his agenda to undermine the independence of the Federal Reserve,” according to the suit.

The suit also emphasized the importance of the Fed’s independence from elected officials.

“The operational independence of the Federal Reserve is vital to its ability to make sound economic decisions, free from the political pressures of an election cycle,” according to the suit.

The case is assigned to Jia M. Cobb. Former President Joe Biden appointed Cobb in 2021.

The suit asks the district court to allow Cook to continue serving on the Fed as she challenges her removal.

In a statement to States Newsroom, White House spokesperson Kush Desai defended the president’s decision to remove Cook.

“The President determined there was cause to remove a governor who was credibly accused of lying in financial documents from a highly sensitive position overseeing financial institutions,” Desai said. “The removal of a governor for cause improves the Federal Reserve Board’s accountability and credibility for both the markets and American people.”

Rift highlights policy differences

Cook, the first Black woman appointed to the Fed, has consistently voted against lowering interest rates since joining the board in 2022. Her term ends in 2038.

If Trump is successful in removing her and is able to nominate a replacement, he could have a majority of Fed members who are aligned with his desire to lower interest rates to boost the economy.

Despite Trump’s long-running pressure campaign, the Fed has kept rates steady amid concerns that the president’s tariffs will produce price hikes.

The allegations of mortgage fraud stem from Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Pulte accused Cook of making a false statement on a mortgage application to obtain a more favorable rate on her second home. He referred the matter to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution.

The suit does not address the merits of the allegations.

Pulte has made similar mortgage fraud accusations against two other political enemies of Trump’s: New York Attorney General Letitia James, who investigated the president’s business dealings and won a finding of fraud in state court, and California U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, who led the investigation into Trump’s first impeachment inquiry.

Kemp appoints Thompson as Barrow County Solicitor General

By
Staff Report
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Governor Brian Kemp has appointed B. Kyle Thompson to serve as Barrow County Solicitor General.

Thompson currently works as an assistant district attorney in the Walton County District Attorney’s Office, where he prosecutes cases involving murder, vehicular homicide, domestic violence, theft, and possession of controlled substances. He previously served as an assistant district attorney in the Western Judicial Circuit and as an assistant solicitor general in Macon-Bibb County.

With extensive courtroom experience, Thompson has represented the State of Georgia in a wide range of cases, including all misdemeanor violations.

A native of Barrow County, Thompson graduated from Apalachee High School before earning dual undergraduate degrees in economics and geography from the University of Georgia. He went on to earn his law degree from Mercer University School of Law.
Thompson and his wife, Jessica, live in Winder with their son, Miles, and are members of Winder First Baptist Church.

Clarkesville man accused having and distributing child sex abuse material

By
Staff Report
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(NowGeorgia.com)

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has arrested a Clarkesville man on charges of sexual exploitation of children following a months-long investigation.

Agents with the GBI’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes (CEACC) Unit charged Alex Michael Miller, 36, after receiving a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The tip, submitted in June 2024, alleged that Miller may have been in possession of and distributing child sexual abuse material online, a news release from the GBI said.

The Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office assisted the GBI in the investigation and Miller’s arrest. He was booked into the Lumpkin County Jail.

The case is part of an ongoing initiative by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, housed within the GBI’s CEACC Unit. Authorities urge anyone with information about other cases of child exploitation to contact the Unit at 404-270-8870 or file a report through the NCMEC CyberTipline at Cybertipline.org.

Anonymous tips may also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.

Local government announces low-interest loan program to spur small businesses

By
Emma Auer
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Small businesses in Athens-Clarke County and the City of Winterville may now be eligible for a low-interest loan through the local government.

The Joint Development Authority of Athens-Clarke County and the City of Winterville has opened applications for low-interest loans for small businesses. The businesses must be located within Clarke County or Winterville.

The Joint Development Authority says the loans must be used to grow a business or create new job opportunities for community members. Loans range from $3,001 to $25,000. The loans are also targeted to businesses in certain industries, including manufacturing, biotechnology, craft beverage production, and the arts.

Loan applications close on September 30th.

More information about the Turntable Revolving Loan for Small Business Growth can be found online. Several community partners have offered free assistance to small businesses seeking to apply for loans, including the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center in Athens.

This article comes to Now Habersham in partnership with WUGA News

FDA approves updated COVID-19 shots with limits for some kids and adults

By
Matthew Perrone, AP Health Writer
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FILE - A vial of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine rests on a table at an inoculation station in Jackson, Miss., on July 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators approved updated COVID-19 shots Wednesday but limited their use for many Americans — and removed one of the two vaccines available for young children.

The new shots from Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax are approved for all seniors. But the Food and Drug Administration narrowed their use for younger adults and children to those with at least one high-risk health condition, such as asthma or obesity. That presents new barriers to access for millions of Americans who would have to prove their risk — and millions more who may want to get vaccinated and suddenly no longer qualify.

Additionally, Pfizer’s vaccine will no longer be available for any child under 5, because the FDA said it was revoking the shot’s emergency authorization for that age group.

Parents will still be able to seek out shots from rival drugmaker Moderna, the other maker of mRNA vaccines, which has full FDA approval for children as young as 6 months. But the company’s Spikevax vaccine is only approved for children with at least one serious health problem.

The revamped vaccines target a newer version of the continuously evolving virus and are set to begin shipping soon. But it could be days or weeks before many Americans know if they’ll be able to get one, with access dependent on decisions by federal health advisers, health insurers, pharmacies and state authorities.

The new restrictions — previewed by FDA officials in May — are a break from the previous U.S. policy, which recommended an annual COVID-19 shot for all Americans 6 months and up.

The approach reflects heightened skepticism about the ongoing risks of COVID-19 and the need for yearly booster shots from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, both outspoken critics of wide-scale vaccinations.

“The American people demanded science, safety, and common sense. This framework delivers all three,” Kennedy wrote on social media.

Novavax’s shot is only open to people 12 or older, not younger children, and carries the same risk-based restrictions that are now in place for Moderna and Pfizer. It’s the nation’s only traditional, protein-based COVID-19 vaccine.

Coverage questions and access issues are unresolved

The new limits “can’t help but create barriers to vaccinations” and cause confusion for patients, doctors and pharmacists, said Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University vaccines expert.

Some medical groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, have objected to the restrictions, saying they may block vaccine access for families who want to protect their children. Last week, the group offered its own recommendations for kids, saying annual shots are strongly recommended for children ages 6 months to 2 years and advised for older children.

In his post Wednesday, Kennedy said the shots will be “available for all patients who choose them after consulting with their doctors.”

But Americans are likely to confront a number of logistical hurdles.

Insurers typically base their vaccine coverage decisions on the recommendations of a panel of advisers to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but some say they will also look to medical professional groups, including the American Medical Association.

Earlier this year, Kennedy replaced the entire CDC panel, naming several doctors and researchers who have repeatedly questioned the safety of commonly used vaccines and ingredients. The panel is expected to meet in September, but no agenda has been released.

Depending on the panel’s advice, Americans under age 65 could be expected to provide documentation of a serious medical problem before they can get a shot. Also complicating the rollout is the fact that pharmacists — who administer most COVID-19 shots — typically aren’t expected to collect that kind of information. And laws governing their ability to administer routine vaccinations vary by state.

Access could also be complicated for healthy adults and children who are interested in getting a shot for extra protection.

If the latest vaccines aren’t covered by their insurance, those patients could be required to pay $150 or more out of pocket if they want one. If they aren’t considered high-risk, they might also have to find a doctor or other health professional willing to give the shot “off label.” Many pharmacists might be reluctant to give the shots outside of FDA’s instructions.

“This makes things much more complicated, and when things get complicated we see vaccine uptake go down,” said Andy Pekosz, a virologist at Johns Hopkins University.

Shots target a recently dominant coronavirus version

The updated shots target coronavirus subtypes that are closely related to some newly emerging cousins. Pfizer and Moderna said they expect their shots to be available within days. Novavax’s vaccine is expected in the early fall, a spokesman said.

Shots from all three companies were initially made available under the FDA’s emergency use authorization, an expedited process to quickly review vaccines, drugs and other countermeasures during the pandemic. Pfizer had not yet sought full approval for its doses designed for children under 5, which is the reason that Moderna will be the only provider of shots for that age group this year.

In addition to revoking emergency use of Pfizer’s vaccine in young children, Kennedy said Wednesday the government also pulled remaining authorizations for all other COVID-19 vaccines and another therapy from the pandemic years, convalescent plasma, which was used to treat hospitalized patients before the first antiviral drugs became available.

COVID-19 vaccines do a good job preventing severe disease, hospitalization and death, which remain a bigger risk for seniors, young children and people with underlying health risks.

Preliminary data from the CDC estimates 47,500 Americans died from COVID-related causes last year.

Some experts worried that fewer vaccinations could increase the strain on hospitals over the winter, when cases tend to accelerated.

“Down the line, this will really stress our health workforce,” said Amanda Jezek, of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. “The public health impacts here are very worrisome.”

17 charged in Northeast Georgia drug trafficking ring; grenade launcher, rifles and $900K in drugs and cash seized

By
Joy Purcell
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FBI agents search a vehicle during Operation Take Back America/Operation Summer Heat on Aug. 26, 2025. (Photo courtesy FBI via X)

ATHENS, Ga. – Seventeen people face federal charges after law enforcement dismantled what prosecutors describe as a violent drug trafficking network that pumped fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and other narcotics into Athens and surrounding Northeast Georgia communities.

U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes announced Tuesday that two indictments and one criminal complaint were unsealed, charging the defendants with conspiracy, distribution, and firearms offenses. The charges stem from a coordinated raid on August 26, when federal, state, and local agencies executed 12 search warrants in Athens and Atlanta.

Authorities arrested 13 suspects and uncovered a cache of weapons and drugs, including 26 firearms, 12 rifles, a grenade launcher seized in Jefferson, and more than $900,000 in drugs and cash. According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, the search yielded 26 kilograms of cocaine valued at roughly $780,000, 1.7 kilograms of fentanyl worth $60,000, as well as methamphetamine, crack cocaine, marijuana, pharmaceuticals, and $63,532 in cash.

Drugs that agents say they seized during the crackdown on trafficking on Aug. 26, 2025. (FBI Atlanta/X)
Weapons agents say they seized during the multi-agency crackdown. (FBI Atlanta/X)

17 indicted

Among those charged in the first indictment, filed in May and unsealed this week, are:

  • Alicio Yanez-Pineda, 48, of Mexico
  • Josue Serda, 26, of Jefferson
  • Ulises Borja, 33, of Cedartown
  • Travis Arnold, 33, of Athens
  • Ariel Collins, 32, of Athens
  • Patrick Wilkins, 32, of Athens
  • Edgar Jara, 27, of Jefferson
  • Tyler Parr, 27, of Jefferson
  • Gregory Robinson, 32, of Athens
  • Deshun Muckle, 51, of Athens

Prosecutors allege the group conspired to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine between January 2024 and May 2025. Investigators say Arnold and Collins maintained a drug house on Sartain Drive in Athens, while Robinson distributed fentanyl, cocaine, and oxycodone from Essex Court.

Six other suspects were named in the second indictment, filed earlier this month. They are:

  • Orlando Muckle, 51, of Athens
  • Joey Campbell, 41, of Winterville
  • Bernard Walker, 53, of Athens
  • Lanier Cooper, 22, of Athens
  • Myles Kolbe Cooper, 27, of Athens
  • Tommy Lee Smith, 65, of Athens

Prosecutors allege the men conspired to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and over five kilograms of cocaine beginning in October 2020. According to court filings, the Cooper defendants ran operations out of Commerce Parkway, while Muckle allegedly stored cocaine at an apartment on Jennings Mill Parkway.

In addition, Halie Marie Money, 26, of Jefferson, is charged in a separate criminal complaint with unlawful possession of a firearm while using drugs. Authorities say she and Serda were found unconscious in a parked car outside the Walmart on Epps Bridge Parkway in Athens on June 20, with drug paraphernalia in plain view. Deputies later recovered a Glock pistol she allegedly admitted owning.

Most defendants face maximum sentences of life in prison if convicted.

The raids began in the early morning hours, with the FBI’s Atlanta office announcing them on social media after they were already underway. (FBI Atlanta/X)

Regional drug crackdown

The case is part of Operation Take Back America and Operation Summer Heat, nationwide initiatives targeting cartels and violent drug organizations.

“This success would not have been possible without the teamwork and collaboration of our federal, state, and local partners,” the FBI said on social media.

Agencies assisting in the Athens investigation included the FBI, DEA, GBI, Georgia Department of Corrections, Georgia Department of Community Supervision, Athens-Clarke County Police Department, Gwinnett County Police Department, Sandy Springs Police Department, Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, and Oconee County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison is prosecuting the case.

Baldwin’s Chief Administrative Officer resigns; says values ‘no longer align’ with some on city council

By
Patrick Fargason
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Emily Woodmaster, inset, served as Baldwin's Chief Administrative Officer for 3 years. Her resignation is effective Dec. 31, 2025. (NowHabersham.com)

BALDWIN, Ga. — During a special-called meeting Tuesday night, the Baldwin City Council accepted the resignation of Chief Administrative Officer Emily Woodmaster.

The council deliberated personnel matters in executive session for nearly two hours before announcing its decision.

“Personnel matters were discussed, and the City Council accepted the resignation of CAO Emily Woodmaster, effective Dec. 31, 2025,” Mayor Stephanie Almango said.

Woodmaster, who has worked for the city for the past five years, managed the daily operations of Baldwin’s services in her role as CAO for the last three years. Prior to that, she served as city clerk.

On Wednesday, Now Habersham obtained a copy of Woodmaster’s resignation letter, dated Aug. 12. In it, she said she was proud of her accomplishments during her time with the city and hoped that good work would continue, but that relationships had deteriorated over time.

“It has become clear over the last few months that my personal and professional values no longer align with the new vision of some of the current council,” Woodmaster said.

Despite her differences with the council, she expressed “immeasurable gratitude” for her staff. Speaking with Now Habersham Wednesday evening, she said, “They are truly the most inspirational group of people I have had the privilege to lead for the last five years.”

“Working alongside some of the most dedicated and honest individuals who brought the vision of the city to life has been rewarding and a constant reminder that kindness creates joy and joy creates fulfillment. These people are faithfully gracious with their time and talents, and care deeply about providing services that are substantial, and I am incredibly thankful to have been a part of this team.”

This article has been updated to include Woodmaster’s comments

Geraldine Grier

By
Now Habersham
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Geraldine Grier, age 92, of Alto, peacefully went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, August 26, 2025.

Born on March 10, 1933, in Lula, she was a daughter of the late Alvin and Belle Armour Grier. Geraldine was retired from Fieldale Farms Corp. with over 35 years of service. She is remembered as a loving caregiver, who enjoyed helping those in need and making sure that everyone was cared for and had food to eat. She especially enjoyed having her family over for a visit and preparing a meal for them. Family was most important to Geraldine, and she was a caregiver to several of them in their time of need. While she had no children of her own, her nieces and nephews were treated as if they were hers. In her spare time, Geraldine was an avid gardener who canned much of her produce. She enjoyed her coffee, gospel music, and going to singings. She attended Crossroads Baptist Church when she was able.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a sister, Dorothy Ward; and brothers, A.M., Alvin, Jr., Otis “Preach”, Bud, Van, Garnett, Wiley, Lemuel, and Roy Grier.

Survivors include sister, Ruth Swann; brother and sister-in-law, E.D. Grier (Cathy); niece and caregiver, Pat Sullens; and numerous other nieces, nephews, extended relatives and friends.

The family would like to especially thank Geraldine’s special niece, Karen Tomlin; caregiver, Lauren Burgess; and special friends, Pete Burgess and Shirley King.

Graveside services are 2 pm on Friday, August 29, 2025, at Pleasant Grove Cemetery, with David Tomlin officiating.

The family will receive friends from 12 noon until 1:30 pm on Friday, at the funeral home prior to the service.

An online guest register is available and may be viewed at www.mcgaheegriffinandmcentire.com.

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

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