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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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 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.”
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.”
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.
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, 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.
Some of the young people who’ll be wiring Georgia’s homes and businesses for the next several decades had their moment in the sun Wednesday in Clarkesville, as a building dedicated to their education reopened at North Georgia Technical College.
The College celebrated with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting at Purcell Hall, where some 76 NGTC students are already studying in the new school year to learn how to build and maintain electrical systems for all purposes. The building—formerly used for Precision Machining training—is 56 years old, but the College, with state funding, renovated and refitted it over the last two years, and officially opened with an hour-long event featuring college administrators and teachers, area politicians and business personalities, and 15 students at various stages of their electrical educations.
NGTC President John Wilkinson, right, listens as State Sen. Steve Gooch (R-Dahlonega) extols the virtues of learning a trade during the official reopening of Purcell Hall at NGTC on Aug. 27, 2025. The building now houses the school’s electrical training program. (Joshua M. Peck/NowHabersham.com)
State Sen. Steve Gooch (R-Dahlonega) told the crowd of some 100, “I’d much rather be building schoolhouses and libraries than jails, and I think when people get an education, they have the opportunity to go and do things for themselves and make a future for themselves and for their family.”
Gooch extolled the value of technical education, telling the crowd that the certificates and diplomas issued at NGTC might be the most valuable currently offered in higher education, perhaps even surpassing the four-year academic degrees offered at other colleges and universities.
“I think the future is really going to be more about jobs that require a technical degree and a skilled labor force, and that’s what I want to focus on as I continue my progress in politics,” said Gooch, who is running for lieutenant governor. “We have to provide the workforce for these companies that are coming to and competing in Georgia.
Beyond wiring, watts, and amps
Gary Hosemann, the sole instructor of the electrical systems program, emotionally agreed with Gooch, seeming overcome at times as he addressed the crowd. He exulted about the remaking of the building, which was built in 1969.
“If I had a new building, I wouldn’t feel the same about it,” Hosemann said. Citing the Bible, the 68-year-old teacher, sporting a large cross on his necktie, told the crowd: “I’ve already nicknamed (the building) ‘Esther.’ She’s a lot like me; she’s old, she’s been used, she’s been abused, she’s been repurposed, and she has a lot of character,” Hosemann said.
“I believe she’s the prettiest building on this campus, and I’m so thankful for her. If you know anything about Esther, she was created by God for a very important purpose,” he added.
NGTC’s Electrical Systems Technology Instructor Gary Hosemann, flanked by students, addresses the crowd. (Joshua M. Peck)
Hosemann praised his students’ intelligence and said they were learning lessons beyond wiring, watts, and amps: “Who is your customer?” he asked. “Everybody!” He added, “When you incorporate that attitude in your business, I promise you good results.”
Hosemann noted that the program offers material success to many of its graduates, with some earning more than $100,000 a year—even while still apprentices in the trade.
Hosemann sold his own electrical, heating, and air conditioning business, based in Hall County, a short time before coming to teach at the College last year, he said.
A multi-million dollar renovation
The redesign of the 16,941-square-foot building provided additional space for labs, classrooms, office space, storage, and ADA-compliant restrooms. The exterior was modified to blend with other campus facilities.
NGTC President John Wilkinson took the microphone for a few minutes during Wednesday’s ribbon-cutting, primarily to thank the state legislature for supplying the $4.8 million cost of renovating the building. He expressed pride over the College’s status as the oldest state technical college, having opened in 1943.
With a grin, Wilkinson told a story:
“We had t-shirts made with ‘43’ on them. I was out in our auto mechanics program one day, and one young man had a shirt on that had ‘43’ on it, and I said, ‘Son, do you know what that ‘43’ signifies? He said, ‘Sure!’ I said, “What is it?’ He said, ‘Richard Petty’ (the NASCAR racer).”
NGTC President John Wilkinson cuts the ribbon on the $4.5 million renovation project. (Joshua M. Peck)
The president singled out former State Sen. John Foster, 90 years old, in the crowd, who served from 1975 to 1992, including time as chair of the Senate’s Education Committee. Foster had another distinction, which he proudly acknowledged; he is the nephew of Dr. Claude Purcell, after whom the building was renamed. Purcell held various education posts in Georgia, retiring as the State Superintendent of Schools in 1965.
Learning the trade
Three students showed off the workshop where they are learning their trade. The shop features multiple banks of electrical sockets and other equipment, on which students learn and practice their skills. Nothing is attached to an electrical source until it’s ready to be tested, and then there are safety protocols in place to ensure nothing goes wrong, they said.
Student Zion Green, of Atlanta, who is in his third semester, said he plans to “get out, make the world better, and wire some buildings.” He said he’d “love to stay here,” but will move to wherever work takes him.
From left, Electrical Systems Tech students Zion Green of Atlanta, Joseph Smith of Buford, and Jean Pierre Luc Rondeau of Toccoa. (Joshua M. Peck)
Jean Pierre Luc Rondeau, 28, of Toccoa, had a previous stint at NGTC. He spent some time in the culinary field and other jobs, including at Fieldale Farms. “I am hoping to find something that will support me better,” he said. He has no experience with the trade, and “I touched my first wire at the beginning of this year,” and is excited to move forward. When he graduates, he plans to move closer to family members in Arlington, Va., where he hears that wages in the electrical trade are high.
Joseph Smith has a legacy in the field. “I was always interested in electrical studies,” he says. “My grandpa was an electrical engineer—he helped build missiles—and I was always interested in it.” Smith hails from Indianapolis but now lives in Buford, having moved to Georgia seven years ago.
Sowing the seeds
After the ribbon-cutting, instructor Hosemann remarked, “I’ve been here a little over a year and I’ve bled, I’ve sweated, and I’ve gotten mad, but I haven’t worked a day since I’ve been here; it’s actually like a ministry. Sowing the seeds with these young men is just great.”
He backed off the last sentence when asked if every one of his students was male, as were all 15 who attended the ribbon-cutting. “No, I didn’t mean that; the two top students in my class are women!”
The now former CDC Director Susan Monarez met with employees and members of the media at CDC headquarters in Atlanta days after a gunman opened fire on the Atlanta campus, killing a police officer and himself. (Rebecca Grapevine/Healthbeat)
NEW YORK (AP) — The director of the nation’s top public health agency has been fired after less than one month in the job, and several top agency leaders have resigned.
Susan Monarez isn’t “aligned with” President Donald Trump’s agenda and refused to resign, so the White House terminated her, spokesman Kush Desai said Wednesday night.
Her lawyers said she was targeted for standing up for science.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services had announced her departure in a brief social media post late Wednesday afternoon. Her lawyers responded with a statement saying Monarez had neither resigned nor been told she was fired.
“When CDC Director Susan Monarez refused to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives and fire dedicated health experts, she chose protecting the public over serving a political agenda. For that, she has been targeted,” attorneys Mark Zaid and Abbe David Lowell wrote in a statement.
“This is not about one official. It is about the systematic dismantling of public health institutions, the silencing of experts, and the dangerous politicization of science. The attack on Dr. Monarez is a warning to every American: our evidence-based systems are being undermined from within,” they said.
Her departure coincided with the resignations this week of at least four top CDC officials. The list includes Dr. Debra Houry, the agency’s deputy director; Dr. Daniel Jernigan, head of the agency’s National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases; Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, head of its National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; and Dr. Jennifer Layden, director of the Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance, and Technology.
In an email seen by The Associated Press, Houry lamented the crippling effects on the agency from planned budget cuts, reorganization and firings.
“I am committed to protecting the public’s health, but the ongoing changes prevent me from continuing in my job as a leader of the agency,” she wrote.
She also noted the rise of misinformation about vaccines during the current Trump administration, and alluded to new limits on CDC communications.
“For the good of the nation and the world, the science at CDC should never be censored or subject to political pauses or interpretations,” she wrote.
Daskalakis worked closely with the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Kennedy remade the committee by firing everyone and replacing them with a group that included several vaccine skeptics — one of whom was put in charge of a COVID-19 vaccines workgroup.
In his resignation letter, Daskalakis lamented that the changes put “people of dubious intent and more dubious scientific rigor in charge of recommending vaccine policy.” He described Monarez as “hamstrung and sidelined by an authoritarian leader.” He added: “Their desire to please a political base will result in death and disability of vulnerable children and adults.”
He also wrote: “I am unable to serve in an environment that treats CDC as a tool to generate policies and materials that do not reflect scientific reality.”
HHS officials did not immediately respond to questions about the resignations.
Some public health experts decried the loss of so many of CDC’s scientific leaders.
“The CDC is being decapitated. This is an absolute disaster for public health,” said Public Citizen’s Dr. Robert Steinbrook.
Michael Osterholm, a University of Minnesota infectious disease researcher, said the departures were “a serious loss for America.”
“The loss of experienced, world-class infectious disease experts at CDC is directly related to the failed leadership of extremists currently in charge of the Department of Health and Human Services,” he said. “They make our country less safe and less prepared for public health emergencies.”
Monarez, 50, was the agency’s 21st director and the first to pass through Senate confirmation following a 2023 law. She was named acting director in January and then tapped as the nominee in March after Trump abruptly withdrew his first choice, David Weldon.
She was sworn in on July 31 — less than a month ago, making her the shortest-serving CDC director in the history of the 79-year-old agency.
Her short time at CDC was tumultuous. On Aug. 8, at the end of her first full week on the job, a Georgia man opened fire from a spot at a pharmacy across the street from CDC’s main entrance. The 30-year-old man blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for making him depressed and suicidal. He killed a police officer and fired more than 180 shots into CDC buildings before killing himself.
No one at CDC was injured, but it shell-shocked a staff that already had low morale from other recent changes.
Monarez had scheduled an “all hands meeting” meeting for the CDC staff — seen as an important step in addressing concerns among staff since the shooting — for Monday this week. But HHS officials meddled with that, too, canceling it and calling Monarez to Washington, D.C., said a CDC official who was not authorized to talk about it and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
The Atlanta-based federal agency was initially founded to prevent the spread of malaria in the U.S. Its mission was later expanded, and it gradually became a global leader on infectious and chronic diseases and a go-to source of health information.
This year it’s been hit by widespread staff cuts, resignations of key officials and heated controversy over long-standing CDC vaccine policies upended by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
During her Senate confirmation process, Monarez told senators that she values vaccines, public health interventions and rigorous scientific evidence. But she largely dodged questions about whether those positions put her at odds with Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic who has criticized and sought to dismantle some of the agency’s previous protocols and decisions.
Sen. Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat, praised Monarez for standing up to Kennedy and called for him to be fired.
“We cannot let RFK Jr. burn what’s left of the CDC and our other critical health agencies to the ground,” she said in a statement Wednesday night.
District 10 State Rep. Victor Anderson (R-Cornelia) speaks during a Blue Ribbon Study Committee hearing on elections in Rockmart on August 8, 2025. The committee meets at North Georgia Technical College in Clarkesville on Aug. 28, 2025. (livestream image)
Northeast Georgians will have a chance on Thursday to share their views on the State Election Board. The Georgia House Blue Ribbon Study Committee on Election Procedures will visit Clarkesville on August 28. The meeting will take place from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the North Georgia Technical College Industrial Technology Center.
District 10 Rep. Victor Anderson (R-Cornelia) is vice chair of the committee. He arranged the Clarkesville meeting to give citizens direct input.
“This committee has a clear and focused mission: to take a close look at how our state administers elections—both at the state and local levels—and ensure that our laws and procedures are secure, transparent, and effective,” Anderson said.
Thursday’s session will examine the State Election Board’s role, membership, and effectiveness. Board members will testify, and the public can comment.
“This is a very timely topic and will likely provide some spirited debate,” Anderson said.
Rep. Tim Fleming (R-Covington) chairs the committee. Other members are Rep. Martin Momtahan (R-Dallas), Rep. Trey Kelley (R-Cedartown), Rep. Rob Leverett (R-Elberton), Speaker Pro Tem Rep. Jan Jones (R-Milton), and Rep. Saira Draper (D-Atlanta).
Focus on election security
Since 2020 and unproven claims of widespread voter fraud, Georgia Republicans have made election security a top priority. They have passed new laws limiting ballot drop boxes, requiring ID for absentee ballots, and banning food and water distribution to voters in line—a practice called “line relief.”
Anderson said he expects strong input from voters and officials on oversight rules and election law.
“This is a very timely topic and will likely provide some spirited debate,” he said.
Committee schedule
This will be the third of six statewide meetings. Previous sessions were in Atlanta and Rockmart. Future meetings are set for Savannah on September 18, Covington on October 2, and Americus on October 16.
All meetings are open to the public and livestreamed.
The committee will present its findings to House Speaker Jon Burns (R-Newington) before the 2026 session.
“I fully expect our committee to take all the testimony from these meetings into account as we recommend forward-thinking, effective legislation,” Anderson told Now Habersham.
Burns said he looks forward to the recommendations to “ensure Georgia has the most secure election system in the nation ahead of the 2026 election cycle.”
