U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock reintroduces John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act at U.S. Capitol Complex. (U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock/Facebook)
U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock and Senator Dick Durban of Illinois are reintroducing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The announcement came during a press conference on Tuesday.
“This has always been a bipartisan piece of legislation,” according to Warnock. “The last time it passed, Georgia W. Bush, a Republican, was president. It passed the Senate without a single no vote. The question becomes ‘what has changed.’ And so, times are tough, but we are not about to give up on passing the Voting Rights Act.”
Supporters say the legislation would strengthen protection against racially discriminatory gerrymanders.
Warnock said voting rights are the bedrock of other rights in the nation.
“Healthcare is critical, climate change as we stand in this heat, whole range of issues, workforce development, people’s prosperity, housing. But here’s the thing, voting rights are preservative of all other rights.”
According to a statement from Warnock, the measure comes as the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office is purging nearly 480,000 voters from the voter rolls and as a Texas House committee hears residents’ concerns on the Legislature’s plans to consider redrawing some congressional districts in the state.
Loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather William “Bill” Herbert Adams, affectionately known as “G-Dad,” passed away peacefully on July 27, 2025, after many long and hard-fought illnesses.
Bill was born on December 20, 1942, in Habersham County, Georgia. He was the youngest child of the late Arnold and Margaret Adams. He is also preceded in death by the love of his life and wife of 62 years, Eloise Stamey Adams; their infant son, Blake; brother, Arnold Adams Jr., and several brothers and sisters-in-law.
Bill was a devoted father to Stephen (Lainie) Adams, Blake Adams (Deceased), and Heather (Frank) Powers. He was a cherished “G-Dad” to Jordan Ivey, Ashton Adams, Brooke Adams, Blake Powers, Caroline Powers, and Emma Powers; great-grandsons Barrett and Chase Ivey. Bill is also survived by his sister, Florence Bowman; Sisters-in-law, Dorothy Wilson and Ann Cain; as well as many adored nieces and nephews.
A 1961 graduate of North Habersham High School, he excelled in football and baseball and was voted “Wittiest” by his senior class. He attended Southern Tech prior to being employed by Mr. Edward P. Withers at Withers Tool Die and Manufacturing Company, Mableton, Georgia, in 1965. He worked at Withers for 44 years, eventually becoming the company’s President and retiring in 2009. Bill was active in his church, serving as a Deacon and teaching numerous Sunday school classes at Mableton First Baptist, and then being a member of the Open Door Sunday school class at First United Methodist Church of Marietta. He was also actively involved in the South Cobb Rotary Club, serving as President for many years prior to his retirement.
He loved playing tennis and golf, winning numerous ALTA city tennis championships and forever “Perfecting” his golf game at Marietta Country Club. As a Georgia Tech football season ticket holder for more than thirty years, his most exciting moment as a Tech fan was being at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando in 1991, when Georgia Tech won the National Championship.
Above all, he loved his family and being a grandfather and great-grandfather, watching countless hours of his grandchildren’s sporting activities, ceremonies, and graduations.
The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the staff at The Grande at Sterling Estates of West Cobb and Willowbrook Hospice for their exceptional care, compassion, and support for both Bill and Eloise during the final phase of their lives.
The family takes comfort in Bill and Eloise being reunited and continuing their love story into eternal life.
Guests will be received on Friday, August 1st, 2025, from 10:30 a.m. until the service begins at 11:30 a.m. at Mayes Ward-Dobbins Historic Chapel in Marietta. Internment will immediately follow the service at Kennesaw Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks you to donate to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital (stjude.org) in honor of Bill and Eloise’s son, Blake Adams.
Habersham County commissioners convene for a special-called meeting on July 28, 2025, to approve SPLOST VIII for the November ballot. (Carly McCurry/NowHabersham)
In a special-called meeting lasting less than ten minutes, the Habersham County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the resolution and intergovernmental agreement that will place SPLOST VIII on the November ballot.
If voters approve the measure, they also authorize the county to issue $52 million in general obligation bonds to fund construction of a new jail. The debt would be repaid with SPLOST VIII revenue and at least two additional SPLOST cycles, spanning approximately 24 years.
The proposed Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) would take effect in 2027, when the current SPLOST expires.
Who gets what?
SPLOST VIII is expected to generate an estimated $75.9 million in revenue over six years. The county plans to use the funds for major capital projects, including:
$20 million debt service on a new county jail
$12.9 million for roads and bridges
$11 million Phase II of the Central Base Fire, EMS, and 911 Building
$8.6 million for fire department equipment, vehicles, and renovations
$2.6 million for EMS equipment and vehicles
$1.5 million for landfill improvements
$1 million for sheriff’s office vehicles and equipment
Habersham’s seven municipalities would also receive a portion of the funds for projects such as water system upgrades, roadwork, and public safety improvements (see complete list below).
SPLOST funds would be divided among the county and cities according to the following percentages:
Percentage
Projected Amount
Habersham County
68.997%
$58,595,535
Alto
1.349%
$754,386
Baldwin
6.459%
$3,612,790
Clarkesville
4.150%
$2,321,467
Cornelia
11.074%
$6,194,469
Demorest
4.391%
$2,456,000
Mount Airy
3.021%
$1,689,775
Tallulah Falls
0.559%
$312,691
“The good thing is the cities agreed to give us $20 million off the top to fund the jail debt,” said Habersham County Commission Vice-Chair Bruce Harkness. “If SPLOST doesn’t pass, then there won’t be a jail.”
If voters approve SPLOST VIII, Habersham’s sales tax rate would remain unchanged at 7%. If voters reject the measure, the sales tax would drop to 6%.
“We’re voting to allow voters to vote on this in November—to continue the existing sales tax,” explained Harkness. “We’re actually lower in this county than even some counties around us.”
Habersham County Manager Tim Sims praised the cooperative process that led to the agreement.
“I’d like to thank all the cities for the cooperation and collaboration on this,” Sims said. “They have been great to work with and you couldn’t ask for a smoother process, so I look forward to working with them to educate the citizens on the project list and advocating for the continuation of the SPLOST program.”
SPLOST VII projects
DEBT SERVICE AND COUNTY PROJECTS
Estimated Cost
Debt Service $20,000,000 of Debt Service on the General Obligation Bonds issued to fund the new Habersham County Jail.
$20,000,000
Sheriff’s Department Vehicles and Equipment
$1,000,000
Phase II of the Central Base Fire, EMS, and 911 Building, including, but not limited to, all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$11,000,000
Fire Department Equipment, Vehicles, and Renovations, including, but not limited to, all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$8,555,885
EMS Equipment and Vehicles, including, but not limited to, the refurbishment and repair of existing equipment and vehicles.
$2,589,650
Roads and Bridges, including, but not limited to, the construction, repair, repaving, and restriping of county roads and bridges, and all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$12,950,000
Landfill Improvements, including, but not limited to, necessary Equipment and Vehicles.
$1,500,000
Facility Improvements, including, but not limited to, improvements to Parks and Recreation fields and facilities, additional parking for the Administration Building, and all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$500,000
Industrial Park and Airport Improvements, including, but not limited to, all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$500,000
Total County Projects
$58,595,535
TOWN OF ALTO PROJECTS
Water System Improvements, including, but not limited to, Water System Monitoring, Water Meter Upgrades, and Water Storage Tank, and all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$375,386
Road Repairs, Repaving, and Restriping, including, but not limited to, the repair, repaving, and restriping of town roads and parking lots, and all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$110,000
Public Safety, including, but not limited to, 911 System Upgrades, Radios, GCIC, and PD Equipment.
$69,000
New Public Works and Water Department Building, including, but not limited to, all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$200,000
Total Alto Projects
$754,386
CITY OF BALDWIN PROJECTS
Roads and Bridges, including, but not limited to, the repair, repaving, and restriping of city roads and bridges, and all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$1,300,000
Recreation, including, but not limited to, all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$135,000
Public Safety, including, but not limited to, all necessary engineering, construction, materials, vehicles, and equipment.
$247,000
Public Works, including, but not limited to, all necessary engineering, construction, materials, vehicles, and equipment.
$380,786
Water and Sewer Infrastructure, including, but not limited to, all necessary engineering, construction, materials, vehicles, and equipment.
$1,550,004
Total Baldwin Projects
$3,612,790
CITY OF CLARKESVILLE PROJECTS
Public Safety, including, but not limited to, all necessary engineering, construction, materials, vehicles, and equipment.
$1,450,000
Water and Sewer Infrastructure, including, but not limited to, all necessary engineering, construction, materials, vehicles, and equipment.
$300,000
Roads and Bridges, including, but not limited to, the repair, repaving, and restriping of city roads and bridges, and all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$371,467
Improvements to Park, including, but not limited to, all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$200,000
Total Clarkesville Projects
$2,321,467
CITY OF CORNELIA PROJECTS
New Downtown Parking Lot, including, but not limited to, all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment
$850,000
Public Safety, including, but not limited to:
Fire Turnout Gear
$60,000
Police Vehicles
$1,780,000
Cameras
$600,000
Street Improvements, including, but not limited to, the repair, repaving, and restriping of city roads and bridges, and all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$1,564,469
Sidewalk Improvements, including, but not limited to, sidewalk repair and all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$900,000
Park Upgrade Project, including, but not limited to, all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$440,000
Total Cornelia Projects
$6,194,469
CITY OF DEMOREST PROJECTS
Public Safety, including, but not limited to, all necessary engineering, construction, materials, vehicles, and equipment.
$1,000,000
Park Improvements, including, but not limited to, all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$200,000
Roads, Bridges, and Sidewalks, including, but not limited to, the repair, repaving, and restriping of city roads, bridges, and sidewalks, and all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$250,000
City Hall Improvements, including, but not limited to, all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$200,000
Public Utilities Improvements, including, but not limited to, all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$806,000
Total Demorest Projects
$2,456,000
TOWN OF MOUNT AIRY PROJECTS
Water and Sewer Infrastructure, including, but not limited to, all necessary engineering, construction, materials, vehicles, and equipment.
$900,000
Roads and Bridges, including, but not limited to, the repair, repaving, and restriping of city roads and bridges, and all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$425,000
Public Safety, including, but not limited to, all necessary engineering, construction, materials, vehicles, and equipment.
$125,000
Parks and Recreation, including, but not limited to, all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$30,000
Public Facilities, including, but not limited to, all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$100,000
Downtown Development, including, but not limited to, all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$109,775
Total Mount Airy Projects
$1,689,775
CITY OF TALULLAH FALLS PROJECTS
Roads and Bridges, including, but not limited to, the repair, repaving, restriping, and drainage of city roads and bridges, and all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$156,000
Water System Improvements, including, but not limited to, Water System Monitoring, Water Meter Upgrades, and Water Storage Tank, and all necessary engineering, construction, materials, and equipment.
$156,691
Total Talullah Falls Projects
$312,691
TOTAL DEBT SERVICE AND ESTIMATED PROJECT COSTS
$75,937,510
Promoting SPLOST
State law prohibits governments from actively promoting tax referendums. However, Partnership Habersham and the Habersham Chamber of Commerce have signaled their support for the SPLOST VIII initiative through education and outreach. Both organizations aim to inform the public about the proposed project list and its impact.
Under provisions governing SPLOST referendums in Georgia, official legal notice must be published at least 90 days before the election, and the resolution or ordinance calling for the referendum must also be adopted no fewer than 90 days in advance.
If the measure fails in November, officials stated that they plan to bring it back for a vote in 2026.
At The Oaks at Scenic View in Baldwin, a small cafeteria became the stage for something unforgettable.
On Monday, the cast of Matilda the Musical from Habersham Community Theater packed up a few props, their costumes, and their hearts to bring the show off the stage and into the lives of the residents.
For many of those who gathered, it was a treat, an unexpected performance brightening an ordinary day.
But for one man in the front row, it meant everything.
Mark Watson, wearing a blue hat, sits among fellow residents watching the surprise performance. (Daniel Purcell/Now Habersham)
Mark Watson, known simply as “Granddeddy” to his granddaughter Ella, has been navigating a season of major health changes that recently brought him to The Oaks. Ella, one of the young actresses playing Matilda in the local production, wanted him to see the show, but the cast wanted him to feel something even deeper.
They didn’t just perform for him. They created a moment he’ll carry with him forever.
Ella Miller and her mom, Amber, lead the cast of Matilda the Musical in a special song for residents. (Daniel Purcell/Now Habersham)
After a lively selection of songs and scenes from Matilda, the room fell quiet. Then, softly, a voice rose, Amber Miller, Ella’s mom, singing “Still Holding My Hand,” a tender ballad from the live-action Matilda movie.
Ella joined her. The cast joined next.
And then, the surprise unfolded.
From the hallway, Mark’s friends and family stepped into the room one by one, filling the space with voices and faces he didn’t know were there. By the final chorus, everyone, cast, family, and friends, stood together, singing directly to him.
The cast of Matilda the Musical stood shoulder to shoulder with friends and family, filled the cafeteria with music, love, and a moment resident, and one very special “granddeddy”, will never forget. (Daniel Purcell/Now Habersham)
Amber says the moment was inspired by one of her father’s favorite films, Big Fish, a story about a man whose life becomes a patchwork of memories, stories, and the people who shaped him. At the end of the movie, everyone who ever mattered gathers one last time to remind him he’s loved, and that his story mattered.
“That’s what I wanted for my dad,” Amber shared. “I wanted him to look around that room and see his life: the people, the love, the memories; all standing there with him.”
For the residents, it was a performance that brought joy to their day.
For Mark, it was something more. It was a living reminder that even in new places and unfamiliar seasons, he is still surrounded by the love and people who have shaped his life.
And for the cast, it was a powerful reminder of what theater is really about: not just performing on stage, but using music and story to reach people’s hearts.
In that little cafeteria in Baldwin, it wasn’t just a cast singing a song. It was a family, a community, and a reminder that love can fill a room louder than any music ever could, and for Mark Watson, that love will keep holding his hand long after the final note fades.
Tennessee Titans linebacker Arden Key uses a wet towel to cool off after practice at the team's NFL football training camp Tuesday, July 29, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Residents in the Southeast U.S. are no strangers to heat in the summertime, but this week’s sweltering hot weather set at least one record and has forecasters urging residents to limit time outside on Tuesday if possible — and stay hydrated.
The all-time high temperature at Tampa International Airport was broken on Sunday when the thermometer hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The previous record had been 99 F in June 2020.
The National Weather Service said Tuesday the prolonged heat is expected to peak in the Southeast at mid-week. A strong upper ridge also was generating a “dangerous and prolonged” heat wave in the central and eastern sections of the country.
No relief in the shade
In Savannah, Georgia, landscaper Darius Cowherd took a break Tuesday in the cab of his work truck after spending the morning mowing grass, trimming bushes and blowing leaves in Forsyth Park in the coastal city’s downtown historic district.
Sipping from a giant water bottle almost the size of a gallon jug, he said, “I filled it with ice at 7 this morning and it’s all melted by 10:30.”
A canopy of live oak trees in much of the park provided little relief.
“It’s hot even when you’re working in the shade,” said Cowherd, who wore a wide-brimmed hat to shield his face and neck.
The National Weather Service predicted temperatures in Savannah would reach 97 F Tuesday, with heat index values — what the temperature feels like — approaching a broiling 110 F.
Breaking records
The heat wave was expected to set new records across Florida on Tuesday, with highs around 100 F. Heat index values in the Tampa Bay area were expected to range from 113 to 118 F.
“We have extreme heat warnings in Georgia, down through northern Florida that would also include places like the Tampa Bay and Orlando metro areas,” said Peter Mullinax, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service. “We’re going to see today more opportunities for temperatures to be near 100 again.”
However, rain is in the forecast for Wednesday, which will likely cool things off a bit.
Extreme heat warnings also were issued in the country’s center from New Orleans up to St. Louis, the meteorologist said. The heat index value on Tuesday was expected to reach as high as 110 F around the St. Louis area and in southwest Illinois.
‘Too much’ heat
In downtown Savannah, scattered tourists trudged along the sidewalks despite the heat. A few carried umbrellas to keep the sun at bay.
A block away, Luis Hernandez was working in direct sun on a ladder painting second-floor windows on a 19th century home. He wore long sleeves to protect against sunburn.
Hernandez said a co-worker made sure he and his fellow house painters had a cooler filled with drinking water. About every two hours, they would go inside to take breaks in the air-conditioning.
“Sure, it’s hot,” Hernandez said — almost “too much.”
Jadie Hatcher, Co-owner of Southern Legacy Wood Products, addressing the White County Board of Commissioners. (Dean Dyer/WRWH.com)
The White County Board of Commissioners on Monday approved a land use application from Southern Legacy Wood Products that will allow the company to expand operations at its property on 1605 Helen Highway in Cleveland.
The decision rezones the property from Community Commercial to Industrial District and grants a Special Use Permit for an “air burn recycling/wood waste processing” facility.
Co-owner Jadie Hatcher told commissioners the facility will accept inert wood waste and process it using an Air Curtain Burner. The device burns waste material down to ash, which will then be sold to local farmers to mix with manure and soil to improve soil conditions. Hatcher said the facility will also burn waste from the company’s onsite firewood operation.
The county planning commission previously recommended approval, contingent on the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) issuing the required air quality and solid waste permits.
Some neighboring property owners had expressed concerns about smoke from the burn process, citing earlier fires at the site. Hatcher explained that the Air Curtain Burner acts like a catalytic converter. “Anything that’s unspent fuel, which is black smoke, comes up, the air pushes it back into the fire, and it just circulates until it’s all gone. It’s a big, huge catalytic converter,” he said.
Hatcher also noted the facility could help the county dispose of large quantities of storm-damaged trees.
The project cannot move forward until the state issues the necessary permits.
Floyce Herring Rose, age 87, of Demorest, Georgia, entered into her eternal rest on Tuesday, July 29, 2025.
The Funeral Service will be held at 4:30 p.m., Friday, August 1, 2025, at the Whitfield Funeral Home, North Chapel, with Dr. Brian James officiating. Interment will follow in the Yonah Memorial Gardens, where she will be laid to rest beside her beloved husband, Bob.
The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Thursday, July 31, 2025, at the funeral home.
A complete obituary will be announced once made available.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Whitfield Funeral Homes & Crematory, North Chapel at 245 Central Avenue, Demorest, Georgia 30535. Telephone: 706-778-1700.
Northeast Georgia schools are starting back this week, and that means football season is right around the corner. Jefferson head coach Travis Noland is expecting big things from the Dragons.
BLITZ sports reporter Brian Carter recently caught up with Noland and several of his players – junior 4-star Clemson commit Max Brown and seniors Chance Payne (Minnesota commit), Darren Pinkard, Dalton Dye, and Tripp Porter – to talk about the upcoming season.
First Liberty Building & Loan in Newnan on July 11, 2025, after the SEC filed its complaint. (Jill Nolin/Georgia Recorder)
(Georgia Recorder) — You expect to see politicians working hard to earn donations, but some Republicans in Georgia are scrambling to give them back.
A growing list of politicians and groups who received money from the conservative lending firm First Liberty Building & Loan and its founder, Brant Frost IV, are sending donations back after Frost was implicated in a purported $140 million Ponzi scheme that feds say started around 2021 and scammed 300 investors.
A U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission complaint says Frost donated more than $570,000 of those investor funds to right-wing candidates and groups across multiple states, though the full number could end up being higher, according to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office.
First Liberty targeted right-wing and Christian groups, and its now-defunct website touted efforts to fund food pantries, a crisis intervention program for middle school boys and other good works.
Brant Frost IV pictured in a screenshot from a 2023 promotional video on First Liberty’s Youtube channel.
“At First Liberty Building & Loan, we believe that charitable giving is a fundamental part of our responsibility as authentic followers of Christ,” Frost said on First Liberty’s website. “By choosing us for your financial needs, you can rest assured that we prioritize giving back to our community. We support charities and organizations that align with our values, and we are committed to making a positive impact in the lives of those less fortunate among us.”
Instead, the SEC complaint alleges that Frost transferred more than $5 million of investor funds to himself and his family. The complaint alleges Frost took in investor money for short-term loans for worthy small businesses, but instead spent it on luxury items including a Maine vacation home, jewelry and a $20,000 watch.
“We call these affinity frauds, where you base it on a certain group, and this is very religious Christians and Republicans,” said Gregory Hays of Atlanta-based Hays Financial Consulting, who was appointed by a U.S. district court judge to receive the money from those returning the funds. “So most of all the victims are either in politics or very faith-based investors, and all of them that I talked to were influenced by the charitable giving and the feel-good side of the company.”
Frost allegedly painted a rosy picture of the loans’ performance to investors, but in reality the majority of the loans that were made went into default, and Frost was using money from new investors to make interest payments to previous investors.
Now, the investors are left holding the bag.
“It’s just devastating to them,” Hays said. “There’s a lot of retirement money. I talked to one gentleman this morning that put $300,000 in, and he said it was all his retirement money, the $300,000. So it’s having some devastating impact on a lot of people.”
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, whose office is investigating First Liberty alongside the SEC, issued an earlier statement calling on recipients to return political contributions from the company or from members of the Frost family. Raffensperger told media outlets he personally returned about $8,400 after learning of the allegations.
As of Wednesday, Hays said recipients had returned about $60,000. By Monday afternoon, that number had increased to $130,000. The response has been intense enough for Hays to set up an automated response to emails warning that he may be slow to write back due to the heavy work load as he fields calls and emails from the investors and hundreds of politicians.
“There was a big hurry right after the secretary of state asked for all Georgia Republicans to return the money, and so we had calls from a lot of different politicians wanting to return the money, and that was before we even found a report of some of the donations,” he said. “We haven’t sent out demands to recover money yet from the politicians, it’s just people are searching their own records and returning money.”
Still, Hays said the process will take a long time to play out.
Frost issued a statement through his attorneys earlier this month taking “full responsibility” and asking that “everyone allow the receiver time to sort things out and do his best to repair the damage I created.”
Payback time
State and federal donation records for First Liberty, Frost and his immediate family members show donations to conservative candidates dating back to the early 2000s, with one in 1995, but stepping up around 2021, when the illegal activity is alleged to have begun.
Some of the recipients are well-known conservative firebrands on the national stage, like Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert and former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, who each received $2,900 from First Liberty in the 2024 election cycle, according to campaign records.
Alabama State Auditor Andrew Sorrell listens to Gov. Kay Ivey deliver the State of the State address in the Old House Chamber at the Alabama State Capitol on Feb. 4, 2025, in Montgomery, Alabama. (Will McClelland/Alabama Reflector)
One of the top beneficiaries of the First Liberty money was Alabama State Auditor Andrew Sorrell, who is running for Alabama Secretary of State. Frost gave Sorrell $71,000, and Sorrell’s PAC made a loan to First Liberty, according to reporting from the Alabama Reflector.
Members of the Frost family and First Liberty have donated more than $50,000 to the state Republican Party in Georgia since 2001 through numerous donations, some as small as $10. Georgia Republican Party Chair Josh McKoon said last week that the party had searched its records and returned $36,843.97, the amount they determined came in since the start of 2021.
“On behalf of our Party, I am profoundly saddened that members of our conservative movement, along with many others, were misled by false promises of safe investments. This has left countless Georgians facing uncertain futures and financial distress,” McKoon said.
Records show three donations from members of the Frost family to Gov. Brian Kemp in 2019, before the scheme was alleged to have begun, totaling $7,500. Kemp’s campaign said the governor sent $13,800 in donations to Hays’ office.
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who is running for governor next year, received $1,000 from a Frost family member and is sending it to Hays, a campaign spokesperson said.
Several of Georgia’s sitting Republican members of Congress received donations, including Congressmen Brian Jack, Andrew Clyde and Rich McCormick, each of whom records show received thousands of dollars from First Liberty and the Frost family since 2021.
Congressman Barry Loudermilk’s most recent donation of $3,600 came in 2014, records show. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and Congressman Rick Allen received only $80 and $50 respectively from First Liberty in 2024.
A spokesperson for Jack’s office said in a statement he immediately returned two donations and emphasized that they made up a small portion of his support.
“Since announcing his campaign for Congress in March 2024, Congressman Jack has received 28,473 donations,” said spokeswoman Alex Stone. “Just 2 of those donations were from individuals who either identified First Liberty as their employer or are named in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s complaint charging First Liberty.”
Jack won his seat last year, replacing retired GOP Congressman Drew Ferguson in the west Georgia district, which includes Newnan where Frost resides.
First Liberty spent big in that race, also supporting at least two of the men who faced Jack in the GOP primary for that seat, records show, including more than $10,000 to former state Sen. Mike Crane and $7,500 in payments to businessman Jim Bennett.
McCormick’s office also confirmed he plans to return donations, which include $11,600 from First Liberty in 2024, according to FEC records.
Georgia Public Service Commission member Tim Echols, who is up for reelection this year, said he has returned two $1,000 donations to the receiver.
The Frosts also spent on lesser-known candidates, in some cases funding challenges to established incumbents.
State Rep. Jordan Ridley, a Woodstock Republican who is returning $3,000 he received in 2022, said the Frosts were fixtures at state Republican events.
“They were definitely big in fundraising for your more right leaning-candidates,” he said. “They were always a staple at the state party events, with tables and things like that. Definitely very active, very involved and very supportive financially.”
Ridley said he was referred to the Frost family by another member of the General Assembly as a potential fundraising source.
Campaign finance records show that other state lawmakers who received First Liberty money include Woodstock Rep. Charlice Byrd, Buford Rep. David Clark, Locust Grove Rep. Noelle Kahaian, Columbus Rep. Carmen Rice, Trenton Sen. Colton Moore and Johns Creek Sen. Shawn Still.
Ridley said he’s talked with colleagues in the Legislature who received the donations and most will be ready to give back their donations without much persuasion.
“For anybody to run a Ponzi scheme or take somebody else’s money like that is just completely unacceptable, and I feel for the victims and I hope they get back as much as possible,” Ridley said.
Ridley said Frost may have been a prolific donator, but losing his money won’t hurt Republicans in 2026 or beyond.
“I don’t think they were that big of a donor statewide for that many people that it’s going to have that big of an impact,” he said. “For some candidates, sure, it may be a lot, but for me, I received a donation one time three years ago. For me, it’s not going to be an issue, and for a lot of my colleagues I know who have received money. They weren’t the only donor or a massive donor, they were just a piece of the pie.”
Georgia Recorder reporter Maya Homan and intern Amber Roldan contributed to this story.
New York Mayor Eric Adams and others stand in tribute to slain New York Police Officer Didarul Islam. (Mayor Eric Adams/Facebook)
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Tuesday that a gunman who killed four people at a Manhattan office building was trying to target the headquarters of the National Football League but took the wrong elevator.
Investigators believe Shane Tamura of Las Vegas was trying to get to the NFL offices after shooting several people Monday in the building’s lobby but accidentally entered the wrong set of elevator banks, Adams said in interviews on Tuesday.
Four people, including an off-duty New York City police officer, were killed. Police said Tamura had a history of mental illness, and a rambling note found on his body suggested he had a grievance against the NFL over an unsubstantiated claim that he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy. He had played football in high school in California nearly two decades ago.
“He seemed to have blamed the NFL,” the mayor said. “The NFL headquarters was located in the building, and he mistakenly went up the wrong elevator bank.”
The note claimed he had been suffering from CTE — the degenerative brain disease that has been linked to concussions and other repeated head trauma common in contact sports like football — and said his brain should be studied after he died, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.
It also specifically referenced the National Football League, one of the people familiar with the matter said.
A motive has not been determined but investigators were looking into, based on the note, whether he might’ve specifically targeted the building because it is home to the NFL’s headquarters.
The shooting took place at a skyscraper that is home to the headquarters of both the NFL and Blackstone, one of the world’s largest investment firms, as well as other tenants.
The company confirmed one of its employees, Wesley LePatner, was among those killed.
“Words cannot express the devastation we feel,” the firm said in a statement. “Wesley was a beloved member of the Blackstone family and will be sorely missed. She was brilliant, passionate, warm, generous, and deeply respected within our firm and beyond.”
A Yale graduate, LePatner was a real estate executive at Blackstone, according to the firm’s website, and spent more than a decade at Goldman Sachs before joining the firm in 2014.
Surveillance video showed the man exiting a double-parked BMW just before 6:30 p.m. carrying an M4 rifle, then marching across a public plaza into the building. Then, he started firing, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said, killing a police officer working a corporate security detail and then hitting a woman who tried to take cover as he sprayed the lobby with gunfire.
The man then made his way to the elevator bank and shot a guard at a security desk and shot another man in the lobby, the commissioner said.
“Our officer, he was slain in the entryway to the right as soon as he entered the building, the suspect entered the building,” Adams said in a TV interview. “He appeared to have first walked past the officer and then he turned to his right, and saw him and discharged several rounds.”
The man took the elevator to the 33rd floor offices of the company that owned the building, Rudin Management, and shot and killed one person on that floor. The man then shot himself, the commissioner said. The building, 345 Park Avenue, also holds offices of the financial services firm KPMG.
The officer killed was Didarul Islam, 36, an immigrant from Bangladesh who had served as a police officer in New York City for 3 1/2 years, Tisch said at a news conference.
“He was doing the job that we asked him to do. He put himself in harm’s way. He made the ultimate sacrifice,” Tisch said. “He died as he lived. A hero.”
Austin Riley hits a solo homer in the 7th contributing to the Braves' 10-7 win over Kansas on July 28, 2025. (Atlanta Braves/Facebook)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ronald Acuña Jr., Marcell Ozuna and Austin Riley homered as the Atlanta Braves snapped a five-game losing streak with a 10-7 victory over the Kansas City Royals, who equaled a club record by walking 14 batters Monday night.
It was the fourth time the Royals walked 14 and the first since 2006.
Acuña hit a two-run homer, his 14th, in the third and an inning later Ozuna added another two-run shot, also his 14th. Riley hit a solo homer, his 15th, in the seventh — and his three-run double in the eighth made it 9-3.
Spencer Strider (5-8) pitched five innings, giving up two runs on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts. Raisel Iglesias squelched a Royals rally in the ninth for his 12th save.
Six of Kansas City’s walks were issued by Rich Hill (0-2), who went four innings and gave up four runs and four hits. It was the second start of 2025 for the 45-year-old Hill after making his season debut with the Royals last Tuesday. It was also Hill’s 250th career start and 388th appearance in his 21st season.
Randal Grichuk hit his eighth homer, his first with the Royals since being acquired from Arizona on Saturday. Bobby Witt Jr. hit two doubles and leads the majors with 36. Maikel Garcia had two doubles among his three hits.
One person was hospitalized for smoke inhalation, and four pets were rescued during a house fire in Commerce on Monday.
Emergency crews from Commerce Fire, Maysville Fire, JCCI Fire, Jackson County EMS, and Commerce Police responded to the scene on Brookwood Avenue. When firefighters arrived, they found smoke coming from the front of the house and flames at the rear.
According to the Commerce Fire Department, the home’s occupants had already escaped, but one person was suffering from smoke inhalation. Jackson County EMS transported them to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville for treatment.
The fire gutted the kitchen. (Commerce Fire Department/Facebook)
(Commerce Fire Department/Facebook)
While searching the residence, firefighters located three cats and one dog still inside. All four animals were rescued and taken by Commerce Police to Commerce Veterinary Hospital for evaluation and care.
Officials say the fire started in the kitchen. They urge residents to check their smoke detectors to ensure they are working.
