Berry College ranks #2 on Travel + Leisure's list of "Most Beautiful Campuses" in the United States. Pictured, Ford Hall at Berry College in Rome, Georgia (Credit: Berry College)
Two Georgia colleges were named in Travel + Leisure’s list of the “30 Most Beautiful College Campuses in the U.S.”
The colleges were Berry College, a private liberal arts college in Rome, and the University of Georgia, one of the state’s largest public universities, in Athens.
Travel + Leisure highlights the schools for not just being attractive institutions for prospective students but also as tourist sites to admire their scenery, architecture and landmarks.
Berry College
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(Credit: Berry College)
Ford Hall (Credit: Berry College)
House O' Dreams (Credit: Berry College)
Deer at sunset on the Berry College campus in Northwest Georgia. (Credit: Berry College)
The college is known for having the world’s largest campus, spanning 27,000 acres, with 41 primary buildings, and having 88 miles of trails throughout northwestern Georgia.
On the campus are fields, lakes, forests and mountains that blend well within the natural landscapes of North Georgia.
The magazine highlights Berry for “making use of its setting with numerous reflecting pools and fountains situated near its beautiful English Gothic-inspired buildings,” such as Ford Hall, one of the college’s most attractive buildings, named after its funder Henry Ford.
University of Georgia
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Founders Memorial Garden (Credit: University of Georgia Marketing and Communications)
Late afternoon view of the Herty Field fountain. (Credit: University of Georgia Marketing and Communications)
View of Moore Hall with the Herty Field historic marker in the foreground. (Credit: University of Georgia Marketing and Communications)
The iconic UGA Arch and historic marker at the entrance to North Campus. (Credit: University of Georgia Marketing and Communications)
North Campus in fall by the UGA Library (Credit: University of Georgia Marketing and Communications)
UGA Chapel on the North Campus Quadrangle (Credit: University of Georgia Marketing and Communications)
Sanford Stadium (Credit: University of Georgia Marketing and Communications)
The University Georgia was ranked 27th on the list.
UGA’s main campus in Athens consists of over 700 acres of land with historic buildings and landscape elements which the school says “can be tied to several periods of significant development within the school’s long history.”
Likewise, T+L praises its north campus for its “picturesque landscape with historical buildings.”
The list highlights North Campus’ Founders Memorial Garden full of fountains and over 300 plant species, as well as its iconic iron arch — which students traditionally avoid walking under until after graduation.
Habersham County poll worker Stephanie Martin watches as a voter scans his ballot into the machine for the PSC primary runoff on July 15, 2025. Scenes such as this at Habersham's South Precinct in Cornelia were few and far between, as most Georgia voters sat out this election. (Chaz Mullis/NowHabersham.com)
The polling rooms in Habersham’s North and South precincts remained empty on Tuesday afternoon. The Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) Special Primary Runoff has seen a limited turnout; less than one percent of Georgians have voted as of July 14.
In Habersham, the number of voters is also less than one percent.
“We’ve had about 87 voters in the advance voting plus the absentee by mail,” said Senior Elections Assistant Derek LaPerriere. “Now we’re closing in on about 50 on election day.”
LaPerriere was uncertain if the voter count would reach 100 by the time the polls closed, but he said he was “remaining hopeful.”
White County reported similarly dismal numbers with 62 voters, and Banks County reported 11 voters in early and absentee voting.
According to the Secretary of State’s election website, across Northeast Georgia, the lowest early turnout was in Franklin County, where only seven people—less than one-tenth of a percentage point—of that county’s active registered voters cast ballots. And the highest regional turnout was in Clarke County, where 562, or 0.8%, of the county’s active voters cast ballots ahead of the July 15 runoff.
Publicizing elections
Scenes like this, with rows of empty voting booths have been a common sight through the Georgia Public Service Commission primary. This is what the Habersham County Elections Office looked like mid-afternoon on the final day of voting. (Chaz Mullis/NowHabersham.com)
For future special elections, LaPerriere wants the department to further utilize social media to spread awareness.
“We do have Facebook, we have the website, we have a lot of outward facing media that we’re hoping to continue to grow,” he said. “We like working with the media and getting information out, but ultimately it comes down to what the voters want to vote on.”
Keisha Waites, a former Atlanta City Councilwoman and ex-state representative, joins Peter Hubbard, a clean energy advocate, on Tuesday’s ballot. Waites was the frontrunner in the special primary election with a 16,110-vote advantage over Hubbard. Waites was just shy of the 50% vote threshold needed to avoid a runoff.
The runoff winner will face GOP incumbent Commissioner Fitz Johnson in November’s general election. Johnson was appointed by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp in 2021.
Registered Georgia voters who did not cast Republican ballots in the June 17 primary are eligible to vote Tuesday through 7 p.m. Registration and polling place information can be checked at the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page.
The Sardis Road Connector, starting at the intersection with Chestatee Road, will run 3.55 miles and connect SR 60 with SR 53. (Credit: Google Maps)
A major new road project is underway in Hall County as the Georgia Department of Transportation begins construction on the Sardis Road Connector. The $57.2 million project aims to ease traffic congestion and improve north-south connectivity between State Route 53 and State Route 60.
The 3.55-mile route will stretch from the Sardis Road/Chestatee Road intersection to SR 60 near Mt. Vernon Road. The new connector will follow a mix of existing roads and newly constructed roadway on a fresh alignment.
Hall County broke ground on the project in April. Once complete, the Sardis Road Connector will be a four-lane, divided road with curb and gutter. A 20-foot raised median will separate two travel lanes in each direction, and sidewalks will run along both sides to improve pedestrian safety.
Detours will be established around the construction area as work progresses.
“As Hall County continues to grow, so does the demand for safer, more efficient routes,” said District Engineer Grant Waldrop. “The Sardis Road Connector is a critical piece of that solution. It provides a more direct route between two major state routes and relieves pressure on surrounding local roads.”
Sardis Road will serve as the designated detour during construction to keep traffic moving through the area.
Georgia DOT awarded the construction contract to E.R. Snell Contractor, LLC, for $57,248,537.08. The department urges drivers to stay alert, reduce speed in work zones, and follow posted detour signs. Updates on traffic impacts and construction progress will be shared online and on social media.
FILE - Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) throws a pass during the second half of the Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game against Texas, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File)
ATLANTA (AP) — Kirby Smart hasn’t officially named Gunner Stockton starting quarterback for the upcoming season at Georgia, but it doesn’t matter. Since stepping foot on campus, Stockton has prepared like the job is going to be his.
Smart said Stockton’s commitment to preparation is one of the things he admires most.
“He prepared every game as if he was the starter,” Smart said Tuesday at SEC media days. “People can say that and say that’s coach-speak, but he actually did it. He went in, watched extra tape, and he knew that in any point in time, he could be called up to go into the game and play.”
Stockton finished the 2024 season with 45 completions for 440 yards, a touchdown and an interception in five games: He stepped in for an injured Carson Beck and led the Bulldogs to a 22-19 overtime victory over Texas in the SEC Championship and started in the Sugar Bowl loss to Notre Dame. He was was 20 of 32 for 234 yards and a TD in the playoff semifinal.
It was enough to give Smart confidence that Beck’s successor was already in the quarterback room.
“He didn’t play in a normal environment where you’ve got a big lead, maybe you’re beating an opponent,” Smart said. “He went in against a top defense in the country in one of the biggest games of the season and performed well for a guy that had not gotten a lot of reps with the (starters). So I thought he handled that moment well and he taught a lot of our young players that you’ve got to be prepared and ready.”
Stockton earned the short trip to Atlanta for this week’s event and was peppered with more questions than teammates CJ Allen and Daylen Everette.
“(Bringing Stockton) was a message about leadership,” said Smart. “He’s separated himself as a great leader of the team and you try to bring people here that can affect others. He’s done that in spring practice.”
The starting job isn’t necessarily a layup for Stockton. Ryan Puglisi is eyeing the role too.
“Ryan is doing awesome too. Ryan and (Stockton) are going to be competing for everything they do. Gunner knows he’s got to go out and play well,” Smart said.
If Stockton stays the course, the offense will be his to lead on Aug. 30, when Georgia hosts Marshall in the season opener. Either way, he’s already picked up on the differences that come with starting.
“It’s just a different role,” Stockton said. “I get more attention in Athens, getting pictures and stuff like that. But that comes with the role, and just being more vocal with the team and just enjoying it. I’ve enjoyed the process so far, and I can’t wait for the season. I’m really excited.”
Georgia football enters a new era in more ways than one. The influx of fifth- and sixth-year players is over as the extra eligibility granted because of the pandemic fades away. Smart said first- and second-year players make up 54% of the team, a big change from the 2024 roster he referred to as one of the most veteran teams he’d coached.
“What do you get with that? You get youthful exuberance,” Smart said. “We’ve had practices that have been spirited.”
In the spring, Smart spoke with the team about passion and energy, traits he seeks in prospective and current players as the money starts flowing to college athletes under the terms of the House settlement.
“No coach is going to stand up here and say they don’t want players to get paid. We want them to get paid,” he said. “I’m completely comfortable with that. What I want is them to get paid and that not change how they go about their business, that not change if they’re sensitive to being demanded excellence of.”
After nine seasons and two national championships, one thing Smart said he won’t do is change his coaching style and philosophy.
“People don’t want to confront and demand anymore for fear of losing a player,” he said. “I would rather go get the right player that buys into that and then I’ve got something special when they do develop.”
Natasha Dove searched her son’s eyes as he gently touched her face while she rose from the water. She was among seven who were baptized July 13, 2025, in the Soque River during an open community baptism. Another is planned for August 16. (Photo by Vickie Skelton)
Ginger Chappell emerged from the shallow water of the Soque River in Clarkesville, dripping with cool water and newfound faith.
She and her former and future husband, T.J. Chappell, joined five other people baptized Saturday in the river, in a gathering organized by Christian laypeople and open to all.
A baptism of healing
“I feel clean, refreshed,” Ginger said. Moments earlier, she had been sobbing on the shoulder of Nicole Moore, the lay pastor who led her and others through the open-air baptism, consoling her for her confessed past misdeeds and embracing her in her life to come on Earth, and, she hopes, in Heaven.
T.J. and Ginger Chappell pray at their baptism on July 12, 2025. The couple reunited after the death of their son. They came to the river seeking hope and healing. (Photo by Joshua M. Peck)
T.J. went under the water just after Ginger, cradled in the attendants’ hands. After the couple emerged, they said they had married in 1999, were together for six years, then divorced, but have been finding their way back together, even after they lost their beloved son, Patrick, to a fentanyl overdose about a year ago.
“I have a feeling of so many things leaving me,” Ginger said, her soaked hair glistening in the July sun. “I’ve never experienced anything like it before.”
T.J. said the couple would complete their transformative day by driving up to a waterfall farther north in Georgia, with a plan to scatter their son’s ashes in one of the places they used to enjoy taking him.
T.J. and Ginger Chappell step into a new life of faith and togetherness. The couple left the river and headed for a waterfall where they planned to scatter their son’s ashes. (Photo by Grecia Fernanda Galarza-Hernandez)
Open invitation, open hearts
Some 35 devout Christians, many of them connected to Bethesda Fellowship Church in Cornelia, gathered on July 12 from 1 p.m. to past 4, offering fellowship, camaraderie, and full-immersion baptism in Habersham’s principal river, where it runs along the north side of Pitts Park.
Nicole Moore and Tabitha Graham baptize one of seven people who turned out for the open-air baptism at Pitts Park on Saturday, July 12, 2025. (Photo by Grecia Fernanda Galarza-Hernandez)
Alongside the baptism site at the west end of the park, preparations for Saturday evening’s “Red, White, and Tunes” concert were underway; later on, one of the people attending the event came over to the baptism site and underwent the rite herself. Moore said she told them only her first name, Marissa. The spontaneity of the moment made it a high point of the day, Moore said.
In a text Saturday afternoon, Moore wrote: “[Marissa] saw our ‘Open Baptisms’ sign and felt drawn to come and be baptized. You could visibly see the Holy Spirit working in her and it was truly beautiful!! She hadn’t known about the event and didn’t have dry clothes to change into, but didn’t care. She wanted an encounter with Jesus and came to the water. She handed someone her phone, and right into the water she went. She got her encounter with Jesus, and it was truly amazing!!”
Outside the box
Tabitha Graham prays during the baptismal ceremony on the Soque. (Photo by Vickie Skelton)
Pastor John Graham of Bethesda, casually dressed in a Ronald Acuña Atlanta Braves jersey, came to the baptism to support the proceedings, though he didn’t personally organize it.
“Organized religion has put God in a box, and he was never supposed to be there,” Graham said. He said he’d encouraged Moore and the rest of his congregation to get out into the community and minister to potential, aspiring, or committed Christians, and bring people closer to the faith.
Graham’s wife, Tabitha, also assisted with the baptisms, helping the people in and out of the water and laying her hands on them as they prepared and submerged. Later, she said she takes the message of spreading the Word seriously and has led groups of Christian women to the Lee Arrendale State Prison in Alto to minister to inmates, who are all women. She and her team recently baptized some 40 Arrendale inmates.
Flowing water, living faith
Saturday marked the second of three scheduled baptism events this summer at Pitts Park. The final one is August 16, offering baptism to anyone in the community who feels called to take part.
Lay pastor Nicole Moore (right) prepares to baptize another believer. (Photo by Vickie Skelton)
Moore led each of the willing people through the ritual, whispering words of encouragement to them, laying hands on their shoulders, and ultimately dipping each backwards into the water. All looked joyful as they emerged into what they hoped was a new beginning for their faith and their everyday lives.
Natasha and Samuel Dove of Danielsville, 40 and 42 years old, respectively, only recently committed to baptism. Samuel knew for weeks he wanted to take the plunge, but Natasha wasn’t so sure. “I was still thinking about it until last night,” she said.
Natasha Dove and her son share a personal moment after her baptism and public professiona of faith. (Photo by Vickie Skelton)
One of their three children joined them at the river and frolicked around them while the ceremony was underway. The boy gently touched his mother’s face as she emerged from the water.
“This was awesome; God definitely received glory today,” Moore said.
While baptism in man-made vessels is permissible—Moore has used clean animal feeding troughs and inflatable swimming pools—she said, “it’s different in the living, flowing water.”
God understands
Some of what Moore said to the baptism candidates was inaudible from the riverbank. Asked what words were exchanged, she said, “We’ve been very personal with some of the people—as intimate as they want to get with their words, we receive them.”
Moore and some of the others also occasionally spoke in tongues during the baptisms. While the syllables may sound like gibberish to many, Moore said they offer a spiritual message and are a gift. Speaking in tongues is another means of communicating with God.
“He understands what the words mean,” she added.
It’s about time
Susan Green emerges from the water after her baptism. (Photo by Joshua M. Peck)
“I feel wonderful,” said Susan Green, 52, as she left the water after being immersed early in the day. “I just felt led, and I decided to do it two days ago.” She said that the experience was “more than I expected…the peace of God was present.”
Baptism has roots that go back at least as far as John the Baptist in the Bible. The Gospels describe Jesus’ baptism at the hands of John—also in a flowing river—the Jordan.
The group assembled at the riverfront on July 12. Many are affiliated with Bethesda Church in Cornelia. (Photo by Vickie Skelton)
Ancient Jewish traditions also mandated ritual cleansing in a flowing body of water or specially constructed ritual baths. Jewish high priests used them, but also regular citizens who cleansed themselves for purity. They would bathe following a disease, or by women, after their menstrual cycles and childbirth.
Bonnie Dillashaw, a close friend of Moore, delighted in being outdoors with folks at the park. The bustle and preparation for the concert and fireworks show did not faze her.
“This is what we’re supposed to be doing, Dillashaw said, “more public events.”
She laughed at the notion that church needed to be restricted to a physical space. Gesturing toward the river, she added, “It’s about time that Jesus left the building.”
FILE PHOTO - Habersham County E-911 will host its 17th annual Children's Fun Fest on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, at the Habersham County Fairgrounds.
The annual Habersham County E-911 Children’s Fun Festival is set to return this fall. The 2025 Fun Fest will take place on Thursday, October 23, from 5 – 8 p.m. at the Habersham County Fairgrounds, located at 4235 Toccoa Highway in Clarkesville.
The event, hosted by Habersham County Central Communications, is free and open to the public. It brings together first responders, public safety professionals, local businesses, and families for a night designed to foster stronger community relationships.
Festivalgoers can expect games, booths, candy, safety demonstrations, and more. Organizations and businesses are encouraged to participate by setting up decorated booths, each of which will be automatically entered into the event’s annual booth decorating contest. The winner earning bragging rights and a feature on the Habersham County E-911 Facebook page.
In addition to the festivities, the county is once again offering limited-edition T-shirts to commemorate the event. Shirts will be available for sale starting August 1 and can be picked up on October 1—just in time to wear them to Fun Fest. Proceeds from the shirt sales will benefit the Habersham County Paramedicine Program, a life-saving service for residents across the county. Last year’s shirt campaign raised over $2,600 for the cause.
Local businesses can support the event by becoming T-shirt sponsors. Four sponsorship levels are available:
Bronze ($50) – Logo printed on the back of the shirt
Silver ($100) – Same as Bronze plus two free shirts
Gold ($200) – Larger logo plus two free shirts
Platinum ($500) – Exclusive top-tier sponsorship with the largest logo, inclusion on flyers and social media promotions, and two free shirts (limited to two sponsors)
T-shirt sponsorship is first come, first served. All logos must be submitted in .jpeg or .png format.
To get involved, volunteer, or sponsor, contact Beth Alewine at [email protected] or Melanie Bellinger, Interim Director of E-911, at [email protected]. For the latest updates and event information, follow Habersham County E-911 on Facebook or call the dispatch center at 706-778-3911.
All attractions are subject to change depending on weather and availability.
One thing we love to do at camp is play games. Games are a great way to get to know new friends or create laughter with old ones. This week, our craft can be used to play several games. We’re making hacky sacks!
Supplies needed
-Balloons
-Dried rice or beans
-Scissors
-Funnel or paper
Steps
Pick out your inner balloon color.
2. Stretch the balloon and place the funnel into the balloon.
a. If you do not have a plastic funnel, you can use a piece of paper rolled into a tube.
3. Fill the balloon with your chosen filling by pouring it through the funnel. Fill the ball of the balloon.
(The Camp Crafter/NowHabersham.com)
(The Camp Crafter/NowHabersham.com)
4. Take the funnel out and cut off the neck of the balloon. Keep the balloon upright so the filling doesn’t pour out.
5. Cut the neck off another balloon. This will make it easier to stretch the balloon over the hacky sack.
6. Use another balloon to cover the open hole by stretching it around the ball in the opposite direction.
a. Repeat this step a minimum of three more times. The more balloons you use, the longer the hacky sack will last.
(The Camp Crafter/NowHabersham.com)
(The Camp Crafter/NowHabersham.com)
(The Camp Crafter/NowHabersham.com)
7. Once you get to the final balloons, you can cut small holes or designs in the balloon you are about to use. Get creative!
(The Camp Crafter/NowHabersham.com)
8. Repeat until you make as many hacky sacks as you want.
a. The get to know you game needs at least three for it to work best.
b. If you want to learn to juggle, you need at least three!
(The Camp Crafter/NowHabersham.com)
Enjoy the craft you made by playing the game with friends! Maybe you will even come up with a new game inspired by your hacky sack craft.
Game to play with hacky sacks
Gather your friends and create a circle. You can play this game with three or more people. One person will start by holding all of the balls. The first player will then toss one of the balls to the second person. The second person will then toss it to the third person. This will continue until you reach the final person who has yet to receive the ball. The final person will now toss the ball back to the first person. This has created a pattern. Keep the pattern going while you add the second ball.
Now it is time to get creative. Start a new pattern with the second ball. Maybe send it in the opposite direction. Or toss it to someone across the circle. That person can then decide who to toss the ball to. Continue to make the game more difficult and test your friends’ memories by adding more balls. The trick will be for each person to remember who to toss a particular ball to next. It is kind of like team juggling.
In order to get to know your friends better, you can add an additional step. Before tossing any balls, each person in the circle can share a fun fact about themselves. Then, in order to toss the ball to someone, you have to remember their fun fact.
You can also play Hacky Sack with just one person, or with a group, with the traditional rules. For this, you will be kicking the ball lightly with your feet and trying to keep it from hitting the ground. No hands allowed!
FILE - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers wait to detain a person, Jan. 27, 2025, in Silver Spring, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
ATLANTA (AP) — Immigration authorities are demanding that landlords turn over leases, rental applications, forwarding addresses, identification cards and other information on their tenants, a sign that the Trump administration is targeting them to assist in its drive for mass deportations.
Eric Teusink, an Atlanta-area real estate attorney, said several clients recently received subpoenas asking for entire files on tenants. A rental application can include work history, marital status and family relationships.
The two-page “information enforcement subpoena,” which Teusink shared exclusively with The Associated Press, also asks for information on other people who lived with the tenant. One, dated May 1, is signed by an officer for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ‘ anti-fraud unit. However, it is not signed by a judge.
It is unclear how widely the subpoenas were issued, but they could signal a new front in the administration’s efforts to locate people who are in the country illegally, many of whom were required to give authorities their U.S. addresses as a condition for initially entering the country without a visa. President Donald Trump largely ended temporary status for people who were allowed in the country under his predecessor, Joe Biden.
Experts question whether landlords need to comply
Some legal experts and property managers say the demands pose serious legal questions because they are not signed by a judge and that, if landlords comply, they might risk violating the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin.
Critics also say landlords are likely to feel intimidated into complying with something that a judge hasn’t ordered, all while the person whose information is being requested may never know that their private records are in the hands of immigration authorities.
“The danger here is overcompliance,” said Stacy Seicshnaydre, a Tulane University law professor who studies housing law. “Just because a landlord gets a subpoena, doesn’t mean it’s a legitimate request.”
ICE officers have long used subpoenas signed by an agency supervisor to try to enter homes. Advocacy groups have mounted “Know Your Rights” campaign urging people to refuse entry if they are not signed by a judge.
The subpoena reviewed by the AP is from USCIS’ fraud detection and national security directorate, which, like ICE, is part of The Department of Homeland Security. Although it isn’t signed by a judge, it threatens that a judge may hold a landlord in contempt of court for failure to comply.
Tricia McLaughlin, a Homeland Security spokeswoman, defended the use of subpoenas against landlords without confirming if they are being issued.
“We are not going to comment on law enforcement’s tactics surrounding ongoing investigations,” McLaughlin said. “However, it is false to say that subpoenas from ICE can simply be ignored. ICE is authorized to obtain records or testimony through specific administrative subpoena authorities. Failure to comply with an ICE-issued administrative subpoena may result in serious legal penalties. The media needs to stop spreading these lies.”
These requests are new to many landlords
Teusink said many of his clients oversee multifamily properties and are used to getting subpoenas for other reasons, such as requests to hand over surveillance footage or give local police access to a property as part of an investigation. But, he said, those requests are signed by a judge.
Teusink said his clients were confused by the latest subpoenas. After consulting with immigration attorneys, he concluded that compliance is optional. Unless signed by a judge, the letters are essentially just an officer making a request.
“It seemed like they were on a fishing expedition,” Teusink said.
Boston real estate attorney Jordana Roubicek Greenman said a landlord client of his received a vague voicemail from an ICE official last month requesting information about a tenant. Other local attorneys told her that their clients had received similar messages. She told her client not to call back.
Anthony Luna, the CEO of Coastline Equity, a commercial and multifamily property management company that oversees about 1,000 units in the Los Angeles area, said property managers started contacting him a few weeks ago about concerns from tenants who heard rumors about the ICE subpoenas. Most do not plan to comply if they receive them.
“If they’re going after criminals, why aren’t they going through court documents?” Luna said. “Why do they need housing provider files?”
ICE subpoenas preceded Trump’s first term in office, though they saw a significant uptick under him, according to Lindsay Nash, a law professor at Yeshiva University’s Cardozo School of Law in New York who has spent years tracking them. Landlords rarely got them, though. State and local police were the most common recipients.
ICE can enforce the subpoenas, but it would first have to file a lawsuit in federal court and get a judge to sign off on its enforcement — a step that would allow the subpoena’s recipient to push back, Nash said. She said recipients often comply without telling the person whose records are being divulged.
“Many people see these subpoenas, think that they look official, think that some of the language in them sounds threatening, and therefore respond, even when, from what I can tell, it looks like some of these subpoenas have been overbroad,” she said.
Artist rendering Habersham Animal Control (Source: Habersham County Government)
And then there were four. After more than a month of receiving online submissions, Habersham has whittled down the list of potential names for the road leading to the county’s new animal shelter to four finalists. Now, the county is turning back to the public for help choosing the winner.
The finalists are, in no particular order: Happy Tails Way, Pawsitive Drive, Wagging Tail Way, and Wagmore Way. Other names rounding out the top ten were Rescue Road, Second Chance Street, Homeward Bound Boulevard, Grado Street, Animal House Road, and Adoption Avenue.
The county received 604 submissions with suggested road names.
“Since the animal shelter is something the citizens of Habersham County voted on, we want their help in making the decision of a road name,” said county spokesperson Ashlyn Brady.
The survey is open now and will close at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, July 18. You can vote online by clicking the button below or by visiting the county’s Facebook page.
The winning road name will be announced after voting ends. Stay tuned for updates as the new shelter project continues to take shape.
First Liberty Building and Loan the day after the Securities and Exchange Commission filed its complaint against the Newnan-based lender. (Jill Nolin/Georgia Recorder
(Georgia Recorder)— Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has joined a growing chorus of voices calling for the return of political contributions from the now-defunct First Liberty Building and Loan, a Newnan-based lending firm with longstanding ties to the Republican Party.
The company has come under fire after federal officials filed a lawsuit accusing First Liberty’s founder, Brant Frost IV, of running a Ponzi scheme that defrauded 300 investors out of at least $140 million. According to the complaint, Frost misled investors about the nature of his business while funneling over $5 million to himself and his family members. He also improperly used investor funds to make more than $570,000 in political contributions, the complaint alleged, all of which went to Republican candidates and committees.
“I take full responsibility for my actions and am resolved to spend the rest of my life trying to repay as much as I can to the many people I misled and let down,” Frost said in a statement issued through his lawyer. “I will be cooperating with the receiver and federal authorities and ask that everyone allow the receiver time to sort things out and do his best to repair the damage I created.”
The allegations have shocked Georgia’s Republican political network, of which the Frost family has long been a part. In 1988, Frost served as Georgia state director for Pat Robertson, a conservative televangelist-turned-Republican presidential candidate. His son, Brant Frost V, worked as a principal at First Liberty and also served as a former vice-chair of the Georgia GOP. His daughter, Katie Frost, chairs a regional committee for the state party. Until last month, both siblings held leadership roles in the Georgia Republican Assembly, a far-right wing of the Georgia Republican Party.
Past recipients of Frost’s political contributions include Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp — who last received a donation from Frost in 2019 — as well as state Sen. Colton Moore and state Rep. Charlice Byrd, according to data from the Georgia State Ethics Commission. Other out-of-state candidates who have received major contributions from Frost include Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, a Republican from Colorado.
Raffensperger, whose office is investigating First Liberty alongside the Securities and Exchange Commission, urged recipients to return political contributions they have received from the company or from the Frost family.
“Now is the time for every elected official, candidate, or political action committee who received financial support from this entity currently under investigation to stand up and help the victims,” Raffensperger said. “Ill-gotten gains do not belong in the State Capitol.”
The Democratic Party of Georgia has also urged Republican officials to return the funds.
“We have just learned that numerous Republican elected representatives are funded by money defrauded from unsuspecting Georgians,” said DPG Chair Charlie Bailey. “Now the question is whether Brian Kemp, the Georgia Republican Party, and all the electeds who received this money will do the right thing and return it to the hardworking Georgians from whom it was stolen.”
Democratic State Senator RaShaun Kemp calls for frozen federal funds for education to be released at a news conference Monday.
(Credit: Sarah Kallis/GPB News)
Schools and after-school care programs in Georgia have still not received millions of dollars in federal grants they were promised for the upcoming school year. Students will return to the classroom in August and funds have been placed under review by the federal government.
State Sen. RaShaun Kemp, who works for an education nonprofit, said the frozen funds need to be released by the federal Department of Education before the school year starts, or Gov. Brian Kemp needs to call a special session to address the shortfall if the programs are cut altogether.
“This is not a partisan issue; this is a people issue,” she said. “Georgia families can’t wait. Georgia kids shouldn’t be used as political pawns, and the future of 27,000 children is on the line.”
A spokesperson for the governor said there are no plans for a special session at this time.
Republican House Education Committee Chairman Chris Erwin said he also hopes to see at least some of the funds released. He said that the state needs to communicate to the federal government the need for programs that the state contributes funding to as well. But he said it is best to wait and see if a special session is needed.
“Once we get back into school, there’ll be an opportunity to assess if this is truly a need that we’ve got to address in a special session,” he said.
State School Superintendent Richard Woods has also called for the release of funds.
This article comes to Now Habersham in partnership with GPB News
Cal Raleigh, pictured here with his dad and brother, took home the Home Run Derby chain after winning the All-Star Challenge in Atlanta Monday night, July 14, 2025. (Hotel Sylva/Facebook)
ATLANTA (AP) — Cal Raleigh approached the All-Star Home Run Derby like a day on the lawn. Dad was on the mound and baby brother was behind the plate.
Only this time, there were tens of thousands looking on at Truist Park and a $1 million prize.
“It goes all the way back to him coming home and me forcing him to throw me a ball and hit it in the backyard or in the house or something probably shouldn’t be doing,” a beaming Cal said, flanked by Todd and Todd Jr. after defeating Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero 18-15 in the final round Monday night.
Todd Raleigh, former coach of Tennessee and Western Carolina, threw the pitches and Cal’s 15-year-old brother, Todd Raleigh Jr., did the catching. A first-time All-Star at age 28, Cal became the first switch-hitter and first catcher to win the title. He’s the second Mariners player to take the title after three-time winner Ken Griffey Jr., who was on the field, snapping photos.
“Anybody that’s ever played baseball as a kid dreams of stuff like this,” Cal’s dad said. “I dreamed of it. He dreamed of it. When you’re a parent, you look at it differently because you want your kids to be happy.”
Leading the major leagues with 38 home runs at the All-Star break, Cal almost didn’t make it past the first round. The Mariners’ breakout slugger nicknamed Big Dumper and the Athletics’ Brent Rooker each hit 17 homers, and Raleigh advanced on a tiebreaker for longest long ball: 470.61 feet to 470.53 — or 0.96 inches. At first, Cal wasn’t aware whether there would be a swing-off.
“An inch off, and I’m not even in the final four, which is amazing,” Cal said. “So I guess I got lucky there. One extra biscuit.”
Raleigh totaled 54 homers. He won his semifinal 19-13 over Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz, whose 513-foot first-round drive over the right-center field seats was the longest of the night.
Cal’s brother, nicknamed T, kept yelling encouragement to the brother he so admires.
“His swag, the way he plays, the way he hustles,” T said.
Hitting second in the final round, the 22-year-old Caminero closed within three dingers — MLB counted one that a fan outfielder caught with an over-the-wall grab. Using a multicolored bat and down to his last out, Caminero took three pitches and hit a liner to left.
“I didn’t think I was going to hit as many home runs or make it to the finals,” Caminero said through a translator.
Cal was just the second Derby switch-hitter after Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman in 2023. His dad was a righty and wanted both his sons to hit from both sides.
“Did it from the first day, when he was in diapers, literally,” Todd Sr. said. “I would take that big ball and he had a big red bat. I’d throw it slow and he’d hit it. Then I’d say stay there, pick him up, turn him around, switch his hands and do it again. I was a catcher. I played a little bit, and I just knew what a premium it was. I didn’t want either one of my boys to ever say, am I right-handed or left-handed?”
There was a downside.
“I don’t recommend it if you have two kids, they’re both switch hitters, if you want to save your arm, because that’s a lot of throwing,” said dad, who had rotator cuff surgery.
Raleigh hit his first eight homers left-handed, took a timeout, then hit seven right-handed. Going back to lefty, he hit two more in the bonus round and stayed lefty for the rest of the night.
“Was grooving a little bit more lefty so we were like, since we have a chance to win, we might as well stick to the side that’s working a little better,” Cal said.
Caminero beat Minnesota’s Byron Buxton 8-7 in the other semifinal. Atlanta’s Matt Olson, Washington’s James Wood, the New York Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Rooker were eliminated in the first round of the annual power show.
Cruz’s long drive was the hardest-hit at 118 mph.
Wood hit 16 homers, including one that landed on the roof of the Chop House behind the right-field wall. Olson, disappointing his hometown fans, did not go deep on his first nine swings and finished with 15, Chisholm hit just three homers, the fewest since the timer format started in 2015.
After it was all over, the Raleighs headed out. Stephanie, the boys’ mom and Todd Sr.’s wife, is surrounded by baseball.
“We kind of leave it in the cage. We’ve got a cage at home, a building,” Todd Sr. said. “Or we leave it in the car on the rides home. There’s probably been a few times where she says, yeah, that’s enough.”
