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World’s best honey flows from the heart of Habersham

(Katelynn Hulsey/NowHabersham.com)

In the quiet hills of Northeast Georgia, where Sourwood trees bloom briefly and bees hum faithfully through the summer heat, Virginia Webb is once again producing what’s been named the best-tasting honey in the world.

Webb, owner of MtnHoney in Clarkesville, recently took home the Grand Prize in the International Black Jar Honey Tasting Contest. Hosted by the Center for Honeybee Research, this prestigious event, now in its 14th year, judges thousands of entries from around the world based on one simple but powerful criterion: taste.

It’s the second time Webb has claimed the top spot.

Award-winning Sourwood honey from MtnHoney on display, proudly bearing both World Honey Show gold medals and Good Food Award seals.
(Katelynn Hulsey/NowHabersham.com)

While the Black Jar Contest focuses solely on taste, Webb’s honey has also earned global recognition at the World Honey Show, a broader international competition hosted by the World Beekeeping Federation, also known as Apimondia. There, she has won five gold medals over the years: in Ireland (2005), France (2009), Ukraine (2013), South Korea (2015), and Turkey (2022), each time representing not just Georgia but excellence on the world stage.

From hive to jar

The prestigious honors Webb has received are the result of years of training and hard work.

From the hives that dot the landscape around her home in the Blue Ridge foothills to the honey house where she harvests the golden goodness, she orchestrates each step of the carefully curated honey-gathering process.

Bees fill the hive’s upper boxes—called supers—with surplus honey and, with care, Webb removes each wooden frame. She and her helpers scrape the wax caps before placing the honeycomb in a centrifuge to extract the honey.

An early start

Virginia’s journey into beekeeping started young. “I received my first hive as a birthday gift from my father when I was six years old,” she recalled. Her father, Joe Stephens, sparked a lifelong passion that would eventually become a global legacy.

From winning Tennessee’s first 4-H state beekeeping championship to serving as the Tennessee State Honey Queen, Virginia’s early years were steeped in bees, family, and purpose.

World-renowned beekeeper Virginia Webb hard at work in her honey house north of Clarkesville, Georgia. (Katelynn Hulsey/NowHabersham.com)

Today, MtnHoney is a thriving operation that produces raw, unfiltered, and never-heated honey. “That’s what sets us apart,” she explained. “Heating honey destroys the enzymes and antimicrobial properties. Ours is straight from the hive, just the way nature intended.”

More than a natural sweetener

Webb’s Sourwood honey is prized for more than its flavor. Local raw honey like hers has been shown to help ease allergies, support the immune system, and aid digestion.

“People say it helps them feel better because it’s made from what’s blooming around them,” she said. “What’s in the air is what’s in the jar.”

That rare flavor starts with the Sourwood tree—a native species with a short blooming season and a light, buttery taste.

“You don’t just stumble into good Sourwood honey,” she said. “You plan for it, you pray for it, and you thank the bees when they deliver.”

A legacy built on love

Virginia Webb shares a tender moment with her husband, Carl Webb, during a veterans’ quilt presentation at their home on March 10, 2020. He passed away nearly four months later, on July 6, 2020, after a long fight with cancer. He was 93. (Joy Purcell/NowHabersham.com)

Virginia and her late husband Carl built a commercial beekeeping legacy that included more than 400 colonies and a certified Russian queen bee yard. Today, she carries that legacy forward with precision, passion, and purpose.

Webb is the only certified Russian queen breeder in Georgia, and the only person in the U.S. to hold master beekeeper certifications from Georgia, Florida, and the Eastern Apiculture Society. She serves on national beekeeping boards and teaches beekeepers around the world, from the U.S. to Europe to the Caribbean, through partnerships that include the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

She’s also a tireless advocate for bee education, often speaking at schools, churches, and civic groups. “The more people know about bees, the better chance we have of protecting them,” she said. “Pollinators are responsible for a third of the food we eat. This isn’t just about honey—it’s about survival.”

Sharing her passion and knowledge

Webb spent more than two decades teaching beekeeping at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Cherokee County, North Carolina. Newly retired, Webb’s colleagues said she shared not only her expertise in honeybee biology and hive management but also her passion for mentoring others.

(Margie Williamson/Now Habersham)

“Virginia communicated her love of honeybees with everyone she met at the Folk School and shared a lot of wisdom, honey, and beeswax!” said Karen Hurtubise, creative advisor for the Folk School’s gardening and nature studies. “She has helped set up a path for fantastic teachers and beekeeping knowledge to keep going for the next 100 years.”

Through hands-on instruction, Webb “demystified the complexities of keeping healthy hives, producing honey, and supporting pollinator health,” a spokesperson for the school said.

Bonded over their East Tennessee roots, Hurtubise said Webb not only inspired students, but also her.

“Virginia taught me to cherish honeybees and the sweetness of life and friendship. She believes everything is going to be all right. And sometimes it’s hard work, but she models we don’t give up because something is hard. Keep going.”

What makes it golden

And keep going, she has. Even after losing her husband to cancer, Webb has worked hard to keep their life’s work and legacy alive. For the past five years, MtnHoney has been recognized as a finalist for the Good Food Award, honoring sustainable American food producers.

Some of the world’s best honey is sold from this honor stand off Gastley Road in Clarkesville, Georgia. (Wallace Wenn/NowHabersham.com)

Webb said it’s about “honoring” the bees, the process, and the purpose behind it all. Surrounded by the tools of her trade and the hum of her six million-strong workforce, she smiled and said, “I just love it. I love what I do, and I love sharing it with people.”

Her honey may have taken top honors around the world, but it’s the passion, the legacy, and the love that make it golden.

To taste award-winning honey or learn more, visit mtnhoney.com or stop by her roadside stand at 349 Gastley Road in Clarkesville, Georgia.

Demorest’s Ed and Nancy Hendricks named grand marshals of Glorious Fourth parade

(Daniel Purcell/Now Habersham)

Dr. Edwin (Ed) and Nancy Hendricks, beloved residents of Demorest for over 40 years, have been named grand marshals of this year’s Glorious Fourth parade—an honor that celebrates their decades of service, leadership, and unwavering devotion to their community.

Married for nearly 57 years, the Hendricks raised their three sons in Demorest and built a life rooted in faith, family, and public service. Together, they ran a family medicine practice for more than three decades—Nancy managing the office while Dr. Hendricks cared for patients and, later, served at Medlink Habersham until his retirement in 2019.

Their impact, however, stretches far beyond the exam room. For more than four decades, the Hendricks have been actively involved at First Presbyterian Church of Cornelia, where Nancy currently serves as a ruling elder and Ed as a deacon. They’ve led youth groups, taught Sunday School, sung in choirs, and supported worship with Nancy frequently filling in as organist and pianist. Ed also served on medical mission trips to Laos for more than ten years.

Legacy of service

Retired doctor and Georgia Army National Guardsman Ed Hendricks shares how 9/11 changed his life during a memorial observance at Habersham’s Wall of Honor in 2019. (Daniel Purcell/Now Habersham)

The couple opened their first clinic in Habersham County in 1983, and in 1993 established Demorest Family Medicine on Demorest-Mt. Airy Highway. When the clinic closed in 2014, Dr. Hendricks transitioned to Medlink. He also spent more than 30 years on staff at Habersham Medical Center, including time as Chief of Staff, and served as medical director of The Oaks at Scenic View nursing home from 1999 to 2014.

Dr. Hendricks served in the Georgia Army National Guard from 2006 to 2017, deploying to Afghanistan in 2009 and Kuwait in 2012. While he was overseas, Nancy kept the clinic running with the support of colleagues and staff. Today, he remains active in the VFW, American Legion, and Disabled American Veterans (DAV), and serves as Northeast Regional Vice President of the Georgia Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Nancy, too, has left a lasting mark through civic involvement. A former president of the Demorest Woman’s Club, she helped organize Cub Scout Pack 660 shortly after the family moved to Demorest. Both she and Ed served as leaders and on the Scout Committee for nearly a decade. She also served on the board of Habersham Christian Learning Center and on the advisory board for North Georgia Technical College’s Medical Assisting Program.

In addition to their service and professional lives, the couple shares a love of music. Ed has sung with the Piedmont Chorale for more than 20 years, with Nancy joining him in recent seasons.

From medicine and military service to music, ministry, and mentorship, Ed and Nancy Hendricks have spent their lives giving back. As they lead this year’s Glorious Fourth parade, they do so not just as honored guests but as cherished neighbors whose legacy continues to enrich the heart of Demorest.

SEE ALSO

Another ‘Glorious Fourth’ planned in Demorest

Beyond the Call of Duty memorial trailer coming to Hab courthouse

(Habersham County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)

A mobile tribute honoring fallen law enforcement officers will be on display this week at the Habersham County Courthouse. The Beyond the Call of Duty: End of Watch Ride to Remember memorial trailer will visit Clarkesville on Wednesday, July 2, from 1 to 3 p.m., giving the public an opportunity to pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

The memorial trailer is sponsored by Beyond the Call of Duty, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to remembering law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. The trailer features photographs and stories of 164 officers who lost their lives in 2023 and 2024.

Typically part of a nationwide ride held each year, the trailer is currently off the road and being presented in select northeast Georgia communities before preparing for the 2025 End of Watch Ride to Remember.

The traveling memorial has covered tens of thousands of miles in recent years:

  • 2024 Ride: 22,000 miles, 248 stops honoring fallen officers from 2022–2023

  • 2022 Ride: 21,700 miles, 268 stops honoring 608 officers

  • 2021 Ride: 22,600 miles, 197 stops honoring 368 officers

  • 2020 Ride: 18,300 miles, 94 stops honoring 147 officers

According to the Beyond the Call of Duty website, the organization supports departmental safety and training to help decrease on-duty officer deaths: “Our purpose is to ensure that no officer is forgotten, that their families know their loved one has not been forgotten; and that there is recognition, support and understanding to help them heal.”

The display will be set up at the Habersham County Courthouse, located at 295 Llewellyn Street, Clarkesville. There is no charge to visit the memorial, and all community members are encouraged to attend.

For more information about the End of Watch Ride to Remember, visit beyondthecallofduty.org or contact the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office.

Regulators approve plan for Georgia Power to freeze base rates through 2028

FILE - Cooling tower three with one and two in the background are seen at the nuclear reactor facility at the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Friday, May 31, 2024, in Waynesboro, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File)

ATLANTA (AP) — Utility regulators on Tuesday approved a plan for Georgia Power Co. to freeze base power rates through the end of 2028, although opponents argue that customers could face risks later if costs to serve new computer data centers pile up.

The five Republicans on the Georgia Public Service Commission voted unanimously for the plan after regulatory staff and the company agreed to it earlier.

“Freezing these rates shows that we’re listening to ratepayers and we’re doing all we can to protect them and continue to grow this economy in this state,” Commissioner Tim Echols said after the vote.

Rates could still go up next year when commissioners consider how customers will pay for $862 million in storm damage, mainly due to 2024’s Hurricane Helene. In testimony, Georgia Power Chief Financial Officer Aaron Abramovitz said the company hopes any rate increase to repay the damage could be offset with a decrease in the charge customers have been paying since 2023 to make up for higher costs of buying natural gas and coal.

Customers have seen bills rise six times in recent years because of higher natural gas costsand construction projects, including two new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle near Augusta. A typical Georgia Power residential customer now pays more than $175 a month, including taxes.

The agreement allows Echols and Commissioner Fitz Johnson to seek reelection this year without a rate increase threatening their campaigns. Echols will face Democrat Alicia Johnson in November. Democrats Peter Hubbard and Keisha Sean Waites are vying in a July 15 runoff to face Fitz Johnson in the general election.

Georgia Power CEO Kim Greene called the rate freeze a “great result for customers, balancing the mutual benefits of extraordinary economic growth among all stakeholders and helping to ensure that we remain equipped to continue supporting growth in this state.”

Opponents said the deal didn’t do enough to contain the high profits of Georgia Power, a unit of Atlanta-based Southern Co, and doesn’t provide enough scrutiny of the company’s operations. Commissioner Lauren McDonald on Tuesday unsuccessfully attempted to limit how much the company can earn on the money it has invested — called return on equity — to 11.5% instead of 11.9%. Return on equity is the key driver of the company’s profits.

Georgia Power is the state’s only privately owned electrical utility, serving 2.3 million customers statewide. Last year, Georgia Power collected $11.3 billion in revenue and contributed $2.5 billion in profit to Southern Co.

The company predicts rapidly increasing demand from computer data centers. Georgia Power has said regular customers won’t pay for power plants and transmission lines needed to electrify data centers, a pledge now backed by commission rules. But the company said in talks with commission staff that it could ask for a rate increase of up to $2.6 billion over three years. Instead, the company and staff hashed out a deal for the company to use tax credits and other financial maneuvers to boost its return on equity without raising rates.

Opponents noted that the company had promised “downward pressure” on rates last year when the commission approved an unusual request for Georgia Power to build more power plants outside the regular schedule. They asked why rates were staying flat instead of going down. John Wilson, an expert witness for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and other environmental groups, called it a “rate increase hidden in the shadows.”

Some advocates had called for Echols, McDonald and Commission Chair Jason Shaw to recuse themselves from the vote, saying they violated the commissioners’ quasi-judicial role by supporting the deal before hearing evidence. Shaw and Echols spoke in favor of the agreement and McDonald appeared at a news conference but didn’t speak. All three commissioners declined to recuse themselves, saying they had done nothing wrong.

The deal comes even as commissioners are still considering Georgia Power’s three-year plan to generate enough electricity to meet the state’s needs. That plan foresees a very large increase in electrical demand, requiring new power plants or new purchases from existing plants.

Typically, a rate plan is approved after the integrated resource plan, ensuring the utility can pay for improvements. Instead, Georgia Power will either absorb the costs or seek to pass them on to customers beginning in 2029.

Etta Merle Shirley Aycock

Etta Merle Shirley Aycock age 98, of Clarkesville, Georgia, passed away on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.

Born on November 5, 1926, in Stephens County GA, she was the daughter of the late Aaron David and Rosa Pearl Moore Shirley.

Merle was born at home, weighing only 4 lbs. she began life as a fighter. She survived Scarlet Fever, the Great Depression, WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and raised 4 children while Thad traveled 36 weeks out of the year to support the family. She drove young special needs children to and from school for over 35 years, finally retiring at age 86.

Merle loved her family, all children- especially babies, flowers, gardening, reading, sewing and participating in activities with her church family. She was an active member at North Northfield United Methodist Church in Northbrook, Illinois for decades and since returning to Clarkesville, Georgia, she was a beloved member at Lighthouse Baptist Church in Clarkesville. Merle enjoyed the people and activities at Habersham County Senior Center, and she was described as, “truly a force of nature—radiating strength, passion, and an unwavering commitment to others. She gave of herself generously, always ready to lift others up, lend a hand, or offer a word of encouragement exactly when it was needed most. Her presence was bold, her heart was vast, and her legacy of compassion will live on in all who had the privilege to know her.”

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Thaddeus Lamar Aycock, who was truly her best friend and soul mate; brothers, A.D. Shirley, & Earl David Shirley (Lorraine); sister, Mildred Shirley Burdette (Roy); and grandson, Matthew John Jaster.

She is survived by daughters, Sharon Elizabeth Aycock (Kristy) and Johnnie Gale Zurek; sons Daniel James Aycock and Roy Herbert Aycock (Beth); 11 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren, 2 great-great grandchildren; her sister-in-law Louise Shirley; and her “unofficial daughter” Edna Jo Shirley, her niece, who shared her home, life, community, church family and cared for Merle for the last 3 years of her life making it possible for it to be full, rich and happy.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 am, Saturday, July 12th, 2025, at Lighthouse Baptist Church in Clarkesville, Georgia. There will be no graveside service.

In lieu of flowers please make donations, in memory of Merle, to Lighthouse Baptist Church ,1050 Hollywood Church Rd, Clarkesville, GA 30523.

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

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

Senate passes Trump’s big tax breaks and spending cuts bill as Vance breaks 50-50 tie

FILE - The Capitol is seen in Washington, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans hauled President Donald Trump’s big tax breaks and spending cuts bill to passage Tuesday on the narrowest of votes, pushing past opposition from Democrats and their own GOP ranks after a turbulent overnight session.

Vice President JD Vance broke a 50-50 tie to push it over the top. The three Republicans opposing the bill were Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky.

The outcome capped an unusually tense weekend of work at the Capitol, the president’s signature legislative priority teetering on the edge of approval, or collapse.

The difficulty it took for Republicans, who have the majority hold in Congress, to wrestle the bill to this point is not expected to let up. The package now goes back to the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson had warned senators not to deviate too far from what his chamber had already approved. But the Senate did make changes, particularly to Medicaid, risking more problems as they race to finish by Trump’s Fourth of July deadline.

The outcome is a pivotal moment for president and his party, which have been consumed by the 940-page “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” as it’s formally titled, and invested their political capital in delivering on the GOP’s sweep of power in Washington.

Trump acknowledged it’s “very complicated stuff,” as he departed the White House for Florida.

“I don’t want to go too crazy with cuts,” he said. “I don’t like cuts.”

What started as a routine but laborious day of amendment voting, in a process called vote-a-rama, spiraled into a round-the-clock slog as Republican leaders were buying time to shore up support.

The droning roll calls in the chamber belied the frenzied action to steady the bill. Grim-faced scenes played out on and off the Senate floor, amid exhaustion.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota was desperately reaching for last-minute agreements between those in his party worried the bill’s reductions to Medicaid will leave millions without care, and his most conservative flank, which wants even steeper cuts to hold down deficits ballooning with the tax cuts.

The GOP leaders have no room to spare, with narrow majorities. Thune can lose no more than three Republican senators, and already two — Tillis, who warned that millions of people will lose access to Medicaid health care, and Paul, who opposes raising the debt limit by $5 trillion — had indicated opposition.

Attention quickly turned to two key senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Collins, who also raised concerns about health care cuts, as well as a loose coalition of four conservative GOP senators pushing for even steeper reductions.

Murkowski in particular became the subject of the GOP leadership’s attention, as they sat beside her for talks. She was huddled intensely for more than an hour in the back of the chamber with others, scribbling notes on papers.

Then all eyes were on Paul after he returned from a visit to Thune’s office with a stunning offer that could win his vote. He had suggested substantially lowering the bill’s increase in the debt ceiling, according to two people familiar with the private meeting and granted anonymity to discuss it.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said “Republicans are in shambles because they know the bill is so unpopular.”

An analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found 11.8 million more Americans would become uninsured by 2034 if the bill became law. The CBO said the package would increase the deficit by nearly $3.3 trillion over the decade.

And on social media, billionaire Elon Musk was again lashing out at Republicans as “the PORKY PIG PARTY!!” for including the $5 trillion debt ceiling in the package, which is needed to allow continued borrowing to pay the bills.

Senators insist on changes

Few Republicans appeared fully satisfied as the final package emerges, in either the House or Senate.

Collins had proposed bolstering the $25 billion proposed rural hospital fund to $50 billion, offset with a higher tax rate on those earning more than $25 million a year, but her amendment failed.

And Murkowski was trying to secure provisions to spare people in her state from some food stamp cuts, which appeared to be accepted, while she was also working to beef up federal reimbursements to hospitals in Alaska and others states, that did not comply with parliamentary rules.

“Radio silence,” Murkowski said when asked how she would vote.

The conservative senators demanding a vote on their steeper health care cuts, including Rick Scott of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, filed into Thune’s office near-midnight.

What’s in the big bill

All told, the Senate bill includes $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, according to the latest CBO analysis, making permanent Trump’s 2017 rates, which would expire at the end of the year if Congress fails to act, while adding the new ones he campaigned on, including no taxes on tips.

The Senate package would roll back billions of dollars in green energy tax credits, which Democrats warn will wipe out wind and solar investments nationwide. It would impose $1.2 trillion in cuts, largely to Medicaid and food stamps, by imposing work requirements on able-bodied people, including some parents and older Americans, making sign-up eligibility more stringent and changing federal reimbursements to states.

Additionally, the bill would provide a $350 billion infusion for border and national security, including for deportations, some of it paid for with new fees charged to immigrants.

Democrats fighting all day and night

Unable to stop the march toward passage, the Democrats tried to drag out the process, including with a weekend reading of the full bill.

A few of the Democratic amendments won support from a few Republicans, though almost none were passing. More were considered in one of the longer such sessions in modern times.

One amendment overwhelmingly approved stripped a provision barring states from regulating artificial intelligence if they receive certain federal funding.

Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, raised particular concern about the accounting method being used by the Republicans, which says the tax breaks from Trump’s first term are now “current policy” and the cost of extending them should not be counted toward deficits.

She said that kind of “magic math” won’t fly with Americans trying to balance their own household books.

Judge blocks Georgia’s new social media age verification law just before it was set to start

(Georgia Recorder) —Georgia kids can continue liking, commenting and subscribing without notifying their parents this summer after a federal judge put a temporary hold on the state’s new social media age verification law while the case moves forward – but the bill’s author says a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling bodes well for the ban.

Senate Bill 351, which was set to go into effect July 1, would require social media companies to get a parent’s permission before they allowed a minor to create an account. All Georgians would also have to verify their age before accessing websites with material deemed harmful to minors.

On Thursday, Judge Amy Totenberg of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia ruled in favor of NetChoice, a coalition of social media companies, who argued that the law as written would likely violate free speech protections.

“The Court does not doubt the dangers posed by young people’s overwhelming exposure to social media,” Totenberg wrote. “But, in its effort to aid parents, the Act’s solution creates serious obstacles for all Georgians, including teenagers, to engage in protected speech activities and would highly likely be unconstitutional.”

Totenberg said the law would curb the speech rights of young people, impose a burden on all Georgians to participate in online speech, potentially put Georgians’ private data at risk and step into parents’ decisions on how to raise their children.

But Totenberg said the law’s biggest downfall comes in its long list of exemptions, which include news, sports, and entertainment sites, interactive gaming platforms, streaming services and more.

“For example, SB 351 would presumably apply to the Georgia Bulldogs Reddit forum, which features user-generated content. But it would exempt Barstool Sports, which features provider-generated content. It would apply to news coverage posted by users on X, but not news coverage posted by The New York Times to its own liveblog.”

Totenberg found that amounts to a content-based restriction on speech, which triggers a higher level of scrutiny – which she said Georgia’s law doesn’t meet.

“Because of the enormous burdens imposed on the First Amendment rights of children, adults, and social media platforms — along with the significant tailoring issues inherent in the law — even the State’s serious interest here cannot justify SB 351 under the First Amendment’s rigorous standards,” she said.

NetChoice celebrated the win in a statement.

“This is a major victory for free speech, constitutional clarity and the rights of all Georgians to engage in public discourse without intrusive government overreach,” said Chris Marchese, NetChoice director of litigation. “We are grateful the court recognized what we’ve long argued: SB 351 isn’t just poorly crafted — it’s profoundly unconstitutional.”

But the bill’s author, state Sen. Jason Anavitarte, a Dallas Republican who is now the Senate majority leader, said their victory is likely to be short-lived.

In a statement, Anavitarte pointed to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that backed a Texas state law requiring age verification for pornographic websites.

“One day after liberal Obama Appointee, US District Court Judge, Amy Totenberg, issued an injunction preventing Georgia’s age verification law from taking effect, The Supreme Court found that laws like SB 351 ‘have only an incidental effect on protected speech and that The First Amendment leaves undisturbed States’ traditional power to prevent minors from accessing speech that is obscene from their perspective….Requiring proof of age is an ordinary and appropriate means of enforcing an age-based limit on obscenity to minors,’” Anavitarte said.

“Based on Friday’s ruling at The Supreme Court, Judge Totenberg should be left with no choice but to allow SB 351 to go into effect,” he added. “I am immensely grateful for Justice Clarence Thomas’ well written opinion and remain optimistic that SB 351 will go into effect in its entirety.”

Attorney General Chris Carr’s said Carr intends to appeal the ruling.

“We will continue to defend commonsense measures that empower parents and protect our children online,” said Carr spokesperson Kara Murray.

Camp Crafter: Leaf Printing

The Camp Crafter spent almost every summer of her childhood at summer camp, where she loved the songs, campfires, and especially the crafts. Now an art teacher during the school year and a camp counselor during the summer, she’s guiding readers to a cool camp craft they can do at home each week this summer. 

I love making crafts that involve natural materials, such as sticks or leaves. This week we will be using leaves to make prints! The prints can then be turned into cards or framed artwork.

While you are outside looking for leaves for your project, take the opportunity to learn about some plants in your area with this leaf identifying chart. It will help you find safe leaves to select. Maybe you’ll even learn to identify some of the plants in your area!

(The Camp Crafter/NowHabersham.com)

Supplies needed

Leaves (thicker leaves will work better)
Paper

(The Camp Crafter/NowHabersham.com)

Option A
Acrylic paint
Paint brush
Paint palette
Paper towels

Option B
Crayons

Steps

Find some interesting leaves. Look for cool shapes or patterns on the leaves.

a. Use your leaf chart to identify which leaves are which. Make sure to NOT pick any poisonous plants, like poison ivy.

b. Brush or blow off the leaves before bringing them inside to make sure insects don’t hitch a ride into your house.

Leaf Printing with Paint: Two Options

Option 1:

  • Cover one side of the leaf by lightly brushing it with paint. Be mindful of the amount of paint you use. Too much can mask the texture of the leaf. Too little can lead to the leaf not printing well.
  • Flip the leaf paint side down onto your paper.
  • Press down on the back of the leaf to be sure the paint transfers to the paper.
  • Slowly peel the leaf up to see the leaf’s impression. Let the paint dry before adding more details.

Option 2:

  • Paint an area of the paper.
  • Lay the leaf down on the wet paint.
  • Press the leaf into the painted area.
  • Pull the leaf up to see the print it made in the paint.

Leaf Rubbings with Crayons

  • Lay your leaf on a flat surface underneath your paper. Dry leaves will work better for this method.
  • Using a crayon, color on top of the paper where the leaf is. You should start to see the texture of the leaf come onto your page. You will need to use a lot of pressure for the texture to come through.

With either of the techniques above, you can make your artwork more unique by adding multiple leaves or adding details to your leaf images with other supplies such as markers or oil pastels.

I love art, especially when every piece created is completely different. This craft is a great way to combine printmaking, my favorite art medium, with reminders of the beautiful outdoors.

(The Camp Crafter/NowHabersham.com)

A look to next week:

Look for yarn or embroidery floss around your house. We’re making friendship bracelets!

Habersham commissioners pass FY2026 budget

Habersham's commissioners await public comment on the county's FY2026 budget. (Chaz Mullis/NowHabersham.com)

Habersham County’s budget for fiscal year 2026 was approved on Monday night, with all commissioners except Vice Chairman Bruce Harkness voting in favor of the approval. None of the roughly 20 county citizens moved to speak during the public hearing portion of the meeting.

The final approved budget totaled $80.37 million, which is a 5.23% decrease from the previous year’s total budget. However, the general fund budget will see a 4.19% increase compared to last year, totaling $40.88 million.

Harkness said that will result in a tax increase and that is one of the reasons why he voted against the spending measure.

Harkness said he believed the county’s Finance Department could have found more expenses to cut in the budget. One item he mentioned that needed revision was the increase in Recreation Department funds to repair the roofs of the dugouts at the Aquatic Center Sports Complex and Diamond Memorial Park in Clarkesville.

Funding for the project should come from the private sector, not the public, he said. “I’d love to get out there and help build new dugouts. I would even donate money. So we ought to explore options where businesses fund these projects instead of it going through taxes.”

Harkness said that there used to be one man in charge of Habersham’s airport, landfill, public works, road department, and fleet services who he claimed made $84,000 a year. He contrasted that amount to the $100,000 he claims that each manager and assistant manager is now making a year.

“I love our employees, but we’ve got 30 thousand voters here, and I know that I work for the employees but I also work for those 30 thousand,” he said.

Harkness also said that he’s looking out for people that are “less well off.”

“If taxes keep getting raised by four percent every year, there’s gonna be a lot of angry people come November,” he said.

On the contrary, Commissioner Ty Akins expressed that he was very satisfied with the budget.

“Every question and concern that I had was answered by Tim, who has done a good job as county manager,” Akins said. “I don’t know if any more effort could have been made to meet with us.”

It is still unclear how much taxpayers will be paying in taxes during the coming year. County Manager Tim Sims reported during the meeting that the tax digest was expected on Friday, but the vendor responsible for working the tax assessment software mistakenly increased the county’s exemptions introduced by GA House Bill 581. Sims did not give an estimate of when the digest will be completed after the exemptions are fixed.

This article has been updated.

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Habersham commissioners weigh spending cuts and priorities in proposed 2026 budget

Baldwin water customers left dry and angry as city works to fix failing mountain lines

The people most affected by the outage are Banks County residents with a water source at a higher elevation. Those living near a blow-off valve are also impacted by the line failures. (Chaz Mullis/NowHabersham.com)

Numerous Baldwin residents have been out of clean, running water since Thursday, June 26, which has left many civilians wondering when their tap will run again. According to the city’s Facebook page, water main lines on the Baldwin Mountain system have been restored, but the pressure in the system has yet to recover.

Baldwin Mayor Stephanie Almagno said that the city’s public works department has been working since the day of the break to repair the water lines. She said the people most affected by the outage are Banks County residents with a water source at a higher elevation. Those living near a blow-off valve are also impacted by the line failures.

“It’s a problem of old lines that are far into the ground,” she said. “Everybody knows that when water runs downhill, it picks up speed, it increases pressure, and the old lines blow.”

Customer backlash

Customers, angered by the days-long outage, took to social media to complain. Some were met with harsh criticism from Councilmember Alice Venter who, in one post commented, “I am SICK and TIRED of the shit that gets thrown at the city and the people that serve it. 8 years of sacrifice for NOTHING but ignorance. Dont worry, I’ll be gone in 6 months. But until then, I’M NOT YOUR PUNCHING BAG. And neither are the people that work there. PERIOD.”

Still, even the threat of getting caught in Venter’s crosshairs did not quell the public frustration and anger expressed by those left without water.

Sheryl Scott wrote, “…I just got home from a long night shift, jumped in the damn shower AND WATER JUST STOPS COMING OUT! WTF City of Baldwin?”

Another Baldwin water customer, Tammy Crosby, wrote, “There is not even a gurgle, sputter, a drip. The ones on display at Lowe’s might provide as much water as I am getting.”

Crosby questioned Venter and others who said the pressure had to build back up in the system. “How many days does thst [sic] take? Leak was repaired on Friday night?”

Many left dry for days reported their service was restored on Monday. Still, the online backlash continued, with some requesting credits for the time they were without service.

Solution in site but still 2 to 3 months away

Almagno said that the solution to the line breaks is a cased lined running under Highway 441. She said that the city recently got approval from the Georgia Department of Transportation to dig under the road to build the new line.

The new line project will require two to three months to be completed, said Baldwin Chief Administrative Officer Emily Woodmaster. The city is in talks with the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority to obtain funding for the project.

“The line will tremendously help the mountain folks, but it doesn’t help them today,” Almagno said.

Finding water

The mayor said she reached out to Habersham County Manager Tim Sims to allow those without power to use the Ruby Fulbright Aquatic Center shower facilities over the weekend.

“The center had just had their carpets cleaned, and they wanted to keep it closed for the whole weekend, but [Sims] was able to open a side door on Sunday morning for those who needed showers,” she said. 

The main entrance to aquatic center is now to the public, said Almagno.

The Baldwin Fire Department has opened their supply to allow residents to take potable and non-potable water. Interim Fire Chief Ross Jackson asked that community members utilize the source.

“Try not to park in front of the [truck] bay when you’re filling up, but let us know if you have tanks, buckets, or gallon jugs to fill your water with,” Jackson said.

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Nathan Deal remarries in intimate ceremony, celebrates new chapter

Former Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal and his bride, Brenda Micali of Hiawassee. (Carrie Deal/Facebook)

Former Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal tied the knot—literally and symbolically—with Brenda Micali on Saturday in a small ceremony in Arnoldsville, east of Athens, the AJC reports. At the end of the vows, the couple held a long rope surrounded by guests and “tied the knot,” prompting laughter as Deal cracked a joke during the moment.

The ceremony marked a joyful new beginning for Deal, whose first wife, Sandra, died in 2022. Her legacy as a champion for literacy still shapes his life.

(Carrie Deal/Facebook)

Deal and Micali connected after both lost longtime partners—hers, Tommy, had been one of Deal’s fraternity brothers. A call about using one of Tommy’s favorite sayings in Deal’s book sparked a relationship built on shared loss and mutual understanding.

“It took compassion and patience,” said Deal’s daughter, Carrie. “And a lot of courage from Dad.” She added, “Mom would’ve wanted him to be happy.”

Family and friends say the couple brings each other peace. “It’s never too late to fall in love,” Carrie said. “We are thrilled, she is lovely and most importantly, Dad is happy.”

Athens-Clarke County District 5 commissioner Dexter Fisher to run for Mayor

Dexter Fisher

Athens-Clarke County District 5 Commissioner Dexter Fisher has announced his candidacy for mayor in the upcoming May 2026 election.

Fisher says his campaign will highlight his background in community service and civic involvement. He previously served as Director of Facilities Management at the University of Georgia and as Chief of District Services for the Clarke County School District.

His campaign will focus on uniting the community. “I want to be a uniter, not a divider,” Fisher said. “This campaign is going to be about having partnerships with everybody in our community and moving it forward.”

Fisher has been active in several local organizations, including the Athens Piedmont Hospital Board, the Athens Area Community Foundation, and the Athens Rotary Club.

If elected, he says he will prioritize addressing gang violence, homelessness, and the lack of affordable housing, as well as expanding youth development efforts.