Home Blog Page 43

Tyler Reddick wins the Daytona 500

By
Jenna Fryer
-
Driver Tyler Reddick leads other cars out to the track during a NASCAR Daytona 500 practice, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in Daytona, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Tyler Reddick won the Daytona 500 in a car owned by Michael Jordan when Chase Elliott crashed as he and Reddick were battling for the win.

Reddick, in a Toyota for 23XI Racing, led only one lap on Sunday: the one to the checkered flag for the team owned by the NBA Hall of Famer and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin.

Hamlin, who drives for Joe Gibbs Racing, was involved in the final caution when he and teammate Christopher Bell collided with nine laps remaining. It set up the final push to the finish over the final four laps.

Elliott had control on the final lap after leader Carson Hocevar was spun off the track and it appeared the son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott would finally win his first Daytona 500.

Instead, Reddick made a huge surge, hit Elliott to cause Elliott to crash and sailed past to take Jordan to the Daytona International Speedway victory lane.

Jordan was the face of the December federal antitrust lawsuit that NASCAR settled on the ninth day of trial. The settlement changed the revenue-sharing model in the United States’ top motorsports series.

The victory marked a Daytona sweep for three team owners heavily involved in the trial. Bob Jenkins, who joined 23XI in suing NASCAR, opened the weekend with a victory when Chandler Smith won the Truck Series opener on Friday night for Front Row Motorsports.

Richard Childress, who testified on behalf of 23XI and Front Row and was the subject of disparaging text messages by since-departed NASCAR chairman Steve Phelps, was the winning team owner Saturday when Austin Hill won.

Then came “The Great American Race” and Jordan and Hamlin, the two front-facing litigants got their first Daytona 500 victory. It was an early birthday present for Jordan, who turns 63 on Tuesday.

Former race winners Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Joey Logano finished second and third as Toyota, Chevrolet and Ford each placed a driver on the podium. Elliott wound up fourth and sat dejected and in disbelief on the outside wall of the track after climbing from his car.

US beats Germany to stay unbeaten at the Olympics

By
Stephen Whyno
-
United States' Auston Matthews celebrates with his teammates after scoring his side's second goal during a preliminary round game of men's ice hockey between the United States and Germany at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

MILAN (AP) — Auston Matthews scored twice and set up Zach Werenski’s goal with a textbook pass, Connor Hellebuyck stopped 23 of the 24 shots he faced and the U.S. defeated Germany 5-1 on Sunday night to finish group play at the Olympics unbeaten and clinch the second seed in the knockout round.

Canada put such a beatdown on France, winning 10-2, that the U.S. would have had to run up the score and beat Germany by 10 goals to pass the tournament favorite. The North American rivalscannot meet until the gold medal game.

They have to get there first. The U.S. is set to face the winner of the qualification round game Tuesday between Sweden and Latvia, while Canada plays Czechia or Denmark in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Sweden is the only European team at the Olympics with a full roster of NHL players, won two of its three preliminary round games and only dropped to seventh because of a goal differential tiebreaker.

It could be quite the test for the U.S., which has only faced Latvia, Denmark and Germany so far.

The Germany game was a chance for the Americans to fine-tune their play before the tournament goes to single-elimination playoffs. Matthew Tkachuk had a pair of assists, and Matthews, the captain just as he was at the 4 Nations Face-Off a year ago, had his best showing of the tournament.

Hellebuyck also looked good in his second start, allowing only a goal to Tim Stützle. The U.S. got the goaltending it expected from him after a shaky outing from Jeremy Swayman 24 hours earlier.

Lifting the moral fog

By
Lynn Walker Gendusa
-
(NowGeorgia.com)

A dense fog rises from the nearby river as the sun sets in the west. Those returning home from work turn on their dim lights to navigate through the haze. By the time they reach their destinations, the eerie fog lifts, revealing beautiful shades of pink streaking across a clearing sky.

While Mother Nature oversees those fog-filled hours, she is not the captain of the moral fog that can envelop the best of us. How many times in our lives have we questioned our moral decisions? Our conscience tells us that what we are doing is wrong, yet we continue to defend ourselves as we attempt to turn wrong into right.

We have now entered a moral fog that obscures our vision and often takes us far away from home. We know deep within our souls that staying in an immoral dilemma yields no rewards and no clear skies.

Most of us are simply tired…tired of watching right and wrong dissolve into explanation.   We are weary of truth being continually blurred, softened, or framed in the name of neutrality, politeness, or balance. This absence of clarity diminishes our courage and resolve.

When blame replaces accountability, we remain in the darkness. Our finger-pointing is making our noses look like Pinocchio’s because it seems easier to fabricate a story than to admit defeat.

Where has the phrase “I am sorry” gone? Do we not recall the question our parents would ask: “Now, what do you say?” after we had done something wrong?  A corner awaited me if I refused to say those three precious words. “I am sorry” is as important as “I love you.” When we humble ourselves to admit our mistakes and truly mean it, we are expressing love.

Somewhere along the way, politics began redefining moral character. When both sides of the political spectrum fail to display honesty in their pursuit of power, they become so lost in confusion that they can’t find their way to the Capitol!

When we encounter issues in political office or even in our own backyards, we often hear phrases like, “I know this is wrong, but look at this or that.” The reality is, if something is wrong, it remains wrong, regardless of circumstances. Another common excuse is, “Well, look at the good they did!” Yes, but just like when I was a child—eating all my food didn’t excuse the time I threw my spinach on the floor.

Moral fog does not come from disagreement; it comes from the refusal to say when something is wrong. Good character is built on honesty, transparency, bravery, and being true to ourselves.

It’s important for us to be strong enough to confront the truth, both in the political landscape and in our personal lives. We need to put aside conspiracy theories, let go of distrust, and demand facts and legitimacy. When excuses are offered, let’s recall our childhoods and the times we tried to use those familiar lines, like “The dog really ate my homework!” It was tough to convince my parents when we only had a cat.

We must clear the air and start calling a ‘spade a spade,’ as my father used to say.  The truth is this: Racism is never acceptable. Neither is gun violence, bullying, lying, stealing, cheating, or simple meanness. These aren’t complicated moral questions, yet we often treat them as if they are. Too often, we step around these truths not because we don’t recognize them, but because we’re not brave enough to say them out loud.

Clarity becomes clearer when we use God as our guide. He is the only one who can judge, forgive our sins, and clear away the fog that clouds our understanding. We must listen to His guidance at our dinner tables and within our society, and our representatives should follow His lead in the halls of our Capitol. No political party has God’s favor; rather, it is individuals who do. He judges us not as a group, but as unique souls. In other words, He resides on each person’s shoulder, guiding us toward blue skies.

It takes a strong backbone to stand tall in character. In the end, that will be what matters for us: did we stand firm for God, or did we falter for human approval? What is right, and what is wrong?

Let the fog lift, and may the light of truth and bravery shine brightly enough to guide us home.

“In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place.” Mahatma Gandhi

_____

Lynn Walker Gendusa

Lynn Walker Gendusa began her writing career as a columnist for the LaGrange News. Today, her essays are featured regularly throughout Georgia and Tennessee. Her work also appears in Guidepost, USA Today, The Atlanta Journal, MSN.com, among others. Lynn has authored two books; the latest, “Southern Comfort,” was published in 2022. She can be reached at www.lynngendusa.com. For more of her inspirational stories, click here.

Dani Carnegie’s 29 sparks Georgia’s stunning 76-74 upset of No. 5 Vanderbilt

By
Alan Cole
-
Georgia guard Dani Carnegie (3) dribbles against Vanderbilt guard Aubrey Galvan (3) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

ATHENS, Ga. — (AP) — Dani Carnegie scored 29 points to lead Georgia to a 76-74 upset win over No. 5 Vanderbilt on Sunday.

Trinity Thomas made a mid-range jumper with 50 seconds remaining to give the Bulldogs (20-6, 6-6 SEC) a 75-74 lead. After forcing a turnover on the ensuing Vanderbilt (24-3, 10-3) possession, Carnegie split a pair of free throws to give Georgia a two-point advantage with 22.2 seconds remaining,

Vanderbilt had one final opportunity to force overtime, but Sacha Washington’s floater fell short off the front rim as time expired.

Carnegie scored 18 of her points in the first half to help Georgia build a 14-point advantage over the Commodores, before Vanderbilt closed the first half with a 16-3 run to create a tight game. Vanderbilt led by as many as five points in the fourth quarter, but Mia Woolfolk scored 11 of her 19 points to help the Bulldogs win.

Mikayla Blakes led Vanderbilt with 27 points.

The loss snaps a five-game winning streak for the Commodores and dropped them two games behind No. 3 South Carolina for the confference’s regular season title race.

Vanderbilt’s loss came less than 24 hours after the team was announced as the fourth No. 1 seed by the NCAA in its top 16 reveal to this point of the season.

Up next

Georgia will take on another ranked opponent when it hosts No. 10 Oklahoma on Thursday, while Vanderbilt will host No. 18 Kentucky next Sunday.

Derek Dooley didn’t vote for years. Now he wants Georgia voters to send him to Washington

By
Charlotte Kramon
-
Derek Dooley, a Republican candidate for Senate in Georgia, listens to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, not pictured, speak during an Atlanta Young Republicans campaign event Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Alyssa Pointer)

ATLANTA (AP) — Lots of candidates pitch themselves as political outsiders. Derek Dooley goes a step further. Not only is the former football coach running for the first time, he says he did not vote for nearly two decades.

He did not vote when Republican Donald Trump was first elected president in 2016. Nor did he vote in 2020, when Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden.

But Dooley does not worry about that as he seeks the Republican nomination to face off against Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in Georgia. He insists that Washington needs someone with a fresh outlook, someone who is not focused on “their own political career or their political ambitions.”

Besides, lots of people do not vote, and Dooley told The Associated Press that he wants to inspire more people to do so.

“If you’re not vigilant in exercising that right, things can go pretty sideways in our country,” he said.

Dooley’s opponents in the May 19 primary include two congressmen, Mike Collins and Buddy Carter. Although Dooley supports Trump, Collins and Carter are more closely identified with Trump’s “Make America Great Again” brand. With support from the more establishment Gov. Brian Kemp, Dooley will test whether his outsider narrative is compelling at a time when Trump’s antiestablishment movement already dominates the nation’s capital.

The primary winner will be among the most important Republican candidates in this year’s midterm elections, with a chance to help the party preserve its thin Senate majority by ousting Ossoff.

From football to politics

Dooley is the son of legendary University of Georgia football coach Vince Dooley. Derek Dooley worked as a lawyer before he started coaching. He led the University of Tennessee but was fired after a losing record. He then worked as an assistant coach for other colleges as well as professional teams.

He stepped away from the sidelines after the 2023 season, and Dooley said coaching people from a range of backgrounds will help him connect with Georgia’s diverse voting population.

“In my 30-plus years professional career, it’s never been about me in anything I was doing,” he said. “It’s about people.”

Dooley said he got interested in politics during Biden’s presidency, when he was upset about lax border enforcement, economic policies and support for transgender athletes, and says he voted for Trump in 2024. He has criticized Ossoff over the same issues.

Republican strategist Brian Robinson said “you can tell this wasn’t a guy who spent his life in politics or around politics or consumed by politics.”

Kemp was close with Dooley’s family growing up, and he endorsed Dooley for Senate, putting establishment heft behind the political novice.

“I was looking for a political outsider, and it just happened to be a guy that I’ve known for, you know, 50-plus years,” Kemp said on stage with Dooley during an event with the Atlanta Young Republicans on Thursday.

Kemp and Dooley drew cheers from many in the crowd. Several people at the event said they had not decided on their primary choice but appreciated Dooley’s outsider perspective.

The relationship between Dooley and Kemp does not impress others.

“Completely siloing yourself with the old, establishment governor is not a way to say you’re an outsider,” said Courtlyn Cook, chair of the Glynn County Republicans in southeast Georgia. She said voters will remember that Kemp and Trump have not always gotten along, a key issue when the president enjoys deep support from the party’s base.

Dooley’s ties with Kemp are a target for political opponents.

Devon Cruz, senior communications adviser for the Democratic Party of Georgia, described Dooley as someone with “access to the Governor’s political machine.” Harley Adsit, a spokesperson for Carter’s campaign, called Dooley the “ultimate insider.”

Lack of experience could help or hurt

Canton voter Venessa Artigas, 53, likes Kemp and understands why some of her friends used to not vote, so she will likely support Dooley.

“I think we need to get career politicians out and get the voice of the people in,” said Artigas, who attended a local event for the conservative organization Turning Point Action.

University of West Georgia student Timothy Jackson, 19, is planning to vote for Collins because of his close ties to Trump, but is open to Carter.

“Both of them have been in Congress and so they know what it takes,” Jackson said. “Dooley is going to be hard because he’s never been in that position before.”

A Kemp-linked group funded an advertisement for Dooley last fall blaming Collins and Carter for the government shutdown, lumping them in with Ossoff.

Carter, a pharmacist, has been a political fixture along Georgia’s coast for nearly three decades. Collins is a trucking company co-owner and the son of a former congressman.

“Republicans are going to face an uphill battle, but Dooley doesn’t bring the baggage that other candidates could possibly bring and can speak not only to voters on the right and Republicans, but the voters in the center who will make the decision,” said longtime Republican consultant Jason Shepherd. “Jon Ossoff has a voting record that Dooley can run on and pick apart. Dooley does not.”

Dooley said he wants to boost workforce training and reduce home prices by cutting back government regulation. He also praised the Trump administration’s capture of Nicolás Maduro, who was ousted as Venezuela’s president by the U.S. military in January, and blamed immigrants for reducing the number of available homes for U.S. citizens. Dooley promised to introduce legislation to prevent lawmakers from using taxpayer money to send campaign-related materials, which he accused Collins of doing improperly.

A spokesperson for Collins said his actions were approved by the House Communications Standards Commission, and he criticized Dooley as “a washed-up lawyer and failed coach.”

Robinson, the GOP strategist, said Dooley will need to explain to Georgians why being an outsider matters enough to earn their votes.

“It’s a well-worn path. The saliency of that message probably depends on the mood of the country and the cycle that we’re in,” Robinson said. “I don’t think we know just yet if that outsider message is what people are looking for.”

TFS students tutor local children through partnership with Clarkesville Library

By
Elisha Boggs
-
TFS freshman Rachel McDowell of Cleveland helps one of the Waycaster children with his homework. (Tallulah Falls School)

CLARKESVILLE, Ga. — What began with a simple question at the local library has grown into a weekly partnership aimed at supporting students and families in Habersham County.

Students from Tallulah Falls School are now tutoring children each Thursday afternoon at the Clarkesville Library, offering academic help to students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

“I just happened to be at the library and asked how we could help,” said TFS staff member Wendy Jackson. “And that is how it began.”

Since then, several TFS students have committed to weekly tutoring sessions that range from early reading skills to advanced math concepts. The program is designed not only to improve academic performance but also to build confidence and relationships.

Ellen Waycaster, who homeschools her three children, said the tutoring sessions have become a valuable resource for her family.

“I love that someone else is here to help me with some of the things my kids struggle with,” Waycaster said. “There are times I can’t get through to them, and they can. It is really helping my kids.”

She also praised the student volunteers for their kindness and enthusiasm, noting that

TFS sophomore Joana Huang of Fuzhou, China, helps one of the Waycaster children with their math. Ellen Waycaster says the TFS tutors are really helping her children with their academics. (Tallulah Falls School)

when sessions slow down, the tutors continue spending time with the children.
“They just give their time,” Waycaster said. “It is so sweet.”

Junior Sophie Smith of Clarkesville began tutoring in the fall and now works with a rotating group of about five students.

“It is all ages,” Smith said. “Sometimes we are doing multiplication and division, sometimes it’s reading.”

During a recent session, Smith guided a young participant through a reading activity focused on identifying similes and metaphors. She said each tutoring session begins with conversation.

“Before we tutor, we learn about each other. We talk about what their life looks like or interesting things that happen at school,” Smith said.

Sophomore Joana Huang and freshman Bobby Deng also volunteer weekly. Huang said she enjoys seeing students gain confidence as they work through assignments.

“We help students solve problems. They are happy, and it makes me happy,” Huang said.

Deng said he focuses on helping students understand the steps behind solving math problems rather than simply giving answers.

The tutoring partnership reflects Tallulah Falls School’s emphasis on leadership and service. School officials say TFS students have logged more than 1,500 hours of community service this year.

Trump’s border czar says ‘small’ security force will remain in Minnesota after enforcement drawdown

By
Ben Finley, Associated Press
-
White House border czar Tom Homan holds a news conference at the Bishop Whipple Federal building on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)

WASHINGTON (AP) — White House border czar Tom Homan said Sunday that more than 1,000 immigration agents have left Minnesota’s Twin Cities area and hundreds more will depart in the days ahead as part of the Trump administration’s drawdown of its immigration enforcement surge.

A “small” security force will stay for a short period to protect remaining immigration agents and will respond “when our agents are out and they get surrounded by agitators and things got out of control,” Homan told CBS’ “Face the Nation.” He did not define “small.”

He also said agents will keep investigating fraud allegations as well as the anti-immigration enforcement protest that disrupted a service at a church service.

“We already removed well over 1,000 people, and as of Monday, Tuesday, we’ll remove several hundred more,” Homan said. “We’ll get back to the original footprint.”

Thousands of officers were sent to the Minneapolis and St. Paul area for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s “Operation Metro Surge.” The Department of Homeland Security said it was its largest immigration enforcement operation ever and proved successful. But the crackdown came under increasing criticism as the situation grew more volatile and two U.S. citizens were killed.

Protests became common. A network of residents worked to help immigrants, warn of approaching agents or film immigration officers’ actions. The shooting deaths of Renee Goodand Alex Pretti by federal officers drew condemnation and raised questions over officers’ conduct, prompting changes to the operation.

Homan announced last week that 700 federal officers would leave Minnesota immediately, but that still left more than 2,000 in the state. He said Thursday that a “significant drawdown” was already underway and would continue through this week.

Homan said enforcement would not stop in the Twin Cities and that mass deportations will continue across the country. Officers leaving Minnesota will report back to their stations or be assigned elsewhere.

When asked if future deployments could match the scale of the Twin Cities operation, Homan said “it depends on the situation.”

Nolte leads, US drivers Meyers Taylor and Humphries Armbruster giving chase in Olympic monobob

By
Tim Reynolds
-
United States' Elana Meyers Taylor of Douglasville, Georgia, starts for a women's monobob run at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — The only thing Georgia’s Elana Meyers Taylor has yet to do in her bobsled career is win Olympic gold, which made her process of choosing a strategy for the final two runs of the women’s monobob race at the Milan Cortina Games extremely easy.

“I’m chasing,” Meyers Taylor said.

Game on. The medal hunt in Cortina could be a wild one Monday night.

Laura Nolte of Germany is the leader after Sunday’s first two runs of the women’s monobob competition, finishing in 1 minute, 59.12 seconds. And right on her heels — a pair of American 40-something mothers in Meyers Taylor and Kaillie Humphries Armbruster, chasing even more Olympic medals for their collections.

Nolte’s lead is 0.22 seconds over Meyers Taylor and 0.31 seconds over Humphries Armbruster going into Monday night’s final two runs of the competition.

“It’s coming down to the wire,” Humphries Armbruster said. “There’s definitely lots of room to make mistakes on this track. Ice conditions are changing every single run. I’ve got to work real hard at the start. I’m trying to keep up with mid-20-year-olds and I’m still only year and a half postpartum, so there’s definitely still room for improvement.”

After the first three, there’s a bit of a gap to the rest of the medal-chasing pack: Switzerland’s Melanie Hasler is fourth, 0.78 seconds off Nolte’s lead, and Kaysha Love of the U.S. is fifth — 0.89 seconds back.

It is a loaded leaderboard.

Nolte is the reigning World Cup overall monobob champion. Humphries Armbruster won monobob gold at Beijing when the sport debuted in the Olympic program four years ago. Meyers Taylor won the silver in that Olympic race. Hasler is a 10-time World Cup medalist, always seeming to be on the brink of a breakthrough. Love — who clearly wasn’t happy after experiencing a ton of trouble in her second heat, dropping one spot to fifth — won the world monobob title last year at Lake Placid.

“Everything is still open. This is monobob,” Hasler said. “It’s definitely going to be hard to stay in the fourth place, but I want to attack the medals for sure.”

Did Meyers Taylor expect it to be this close?

“No, no,” she said. “Actually, I thought it would be even closer. … It’s a very competitive field, the girls are all really great and it’s just one of those kinds of tracks where it’s anybody’s ball game.”

Australia’s Bree Walker, a winner of five medals — three gold — in seven World Cup races this season, struggled in her first heat but rallied to be seventh going into Monday, one spot behind Lisa Buckwitz of Germany. But they’re both about a full second behind Nolte, and well over a half-second behind the bronze-medal spot.

“Olympic Games are four heats and it’s a marathon,” Walker said. “And you just have to keep going, keep going, keep going.”

Nolte had the fastest time in the first heat; Humphries Armbruster had the fastest time in the second heat.

“I wasn’t nervous at all,” Nolte said.

That may not have been totally truthful.

“I mean, of course, a little bit nervous,” she confessed. “I’m always a little bit nervous, or excited. But I can also trust my abilities.”

Her abilities aren’t in question: Nolte won seven and medaled in 13 of the 14 women’s World Cup races this season — and she’s been even better in two-woman than she’s been in monobob. But she came to Cortina with a goal of double gold, and after Day 1, she’s in the best spot.

But to win Monday night, she’ll only have to hold off the two best Olympic women’s bobsledders ever: a five-time medalist in Meyers Taylor, and a four-time medalist — three of them golds — in Humphries Armbruster. They’re the two oldest women’s bobsledders in Olympic history, and still in position to find their way to the medal stand.

“Just put down four good runs and see what happens,” Meyers Taylor said. “It’s about putting down four runs and we’ll see, because I’m ready to go after it. I’m ready to get to it. Kaillie’s driving well and Laura’s driving well, so I’ve got my hands full.”

Growth issues dominate Habersham BOC agenda

By
Patrick Fargason
-
The Habersham County Board of Commissioners. (Hazel Cording/NowHabersham.com)

CLARKESVILLE, Ga. — The Habersham County Board of Commissioners will take up three high-profile items Monday night that could shape growth policy and the political landscape in the months ahead.

On the agenda under new business are a possible extension of the county’s residential housing moratorium, discussion of the Cook Construction annexation petition in Baldwin, and a resolution calling a special election to fill the District 3 commission seat.

Moratorium extension under consideration

Commissioners will discuss a possible extension of the county’s limited moratorium on accepting applications for preliminary plat approval for residential developments of five lots or more, along with rezonings to certain residential and planned development districts.

The board voted in October to extend the housing moratorium as officials continue reviewing the county’s development regulations amid ongoing growth pressures. Now Georgia previously reported the moratorium applies to larger residential subdivisions and certain rezonings while staff evaluates potential updates to zoning and land-use policies.

Commissioners have said the pause is intended to give planners time to assess infrastructure capacity and long-term growth impacts. Critics have argued that continued delays could affect housing supply and property rights.

Any extension approved Monday would continue that temporary halt while the review process moves forward.

Cook annexation returns to discussion

Commissioners are also set to discuss an annexation petition filed by Cook Construction and Real Estate seeking to bring roughly 88 acres into the City of Baldwin.

The parcels, located along the Ga. 365 corridor, are part of a proposed residential development that has drawn attention in both Baldwin and Habersham County.

When he was elected chairman in January, Commission Chairman Bruce Harkness signaled that growth management — including high-density housing proposals — would remain a top concern for the board. He previously said the commission must be proactive in addressing development patterns that could strain county services and infrastructure.

The Cook proposal has also drawn scrutiny at the state level. State Rep. Victor Anderson has said Georgia law gives cities broad authority over annexations, limiting what counties can do to block or alter them once statutory requirements are met. However, counties can raise service delivery or land-use concerns through formal objections.

The discussion Monday comes as annexation disputes across Northeast Georgia have prompted renewed attention under the Gold Dome, particularly following controversy surrounding the Red Apple corridor and similar growth-related proposals.

Special election to fill District 3 seat

Commissioners are also expected to consider a resolution calling for a special election to fill the unexpired District 3 commission term, which runs through Dec. 31, 2026.

The vacancy follows the resignation of District 3 Commissioner Jimmy Tench last week. As Now Georgia previously reported, Tench stepped down citing personal reasons.

The county later announced plans to hold a special election to fill the seat. Monday’s resolution would formally call that election.

The District 3 seat represents a key portion of the county, and the outcome could influence future votes on development policy, budgeting and other major issues before the current term expires at the end of 2026.

The Habersham County Board of Commissioners meeting begins at 6 p.m. Monday in the Jury Assembly Room at the courthouse in Clarkesville.

Lumpkin sheriff to host scam prevention, File of Life seminar Feb. 16

By
Staff Report
-
(Credit: thefileoflife.org)

DAHLONEGA — The Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office will host a community informational seminar Monday focused on scam prevention and emergency preparedness programs.

Sheriff Stacy Jarrard will present the seminar at 2 p.m. Feb. 16, at Lumpkin County Parks and Recreation, 365 Riley Road in Dahlonega.

According to the sheriff’s office, the seminar will address current scam trends and provide guidance on how residents can protect themselves. Officials will also discuss steps to take if someone believes they have been targeted by a scammer.

Lumpkin County Sheriff Stacy Jarrard will hold a Community Informational Seminar on Feb. 16, 2026. (LCSO/Facebook)

In addition, the program will include an overview of the File of Life initiative, which helps first responders quickly access critical medical information during an emergency.

The File of Life program allows individuals to store important health details in a visible, easily accessible location in their home.

The event is free and open to the public. The sheriff’s office encourages all community members to attend, particularly seniors and caregivers, to help keep the community informed and prepared.

For more information, contact Amanda Fant at amanda.fant@lumpkincounty.gov or call 706-864-0414

Lindsey Vonn is preparing to fly home to the US with more surgeries to come, team official tells AP

By
Associated Press
-
United States' Lindsey Vonn is airlifted away after a crash during an alpine ski women's downhill race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Lindsey Vonn was preparing to fly back to her home country on Sunday after her terrifying head-over-heels crash in the Olympic downhill, the U.S. Ski Team’s chief told The Associated Press.

Sophie Goldschmidt, president and CEO of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association, told the AP the team’s medical staff has been coordinating Vonn’s recovery since the crash and subsequent helicopter evacuation at the Milan Cortina Games and would try to accompany her home. Vonn has had multiple surgeries in Italy to repair a complex tibia fracture in her left leg.

“We’re working through all of that at the moment,” Goldschmidt said. “We’ve got a great team around helping her and she’ll go back to the U.S. for further surgeries.”

Spectators tuning in to see Vonn attempt to win a medal at age 41 with a torn ACL in her left knee and a partial titanium replacement in her right knee were thrown into shock when the American standout got hooked on a gate 13 seconds into her run — resulting in a spinning, air-born crash that sent her careening down the Dolomite mountain.

“The impact, the silence, everyone was just in shock. And you could tell it was a really nasty injury,” said Goldschmidt, who was in attendance for the fall. “There’s a lot of danger in doing all sorts of Alpine sports but it gives more of an appreciation for how superhuman these athletes are.

“I mean putting your body on the line, going at those speeds, the physicality. Sometimes actually on the broadcast it’s really hard to get that across,” Goldschmidt added. “Danger sometimes brings fans in and is pretty captivating. We obviously hope we won’t have injuries like that but it is unfortunately part and parcel of our sports.”

Vonn herself has no regrets.

“When I think back on my crash, I didn’t stand in the starting gate unaware of the potential consequences,” Vonn said in an Instagram post late Saturday. “I knew what I was doing. I chose to take a risk. Every skier in that starting gate took the same risk. Because even if you are the strongest person in the world, the mountain always holds the cards.

“But just because I was ready, that didn’t guarantee me anything. Nothing in life is guaranteed. That’s the gamble of chasing your dreams, you might fall but if you don’t try you’ll never know,” Vonn added.

Goldschmidt visited Vonn at the hospital twice and said, “She’s not in pain. She’s in a stable condition.

“She took an aggressive line and was all in and it was inches off what could have ended up a very different way,” Goldschmidt said. “But what she’s done for our sports and the sport in general, her being a role model, has gone to a whole new level. You learn often more about people during these tough moments than when they’re winning.”

Gold, silver and bronze for US in Alpine

On the day that Vonn crashed, teammate Breezy Johnson won gold in downhill.

Also, Ryan-Cochran-Siegle took silver in super-G for a second straight Olympics and Jacqueline Wiles and Paula Moltzan took bronze in team combined.

Four years ago, Cochran-Siegle earned the only U.S. Alpine medal in Beijing.

“We’ve invested and worked really hard with our Alpine team over the last few years and it’s nice to see that kind of pay off,” Goldschmidt said. “There’s so many variables in these sports. … The pressure and spotlight affects people in so many different ways.”

Shiffrin is ‘the ultimate role model on and off the snow’

Mikaela Shiffrin is an overwhelming favorite to conclude the Alpine program with a gold in slalom on Wednesday. She has won 71 of her record 108 World Cup victories in the discipline.

Shiffrin couldn’t hold onto a medal position in combined after Johnson, her teammate for the event, led the downhill leg, then finished 11th in the giant slalom on Sunday.

“She is the ultimate role model on and off the snow,” Goldschmidt said. “When you work with Mikaela there is no risk. She’s completely committed and doing everything she can. … To have the records that she does, she clearly is a big-race skier.

“Regardless (of her Olympic results) she’s an all-time great and someone that makes us proud on a very regular basis and a great teammate as well.”

Tunnel traffic between Cortina, Livigno and Bormio

Goldschmidt has also been checking in on the U.S. cross-country, freestyle and snowboard teams with an itinerary that has also taken her to Bormio, Livigno and Val di Fiemme.

Sunday marked the third time of the Olympics that she was in Cortina after “thousands” of driving miles.

With mountain passes closed in winter, the route from Cortina to Livigno and on to Bormio requires traveling a section of road in Switzerland and then the Munt la Schera Tunnel back into Italy.

Since the tunnel has only one lane, travelers need to wait for cars to come out from the other end before the traffic direction switches.

“I’ve been through that three times,” Goldschmidt said. “I really want to show my support. We care about all our teams.”

By AP’s Andrew Dampf

No. 6 GymDogs Score 197.650 at Metroplex Challenge

By
UNG Athletic Communications
-
UGA's Ja' Free Scott performs on the balance beam during the Metroplex Challenge at the Fort Worth Convention Center on Feb. 14, 2026. (Georgia Gymnastics/Facebook)

FORT WORTH, Texas – The No. 6 Georgia GymDogs posted a 197.650 on Saturday at the Metroplex Challenge at the Fort Worth Convention Center, defeating No. 20 Cal (196.875), No. 10 Stanford (196.400), and Air Force (195.750).

Fast facts

Georgia’s team score of 197.650 narrowly missed tying a season high (197.675), but is Georgia’s highest score away from Athens this season.

The GymDogs posted a season high 49.475 on bars to end the meet. Senior Csenge Bácskay and junior Lily Smith shared the event title, each scoring a 9.950. The mark was a new career high for Bácskay, and her first event win of the season, and tied a season high for Smith.

Sophomore Nyla Aquino and junior Ady Wahl shared a four-way tie for the vault title with scores of 9.925, which were season highs for both GymDogs.

Freshman Kelise Woolford won the outright beam title with a 9.950, a season best.
Smith, the nation’s leader on floor, won her seventh floor title in as many meets, scoring a 9.975 on Saturday.

Up Next

Georgia Gymnastics returns to Stegeman Coliseum on Friday, Feb. 20 to host the Florida Gators. The meet will begin at 7 p.m. and will air on SEC Network. Friday’s meet will be the’GymDogs Go Country’ meet. The first 500 UGA students and 250 kids, 12 & under, will receive a cowboy hat.

For all the latest on the GymDogs, follow the team on Instagram (@UGAgymnastics), Twitter (@UGAGymnastics), and Facebook (Georgia Gymnastics).

1...424344...2,982Page 43 of 2,982