Roundabout in progress at SR 115 and SR 105 (Daniel Purcell/Now Habersham)
Financed through millions of dollars sourced from federal and state funding, as planned, there are over 19 road projects designated by Georgia’s Department of Transportation (GDOT) across Habersham County for improved infrastructure in the coming years.
Future and existing plans by GDOT, presented during a meeting hosted by Partnership Habersham at North Georgia Technical College Wednesday, March 26, feature a combination of projects such as roundabouts, bridge replacements and R-cuts.
An RCUT, also referred to as a J-Turn, is an intersection design believed to reduce crashes by changing the pattern traffic crosses or turns left at major roadways, according to GDOT, thus reducing the potential for conflict with other vehicles.
Over 50 people attended Wednesday’s meeting – where residents and local leaders viewed the list of GDOT’s current road plans for the county, their impact on transportation, and raised questions about areas where future improvements are needed.
Now Habersham will have the full story of that meeting.
The list of current and pending projects by GDOT include:
RCUTs planned or in the works
RCUTs have now installed at Alto-Mud Creek Road and other roads at GA 365 (Brian Wellmeier/Now Habersham)
Planned RCUTs: Luthi Road, Charlie Davis Road, LC Turner Road, Double Bridge Road, Hazel Creek Road, Hulsey/Jess Kinney Road, Rock Road, U.S. 23/U.S. 441/SR 15 at Antioch Church Road, and a U-Turn between Mt Zion Road and Crane Mill Road.
Cost: $4.3 million
Expected completion: (currently 47% complete) by 8/31/2025
GA 365 ‘quick response’ projects:
RCUT (planned) at: Cody Road.
Cost: $93,000
Expected completion: 4/30/2025
2. RCUT (in design phases) at: Wilbanks Road
Cost: Not available
Expected completion: Not provided
3. Recently completed RCUTs: Yonah Post Road, Alto-Mud Creek Road, Mt. Zion Road
Cost: Not available
Expected completion date: Completed in June of 2024
Roundabouts
The roundabout on Hwy. 115 is a first for Habersham County. A second roundabout is planned at the intersection of GA 197 South and SR 17 in Clarkesville. (Daniel Purcell/NowHabersham.com)
Roundabout (in progress) at: SR 115 and SR 105
Cost: $5.1 million
Expected completion date: (currently 67% complete) by 5/31/2025.
Authorities have opened an investigation into an incident that left two people dead at a residence on Mars Hill Road in Oconee County.
According to the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the home on Monday, March 24 after a family member reported an unusual lack of contact with a loved one.
Upon arrival, police say a deputy saw Mitchell Oldham enter the home through the front door. As the deputy moved toward the entrance, he discovered Douglas Oldham dead near the front of the residence.
Two found dead on Mars Hill Road in Oconee County (Google Maps)
The deputy called for backup to secure the scene. Attempts to call any occupants out of the home were unsuccessful. The Athens-Clarke County Strategic Response Team was then brought in. Using a drone, officers located Mitchell Oldham inside the residence, dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Investigators secured the scene as the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office took over crime scene processing. Authorities have not released further details, and the investigation remains ongoing.
A pro-transgender protest at the start of the 2025 legislative session. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
ATLANTA (Georgia Recorder) — A ban on puberty-blocking medications for transgender minors was the subject of an unexpected compromise at a House committee meeting Thursday.
The bill no longer bans the medications, but it makes them harder to get.
“My thought process is that it certainly allows gender dysphoria to be treated with puberty blockers,” said Savannah Republican Sen. Ben Watson, author of Senate Bill 30, which originally did not allow gender dysphoria to be treated with puberty blockers.
Sen. Ben Watson (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
“I think that, on minors, that’s the wrong thing to do,” he added. “But I’ll tell you, I’m sort of trying to be the bigger person here and allow this bill to move, so I would not try to delay it, and I would not suggest any changes – unless we want to go back to the original bill.”
Marietta Republican Rep. Sharon Cooper, chair of the House Public and Community Health Committee, said Watson’s original bill was not an option.
“Thank you very much, senator, as I told you outside, the bill that is up for decision today is not your previous version. The only thing we will be voting on is the one that we have as a substitute to Senate Bill 30,” Cooper said.
Tensions appeared to run high between Cooper and Watson the last time this bill was before her committee.
Watson, who is a physician, argued that puberty blockers can have dangerous side effects and children are better off without them. Mainstream medical organizations recommend them as part of treatment for gender dysphoria.
Under the version that passed committee, the child could be prescribed puberty blockers only by a licensed physician who is board certified in pediatrics and either pediatric endocrinology or adolescent medicine and diagnosed by two independent behavioral health professionals including one licensed psychiatrist and one licensed psychiatrist or psychologist.
Before that could happen, both of the child’s parents would need to sign a form listing the potential risks of puberty blockers, and if they cannot agree, they would need to seek a court order.
In addition, children undergoing hormone therapy would need to attend regular counseling, and doctors who provide it would need to submit treatment progress reports to the Georgia Composite Medical Board.
Cooper characterized the measure as a compromise between those who want transgender children to have access to the treatments subject to their doctors’ and parents’ agreement and those who want them totally banned.
1NATION
“I think that we should be fair about stating that this is not a one-sided thing,” she said to Watson. “There’s two sides to it, and in the middle, a family is caught, and I will say, as a Republican, we push parental involvement, it’s sort of our mantra, and as you know, if you remember, you agreed last time that they shouldn’t have any choice in this, and I think a lot of us are just having some trouble about that sort of dictatorial thing.”
“I will respectfully disagree,” Watson said.
“OK,” Cooper replied. “I appreciate it being respectful.”
Some transgender Georgians, parents and health providers said they did not see the alteration as a victory. Elizabeth Downey, a registered nurse and mom of a transgender daughter, said the requirements could be onerous, especially for families that may have to travel long distances to reach the kind of specialists needed under the bill.
Downey said the constant stream of bills aimed at transgender Georgians, especially youths, make her daughter, who is otherwise thriving in school and happy with her identity, feel targeted.
“My daughter just wants to live her life,” Downey said. “She wants to go to school every day. She wants to play with her friends on the weekend. She wants to participate on sports teams with her friends, and these constant attacks on who she is as a person and the scrutiny that it brings on her life and in our family’s life every single day is harmful. She is a target every single day without people realizing it just because she is who she is.”
Speaking to the Recorder after the vote, Cooper said she thinks the committee came to a good compromise.
“I agree with people that say that when both sides are not happy, that probably it’s a good compromise, and that you can tell exactly from the crowd today, both sides were not happy,” Cooper said. “But, you know, it’s not really about either side. It’s really looking at the situation and just doing the best you can do.”
The bill must go back to the Senate before it can come to the House for final passage. The final day of the legislative session is April 4.
Habersham County has released the names of the three finalists for the county manager position, vacated in December by former manager Alicia Vaughn.
County officials announced in a news release Wednesday, March 26, the three individuals left standing from a pool of 60 candidates, all with experience in government, are:
Tim Sims
Sims, who was selected to succeed Vaughn on an interim basis in December, has been Habersham County’s finance director since 2020.
With an extensive background in government, Sims previously worked for Hall County for 22 years.
Mark Musselwhite
Musslewhite, the current city manager of Demorest, served on the Gainesville City Council from 2000 to 2006.
He was brought on in December of 2021 as interim city manager before being approved as city manager in April of 2022.
Last year, Musselwhite received the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute Certificate of Excellence during the Georgia Municipal Association’s (GMA) Annual Cities United Summit in Atlanta in early 2024.
Tim Jarrell
Jarrell was the town manager and police chief of Mt. Airy before his departure in 2022. He left to join the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office as an investigator.
Before that, he worked as the police chief of Toccoa until he left for Mt. Airy in 2018.
What’s next?
According to state law, the public can inspect the finalists’ resumés and other documentation related to their applications at least 14 calendar days before the final vote. Anyone wanting to review that information may contact the county clerk’s office at (706) 839-0215 or by email at [email protected].
The commission has not announced a timeline for when a final decision will be made.
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard arguments at the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse on March 24, 2025, over a challenge of a lower court’s restraining order barring the administration from deporting Venezuelan immigrants under a wartime law. (U.S. General Services Administration photo)
WASHINGTON (States Newsroom) — The Trump administration lost a round Wednesday night in its attempts to use a wartime law for deportations of Venezuelans accused of gang ties.
The 2-1 decision by a U.S. District Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit panel will keep in place a temporary restraining order to prevent any more deportations of Venezuelan nationals ages 14 and older under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, invoked by President Donald Trump.
The Trump administration sent three deportation flights carrying more than 250 men to a notorious mega-prison in El Salvador after the restraining order was issued.
Judge Patricia A. Millett, a nominee of President Barack Obama, and Judge Karen LeCraft Henderson, a nominee of President George H.W. Bush, ruled that the Department of Justice did not meet the requirements to lift the order.
Henderson also noted a presidential proclamation signed by Trump did not set up a due process to allow those accused under the Alien Enemies Act to challenge it.
Judge Justin R. Walker, who was appointed by Trump, agreed with the Trump administration’s request to block the restraining order.
Shortly after the appeals court order, the American Civil Liberties Union, which brought the suit against the Trump administration, filed a request with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, asking for the temporary restraining order to be extended for another 14 days.
The ACLU noted it plans to file a preliminary injunction request on Friday “in which they intend to submit additional factual material so that there is a more complete record.”
A hearing on the preliminary injunction is set for April 8.
Bondi and state secrets privilege
Wednesday’s decision comes after Attorney General Pam Bondi on Monday invoked the “state secrets privilege” to block U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg from obtaining additional information about deportation flights carried out under the Alien Enemies Act.
The privilege is a common-law doctrine that protects sensitive national security information from being released.
From the bench on March 15, he gave a verbal order that blocked the use of the act and ordered anyone on the deportation flights subject to the Alien Enemies Act to be returned to the United States.
The Trump administration has said only two of the three planes carried Venezuelans subject to the proclamation.
Due process
Henderson, in her opinion, noted that the Trump administration “has yet to show a likelihood of success on the merits.”
In oral arguments before the appeals court Monday, the Department of Justice argued that the U.S. District Court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case and that the Trump administration’s “conduct is lawful under the plain text of the Alien Enemies Act.”
Henderson also raised due process issues. She noted that the temporary restraining order is simply pausing “the summary removal of Venezuelan immigrants to a notorious prison in El Salvador or other unknown locations without first affording them some semblance of due process to contest the legal and factual bases for removal.
“In the government’s view, based on its allegation alone, Plaintiffs can be removed immediately with no notice, no hearing, no opportunity—zero process—to show that they are not members of the gang, to contest their eligibility for removal under the law, or to invoke legal protections against being sent to a place where it appears likely they will be tortured and their lives endangered,” she said.
Millett in her opinion questioned why the Trump administration would ask for an emergency ruling to lift the order from Boasberg because “the government’s persistent theme for the last ten days has been that the district court’s oral direction regarding the airplanes was not a (Temporary Restraining Order) with which it had to comply.”
“But the one thing that is not tolerable is for the government to seek from this court a stay of an order that the government at the very same time is telling the district court is not an order with which compliance was ever required,” she said. “Heads the government wins, tails the district court loses is no way to obtain the exceptional relief of a (Temporary Restraining Order) stay.”
Millett also criticized the Department of Justice for appealing to the circuit court first before trying the district court.
“I would deny the stay on this additional ground,” she said. “The government needs to play by the same rules it preaches. And it needs to respect court rules.”
Judge sides with DOJ
Walker, who appeared to align with the Department of Justice’s arguments on Monday, sided with the Trump administration.
In his opinion, he reiterated his stance from Monday’s oral arguments.
Walker again argued that the right way for Venezuelans to object to detention under the Alien Enemies Act is a habeas corpus claim, which is used to challenge an unjust imprisonment, including immigration detention.
The original five men who brought the suit under the Alien Enemies Act, before the federal judge moved to a class suit, were in a detention center in Texas, rather than the District of Columbia.
“The problem for the Plaintiffs is that habeas claims must be brought in the district where the Plaintiffs are confined,” he said. “For the named Plaintiffs at least, that is the Southern District of Texas.”
Tren de Aragua gang
Border Czar Tom Homan said Monday that he was confident that the more than 250 Venezuelans on the deportation flights were members of the Tren de Aragua gang, according to White House pool reports.
Homan said that he got “assurances from the highest levels of (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) that” everyone on the planes were members of the Tren de Aragua.
“We’re talking about terrorists,” he said. “These are not good people.”
Immigration attorneys for the men and family members have said those sent to the mega-prison had no criminal record or were in asylum proceedings before an immigration judge.
Sen. Blake Tillery. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
(Georgia Recorder) — A bill aimed at removing gender-affirming care for transgender state workers covered by the state health insurance plan moved forward in the Georgia House Health Committee after committee Chair Lee Hawkins, a Gainesville Republican, broke a tie vote.
The bill’s author, Vidalia Republican Sen. Blake Tillery, said treatments like hormone therapy or mastectomies will still be available, but not for gender-affirming purposes.
“Senate Bill 39 relates to the state health benefit plan, and it states that the state health benefit plan will not pay for gender-reassignment surgeries or gender care when it’s related to a sex that is not someone’s sex at birth, that is it,” he said.
Democratic state Rep. Kim Schofield of Atlanta questioned the intent behind banning treatments specifically for transgender people.
“I’m concerned about this bill and the public health research on this bill,” she said. “Where is that? Or is this really just a personal ideology?”
“I don’t know that it’s a personal ideology,” Tillery answered. “If it passes the General Assembly, then it would be the ideology of the General Assembly, and if the votes are against it, then it’s not in the ideology of the General Assembly.”
Schofield wasn’t convinced.
“I mean, where’s the research? Where’s the public health research that this is a problem or we should be taking this issue up?” she said. “This is a decision between someone’s personal life, their doctors and their family. It shouldn’t be the General Assembly.”
“Well, ma’am, I beg to differ,” Tillery said.”You’re gonna be asked to vote on a budget that we send back over to you that’s gonna have over roughly $1 billion in the state health benefit plan. If you think that the state should pay for transgender surgeries–”
“I do,” Schofield said.
“– then you should vote against my bill,” Tillery continued.
“And I will,” Schofield said.
Public comment on the bill was largely in opposition.
Attorney Amanda Kay Seals represented transgender state workers in a 2023 lawsuit after they were excluded from the health plan. In that case, the state paid out a $365,000 settlement and removed transgender exclusions.
Seals said passing SB 39 into law will lead to more taxpayer dollars going to settlements.
“Georgia has settled these cases for millions of dollars, not out of the charity to the plaintiffs,” she said. “It’s because these exclusions are legally indefensible, and you will be sued again. The state will be sued again if this bill passes, and again, the exclusions will be legally indefensible. You will spend more money litigating over these exclusions than you would offering this care to state employees and their dependents.”
Dr. Jason Schneider, a physician who treats transgender patients, characterized the bill as government overreach that could harm his patients.
“The government should not be able to overrule a person’s decision to seek health care for themselves and their families, whether they are transgender or not,” he said. “And this would allow, this bill allows politicians to interfere with private decisions between me and my patients, my adult patients. It’s important to know that the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, and every other leading U.S. Medical Professional Association recognizes and supports this care.”
Khara Hayden, a transgender state employee who would be affected by the bill, characterized it as heartless.
“I require hormones. I don’t produce hormones anymore, so this is essentially taking life necessary care away from me,” she said. “It boggles my mind as a Georgian. I’ve been in the state since the first grade. I’ve grown up here. Where is the care for community? Love your neighbor as you love yourself. Treat others the way you want to be treated. This is specifically targeting a group, a very small group of people for no apparent reason other than trying to save money.”
The bill could come up for a full House vote any time between now and the end of the legislative session on April 4.
Fort Stewart in Savannah, Georgia, is home to the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division.
(John McCosh/Georgia Recorder)
The fate of four U.S. Army soldiers missing in Lithuania remains unconfirmed, despite reports of their deaths circulating Wednesday. While NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte reportedly told the Associated Press that the soldiers died during a trip to Warsaw, NATO Acting Spokesperson Allison Hart clarified that Rutte was referencing unconfirmed news reports.
The soldiers, all from the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division based at Fort Stewart, Georgia, were participating in scheduled tactical training near Pabradė, Lithuania, when the incident occurred. A U.S. official, speaking to the Associated Press, stated only that the soldiers were involved in a training accident.
Adding to the confusion, a Fort Stewart spokesperson refuted Rutte’s reported confirmation, emphasizing that the soldiers’ deaths have not been officially confirmed. The spokesperson cited a statement from U.S. Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF), which acknowledged that Rutte had seen reports but maintained that the soldiers’ location could not be confirmed at that time. The Fort Stewart spokesperson told Savannah news station WSAV they’re trying to be mindful of the soldiers’ families.
The search for the soldiers involved a joint effort by the U.S. Army, Lithuanian Armed Forces, Lithuanian law enforcement, and other authorities. Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza, V Corps commanding general, expressed gratitude for the Lithuanian Armed Forces and first responders’ swift assistance in the search. “It’s this kind of teamwork and support that exemplifies the importance of our partnership and our humanity regardless of what flags we wear on our shoulders,” Costanza said.
U.S. Army Europe and Africa confirmed that the armored recovery vehicle the soldiers were operating was discovered submerged in a body of water in a training area.
While the incident remains under investigation, expressions of sympathy and support poured in.
Marty, the girls, and I join the entire nation and their families in mourning the loss of 4 service members who made the ultimate sacrifice while stationed abroad.
We pray for their loved ones and fellow soldiers, and ask all Georgians to join us in asking for God’s protection… https://t.co/iIL36F8VBt
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger offered their condolences to the families and fellow soldiers. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) echoed these sentiments, calling for prayers for the missing soldiers and their families.
The Hall County Sheriff’s Office’s Accident Investigation Unit is searching for a suspect after a hit-and-run incident that authorities say left a moped rider with serious injuries on Tuesday, March 25, near Gainesville.
According to the Hall County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the scene around 9:10 p.m. at Limestone Parkway and Wildwood Circle, where a moped had been struck by a vehicle. The driver of the vehicle is said to have fled the scene, leaving the injured rider behind.
Authorities identified the victim as Jerrett Albert Peltier, 52, of Gainesville. Police say first responders transported the victim to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville for treatment.
According to AIU’s initial investigation, Peltier was traveling north on Limestone Parkway when he was rear-ended by a vehicle believed to be a 2007-2014 Ford Mustang. Authorities say witnesses reported seeing the suspect continue north on Limestone Parkway in the Gainesville area before heading onto U.S. 129/Cleveland Highway.
Deputies so far have been unable to locate the suspect. AIU is actively investigating the incident and urges anyone with information to contact (470) 768-2067 or email [email protected].
A state trooper talks to those who showed up Wednesday to weigh in on a controversial total abortion ban. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
(Georgia Recorder) — A House panel heard hours of testimony Wednesday on a bill that would expand Georgia’s law to completely ban and criminalize abortion, while even some anti-abortion groups oppose the measure.
No vote was taken on House Bill 441, and no vote is planned, but the surprise late-session hearing drew hundreds of people to the state Capitol Wednesday who either pushed for the long-shot bill or urged lawmakers to steer clear of a bill that they warned would undermine a popular proposal to protect access to in-vitro fertilization.
Sign-toting supporters of the bill sang hymns and prayed aloud as opponents passed out stickers that said “support and compassion – not punishment” and held their own counter-protest signs in a cramped committee room before the over-capacity crowd was ushered out into the hallway to wait their turn to have their say.
Supporters of HB 441 demonstrate Wednesday at the Capitol. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
The public airing of the controversial bill Wednesday was tense and came the day before the Senate is expected to finalize a bipartisan measure designed to protect access to IVF. That bill, House Bill 428, passed unanimously in the House and was supported by the sponsors of the proposed total ban on abortion.
“Tens of thousands of babies, made in the image of God, continue to be murdered in our state every year, all within the bounds of the current law. That must be changed,” said the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Emory Dunahoo, a Gillsville Republican.
Georgia’s current law bans most abortions once fetal cardiac activity is detected, which is at about six weeks and before many women know they are pregnant. The law, which took effect in 2022 after Roe v. Wade was struck down, allows for a few limited exceptions, including some – in the cases of rape and incest – that would be wiped away by Dunahoo’s bill.
Under his bill, abortions after fertilization would be deemed a homicide. A pregnant woman could be charged with a crime, unless she can prove she was forced into having the abortion.
But even prominent anti-abortion advocates in Georgia argue the bill goes too far. The Georgia Life Alliance submitted a letter to the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee opposing the bill and objecting to the hearing even being held.
“Regardless of one’s beliefs on access to abortion, women and girls should not be further traumatized from their abortion by the fear of criminal prosecution,” wrote Claire Bartlett, the group’s executive director, and Bryan Tyson, the group’s board chairman.
A former anti-abortion lobbyist in Georgia also testified against the bill Wednesday.
“This is just really bad legislation, whether a woman has been sexually assaulted or is pregnant and facing a crisis,” said Elizabeth Edmonds. “This is not compassion. This is not how Jesus would love us.”
Several metro Atlanta doctors urged lawmakers to oppose the bill, saying it would end IVF treatment in Georgia.
Rep. Shea Roberts, an Atlanta Democrat, hugs Dr. Karenne Fru, who is the founder and owner of a fertility clinic in Sandy Springs, after Fru gave impassioned remarks Wednesday. (Jill Nolin/Georgia Recorder)
During IVF, doctors typically harvest and fertilize multiple eggs in the hope that at least one results in a successful pregnancy. Unused embryos, which are only days old and barely visible to the naked eye, are often allowed to thaw out and be destroyed.
Dr. Karenne Fru, who is the founder and owner of a fertility clinic in Sandy Springs, said she tells all her patients that they may start out with 20 eggs but wind up with two embryos.
“Am I guilty of murder? That makes me a serial killer. What? My whole life is doing God’s work,” Fru said in impassioned comments. “He said, ‘Go forth and procreate.’ I’m doing that. Please. Just let me continue to do that. I cannot go to jail because I want to help people become parents, and this bill criminalizes what I do.”
Rep. Charlice Byrd, a Woodstock Republican who is a co-sponsor of the bill, questioned another one of the doctors how the measure would affect IVF access.
Dr. Kathryn C. Calhoun said granting embryos full legal personhood from the time of fertilization and making abortion a homicide would deter doctors from offering seemingly legal procedures.
Calhoun explained that it can take many embryos to be successful and that sometimes those embryos stop growing in the lab because they are not healthy enough to survive.
“If our embryologists or our doctors or any of the providers in our clinic could be held criminally liable for the fact that an embryo didn’t make it in a dish by no fault of their own, but just by biology or God’s will or whatever you all want to believe about that, we wouldn’t be able to practice,” Calhoun said. “The threat and the danger would be too real to ourselves and our own families to practice that in the state of Georgia.”
The bill is part of a national effort backed by End Abortion Now, which is one of the male-run groups pushing for stringent anti-abortion restrictions and penalties. And many of the proponents who spoke in favor of the bill Wednesday were from outside of Georgia.
But not all the supporters were out-of-towners. Nikki Crannell said she and her husband, who live in Gainesville, reached out to the group. The couple said they recognize it could take years of advocacy to get such a bill passed in Georgia.
Crannell said she has concerns about IVF.
“Those babies are babies made in the image of God too and are just sitting in the freezer, who also need a right to life,” Crannell said.
Rep. Yasmin Neal (center), a Jonesboro Democrat, questions a supporter of HB 441 as Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick, a Lithonia Democrat, holds up signs. (Jill Nolin/Georgia Recorder)
With the session set to end April 4, Wednesday’s hearing will likely be the most action the bill gets this year, though it will still technically be in play when lawmakers return next January. More moderate Republicans like Rep. Sharon Cooper say they have no interest in going further than Georgia’s current law.
Cooper, who chairs the House Public and Community Health Committee, also said she agrees with concerns that Dunahoo’s bill would threaten IVF access.
“I believe that we have gone as far as we should go on that issue,” the Marietta Republican told a reporter Wednesday, referring to abortion. “And that bill also interferes with, or would interfere with, people who are trying to get pregnant using in vitro, and I am certainly against that. And it’s a hearing only, but I certainly hope that that’s all it is, a hearing.”
The Senate is set to vote on a bill that would protect access to IVF treatment but would not regulate it. That bill is a priority of House Speaker Jon Burns, a Newington Republican who reiterated his support for the proposal Wednesday when asked through his spokesperson about the hearing on the strict abortion bill.
“While the House’s bill codifying protections for IVF is still moving through the legislative process, it will without a doubt strengthen the ability of countless Georgia families to bring life into the world,” Burns said in a statement.
But reproductive rights advocates like Allison Coffman, who is the executive director of the Amplify Georgia Collaborative, argued that it is harmful to even hold a hearing on what she described as one of the most extreme forms of an abortion ban.
“We are letting it see the light of day,” Coffman said. “We are saying that this is something that this committee, that this Legislature thinks is important enough to put to public discussion.”
Georgia Recorder reporter Ross Williams contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump attends an event celebrating Women’s History Month, Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in the East Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)
(States Newsroom) — President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday to impose a 25% tariff on imported cars and light trucks.
Trump, who campaigned on bringing down consumer costs, said during an Oval Office signing event the additional tax on foreign goods would spur U.S. production.
Asked if, like other tariffs Trump’s threatened, trade partners could do anything to avoid the fee on cars and trucks, Trump answered no. This tariff will remain in place until he leaves office, he said, and was meant to protect the U.S. industry.
“I think our automobile business will flourish like it’s never flourished before,” he said.
The tariff will go into effect April 2, he said. It will add to – not replace – any other applicable existing tariffs, he said.
“We’re going to charge countries for doing business in our country and taking our jobs, taking our wealth, taking a lot of things they’ve been taking over the years,” he said. “They’ve taken so much out of our country, friend and foe alike. And frankly, friend has been oftentimes much worse than foe.”
The measure could bring in $100 billion in tax revenue, a White House aide said during the Oval Office event.
Trump said the administration would have “very strong policing” to enforce the tariffs.
Trump said he did not seek advice from White House adviser Elon Musk, the CEO of U.S. electric carmaker Tesla, because “he might have a conflict.”
Trump said the tariffs may be good or neutral for Tesla, which he noted had large plants in Texas and California.
“Anybody that has plants in the United States it’s going to be good for,” he said.
Mary Lou Daniel Jackson, born on January 28, 1932, in Demorest, Georgia, took her heavenly flight home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of warmth and creativity that will be fondly remembered by all who knew her.
A devoted and talented entrepreneur, Mary Lou was the proud owner and operator of Mary Lou’s Beauty Salon, where she dedicated herself to making others feel beautiful and valued. Her passion for beautification was matched only by her commitment to her community and her family.
Mary Lou cherished her role as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She is survived by her sons and daughters-in-law, Jerry Douglas Taylor & Janet and Ricky Doyle Taylor & Becky; stepsons and daughters-in-law, Jerry Phillip Jackson & Denise and Philip Nathaniel Jackson, Jr. & Misty; grandchildren and their spouses, Bronson Taylor & Brittany, Meredith Whisenant & Austin, Diana Williams & Ben, Kyle Taylor & Jessica, Cody Jackson Harkins & Josh, Tyne Jackson, Logan Jackson, Jerry Lee Jackson & Christi, Jason Jackson & Stephanie, and Chris Jackson & Tiffany, along with 19 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild. She was also surrounded by her loving sisters, Lucille Nations, Thelma Elrod, and Zoella Thomas, and her dear brother and sister-in-law, Jim Daniel & Queenola, along with numerous nieces and nephews.
Mary Lou held a deep faith as a member of Habersham Baptist Church, which played a significant role in her life. Among her proudest accomplishments was being baptized in the Jordan River during one of her travels to the Holy Land, a testament to her spiritual journey.
Mary Lou had varied interests that enriched her life and those around her. She found joy in gardening, camping, traveling, quilting, crocheting, and watching Westerns, passions that characterized her vibrant and adventurous spirit.
Mary Lou was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Alonzo Lonnie Daniel and Mattie Mae Mullinax Daniel, as well as her husbands, Alvin Joe Thompson and Philip Nathaniel Jackson, Sr., and her brothers and sisters-in-law, Oscar Daniel and Bea, Ralph Daniel and Ruth, and Lonnie Daniel, Jr., and her brothers-in-law, J.C. Nations, Dewey Elrod, and L.C. Thomas.
Funeral services are 3:00 PM on Friday, March 28, 2025, in the Chapel of McGahee-Griffin & McEntire with Rev. Doug Porter officiating.
Interment will follow the service in Chattahoochee Baptist Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 1 PM until the service hour on Friday, at the funeral home, prior to the service.
Mary Lou’s enduring spirit will live on in the hearts of her family and friends, leaving a cherished memory that will inspire love and kindness long into the future.
Betty Jo Cross, 82, of Cleveland, Georgia, passed away on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.
Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law, Tammy and Mark Cunningham, of Cleveland; granddaughter, Samantha Cunningham; and grandson, Joshua Cunningham.
Ms. Cross’ wishes were to be cremated with no formal services will be held.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Whitfield Funeral Homes & Crematory, North Chapel, 245 Central Avenue, Demorest, Georgia 30535. Telephone: 706-778-1700.
