White County High School north of Cleveland was evacuated Tuesday morning due to what appeared to be smoke in the building.
White County School officials informed the parents of students that at approximately 9:58 AM, White County High School’s fire alarm system engaged due to a faulty thermostat.
The message said maintenance personnel addressed the issue, and the White County Fire Department cleared the building.
Students were able to re-enter the building at 10:30 AM.
Phyllis E. Webb of Clarkesville, Georgia, died on March 16, 2025, at her home.
Phyllis was born November 25, 1952, in Atlanta, Georgia, to Mack C. and Thelma Webb. She was the youngest of three children. She attended Cross Keys High School and graduated in 1970.
Phyllis graduated from Tift College in Forsyth, Georgia, in June 1978. She worked for Quest Diagnostics for 21 years and other medical offices but truly loved serving the Lord Jesus in her church and life! She taught Sunday School, worked with children, and was the Assistant Pianist at her church. She loved her mission trips—to the Appalachian portion of Kentucky and Savannah, Georgia, where she taught at the Savannah Baptist Center. Phyllis is an active member at Mt. Airy Baptist in Mt. Airy, Georgia.
Phyllis is survived by her brothers, Rev. Dr. Calvin Webb of Brookshire, Texas, and Donnie Webb of Nelson, Georgia. She is also survived by her nephews, Rev. Dr. Wendell Webb of Jonesboro, Georgia, Rev. Dr. Christopher Webb (Kristin) of Tyler, Texas, and Don Webb of Canton, Georgia! She’s survived by her grand nephews and nieces, Elizabeth and Joshua Webb of Jonesboro, Georgia, and Tyler, Timothy, and Rachel Webb of Tyler, Texas.
Phyllis was predeceased by her parents, Mack and Thelma Webb, her nephew, Wendell’s wife, Carrie Webb, and her brother Calvin’s wife, Lynda Webb.
Memorial Services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, March 27, 2025 at Mt. Airy Baptist Church.
The family will receive friends from 1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m., Thursday, March 27, 2025, at the church prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to either Samaritan’s Purse (https://www.samaritanspurse.org) or the Gideons International (www.gideons.org).
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Whitfield Funeral Homes & Crematory, North Chapel at 245 Central Avenue, Demorest, Georgia 30535. Telephone: 706-778-1700.
WASHINGTON (States Newsroom) — U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts on Tuesday rejected calls to impeach federal judges who issue rulings that block Trump administration policies, a rare public statement from the nation’s highest sitting judge.
“For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision,” Roberts said. “The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.”
The comments, provided to States Newsroom by a spokesperson for the court, came just hours after President Donald Trump vented his frustration with a federal judge on social media.
“I’m just doing what the VOTERS wanted me to do,” Trump wrote. “This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges’ I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!! WE DON’T WANT VICIOUS, VIOLENT, AND DEMENTED CRIMINALS, MANY OF THEM DERANGED MURDERERS, IN OUR COUNTRY. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”
The post appeared to be directed at U.S. Judge James Emanuel Boasberg in the District of Columbia, who over the weekend blocked the Trump administration from deporting certain immigrants under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.
The American Civil Liberties Union is arguing the Trump administration violated the judge’s order by not bringing back flights traveling to Honduras and El Salvador on Saturday.
Boasberg on Monday called on attorneys from the Justice Department to provide detailed information on the deportation flights over the weekend.
The U.S. House of Representatives must vote to impeach federal officials. Trump was impeached twice by the House during his first term in office.
The Senate then holds a trial, after which at least two-thirds of the lawmakers in that chamber must vote to remove the federal official from office. The upper chamber didn’t take that step during Trump’s first term and he was acquitted twice.
“The House has initiated impeachment proceedings more than 60 times; roughly a third of all proceedings have led to full impeachments,” according to a post by the Office of the Historian. “Just eight individuals—all federal judges—have been convicted and removed from office by the Senate.”
Ariana Figueroa contributed to this report.
Dr. Zachary Phillip Hart, age 33, of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and Clarkesville, passed away Tuesday, February 25, 2025.
Born November 3, 1991, Zac was the son of Robin Patton Hart and the late Howard Phillip Hart. He was born and raised in Habersham County and was a 2010 graduate of Habersham Central High School. Zac completed his undergraduate work in Biology at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was a student-athlete serving as captain of the Lynx football team during his junior and senior years. He went on to attend DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, where he earned his Doctorate in 2018. Dr. Hart completed his residency in internal medicine at Augusta University in 2021. He worked his first two years as an internist at North Alabama Medical Center and then transitioned to Helen Keller Hospital in 2023, where he was currently employed as a hospitalist.
Zac was an avid outdoorsman who especially loved fishing, deer, and duck hunting. He was also quite the pit master and enjoyed smoking, grilling, and cooking for his family and friends. Additionally, he was a sports nut, whether it be football, baseball, golf, softball or weight lifting, he loved it all! One of Zac’s favorite ways to unwind was with his family at Topsail Island, a tradition they had held for many years. He was a member of The Torch worship center and had traveled on several medical mission trips to Haiti. Known for his kind and generous nature, Zac exemplified leadership, integrity, and a passion for serving.
In addition to his father, Zac is preceded in death by his grandfather, Rex Patton, and grandparents, Howard and Frances Hart.
Survivors include his mother, Robin Patton Hart of Clarkesville, sister and brother-in-law Reagan and Noah Daunch of Cleveland, grandmother Melva Lynn Patton of Blairsville, aunts and uncles Cynthia and Matt Jarvis of Hendersonville, North Carolina, Kim and Gary Blasingame of Lula, Mike and Shelby Patton of Blairsville and Mitch and Joy Patton of Blairsville, his girlfriend of 6 years Whitney Willingham of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, as well as numerous cousins and extended family.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at 3:00 PM on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at The Torch, 800 Cannon Bridge Road, Demorest, GA 30535. The family will receive friends at The Torch from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM prior to the service. A reception will follow the service.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Zac Hart Memorial Fund at the North Georgia Community Foundation (NGCF). Checks should be made payable to NGCF, and the Zac Hart Memorial Fund should be included on the memo line. Checks can be mailed to 340 Jesse Jewell Parkway SE, Suite 605, Gainesville, GA 30501. Donations to the Fund can also be made online at www.ngcf.org/donate.
An online guestbook is available for the family at HillsideMemorialChapel.com.
Arrangements are in the care and professional direction of Hillside Memorial Chapel & Gardens, Clarkesville.
Barbara Rivera Holmes is set to become the first Latina to hold a statewide constitutional office in Georgia. On Tuesday, Gov. Brian Kemp appointed the Albany resident as state labor commissioner. Holmes succeeds Bruce Thompson, who died in November from pancreatic cancer.
Holmes, who most recently served as president and CEO of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, will be sworn in on April 4. She will serve the remainder of Thompson’s unexpired term.
“As someone who has a proven track record of success in economic development and education, I know she will bring the same level of dedication to this position that she has to the people of Dougherty County and the surrounding area,” Kemp said in a statement. “I wish her continued success, both for her career and office, but especially on behalf of the hardworking people of Georgia.”
Kemp also thanked Louis DeBroux and the leadership team at the Department of Labor for their work in keeping the department moving forward after Thompson’s death.
According to the governor’s office, Holmes has more than two decades of experience in economic development, workforce development, and higher education. Prior to her role at the Albany Area Chamber, she served as Vice President of the Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission (ADEDC). Before that, Holmes was the senior business writer for The Albany Herald, where she earned four Georgia Associated Press awards for excellence in journalism.
In 2018, then-Governor Nathan Deal appointed Holmes to the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents. She also served as co-chair of the Georgia Innovates Task Force, and earlier this year, Governor Brian Kemp appointed her to the House Rural Development Council.
“Throughout my career, I’ve been committed to creating opportunities and building stronger communities by fostering partnerships and statewide alliances that drive job growth, tap into our state’s talent, and enhance Georgia’s competitiveness,” Holmes said. “I’m grateful to Governor Kemp for the opportunity to build on this work, pledging to always put Georgians first as commissioner of the Georgia Department of Labor. I look forward to working alongside my fellow constitutional officers and Team Georgia as champions of our great state.”
Holmes’ appointment was met with praise.
Deal called her an “excellent choice,” while Lt. Gov. Burt Jones said her experience makes her a “great fit” for the role.
“The Georgia House is incredibly excited to welcome Bárbara Rivera Holmes into her new role as Commissioner of Labor,” Speaker of the House Jon Burns said. “Her wealth of experience in economic development and small business advocacy will undoubtedly be invaluable as we continue our efforts to strengthen Georgia’s workforce in every corner of the state.”
Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper said he looks forward to working with Holmes to help Georgia farmers.
“As a longtime resident of Albany, I know Bárbara has a deep understanding of Georgia’s No. 1 industry, and she knows that for Georgia’s farm families, agriculture is more than just a job or a hobby – it is our way of life,” Harper said. “I’m excited to welcome Barbara to our fantastic team of Constitutional Officers, and I look forward to working together to deliver for Georgia farmers and consumers alike,” Harper said.
Attorney General Chris Carr likewise praised Holmes’ commitment to economic development and her work combating fraud and cybercrimes.
“We’re proud to join in congratulating her on this historic appointment, and we look forward to continuing to work together to ensure that Georgia remains the best place to live, work, and build a business,” Carr said.
A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Holmes is fluent in Spanish. She graduated as a double major from Florida Southern College, where she studied Journalism and Spanish.
Holmes lives in Albany with her husband, David, and their daughter.
An 11-year-old boy was critically injured Monday afternoon in a two-vehicle collision involving a motorcycle on Gillsville Highway in eastern Hall County, according to the Hall County Sheriff’s Office.
The accident occurred around 5:45 p.m. on March 17 near the intersection of Gillsville Highway and F. Gilmer Road. The Hall County Sheriff’s Office Accident Investigation Unit (AIU) is investigating.
According to the initial investigation, Dylan Reems of Homer was riding on the back of a motorcycle operated by his father, 37-year-old Michael Christopher Reems of Homer, when they were struck by a northbound 2019 Dodge Charger. The Charger, driven by 45-year-old Carlos Jermaine Sims of Lula, crossed the centerline and collided with the motorcycle, according to the sheriff’s office.
The injured boy was airlifted to Scottish Rite Hospital – Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) with traumatic injuries. The drivers were not injured.
The AIU continues to investigate the crash.
A volunteer firefighter in Towns County has been arrested for sharing sensitive information involving the deaths of two twin brothers who were found on Bell Mountain earlier this month, according to GBI.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has arrested and charged Scott Kerlin, 42, of Hiawassee, with misdemeanor obstruction.
Kerlin, a volunteer firefighter in Towns County, is accused of taking photos at the crime scene where Qaadir Malik Lewis and Naazir Rahim Lewis were found and sharing them publicly.
Authorities have not disclosed how the images were distributed but confirmed that an investigation led to Kerlin’s arrest.
The case remains under investigation.
Authorities have said they’re closer to determining an official cause of death for the two twin brothers who were found dead on Bell Mountain in Towns County earlier this month, though the family has rejected their findings.
According to the GBI, a medical examiner has completed the autopsies, though an official ruling and results are “pending additional forensic tests.”
For now, family members of the brothers are disputing the preliminary determinations made by authorities, stating the factors just don’t add up.
The bodies of 19-year-old twins Qaadir Malik Lewis and Naazir Rahim Lewis, both of Lawrenceville, were discovered by hikers on the morning of Saturday, March 8 at the top of the mountain, according to GBI.
Both men were found with gunshot wounds, the GBI said, and while autopsies are still pending, investigators said the preliminary investigation suggests the deaths were a murder-suicide.
“It is very odd to us,” Rahim Brawner, an uncle to the brothers, told Now Habersham Monday, March 17. “We absolutely do not believe what they’re saying – that it was a murder-suicide with two twin brothers who are always together. It’s just unbelievable. That’s just something they would not do. (Authorities) were so quick to say it was a murder-suicide – the same day it happened – without a thorough investigation or anything like that. This needs to be investigated thoroughly.”
The brothers were scheduled to fly out to Boston to see family on Friday, March 7, though they were found dead at the top of Bell Mountain on Saturday, March 8, according to GBI.
“They never mentioned anything about going to North Georgia,” Brawner said. “I couldn’t even imagine why they’d even be up there…they were supposed to fly out to Boston Friday morning, so a lot of this stuff doesn’t make sense.
According to Brawner, the last person to see the brothers together was their step-mother, who he said is just as distraught as the rest of the family. Now, Brawner and other family members are demanding answers.
The Towns County 911 Center received the call about the brothers around 11:05 a.m. on March 8. Soon after, the GBI was called in to assist the Towns County Sheriff’s Office with the investigation.
Bell Mountain, a popular tourist site near the Georgia-North Carolina border, overlooks the town of Hiawassee and Lake Chatuge.
The Habersham County animal shelter is another step closer to reality as commissioners approve a funding mechanism to pay for the project.
The SPLOST approved project has received a lot of attention over the last year without much movement towards actual construction.
SEE ALSO: New Habersham animal shelter moves forward: Groundbreaking set for early spring
Commissioners received an updated presentation from the county’s financial advisors during its regular meeting on Monday. Davenport & Company presented to the commission the results from the request for proposals received from financial institutions that responded.
The county requested to borrow $6,850,000 for the animal shelter project. The guidelines for the loan was for the note to be set for a term not to exceed 10 years, have an interest rate of 5% or less, and must allow the county to pay off the loan early.
Seven financial institutions responded to the RFP. The lowest bid for the project came from PNC Bank with an interest rate of 3.64%. The loan offers provisions for early payoff. Should the county pay off the loan on or after July 2030, the pay off amount will be 102% of the outstanding amount. If the county pays off the loan amount on or after July 2032, the pay off amount will be 101% of the outstanding loan amount. If the loan is paid off on or after July 2034, the outstanding loan amount will be paid in full with no additional penalty or no discount applied.
Prior to approving the loan, the commission held a public hearing to receive public input about the financing options.
No one spoke in favor or opposed to the loan. However, Dale Green of Clarkesville asked a question about the impact on taxpayers for the financing of the facility. “So taxpayers will have to pay every bit of it or will any money come back from the animal control center, fines or anything like that to help pay for it?” he asked.
Interim County Manager Tim Sims answered the question. “We are having an excess of SPLOST funds right now with the way sales tax receipts are coming in,” he said. “We are anticipating that most of that repayment will be from that sales tax collection.”
Commissioner Bruce Harkness added, “The voters of Habersham voted to build this animal control shelter using sales tax dollars not property tax dollars,” he said. “That’s what we’re doing as we’re trying to build this thing with sales tax dollars called a SPLOST and not property tax dollars.”
Green reminded the commission that just four years ago the voters had turned down a SPLOST to maintain roads and bridges that everybody uses. He couldn’t understand why the commission was spending $8 million to build an animal shelter.
SEE RELATED: Citizens press HabCo Commission to build animal shelter
“I wished you had been here about six months ago,” Harkness responded. “This room was packed with people here wanting this thing built yesterday and demanding a few of our scalps.” He added, “There is a great percentage of the county wanting this project.”
The commission approved moving forward with the financing of the animal shelter project unanimously with a 3-0 vote. Not in attendance for the meeting were Commission Chairman Jimmy Tench and Commissioner Ty Akins. Tench was absent due to an illness and Akins did not attend due to the birth of a grandchild.
ATLANTA (Georgia Recorder) — Ask Susan Cobb and she’ll tell you: She never had plans to become an activist.
A registered nurse, she led a relatively normal life, raising her two children in Hartwell, Georgia, with her husband, Wayne. During her days as a nursing student at Brenau University, she said, “we often talked about how someone in our class would be an activist.”
“I never envisioned that I would be in that position,” she added. “But I never envisioned losing my daughter.”
A talented gymnast who dreamed of someday making the Olympic team, Cobb’s daughter Jennifer began attending a gymnastics program through their local YMCA in Hartwell at age 11.
“Jennifer had a beautiful heart, and she loved equally,” Cobb said. “She cared about humanity. She loved animals, and she was a giver.”
But by the time she was 12, Cobb says, Jennifer had become the victim of grooming by one of her coaches, who was 17 years older than her. After years of abuse, she came forward to report him, prompting the family to file criminal and civil charges against him, as well as a civil suit against the YMCA.
Though the Cobb family eventually reached a settlement with the YMCA for $2 million, both of their cases against the coach are still pending. Jennifer never got to see justice served. She was found dead in 2021 in what is believed to be a suicide.
“I promised when she died that I would fight for the justice she was denied in life, that I would fight for that in her death, and I would also fight for other victims,” Cobb said. “And that is the reason I’m here now, is for other victims.”
When Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a trio of bills aimed at increasing protections for sexual abuse and human trafficking survivors into law last April, Cobb was one of many survivors and advocates who stood by his side. She held First Lady Marty Kemp’s hand while watching Kemp sign House Bill 993, which created a new felony offense for grooming a minor. But this year, as discourse over legislation that would overhaul Georgia’s civil litigation landscape intensifies, she has found herself in opposition to the governor, joining a growing number of activists and advocates who are speaking out against his top legislative priority: Senate Bill 68.
Kemp has said early and often this year that legislation bringing sweeping changes to Georgia’s civil litigation landscape — referred to by supporters as “tort reform” — is his top legislative priority of 2025. He has repeatedly argued that sweeping policy changes are needed to bring down insurance costs for businesses throughout the state and has been steadily ramping up pressure on lawmakers to deliver “meaningful, impactful” changes by the end of the 2025 session under the threat of calling them back to the Capitol later this year to get the legislation passed.
Proponents of SB 68 say it is aimed at creating more balance between plaintiffs and defendants in Georgia’s court system, often citing an American Tort Reform Foundation ranking which listed Georgia as one of the top five “judicial hellholes” in the country in 2024.
But as the bill nears a vote in the House Subcommittee of Rules on Lawsuit Reform, survivors of human trafficking, advocates for sexual assault survivors and the trial lawyers who represent them have been sounding the alarm about aspects of the bill they say could prevent nearly all victims from receiving justice through the civil system.
Section 6 of the bill, which would limit lawsuits against business owners for accidents that occur on their property, alters the current standards that require business owners to keep their customers safe. During hours of testimony at a House Rules subcommittee meeting last week, trial lawyers argued that allowing the bill to pass into law would effectively gut their ability to pursue damages for many sexual assault survivors.
“With the bill as currently written, there will never be another survivor who files a case in Georgia courts,” said Jonathan Tonge, an attorney who specializes in human trafficking cases. “It would be malpractice to do that.”
Part of the reason opponents argue the language would be detrimental is because it’s very common for premises liability cases to be filed for reasons that go beyond just the physical condition of a property and can pertain to issues like negligent behavior of employees or management. When the Cobb family filed their lawsuit, their claim was not that the physical conditions of the YMCA were unsafe but rather that the business had failed to uphold its own policies around reporting misconduct, allowing the coach’s abuse of Jennifer to go unchecked long after employees became aware of his behavior.
“No one called the police,” Cobb said. “Reports were made that he was seen kissing her in the gym, her getting in his car, getting out of his car, being caught in the bathroom together, all these numerous, numerous, numerous, numerous times that he physically molested, sodomized, raped her. We were never told. We were never given the chance to pull her out and keep her safe.”
She also rebuked claims from supporters of SB 68 that victims and trial lawyers were regularly filing baseless lawsuits in pursuit of financial gain.
“It was never about the money for us,” Cobb said, explaining that the funds from the YMCA settlement will be put towards a foundation that bears Jennifer’s name. “I don’t want one dime of that money because it will not bring her back. I don’t want that money for me. I want it to help others.”
Survivors of human trafficking also spoke out against the legislation, urging lawmakers to consider the impact that SB 68’s wording would have on the hotels and motels that turned a blind eye to trafficking survivors’ exploitation. Michal Roseberry, a trafficking survivor and activist, shared her story in front of the committee, explaining how hotel employees actively ignored the abuse she endured at the hands of her pimp.
“My traffickers weren’t just the men who controlled me; they were the people who allowed it to happen,” she said. “My trafficker was the man in the hotel lobby who watched me be abused and did nothing. My trafficker was the maid who emptied trash cans filled with used condoms and cleaned bloodstained sheets and stayed silent. My traffickers were the hotel managers and owners who saw bruised and terrified girls day after day, who watched hundreds of men come and go, who witnessed us trying to run away in the parking lot, only to be dragged back by our hair, screaming, and still they did nothing. My trafficker was the hotel itself.”
Chanda Santana, the founder of DIVAS Who Win Freedom Center and the mother of a trafficking survivor, echoed Roseberry’s sentiments.
“Let’s be clear: motels are not innocent bystanders in this crisis,” she said. “They are not helpless victims of crime. They are active participants, profiteers of pain, who have allowed traffickers to run their operations freely, unchecked and in some cases with full knowledge and even collaboration. If we pass this bill without an exception to hold hotels accountable, we are giving them a pass to continue cashing in on our children’s suffering.”
Advocates for sexual assault survivors also urged lawmakers to reconsider another provision that would allow defendants to bifurcate or trifurcate trials — that is, split them up into multiple phases so that injury and damages can be determined separately.
“SB 68’s requirement for multiple trial phases will force them to relive their trauma repeatedly, first to prove liability, then to argue for damages, and potentially again for punitive measures,” said Michelle Maggard, a therapist who works with survivors of sexual assault. “Each time they testify, they are forced to reopen wounds they are trying desperately to heal. From a clinical perspective, this process is deeply, deeply harmful.”
Trial lawyers have also offered amendments to the bill they say would ensure their clients can still seek justice through the civil court system.
Under current Georgia law, “sex trafficking survivors are to be protected by business owners exercising ordinary care to keep the place safe and not creating what’s called a nuisance,” said Kara Phillips, a personal injury lawyer at the Atlanta firm Deitch & Rogers. “SB 68 eliminates that. So an easy fix is to simply add in a carve-out for all survivors of any kind of sexual abuse, assault, rape, sodomy and trafficking.”
But lawmakers have yet to address criticisms of the bill, adjourning from their most recent hearing without voting on the bill. Senate President Pro Tem John F. Kennedy, a Macon Republican who is the bill’s sponsor, also repeatedly rebuffed attempts to amend the measure after concerns about human trafficking victims were raised during a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
As criticism for SB 68 has grown, Kemp has continued to boast support for the bill as it is currently written. At a bill signing ceremony for the amended 2025 budget on March 6, Kemp addressed the emerging opposition to SB 68.
“It’s only now that the bill moved out of the Senate that desperation has set in for those that are opposing the bill,” he told reporters. “And quite honestly, they are stretching the truth. I can tell you that as a husband to that lady right there, as a father of three daughters, this bill, in its current form, or a bill that I will sign, is not going to keep anyone, anyone in the state, from receiving the justice that they deserve.”
He also sent a letter to the chair of the Subcommittee of Rules on Lawsuit Reform, urging the panel to be cautious of testimony that “flagrantly mischaracterized” the impact of SB 68.
“It is my hope that our work together will continue to be guided by thoughtful deliberation, free from emotional exploitation and mindful of the financial motivations present on both sides of this important debate,” he wrote.
For Susan Cobb, his response to survivors’ concerns about the bill has been a tough pill to swallow.
“It hurts,” Cobb said. “I would not do anything if I didn’t believe in it and researched it. You know, I have a master’s degree in education. You couldn’t just ask me to come up here and advocate or something if I hadn’t researched it, understood it, and supported it.”
But despite Kemp’s initial response to the criticism against SB 68, Cobb is hopeful that he will not sign a law that would harm Georgia residents.
“I believe he cares about the citizens of Georgia,” she said. “I believe his wife cares about the citizens of Georgia. I believe that with all my heart.”
But she added, “I am just begging from the depths of my heart to please amend this bill.”
The Classic Center Cultural Foundation, a nonprofit organization under The Classic Center Authority, has been a cornerstone of community support for nearly 25 years, providing scholarships and grants that total over $60,000 annually. Since its beginnings on April 21, 2001, the Foundation has flourished through its annual fundraising events, scholarship awards, and its role as a vibrant social hub for the community, offering exceptional hospitality and enhancing entertainment experiences at The Classic Center. In addition to these efforts, the Foundation has also supported local arts and provided members with exclusive trips to New York City and other international destinations.
The Classic Center Cultural Foundation hosts a variety of annual events open to the community, all designed to raise funds for local scholarships in performing arts, visual arts, and hospitality education. These events include:
The Classic Center Cultural Foundation Golf Tournament – Scheduled for March 24, 2025.
Athens Beer Fest – Set for April 6, 2025.
Breakfast with Santa
Athens Wine Weekend
Each of these events plays a vital role in providing scholarships to students pursuing careers in the arts and hospitality, helping them fulfill their educational dreams and contribute to the cultural and economic growth of the community.
The Classic Center Cultural Foundation awards performing arts scholarships, visual arts scholarships, to area students based on an application process. These scholarships are open to 9th through 12th-grade high school students living in the Northeast Georgia region.
Through the Paul T. Martin Hospitality Education Fund scholarships are provided up to $25,000 to individuals interested in pursuing a career in hospitality, event, music, or the sports management industry. Applications for the Paul T. Martin Hospitality Education Fund are open to anyone currently enrolled in a hospitality, event, music, or sports management degree program at the University of Georgia or Athens Technical College. In addition, graduating seniors of the Athens Community Career Academy are also encouraged to apply.
Whether you’re looking to elevate your experience at The Classic Center’s entertainment events, make a meaningful contribution to the arts in Athens, support the development of the hospitality workforce, or participate in one of the Foundation’s annual fundraising events, The Classic Center Cultural Foundation offers the perfect opportunity to bring the community together, celebrate, and showcase the best of Athens.
For more information about The Classic Center Cultural Foundation’s events or to find out how you can get involved, visit ClassicCenter.com.
Authorities say they’re closer to determining an official cause of death for two twin brothers who were found dead on Bell Mountain in Towns County earlier this month, but the family has rejected their findings so far.
According to the GBI, a medical examiner has completed the autopsies, though an official ruling and results are “pending additional forensic tests.”
But now, family members of the brothers are disputing the preliminary determinations made by authorities, stating the factors just don’t add up.
The bodies of 19-year-old twins Qaadir Malik Lewis and Naazir Rahim Lewis, both of Lawrenceville, were discovered by hikers on the morning of Saturday, March 8 at the top of the mountain, according to GBI.
Both men were found with gunshot wounds, the GBI said, and while autopsies are still pending, investigators said the preliminary investigation suggests the deaths were a murder-suicide.
“It is very odd to us,” Rahim Brawner, an uncle to the brothers, told Now Habersham. “We absolutely do not believe what they’re saying – that it was a murder-suicide with two twin brothers who are always together. It’s just unbelievable. That’s just something they would not do. (Authorities) were so quick to say it was a murder-suicide – the same day it happened – without a thorough investigation or anything like that. This needs to be investigated thoroughly.”
The brothers were scheduled to fly out to Boston to see family on Friday, March 7, though they were found dead at the top of Bell Mountain on Saturday, March 8, according to GBI.
Brawner went on to say the brothers, both of whom attended technical school at two Gwinnett colleges, have never been to North Georgia – making Bell Mountain an unusual place for them to be found. Bell Mountain is nearly 90 miles away from Lawrenceville.
Brawner also said he has questions of whether there were surveillance cameras in the area of Bell Mountain to capture footage of the brothers, or if areas of the mountain were enclosed at the time the brothers were supposedly making their way up there.
“They never mentioned anything about going to North Georgia,” Brawner said. “I couldn’t even imagine why they’d even be up there…they were supposed to fly out to Boston Friday morning, so a lot of this stuff doesn’t make sense.
According to Brawner, the last person to see the brothers together was their step-mother, who he said is just as distraught as the rest of the family. Now, Brawner and other family members are demanding answers.
“They’re actually more protective of each other,” Brawner said. “They’ve always been protective of each other, so this is highly unlikely.”
The Towns County 911 Center received the call about the brothers around 11:05 a.m. on March 8. Soon after, the GBI was called in to assist the Towns County Sheriff’s Office with the investigation.
Bell Mountain, a popular tourist site near the Georgia-North Carolina border, overlooks the town of Hiawassee and Lake Chatuge.
Protect property rights: Reject the overreaching Derelict Vehicles Ordinance
To the Habersham County Commissioners,
During the monthly commissioner’s meeting yesterday I heard about, and subsequently read, the proposed Derelict Vehicles Ordinance with some concern. I believe deeply in the personal freedoms that we, as both Americans and citizens of Georgia, have struggled for, bled for, and many died to protect. I also believe that regulations and laws, while sometimes necessary and appropriate, must take the least intrusive form adequate to protect the interests of society and of the people.
Personal property rights are one of the fundamental bedrocks that our society was founded on, and this ordinance directly infringes on those rights in a way that far exceeds the minimum form needed to protect the government’s interests. If we as Americans want to retain our personal freedoms and limit the scope of government overreach, then we are going to have to do more than just give lip service to the idea of Freedom. We have to closely safeguard those freedoms by squashing tyranny wherever it raises its head, and this ordinance, if passed, would be a perfect example of that tyranny, even if well-intentioned.
If some of the people of Habersham County want to live in a glorified HOA, then they should feel free to incorporate and form one. The rest of us should be left alone as much as possible (subject to appropriate public health and safety concerns) and left free to live our lives and enjoy our own private property.
It was stated during the first reading of this proposed ordinance that the intent is not to target Grandma’s Model-T or Art Installations. However, regardless of the intent and the stated assurances, an Ordinance becomes Law as written. Therefore, since we are a Nation of Laws rather than People, it must also be applied uniformly and fairly. We can’t simply trust the placations of the people that drafted and are currently responsible for enforcing the ordinance; we have to make sure that laws are precisely and correctly written and appropriately limited in scope.
As currently written, this proposed ordinance is applicable not only to Grandma’s Model-T and Art Installations. It is also applicable to the ’76 Ford Truck that your grandson is rebuilding over the course of the summer so that he has a vehicle to take to college. It is applicable to the ’50 Ford Tractor that is no longer needed, but that adds so much to the rural character of our county. By a strict reading of the regulation, it is even applicable to every child’s bicycle that is parked outside of a building.
OCGA 36-60-4, which authorizes the county to implement this ordinance, also circumscribes the limits of that authority. It specifically delegates authority to each county to deal with motor vehicles that are Discarded, Dismantled, Wrecked, Scraped, Ruined, or Junked when they specifically constitute a Health Hazard or Unsightly Nuisance. The present ordinance goes far beyond the limits of that authority in at least the following ways:
1) It expands the definition of Derelict Vehicle beyond the state-provided definitions above and includes any vehicle that is Not Registered and any vehicle that is Partially Dismantled.
2) Many of the items included in the scope of the definition of Vehicle in the ordinance are neither required to be registered, nor is there any way to register such vehicles. This ordinance would make all of those items illegal and subject to removal at the whim of Code Enforcement. Examples include go carts, golf carts, tractors, mobility scooters, bicycles, and wagons, just to name a few.
3) It defines a Vehicle as any means of conveyance, whether self-propelled or not. OCGA 36-60-4 is only applicable to Motor Vehicles. If we need an ordinance, then we can write one, but we shouldn’t appeal to the authority of a state code when that code doesn’t actually support it.
In addition to the fundamental issues highlighted above, there are also typographical errors in the proposed ordinance. One example is that Section 42-60(b) references “any vehicle defined in subsection (d).” That subsection is the definition of Private Property rather than Vehicle, and the reference should instead point to Subsection (f).
Finally, beyond the fundamental issue of private property rights, the fact is that we don’t even need an ordinance to address vehicles abandoned on Public Property. OCGA 40-11-9 provides more than sufficient authority and recourse to the County to address any such vehicles, and so adding duplicate regulations becomes an expensive exercise in Regulations for Regulations Sake—and we are already drowning in regulations.
I know that it is difficult to write a clear, concise, and unambiguous law. However, while I’m sure this ordinance is well intentioned and took a great deal of time and effort to draft, it is also poorly written, overreaching, and should be either extensively re-written or discarded completely. I therefore urge and ask you to reject this proposed ordinance as written.
Brenton Ellis
Clarkesville, GA
To submit a letter to the editor at NowHabersham.com, follow these guidelines.