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Local Lens

Daycare Employee Arrested as Investigation Continues Into Incident Involving 3-Year-Old at Nashville Child Care Center *

July 16, 2026

Lanier County News confirmed Thursday that a woman identified in connection with an ongoing investigation at a South Georgia daycare has been arrested. By Carol A. Gasser Moore / * Inglés y español | NASHVILLE, Ga. — The Lanier County News has confirmed that Debora Schlueter was arrested Thursday morning, July 16, at about 9:45…

HELP CATCH THEM: Sheriff Seeks Public’s Help Identifying Two Suspects in Theft at New Lanier County Ball Fields *

July 16, 2026

By Carol A. Gasser Moore / * Inglés y español | LAKELAND, Ga. — Just as Lanier County’s new baseball complex is taking shape as a place where children will learn teamwork, families will gather and future athletes will compete, someone allegedly chose to steal from it. Now, Lanier County Sheriff Nick Norton is asking…

For Georgia school districts, the financial party is over after years of flush spending

July 16, 2026

INFORMATION ABOUT LOCAL LANIER COUNTY SCHOOL BUDGET:  https://www.laniercountynewsonline.com/2026/07/16/sidebar-lanier-c…dget-at-a-glance/ By Jeff Amy, Georgia Recorder – July 13, 2026 4:00 am / * Inglés y español |    Some school districts in Georgia are eliminating vacant positions as enrollment falls and property tax growth flattens. Others are dipping into savings accounts. (Justin Taylor/The Current GA/CatchLight Local) After years…

114 Warrants, $600,000 in Bonds: Lanier County Couple Accused of Exploiting Elderly Victim Through Repeated Debit Card Fraud *

July 16, 2026

By Carol A. Gasser Moore / * Inglés y español | LAKELAND, Ga. — For many people, a debit card represents something simple: the ability to buy groceries, pay utility bills or purchase medication. For one Lanier County resident, investigators say it became the tool through which thousands of dollars were repeatedly stolen. The Lanier…

Georgia communities rally support to help convert local newspapers into nonprofits *

July 16, 2026

ByEllie Fivas, The Georgia Recorder – July 15, 2026 8:02 pm  / * Inglés y español |  While some Georgia newsrooms are shrinking or closing down, two of the state’s largest local publications are being reimagined as nonprofit newsrooms. The Georgia Trust for Local News announced Wednesday that they have acquired the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer and the Macon Telegraph…

Sidebar: Lanier County Schools Budget at a Glance *

July 16, 2026

By T.S. Carter / * Inglés y español |    LANIER COUNTY, Georgia – The Lanier County Board of Education adopted a $28,053,663 budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year in June. The spending plan took effect July 1. The budget includes approximately $4.1 million in local tax revenue, $18.3 million in state funding and $2.8…

America’s 250th Celebration May Be Over, but Georgia’s Biggest Summer Safety Risks Are Far From Finished *

July 16, 2026

By Carol A. Gasser Moore / * Inglés y español | ATLANTA — The fireworks have faded, picnic tables have been cleared, and America has officially celebrated its 250th birthday.    But the dangers that accompanied the Fourth of July weekend are still very much with us. The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is…

LOCAL NEWSPAPER DECLARES STATE OF EDITORIAL EMERGENCY AFTER 5,531 STRAIGHT EDITIONS *

July 16, 2026

By Carol A. Gasser Moore / * Inglés y español |    LAKELAND, Ga. — After approximately 5,531 consecutive weekly editions, the Lanier County News has done the seemingly impossible. It is going to be… …twelve hours late. Authorities are asking residents to remain calm. The weekly edition, normally released shortly after midnight Thursday, has…

Area News

Tara Crow earns Georgia health informatics scholarship

July 17, 2026

Tara Crow has achieved a significant honor that will accelerate her professional growth. Before graduating from the University of North Georgia (UNG) in May, Crow earned the Georgia Chapter of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (GAHIMSS) 2026 David Cowan Scholarship, which provides $3,000 toward further education. This scholarship was established to promote the…

SGMC Health Foundation Receives Gift for Joyce Aigen Labor and Delivery Unit

July 17, 2026

The SGMC Health Foundation announces the naming of the Joyce Aigen Labor and Delivery Unit at SGMC Health, honoring Ms. Joyce Aigen and her lasting impact on family and community. This meaningful recognition has been made possible through the generosity of her family, led by Judy Hathcock, who chose to celebrate her mother’s love of…

State of Georgia

Carr Announces Multistate Settlement with 23andMe Over Genetic Data Breach

July 17, 2026

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr today announced that his office has joined with 41 other attorneys general in reaching a settlement with the bankruptcy trustee for 23andMe. This settlement resolves allegations stemming from a 2023 breach that compromised the genetic data of 6.9 million customers worldwide and includes $150 million in allowed claims for states.…

Area Sports

Six Bulldogs, One Championship Legacy: Lanier County Dominates Georgia Dugout Club All-State Team *

July 9, 2026

By Carol A. Gasser Moore / * Inglés y español | LAKELAND, Ga. — Some schools celebrate when one player earns All-State honors. Lanier County celebrated six.  Fresh off capturing their third consecutive GHSA Class A Division II state baseball championship, six Bulldogs have now earned one of Georgia’s highest baseball honors after being selected…

VLPRA

VLPRA Football & Cheer Registration Now Open!

June 19, 2026

Get ready for another exciting season with VLPRA Youth Football & Cheerleading! Registration is now open for boys and girls across Lowndes County and Valdosta… but don’t wait, the registration deadline is June 23. VLPRA’s Football & Cheerleading Program is school-based, meaning participants are assigned to teams based on the middle school they will attend. Children…

Pick Up Trash and Be BearWise

June 18, 2026

Whether you are spending the day on the trail or camping overnight, remember to pick up all trash and be BearWise, encourages the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD). “Taking a few simple steps to be BearWise can help make outdoor adventures safer and more enjoyable for everyone, while also helping keep…

First Responses

Clocked at 101 MPH: Driver Jailed in Lanier County After Early Morning Stop, ICE Places Deportation Detainer *

July 16, 2026

By Carol A. Gasser Moore / * Inglés y español | LAKELAND, Ga. — What began as an early morning traffic stop for a vehicle traveling at more than 100 miles per hour ended with an arrest, a trip to the Lanier County Jail and an immigration detainer issued by federal authorities. Lanier County Sheriff…

Colquitt County man re-arrested in child sex crime while free on bond for same charge *

July 2, 2026

By T.S. Carter  / * Inglés y español COLQUITT COUNTY, Georgia – Authorities are holding a Colquitt County man without bond after a June 22 arrest on a sex crime felony relating to a minor – the same but separate charge for which he had been released from the Colquitt County jail in March. This…

Lakeland Man Charged with Intent to Distribute Marijuana Following Traffic Stop *

July 2, 2026

By Carol A. Gasser Moore / * Inglés y español | LAKELAND, Ga. — A Lakeland man was arrested Tuesday, June 23 after a Lanier County deputy conducting a traffic stop allegedly discovered nearly 20 grams of suspected marijuana and drug-related paraphernalia inside his vehicle, according to the Lanier County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Nick Norton…

Entertainment, Inspiration & Solutions

DID YOU KNOW…? Did Canada once prepare invasion plans against the United States? *

July 16, 2026

By Jack Bagley / * Inglés y español | The heights of summer!  (Or the depths, depending on how you look at it.) Some people decry the heat and humidity, while others seem to revel in it.  I’m not too sure about those revelers, though.  Personally, when the heat and humidity get too much, I…

BARNYARD Roll Call! Jon the Scout

July 16, 2026

Copyright © 2026 Jon Moore

Brushstrokes, Backdrops and a Little Small-Town Magic: Lakeland’s Second New Mural Is Complete—and It’s a Must-See *

July 9, 2026

By Carol A. Gasser Moore / * Inglés y español | LAKELAND, Ga. — Every great small town has that one place where people suddenly stop walking, smile, pull out their phones and say, “Wait… we need a picture.” Lakeland just added another one. After months of careful planning that began in early 2026 and…

LOOK LIKE A DUCK:  The Christian Way Ministries *

July 9, 2026

By Gary Toole / * Inglés y español |    They say that if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it must be a duck!  So true!  When you see an army general then most of the time they are wearing an army uniform of some…

DID YOU KNOW…? Who holds the most “kills” in aerial combat in history? *

July 9, 2026

By Jack Bagley / * Inglés y español | The best part of summer … I was recently asked by a friend what the best part of summer is, and do you know what I think? It’s the glaring lack of holidays. Sure, we have Flag Day in June – but that’s not really a…

Opinions & Viewpoints

Constitution 101: Congressional Rules Clause:  Historically Speaking *

July 9, 2026

By James Finck PhD | Historically Speaking | July 9, 2025 | 4 Minutes From Southwest Ledger    In July of 2022 U.S. Rep. John B. Larson (D-Conn.) wrote an op-ed in which he called the Senate “the most debilitating threat” to our nation. He was writing about Rule 22 in the Senate which requires 60…

It is Perfect!  IS GOD DEAD? *

July 2, 2026

By Ty B. Kerley, D.Min / * Inglés y español | We continue this week looking at the biblical story of Cain and Abel (Gen 4:1-17), specifically observing the actions God takes (and does not take) concerning the question of why He may possibly allow evil to exist in the world. According to the biblical…

My summer playlist – A bands:  Historically Speaking

July 2, 2026

 By James Finck PhD |  Historically Speaking | June 24, 2026 5 MinutesFrom the Lawton Constitution    Finals are done and grades are all turned in. That means just one thing: summer. While there are many things that represent summer, my favorite is the road trip. I love traveling, seeing new things, and especially visiting historical sites.…

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Government for its Citizens

Federal Grand Jury Returns Firearms and Illegal Reentry Indictments Across South Georgia including Atkinson County *

July 16, 2026

By Carol A. Gasser Moore / * Inglés y español | SOUTH GEORGIA — Federal prosecutors have announced a new round of grand jury indictments charging multiple defendants with illegal firearms possession and immigration offenses, continuing an aggressive enforcement effort that has become increasingly visible across South Georgia during the past year.    Margaret E.…

Machinegun Cases on the Rise: Why One Tallahassee Indictment Matters to South Georgia *

July 16, 2026

By Carol A. Gasser Moore / * Inglés y español | SOUTH GEORGIA — At first glance, the recent federal indictment of a 21-year-old Tallahassee man for allegedly possessing a machinegun may appear to be another firearms case from just across the Florida line.    Federal authorities say it is much more than that. The…

Shoplifting Arrest Becomes Federal Gun Case as Crackdown on Armed Repeat Offenders Intensifies Near South Georgia *

July 16, 2026

By Carol A. Gasser Moore / * Inglés y español | TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — What began as an alleged shoplifting incident at a department store has become another example of an increasingly aggressive federal effort to remove armed repeat offenders from communities just south of the Georgia line.    Lamar Bunch, 35, of Tallahassee, pleaded…

National Headlines