Area Breaking News
New DOJ Parental Rights Memo Could Put Local Transparency Practices Under Federal Spotlight
Some Lanier County Parents Say School Board Meetings Leave Them in the Dark By Carol A. Moore | LAKELAND, Lanier County, Georgia – Citizens who regularly attend Lanier County School Board meetings increasingly say they walk away knowing little more than when they arrived. Beyond a brief three-to-five word description on the printed agenda, residents…
Read MoreA Nation Confronts Violence — Reflections After the Killing of Charlie Kirk: Conflict of Interest in Violence – Conflicts of Interest Part 23
LANIER COUNTY NEWS SPECIAL REPORT EDITOR’S NOTE: This particular article speaks to the decision making outgrowth of leaders with known conflicts of interest. This is an ongoing series examining ethics and governance in Lanier County. The series spotlights potential and actual conflicts of interest involving elected officials and their employees. By Carol A. Gasser Moore…
Read MoreEnough Is Enough: Carr Backs FCC Plan to Jam Prison Cell phones as Families Demand Justice
By Carol A. Gasser Moore | ATLANTA — Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr is applauding a groundbreaking move by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to give prisons the power to jam contraband cell phones, calling the proposal “a long overdue step to save lives.” The FCC will vote on September 30, 2025 to allow state…
Read MoreAs the Lanier World Turns: Galardo back at EMA, Balch holding down 2 jobs funded by taxpayers
By T.S. Carter | LANIER COUNTY, Ga. – The Lanier County school district has decided to let newly hired school police chief Timothy Balch have a separate fulltime job as interim director of the county’s Emergency Management Agency. But while Balch may get to enjoy some double dipping on the pay front, the county may…
Read More‘Thank you, Chief’: Lakeland bids farewell to Gary Yeomans after 39 years; community hails his service and hands-on leadership
By Carol A. Gasser Moore | LAKELAND, Lanier County, Ga. — Gary Yeomans, the steady hand behind Lakeland’s fire service for more than three decades, retired this week, and the city is saying a grateful goodbye. Residents and business owners praised the longtime chief for dependable fire protection, constant upgrades in safety and communications—and for…
Read MoreIn historic voter reduction effort, State takes hundreds of Lanier voters off rolls
By T.S. Carter | LANIER COUNTY, Ga. – Lanier County last month kicked 407 people off the registration rollsin a move to disqualify voters who did not vote in the last two general elections and neglected to return questionnaire mailings from the Elections Division of the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office. The scratching of voters…
Read MoreCity of Lakeland seeks applicants to represent the city on the Miller–Lakeland Library Advisory Board
By Carol A. Gasser Moore LAKELAND, Lanier County, Ga. — The City of Lakeland is inviting residents to apply to serve as the city’s representative on the Miller–Lakeland Library Advisory Board, a volunteer body that advises the Miller–Lakeland Branch of the South Georgia Regional Library (SGRL) system. The board helps ensure the branch’s programs, collections,…
Read MoreBOC’s EMA Workaround Raises Conflict-of-Interest Concerns – Conflicts of Interest Part 22
LANIER COUNTY NEWS SPECIAL REPORT EDITOR’S NOTE: This particular article speaks to the decision making outgrowth of leaders with known conflicts of interest. This is an ongoing series examining ethics and governance in Lanier County. The series spotlights potential and actual conflicts of interest involving elected officials and their employees. By Carol A. Gasser Moore…
Read MoreEMA responds to incident at Banks Lake; response comes amid leadership turmoil
By Carol A. Gasser Moore | LAKELAND, Lanier County, Ga. — The Lanier County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) responded Wednesday to an incident at Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Officials confirmed activity at the refuge but had not released additional details as of press time. Banks Lake sits just west of downtown Lakeland and is…
Read MoreAn Open Letter to the Lanier County Board of Education – Editorial
Editorial An Open Letter to the Lanier County Board of Education Randy Sirmans (Chairman), Erlish Locklear (District 1), John “Jay Jay” Strickland (District 2), Phillip Connell (District 3), Denny Fender Jr. (District 4) Board Members, Lanier County families deserve a school board that puts student safety and the public trust ahead of courthouse politics. Your…
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