Government for its Citizens
Goodman Prepares for Ag Summit, Focuses on Rural Priorities After Legislative Session
By Carol A. Gasser Moore | LAKELAND, Lanier County, Georgia – State Sen. Russ Goodman, R-Cogdell, remained active behind the scenes throughout June as he prepared for the upcoming Joint Agriculture Issues Summit, continuing his work on rural policy priorities despite a quiet month for new legislation. Though no new bills were introduced or passed…
Read MoreLanier County’s FEMA Reimbursement Claims Conflict with Documents Clash with Statements, Missing Records
By Carol A. Gasser Moore | LANIER COUNTY, Georgia– Official documents have cast doubts on Lanier County Emergency Management Agency Director Tony Galardo’s claims that the county has received $15 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursements for Hurricane Helene recovery and is expecting a total of $28 million. In a July 23 report published…
Read MoreGeorgia Man Convicted in $3M Romance Scam Involving International Money Laundering
By Carol A. Gasser Moore | NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana — A federal jury has found a Marietta, Georgia, man guilty of orchestrating a multimillion-dollar international romance scam that defrauded women across the United States, authorities announced Monday. Kenneth G. Akpieyi, 44, who also went by the alias “Phillip Anderson,” was convicted July 25 in U.S.…
Read MoreWeb of Influence: Ethical Risks Surface as Financial Power Overlaps with County Governance – Conflicts of Interest Part 17
By Carol A. Gasser Moore, Publisher | LANIER COUNTY NEWS SPECIAL REPORT EDITOR’S NOTE: 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 | LAKELAND, Lanier County, Georgia – In the tight-knit…
Read MoreLANIER COUNTY NEWS – EDITORIAL REPORT on Lanier County Potential and Real Conflicts of Interest – Part 16
Conflicts of Interest in Public Office: Why Lanier County Must Pay Attention By Carol A. Gasser Moore, Publisher | LANIER COUNTY NEWS SPECIAL REPORT EDITOR’S NOTE: 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 LANIER COUNTY,…
Read MoreBerrien, Lakeland score success with FEMA payments
By T.S. Carter | LAKELAND, Lanier County, Georgia – Signed, sealed and soon to be delivered. That’s the word from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on reimbursements for Hurricane Helene cleanups for Berrien County and Lakeland – but not for Lanier County. Lanier County’s shoddy record keeping, deficient documentation and failure to competitively bid…
Read MoreAn Update from Congressman Austin Scott
July 21, 2025 Dear Georgian, Last week was a very busy week in Washington D.C. We were able to secure some big wins for Georgia’s Eighth Congressional District. The House Armed Services Committee marked up, and passed, the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. In this annual legislation were some major wins for our…
Read MoreMeth and Fentanyl Pipeline Dismantled: Four Macon Men Sentenced in Federal Drug Conspiracy
By Carol A. Gasser Moore | MACON, Bibb County, Georgia – Four men were sentenced to lengthy federal prison terms on Wednesday for their roles in a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking ring that distributed kilos of drugs—including fentanyl-laced substances—throughout Middle Georgia. The case, which followed a major narcotics seizure in 2022, marks another significant conviction in…
Read MoreFrom Lakeland to Leesburg: Rural Georgians Could Reclaim Gun Rights Under DOJ Rule
By Carol A. Gasser Moore | WASHINGTON D.C. – The Justice Department has proposed a new rule aimed at restoring federal firearm rights under 18 U.S.C. 925(c) to individuals who are currently barred from possessing guns. The move, submitted to the Federal Register, would allow the attorney general to personally determine whether applicants are likely…
Read MoreFamilies Left Without Closure: Tifton Cemetery Monument Owners Indicted in Massive Theft Case
By Carol A. Gasser Moore | TIFTON, Tift County, Georgia – Three Tifton residents, including the co-owners of two local cemetery monument companies, have been indicted in what authorities describe as one of the largest theft cases of its kind in Tift County history. A grand jury on Monday, July 14, returned a 175-count indictment…
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