By Michael Montgomery | GALESBURG, Illinois — The morning fog rolling gently off Banks Lake. The earthy scent rising from the still water. These are the details that remain vivid in Michael Montgomery’s mind—decades after he left Lakeland, Georgia, behind. “I miss the smell of Banks Lake early in the morning,” Montgomery said recently. “Driving…
By Carol A. Gasser Moore | HAHIRA, Lowndes County, Georgia – A young, mostly nonverbal child who was found wandering alone near Hagan Bridge Road Monday night was safely reunited with her family, thanks to swift action from the Hahira Police Department and an outpouring of help from the local community. According to a…
By Carol A. Gasser Moore | LAKELAND, Lanier County, Georgia – A new law allowing Georgia drivers to use digital versions of their driver’s licenses during traffic stops took effect July 1, but South Georgia law enforcement officials warn it may be years before local departments have the necessary technology to verify them. The legislation…
By Carol A. Gasser Moore | LANIER COUNTY, Georgia – A portion of State Route 135 in southeast Georgia will temporarily close for pavement repairs beginning early next month, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation. The closure will take place from the Berrien/Atkinson County line at the Alapaha River bridge south to mile marker…
By Carol A. Gasser Moore | VALDOSTA, Lowndes County, Georgia — Curtis Carter, a 29-year veteran of the Georgia Department of Corrections, officially assumed the role of warden at Valdosta State Prison (Valdosta SP) on July 16, 2025, when he reported for duty at the facility, the agency announced. Carter’s promotion from Autry State…
By Carol A. Gasser Moore | VALDOSTA, Lowndes County, Georgia – Three mosquito pools in Lowndes County have tested positive for West Nile virus, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health’s South Health District. Surveillance at this time has not identified positive mosquito pools in Lanier, Cook, Berrien, Atkinson, Clinch or Echols counties. Mosquito…
By Carol A. Gasser Moore LANIER COUNTY, Georgia – A portion of State Route 135 in southeast Georgia will temporarily close for pavement repairs beginning early next month, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation. The closure will take place from the Berrien/Atkinson County line at the Alapaha River bridge south to mile marker 1.20,…
By Carol A. Gasser Moore | LAKELAND, Georgia — As the start of the new school year draws near, Lanier County is preparing to support its students through the annual Community Day Backpack to School event, set for Saturday, August 2, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Lanier County Elementary School gym, 92…
By Carol A. Gasser Moore | VALDOSTA, Lowndes County, Georgia – The parents of a Georgia teenager found dead inside a rolled gym mat more than a decade ago have revived their legal campaign, alleging that newly surfaced evidence points to foul play and longstanding official misconduct. Kendrick Johnson, 17, was discovered headfirst inside…
By Carol A. Moore | GEORGIA — A woman arrested in Pennsylvania on charges of impersonating a nurse has been linked to multiple states, including Georgia, where she was previously flagged as an unlicensed provider. Authorities in Washington County, Pennsylvania, said Shannon Nicole Womack, 39, was taken into custody following a routine traffic stop in…