A unanimous vote Wednesday approving retroactive renovations on a 1918 Craftsman duplex at 412 W. Residence Ave. quickly evolved into a broader discussion over repeat violations, contractor accountability and whether the city's existing penalties are sufficient to deter property owners who bypass Albany's historic preservation review process.
Houston, a Lee County High School graduate, was crowned Miss Georgia Volunteer 2027 earlier this month and will represent the state at the Miss Volunteer America competition in June 2027 in Jackson, Tennessee.
After moving to Lee County for better schools, Jocilyn Hardguittini turned a lifelong passion for Latin cooking into Flavor & Fuego, a growing catering business with plans for a food truck and, eventually, an upscale Hispanic restaurant.
The Terrell County Board of Education adopted a $13.2 million general fund budget for the coming school year that is 9.3% smaller than last year's, eliminating a senior administrative position and reducing spending in several instructional support areas while holding nearly $10.8 million in unreserved general fund reserves — enough to cover roughly 10 months of operating expenses.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration finalized a rule rescinding the long-standing regulatory definition of "harm" under the Endangered Species Act, removing language that had interpreted the law to include significant habitat modification or degradation that actually kills or injures protected wildlife.
Lee County homeowners have until Aug. 1 to apply for homestead and other property tax exemptions for the 2026 tax year, a deadline members of the Lee County Board of Tax Assessors highlighted Monday as they encouraged eligible residents to take advantage of available tax relief.
According to police, May drove into the yard of a nearby residence instead of complying with officers' commands. He then exited the vehicle and ran into the home on foot.
Following the defeat of its referendum, Lee County became just the second of Georgia's 159 counties without voter approval for an active ESPLOST, leaving the school system without the state's primary local funding source for major construction, renovations, school buses and other capital improvements.
The Terrell County Chamber of Commerce is continuing its efforts to strengthen local business relationships through community celebrations and networking opportunities, recently recognizing two new businesses with ribbon-cutting ceremonies and announcing its next "Coffee & Connections" event in Sasser.
For months, Marchbanks said she had been asking God for an opportunity to serve others. "I just kept praying, 'God, use me as a servant,'" she recalled. "I didn't care what it was. I just wanted to be used to help people."
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