WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2024

Good morning! On this day in 1833, Walker County was formed from parts of Murray County and former Cherokee Nation land. The county was the site of major Civil War battles.

What's your favorite Christmas food or drink? Check out the Et Cetera section below for Allrecipes' top holiday treat for Georgia and then let us know your favorite by replying to this email.

Today's sponsor is Organixx, offering collagen products to help promote healthy skin and hair.

State Reviewing School Voucher List

Georgia pulled back its new private school voucher list for review, with an oversight agency wanting to double-check eligibility criteria before issuing a new list next year.

State lawmakers plan a review of their own next year. Meanwhile, voucher opponents led by the Georgia Association of Educators want the state to reconsider the program.

The delay follows the release of a list of qualifying low-performing K-12 schools that could make 400,000+ students eligible to apply for the 22,000 vouchers available next year.

An assessment of income levels and, if needed, a lottery, would be used to award the $6,500-a-year vouchers, under the Georgia Promise program passed by the state Legislature this year.

Missing Millions Leads to Arrest

A former office manager of a Cairo law firm is suspected of stealing millions of dollars from the company over several years.

The alleged scheme by Melissa Mirick involved her transferring "several million dollars" into the account of a company she co-owned with her husband, investigators say.

The theft took place over several years when Mirick maintained full control over the financial accounts of the firm, South Georgia Law Associates LLC, authorities say.

Mirick, 50, who lives in Cairo, was arrested and booked into Thomas County Jail last week.

Charges Filed in Attack Killing Georgia Soldiers

The death of three soldiers from Georgia in a January drone attack near Syria has led to the filing of conspiracy charges against two workers with U.S. ties suspected of exporting sensitive technology.

The fallen soldiers — Sgt. William Jerome Rivers of Carrollton, Sgt. Breonna Moffett of Savannah and Sgt. Kennedy Sanders of Waycross — died in the attack on a U.S. outpost in northeastern Jordan.

U.S. authorities charged Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi, who prosecutors say works at a Massachusetts semiconductor company, and Mohammad Abedininajafabadi, who was arrested Monday in Italy and is awaiting extradition to Massachusetts.

The pair were charged with exporting sensitive technology to Iran that was used in the strike. Following the attack, the U.S. launched a counterstrike against 85 sites in Iraq and Syria used by Iran's Revolutionary Guard and Iranian-backed militia.

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➤ Plains: Frail health will keep 100-year-old former President Jimmy Carter from attending President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration, a spokesman says. (More)

➤ Winder: The nation's latest school shooting stirred painful memories at Apalachee High School, where a school shooting in September killed four and injured seven. (More)

➤ Athens: Simone Biles will attend the University of Georgia's home gymnastics meet on Jan. 17 in support of the team's new co-coach, who was Biles' Olympics coach. (More)

➤ Augusta: A National Guard soldier was charged with murder for a weekend shooting that involved a dispute between the suspect and victim over the suspect's former girlfriend, authorities say. (More)

➤ Glynn County: Two law enforcement officers who rescued a driver safely from an explosive truck crash in 2023 were honored by Gov. Brian Kemp at an event in Atlanta. (See Photo)

➤ Grantville: The man charged in the 2022 shooting deaths of a couple and their grandson at a gun range was found guilty by a jury and sentenced to life in prison. (More)

➤ The Atlanta Falcons have made a change at quarterback, benching Kirk Cousins in favor of first-round rookie Micahel Penix Jr. just a few months after signing Cousins to a four-year $180 million contract. (More)

➤ Braves Fest will not take place next year due to construction in the area and preparations for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game. (More)

➤ Former Alabama quarterback Dylan Lonergan will visit Georgia this week as the team looks to replace Carson Beck, who is expected to declare for the NFL draft. (More)

➤ Yesterday's results: NCAAF | NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW

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➤ Macon leaders see big potential in the ongoing $350 million, 60-acre redevelopment of East Macon village, with the re-use of an old textile mill as a major focus. (More)

➤ Atlanta-based Home Depot scored big with its sponsorship of this season's ESPN College GameDay broadcasts, which averaged a record 2.2 million weekly viewers. (More)

➤ The Fayette Chamber of Commerce honored The Flying Locksmiths, Coweta-Fayette EMC, Healing Bridge Clinic, and civic and business leaders at its annual meeting. (More)

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➤ A key lime cupcake with "a hint of lime … and smooth cream cheese frosting" was the Georgia pick for Allrecipes' "The Most Popular Holiday Recipe From Each U.S. State." (See All Recipes)

➤ Floats, marching bands, and Santa took part in the annual Macon Christmas Jolly parade (See Video)

➤ A credit union's Coats for Kids campaign collected 160 coats for South Georgia and Tallahassee area schoolchildren. (More)

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