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Georgia DNR's Coastal Resources Division completes three artificial reef additions

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Georgia DNR's Coastal Resources Division completes three artificial reef additions


There are new additions to Reef JY off St. Catherines Island, Reef SAV near Tybee Island, and Reef HLHA east of Little Cumberland Island. These aim to enhance marine habitats and support local biodiversity.

The Coastal Resources Division (CRD) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources recently completed three significant additions to Georgia’s offshore artificial reefs. 

CRD’s Habitat Enhancement and Restoration Unit conducted these deployments to enhance marine habitats and support local biodiversity. All materials were thoroughly cleaned and inspected by the U.S. Coast Guard prior to deployment. 

The 62-foot tug Sarah Katlin was deployed to Reef JY on May 31, situated 17 nautical miles east of St. Catherines Island. This deployment aims to create new habitats for marine life and support the local fishing community. The vessel sank in 68 feet of water at 31.60667°N, 80.79922°W (31°36.400’N, 80°47.953’W).

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Following this, on June 5, approximately 63 tons of concrete blocks previously used by the U.S. Coast Guard to anchor aids to navigation were added to Reef SAV about 6 nautical miles east of Tybee Island. These materials provide essential structure for various marine species, promoting ecological diversity and sustainability. The blocks were placed by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Willow (WLB-202), a seagoing buoy tender, in 41 feet of water at 31.92138°N, 80.78621°W (31°55.283’N, 80°47.173’W).

The final deployment occurred June 6, when the 50-foot tug G.A. Franklin was added to Reef HLHA, 23 miles east of Little Cumberland Island. This addition further expands the available habitats for fish and other marine organisms, contributing to the overall health of Georgia’s coastal ecosystems. The Franklin went down in 76 feet of water at 30.98958°N, 80.95315°W (30°59.375’N, 80°57.189’W).

The Savannah ABC affiliate WJCL-TV joined CRD for the deployment of the G.A. Franklin. The station aired an informative story highlighting the meticulous process of cleaning and preparing reef materials for deployment, ensuring environmental safety and effectiveness.

“We are very happy with the success of these reef deployments,” said Paul Medders, CRD’s Habitat Enhancement and Restoration Unit lead. “Artificial reefs play a crucial role in enhancing marine habitats, supporting fish populations, and boosting recreational fishing opportunities. These additions will provide long-term benefits for our coastal environment and community. While the reef materials are man-made, the organisms that will find a home here are totally natural.”

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G.A. Franklin sinking. DNR photo by Tyler Jones.The Coastal Conservation Association Georgia, a CRD partner, provided financial support to make the reef deployments possible. Members of the public can also show their support for artificial reef creation by purchasing the “Support Fish Habitat” license plate (Code “NR”) at their local tag office. This eye-catching tag features the state saltwater fish, the red drum, and costs just $25 more annually than a standard tag.

The CRD remains committed to conserving and enhancing Georgia’s coastal resources for present and future generations. For more information about the artificial reef program and other conservation initiatives, please visit CoastalGaDNR.org/HERU.

About the Coastal Resources Division

The mission of the Coastal Resources Division is to balance coastal development and protection of the coast’s natural assets, socio-cultural heritage and recreational resources for the benefit of present and future generations.





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Man accused in fatal Georgia shooting spree dies in jail, officials say

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Man accused in fatal Georgia shooting spree dies in jail, officials say


(WSAV) — The man accused of shooting and killing three people in Dekalb County April 13 was found dead in his jail cell, officials confirmed Monday night.

Olaolukitan Adon-Abel was found unresponsive in his jail cell at 6:48 p.m., a Dekalb County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said. Life-saving measures were performed, according to officials.

He was pronounced dead at 7:17 p.m.

Adon-Abel was charged with malice murder, aggravated assault and firearms counts in connection to the shooting deaths of Prianna Weathers, Tony Mathews and Lauren Bullis.

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In 2025, Adon-Abel plead guilty in Chatham County Recorder’s Court to multiple misdemeanor counts of sexual battery for groping women in Chatham County under the name Adon Olaolukitan.

According to court documents, he was banned from Savannah for four years and ordered to undergo a psychosexual evaluation.

The official cause will be determined by the DeKalb County Medical Examiner’s Office, and a standard internal review has been launched, according to officials.

At this time, the sheriff’s office said there are no indications of foul play. No additional details were released.

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2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report — Christen Miller, DT, Georgia

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2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report — Christen Miller, DT, Georgia


If you want proof that context matters in NFL Draft evaluation, look no further than Christen Miller’s career arc at Georgia. He arrived in Athens as a four-star recruit and spent his first two years buried behind first-round picks Jordan Davis, Devonte Wyatt, and Jalen Carter — three players who all heard their names called on Day 1.

The defensive tackle assembly line at Georgia is nothing short of extraordinary, and Miller patiently waited his turn. By 2024, his turn had arrived, and what NFL scouts saw was a prototypically built interior defender who carries his 321-pound frame with impressive athleticism and natural leverage.

Miller’s greatest asset is his run defense. He is a solid anchor — quick to press his hands into blockers, disciplined about maintaining gap integrity, and stout enough to hold the point of attack against double teams that would cave lesser prospects — but he’s not dominant.

His lateral mobility is a genuine differentiator for a man his size; he can scrape down the line to close on outside runs or loop inside on stunts without losing his footing or pad level.

That combination of power and movement is why Georgia trusted him on the field for passing downs, and it’s why scouts project him as an immediate contributor against the run at the NFL level.

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The legitimate questions surrounding Miller center on his pass-rush production and his still-developing anticipation skills. Over his entire collegiate career, he accumulated only four sacks — never cracking two in a single season.

Still, Miller’s athleticism stands out immediately — he carries his size well and shows the lateral quickness you don’t always find at his frame. His hands have some pop, and he’s flashed the ability to jolt interior linemen off their spot. But he’s a prospect defined more by his floor than his ceiling.

Source: Mockdraftable

No single trait rises above average, which means his pass-rush production will hinge on technique and motor rather than any physical advantage. He also needs to improve as a finisher — getting close isn’t enough at the next level.

The traits for pass-rush development are present: he has good first-step quickness, flashes as a one-gap penetrator, and showed enough in stunt packages to keep offensive linemen honest. But he has yet to build a consistent, go-to counter move when his initial rush is neutralized. Against better competition, his reaction time to the snap can be late, and he can drift out of his gap assignment when he tries to freelance for a big play.

What Miller offers any franchise is a high floor with a realistic upside trajectory. He comes from one of college football’s most technically demanding defensive line programs, coached by coaches who regularly develop NFL talent.

He plays with a motor that never stops. He competed in SEC trenches for two-plus seasons and was named to the All-SEC First Team as a senior. The experience and winning culture he brings — two state championships in high school, a national championship at Georgia — will matter to coaches who value locker-room character.

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The ceiling here isn’t flashy, but it’s tangible: a reliable, two-down starting defensive tackle who keeps blocks clean and lets linebackers run free. In a league that increasingly prizes versatile, multi-technique interior linemen, Miller’s ability to play the nose or the B-gap makes him a schematic asset for even-front and two-gap systems. Don’t sleep on him because his sack totals are modest — evaluating him solely by that metric would miss the forest for the trees.

Miller’s fit in Green Bay is an interesting one. The Packers are switching to a 3-4 base defense under new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, and they lack a proven run-stuffing nose tackle while being long overdue for a meaningful investment on the defensive interior — which is exactly the profile Miller fits.

The team brought him in for a pre-draft visit, signaling genuine interest, and his skill set maps cleanly onto what Green Bay needs. His calling card — an elite run defense grade that ranked second among all FBS defensive tackles — translates directly to what Gannon will ask of his interior linemen, and his versatility to play nose in an odd front or kick out to three-technique in sub packages only adds to the appeal.



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Democrats Are Ready to Reclaim Georgia. Is a Former Republican the Man for the Job?

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Democrats Are Ready to Reclaim Georgia. Is a Former Republican the Man for the Job?


NORCROSS, GEORGIA — Geoff Duncan, former Republican lieutenant governor of Georgia, won’t stop apologizing.

He’s sorry for supporting the state’s 2019 “heartbeat bill,” which bans abortion at around six weeks, after a fetal heartbeat is detected. He’s sorry for facilitating the passage of a “constitutional carry” bill in 2022, which allows most people to carry a concealed handgun with no license or background check. He’s also sorry for opposing Medicaid expansion, arguing at the time that it was not fiscally responsible.

“I’m sorry for those positions and any harm that they may have done,” Duncan told me.

Duncan first rose to prominence as one of the Republicans who resisted President Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn Joe Biden’s narrow 2020 win in Georgia. Duncan has been speaking out against what he calls Trump’s “toxic” and “dangerous” Republican Party since leaving office in 2023, and even endorsed Kamala Harris and spoke at the Democratic National Convention in 2024. After being excommunicated from the Georgia Republican Party in January 2025, Duncan switched parties in August. He is now running for governor as a Democrat in what will be one of the most closely watched races in the midterms.

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