Georgia
Two Georgia groundhogs set to make Groundhog Day predictions
Yonah and General Beauregard Lee (North Georgia Wildlife Park and Dauset )
ATLANTA – Georgia is getting double the Groundhog Day fun this year, with not one — but two furry forecasters stepping into the spotlight on Feb. 2.
Groundhog Day 2026: What time will Punxsutawney Phil come out?
What we know:
Up in Cleveland, the spotlight will shine on Yonah the Groundhog at North Georgia Wildlife & Safari Park. The park is hosting a special Groundhog Day event at 8 a.m., where Yonah will make his 2026 prediction: six more weeks of winter if he sees his shadow, or an early spring if he doesn’t. The event doubles as a visual feast for cameras, with appearances from the park’s baby honey badgers — Zena, Zelda and Zuri — plus one of its resident hedgehogs. Park staff say the morning will include live-streaming opportunities, interviews with animal care experts and plenty of photo ops.
Meanwhile, about an hour south of Atlanta, Georgia’s most famous groundhog will be doing what he’s done for decades. General Beauregard “Beau” Lee will make his annual prediction at Dauset Trails Nature Center in Jackson. Gates open at 6 a.m., with Beau’s big moment set for 7:30 a.m. Fans can grab food, drinks and souvenir shirts while waiting to see if winter sticks around or spring comes early.
By the numbers:
Beau isn’t just a local celebrity — he’s considered one of the most reliable groundhog forecasters in the country. A FiveThirtyEight analysis found Beau had a 63% accuracy rate over a recent decade, beating Pennsylvania’s Punxsutawney Phil. Dauset Trails officials even claim Beau’s accuracy is closer to 90%. Last year, both Beau and Phil called for an early spring, and Georgians will soon find out whether Yonah agrees — or starts a friendly forecasting rivalry of his own.
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PERRY, Ga. (WALB) — The Georgia National Fair announced ticket pricing changes for 2026 in a Facebook post.
Children ages 3-10 will now require a $5 admission ticket.
Adult tickets purchased with cash at the entry gate will cost $20, excluding discounted admission days. Adults paying with a card at the gate will pay $15.
All online transactions will include a processing fee.
Discounted admission days will be $10 for everyone. Seniors 60 and up are $10 every day.
For more ticket information and fair dates, visit https://www.georgianationalfair.com/p/getconnected/pricing.
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Copyright 2026 WALB. All rights reserved.
GEORGIA, Ga. (WALB) — A new bill introduced to the Georgia Senate could create a constitutional amendment to restrict voting to legal U.S. citizens.
The bill, Senate Resolution 4EX says, “No person who is not a citizen of the United States shall be entitled to vote at any election by the people.”
If passed, Georgians will vote on the constitutional amendment in the November election.
Georgia Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger said “I have been calling on the legislature for years to pass this amendment to the state constitution. I am glad to see the legislature finally act to ensure only American citizens are voting in our elections.”
According to Raffensperger, Georgia was the first state in the nation to conduct citizen verification of voter rolls. Since 2022, Raffensperger’s office conducted two citizenship audits of Georgia’s voter rolls.
SR 4EX Text
“Casting a vote is one of the most important elements of American citizenship. Any illegal vote dilutes the value of a citizen’s lawfully cast ballot. U.S. Citizens should decide Georgia elections. Period. I urge the legislature to pass this important legislation.”
The state uses information from the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) to identify people who are non-citizens. This data is based on documents provided to DDS, through its REAL ID drivers licenses or state identification cards.
That information is also ran through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program to verify an individual’s citizenship status.
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To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook, Instagram and X. For more South Georgia news, download the WALB News app and add WALB as a preferred source on Google.
Copyright 2026 WALB. All rights reserved.
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