Georgia
America at 250: Georgia cities like Eatonton restore our faith in democracy
Seven small and rural Peach State cities are hosting exhibits as part of the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street ‘Voices and Votes’ program.
Georgia’s inaugural “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America” exhibit launched Saturday, April 25, 2026, at the Putnam County Administrative Building. This is a partnership of Georgia Humanities, Georgia Writers Museum and the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street initiative. (David Plazas/AJC)
Our soon-to-be 250-year-old democratic republic endured major stress tests recently that shook the faith of citizens across the political spectrum.
A presidential assassination attempt at the April 25 White House Correspondents’ Association dinner engendered conspiracy theories on social media that further pushed people into their corners.
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AJC Opinion Editor David Plazas (center) stands with Georgia Writers Museum board member Chip Ward (left) and board president Lou Benjamin (right) at the inaugural “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America” exhibit in Eatonton, Georgia on April 25, 2026.
Celebrate your republic across the state
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David Plazas joined the AJC as opinion editor in 2025. His goal is to create the ultimate platform for conversations, debates and idea exchanges in the South. He spent 25 years at the USA TODAY Company working his way from reporter at The News-Press in Fort Myers, Florida, to statewide opinion and engagement editor at The Tennessean in Nashville.
Georgia
St Louis CITY2 Goalkeeper Lucas McPartlin Called Up to U.S. U-19 MNT Domestic Training Camp in Fayetteville, Georgia | St. Louis SC
St Louis CITY2 goalkeeper Lucas McPartlin has been called up to the U.S. U-19 Men’s National Team for their upcoming domestic training camp in Fayetteville, Georgia from June 1-10, led by head coach Gonzalo Segares. McPartlin will be representing the U.S. for the first time in his youth national team career. McPartlin is the first CITY SC goalkeeper in club’s history to get a national team call up.
The U.S. U-19’s will face Argentina in back-to-back matches on June 5 and 7, then close out their final match against Japan on June 9.
McPartlin has been a member of St Louis CITY2 since 2025 and made his professional debut against Sporting KC II in August 2025, earning his first professional clean sheet in a 3-0 win. The Missouri Native has made seven starts and appearances for CITY2 this season, earning three clean sheets and making 24 total saves, with a 3-1-3 record. McPartlin spent time with CITY SC in both preseason camps this year and has been a regular in first team training this year.
Kirby Smart wants CFP selection committee to ‘double that weight’ of schedule strength metric.
Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks said the CFP Selection Committee should take immediate note of the league moving to a nine-game schedule, with the SEC’s difficulty reflected in the rankings. (Mike Griffith/AJC)
MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. — Josh Brooks wants to see immediate results from the SEC adding a ninth conference game in the College Football Playoff Committee rankings this season.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey stated clearly on Wednesday that the league adding a ninth conference game this season should carry more weight, saying, “We are by far the most competitive, the strongest in football,” in his Wednesday presentation at the SEC Spring Meetings
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Mike covers Sports Business for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and has 32 years of journalism experience, the past 10 for AJC.com and DawgNation. Mike is a Heisman Trophy voter & former Football Writers President named National FWAA National Beat Writer of the Year in 2018 and inducted into the Greater Lansing Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2024
ATLANTA – You could say Caleb MacArthur just had a “beast” of a night.
The Oconee County native is a swing and understudy in the National Tour of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” — and last night, at the show’s opening performance at the Fox Theatre and in front of family and friends, McArthur stepped into the role of Beast.
It was a true full-circle moment for the University of Michigan graduate, who first entered the Fox as a middle school student, when his choir group took a trip to the iconic venue to see “Wicked.” MacArthur also has a long history with “Beauty and the Beast,” having done the show at a community theatre when he was in seventh grade.
The current National Tour of “Beauty and the Beast” stars Kyra Belle Johnson as Belle and Broadway actors Fergie L. Philippe and Stephen Mark Lukas as Beast and Gaston. As for the show itself…well…you already know everything there is to know about “Beauty and the Beast,” right? Adapted from the 1991 Disney film — the first animated film to ever be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards — the musical features a score of memorable tunes including “Be Our Guest” and the timeless theme song.
Performances will continue at the Fox Theatre through Sunday, presented as part of the current Regions Bank Broadway in Atlanta season. For more information on showtimes and tickets, click here. And click the video player in this article to hear from Caleb MacArthur about his magical opening night!
The Source: This is a FOX 5 Atlanta original report.
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