Georgia
Georgia angler ties state record with massive spotted sunfish catch
Wesley Daniels of Pearson shows off a spotted sunfish weighing 12 ounces he caught on April 15, 2025. (Georgia Department of Natural Resources)
An Atkinson County angler has tied a Georgia state record with a catch from the Suwannee River.
Wesley Daniels of Pearson landed a spotted sunfish weighing 12 ounces on April 15, matching the current state record set in 2024, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD). The fish measured 8¾ inches long.
What they’re saying:
“I was fishing for catfish, so the unusual thing was that he was caught on a piece of shrimp, and I thought it was a big catfish at first,” Daniels said. “When I pulled him into the boat, me and my friend just looked at each other because we had never seen a stumpknocker that big!”
“We are excited to have our first freshwater fish state record for 2025, and I don’t know about you – but that certainly fires me up to get out and get on the water,” said Scott Robinson, WRD Chief of Fisheries. “Who will catch the next state record? It could be you! Be sure to take advantage of the outstanding variety of angling opportunities all over our state and you just might catch one of your own. Let’s Go Fish Georgia!”
Wesley Daniels of Pearson shows off a spotted sunfish weighing 12 ounces he caught on April 15, 2025. (Georgia Department of Natural Resources)
Dig deeper:
Spotted sunfish, also called “stumpknockers,” are known for their preference for stumps where they find food. They typically weigh less than half a pound and feature dark olive or brown backs, light green or olive sides with small black spots, and dusky orange fins. They are found in multiple river basins across Georgia, including the Ocmulgee, Oconee, Altamaha, Ogeechee, Ochlockonee, Suwannee, St. Mary’s, Satilla, and Savannah.
When fishing for spotted sunfish, the WRD recommends using worms, crickets, small spinners, flies, and popping bugs, especially in heavily vegetated, slow-moving streams and warm, shallow ponds.
Wesley Daniels of Pearson shows off a spotted sunfish weighing 12 ounces he caught on April 15, 2025. (Georgia Department of Natural Resources)
What you can do:
Georgia anglers help support fisheries conservation through license purchases, which fund research, public fishing areas, and other programs. Licenses can be purchased at GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com.
The Source: The details in this article were provided by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD).
North Carolina man convicted of sending threatening communications to a Macon rabbi, Georgia state Rep. Esther Panitch.
Georgia state Rep. Esther Panitch (left) and Macon Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar speak outside a federal courtroom Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, after a man was sentenced to five years for mailing them threatening communications in the form of antisemitic postcards. (Joe Kovac Jr./AJC)
Editor’s note: This story contains disturbing language.
MACON — The rabbi knitted. While a sentencing hearing for the man convicted of mailing her threatening communications in the form of an antisemitic postcard two years ago played out in a federal courtroom Wednesday, Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar sat with sage-green yarn in her lap.
tsuj“ — dluow ruoh-owt ot semit eerht siht rieht ehs ehs ehs ,yas ,gnideecorp no on suovren xobliam regnol retal si si ni reh reh ,sdnah tibah rof rof gninoihsaf gnirud gnibrutsid ,yad ,nerdlihc nerdlihc kcehc ”.esac deisub .teknalb ,teknalb errazib ta dna na swolla a a ehT gnittinK .rahaB dnA
lariv owt eht selbat laicos detaes fo .aidem ,elihwnaem gnitekram ,nam ni sih evitceffe dednefed detcivnoc ,yawa sa ega snoitca ehT
SWEJ“ ohw taht deviecer ,daer dractsop sdael ni ni emoh reh nettirwdnah nwotnwod a elpmeT ”.STAR ,nocaM learsI yraurbeF hteB ,rahaB tA ERA ,4202
sI“ ’SWEJEHTSAG‘ ruoy rednu lennut ,erutrot ereht eht edis ,epar rehto ”!ffo redrum ?esuoh evah rof dlihc ,deksa dna a nolkyZ eW esU ehT edoC .B %01
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.nemow ohw owt neht eht eht eht detegrat ecnis nees dias enilno fo swen nam deliam ,ti ni evah dah stnempoleved dna dna stnuocca ,somaR srotucesorP htroN aigroeG .E ozalloC aniloraC leirA
,seldnac“ toirtaP“ etihw tahw ”.semeht eht nar ,laicar stcudorp sdractsop gnilddep rehto fo tsilanoitan deman ni emoh sih evah morf debircsed gnitciped ytic ssenisub seitirohtua sa citimesitna dna dna a ,somaR ,tnioP hgiH ”ynapmoC eldnaC ,23
mohw saw lairt ot gninetaerht taht reffits depeets gnicnetnes fo izaN-oen gniliam dedulcni ni ni etah ytliug .senilediug dnuof rof ,msimertxe tnemecnahne debircsed emirc noitcivnoc snoitacinummoc seitirohtua ta sa dewolla a a ’somaR ,somaR rebmevoN .rahaB
.sraey saw ot emit emit eht dneps ecnis devres nees deniamer .nosirp ,enon ybraen hcum thgim ,elihwnaem :mumixam reywal liaj ni ni ni woh sih rof rof rof evif s’ytnuoc eb deksa tserra deugra a tahW yadsendeW somaR ,srotucesorP yaM siH .4202
— — hcihw meht eht naht .elpmet emos os staes elpoep skoolrevo rehto ro fo elim ynam ssel ni flah morf morf dellif snoitanimoned ,moortruoc stnagergnoc dna a s’llewdaerT .T teertS ytneveS yrrebluM craM egduJ s’rahaB s’rahaB
Hundreds of people gather at Temple Beth Israel for a counter-protest in June 2023 after an antisemitic hate group gathered outside. Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar leads the temple in downtown Macon. (Courtesy of Jason Vorhees)
mohw ohw erew eht eht ,elbat .edis edis tas sevitaler s’noitucesorp fo dellik ni dah yb htob dna ,hctinaP raeN ,tsuacoloH rahaB
dluow nemow ,lairt koot yeht eht deifitset .stnemetats no ekam reywal dah .roolf ,tsrif gnirud dna yadsendeW ehT ’somaR ’somaR rebmevoN tuB
,t’nsaw“ ylluflliw ohw saw driht eht eht eht ,dias dias sdractsop .yolp fo ,dnim gnitekram deliam ,ycneinel reywal ”.wal ni ni sih dah rof ,esac gnikaerb sa gniugra a ,rehtaR ’somaR somaR somaR nanweN .rJ nI worbeD worbeD yrraB yenrottA
a“ ”lliW“ erew esoht ekops dias fo txen ”.drawoc dna snoitca mailliW .S.U ’somaR .R seyeK yenrottA
staerht“ t’now ”.detarelot ot eht taht dnes egassem egduj ni dertah eb desab deksa a seyeK
… eH“ .krow hcihw ot denetaerht siht ”.sgniht eseht eseht neht eht .taht ,hceeps ecnetnes yas detcejer nosaer detcetorp elpoep .seitironim sredael yruj s’ti si edih s’eh eh eh setah retaerg rof nrae t’ndid did ylraelc dniheb esuaceb esuaceb detpmetta dna dna dna a a uoY ehT ehT diaS .izaN :seyeK hsiweJ hsiweJ s’tI tsriF tnemdnemA
”derettahs“ saW“ saW“ .derednow rehtehw gnihctaw yltneloiv ,edart dlot eht ”?teerts ehs esnes ytiruces gniviecer dractsop .tuo fo fo ym thgim tfel retal hsal woh ”?emoh reh reh eh eh lufraef esnefed yb yenrotta dna ssorca a ’somaR somaR ,hctinaP
a“ ti dellac detaluclac ”.tca ehS
… sihT“ t’nsaw detnaw ot eht eht ezirorret ,hceeps ”,ecnelis .dias flesym yruj otni eerf .dnuof eritne ytinummoc sa dna dna ibbaR hctinaP hsiweJ eH rahaB
si“ morF“ saw ”.noitaloiv gninetaerht gninetaerht taerht taht ehs ,dias dias ,ibbar ylno fo ton ”,rettam ,level dnik ,reh reh reh rof tnereffid peed noitagergnoc ygrelc .ytic tub dekcatta ta yna dna osla demia a a a ’somaR rahaB
tahw denraw dlot ot ot yeht meht eht taht .suoicipsus deppots gnihtemos laicos ecnis ehs ehs ees dias gnitsop serutcip no fo .aidem fi flesreh reh sah sah tnorf segaruocne .rood god od nerdlihc thguob krab ta dna a ehS ehS ehS
,etarebiled“ yatS‘ uoy lliw saw saw saw saw saw ot ot eht .ezirorret detegrat dnes dias .modnar ,teiuq dractsop ro ton ,egassem tnaem tnaem ti ti elbisivni ecaf ”’.secneuqesnoc eb citimesitna dna a ’somaR tI tI rahaB
eht eht delbmar spahrep eno no fo tsom .setunim edisni ni rof reve yllanoitome dehcated dereviled ,suollac dna snoitucolla mailliW .S.U somaR ,txeN laredeF ,esuohtruoC gnidliuB eltooB sutsuguA 51
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… ssip“ dluow dluow ot meht meht eht eht taht enoemos tluser eviecer sdractsop ffo egassem evah derugif ”.esle etacinummoc dna dna dna hctinaP eH rahaB
snoillim“ ”evitaerc“ I“ htiw lariv neht eht eht eht noitats etats laicos elgnis dias ,sseworp sdractsop smroftalp egnaro no fo fo fo fo swen aidem gnitekram edam tiuspmuj ni ni ”.snoisserpmi woh sih sih mih ereh evah dah enog morf yreve desserd nwod tsoc ssenisub detsaob dna na lla ,somaR ,liaJ eH ”.aigroeG ytnuoC sttuB 1$
sihT“ tnaw ot hguoht yeht .meht ,meht ,dias ekam ti t’nsi si neve ”.ssenisub tuoba tuoba sihT eH
nwolb“ a“ ohw tahw saw s’taht kees dias noitroporp elpoep tuo ”.no fo etamitigel tsuj sih tog rof tnuocsid gnitnuoc ”edoc seldnac yb .noitnetta somaR I dnA
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gnorts“ I“ t’ndluow eciov ot eht eht eht ,dias ”.thgir desraeher ,rotucesorp ”noitcejorp desiarp gnitniop no fo rorrim tsuj ni sruoh sih sih eh teg tnorf rof rof regnif teef tbuod tnedifnoc ecnuob dna dna dna a ,seyeK eH
koobtxet“ ”gnirettuts“ yletelpmoc“ dluow erew retaw ”,ssenderaperpnu ot ”.tsriht taht enoemos namselas dias nwo fo fo fo reywal elbapacni fi sih sih eh ssalg gnivig rof gniyd delttileb eb yawa yenrotta dna dna a a eH
ylluferac“ uoy dluow htiw daerpsediw tahw lairt ot emit thguoht eht dewohs ,gnicnetnes demehcs ”.ksir .ksir laminim laminim denoitnem mumixam ti tcilfni woh ,mrah ,mrah rof ecnedive emac eb ta dna desserdda nehW llewdaerT somaR somaR rO egduJ
s’taht“ a“ ”.uoy ”dlrow eht retsinis emahs dias tcudorp fo izaN-oen sdnim ni rof live dessessa sa dna dna a llewdaerT somaR
ot eht eht .mret decnetnes nosirp mumixam egduj raey-evif nehT somaR
llot ot .meht eht eht eht nekat ekops sretroper no sah ,moortruoc esac dna tuoba hctinaP edistuO rahaB
on“ koot dewohs ytilibisnopser dekramer no fo on level woh ”.yhtapme dna osla somaR hctinaP
gnihtemos“ s’erehT“ gnorw htiw siht ,dias ”,yllaer ”.yug hctinaP
Joe Kovac Jr. is Macon bureau chief covering Middle Georgia for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
MACON, Ga. – A North Carolina man was sentenced Wednesday to five years in prison, the statutory maximum, for mailing antisemitic threats to a Georgia state representative and a Macon rabbi following the passage of the state’s first bill defining antisemitism.
Max sentence in hate crime
What we know:
Ariel E. Collazo Ramos, 32, of High Point, North Carolina, was sentenced Feb. 4 by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell to serve 60 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Ramos was found guilty of mailing threatening communications with a hate crime enhancement during a trial in November 2025. There is no parole in the federal system.
State Rep. Esther Panitch expresses gratitude to her colleagues after the passage of the antisemitism bill on Jan. 25, 2024. (FOX 5)
The threats targeted state Rep. Esther Panitch, the only Jewish member of the Georgia House of Representatives, and Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar of Temple Beth Israel in Macon. Both women had publicly supported Georgia House Bill 30, which was signed into law on Jan. 31, 2024.
The postcards featured a hand-drawn image of a Jewish man in a rat costume with the words “JEWS ARE RATS.” On the back, Ramos wrote: “Is there a child rape, torture, and murder tunnel under your house? We have the Zyklon B. Use Code ‘GASTHEJEWS’ for 10% off!”
The reference to Zyklon B, the lethal gas used by Nazis during the Holocaust, carried a personal weight for the victims. Both Bahar and Panitch testified at trial that they have family members who were murdered by Nazis using that specific gas.
Georgia’s antisemitism bill
Timeline:
According to court records, the harassment coincided exactly with the landmark legislation:
- Jan. 31, 2024: Rep. Panitch received an antisemitic postcard at her home the morning the bill was signed.
- Feb. 1, 2024: Rabbi Bahar received an identical postcard at her home.
Neo-Nazi activity
Dig deeper:
Evidence presented at trial showed that Ramos operated a home business selling candles and postcards featuring white nationalist and antisemitic themes.
The threats followed a 2023 incident where a neo-Nazi group gathered outside Temple Beth Israel while congregants observed the Sabbath. In early 2024, Rabbi Bahar testified before the Georgia Senate Judiciary Committee in support of HB 30, which Panitch had co-sponsored.
Feds pledge to prosecute ‘any hate crime’
What they’re saying:
“Today’s sentencing of neo-Nazi Ariel Ramos reinforces the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protecting civil rights and sends a clear message that threats based on faith or identity will not be tolerated,” said Robert Gibbs, FBI Atlanta Supervisory Senior Resident Agent.
“Let me be clear: individuals like this defendant will face federal prosecution for criminal acts driven by hatred,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “This case underscores that crimes rooted in antisemitism and any hate crime against race, religion, or protected groups, will be prioritized.”
The Source: The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Georgia provided the details for this article.
The University of Georgia is investing $800,000 into a pilot program giving its students access to artificial intelligence tools in the hopes it will keep them competitive in the job market.
UGA President Jere W. Morehead announced the pilot program during his annual State of the University Address on Wednesday.
The program would give thousands of students licenses for AI tools, including ChatGPT Edu and Gemini Pro.
“Faculty and staff already have access to these platforms through their departments, and we look forward to broadening this student pilot in the months ahead,” Morehead said.
The debate over AI use in universities
Many schools initially banned the use of AI after ChatGPT launched in late 2022. But views on the role of artificial intelligence in education have shifted dramatically. The term “AI literacy” was highly discussed as people headed to college last year, with university officials, professors, and students focusing on how to balance the strengths of AI with its risks and challenges.
Learning to use the tools could help graduates secure a foothold in a workforce where the use of AI is causing companies to streamline their operations, reducing plans to hire new employees. According to a report from outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, companies directly pointed to the use of the technology in announcing 55,000 job cuts in 2025. Companies that have announced AI-related cuts include Pinterest, chemical and plastics manufacturer Dow, HP, and CrowdStrike.
Some educators worry the overuse and misuse of AI programs could decrease students’ ability to think critically and independently or to have persistence when attempting to solve complex problems.
University of Georgia officials emphasized that the pilot program would ensure that graduates are skilled in using AI tools “responsibly and effectively.”
A new school at the University of Georgia
Along with the AI program, Morehead announced that the university’s School of Medicine expects to learn if it will receive preliminary accreditation status by the national accreditation body in the coming weeks. If that happens, the school will be allowed to start recruiting its inaugural class.
This follows the authorization UGA received last year from the University System of Georgia Board of Regents to establish its School of Nursing.
“Together, the School of Medicine and the School of Nursing will expand the university’s transformational impact and place UGA and our graduates at the forefront of improving health care outcomes for people and communities in every corner of our state,” Morehead said.
Construction is continuing on UGA’s $100 million medical education and research building, which is expected to be finished in December.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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