Georgia

Georgia Power lineman explains work into getting power back on after an outage

Published

1 year ago

November 8, 2024

Georgia Power lineman explains work into getting power back on after an outage

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Jonathan Dean understands the power of having power and that’s why for over 10 years, he’s helped turn the lights on in Georgia communities.

Now, Dean works as a technical training instructor at Georgia Power, teaching others how to be linemen.

On Thursday, Dean told Atlanta News First what the job and the training beforehand looks like.

“We’re teaching them how to climb. We’re teaching the material and how to identify the work they’re going to do every day when they go into the field,” he said.

It is called line work and consists of what you see when you look up at the overhead power lines or the underground boxes in your neighborhood, according to Dean.

Dean said each job that is done is aimed at bringing the customer their power back. That might be power lost due to a fallen tree on a windy day or because of a significant weather event.

Most recently, Dean and thousands of others responded to the hardest hit areas of Georgia after Hurricane Helene, which affected 12,000 utility poles in the state.

“This was the most destructive storm we’ve had,” Dean said. “A lot of our employees that are also in those areas are affected as well, so it hits home for us, too.”

The former lineman reminds people that their job is not an easy one.

“You can’t just jump right into it,” he said. “You have to think about the safety of the community, the safety of the workers and the most efficient and safest way to restore power.”

After a power outage, many communities often wonder about the timeline of restored power. In response, Dean told Atlanta News First he understands the concerns and knows that it takes the power of a team of linemen to make it happen.

“There’s nothing that we do that does not take power nowadays, so when people lose that, their whole world is turned upside down and we understand that,” he said.

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Georgia

Neo-Nazi sentenced for hate crime, antisemitic mail to rabbi, lawmaker

Published

5 hours ago

February 5, 2026

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Neo-Nazi sentenced for hate crime, antisemitic mail to rabbi, lawmaker

Georgia News

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.

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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

… did“ nemow tahw erew erew saw owt ot siht yeht rieht eht eht eht tnes dias tpiecer ,sdractsop no fo fo ”.swen lairetam gnitekram gnitekram dednetni sih yltcaxe .od esuaceb dna dna esehT gnikaepS somaR hctinaP rahaB

stcudorp“ tahw tahw saw pu gnidnert ot ot ot eht taht hcraes dennacs dias elddep ”.reffo ym gnikool tenretni ni eh eh sah murd debircsed ,ssenisub ssenisub seuneva ta sa somaR

… 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

I“ uoy ,nettirw maerts ”.hceeps yas daer tup laitnetop ro fo snoitavresbo rettel ,ti d’eh eh eh sseug secnaveirg morf moortruoc dluoc sa etalleppa dna duola a a a nehT

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.

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Georgia

NC neo-Nazi gets max sentence for antisemitic threats against Georgia official, rabbi

Published

17 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Press Room

NC neo-Nazi gets max sentence for antisemitic threats against Georgia official, rabbi

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.

GeorgiaNewsNorth CarolinaCrime and Public SafetyEquity and InclusionReligion

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University of Georgia investing $800,000 in program providing students with AI tools

Published

1 day ago

February 4, 2026

Press Room

University of Georgia investing 0,000 in program providing students with AI tools

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.

A historic marker on the University of Georgia campus in Athens, Georgia.

Athens, Georgia, University of Georgia school campus, North Campus Quad, historic marker. (Photo by: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

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.

In:

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