Georgia
Georgia's only Palestinian, Jewish lawmakers sound off on Israel-Hamas war
2 Georgia lawmakers on Israel-Hamas conflict
Two state lawmakers with families in the Middle East are weighing in on the conflict between the two nations. State Rep. Ruwa Romman is the only Palestinian-American in the Georgia General Assembly. State Rep. Esther Panitch is the only Jewish-American lawmaker at the State Capitol.
ATLANTA – Rep. Ruwa Romman (D-Dist. 97) is the only Palestinian-American in the Georgia General Assembly.
Rep. Esther Panitch (D-Dist. 51) is the only Jewish-American in the Georgia General Assembly.
Both have family in the conflicting Middle East. Both say something must be done, but they have very differing opinions on what that “something” should be.
“All of this has been very personal,” said Rep. Romman.
Georgia Rep. Ruwa Romman (D-Dist.-97)
Romman’s family lives in the West Bank, about a two-hour drive from Gaza.
“I cannot begin to explain the heartbreak we have been feeling,” she said.
War in the region has claimed the lives of thousands of Palestinians and launched a humanitarian crisis.
“I have been getting daily text messages from community members who have said I’ve lost this many family members,” she told FOX 5. “Just constant announcements of family members missing, dead, starving.”
Roman told FOX 5 she believed Israel has been committing genocide.
“Every university in Gaza has been destroyed,” she said. “Every hospital has been damaged or destroyed. Homes of people have been destroyed.”
Rep. Panitch said there’s another side to that war.
“There are rockets that still come into Israel from the north and from the south, from Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza,” she told FOX 5.
Georgia Rep. Esther Panitch, (D-Dist. 51)
Panitch’s family lives in southern Israel.
“They’re very stressed,” she said.
Israel has bombarded Gaza for months in response to the Hamas surprise attack that killed more than 1,400 Israelis on Oct. 7.
“Israel is defending itself,” she said.
Panitch says Hamas committed genocide when it attacked Israel.
“Hamas went after civilians in Israel indiscriminately. They killed, they raped, they took hostages and butcher in the most vile of ways,” Panitch said.
Both state lawmakers want peace. But, they differ on how to get there.
“I want Hamas to give back the hostages. I want them to surrender. Because that’s how wars end, with one party surrendering. Hamas cannot be allowed to stay in power. They need to be stopped, they need to be eradicated and Israel should not stop until that’s done,” Panitch said.
“We need to see an immediate, permanent ceasefire. We need to condition weapons to Israel because the government is not being responsive to our asks. And we need a flood of humanitarian aid,” Romman said.
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It can be hard to find a truly unique experience for your next vacation. That’s where Travel + Leisure comes in.
Back in May, members of the publication’s team created a list in celebration of America’s 250th Fourth of July, highlighting a unique experience in each state “from hidden gems to iconic highlights and editor-approved favorites.”
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Most unique experience in Georgia
The Georgia spot highlighted was the World of Quercus. Here’s what writer Lydia Mansel said about it:
“The 3,800-acre property, dotted with pecan groves and cabins, isn’t your run-of-the-mill retreat. Guests are encouraged to roam the land by golf cart or on foot, visit the biodynamic vegetable garden, fish the Flint River, and connect with the ranch’s horses. Owned by Chiara Visconti di Modrone and her husband Angelos Pervanas, Quercus is a place where relaxation comes in many forms—and you can design your experience to fit your pace and preferences.”
Where is Quercus?
Quercus is in Gay at 208 Caldwell St. It’s about 30 miles east of LaGrange and over 50 miles south of Atlanta.
How much is Quercus per night?
The Sylva, Ember, and Cypress cabins are $2,700 per night. The Naya cabin is $4,500 per night.
Unique experiences in the South
- Alabama: Freedom Monument Sculpture Park
- Florida: Greater Florida Everglades
- Georgia: Quercus
- Kentucky: Kentucky African American Heritage Trail
- Louisiana: New Orleans Museum of Art
- Missouri: Anheuser-Busch Brewery
- Mississippi: Vikin’s Mississippi Delta Explorer
- North Carolina: Good Hot Fish
- South Carolina: Casual Crabbing with Tia
- Tennessee: Blackberry Farm
- Virginia: Chincoteague Island
- West Virginia: New River Gorge National Park
Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for USA Today. Find him on Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@gannett.com.
APPLING COUNTY, Ga. (WCYB) — The co-owner of Yurezz Home Center in Greeneville has been arrested in Georgia, according to a report obtained by News 5.
Earlier this week, News 5 told you about the dealership in Greeneville that abruptly shut down last month.
This has left homeowners with partially built homes and employees without jobs.
It is not yet clear why Richard Altman was taken into custody.
This is a developing story.
Georgia
Georgia Supreme Court upholds convictions of men in deadly shooting during gas station carjacking
Two men found guilty of murdering a man while he was pumping air into his tires at a Georgia gas station will remain in prison, the Georgia Supreme Court has ruled.
Miles Chatezal Collins and Josiah Hughley, Jr. had appealed to the state’s highest court after they were found guilty of felony murder, aggravated assault, violating Georgia’s Street Gang, Terrorism and Prevention Act, and hijacking a motor vehicle, among other charges in 2025.
The men’s charges stem from a shooting on July 10, 2022, at a QuickTrip gas station in Peachtree Corners. According to the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office, 30-year-old Bradley Lamar Coleman had stopped at the gas station to fill up his tires when Collins, Hughley, and a third man pulled up beside him and tried to steal his Dodge Charger.
When Coleman tried to stop the men, officials say they shot him and fled the scene.
Authorities say the three men were members of the Blood gang and had tried to steal the car to increase their status.
While their first trial ended in a mistrial due to a comment by the prosecution, a jury found Collins, Hughley, and their co-defendant, David Jarrad Booker, guilty of more than a dozen charges in 2025. They were each sentenced to life plus 145 years in prison.
In Collins and Hughley’s appeal to the state Supreme Court, they argued that there was insufficient evidence to support some of the charges and that the judge in the case improperly admitted certain evidence and committed errors in instructing the jurors.
The justices’ rulings disagreed, finding that their attorneys failed to object to the supposed errors and that the two men’s claims were insufficient.
The judges also found that a claim by Hughley that his counsel failed him by not asserting that a statement made to law enforcement should have been suppressed. With those findings, the Supreme Court chose not to overrule the case, letting the convictions and sentences stand.
“We are grateful for this affirmation from the Georgia Supreme Court,” Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said. “Thanks to the incredible work of our team of trial and appellate prosecutors, and all of the staff that assisted with defending these convictions, two dangerous criminals will remain in prison.”
Booker’s appeal remains pending.
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