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Harris County Champs look to make a splash in Georgia Special Olympics

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Harris County Champs look to make a splash in Georgia Special Olympics


HAMILTON, Ga. (WTVM) – The Harris County Champs are “rocking and bowling” into their inaugural season.

From the bowling lane to the swimming lane, this group is set to make waves in the Special Olympics.

“To see the joy on their faces, it’s just priceless,” said Angela Pavlakos, management team chair of Harris County Special Olympics.

Pavlakos said she helped start the Harris County Champs to get kids with special needs out of the house, including her son, Jacob, who has autism. She explained while living in Chicago, Jacob was exposed to many opportunities with adaptive sports, but that all changed when she moved to the south.

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“When we first moved to Georgia, there was nothing here for us, especially in Harris County,” she said. “So he really suffered; didn’t have anything to participate in. Now that this is up and running, he is so happy, he’s active and it’s a nice change. The personality, and his self confidence, and the friendships.”

Speaking of friends, there are currently 20 Harris County Champs. Guys and girls ages 8-and-up can join, no matter the skill level.

“I wanted to join Special Oympics because I wanted to see my friends over summer, before school started back up,” said Champ Devin.

He also gave me a few tips on how to throw only strikes. He says it’s all about the “spin”.

Champ Jordan is both a bowler and a swimmer, but says he prefers bowling because just like Devin, he rolls strikes.

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What’s an athlete without a coach? For this squad, it’s all volunteer coaches, like Gary Krannacker. His son, Luke, is also on the team and tells me there’s no better feeling than watching the athlete hit their mark.

“We’re improving week over week and seeing a lot of good strides being made by all of the athletes, including Luke,” Krannacker said.

As a volunteer coach, most of the costs come out of pocket. Pavlakos said this is where the community comes in and lends a helping hand.

“All of our donors, God bless them, they have contributed beautifully to make this possible,” she explained. “The facility makes this possible by giving us a reduced rate, and some of the other facilities have no charge. It’s a blessing in the community for all of these people to come together and do this for these kids.”

The Champs are still actively recruiting players and coaches. If you’d like to get involved, send an email to this address: harriscountychamps@gmail.com or find them on Facebook.

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Georgia

Georgia appeals court disqualifies DA Fani willis from prosecuting Trump

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Georgia appeals court disqualifies DA Fani willis from prosecuting Trump


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A Georgia appeals court disqualified District Attorney of Fulton County Fani Willis from overseeing the criminal election interference prosecution of President-elect Donald Trump. NBC News’ Vaughn Hillyard explains the court’s reasoning. 



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Georgia QB Carson Beck reportedly expected to miss College Football Playoff quarterfinal

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Georgia QB Carson Beck reportedly expected to miss College Football Playoff quarterfinal


Whomever Georgia football faces in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal, it will have to win without Carson Beck.

Due to a UCL injury in his throwing elbow, the Bulldogs starting quarterback is expected to miss next month’s game against the winner of the first-round matchup between No. 7 Notre Dame and No. 10 Indiana, according to On3’s Pete Nakos.

Beck has reportedly not been with the Georgia team since it returned to practice and workouts last week. In his absence, Gunner Stockton is expected to get his first career start Jan. 1 at the Sugar Bowl.

The injury occurred on the final play of the first half in Georgia’s win over Texas in the SEC championship. Beck’s arm was hit hard by a Longhorns defender as he reared back to throw, knocking the ball loose and leaving the passer writhing on the ground.

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Stockton took over in the second half and helped rejuvenate a Georgia offense that scored only three points in the entire first half, before having to leave the game himself following a hard hit.

The Georgia coaches opted to bring a clearly limited Beck back in to hand the ball off to Trevor Etienne for a game-winning touchdown in overtime. It is now within the realm of possibility that will be the final play of his college career.

Should Beck be done for the season, his 2024 will be mostly remembered as a disappointing follow-up to his standout 2023. For the most part, his numbers took a step back across the board while Georgia didn’t look like the dominant force of the last three years.

It’s also unclear if this injury will affect Beck in the pre-draft process. Beck isn’t seen as one of the top quarterback prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft, but could theoretically rise in a class that is mostly seen as weak. Being able to throw would be helpful for that.



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Georgia Power customers facing higher bills next year

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Georgia Power customers facing higher bills next year


Georgia Power customers should brace for higher utility bills in the new year.

The Georgia Public Service Commission approved another rate increase on Tuesday, marking the sixth hike in three years. Starting in January, the average customer’s bill will rise by $5.85.

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According to Georgia Power, the increase is part of a long-term plan approved in 2022. The additional revenue will be used to fund ongoing infrastructure projects, address higher fuel costs, and support nuclear power developments.

Earlier this year, Georgia Power customers were hit with a 5% increase when the Plant Vogtle’s fourth nuclear unit came online. 

This latest hike continues a trend of rising costs for electricity across the state.

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