Georgia

UGASports – Last few Georgia players closing in on decisions

Published

2 years ago

January 2, 2024

UGASports – Last few Georgia players closing in on decisions

Georgia coaches are starting to better understand what Bulldogs will forgo their final year of eligibility to enter the NFL Draft.

Thus far, eight players who could have returned have elected not to do so. That list includes Amarius Mims, Ladd McConkey, Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, Sedrick Van Pran, Javon Bullard, Kamari Lassiter, Tykee Smith, and Zion Logue.

Of course, one huge name that remains out there is tight end Brock Bowers. Projected as a Top-10 pick in the NFL Draft, the junior is expected to announce at any time.

Others still could as well.

After Georgia’s Orange Bowl 63-3 rout over Florida State, right guard Tate Ratledge told UGASports that he has yet to think about it.

Two other teams to watch include defensive linemen Warren Brinson and Nazir Stackhouse. Brinson was not found in the open locker room scum, but Stackhouse did agree to speak and said he’ll have a decision coming soon.

“I’ll know by the third (Jan. 3); I’ve got to talk it over with my coaches, my mom, people like that,” Stackhouse said. “I haven’t been thinking about it, for real. I’ve just been thinking about the Orange Bowl, soaking in the time with my teammates.”

Should Stackhouse and Brinson return, it would be a boost to a defensive line,

Georgia did receive some good news when sophomore Mykel Williams announced he would be returning and not entering the portal as had been rumored.

Currently, the Bulldogs have taken in five transfers, a list that includes running back Trevor Etienne (Florida), wide receiver London Humphrey (Vanderbilt), defensive lineman Xzavier McLeod (South Carolina), wide receiver Colbie Young (Miami), and walk-on long-snapper Beau Gardner (UCLA).

Meanwhile, on Tuesday night at midnight, the 30-day window for the December transfer portal officially closes.

A second, shorter window will open on April 15 and run through April 30.

Any SEC football player who enters the portal during the April 15-30 window cannot make an intraconference transfer and be eligible for the upcoming fall. To play in the 2024 season they would need to transfer out of the SEC.

The lone exceptions are grad transfers, who can enter the portal and sign with any team anytime.

For those keeping track, Georgia currently has 21 players who entered the transfer portal, 16 of whom have already signed with other teams.

Of the 16, quarterback Brock Vandagriff (Kentucky), linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson (Kentucky), Xavian Sorey (Arkansas), Jared Zirkel (Texas A&M), and Darris Smith (Missouri) have signed with SEC teams.

Zirkel actually played in the Orange Bowl for Georgia, despite being in the portal.

Although Bowers and Mims did not play due to injury, they were in attendance cheering Georgia’s seniors to a school-record 50th win.

“It’s the family connection and the fight. Most guys don’t just come back for themselves, they want to come back and play for the guys next to them, things of that nature,” Stackhouse said. “Playing for a system like Georgia and the players that are here, it’s a blessing and the guys who play alongside you is a blessing and an honor, plus knowing you can trust the guy next to you, it just makes you play harder so coming back is made easier for a lot of guys.

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Georgia

Why Southern Living is spotlighting serene coastal escape in Georgia

Published

3 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Why Southern Living is spotlighting serene coastal escape in Georgia

A quiet stretch of the Georgia coast is back in the national spotlight.

In a recent feature, Southern Living highlighted the Golden Isles as one of the South’s most serene escapes, praising the region’s undeveloped marshes, barrier islands and slower pace compared to other East Coast beach destinations.

Located roughly halfway between Savannah and Jacksonville, the Golden Isles include Brunswick, Sea Island, St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island and Little St. Simons Island.

Here’s what to know.

What makes Georgia’s Golden Isles different?

Unlike more densely developed beach towns in neighboring states, Georgia’s coastline is defined by tidal creeks, salt marshes and wide stretches of protected land.

“The coast of Georgia is quite different than the shores of North Carolina or South Carolina,” Southern Living wrote. “It’s wilder and quieter, and it’s much less populated with beach towns.”

While the islands offer modern resorts and vacation homes, much of the natural character remains intact.

One of the most photographed spots is Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island, known for its haunting remains of a maritime forest scattered along the shoreline.

Where are visitors staying?

The publication pointed to several well-known properties across the islands:

The Cloister at Sea Island
Jekyll Island Club Resort
St. Simons Island: The Grey Owl Inn and the St. Simons Lighthouse.

Little St. Simons Island, accessible only by boat, was highlighted for its all-inclusive lodge and thousands of acres of protected marshland and upland habitat.

What can you do in the Golden Isles?

Southern Living emphasized simple, immersive experiences:

Biking under live oaks
Kayaking through marsh creeks
Horseback riding along the beach
Watching sunsets over the water.

Public beaches like East Beach on St. Simons Island remain open to visitors, while golf courses on Jekyll Island and St. Simons offer year-round play.

The region’s history also plays a major role. Visitors can climb the St. Simons Lighthouse, explore historic districts in Brunswick or learn about Gullah Geechee heritage through local organizations.

For more information, visit southernliving.com/georgias-golden-isles-11906085.

Vanessa Countryman is the Trending Topics Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team Georgia. Email her at Vcountryman@gannett.com.

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Georgia

Gov. Kemp signs amended FY 2026 budget, delivering $2B in Georgia tax relief

Published

15 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Gov. Kemp signs amended FY 2026 budget, delivering B in Georgia tax relief

ATLANTA, Ga. — Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp on Tuesday signed HB 973, the amended Fiscal Year 2026 budget.

The amended budget includes $2 billion in income and property tax relief, alongside investments in education, public safety, mental health, transportation and rural development.

Lt. Gov. Burt Jones praised Gov. Kemp, saying the budget…

“Makes critical investments in middle-class families, mental health services, healthcare workforce development, transportation and Georgia’s veterans community.”

Key allocations in the amended budget include:

Education and Workforce Development: $325 million to endow the DREAMS Scholarship, a new needs-based scholarship program; $6 million for a Career Navigator tool; and funding for new and expanded programs at University System of Georgia and Technical College System of Georgia institutions.
Public Safety: $150 million for Department of Corrections bed space, $9.7 million for additional corrections officers, $15 million for a new K-9 training facility, and $50 million to help communities address homelessness, including among veterans.
Mental Health: $409 million to design and construct a new Georgia Regional Hospital to expand mental health bed capacity.
Transportation: More than $1.6 billion to extend and expand I-75 express lanes in Henry County; $185 million for SR 316 interchange conversions; $100 million for rural bridge rehabilitation and replacement; and $250 million for local maintenance and improvement grants.
Rural Georgia: $15 million for rural site development grants; $35 million for a new natural gas infrastructure program; and $8.9 million for the Georgia Forestry Innovation Initiative.

Governor Kemp says the state’s conservative budgeting approach has allowed Georgia to provide tax relief while making “generational investments.”

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Georgia

Middle Georgia DSA condemns U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, calls escalation ‘illegal’

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Middle Georgia DSA condemns U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, calls escalation ‘illegal’

MACON, Ga. (WGXA) — Middle Georgia Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has issued a statement regarding the U.S. and Israel’s joint strikes on Iran over the weekend.

According to other WGXA articles, based on reports as of early March 2026, the United States and Israel have launched major, coordinated military operations against Iran, labeled in reports as “Operation Epic Fury” and “Operation Midnight Hammer”. This follows months of failed nuclear negotiations and escalating regional tensions.

RELATED | Hegseth insists US-Israel strikes on Iran are ‘not Iraq, not endless’

WGXA asked Middle Georgia DSA, the largest activist organization in Middle Georgia, for their opinions on the strikes, and they responded with this:

The strikes on Iran, carried out by the United States and Israel, mark a catastrophic escalation in an illegal act of aggression. The Iranian people do not deserve to live in fear of American bombs and of the instability of regime change. Americans do not want our tax dollars and the lives of our people to be wasted on opening up a new war in the Middle East, or on bombing girls’ elementary schools. We want relief from the affordability crisis. We want peace. Middle Georgia DSA unequivocally condemns these attacks and any politicians who cannot do the same. We do not want this, we do not deserve this.

DSA added that they are not currently planning any protests at this time, and that they “remain focused on improving the conditions of people who live within our communities directly, and do not feel a protest is the best strategy to deliver on that.”

Middle Georgia DSA condemns U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, calls escalation ‘illegal’, March 2, 2026 (Image is meant to say 2026 instead of 2025, Courtesy of GCSU Mutual Aid)

However, GCSU Mutual Aid, a grassroots, community-led initiative focused on collective care and resource sharing within the Milledgeville and broader Middle Georgia area. While not an official department of Georgia College & State University (GCSU), it frequently operates in coordination with student-led groups and local residents to address gaps in traditional social safety nets.

RELATED | GCSU encourages peaceful expression ahead of national ICE walkout

GCSU Mutual Aid is planning a protest for Wednesday, where they will be “Marching for Democracy” in retaliation to recent events in the U.S.

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