2026 Legislative Session recap - Week 2

*Editor's note: Rep. Alan Powell's recap of many of the bills in this year's legislative session has been organized into categories and will be printed across several weeks, in alphabetical order by category.

Showcasing our community proudly

Every edition of The Hartwell Sun is a showcase of what is happening throughout our community, but there are some weeks that feel like a grander showcase than others.This week's edition is one of those weeks.

Bonus comes with the 'free-couch switcheroo'

 Call it the Laugh-of-the-Month, the “free-couch switcheroo.”What?The best way to explain the switcheroo is to start at the beginning.Our oldest grandson has a math diploma. Now, Wyatt is pursuing a UGA environmental engineering degree. The 22-year-old lives in an apartment in one of our barns.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Submitted by Darrin Haley - Harmony House Child Advocacy and Sexual Assault CenterMay means it is time to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month. Here at Harmony House Child Advocacy Sexual Assault Center, mental health is a very important aspect of the care we give to our clients.

Join St. Andrew's for readings from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Submitted by Ellen Jones - St. Andrew's Episcopal ChurchSt. Andrew’s Episcopal Church proudly presents a very relevant series of discussions regarding the work of Martin Luther King, Jr. In a challenging time, the important lessons and tenets of his messages must not be overlooked or omitted.

2026 Legislative Session recap – Week 1

Alan PowellState Representative*Editor's note: Rep. Alan Powell's recap of many of the bills in this year's legislative session has been organized into categories and will be printed across several weeks, in alphabetical order by category.

A good man

By Lorin Sinn-Clark, Local columnistThey live forever in your broken heart…And you come through. It’s like having a broken leg that never heals perfectly—that still hurts when the weather gets cold, but you learn to dance with the limp.” – Anne LamottI’m mourning a man I never met.

Make time for your civic duty: Go vote!

Georgia's Primary/Nonpartisan election, which includes local races in Districts 2 and 4, is now underway.Early voting began April 27 and will last until Friday, May 15. Election Day is Tuesday, May 19.

Health-care folks, like Miss Ann, deserve our thanks

By Phil Hudgins CNIAll of this talk about vaccines has a lot of people confused. Are they dangerous? Are they effective? Will we turn into toads?What do I do? Well, I listen to my doctor. He or she spent umpteen years in school studying medicine, so I figure he/she knows best.

Celebrating turning 27 with Charlotte Lucas

It may come as no surprise that one of my favorite movies is "Pride & Prejudice," specifically the 2005 adaptation starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen.Not only does the English countryside make for stunningly beautiful scenery, but the love story between Elizabeth "Lizzy" Bennet and Mr.