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a count each for harming the child’s brain and intestines, ultimately leading to her death. Two additional counts of aggravated battery were also charged to the couple because of these injuries.

On July 17, Hughes entered a formal guilty plea to the court for her role in her daughter’s murder as she failed to protect Reese from the abuse from Brown. Prior to the plea, Hughes told investigators critical information about the case and agreed to testify against Brown, who potentially faces the death penalty, in the upcoming trial later this year.

Middle Judicial Circuit Chief Superior Court Judge Robert Reeves accepted the guilty plea and sentenced Hughes to serve life imprisonment with twenty years added concurrently.

Vidalia Onion Festival

The Vidalia Onion Festival returned to the area in April, as Clint Black and ERNEST hit the stage to entertain the crowd, hot air balloons grazed the air, and festivities drew in crowds from near and far to the Sweet Onion City.

In November, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flew in for a visit to prepare for the upcoming Vidalia Onion Festival, which will feature an Air Show and performance by the squadron. Historic Preservation Commission In July, the City of Vidalia created a Historic Preservation Commission to help protect and improve the city’s historic areas.

The goals of this potential Commission are to stimulate revitalization of the business districts and historic neighborhoods; to protect and enhance local historic and aesthetic attractions to tourists; to stimulate and promote business, to enhance opportunities for federal or state tax benefits under relevant provisions of federal or state law; and to establish a uniform procedure for use in providing for the protection, enhancement, perpetuation, and use of places, districts, sites, buildings, structures, objects, and landscape features having a special historical, cultural, or aesthetic interest or value. Seventh in the Nation

Toombs County was named the 7th best county per capita in the nation for economic performance by Site Selection magazine in July.

The magazine editors – who have also repeatedly named Georgia as the top state to do business with – looked at the number of total projects per capita within each county from January 2024 until March 2025, and ultimately found Toombs County to be among the best in the nation for economic performance. They shared these rankings in the July 2025 edition of the publication.

Meadows New CEO

Memorial Health Meadows Hospital had a new face leading their team this year, as Wesley Taylor joined HCA as the Hospital CEO.

Taylor comes to Vidalia from the state of Utah where he and his family lived for the last five years. Starting in 2020, he served as the CEO of Ashley Regional Medical Center, a 39bed, level 4 trauma center and Level 2 NICU hospital.

Taylor also founded in 2023 a professional services organization, Discipline to Win, LLC. The company provides coaching and training in leadership skills for professionals with a mission of developing a “discipline to win.”

Loss of Former City Manager The City of Vidalia and local leaders mourned the loss of former City Manager Nick Overstreet in August.

Overstreet, 46, of Vidalia, served as the Vidalia City Manager for 7 years, from 2016 until 2023, and was currently working on several projects within the area through his employment as a project manager for Roberts Civil Engineering. He was a member of the Vidalia Rotary Club, a local business owner, a husband, a father, and a friend to many.

Lyons City Council Elections The Lyons City Council elections heated up in 2025, as the races for the Ward 1 and Ward 2 seats were contested.

Current Ward 1 City Councilman Tracy Johnson, former City Councilman Larry Griggers, and James Shell all faced off for the seat, but ultimately, it was Shell who came out victorious.

In Ward 2, Councilwoman Cathy Benton and former Councilwoman Sonja Eason went headto- head to represent the district, but it was Benton who won the bid. Open Container District

The City of Lyons created an open container district in the downtown area of the city in September.

This ordinance was first proposed during the August meeting of the council, when the first reading of the legislation was completed. This new ordinance comes from a revision to the city’s Alcohol Beverage Licensing ordinance and would allow patrons to stroll along sidewalks with alcoholic beverages at permitted hours – during Lyons Main Street Association events and from 4 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, and 12:30 p.m. until 11 p.m. on Saturdays. The district is proposed to begin at the easternmost edge of the Lanier Street right-ofway, and continue west until the westward edge of the Washington Street rightofway; it is planned to also begin at the southernmost edge of the Broad Street right-of-way and continue until the northernmost edge of the alley between the Columbia Avenue and Broad Street right-of-ways. The 304 Society Garden will also be included in this Open Container District.

Citizen of the Year

In September, Lyons Mayor Willis NeSmith Jr. was named the 2025 Lyons Citizen of the Year.

During the recognition, NeSmith was championed for his servant leadership and focus on unity between local governments. When introducing him as the Citizen of the Year, 2024 Citizen of the Year Benny McLendon shared many stories and insights on NeSmith’s life, as he began by explaining that continued from page

as a child, NeSmith loved the outdoors and playing with other kids in the neighborhood – but more than that, NeSmith always loved Lyons.

NeSmith responded to the honor. “Thank y’all for this. I love Lyons and that’s because of the people. I am honored to live with you and beside you. This recognition means a lot to me,” he told the crowd.

The Real Squeal

In October, the Real Squeal BBQ and Music Festival heated up the downtown Lyons streets and Partin Park, bringing excitement, fun, and delicious food to the citizens. Haygood Earns National Honors Toombs County Farmer Aries Haygood earned national recognition in October, as American Vegetable Grower named him the 2025 National Grower Achievement Award winner.

The Grower Achievement Award honors outstanding vegetable growers across the country that use their leadership skills, innovation, and community impact to help improve the agricultural industry. Haygood was nominated for the award alongside 92 other candidates, and was named the East Region Award Winner, as he went on to face two growers from Ohio and California for the National Award.

In announcing his selection as the regional award winner, the award committee championed Haygood for his success, as they stated his farm serves as “a national model for sustainability and quality.” These individuals went on to explain that under Haygood’s guidance, A & M Farms, headquartered in Lyons, had increased and expanded the Vidalia Onion crop production, improved soil health and pest management practices, and embraced new technologies while maintaining consistent excellence with his produce. School Superintendent Candidate Debate Four republican State School Superintendent Candidates came to Vidalia on Tuesday, October 14, for a forum at the Southeastern Technical College to introduce themselves to voters in the community in preparation for the 2026 election.

The event was hosted by the Toombs County Republican Party, which collaborated with other surrounding counties’ Republican parties to coordinate the forum. Four candidates – former State Representative Mesha Mainor, Dr. Randell Trammell, Candler County Schools Superintendent Fred “Bubba” Longgrear, and Dr. Nelva Lee – took to the stage to share information about themselves and answer questions from the public. Incumbent State School Superintendent Richard Woods had planned on being at the event, but was absent due to working in Dublin to help solve the issue of an outstanding financial deficit in the Dublin City Schools district.

Riley Gaines Visit

Former Collegiate Swimmer and Political Activist Riley Gaines encouraged individuals to stand firm in their beliefs even when the surrounding society believes differently during her keynote address at the Vidalia Heritage Academy Benefit Dinner on Tuesday, October 28.

“We cannot become complacent, which is almost inevitable when you see the success and the winds that we have seen that we have benefited from over the past 10, 11 months at this point. I say it's almost inevitable because that's what success does: it breeds complacency,” Gaines emphasized. “But what does complacency breed? It breeds failure. So we cannot become complacent with what the Democrats do, I should say the other side, I'm really not here to deliver a partisan message. It's with the other side. Those without common sense – without God and their lives – they do it really well. They don't become complacent. They don't allow themselves to be steamrolled. They don't just roll over, they continue on with full steam ahead. But hear me when I say, this war on woke, if that's what you want to call it. It has not been won.”

Forester of the Year

The Georgia Forestry Commission has named Toombs County Native Matthew O’Connor as the 2025 Forester of the Year. This recognition comes in honor of O’Connor’s tireless efforts to help Vidalia and surrounding areas to recover from Hurricane Helene last year.

O’Connor joined the Georgia Forestry Commission in 2019, after graduating from the University of Georgia with a degree in forestry and currently serves as the Region 4 Lead Forester, overseeing forest management and conservation efforts, and a licensed prescribed burner, as he carries out many prescribed burns throughout the region. Having grown up on a local tree farm, O’Connor learned from an early age the hard work which goes into cultivating and harvesting trees and has since worked tirelessly to ensure excellence in forestry in the region.

After Hurricane Helene hit last year, O’Connor jumped into action to help clean up his community and help surrounding foresters, overseeing the survey of thousands of acres of forests and working to repair the damaged Georgia Forestry Commission facilities. According to the Commission, this work showcased O’Connor’s versatile skills and strong support of sustainable forest management.

“Matthew has been consistently raising the bar in every aspect of his work,” remarked Georgia Forestry Commission Director Johnny Sabo. “As a new supervisor, he helped the team complete 20-percent more landowner cases in the region and was an indispensable resource in evaluating Helene storm damage. To our agency and to landowners in his region, Matthew is a wellknown advocate for the forestry community.” O’Connor also reacted to the honor. “I’m truly grateful to receive this recognition from the Georgia Forestry Commission,” he emphasized. “Over the past year, I’ve had the chance to work with local forest landowners as they recover from the widespread damage caused by Hurricane Helene. It’s been an honor to support landowners in Toombs County and the surrounding areas as they pursue their land-management goals and continue recovering after the hurricane.”

Conclusion

2026 will bring more change and growth to the County; yet, one thing will remain for certain: Toombs County will continue to thrive throughout whatever challenges or opportunities arise.