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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.