
Michelle Floyd
Michelle Floyd is a freelance writer based in Social Circle. During her journalism career, she has worked at the Red & Black newspaper in Athens as a reporter and editor, Oxford College as a freelance writer and the Newton/Rockdale Citizen newspapers covering education and government, earning several Associated Press Awards. A 2003 graduate of Eastside High School and 2007 graduate of the Grady College of Journalism at the University of Georgia, she also is a sales and marketing manager for Peachtree Lighting in Covington. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering with church and Girl Scouts, going to concerts, traveling and being with her family and friends.

Creative Heart
Carol Veliotis has spent a lifetime in pursuit of her passion for the arts. She continues to enrich the fabric of her hometown through sharing her unique vision, supplying one-of-a-kind

Frio Rolled Ice Cream
Alicia and Warren Sanders turned a TikTok trend into a thriving business that offers members of the community a new, delectable way to tame their sweet tooth. by Michelle Floyd

The Meat House
Childhood friends Daniel Leinweber and Savannah Holifield came together to create Newton County’s source for local specialty meats. by Michelle Floyd When Daniel Leinweber met Savannah Holifield in kindergarten, little

Cooperative Touch
Runners, walkers and bikers enjoy exercising along the Cricket Frog Trail’s scenic path. Now, young artists from Eastside High School and the Newton Trails organization are joining forces to update

Restorative Power
Miami native Yasha Williams moved to Newton County with no family, no assistance and no real grasp on what the future held. Roughly eight years later, she hopes to someday

Home Sweet Home
When Ebony Dean and her two children fell on hard times, Family Promise of NewRock stepped up to the plate, provided them with a place to live and, most importantly,

Sewn Together
Award-winning seamstress Carol von Cannon’s work represents a lifetime of honing her craft. Perhaps even more than her blue ribbons, von Cannon finds pride in teaching the skills she learned

Connection Point
Crystal Sanders had few resources to build a new life after she moved from Kentucky to Newton County with her two small children. Determined not to let her past define

Thinking Outside the Box
Sherri and Clyde Hutchison discovered the inspiration for the Backyard Safari Company during what they thought were routine strolls with their grandchildren. Spawned by an unwavering entrepreneurial spirit, their products