
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.

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

Creative Juices
Shant’e and Kevin Ragin have brought their love for theater and time-honored cuisine to Porterdale, bolstering Newton County’s entertainment options in the process. by Michelle Floyd Shant’e Ragin could not

An Alliance of Hope
The Newton-Rockdale Suicide Prevention Coalition addresses a hypersensitive subject with committed teamwork, cross-community networking and honest messaging. Those behind its efforts strive for a future untouched by self-inflicted death. by

A Better Tomorrow
Former Newton College and Career Academy students Esther Adewumi and Jennah Waters in 2018 brought the Environmental Pollution Pandemic Club and accompanying app to life in an effort to curb

Old Faithful
Ramsey Produce became a staple of Downtown Covington after it opened for business in 2004, providing customers with a wide range of fresh fruits and vegetables. The Garber family’s commitment