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Our opinion
The internet is the single-greatest source of fuel for fake news and misinformation.
A perfect example of that sprung up last week in the aftermath of the bombing of the Georgia Guidestones in Elberton. These mysterious monoliths, sometimes referred to as the American Stonehenge, were reduced to rubble during the darkness of Wednesday morning.
And in that aftermath many rumors emerged. One of the most circulated popped up on a community Facebook page with a semi-official looking story detailing the supposed contents of a time capsule below the landmarks.
Those contents? Drugs, a Saturday Night Fever eight-track cassette and an autographed Playboy with Burt Reynolds on the cover.
It was a rumor that seemed too good to be true. And, well, it was.
But that didn’t stop the rumor from spreading like most rumors do. The Facebook post was shared over and over again as it was met with a mixture of shock, outrage and laughing face emojis.
In stepped Rose Scoggins of The Elberton Star.
The editor of our sister publication was one of the first to disprove that rumor. She talked to the right sources, wrote a story about it and by the end of the day published a story with the actual facts.
She didn’t stop there as The Elberton Star turned out an eight-page special section documenting the history of the Guidestones the day following their destruction. It’s filled with photos, and facts and letters from locals lamenting the loss of the stones. You can find it on our website. Or, you can stop by our office and we’ll give you one printed on your local newspaper’s press.
It’s a perfect example of why old school journalism is so vital to a community. Every town, no matter how big or how small, benefits from a real local news source that specializes in asking questions and checking facts. Getting the news and stories of our community in print.
Habersham County has exactly one printing press, and it publishes the most trusted news source this county has relied on for generations - since 1892. You can hold an edition in your hands after being delivered to your mailbox and trust the information contained within is real. That is true of all our community newspapers in this region and in Western NC and Florida.
Strong local journalism is the lifeblood of our community.
Onward and upward.