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| ISSUE# 041 | FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2026 | HENRY COUNTY GA |
Good morning, Henry County! Happy Friday!
The week is wrapping up, and the weekend is officially knocking. Before you head out, we've got a few things worth knowing.
College tuition is going up for Georgia families, and home buying just hit a nine-month slowdown. We're also looking at senior living options across metro Atlanta as more Henry County families start thinking about that next chapter.
Today's Tales from the Perch introduces you to a McDonough woman who left her eight-year law enforcement career, built a coffee shop out of a shipping container, and ended up with Georgia's best cold brew.
And the Weekend Eye also dropped. Your full guide to what's happening in and around Henry County this weekend! 👁️
Let's finish the week strong.
Let’s get into it!
College Costs Are Rising Again for Georgia Families
GEORGIA - Georgia’s public colleges are increasing tuition for the 2026 to 2027 school year, with a modest bump for in-state students and a larger increase for out-of-state tuition. Even small increases add up for families already planning for rising education costs. For many Henry County households with teens preparing for college, this is one more financial shift to factor into the conversation now. Read more at CBS News
Why Buying a Home Feels Harder Right Now
Home sales across the U.S. just hit a nine-month low as rising mortgage rates and high prices continue to slow buyers down. Even as inventory improves slightly, affordability remains one of the biggest challenges for families trying to enter the market.
In Henry County, where many people moved for more affordable housing, that shift is becoming more noticeable as prices climb and interest rates make monthly payments harder to manage. Read more at FOX 5 Atlanta
Planning Ahead? Georgia’s Top Senior Communities
GEORGIA - As Georgia updates its statewide aging plan, a new report is highlighting top senior living communities across the state, recognizing dozens for quality care and services. Out of 78 communities evaluated, 35 were recognized, with many located across metro Atlanta, where demand continues to grow. For families in Henry County thinking about the next chapter for parents or themselves, this is a reminder that options are expanding, but planning early matters more than ever. Read more at Georgia Public Broadcasting
Street Rename Sparks Debate in Stockbridge
STOCKBRIDGE — City leaders are considering renaming a street to honor the late Mayor Pro Tem Alphonso Thomas, a move that’s sparking conversation in the community about history, recognition, and how decisions like this are made. While some residents support the effort to recognize his legacy, others are raising questions about the process and impact, making this about more than just a name change. Read more at Henry Herald
McDonough Native Builds Coffee Brand
From police officer to founder, Pressley now serves her community one cup at a time from her signature shipping container.
MCDONOUGH - “I’m obsessed with people. Coffee just happens to be the vehicle.”
Pressley says it like it’s obvious. But her path to building Shipped Coffee Co. was anything but. Before coffee, she spent eight years as a police officer. Service has always been the throughline. When life shifted and the world slowed down during Covid, she didn’t wait for clarity. She moved anyway.
“I just decided… I’m going to do coffee.”
Not a traditional shop. A shipping container. She designed it herself and built it from the ground up, long nights, long drives, figuring it out in real time. “We didn’t know what we were doing. We just kept going.”
But what stands out most isn’t just the build, it’s the intention behind it. Pressley is deeply passionate about coffee. Not casually interested, obsessed with getting it right. After launching in 2022, she spent months learning the craft of roasting under a master roaster, treating it like an apprenticeship where every detail matters and every cup has to be right.
That commitment paid off early. Just four months in, Shipped Coffee Co. was recognized for having Georgia’s Best Cold Brew out of hundreds of shops.
One sip in, and you understand why this cold brew stands out.
Still, she’ll tell you it’s not about the coffee.
“It’s about people. Always.” You hear it in how she talks about her team, young employees learning confidence before they ever learn how to pull a shot.
Even the location is intentional. McDonough isn’t just a stop, it’s home. Pressley chose it as her flagship because it’s where she’s from, where her story started, and where she wanted to build something that felt like it belonged to the community.
Even the name feels fitting. Shipped. Moving. Going to people instead of waiting for them.
And they’re just getting started. Another container is on the way, more mobility, more reach. Soon, you’ll see Shipped Coffee crisscrossing metro Atlanta, while their flagship container sits right here in McDonough, continuing to build something that feels bigger than coffee.
Because for Pressley, it always has been.
“I don’t want perfect. I want real.”
Visit Shipped Coffee Co.
📍 2250 GA-155 N Unit B, McDonough, GA 30252
📞 (678) 371-3033
📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shippedcoffeeco/
The Key to Better aging: More NAD+
Most skincare works on the surface. Aramore goes where real aging begins: the basal layer of the skin, where new cells form. Backed by decades of research from Harvard and MIT scientists, Aramore is the first topical system designed to support skin’s NAD+ — the molecule your cells rely on for repair, energy, and resilience.
As NAD+ naturally declines with age, visible changes follow: dullness, uneven tone, fine lines, and loss of firmness. Aramore’s unique complex of NAD+ precursors, ketones, and fatty acids helps replenish cells at the source for skin that acts healthier and younger.
Clinically shown to improve tone, radiance, smoothness, and firmness as soon as 28 days.
She Didn’t Have a Village. So She Built One for 19,000 Moms
MCDONOUGH — “I had absolutely no village,” Martine Stefanovic says. She had just left New York, the life she knew, the friends, the rhythm, the ease of connection. First Wisconsin, then Georgia. Two young kids, a new marriage, and no one around her.
“I was drowning in postpartum. I realized it was postpartum loneliness.”
In New York, life had been full. “Happy hours, girls trips every year… to go from that to zero, I knew I needed to build community.” So when she arrived in Georgia, she made a decision. “My number one goal is to build community. I’m gonna get friends.”
When she couldn’t find it, she created it. In 2019, she started a Facebook group with about 50 moms. “This is not like I wanted this to become my business. I needed this community.”
FRIDAY, APRIL 17
Rumble in the Grove — TCW Live Wrestling 📍 City Hall Front Lawn · Locust Grove 🕐 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM · Free · All ages Family wrestling, food trucks, outdoor fun. Warm-up event the night before Locust Grove Day.
School of Rock — The Henry Players 📍 The Henry Players Theater | 136 Hood Street, McDonough. Runs thru April 26, 2026. A struggling musician poses as a substitute teacher and transforms his prep school class into a rock band. Fun, music, and heart — brought to life by Henry County's own community theater. The Henry Players have been serving the community since 1991. Tickets at simpletix.com
Spring Wine Tasting with The Sorting Table 📍 19 Griffin Street, McDonough, GA 30253 🕕 Friday, April 17 · 6:30 p.m. Story on the Square is hosting an intimate guided wine tasting featuring five exceptional varietals from The Sorting Table, a respected wine importer. Seats are limited to 50 guests, and early bird tickets are $50. A great date night or evening out in downtown McDonough.
SATURDAY, APRIL 18
Spring Plant Extravaganza 📍 Heritage Park · Jason Harper Arena · 99 Lake Dow Rd, McDonough 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM · Shop early for best selection! Stock up for spring at the Henry County Master Gardeners' Annual Plant Sale! Browse indoor plants, perennial and annual flowers, vegetable seedlings, and gently used pots, garden décor, and tools.
Locust Grove Day 2026 📍 Downtown Locust Grove & Claude Gray Park · Free · All ages · Starting at 10:00 AM, Henry County's beloved annual celebration takes over downtown. The festival takes place on the front lawn of City Hall with arts and crafts vendors, food trucks, kids' rides, and live music. Dancing at Claude Gray Park starts a 6:00 PM with live music by BMuzick Band, followed by a fireworks show at 8:45 PM. Bring your lawn chairs and the whole family for one of Henry County's favorite days of the year!
Jazz Under the Stars 📍 Village Park · 750 Fairview Rd, Ellenwood
6:00 PM gates open · 7:00 PM showtime · FREE event · Dress in all white and enjoy a night of live jazz under the stars featuring Five Men on a Stool. Bring your lawn chairs or blankets and settle in for an evening of music, community, and great food for purchase, with Caribbean, Mexican, and Cajun food trucks on site.
SUNDAY, APRIL 19
Wade Crumbley Book Signing 📍 Story on the Square, 19 Griffin St., McDonough 🕐 4:00pm · Free Local author Wade Crumbley signs his book "Though The Heavens Fall." Copies available for purchase or bring your own.
Bad Dad Joke of the Day 🤣
Dogs can't operate MRI machines.
But catscan!🤣
That's your Friday briefing, Henry County.
From rising costs to a story about someone who bet on herself and won, today's issue covers the full range of what life here actually looks like. Now go enjoy your weekend!
The Weekend Eye has everything you need to plan your weekend right here in Henry County. Don't miss it.
Stay sharp, stay local. The Eagle Eye Digest 🦅👁️