Since its opening in 2013, Fusion Restaurant and Bar has seen increasing popularity in the Henry County community. It is located off Highway 155 in McDonough, and Owner and Operator Sherif Riad cautions that looks can be deceiving, as Fusion Restaurant & Bar is attached to a gas station. “That was the hardest thing in the beginning. We had to convince people to come since the parking lot was a gas station,” said Riad. “But as soon as they walk in, they see something completely different.” Upon entering the restaurant, guests are treated to a quintessential Mediterranean experience. “I put...
Future Leaders
Stacy Wright, the STEM teacher at Creekside Christian Academy in Hampton, knows that educational material connects better with students when they can tie it in with a project. Over the past year, she has seen several students put what they have learned into practice and achieve great success. Zach Simmons, a senior, was named a Cyberstart Scholar with Honors. Simmons competed for a top score against thousands of high school students across the nation by solving real-world cybersecurity problems. Over 45,000 students nationwide sought to qualify for a National Cyber Scholarship, with just two percent meeting the requirements. In recognition...
Strickland Smothered Steak Family Recipe
T&T Meats shares a favorite family recipe that’s also popular with customers Angie Dixon has been enjoying her family’s smothered steak ever since she was a little girl, and her mother came up with the delicious recipe. It quickly became a favorite that had everyone rushing to the dinner table. “When I married, it became a staple on my dinner table,” shares Dixon. “Raising two sons, believe me, there were no leftovers. If so, it was a midnight snack for one of them.” With both boys now grown, Dixon recalls how one son would get requests from his college roommates...
Raising Spring Chickens
Raising chickens for backyard, free-range eggs is a fun and rewarding experience for the whole family. Not only do you get to enjoy fresh eggs every day, but you also get the added benefit of having a backyard pet that is easy to care for. In this article, I will share my experience raising chickens and provide tips on how to get started. I live in McDonough, and I have been raising backyard chickens for the past four years. To get started, you need to decide how you will house your chickens when they are fully grown. Whether that is...
A Song Worth Sharing (Again)
The immediate impression one gets from David Ellis is that of a man at peace, and for someone who wakes up every day to do what he loves, it is easy to see why. For nearly forty years Ellis has been an active member of Henry County’s music scene, both as a performer and as an educator, but it has only been within the last ten years that Ellis began pursuing music as a full-time vocation. Prior to his full-time music career, Ellis worked in the transportation industry and before that, retail. The turning point came in 2009 when Ellis...
Welcome to Spring!
David Owiredu, PharmD, Moye’s Pharmacy Spring not only brings about the blooming of fresh flowers and later evenings full of sunshine. Spring also brings about pollination and the production of local honey. The widespread transfer of pollen ignites sinus issues and allergies for several people, but who knew that the making of honey could help remedy these seasonal symptoms many of us suffer from? Not much research was initially made on the connection between honey and allergic rhinitis, which is often referred to as AR. But recent research conducted by the National Institute of Health found when subjects with AR...
Help Growing Athletes Avoid Muscle Cramps
Muscle cramps can occur anywhere on the body but typically target the lower extremities, like calves or feet. In a growing athlete, muscle cramps are often the result of dehydration and improper stretching or warmups. “Muscle cramps are involuntary contractions of the muscles that can occur at any time, interrupting a workout or game in the blink of an eye,” says Lindsey Ream, MEd, LAT, ATC, Athletic Training Manager in the Children’s Sports Medicine Program. “They may also be caused by extended periods of exercise, general overuse or fatigue, dehydration or muscle strain.” These tips from the sports medicine team...
A Daughter’s Inspiration to Help Veterans
Contrary to popular belief, there is a real and ongoing challenge to meet the needs of our disabled military veterans. A growing number of these veterans and their families are struggling to remain independent, and many have already fallen into our homeless population. No one is more aware of this critical issue than Master Sergeant (Retired) Patricia Baisden, CEO of Southern Crescent Veteran Services, Inc. No stranger to the plight of so many military veterans, Baisden recalls her own father, a veteran, and his struggles with adequate housing and homelessness. “These memories inspired me to do all I can do...
A ‘Pizza’ Henry History
Patrick and Katie McHugh have been in the pizza business for 19 years, but their restaurant has ties that stretch back far longer. It was originally 14th St. Pizza when they purchased it in January of 2004. The Henry County restaurant moved from Hudson Bridge Road to Jodeco Road in 2010 and then to its current location on Jonesboro Road in October of 2022. “We are the oldest continuously run pizza restaurant in Henry County,” said Patrick. “I think we’ve been successful because of our core values: Family, Honesty, Outstanding Service, and Community.” 15th St. Pizza & Pub is a...
Piedmont Henry Hospital Creates a New Pathway to a Career in Nursing
Paula Butts, the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) at Piedmont Henry Hospital, got her start as a nurse in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Georgia Baptist Medical Center, which later became Atlanta Medical Center. Her experience in critical care includes trauma and open heart, cardiology, neurology, and medical/surgical among others. Her extensive career has given her good insight on what it takes to recruit and retain nurses and the answer often starts with education. Butts joined Piedmont Henry as the CNO in 2017 and immediately began to strengthen partnerships with nursing programs at colleges, as well as local high schools...