Justin Phongsavanh is no ordinary local resident. He’s a Paralympian. A Paralympic bronze medalist and world record javelin thrower who now calls Henry County home. But how did this man, born and raised in the Midwest, make his way to Georgia? “The reason why I picked Georgia is I could not do snow anymore,” says Phongsavanh. He also had other reasons for picking his new home. “I found Henry County to be very optimal. I love my city and the community. It has everything you can imagine.” This lifelong athlete fell in love with sports at a young age. “I’ve...
Ready to Read
Learning to read is one of the core skills taught when a student first starts going to school. However, not every student learns the same way or at the same pace. At Community Christian School in Stockbridge, Alicia Petry, the school’s literacy specialist, has introduced students and teachers to the Orton-Gillingham method. She is the only fully trained and highly qualified Orton-Gillingham instructor on the southside of Atlanta, and she has seen lots of success since beginning to roll out the program at the school four years ago. “We started with just a handful of students the first year and...
The Power That Made the Body Heals the Body
This statement of truth, as viewed upon entry into the Manifest Wellness Spa, is quite apparent. Located on Highway 42/23, in the back of the Vineyard Park facility in McDonough, this unique health center not only offers healing services with discounted packages for paying clientele, but it also offers free services for military veterans and first responders. Every month on the 15th day, from the hours of 9:00 am -1:00 pm, the managers, Dr. Shea Wills and Sonya Gordon open their doors to these special servicemen. Since opening this healing facility in January 2023, various veterans have participated in the...
Grace Bats Cleanup
Scott Mayo and Matt Settle have known each other for over twenty years, playing high school baseball against each other. Settle played for Stockbridge High School and Mayo for Union Grove. Both men went on to play college baseball. Over the years, the two Henry County men always envisioned going into business together in some way, but it wasn’t until a year ago that the right opportunity presented itself. As Mayo and Settle were looking for a business venture to take on, an indoor baseball facility became available. Within months, they were signing a lease for the spot, and Team...
Three Generations, One School
For the McGinnis family, having several generations living on the same property in Henry County, with each generation having gone to the same school, is something special. “It’s neat three generations have gone there,” says TJ McGinnis, son of the patriarch of the family, Hal McGinnis. TJ followed in his dad’s footsteps by attending school at Creekside Christian Academy (CCA), and now he’s sending his children to CCA. “Dad and I had the same teacher. Having gone there myself, I knew my kids would go there,” says TJ. Since 1973, Creekside Christian Academy has provided families the opportunity to give...
The Women Who Lead Women’s Services
It isn’t a secret that Piedmont Henry Hospital is a busy place. The emergency department is one of the busiest in the Piedmont system, the surgical services department hums with activity every day of the week, and the hospital continues to offer new programs and services to care for a consistently growing and thriving community. The Marcia G. Taylor Women’s Center at Piedmont Henry also stays very busy. The department occupies two floors of the hospital’s North Tower and features the obstetric emergency department (OBED), Labor and Delivery, the Family Care Center, and a Level III neonatal intensive care unit...
Pippins Serves Up Big Flavor in Small Spot
A small spot in McDonough continues to make a big name for itself. Ron Pippin opened the Original Pippin’s BBQ in 1986 in a small shed in McDonough, stirring up so much noise that he decided in 1988 to open up a permanent space near the McDonough square, where it still stands today on Sims Street. “He didn’t want anything big,” recalls current owner David Curry of Pippin, who was known for hunting, fishing, and award-winning barbecue. At age 17, Curry, a lifelong Henry County resident, worked next door when Pippin opened the shed and would walk over for a...
Transforming… McDonough Library to Undergo Renovation
A public library’s primary mission has not changed in decades. The exact methods by which a library meets its community’s needs can be a constantly moving target, mainly because of changes in technology. This is the reasoning behind the planned renovations at the McDonough Public Library just off Hwy 81, east of downtown. At the end of the 20th century, it was contained in a much smaller facility on Hwy 155 (the current home of Henry County Probate Court). In 2001, the current location opened to the public, and since then, it has served an average of 70,000 visitors per...
Making School History
Strong Rock Christian School’s 2023 varsity baseball team has brought home a state championship. It was an incredible May night in the North Georgia mountains. Strong Rock had just lost the second game in a three-game series, leaving them 1-1 against Bethlehem Christian Academy. Both the Patriots coaches and players dug deep and committed to winning the third and final game to claim the Georgia Independent Athletic Association (GIAA) Class AAAA state championship. And that’s exactly what they did. In just five innings, Strong Rock won 11-1 over Bethlehem to take the title of state champions. The victory was the...
A Scary Good Time…
Are you looking for a unique night on the town? Look no further than Southern Ghost Tours in McDonough. Southern Ghost Tours has become well known in the McDonough area since its rebrand in 2020. The revamped tours seek to tell true stories of McDonough and those who once lived here…and some who may have never left. Co-owned by Tara Nestich, Tricia Bowman, and Kiersten Frisby, the goal of Southern Ghost Tours is to bring visitors to McDonough and share the history of the McDonough community while also showcasing local businesses and all that the city has to offer. “We...