3 Forsyth County teens killed in Florida crash identified ► PAGE 3 A p r i l 1 6 , 2 0 2 6 | A p p e n M e d i a . c o m | A n A p p e n M e d i a G r o u p P u b l i c a t i o n | 5 0 ¢ | Vo l u m e 3 0 , N o . 1 6
‘Never a dull moment’ County’s animal control officer protects area’s most vulnerable By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Olivia Wilson became an animal control officer to protect Forsyth County’s most vulnerable residents — animals. “That's my driving factor in this job,” she said. Every week, Wilson works four 10-hour shifts, patrolling the county, responding to calls and enforcing animal codes. Her patrol vehicle, which includes a climate-controlled kennel, is filled with the tools of her work: leashes, balls, dog and cat treats, a computer, a safety vest and more. Wilson, who said she loves her work, enforces the county’s numerous animal ordinances. She also is often called to investigate cruelty cases or handle pets owned by those arrested by Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office deputies. Now a senior animal services officer, Wilson has seen her responsibilities change as the county has become more developed and populous.
JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA
Senior Animal Services Officer Olivia Wilson patrols during a shift in Forsyth County March 13.
See WILSON, Page 10
State Legislature requires floating homestead exemption ATLANTA — Late in the evening on April 2, the Georgia General Assembly passed a bill that caps property assessment increases. The passage of Senate Bill 33 marked a shift from the initial proposal in House Bill 1116 that
limited property tax revenue growth. The final version of SB 33 makes a floating homestead exemption mandatory and allows local governments to implement a floating local-option sales tax or a local homestead-option sales tax to provide property tax relief. The exemption applies to cities, counties and school districts, and only
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it failed there around 11 p.m. The bill prohibited local governments and school boards from increasing property taxes by more than 3 percent above their rollback millage rate or the rate of inflation, whichever is greater, without a voter referendum or state legislative approval.
See TAX, Page 10
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to residential, homestead properties. It does not apply to commercial, industrial, or other non-homestead properties. The House advanced HB 1116, known as the Homeownership Opportunity and Market Equalization Act of 2026, around 4:50 p.m. After the House made a change to the bill, it returned to the Senate for further consideration, but
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By ZOE SEILER zoe@appenmedia.com