Commercial and Residential Locksmiths in Powder Springs

Gauff's former coach, Jewel Peterson, reflected on her success and impact on young Black players

POWDER SPRINGS, Ga. — Atlanta's very own Coco Gauff is poised to make history on Saturday, as she competes in the U.S. Open final, cementing her status as one of the youngest players to reach this milestone since Serena Williams in 1999.

Gauff's former coach, Jewel Peterson, spoke about the 19-year-old's incredible journey and what it means for the next generation of tennis players. Peterson's passion for tennis has deep roots and she considers it a family tradition.

"When I tell you I love coaching, I absolutely love it," Peterson said smiling. "When I'm having a really bad day, I get out on the court, and all of a sudden, I'm excited about life again."

Peterson's love for the sport began at a young age, thanks to her father's guidance.

"My dad taught me at a very early age. I started playing when I was four years old and loved it from the start," she recalled.

Today, she channels that passion into coaching the next generation of players and one former pupil holds a special place in her heart.

"When people ask me about coaching Coco, I tell them it was a coach's dream," Peterson said.

Gauff, an Atlanta native, is set to play in her first U.S. Open final this Saturday.

"I'm going to be watching. And I'm going to have a front row in front of my TV. Okay, I know. I am super excited to watch her play," Peterson exclaimed.

Gauff's journey at the U.S. Open has been remarkable and she is now one of four Black players to reach the quarterfinals at this prestigious tournament. This achievement highlights her exceptional talent and the growing diversity in tennis.

However, Gauff isn't the only Georgia tennis pro that Peterson knows and has coached. She mentioned another rising star, Chris Eubanks, who grew up in her father's academy.

"Chris grew up in my dad's academy, and my father was one of Chris' early coaches. To have been a part of that, it's extraordinary," Peterson said.

Reflecting on the changing landscape of tennis, Peterson emphasized that moments like these were once considered rare. However, she hopes that this trend continues for Gauff, Eubanks, and the young athletes who will follow in their footsteps.

"I think it's so, so, so impactful. I know now that so many players are being inspired by their success," she added.

Peterson expressed her confidence in Gauff's abilities and believes that she can clinch victory in the U.S. Open final as long as she maintains a resilient mindset and executes her strategy effectively.

As the world eagerly anticipates Gauff's historic appearance in the finals, her journey serves as a source of inspiration for tennis enthusiasts and aspiring athletes alike.

POWDER SPRINGS, Ga. - While many spent Black Friday searching for deals, for others it's the day to start searching for their Christmas tree.

Picking out that perfect tree can be difficult.

"When you have four really opinionated kids, it's really tough!" said Jay Taylor, who was out with his family looking for a tree.

But for Jay Taylor and his family, choosing to buy their tree from the Calvary Children's Home tree lot was an easy decision.

RELATED: Christmas tree prices up 10% since last year, American Christmas Tree Association says

"We live in the community, and we know what Calvary does for kids," said Taylor.

The Calvary Children's Home in Powder Springs is for kids who, for one reason or another, can no longer live with their parents.

"When families struggle sometimes and run into some difficult situations, it provides a place where brothers and sisters don't have to be separated. We provide counseling, tutoring, local and Christian school and all the activities in between," said Allen Young of Calvary Children's Home.

Calvary Children's Home has been selling trees for 18 years. Last year they sold close to 1,000 trees. It's one of the biggest fundraisers.

Volunteers from the community chip in, and the children who live on campus put in full days' work on the tree lot.

"They're bonding with the community, and they know the proceeds eventually go back to them, so they like to have a part in it," said Young.

There are a lot of repeat customers who come to support the children's home.

"I always come over here to get my tree, and it's always the day after thanksgiving," said Troy Harmon.

RELATED: Picking out the perfect Christmas tree

In addition to the support, families can typically find that perfect tree that everyone can agree on.

"We've settled on this one, so yes, it's fat and tall, so it does fit all the requirements," said Taylor.

The address for the Calvary Children's Home is 1430 Lost Mountain Road in Powder Springs. The tree lot is open from 3:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays, and 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Sundays.

POWDER SPRINGS, Ga. - The Georgia craft brewing industry is calling for change. They want the state to relax restrictions on how they can sell beer and have launched a petition to get the attention of state lawmakers.

Doug Farrell co-owns the Skint Chestnut Brewing Company in Powder Springs. The brewery is less than two years old. Farrell says he is proud of what they have built, but they would love to do more.

"We are limited by several of the state laws that make it very challenging for us to do anything beyond what we're doing right now," he said.

Farrell says Georgia law only allows them to sell their beer at their taproom. If they want to sell it somewhere else, they have to get a distributor and Farrell says that cuts into the bottom-line.

"My goal is not to be one of these giant breweries, my goal is to be able to get beer out into my local community so that they can walk into a store or a restaurant they see my beer on the shelf, or they see it on the tap," he said.

Georgia Senate Bill 163 was introduced earlier this year. If passed, it would allow breweries like Skint Chestnut to sell their beer to restaurants and grocery stores within 100 miles. The bill failed to gain traction during the last session, but the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild just started a new petition to get support for it next year.

"We're looking for a more fair and open access to the market for there to be more flexibility for these businesses," said Joseph Cortes, Executive Director of the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild.

On the other side, not everyone thinks the state law should be changed. The owner of a local distribution company told FOX 5 that he believes it would be problematic if breweries could sell their own beer. He says retailers have told him that would cause issues if they had to deal with each brewery individually.

But Farrell believes the current law is harming small businesses, and he hopes it gets changed to not only help him, but also the more than 150 other craft breweries in the state.

"We're hoping for some changes at the state level that will allow us to do this and be a little bit more competitive," he said.

Since the petition went live, the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild says more than a thousand people have already signed it.

If you want to take a look at the petition, click here.

POWDER SPRINGS, GA. Amerigroup Georgia brought its statewide "Repack the Backpack" initiative to Powder Springs earlier this month, distributing hundreds of complimentary school supplies, including notebooks, pens, pencils, folders, binders, paper, and other essential items to local students and families. Amid record-high back-to-school spending, averaging $890 per family according to the National Retail Federation, many students find their supplies running low in the new year. Recognizing this annual challenge, Amerigroup’s Repack the Backpack initiative aims to help families replenish necessary supplies during the second semester, so students focus on their schooling without interruption. “Our back-to-school programs are about more than giving out school supplies. We are boosting kids’ confidence and promoting educational equity by ensuring more universal access to supplies for academic success,” said Mel Lindsey, President, of Amerigroup Georgia. “Education is a critical social driver of health. As part of our ongoing commitment to the whole health of our neighbors across Georgia, we are proud to offer support and resources that empower students to concentrate on their learning, ultimately contributing to happier, healthier lives.” Additionally, Amerigroup employees were onsite to provide attendees with resources and information to maintain their healthcare coverage. The ongoing Medicaid "unwinding" process in Georgia poses challenges for almost 2 million Medicaid recipients statewide, with nearly 390,000 enrollees affected up to October 2023 due to ineligibility or procedural issues. In response, Amerigroup continues to proactively engage with members across the state, partnering with local agencies and community organizations, disseminating Medicaid renewal kits, and providing assistance to healthcare providers. To manage your Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids® coverage, use the following resources: Update your contact information at https://gateway.ga.gov/access/ Learn about Medicaid renewal and its impact on your health coverage at https://www.amerigroup.com/staycovered If you’re facing potential loss in coverage, learn more about Georgia Pathways to Coverage program at

About Amerigroup Georgia Amerigroup Community Care of Georgia helps improve healthcare access and quality for more than 500,000 low-income Georgians by developing innovative care management programs and services. Members are assured care that is not only accessible but also accountable, comprehensive, integrated, and patient-centered. Amerigroup Georgia provides ongoing community relations and outreach to encourage members to become active participants in their health care. Through health education programs, members are empowered to choose and sustain a healthy lifestyle. For more information about Amerigroup Community Care of Georgia, visit www.myamerigroup.com/ga

POWDER SPRINGS, Ga. — Chip Dean, the new pastor at First Baptist Church of Powder Springs, is a winsome and energetic Christian gentleman who embodied every trait that the congregation was looking for.

“Our search team was searching for someone who values who we are and who can lead us to reach our community for Christ,” said Bo Smith, who led the search. “We soon realized that Pastor Dean has the heart of a shepherd, the gift of preaching, a passion to disciple believers, and the ability to lead. We were looking for a pastor, but ended up getting an entire family that we love and that will be an example to us all.”

Prior to coming to Georgia, Dean served on staff in multiple roles from 2015 to 2023, primarily as the campus pastor of Harbour View Campus in Suffolk for Liberty Live Baptist Church, a multiethnic, multigenerational, multisite church with six locations in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia.

Grant Ethridge, senior pastor of Liberty Live Church, was impressed with Dean and his wife.

"They are one of the most winsome couples you will ever meet," Ethridge said. "They have the anointing of God on their lives. Chip’s biggest flaw is he is an Alabama fan. He will have a long and fruitful ministry in Georgia if he learns to say, ‘Go Dawgs.’”

Dean told the search team that God is not calling him and his family to leave our church but to lead a church.

"God’s call on my life is to bring gospel-centered alignment to a church and its ministries for missional synergy," he said.

The new pastor hit the ground running in Powder Springs with a series of three sermons in September. They were “The Presence of God in Our Church”, “The Power of God in Our Lives," and “The Presentation of the Gospel in our Community.”

Dean grew up in a godly home in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and accepted Christ as a young child.

“My mother was driving me to kindergarten one morning when I was five years old," he said. "My inquisitive mind was thinking, ‘If I don’t give my life to Jesus, then I will be living it for the devil.’

The thought prompted him to ask his mother, ‘Do you know what I want today?’

"What?" his mother asked.

“I want to give my life to Jesus," he said.

“At that point my mother drove me to our pastor’s office, Dr. Ron English; and he proceeded to talk to me about everything from original sin and Adam and Eve to the blood of Jesus. I asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. That was November 3, 1983.”

When Dean went to college as a freshman, he started out studying accounting, but did not like it one bit and changed to business management. When his interest in those two subjects evaporated, he volunteered to work in the student ministry at Cottondale Baptist Church in Cottondale, Alabama under the Youth Pastor, Steve Robinson. It was not long until Chip knew that God wanted him in full-time ministry.

His original youth pastor’s son, Chris High, was about to go to Baptist Bible College (now Clarks Summit University) in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, and Chip decided to go with him.

Dean is married to the former Michelle Snow; and they have two children, Brooklyn, 4, and Cruz, 1.

Michelle was an incredible athlete and was the runner-up for Miss Tennessee Basketball the year she graduated from high school. In other words, she was voted the second-best women’s basketball player in the state in 2004. Eventually, she became the coach of the freshmen women’s basketball team at Cookeville High School.

The couple met in July 2013 and by December 19, 2013, Chip was ready to propose marriage to the beautiful blonde he had met only 5 months earlier. On the night Chip traveled to Tennessee to propose marriage, Michelle was coaching her team against the team and the coach she had played for years earlier when she was the star at Clarkrange High School.

By some clever and clandestined plan Dean had arranged for the game to be halted at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Michelle’s former high school coach she was coaching against that night called for a time out; and Dean walked out on the court, knelt, and proposed marriage to Michelle to her great surprise. However, the bleachers were filled with family, friends, and people who somehow got the word that a well-orchestrated proposal was going to highlight the fourth quarter. Incidentally, Michelle’s team proceeded to win the game by 20 points.

The new pastor, also an athlete who played football, baseball and basketball in high school, is a disciplined Christian. He gets up at 5 a.m. each day for his personal time with the Lord. He lifts weights four days a week and runs two days a week.

Primarily, the new Powder Springs pastor believes that Jesus is the central theme of all scripture. For that reason, Dean will begin on Sunday, January 7 his plan to preach through the Bible for around 10 years, showing his congregation that Jesus is the center of all Scripture.

“I am honored and blessed to be a part of this family of faith," Dean said. "Former Pastor Mike Woods led this church for 40 years with grace, love, and passion. I have already begun to reap the wonderful fruit from the seeds he sowed in his ministry here.”