Lake Lanier is welcoming visitors again just in time for the Fourth of July. Many parks that closed before Memorial Day due to staff shortages have now reopened, and several county and city parks remain open for lake access.

🎆 Why It Matters: If you’re planning to celebrate the holiday at Lake Lanier, it’s good to know where you can go and how to stay safe. The lake is open, but some spots may still have limited access. Staying informed helps you enjoy the holiday without surprises.

🌊 What’s Happening: The US Army Corps of Engineers closed 20 federal parks around Lake Lanier before Memorial Day because of staff shortages. Many of those parks have now reopened. County and city parks with lake access are also open. For the latest updates on which parks and boat ramps are open, visit www.LakeLanierIsOpen.com.

🛟 Safety Tips for Visitors:

  • Always wear life jackets and sunscreen.
  • Drink responsibly and stay hydrated.
  • Watch out for shallow areas and underwater hazards.
  • Make sure your boat’s navigation lights work if you’re out after dark.
  • Keep an eye on the weather for sudden changes.

🎇 Fireworks Safety:

  • Keep water nearby when lighting fireworks.
  • Never light fireworks on a boat.
  • Stay a safe distance from where fireworks are launched.
  • Wear eye protection and light one firework at a time.
  • Keep fireworks away from children and pets.
  • Never point fireworks at yourself or others.

How to Read and Understand the News

Truth doesn’t bend because we dislike it.
Facts don’t vanish when they make us uncomfortable.
Events happen whether we accept them or not.

Good reporting challenges us. The press isn’t choosing sides — it’s relaying what official, verified sources say. Blaming reporters for bad news is like blaming a thermometer for a fever.

Americans have a history of misunderstanding simple things. In the 1980s, A&W rolled out a 1/3-pound burger to compete with McDonald’s Quarter Pounder. It failed because too many people thought 1/3 was smaller than 1/4. If we can botch basic math, we can certainly misread the news.

Before dismissing a story, ask yourself:

  • What evidence backs this?
  • Am I reacting to facts or feelings?
  • What would change my mind?
  • Am I just shooting the messenger?

And one more: Am I assuming bias just because I don’t like the story?

Smart news consumers seek truth, not comfort.

B.T. Clark
Publisher at 

B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.