Investigation #1 — The Social Circle ICE Detention Center

This affects every single resident in Walton County and surrounding areas in very direct and immediate ways.

Water and sewer infrastructure is a shared resource. If Social Circle's system gets overwhelmed by a facility holding 10,000 people that does not just affect detainees — it affects every family in Social Circle turning on their faucet, every business that depends on water service, and every resident whose sewage system could be compromised. That is a public health issue for the whole community.

Property values affect every homeowner in the area. Real estate agents in Social Circle are already reporting people listing their homes for sale out of fear their community becomes known as a prison town. If property values drop that affects property tax revenue which funds schools, roads, and public services for every resident in Walton County.

The elementary school less than a mile away affects every parent with a child at that school. What does increased traffic, security concerns, and the character change of the surrounding neighborhood mean for children going to school every day right next to one of the largest detention facilities in the country?

Emergency services affect everyone. If the facility opens and local fire, ambulance, and police resources get stretched responding to a facility of 10,000 people what happens when a regular Walton County resident has a heart attack or a house fire? Response times go up and lives are at risk.

Investigation #2 — Collins Leaving The 10th District

This affects every voter in Walton County who deserves to know whether their congressman is fighting for them or focused on his own political career while their community faces a crisis. It also affects Newton County residents who share the regional impact of this facility even though they are in a different congressional district.

Voters across the 10th District covering parts of Walton, Newton, and surrounding counties need to make an informed decision in the May 2026 primary about who will represent them next. Without knowing where each candidate stands on the ICE facility, the infrastructure questions, and the law enforcement resource needs voters cannot make a truly informed choice. Your reporting gives them that information.

For Georgia as a whole this story matters because it raises fundamental questions about whether federal officials can simply override local elected governments and impose massive infrastructure burdens on small communities without consultation, compensation, or accountability. That question affects every small town in Georgia not just Social Circle.

Investigation #3 — Local Law Enforcement Impact

This affects public safety for every resident in Walton County directly. If the Walton County Sheriff's Office is understaffed and underfunded to handle a facility of this size everyone in the county is less safe. Deputies stretched thin responding to a federal detention facility cannot respond as quickly to a domestic violence call, a car accident, or a burglary in Monroe or Social Circle.

For Rockdale County residents this matters too because Conyers and surrounding areas could be asked to provide mutual aid to Walton County if their resources are overwhelmed. That pulls resources away from Rockdale communities.

For Georgia broadly this investigation matters because it sets a precedent for how federal facilities interact with local law enforcement across the state. If Walton County gets stuck with the bill for policing a federal facility with no reimbursement that pattern could repeat itself in any Georgia county where the federal government decides to place a facility.

Investigation #4 — The Georgia Property Tax Battle

This is the most universally felt investigation across all four counties because it affects every single homeowner regardless of whether they care about immigration policy or congressional races.

For Newton County homeowners rising property taxes have been a serious burden as the county has grown rapidly. Senate Bill 382 capping annual increases could mean hundreds of dollars in savings per year for families on fixed incomes.

For Rockdale County homeowners in Conyers and surrounding areas the same relief applies. But the flip side — the House plan to eliminate homestead property taxes entirely by 2032 — could create a $5 billion funding gap statewide that hits school districts hard. Rockdale County Schools and Newton County Schools both depend heavily on property tax revenue. If that revenue disappears and the state does not replace it your local schools face potential cuts to teachers, programs, and services.

For Walton County homeowners in Monroe and Social Circle who are already dealing with the stress of the ICE facility situation property tax relief could be meaningful financial breathing room — but only if the plan is done right without gutting school funding.

For Georgia broadly this is one of the most consequential policy debates in years affecting every property owner in the state and the future funding of public education.

Investigation #5 — The Race To Replace Collins

This directly affects Walton County voters who will choose their next congressman in the May 2026 primary. But it also affects Newton County residents who border the 10th District and share the regional impact of whoever represents that seat in Washington.

For the broader Georgia political landscape this race matters because it is one of several open seats reshaping Georgia's congressional delegation at a moment when Georgia is one of the most politically competitive states in the country. Who fills these seats affects everything from federal infrastructure funding for local communities to immigration policy to education spending that flows back to Georgia schools.

Investigation #6 — Conyers Mayor's Office: Does The Workload Justify The Cost? Status: 🔴 Just Opened

Background:

The City of Conyers in Rockdale County is at the center of a new accountability investigation by CJ Lester Investigates. Current Conyers Mayor Alsobrook has requested an assistant for the mayor's office — a request that comes with a cost to Conyers taxpayers. Before that request is approved or denied the public deserves to know whether the workload actually justifies the expense.

CJ Lester Investigates is taking a data driven approach to find out. We are requesting the actual numbers — constituent calls, emails, meeting requests, and internal communications — and comparing them against the exact same window of time from former Mayor Vince Evans' first 48 days in office. Same timeline. Same records. Same standard. No assumptions. Just the facts.

The Comparison Window:

Former Mayor Vince Evans — First 48 Days January 12, 2018 through March 1, 2018

Current Mayor Alsobrook — First 48 Days January 7, 2026 through February 24, 2026

Why This Matters To Conyers Taxpayers:

Every dollar spent on a new staff position in the mayor's office is a dollar from Conyers taxpayers. Residents deserve to know whether that expenditure is justified by actual workload data or whether it is a discretionary addition that the numbers do not support. CJ Lester Investigates is committed to following the data wherever it leads — if the numbers support the need for an assistant this outlet will say so plainly and publicly. But if the numbers do not back up the claim Conyers taxpayers deserve to know that too.

Key Questions We Are Investigating:

How many constituent calls, emails, and meeting requests did Mayor Alsobrook's office receive in the first 48 days compared to Mayor Evans' first 48 days in the same window?

What internal memos or budget documents were used to justify the assistant request and do they cite specific workload data?

Has the mayor's office workload genuinely increased since 2018 and if so what is driving that increase?

Is the assistant request consistent with how other comparable Georgia cities of similar size staff their mayor's offices?

Were proper city council approval procedures followed in making this staffing request?