Twenty-two people raised their hands to make an Oath of Allegiance during a naturalization ceremony in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. Judge Marc Treadwell presided over the April 25 ceremony where people from 18 countries Pledged Allegiance to the American flag for the first time as U.S. citizens. bcabell@macon.com

From hockey games to presidential visits to intense Georgia heat to Macon’s high-profile court cases, our photographers kept busy during 2018. Here’s a look at some of the top moments of the year captured by visual journalists Beau Cabell, Jason Vorhees and Jenna Eason.

January

JASON VORHEES/THE TELEGRAPH Atlanta, GA, 01/08/2018: Georgia players take the field prior to the National Championship game against Alabama Monday night in Atlanta. Jason Vorhees jvorhees@macon.com
Click to resize
JASON VORHEES/THE TELEGRAPH Macon, GA, 01/09/2018: Charlie Smith uses a Disc Gator while wading into Lake Tobesofkee to retrieve his disc on the 15th hole at Claystone Park Tuesday afternoon. Smith playing a round of disc golf with his friends David King and Joel Smith. Although the air temperature reached the mid 60’s Tuesday afternoon Smith said the water was cold. Jason Vorhees jvorhees@macon.com

February

Guy Sidney Fried, left, and Jack Wilson stand atop the Ocmulgee River dam at Juliette on Feb. 12 where they compared notes on how best to recover Fried’s jet boat. Fried lost control of the boat as he was launching it. He was planning on boating up river but instead watched as the current took it downstream quickly and it went over the dam. “First time that’s ever happened,” said Fried, an avid sportsman. BEAU CABELL bcabell@macon.com

March

Mercer head coach Susie Gardner and members of the team jump off their seats after it was announced the Bears will play at Georgia during the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Jason Vorhees jvorhees@macon.com

April

Twenty-two people raised their hands to make an Oath of Allegiance during a naturalization ceremony in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. Judge Marc Treadwell presided over the April 25 ceremony where people from 18 countries Pledged Allegiance to the American flag for the first time as U.S. citizens. BEAU CABELL bcabell@macon.com

May

Aniyah Mullis, 8, right, said she was staying cool May 5 at the Cherry Street Pop-Up Plaza splash pad. “I love the water,” she said as temperatures rolled into the mid-80s. The New Town initiative--complete with live entertainment, a superhero costume contest for dogs and kids, and an artisan market--was designed to showcase Cherry Street offerings, according to project manager David Moore. BEAU CABELL bcabell@macon.com
Robert Carrazco picks peaches off a small tree too young to bear fruit for the harvest in May as more than two dozen workers slogged behind him weeding an orchard at Dickey Farms in Crawford County. BEAU CABELL bcabell@macon.com

June

Tyler Hudlin and his son Talan ride the Boomerang, nicknamed the Wipeout, at Rigby’s Water World. Roughly 50 contest winners got to try out the slide tower before the park opened in July. Jason Vorhees jvorhees@macon.com
Iconographer Elias Dimakis, left, helps woodworker Thanos Athanasios install trim on June 29 on an icon screen Athanasios carved for Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church. Athanasios and Dimakis traveled from Karditsa, Greece to install the screen and seventeen new icons Dimakis painted for the Church. Jason Vorhees jvorhees@macon.com

July

Bill Shaw, a veteran who makes his home in a tent near Riverside Drive, says he barely survives the hot Georgia summers. But, on July 9, he said fanning himself with a small piece of cardboard was about as good as it gets. “It’s been pretty good the last couple of days,” he said as the temperatures barely broke into the 90s. BEAU CABELL bcabell@macon.com
Armando Rubio Garcia, second from left, and fellow migrant workers from Jalisco, Mexico, take a breather after a day of picking peaches, cleaning out the bags they use to carry the fruit and a dinner break at their temporary home on a Peach County farm. The men are part of a labor force of mostly foreign workers to bring in one of middle Georgia’s most important crops. BEAU CABELL bcabell@macon.com
Vice President Mike Pence, left, shakes hands over Mindy Horn, right, of Macon after Pence delivered an endorsement speech for gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp, second from left. About 1,000 people attended the July rally at the Wilson Convention Center. BEAU CABELL bcabell@macon.com

August

Shirley Thomas watches traffic along Napier Ave. while waiting for a Macon Transit Authority bus in August. Thomas was taking the bus to the Terminal Station before connecting to another route to head to a grocery store on Rocky Creek Road. Thomas said that the new limited schedule was “a little inconvenient” as buses now arrive every hour-and-a-half compared to 45 minutes before funding cuts. Jason Vorhees jvorhees@macon.com
County attorney Judd Drake rests his hand on his head while closing his eyes during a committee meeting to discuss a millage increase Aug. 9 at the Macon-Bibb Government Center. The committee voted 5-4 on a 3 mil increase that will be voted on in a called commission meeting next week. Jason Vorhees jvorhees@macon.com
Stephen McDaniel during appeal hearing on Aug. 17 in Augusta. McDaniel is currently serving a life sentence for the June 2011 murder Lauren Giddings. Jason Vorhees jvorhees@macon.com

September

A runner cools off in a water shower provided by the Macon-Bibb Fire Department on D.T. Walton Sr. Way on Sept. 3 during the Macon Labor Day Road Race. Jason Vorhees jvorhees@macon.com
Leslie Johns, left, sits with her son, Darrell, on her sister’s front porch in September. Darrell was born with hydrocephalus and epilepsy, which are neurological conditions that have stunted his development and cause seizures. Leslie says medical marijuana has significantly benefited his health. Jenna Eason jeason@macon.com

Former Bibb County School Superintendent Romain Dallemand, who has plead guilty to tax charges, exits through the secure entrance to the U.S. District Courthouse after finishing testimony Sept. 27 in the bribery and money laundering trial of Cliffard Whitby and Harold Knowles. BEAU CABELL bcabell@macon.com

October

Bolingreen Health and Rehabilitation resident Beverly Smith, at right, gets some help from Mt. De Sales students Lawson Thigpen, Mollie Craig and Jose Morales as she keeps up with dancing Howard High School football players during the home’s annual tailgate party in October. About 150 students from four high schools and three marching bands joined the seniors for lunch, conversations about football, and fellowship as the season rolls into it’s zenith. BEAU CABELL bcabell@macon.com
Ray Clark and Brittany Hunt, left to right, hold their new baby, Braylon, at Navicent Health. Hunt arrived at the hospital and had her baby during Hurricane Michael. Jenna Eason jeason@macon.com
The Knoxville Ice Bears stand in front of the dasher board in their game against the Macon Mayhem at the Macon Coliseum on Friday, Oct. 26. The dasher board is an advertisement sponsored by Ann Parman Law. Jenna Eason jeason@macon.com
Jasmine Richardson, 3, walks down the hall at the Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital to collect candy at their annual trick-or-treat event. Jenna Eason jeason@macon.com

November

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart congratulates the Bulldog offense after a second quarter touchdown by Mecole Hardman (4) in their 45-21 win over Georgia Tech. Jason Vorhees jvorhees@macon.com
Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams speaks to a crowd of supporters shortly before Election Day at the Westgate Mall Shopping Center next to the Bibb County Elections Board office as part of her Early Voting Bus Tour. Jenna Eason jeason@macon.com
Calvin Jones makes his way up Ingleside Avenue in late November bundled up against the wind--but said the thing that took his breath away was the brilliant fall color of a large ginkgo tree he’d just passed. “It’s a beautiful thing to be outside and to be in God’s work,” said Jones. BEAU CABELL bcabell@macon.com

December

Santa Claus relaxes against a window the night of Dec. 3 at Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital, Navicent Health after a “A Night of Lights” Christmas tree lighting. Jason Vorhees jvorhees@macon.com
Charles Tyler, in the U.S. Navy during World War II, shows a map to Donald Garrett and his son, Brent, left to right, about where Tyler’s ship was in the southwest Pacific Ocean during the war. Nine World War II veterans were invited to Greek Village in Warner Robins for a dinner hosted by the Warner Robins chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution to honor their service. Jenna Eason jeason@macon.com
On-the-vine tomatoes were picked on Dec. 14 in a Pure Flavor greenhouse in Peach County. Jason Vorhees jvorhees@macon.com