‘Job well done’: Farewell President Carter

A portrait of the 39th President of the United States inside Bonita’s restaurant in downtown Plains. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta VoicePLAINS, Ga. — Bonita’s restaurant isn’t open on Mondays but the owner and namesake got a phone call and got right to work preparing food for the customers to come. “And I’m honored to be here,” said Bonita Hightower, who has owned the local restaurant since 2020. She has lived in neighboring Webster County since moving to Georgia with her family& in 1990. Soon after she began cooking food for the public and the Carter family was one of her customers. To cook for people coming into town to pay their respects, including dozens of members of national and local media, was an honor, she said.& Mrs. Bonita Hightower, The passing of former United States President Jimmy Carter, a native of Plains, was on everyone’s minds on Sunday, especially the Carter family, who reached out to Hightower about opening her restaurant for the influx of visitors that were planning to come to town. Hightower cooked for the Carters, both the late former President and First Lady Rosalynn Carter, who passed away in November 2023.& According to Hightower, President Carter,...