On August 18, 1591,the English settlement at Roanoke Island in the Outer Banks of what is now North Carolina was found deserted.
On August 18, 1795, President George Washington signed a treaty with Great Britain called the Jay Treaty, after Supreme Court Justice John Jay who negotiated it. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison led opposition to the treaty.
On August 18, 1862, Confederate Major General of Cavalry J.E.B. Stuart was nearly captured, losing his distinctive hat and cloak and written copies of Lee’s orders near Verdiersville, Virginia.
Georgia Governor Joseph Terrell signed legislation creating the State Board of Health on August 17, 1903.
Georgia Tech was designated the State School of Technology on August 17, 1908 by joint resolution of the State Senate and State House.
In a quaint bit of Georgia history, on August 17, 1908, Governor Hoke Smith signed legislation prohibiting corporate donations to political campaigns. Cute!
The Georgia General Assembly adopted a joint resolution urging the creation of a federal Health Department on August 18, 1908.
On August 18, 1916, the Cherokee Rose was designated the official state flower of Georgia by a joint resolution of the State House and Senate.
The practice of tipping service employees was outlawed by legislation signed on August 18, 1918.
Georgia Governor Hugh Dorsey signed legislation regulating the practice of architecture and licensing practitioners on August 18, 1919.
The Georgia Board of Public Welfare was also created on August 18, 1919 when Gov. Dorsey signed legislation establishing that body and a companion bill that created the Community Service Commission.
Tennessee became the 36th state and the final state whose ratification was required to adopt the Nineteenth Amendment on August 18, 1920, which reads:
The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
The Gainesville Times looks at local connections to the suffragette movement that supported the 19th Amendment.
On August 18, 1924 Gov. Clifford Walker signed legislation that would allow a referendum on a Constitutional Amendment to allow Atlanta, Savannah, or Macon to consolidate their respective municipal governments with their county governments. Macon-Bibb County merged in 2014 after voters passed a referendum in July 2012.
The Beatles played at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium on August 18, 1965. AtlantaTimeMachine.com has a couple images from the night.
On August 18, 1991, hardline Commies in the Soviet Union arrested Prime Minister Mikhail Gorbachev as part of a coup against Gorbachev’s reforms.
On August 17, 1998, President Bill Clinton testified as the subject of a grand jury investigation.
The testimony came after a four-year investigation into Clinton and his wife Hillary’s alleged involvement in several scandals, including accusations of sexual harassment, potentially illegal real-estate deals and suspected “cronyism” involved in the firing of White House travel-agency personnel. The independent prosecutor, Kenneth Starr, then uncovered an affair between Clinton and a White House intern named Monica Lewinsky. When questioned about the affair, Clinton denied it, which led Starr to charge the president with perjury and obstruction of justice, which in turn prompted his testimony on August 17.
On August 18, 2015, Jeb Bush visited The Varsity in Atlanta. Here’s the funniest line from the CBS46 story:
Recently, Bush put a series of “Jeb No Filter” videos on YouTube and some say it’s a way to bring up his popularity.
“We’re going to work hard to earn the support of Georgians in the March 1 primary. It’s the second largest state in the primary, it’s our neighbor to our north, we’re going to be working hard,” Bush said.
While the instinct behind “Jeb No Filter” may have been good, it would take Donald Trump to show what No Filter really means.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
Governor Brian Kemp signed a new Executive Order #
The order renewed existing restrictions on large gatherings, sheltering-in-place orders, and business obligations through August 31.
Local governments will now be permitted to require individuals to wear face masks on public property. However, a threshold of more than 100 confirmed COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people over the last 14 days must be reached in order for municipalities to impose a mask mandate, Gov. Kemp said.
Furthermore, the owner of the private property or the occupant must consent to a mask requirement on private property.
Under the order, fines are limited to $50 and a warning must be given before a citation is issued. Nonprofits and private businesses are exempt from fines.
“This order also protects Georgia businesses from government overreach by restricting the application and enforcement of local masking requirements to public property. While I support local control, it must be properly balanced with property rights and personal freedoms.” [said Kemp]
Gov. Kemp went on to say that he encourages all citizens to continue wearing masks, wash their hands, and practice social distancing.
Savannah Mayor Van Johnson weighed in on Governor Brian Kemp’s updated executive order that went into effect Sunday and lasts until the end of the month.
“We knew from the very beginning that we had the right, the responsibility and the authority to be able to issue a mask mandate here in the City of Savannah. And that has not changed. So our position has not changed, cities across the state, their position has not changed and finally, he has come around quite late in the game to acknowledge what we knew all along,” said Mayor Van Johnson.
Monday, the [Macon-Bibb County Board of Health] unanimously approved sending another resolution urging the Board of Commissioners to mandate mask wearing.
Tsavatewa’s motion was seconded by Macon-Bibb Commissioner Joe Allen, who last month couldn’t bring himself to sign off on disobeying Kemp’s order that previously prohibited local governments from strengthening or weakening his executive order.
“Since I was the holdout, I’ll second,” Allen said Monday concerning the latest resolution, which brought a resounding “Thank You” from board member Ethel Cullinan.
Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan (R-Forsyth County) announced the formation of a Partnership for Inclusive Innovation, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Rome News-Tribune.
The Partnership for Inclusive Innovation stems from the work of a task force of political, business and academic leaders Duncan formed last January. The Georgia Innovates Task Force released its recommendations last month.
While Atlanta already has the critical infrastructure in place to become a leader in technology, the new partnership will look to establish tech startups and generate venture capital investment across the state, Duncan told members of the Rotary Club of Atlanta Monday during a virtual luncheon meeting.
Some of the same people who served on the task force have been named to the new partnership, including former Georgia Tech President G.P. “Bud” Peterson, who will chair its advisory board, Bostic and Paul Bowers, president and CEO of Georgia Power.
The partnership’s board also will include Pat Wilson, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development; Larry Williams, president and CEO of the Technology Association of Georgia; and Carol Tomé, CEO of United Parcel Service.
Lester Miller will take office as the next Mayor of Macon-Bibb County, according to the Macon Telegraph.
“I feel like a big weight has been lifted off of my shoulders, but I also realize I have big shoes to fill,” Miller said, after hearing the election results. “That county commission, that mayor, despite what people may say, they’ve done a pretty good job over the past seven years. I think we can build on some of the things they’ve done. I can’t do it alone, this is a community effort.”
Miller will take office Jan. 1, 2021 after an inauguration ceremony that will most likely be scheduled for late December, and he presumably will start trying to implement his policies on crime, blight and other issues concerning the Macon community.
As a member of the Bibb County School Board, Miller was voted board president three times. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce and NewTown Macon and on the Council of the Middle Georgia Community Food Bank.
“Violent crime is one of the number one issues that we have here in Macon-Bibb County, and back when I decided to run in 2018, I identified crime as the most important issue,” Miller said in an interview with the CCJ, The Telegraph and 13WMAZ. “Violent crime, in particular, are those that prevent businesses from coming here, people from feeling safe in their homes.”
Republican Stacy Hall will request a recount in his race against Bo Hatchett for Senate District 50, according to AccessWDUN.
Hall received 12,448 votes to Bo Hatchett’s 12,482 votes.
“With nearly 25,000 total votes cast and only 0.16% difference between the two candidates, it’s reasonable and prudent to request a recount so that all parties involved can be confident in the final count,” a statement issued by Hall Monday reads.
“Now that the counties have certified their results, my intent is to request a recount as soon as the state certifies the election,” Hall’s statement reads. “This has been a very long election for everyone and I have no desire to drag it out, but with only 40 votes separating us out of nearly 25,000, I think a recount is wise so we can move forward confidently. I appreciate the patience of everyone in the district as we work to ensure confidence in the final results.”
State Rep. Tommy Benton (R-Jefferson) lost his chairmanship after a politically incorrect statement, according to the Capitol Beat News Service.
Speaking with WJJC radio on Friday, Benton dismissed growing support in Congress to replace the Alexander Stephens statue in Washington, D.C., with a monument honoring Lewis, stating he had “never read of a significant piece of legislation” sponsored by the 33-year congressman.
“His only claim to fame is that he got conked on the head at the [Edmund] Pettus Bridge,” Benton said of Lewis. “And he has milked that for fifty years – or he milked it for fifty years.”
Georgia House Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, relieved Benton as chair of the House Retirement Committee shortly after the radio remarks, calling the comments about Lewis “offensive and disgusting.”
“These comments do not reflect the values or the views of the House Majority Caucus,” Ralston said. “I can neither condone nor ignore such hurtful remarks.”
Lowndes County will probably not use drop boxes for absentee ballots in November, according to the Valdosta Daily Times.
“So that could be very, very expensive,” [Supervisor of Elections Deb Cox] said. “We have discussed. We’re reluctant to commit two full-time staff people to do nothing but travel to those all day long.”
The shortage of poll workers for elections has been a national concern for months, and it affected the local June 9 election with a few polling location closures due to short staff. In the run up to that June election, Cox was vocal about a desperate need for poll workers, repeatedly asking for more people to join the ranks.
Her tune changed Friday morning as she said poll worker recruitment for November is “going well” so far.
Marks asked if someone who received an absentee ballot, filled it out but brought the ballot in-person on Election Day would the ballot count. Cox said in that scenario, the polling place can and will accept and count the ballot because Lowndes County poll managers are elections officials and have that power.
Qualifying for City Council seats in St Marys and Kingsland has opened, according to The Brunswick News.
St. Marys Mayor John Morrissey is seeking a third term in office, but he will face a challenger this election. Former Cumberland Island National Seashore superintendent Jerre Brumbelow also qualified Monday to run for the mayor’s job.
St. Marys City Council members Dave Reilly and Allen Rassi also qualified to seek another four-year term.
A fourth St. Marys incumbent, Linda Williams, did not file the paperwork to qualify on Monday. But if Williams seeks another term in office she will face a challenge for the Post 6 seat by Lisa James.
In Kingsland, two seats will be contested in the November elections.
Chatham County Commissioner James “Coach” Holmes died from COVID-19, according to the Savannah Morning News.
Holmes, 82, had served as the District 2 Chatham County Commissioner since January 2005. He was planning to end his tenure on the commission this year. He did not run for re-election in the June primary.
Because Holmes had completed the majority of his term, Chatham County Commission will nominate a person to fill his seat for the remainder, until December, when the elected District 2 commissioner will take over.
“The commission will fill the vacancy at the appropriate time,” [Commission Chair Al] Scott said.
Savannah-Chatham County will be short thousands of computer devices for students to access online learning, according to the Savannah Morning News.
Supply chain issues have delayed the delivery of approximately 14,000 devices ordered by the district in June, school officials acknowledged Monday.
“We are not going to have enough devices for the start of school,” said Stacy Jennings, the district’s director of communications. “Everyone who needs a device will get a device, and they will get that device as soon as it becomes available.”
The School Board authorized the purchase of 14,000 Chromebooks and 7,000 iPads this summer. The district had received only 8,000 Chromebooks and none of the iPads, as of Monday. The iPads are primarily for pre-kindergarten through second grade students.
Students who don’t receive a device prior to Wednesday or otherwise have access to a computer will be provided with paper copies of lesson plans until more equipment becomes available. For those students who do have access to devices but not during scheduled elearning class times, the district is also offering electronic copies of the lesson plans that can be downloaded on flash drives and done at the student’s convenience.
Cobb County schools also had technology issues as server issues slowed online education, according to the AJC.
This issue affected users who used that website to access the Cobb Teaching and Learning System (CTLS), a spokesperson said. Those students, as well as their parents and teachers, were unable to sign in to the program and had to use an alternate method of classroom instruction such as Zoom. A school district spokesperson said the issue had been identified and solved later in the morning.
Fortunately, teachers on Sunday emailed Zoom links to parents and students to access in the event the system wasn’t accessible. His children’s classes were held on the Zoom platform until the day wrapped up around noon, Wagner said.
Cobb School Board Chairman Brad Wheeler said he expected there would be some “glitches” on the first day because thousands of students were logging on at the same time. However, Wheeler stressed that “everyone has to have patience” because CTLS is still a new program.
“It’s not the answer to everything and it’s not the best method of instruction, but it’s the best we have to offer at this time,’ he said.
Kudos to the teachers for having a Plan B ready before it was needed.
Opposition to a proposed rehab center for first responders has arisen, according to the Augusta Chronicle.
Residents of a bucolic south Augusta subdivision pleaded Monday with Augusta commissioners to reject plans to allow a treatment center for first responders at a former convent.
The Hale Foundation, which runs the downtown Hale House for male substance abusers, proposed opening Georgia’s first treatment center for first responders with substance abuse, PTSD and other mental health issues last year with broad support from the law enforcement community. Hale’s earlier proposal for a treatment center for anyone was rejected by the commission.
Residents of Green Meadows, a subdivision of fewer than 100 homes next to Green Meadows Golf Course, have maintained opposition to four proposed uses for the 20.7-acre convent tract, including at least two as treatment centers.
Bulloch County schools opened with about 56% of students in-person, according to the Statesboro Herald.
Bibb County schools will reopen with eight weeks of distance learning, according to the Macon Telegraph.
In response to a spike in COVID-19 cases across Georgia, Bibb County schools initially pushed the start of classes after Labor Day, informing parents and students that final decision about whether to return to in-person classes would be released at least two weeks before that date. Jones decided to go ahead with the decision at the board meeting Thursday evening. The school board had previously given Jones the authority to make a decision on e-learning.
In May, Jones acknowledged the difficulties of teaching students virtually. The district is distributing 13,000 digital devices next week to students who don’t have devices at home.
Houston County schools opened for in-person classes on Aug. 6, and have reported COVID-19 cases on nine campuses. Positive case have also been reported in Washington and Crawford county school districts.
Hall County public schools reopen with a hybrid approach, according to the Gainseville Times.
For the first two weeks, students whose last names begin with the letters A-K will attend school in person on Monday, Aug. 24, and Wednesday, Aug. 26, the Hall County School District announced Friday, Aug. 14. Students whose last names begin with the letters L-Z will attend school on Tuesday, Aug. 25, and Thursday, Aug. 27. All students will attend on Friday, Aug. 28. The plan will repeat the following week.
Students will be given assignments by teachers to complete during the days they are not attending in person. For students who have chosen virtual-only learning, classes will be held daily, as previously scheduled.
Grovetown City Administrator John Waller resigned, according to the Augusta Chronicle.
Floyd County school superintendent Jeff Wislon has resigned, according to the Rome News Tribune.
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