a On August 11, 1862, Confederate General Braxton Bragg declared martial law in Atlanta.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered the summer commencement address at the University of Georgia on August 11, 1938. Later that day, Roosevelt endorsed Lawrence Camp over incumbent Governor Walter F. George, saying George had not been sufficiently supportive of the New Deal.
The Atlanta Braves signed legendary Negro League pitcher Satchel Paige on August 11, 1968. Here’s a story on what the Braves signing meant to Paige:
In 1968, the right-hander was 158 days shy of the five years’ playing time needed to qualify for the major league pension. He would reach out to 29 teams and 29 teams would turn him down.
The problem was, he was 62.
But Braves president Bill Bartholomay saw an opportunity. While it would help at the box office for a franchise that was in its third season in Atlanta, it was also about something more.
“I jumped all over it, because I just thought it was the right thing to do,” said Bartholomay, currently the team’s chairman emeritus. “I didn’t think of it so much from the standpoint of diversity, I thought it was just the right thing to do.”
After reaching his 158 required days, Paige left the Braves and less than three years later, began drawing that pension. He received $250 a month.
“It was momentous and he did quality for his pension,” Bartholomay said, “but more importantly, the slight recognition for one of the great athletes, maybe one of the .. certainly short list of greatest pitchers of all time.”
“Baseball would have been guilty of negligence should it not assure this legendary figure a place in the pension plan,” the [Braves] owner said at the signing in 1968. Looking back 40 years on, Bartholomay says Satchel justified his faith by performing sensationally as a goodwill ambassador.
“He came to us four months after the King funeral in Atlanta,” says Bartholomay. “Those were pretty tough times for African-Americans and the country in its entirety. Satchel understood that. He helped in a way that went way beyond baseball.”
On August 11, 1984, Ronald Reagan jokingly announced that he had “signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever…we begin bombing in five minutes,” without knowing he was speaking into a live microphone.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
Governor Brian Kemp issued Executive Order # 08.10.26.01, suspending Burke County Sheriff Alonzo Williams. The suspension lasts until the case’s final disposition or the end of the current term.
Burke County Sheriff Alfonzo Williams has been suspended as of Monday, according to an executive order from Governor Brian Kemp.
The suspension is effective immediately.
Back on July 31, Governor Kemp announced he appointed a commission to review the indictment and determine whether Williams should stay in office.
The executive order reads in part, “the review commission found that the indictment relates to and adversely affects the administration of the Office of Sheriff of Burke County such that the rights and interested of the public are adversely affected affected thereby and recommend that Mr. Williams be suspended from office.”
Williams plead not guilty in federal court on Aug. 5 for five counts of violation of the Hobbs Act Extortion Under Color of Official Right and a charge of Transfer of a Firearm to a Prohibited Person.
On Aug. 6, Williams was indicted on four state charges which included Making a False Statement and Theft by Conversion.
Burke County Commissioners appointed Brad Capitosti as interim sheriff, according to WJBF.
The Burke County Board of Commissioners has appointed Brad Capitosti to serve as interim sheriff following the suspension of Alfonzo Williams on Monday.
The board made the decision at a special meeting on Aug. 10.
A statement from chairman Evans Martin reads in part:
“The Board of Commissioners believes the vital service provided by the Sheriff’s office requires that it’s leader have integrity and accountability, which is reflected in this appointment. Given the nature of the allegations against Sheriff Williams, a majority of the Board believed leadership should come from outside the organization. Though not unanimous, all members of the Board support the interim Sheriff and commend him for his willingness to serve.”
The appointment may raise questions about why the commission — and not a judge or the governor — had the power to fill the vacancy. Burke County Attorney Adam Nelson said local legislation is the answer.
Under Georgia law, vacancies in a sheriff’s office are generally filled by the chief deputy or the probate judge’s appointee. But that general law defers to local law when local law provides otherwise — and in Burke County, it does. A 1911 state law grants the Burke County Board of Commissioners “original and exclusive jurisdiction” to fill all vacancies in county offices.
When a sheriff is suspended due to a felony indictment — as opposed to a governor-initiated investigation — state law directs that the replacement be appointed under whatever general or local law governs temporary vacancies in that office. Because Burke County’s local law covers all vacancies, the commission had the authority to make the appointment.
Even before Kemp’s decision, most of Williams’ law enforcement certifications had been suspended, anyway, by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council.
A day after pleading not guilty to federal charges against him, embattled Burke County Sheriff Alfonzo Williams faced a grand jury indictment on state charges on Thursday.
Court documents show Williams was indicted Thursday on four felony counts:
• Two counts of making a false statement
• Two counts of theft by conversionAccording to the Burke County grand jury indictment, the false-statement counts stem from accusations that Williams entered bogus training records into the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council’s electronic system for a Waynesboro police officer.
Just the day before the Burke County indictment, Williams appeared in federal court in Augusta on charges he used his office to enrich himself by taking money to make DUI cases go away.
A federal grand jury indicted Williams on six counts in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia.
Stockbridge City Council rescheduled the hearing to investigate Mayor Jayden Williams’s alleged misuse of a purchasing card, according to the AJC.
The Stockbridge City Council postponed by one week an investigative hearing that could lead to the mayor’s removal from office, after his attorney argued the city failed to give him proper notice of the hearing as required by the city’s charter.
On Monday night, the council voted 4-0 to move the hearing into Mayor Jayden Williams purchasing card usage from Aug. 15 to Aug. 22, at 10 a.m.
The city has alleged that the 22-year-old Williams, the youngest mayor in the city’s history, spent more than $4,000 on donations and purchases, including at restaurants, stores and elsewhere, using city-issued purchasing cards. An independent investigator is looking into whether the mayor committed any ethical infractions or violations of the city’s code.
The investigative hearing will function similar to a trial. Council members anticipate hearing evidence from the investigator, Richard Hyde, and other witnesses during the proceeding.
Three Bibb County Sheriff’s Deputies were fired for alleged misuse of Flock camera data, according to 13WMAZ.
Bibb County Sheriff David Davis is speaking out after three deputies were charged with misusing Flock camera data.
Three deputies — Toni Lewis, Coznavian Stubbs and Joseph Callaway — were all charged with using Flock cameras for non-law enforcement purposes. They were all arrested and charged Monday for their alleged misuse of the technology.
Flock cameras are a law enforcement tool that collects licenses plate and vehicle data, which is often useful for tracking down missing people, fugitives or suspects of crime. But the technology has prompted fierce debates over privacy and safety.
The arrests came just one week after the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office confirmed an internal audit of potential Flock camera misuse, which came after the company notified the sheriff’s office of possible discrepancies.
In a statement, Sheriff Davis said the following: “The public entrusts law enforcement with access to powerful technology and sensitive information, and with that trust comes an absolute responsibility to use those resources only for legitimate law enforcement purposes. Once notified by Flock of possible irregularities, our internal audit identified this alleged misuse of the Flock system, and once it was discovered, we acted.”
“Flock technology can be a valuable tool in solving crimes and protecting our community, but no law enforcement tool should ever be used for personal purposes or in a manner that could infringe upon the privacy or constitutional rights of the citizens we serve. We have safeguards and auditing procedures in place for exactly this reason.”
“No employee is above the law or the standards of this office. We will continue to monitor and audit the use of this technology and take appropriate action whenever those standards are violated. Protecting the public also means protecting the public’s trust.”
In Polk County, the GBI arrested deputy Tracey Royston Friday on charges of misusing Flock license plate reader systems.
Last month, three officers were fired in Fayetteville for searching their own plates or that of family members for non-law enforcement purposes.
In Savannah, six employees were fired this month for their role in allegedly misusing Flock cameras.
Bibb County Sheriff Davis says the sheriff’s office will continue to monitor and audit the usage of Flock camera data, continuing to hold those who violate the law accountable.
Three Bibb County Sheriff’s officers were arrested Monday on charges including stalking and misuse of license plate data captured through Flock cameras, jail records show.
The incidents were “separate and involved individuals with whom each deputy had a personal relationship at the time,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
Joseph Marquee Callaway, 37, charged with three counts of stalking, two counts of prohibited use of traffic control device preemption emitter and one count of violation of oath of office by a public officer. He was hired as a jailer in 2014 and became a peace officer in 2016, state peace officer training records show. Callaway resigned from the sheriff’s office shortly after his arrest. His bond was set at $22,000, jail records show.
Coznavian Torsell Stubbs, 45, was charged with stalking, violation of oath of office by a public officer and prohibited use of traffic control device preemption emitter. He was hired in 2019 as a jailor and became a certified peace officer in June 2023. Stubbs resigned from the sheriff’s office Aug. 7, state records show. His bond was set at $11,000, according to jail booking information.
Toni Cierra Lewis, 32, is charged with violation of oath by a public officer, prohibited use of traffic control device preemption emitter and stalking. She was hired as a communications officer for E-911 in 2018 and transferred to work as a jailer in 2021. Lewis was certified as a peace officer in 2023. She resigned from the sheriff’s office on July 30, state records show. Lewis’s bond was set at $11,000, jail records show.
The county has more than 150 of the automatic license plate readers staked along roadsides. Recently, Flock, an Atlanta-based company, rolled out a feature that automatically audits each agency’s system every 30 days.
U.S. Rep. Mike Collins hosted a rally in Augusta for his U.S. Senate campaign, according to WJBF.
Collins held a rally at the Snelling Conference Center on Washington Road and was joined by Representative Rick Allen and CJ Pearson.
Collins is challenging the incumbent Senator Jon Ossoff (D).
During the rally, he spoke on immigration, healthcare, and data center.
“At the end of the day, this should be a local decision,” Collins said. “The people of each locality, they know what they can and can’t handle. You know, do we need data centers? We sure do. We certainly do. We’re in a race against China. But if it’s going to go in and hurt local infrastructure, then those people don’t deserve to have that happen to them.”
The first debate between the two candidates will take place Oct. 8, 2026. Voting day for the general election is Nov. 3, 2026.
Georgia Democrats are working to take control of the State House of Representatives, according to the AJC.
Democrats need a net gain of 10 seats to seize control of the chamber. A takeover is a long shot. But Democrats have a far better chance of narrowing an already thinning GOP majority, leaving Republicans with less wiggle room for defections or even routine absences.
The fight is taking shape across a remarkably broad battlefield, from Atlanta’s northern suburbs to exurban communities and rural stretches of Georgia where both parties see opportunities. And it’s unfolding across districts that will likely be redrawn after the election, meaning some Republicans fighting for political survival this year could get friendlier terrain two years from now while Democrats know a different map could limit their opportunities in 2028.
Democrats have prepared by opening dozens of offices staffed with 160 operatives around the state.
“Georgians need their elected leaders focused on making their lives more affordable, and we’re 10 winnable seats away from flipping the House chamber and making it happen,” said Georgia House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley.
Republicans, meanwhile, have spent the last two years preparing to defend their turf. House Speaker Jon Burns built a full-time political operation with year-round field staff to defend vulnerable incumbents and target other seats.
That makes the Democratic math to reach the 91 seats needed for control of the 180-member chamber particularly unforgiving.
“If Democrats don’t expect we’re going to take this seriously, they’re wrong,” said Carmen Foskey Bergman, executive director of Georgia House Republican Caucus.
These eight races show both the promise — and the peril — of Democrats’ path to 91.
HD 44: Don Parsons [R-i] vs. Danielle Bell
HD 48: Scott Hilton [R-i] vs. Adam Cleveland
House District 53: Deborah Silcox [R-i] vs. Beth Fuller
HD 105: Sandy Donatucci [R-i] vs. Farooq Mughal
HD 121: Eric Gisler [D-i] vs. Mack ‘Dutch’ Guest
HD 128: Tyrone A. Evans [D] vs. Trey Sheppard [R]
HD 145: Tangie Herring [D-i] vs. Eric Wilson
HD 154: Gerald Greene [R-i] vs. Harry James
Anna Fowler serves as acting District Attorney for the Northeastern Judicial Circuit, according to AccessNorthGA.
The acting district attorney for the Northeastern Judicial Circuit is stepping down from the role later this month.
Anna Fowler assumed the role of acting district attorney in June when District Attorney Lee Darragh took a leave of absence for medical reasons. Fowler will be leaving the Northeastern Judicial Circuit, which covers Hall and Dawson counties, to pursue a career in private practice, according to a statement released Friday, Aug. 7.
Fowler’s last day will be Aug. 21. Stepping up to fill the role will be current Chief Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Bagwell. Bagwell has nearly 30 years of experience as a prosecutor in the Northeastern Judicial Circuit.
Some Byron residents spoke in opposition to data centers, according to 13WMAZ.
A potential data center off Boy Scout Road drew a packed crowd and nearly an hour and a half of public comments at Monday night’s Byron City Council meeting.
The camp sits between Peach and Crawford counties; it’s been at the center of controversy as the fight over who controls the land between the city of Byron and Crawford County continues.
Council members spent the meeting working through a proposed ordinance that would regulate any future data centers at the site. Many people in the audience focused on noise and how it could affect nearby homes.
Mayor Michael Chidester said the council is taking those concerns seriously and that the ordinance is meant to address many of them.
Rome City Commissioners adopted a property tax millage rate, according to WRGA News.
The overall millage rate will not be increasing, but with the growth in the tax digest, it is still considered an increase of 1.4% over last year.
“For city M&O–maintenance and operations– the 2025 rate of 7.75, we would increase that to 8.2,” said Rome City Manager Sammy Rich. “For our city capital, we would go from 1.75 to 2.0. Rome City Schools, we would reduce from 16.75 down to 16.00.
So, you’ll see on that bottom line is exactly the same overall city mill rate 26.25 mills.”
Rome City Commission Mark Cochran voted against the millage rate.
“This is a tough call for me personally,” he said. “Because it’s either denying each [city] department or asking for residents to possibly pony up some more money, and so it’s who does without is the question. That’s hard for me.”
The millage rate was approved following the two final public hearings, in which no one from the public spoke.
The Glynn County Board of Education will hold their second meeting on their proposed property tax millage rate, according to The Brunswick News.
The Glynn County School Board will hold the first two of three public hearings today on the subject of the property tax rate for this year, which is not proposed to change from last year.
The school millage rate has remained the same the last two fiscal years — 14.9 mills — after dropping from 15.4 mills in FY 2025. Landowners may see larger property bills if their property values rose, however.
Glynn County Commissioners are raising the property tax millage rate, according to The Brunswick News.
The commission has tentatively adopted a 2026 millage rate that is 0.241 mills higher than it was, which translates into a 6.65% property tax increase.
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