German scientist Johannes Kepler dated the creation of the universe to April 27, 4977 BC(E).
On April 27, 1773, the British Parliament enacted the Tea Act, granting a monopoly on selling tea to the American colonies.
Richard B. Russell, Sr. was born on April 27, 1861 near Marietta, Georgia. Russell served in the Georgia House of Representatives, on the Georgia Court of Appeals and Supreme Court, and ran for Governor, Congress, and United States Senate. His son, Richard B. Russell, Jr. served in the Georgia State House, including a stint as Speaker, as Governor of Georgia, and in the United States Senate.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
The Brantley County wildfire continues burning, according to WTOC.
The Highway 82 Fire, which started on April 20th, has now burned 20,933 acres and is just 6% contained.
More than 400 personnel are assigned to the fire, along with multiple helicopters, engines, and heavy equipment. Crews have been working to strengthen containment lines along several roadways, including Boots Harrison Road and Albert Gibson Road, while also conducting controlled burns to remove fuel near homes and reinforce fire lines.
Mandatory evacuations remain in effect for parts of Brantley County. The evacuation zone is bounded by Highway 32 to the north, Highway 82 to the south, Highway 110 to the west, and Post Road to the east.
Emergency officials have also issued a countywide curfew from 8:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., and a burn ban is in place across all of south Georgia.
Road closures remain widespread, and officials warn that portions of Highway 82 could close intermittently if smoke and fog worsen. Drivers are urged to follow all barricades and law enforcement instructions.
A temporary flight restriction is also in place over the fire area, prohibiting drones and other aircraft from entering the airspace to avoid interfering with firefighting operations.
Parts of Brantley and Glynn Counties have been evacuated, according to the Savannah Morning News.
Mandatory and voluntary evacuation advisories have been issued for parts of Glynn County as the Brantley County fire reaches over 20,000 acres.
The Glynn County Board of Commissioners announced a voluntary and mandatory evacuation advisory Saturday night for several parts of the county. Officials say this has been issued out of caution to give residents additional time to prepare and relocate as fire behavior continues to shift.
On Sunday, officials mapped the Highway 82 fire at approximately 20,933 acres with 7% containment. According to the Brantley County Sheriff’s Office, an overnight infrared flight was used to map the fire, which detects heat signatures to identify active fire lines, hotspots and areas that can pose a threat.
In a Friday press conference, Gov. Brian Kemp said it is believed a balloon landing on a power line ignited the fire on Hwy 82. This, along with another fire on Clinch County’s Pineland Road, has been the cause of the most lost homes in Georgia’s history, according to authorities.
The Wayne County School System announced on Sunday that county schools are expected to maintain normal operations on Monday.
“If you feel that you cannot safely travel to school, please send a note with your child when they return,” said Wayne County schools.
The Brantley County School System said on Saturday that county schools will remain closed on Monday and Tuesday due to the ongoing fire conditions. Officials are monitoring the situation and are asking parents to stay up-to-date with school information on their Facebook page.
“Our hearts are with the families who have lost homes and/or had to evacuate,” the school district said on social media. “We remain deeply grateful for the tireless efforts of our emergency responders, safety teams and the many volunteers supporting Brantley families during this time.”
Another fire has burned more than 32,000 acres, according to WALB.
Firefighters continue battling a large wildfire burning in Clinch and Echols counties, according to the Georgia Forestry Commission.
The Pineland Road Fire has burned 32,331 acres approximately 13 miles northwest of Fargo, according to the Georgia Forestry Commission’s PIO Don Thomas. As of April 27, the fire is 10% contained with full suppression strategy in effect.
The fire started on April 18.
187 single residences and 123 minor structures are currently threatened, according to the Georgia Forestry Commission. One single residence has been destroyed and 35 minor structures have been destroyed to date.
Critical infrastructure including transportation corridors, utilities transmission and railroad lines is currently threatened, according to the Georgia Forestry Commission.
Widespread damage has already occurred and is imminent to industrial timber production, according to the Georgia Forestry Commission. Commercial bee operations are also at risk throughout the incident area.
According to the Georgia Forestry Commission, 140 civilians have been evacuated as a result of the fire.
Wayne County Animal Management is working to evacuate pets and livestock, according to WTOC.
Wayne County Animal Management said it cannot provide shelter space for residents seeking help with cat and dog pet evacuations.
The Jesup Pound has no available space, according to the agency. Local rescues and fosters in the county have opened their limited space to several large rescues from areas affected by the Brantley County wildfires for hundreds of animals.
The agency can help with transport if needed within limits of the local area or adjacent counties. A local rescue has a limited number of crate containers to loan out on a first come first serve basis for those who are able to find space and need a solution for containment.
Wayne County GA Animal Management has coordinated with local farms for equine evacuation support. Some space is available in Wayne County and more in adjacent counties.
Residents who receive a mandatory evacuation order and have equines that need moving and cannot coordinate their own evacuation can contact the office via message or call the recorded line at 912-559-5823 and leave a voicemail.
The agency said callers need to provide their full name, numerical address and contact number, the number, type and size of equine, whether they can transport themselves or need assistance with the evacuation, and whether they are bringing feed and supplies and what type.
Wayne County GA Animal Management said the farms are volunteers with lives, farms and expenses of their own. The volunteers cannot board horses indefinitely or feed them indefinitely without support. The agency said residents should have a plan with this in mind.
More on animal shelters and evacuations, from WALB.
Many residents in evacuation zones with pets or livestock are being urged to move their animals.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture issued the warning as the Pineland Road Fire continues to burn in Clinch and Echols counties.
If you receive a voluntary evacuation notice, leave immediately, according to the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture released a list of local animal evacuation shelters for those in need of assistance.
Animal evacuation shelters
• South Central Livestock, 146 Broad Road, Fitzgerald, 229-424-2550
• Thomasville Stockyard, 20975 U.S. Highway 19 North, Thomasville, 229-228-6960
• Flatwoods Kennels and Training, 4365 Williams Road, Valdosta, 229-460-2184
• Sunbelt Expo, 290 Harper Boulevard, Moultrie, 229-873-2029
• UGA Extension Tift, 1468 Carpenter Road, Tifton, 229-388-5414
• Seminole Livestock, 5061 Highway 91, Donalsonville, 229-724-3214Officials ask that you call the location to ask if they are available.
The Georgia Forestry Commission issued a burn ban for some counties, according to WJBF.
CSRA counties include:
Richmond, McDuffie, Columbia, Warren, Glascock, Jefferson, Burke, Jenkins, Screven, Emanuel, Johnson, [and] Washington.
Governor Brian Kemp just posted the following on his Facebook page:
“Starting today, much of South and Central Georgia are under a burn ban as we continue to respond to wildfires and deal with ongoing drought conditions. We’re asking all Georgians to do your part in preventing the spread of wildfires as response teams work around the clock to contain those currently blazing.”
He then shared a link to the Georgia Forestry Commission website for the following warning:
Georgia’s extreme drought is worsening and the risk of wildfires is rising, especially in southern region of the state. As a result, Georgia’s State Forester today issued a ban on outdoor burning for 91 counties in the lower half of the state.
“We need everyone to take this situation seriously,” said Georgia State Forester and Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) Director Johnny Sabo. “GFC’s wildland firefighters are responding daily to a near-record number of wildfires. It’s critical to remember that just one spark or ember can ignite a life-threatening wildfire.”
“Fully 98% of Georgia’s total land area is currently in moderate to exceptional drought conditions. The number of wildfires statewide in April has also now risen above Georgia’s five-year average.”
“I want to thank Director Sabo, Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, Georgia EPD, and all those working to address the impacts of this critical drought,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “Georgia Forestry responders are working hard to battle the wildfires caused by these dry conditions, and I’m encouraging all Georgians to do their part in helping them by adhering to this burn ban.”
“The burn ban area includes counties below metro Atlanta, running from Harris County in the west all the way to Columbia County in the east and south to the Florida state line. This is the first time in the agency’s history that a GFC mandatory ban on outdoor burning has been issued. The provisions of the GFC Burn Ban Order, found here, went into effect upon the State Forester’s signature and will remain in effect for 30 days, unless otherwise extended. The order prohibits, among other activities, prescribed burns as well as the burning of yard debris and agriculture material in the affected area.”
“The extreme drought conditions across Georgia are putting agriculture and forestry at significant risk, and I want to strongly encourage all Georgians to do the right thing and adhere to the Georgia Forestry Commission’s burn ban while these conditions persist,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J. Harper. “I am deeply grateful to Commissioner Sabo and the entire team at GFC for their tireless efforts to successfully contain wildfires across the state.”
“Chance of rain is unlikely for most of the affected area in the coming days. GFA will continue to work closely with local responders, the Governor’s Office, the Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Division, and other state and local partners to combat any wildfires and address the ongoing drought.”
Georgia fire officials responded to 15 new wildfires statewide, the Georgia Forestry Commission said over the weekend.
The new wildfires don’t include the Pineland Road Fire or the Highway 82 Fire in Brantley County, the commission said in an update on Saturday.
Fire officials said that the strong winds have been spreading the Georgia wildfires even as crews work feverishly to contain them.
“We know these fires are impacting communities across Georgia, and we are thinking of those facing uncertainty and loss,” the forestry commission said in a statement on Saturday.
The Pineland Road and Highway 82 fires have burned around 53,000 acres combined in southeast Georgia, officials said.
The Georgia wildfires are roughly 200+ miles southeast of Atlanta, or several hundred miles south/southeast depending on the exact spot.
Early voting has opened for the May 19, 2026 Primary Election, according to AccessWDUN.
Registered voters within Hall County are now able to cast early voter ballots for the primary election in Georgia held on May 19, 2026. Many area locations will be open during weekdays and on Saturdays for a limited schedule through May 15, 2026.
Early voting for the May 19 primary elections starts on Monday.
There are local, state, and federal contests on the ballot.
In Floyd County, you have three voting locations to choose from.
They are:
The Floyd County Elections Center on East 12th Street, the Anthony Recreation Center in Garden Lakes, and the Thornton Recreation Center in Armuchee.
Voting hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through May 15.
You can also vote on Saturday, May 2, from 9 am until 5 pm at the elections office only.
Weekend voting will also be available on Saturday, May 9, from 9 a.m. until 5 p,m., and on Sunday, May 10, from 1 to 5 pm.
Once again, weekend voting is only at the elections office.
Middle Georgia voters will have plenty on their ballots, according to the Macon Telegraph.
Voters across the state will have a chance to vote on two justice seats for the Supreme Court of Georgia and two seats for judges on the Court of Appeals. Justice Ben Land and Appellate judges Sara Doyl, David Todd Markle, and J. Wade Padgett are running uncontested.
Democrat and Republican voters will select a party representative in races for the U.S. Senate, Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, State Senate, Attorney General, Commissioner of Agriculture, Commissioner of Insurance, State School Superintendent, Commissioner of Labor, several Public Service Commissioner seats and several House of Representatives seats.
Bibb County Races and candidates on the ballot in the Macon area include:
Macon Water Authority At-Large: Gary Bechtel (incumbent), Desmond Brown
MWA District 2: Ron Lemon, Sharif Robbins-Brinson, Renoalda Scott, Marshall Talley
MWA District 4: Michael McKeever, Frank K. Patterson Jr. (incumbent), De’Ron Rogers
Bibb County Board of Education Post 7: Kerry Hatcher, Amy Morton
BOE Post 8: Jonathan Fisher, Lisa Garrett-Boyd (incumbent), Carlos McCloud, Nola McFadden.
Houston County Three board of education seats are the only contested races in Houston County:
BOE Post 2: Courtney Driver, Lori Johnson (incumbent) BOE Post 4: Sheila Ashley, Jonathan Nichols
BOE Post 6: Mark Ivory (incumbent), Andy Thomas
All voters will be asked if a 1% sales and use tax should be imposed for five years in Houston County, the proceeds of which will be used to “reduce property taxes imposed by Houston County and the municipalities of Warner Robins, Perry, and Centerville.”
Former Vice President Kamala Harris (D-California) has endorsed two challengers running for Georgia Supreme Court, according to Georgia Recorder.
Two candidates in a pair of important but down-ballot races got a boost from a big name at the last Democratic National Convention Friday.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris released a video urging Georgians to vote in the state Supreme Court races for attorney and former state Sen. Jen Jordan and Miracle Rankin, a personal injury attorney and former president of the Georgia Association of Black Women.
“It’s going to be about who’s going to maintain and protect your rights and your freedoms, who’s going to stand for the rule of law,” said Harris, who ran for president in 2024. “And there are two candidates who are extraordinary, Miracle Rankin and Jen Jordan, and I urge you to please go to the polls and support them in their election to be on the Georgia Supreme Court.”
Jordan is challenging Justice Sarah Warren and Rankin is facing Justice Charlie Bethel.
The seats are nonpartisan, but Rankin and Jordan are both associated with the Democratic Party, and Jordan served as a Democrat in the state Senate.
Bethel served as a Republican state senator, and Warren and Bethel were both appointed to the bench by former Republican Gov. Nathan Deal and have been endorsed by current Republican Gov. Brian Kemp.
Because they are, on paper, nonpartisan races, the Supreme Court race will be settled next month rather than continuing to November like the partisan races which will take up most of the ballot.
Party ballot questions will also appear on the Primary ballot, according to WABE.
Georgia state Republican ballot measures
Georgia voters who request a Republican ballot for the May primary election will see a list of questions on a variety of issues.
• Should Georgia enact the strongest election integrity measures possible, which may include hand marked paper ballots, fines for counties that refuse to maintain current voter rolls, and restrictions on no-excuse absentee voting to restore trust in elections?
• Should Georgia prohibit judges from releasing criminal defendants accused of murder and other felonies without posting secure bail?
• Should Georgia extend the death penalty to include sexual crimes against children?
• Should the United States Constitution be amended to limit the number of Supreme Court Justices to a maximum of nine to prevent partisan court packing schemes?
• Should Georgia require public school systems to make all instructional materials and library content publicly accessible online for parental review?
• Do you support making Georgia energy-independent by prioritizing American oil/gas production, reducing regulations, and delivering lower energy costs for families?
• Do you support banning cellphone use in Georgia public schools to improve student focus, safety, and discipline?
• Should Georgia enact laws punishing state and local law enforcement who refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities in the deportation of illegal aliens charged with serious crimes?
Georgia state Democratic ballot measures
There are two questions on the ballot for Georgians who request a Democratic ballot for the May primary.
• Should the state of Georgia raise the sales tax on everyday items like clothing, food and school supplies to pay for an income tax cut that would make millionaires and billionaires richer?
• Is it ethical for political candidates who have used their public offices to enrich themselves and their families, or have had nearly a billion dollars of business dealings with the state of Georgia, to hold statewide office?
Four Democrats are running for the nomination for the Seventh Congressional District, according to AccessWDUN.
They are hoping to unseat Incumbent Republican Rich McCormick in November, and Friday saw a step toward the May 19 primary to whittle the field down from four to one.
The Forsyth County Democrats hosted a debate between all of the candidates, which is embedded in this article in its full length.
Immigration attorney Tony Kozycki, retired Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) scientist Larry Long, camera technician Case Norton, and environmental health scientist and PhD candidate at Stanford University Jayson Toweh got the chance to let voters know where they stand in Forsyth County.
The four candidates were asked 21 questions in a rapid fire segment, as well as what makes them the most qualified to beat McCormick in November.
On May 19, 2026, voters will nominate candidates for the Public Service Commission, according to the Savannah Morning News.
Two seats for the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) will open again this year.
Last December, the all-Republican commission unanimously voted to approve Georgia Power’s 10 megawatt grid expansion. Now, there are two Democrats edging closer to a majority. In November, Democrats Peter Hubbard and Alicia Johnson swept the vote in a landslide victory in an election that Georgians hadn’t seen in five years.
And Democrats hope they can continue the momentum for Districts 2 and 5.
“If we have a different commission, I can look even harder at the resources that we’re building and decide if these continue to be what we should be building,” said Hubbard, the current PSC District 2 Commissioner.
Hubbard, elected last November, will again run against his former competitor Republican Fitz Johnson, appointed by Governor Brian Kemp in 2021.
A judge this week ordered that Johnson was eligible for re-election, after a Dekalb resident filed a complaint that Johnson does not reside in District 2, home to the Fulton County and the Atlanta area, where Johnson aims to preside. Republican candidate Brandon Martin has also thrown his hat into the ring.
Like Johnson, Hubbard ran on a platform of affordability, endorsed by energy and environmental nonprofits, as well as the Georgia Conservation of Voters. This message was something that former PSC commissioner Tim Echols, ousted by Johnson, attributes to their win.
“They were able to get folks looking at that power bill, and promising lower rates,” said Echols.
But as for reigning in resources demanded by Georgia Power, that attempt has so far been unsuccessful in a majority Republican commission, said Hubbard. Two of the three sitting Republican commissioners have received campaign contributions from Georgia Power-related individuals and affiliates.
“We have to convince a third Commissioner to come on board, and so far, we haven’t been successful in that,” said Hubbard, who has pledged to not accept any such contributions.
It’s a 3 v. 3 between Democrats and Republicans for District 5, representing the middle section of east Georgia.
The seat was formerly held by Tricia Pridemore, who announced her decision in February to not seek re-election.
Democrats Angelia Pressley, Craig Cupid and Sheila Edwards, along with Republicans Joshua Aaron Tolbert, Carolyn Roddy and Bobby Mehan will run for the seat.
Democrats may have momentum headed into the May 19, 2026 Primary Elections, according to the Savannah Morning News.
Early voting in the primary starts April 27, and election day is May 19 across the state. A marathon of debates will be held over three days starting Sunday, and will give candidates across the state a chance to make their final case.
From the governor to school boards, dozens of seats will be on the ballot this year as the national political landscape remains tense. Midterm elections are always a referendum on the party in power, but this year possibly more than ever, Republicans across the country will have to account for low approval ratings in Washington, D.C.
In the Peach State, a recent runoff election in the 14th congressional district saw the greatest performance by a Democrat ever, from retired Brigadier General Shawn Harris, even if he didn’t bring home the win in a deep red region of the state. Trump-endorsed Republican district attorney Clay Fuller won the seat once held by controversial former MAGA star Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Harris’ near success poses an important question for the rest of the state: is Georgia leaning blue in the midterms?
Democrats were pulling ahead in both major races in Georgia, according to polling published April 21 by Echelon Insights.
In the race for governor, former Democratic mayor of Atlanta Keisha Lance Bottoms wins against Brad Raffensperger, Rick Jackson, or Burt Jones, one of whom will likely be the Republican candidate.
Bottoms wins 49% of the vote against Jones’ 43%, the polls show, and she wins by the same margin against Jackson. Against Raffensperger, Bottoms comes out on top with 46% of the vote to his 44%.
The poll did not compare other possible Democratic nominees (like Geoff Duncan, Michael Thurmond or Jason Esteves) against a Republican ticket.
Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff is running for reelection unopposed in the primary for his U.S. Senate seat, but the polls also show him winning against possible Republican challengers in the general midterm.
Against Buddy Carter, Ossoff wins 52% to 43%. In a race against Mike Collins, Ossoff wins by a slightly smaller margin with 51% of the vote to Collins’ 44%. The poll did not compare Ossoff to Kemp-backed Derek Dooley.
Andra Gillespie, an associate professor in political science at Emory University, however, warns against reading too far into the polling. In Georgia, only 407 people were polled, with a margin of error of 6.5 points.
“The biggest problem with these polls is the low sample size, and so with that margin of error of 6.5%, somebody is going to have to be ahead by more than 13 points for me to be able to say statistically that they’re ahead,” Gillespie said in an interview with USA TODAY. “I think if you’re looking for granularity, you’re going to have to have a larger sample size.”
“When you have this many candidates, and especially this many candidates with the profiles that they have, it’s highly likely that one of them is not going to be able to get 50% of the vote,” Gillespie said. “So that means that on the MAGA side there is a choice of two and the establishment side has a choice of two” on the Republican ballot.
“I think that the results point to a mood and align with some of the things that people are seeing in some of the national polls about Democrats being more engaged in this election,” Gillespie said. “If there’s more excitement on the Democratic side, then you would expect higher turnout and then higher voter support for Democratic candidates. Again in a midterm year, it’s not unusual for the president’s party to lose seats in Congress, so I would expect Democrats to perform better than usual… I think that is a harbinger for Democratic enthusiasm.”
In a recent interview, Gov. Kemp said Republicans have a “tough cycle” ahead of them.
“I’ve told a lot of Republicans out there, a midterm election with a Republican president is tough enough already, no matter who that president is, and we better stay focused on 2026,” Kemp said. “If we don’t stay focused like we were back (in 2018), because it’s going to be very close to re-win our governor’s race in Georgia, to get back the U.S. Senate race, that is what we need to focus on.”
That won’t really be what the primary, and general, race will be about though in the Republican base, Gillespie said. It will be about the president.
“I believe that Burt Jones is not just a loyal Trump ally, but I think he’s a sincere Trump ally. So it would be weird for him to try and moderate himself, it doesn’t fit his brand and I don’t think it’s part of his DNA,” Gillespie said. “I think the really curious strategy is Rick Jackson’s because he is a political novice. I’ll be really curious to see whether or not it was a strategic or advantageous choice for him to align himself so squarely with the MAGA base.”
A Democratic internal memo points to gains in the general election, according to the AJC.
In an internal strategy memo sent out this morning, party chair Charlie Bailey brands the GOP primary a self-inflicted bloodbath and unveils a new “Peach State Gubernatorial War Room” to target Republicans through November.
The memo points to national handicappers rating Georgia among the likeliest gubernatorial flips and argues the state’s political momentum is shifting left.
“We clearly have momentum on our side, and Georgia Democrats are clear-eyed in our commitment to elect a governor who will actually work to make life better — and more affordable — for the people of Georgia,” the memo reads.
Candidates for the First Congressional District appeared in a forum, according to WSAV.
The Atlanta Press Club Loudermilk-Young Debate Series’ Democratic and Republican debates for the U.S. Congressional District 1 were held Sunday.
WSAV News 3’s Tina Tyus-Shaw moderated and Margaret Coker, editor-in-Chief of The Current, and Orlando Montoya, a news producer at Georgia Public Broadcasting, posed questions to the candidates.
District 1 is in the southeast corner of Georgia and cities include Savannah, Brunswick, Jesup and Waycross.
According to the Atlanta Press Club, all candidates who qualified to have their name on the ballot were invited to participate in the debate.
Democratic candidates participating in Sunday’s debate were (in alphabetical order) Amanda Hollowell, Michael McCord, Joey Palimeno, Pat Wilver and Randy Zurcher. Defonsio Daniel, Joyce Marie Griggs and Sharon Williamson were not present.
Republican candidates participating in Sunday’s debate were (in alphabetical order) Pat Farrell, Jim Kingston, Brian Montgomery, Krista Penn, Kandiss Taylor and Eugene Yu.
Republican candidates for U.S. Senate also debated, according to the AJC.
The three top Republican contenders for U.S. Senate met Sunday for the first time on a debate stage, sharpening their strategies in real time as they compete for the nomination to take on Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff.
U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter showed off a newly aggressive posture against fellow U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, echoing attack ads he launched last week that targeted his rival over a pending ethics complaint accusing Collins’ office of misusing taxpayer dollars.
Collins dismissed the allegations as a “bogus” complaint from an anonymous critic, then used the Atlanta Press Club showdown to highlight his own case that he is the best candidate to defend President Donald Trump’s agenda.
Derek Dooley took a different tack, blending an outsider pitch with a more pragmatic critique of Washington dysfunction. He argued that Republicans need a different kind of leadership to take on Ossoff and break through the gridlock in Congress.
They shared the stage with Jonathan McColumn and John Coyne, two long-shot contenders who have struggled to break through.
The sharpest moment of the debate came when Carter went directly at Collins over the ethics complaint, turning the accusations into a blunt warning about electability.
Carter’s message to Republican voters was simple. If you nominate Collins, he said, Democrats will mercilessly weaponize the complaint to help Ossoff.
“If taxpayers can’t trust you to properly steward their money, how can they trust you to be a U.S. senator?” Carter asked.
Collins was ready.
“You know, Buddy, I can tell through your voice that you know how the polling is going,” he said, dismissing the complaint as a politically motivated shot, then unloading on Carter as a career politician with an unreliable conservative record.
“I also find it very embarrassing that you’re out there campaigning as a conservative, but you vote as a liberal,” Collins said. “So if you want a conservative, he’s not your buddy.”
Birth control could be available over the counter if Governor Kemp signs House Bill 1138 by State Rep. Beth Camp (R-Concord), according to the Macon Telegraph.
Georgia just passed legislation that authorizes pharmacists to dispense and administer birth control pills and injections without a prescription from a doctor.
House Bill 1138, now sent to Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk, is a significant stride in women’s health and comes at a time when Georgia is reaching a healthcare crisis. As of 2024, 82 Georgia counties had no OB-GYN, and 19 counties had no family medicine doctor at all.
The bill, which had strong support in both the Senate and House, will clear the way for patients to obtain access to birth control with no appointment, no referral and no long wait time, making it a significant upgrade for many people in Georgia.
Georgia State Representative Beth Camp (R-Concord) is the primary sponsor of the bill, which is also known as the Increasing Access to Contraceptives Act.
Pharmacists are not required to participate with the act, and it has an opt-in conscience clause for those who don’t.
Coverage includes:
• Birth control pills, the Depo-Provera shot, and NuvaRing, with language designed to be inclusive of future contraceptive options
• Access to patients 18 and older; those under 18 must show evidence of a previous prescription from a doctor
• First-time patients to get a three-month supply; subsequent visits allow up to a 12-month supplyConditions of HB 1138
There are a few conditions patients should know before heading to the pharmacy counter.
• Pharmacists are required to notify a patient’s primary care doctor if contraception is dispensed Patients without a primary doctor will be advised to get one
• Health insurance policies and Medicaid must cover at least a three-month supply of birth control under the legislation
• The law won’t take effect until 2027 (deadline for the Department of Public Health and the State Board of Pharmacy to finalize rules)Options for birth control in the meantime
The 2027 implementation date means local pharmacies won’t be dispensing under the new law for at least a year.
U.S. District Court Judge Eleanor Ross sentenced former State Rep. Karen Bennett, (D-Stone Mountain), according to the AJC.
A federal judge in Atlanta on Thursday sentenced former state Rep. Karen Bennett to time served for lying to the government to receive unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.
U.S. District Court Judge Eleanor Ross required Bennett to pay $13,940 in restitution for the money she improperly took, a $1,000 fine and a $100 administrative fee.
Bennett, a Stone Mountain Democrat, pleaded guilty to the felony charge in January.
Bennett applied for pandemic unemployment assistance in 2020. She claimed that she lost wages related to her physical therapy business and had been seeking employment, despite the fact she held an administrative role and worked from home, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford.
The program provided assistance to those who were unable to work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bradford said that Bennett acknowledged she was receiving $300 a week from her role as a lawmaker, but she failed to disclose the weekly $905 she was receiving from working at a church.
Some judges in Chatham County are worried about the effects of “smart glasses” in the courtroom, according to the Savannah Morning News.
As wearable technology becomes more sophisticated, judges in Chatham County are confronting a new challenge: how to prevent discreet recording devices from entering courtrooms.
Officials recently began discussing the issue after learning about the growing popularity of Ray Ban Meta smart glasses, which allow users to record audio and video through small cameras embedded in eyeglass frames.
According to Chief Judge John Morse, the court first became aware of the glasses a few months ago during the court’s monthly security meetings with the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office.
Since then, court security personnel have been asked to remain vigilant for such recording devices. While Morse said he is unsure whether formal training has been implemented, deputies assigned to courthouse security are expected to watch for the devices.
The rise of camera equipped glasses has also sparked broader national debate about privacy and surveillance. Because the devices look like ordinary eyewear, critics say they can make it difficult for others to know when they are being recorded.
Over 75 advocacy groups issued a letter this month warning that the glasses create “a serious threat to privacy and civil liberties for every member of our society.”
The letter came in response to reports that Meta plans to add real time facial recognition to its smart glasses.
Back in the Chatham County courthouse, signs have been posted throughout the buildings warning visitors that recording is prohibited. Those notices appear outside elevators, courtroom doors and other entry points on rotating virtual signage.
Recording devices including phones, cameras and wearable technology are generally prohibited during many courtroom proceedings. The rules are intended to protect the integrity of trials and the safety of those involved.
“The courtroom is a public courtroom,” Morse said. “But from a safety standpoint, if certain things are published from the courtroom and exposed outside for purposes that are not proper, it can create problems.”
One major concern involves juries. Morse said courts work carefully to prevent jurors from being influenced by outside information.
“The jury is almost in a little silo to an extent,” he said. “We are doing our best to keep them from being contaminated with anything from the outside and to pay attention only to what is going on in the courtroom.”
Unauthorized recordings that circulate online could introduce commentary, interpretations or misinformation that might reach jurors during a trial. Filming jurors themselves can also present safety risks.
“Filming the identity of jurors in various cases can be problematic,” Morse said, noting that it could lead to intimidation or attempts to influence jurors.
Comments ( 0 )