On August 15, 1903, Georgia Governor Joseph Terrell signed legislation requiring that Georgia schools teach elementary agriculture and civics.
The Panama Canal opened on August 15, 1914. On September 7, 1977, President Jimmy Carter signed a treaty promising to give the Canal to Panama.
The State Highway Department was created on August 16, 1916 to comply with federal funding requirements, when Georgia Governor Nathaniel Harris signed legislation by the General Assembly.
Georgia Governor Hugh Dorsey signed legislation creating the State Department of Banking on August 16, 1919.
Georgia Governor Thomas Hardwick signed legislation creating the Georgia State Board of Forestry on August 15, 1921.
Georgia Governor Clifford Walker signed legislation changing the method of execution in Georgia from hanging to the electric chair on August 16, 1924.
On August 15, 1969, the Woodstock Festival began in upstate New York.
On August 16, 1974, The Ramones played their first public show at CBGB in New York.
Elvis Presley died on August 16, 1977.
Apocalypse Now by Francis Ford Coppolla was released on August 15, 1979.
Paul Anderson, known for years as the “Strongest Man in the World” for his weightlifting feats, died on August 15, 1994 in Vidalia, Georgia. Anderson was born in 1932 in Toccoa, Georgia. He won an Olympic gold medal in the sport of weightlifting in 1956.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
Condolences to Senator David Perdue and his family on the loss of his mother.
Gervaise Wynn Perdue, mother of Georgia Sen. David Perdue, died Sunday night following a slow decline in her health.
A schoolteacher for more than 30 years, she established one of the state’s first programs for gifted students in the Houston County School System. Her husband of 49 years, the late David A. Perdue, served as superintendent of Houston County schools for 20 years.
“Both my parents dedicated their lives to educating the children of Houston County,” Sen. Perdue said Monday in a statement.
She was born in Irwin County, Georgia, in 1926. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Georgia and a specialist in education certification from Mercer University in 1971.
Senator Johnny Isakson has released his first ad in the General Election campaign. See it above. From an email the campaign sent with the ad:
U.S. Senator and Senate candidate Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., released “Kate,” the first ad of his 2016 general election campaign. The video is a tribute to young Georgian Kate Puzey and thousands of Americans who volunteer to represent America in faraway places trying to help others. The ad features Kate’s mother, Lois Puzey.
The 60-second ad, “Kate,” can be viewed here.
After reading Kate’s obituary in the newspaper and attending her funeral in 2009, Johnny reached out to the Puzey parents asking how he could help. Johnny has traveled twice to the African country of Benin seeking justice for Kate’s murder and he successfully pushed Congress to pass a law giving Peace Corps volunteers the same whistleblower protections that federal employees have. Johnny keeps a framed photo of Kate and one of her African students on his desk.
“This young woman was a bright shining star trying to help young children thousands of miles from her Georgia home,” said Johnny. “I see Kate’s face every day, and it reminds me of my mission as an elected official.”
Suspects in Kate’s murder have been in custody in the country of Benin for several years, and the legal case is ongoing.
Below is a transcript of Mrs. Lois Puzey’s words in the video:
“Kate was just the sunshine of our life. She was just a beautiful spirit.
“She taught English in the northern part of Benin. My husband always worried about her there.
“There was this one teacher who was actually abusing the girls. He actually raped a young girl.
“Kate reported him. He lost his job. A few days later, Katie was found murdered in her house, and our lives were shattered.
“It is hard for me every single day to live without my daughter, Kate.
“Johnny Isakson read about it in the newspaper and felt so much sorrow for us. He said, ‘You know if there’s ever anything I can do, just please call me.’
“So much was done to honor her, and a lot of that is due to Johnny Isakson.
“He keeps a picture of her on his desk.
“Johnny Isakson helped get justice for our daughter in Benin. He also was able to get a law passed that better protects Peace Corps volunteers.
“I’m a lifelong Democrat. I am so grateful that he was my senator.”
In addition to the 60-second ad, a 30-second version will also be shown on broadcast and cable television across Georgia.
Members of the media can learn more about Kate’s story, along with Isakson’s work on her behalf by clicking here.
The AJC Political Insider brings some of Senator Isakson’s thoughts on transit.
It was Friday morning in Sandy Springs. Following a breakfast address to local business leaders, the Republican incumbent was going one-on-one with an express lane of reporters. The last asked him about transportation in metro Atlanta. The future of rail in particular.
“Mass transit is a part of the puzzle. It’s not the end-all solution. It’s certainly part of the solution,” Isakson began. “You can’t pave enough lanes to solve the problem.”
“North of the North Springs station — there’s been lots of talk about taking MARTA to Milton. Voters are there. They would be willing to do it. It would have to be a heavy rail line. There is a BRT – bus rapid transit – proposal involved in that, where you would use dedicated lanes instead of heavy rail traffic, which is a lot more expenses.
“But I think North Fulton people are ready for us to come up with a solution to get them a better connection to the airport through the North Springs MARTA Station, but that’s going to take about 7.2 miles of accessibility and make it available to them.”
My favorite Olympic headline so far reads, “Alabama Legislator Angry That “State of Georgia” Allowed in Olympics”.
Friday afternoon, Alabama State Senator Fred Q. Calhoun, (R-Delbert, Ala.) published an open letter to the International Olympic Committee’s President, Thomas Bach, complaining that it was unfair for the committee to allow only one U.S. state to participate as an independent team in this year’s Summer Olympic Games.
“As I was watching last night’s Olympic games with my family, I was stunned to see that Georgia was permitted to participate as an independent entity,” penned the freshman lawmaker.
“Alabama athletes are among the world’s most talented and passionate competitors… On behalf of the nearly 5 million people who call the Yellow Hammer State home, we request that Alabama be allowed to compete in future Olympic games — just as you’ve permitted the State of Georgia to do,” concluded the state senator.
Of course, there is no Alabama legislator name Fred Calhoun, but it was good for a laugh.
A Macon couple has filed a federal lawsuit claiming that Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney David Cooke seized legal coin-operated games from their businesses.
Their lawsuit claims that Cooke has a practice of seizing businesses that use those legal machines, to “extort” funds from the defendants.
“Cooke creates an unaccountable fund with the revenue generated from these illegal seizures… and them expends them, in violation of the Georgia Constitution, on items that he believes will garner him favor with his constituency.”
“The claim is false. It’s going to be proven to be false, and I’m just looking forward to defending not only the integrity and practices of my office, but also the officers who are involved in this case,” said Cooke.
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