On February 11, 1733, the first military formation in Georgia was held, as male colonists assembled with their muskets.
Thursday is Georgia Day, celebrating the founding of the Thirteenth Colony on February 12, 1733.
After years of planning and two months crossing the Atlantic, James Oglethorpe and 114 colonists climbed 40 feet up the bluff from the Savannah River on this day in 1733 and founded the colony of Georgia.
George II granted the Georgia trustees a charter for the colony a year earlier. The trustees’ motto was Non Sibi Sed Allis—not for self but for others. Georgia would be a philanthropic and military enterprise that would provide the “worthy” poor a new start and serve as a buffer between Spanish Florida and the English colonies.
The trustees prohibited slavery and large landholdings….
On February 11, 1776, Georgia Royal Governor Sir James Wright escaped from house arrest in Savannah to a waiting British warship HMS Scarborough.
Congress enacted the first fugitive slave law, on February 12, 1793 requiring states to return runaway slaves to their owners, even if the state in which the slave was captured did not permit slavery.
Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 in Hodgenville, Kentucky.
On February 12, 1867, the editor of the Milledgeville Federal Union expressed dismay at the rapidity with which Atlanta was growing and basically everything about Atlanta.
“Atlanta is certainly a fast place in every sense of the word, and our friends in Atlanta are a fast people. They live fast and they die fast. They make money fast and they spend it fast. They build houses fast, and they burn them down fast… . They have the largest public buildings, and the most of them, and they pass the most resolutions of any people, ancient or modern. To a stranger the whole city seems to be running on wheels, and all of the inhabitants continually blowing off steam.”
Burt Reynolds was born on February 11, 1936 in Lansing, Michigan, though some accounts say Waycross, Georgia. Beginning with Deliverance, filmed along the Chattooga River in North Georgia in 1972, Georgia rose to number three in the nation for film production while Reynolds’s star rose to prominence. Other Reynolds movies filmed in Georgia include The Longest Yard, Gator, Smokey and the Bandit, Cannonball Run, and Sharky’s Machine.
On February 12, 1999, the United States Senate voted 55-45 against convicting impeached President Bill Clinton on a charge of perjury. Senator Paul Coverdell voted guilty and Senator Max Cleland voted not guilty. On the second charge of obstructing justice, Coverdell and 49 other Republicans voted guilty and Cleland joined 49 other senators in voting not guilty. A two-thirds vote of the Senate is required to convict a President, so Clinton was acquitted on both counts.
On February 12, 2014, most of Georgia state government was closed by Executive Order because of an ice storm.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
House District 130 voters go to the polls next week in Special Election early voting, according to WRDW.
Early voting starts next week for the special election for House District 130.
Voting will go from 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday the next two weeks. Voters also can vote on Sunday March 1st through the 6th during that same time at the Municipal Building.
Election day for this race is March 10th.
Candidates include Democrats Karen Gordon, LaFawn Pinkney-Mealing, Sha’Quanta Calles, and Shelia Nelson. Republicans include Thomas McAdams and David Carson.
This is for the seat held by state Rep. Lynn Heffner, who is resigning.
Senate District 18 voters go to the polls this week and next Tuesday in a Special Runoff Election to fill a vacancy, according to the AJC.
Voters are deciding between LeMario Brown, a Democrat, and Steven McNeel, a Republican, after the two emerged from a six-way runoff election last month. Five Republicans and one Democrat ran in the special election for Senate District 18.
Brown and McNeel are vying for the seat vacated by John F. Kennedy, R-Macon, who stepped down last year to focus on his run for lieutenant governor.
Democrats have made it a point to challenge every race for the past year’s several special elections, overperforming in districts routinely held by Republicans.
In most cases where a runoff was required, the Democrat narrowed the point spread with the Republican candidate, but ultimately lost. A Democrat flipped an Athens-area House seat last year.
But McNeel, 46, said he feels good going into election night.
“Campaigning is getting better and better,” McNeel said. “It certainly helps having Gov. (Brian) Kemp and Lt. Gov. (Burt) Jones’ endorsement. And I have the (Senate) Republican Caucus and the state party’s endorsements.”
Early voting began Monday. Election day is Feb. 17.
Under the Gold Dome Today & Tomorrow
TBD Senate Rules : Upon Adj 450 CAP
7 AM Senate Approp: Crim Just & Public Sfty Sub 450 CAP
7 AM Senate Approp: Education & Higher Ed Sub 307 CLOB
8 AM HOUSE WAYS & MEANS 406 CLOB
8 AM HOUSE AGRICULTURE & CONS AFF 606 CLOB
9 AM HOUSE RULES 341 CAP
10 AM HOUSE FLOOR SESSION (LD17) House Chamber
10 AM Senate Floor Session (LD 17) Senate Chamber
1 PM HOUSE PUB SAFETY & HOMELAND SEC 506 CLOB
1 PM HOUSE Approp Sub Health 341 CAP
1 PM HOUSE JUDICIARY JUVENILE 403 CAP
1 PM HOUSE Reg Ind Sub Occ/Prof Lic 415 CLOB
1 PM HOUSE HIGHER EDUCATION 606 CLOB
1 PM Senate Approp: Transportation Sub 450 CAP
2 PM HOUSE TECH & INFRA INNOV 406 CLOB
2 PM HOUSE RURAL DEV 515 CLOB
2 PM HOUSE DEFENSE & VETS AFF 132 CAP
2:30 PM HOUSE GAME, FISH & PARKS 415 CLOB
3 PM HOUSE GOVTAL AFFAIRS 606 CLOB
3 PM HOUSE INDUSTRY & LABOR 506 CLOB
3 PM Senate Finance MEZZ 1
4 PM Senate Health & HS 450 CAP
Thursday – February 12, 2026
TBD Senate Rules : Upon Adjournment 450 CAP
8 AM HOUSE NATL RES & ENVT 606 CLOB
8 AM HOUSE Approp Sub Transportation 403 CAP
8 AM HOUSE Approp Sub Higher Education 415 CLOB
8 AM Senate Govt Oversight 307 CLOB
10 AM Floor Session (LD 18) Senate Chamber
10 AM (?) HOUSE FLOOR SESSION (LD 18)
1 PM HOUSE Approp Sub Human Resources 406 CLOB
1 PM HOUSE Approp Sub Judicial 341 CAP
1 PM Senate Education & Youth 307 CLOB
2 PM Senate Judiciary 307 CLOB
2 PM DOT Board Election- District 4 Senate Chamber
2:30 PM DOT Board Election- District 11 Senate Chamber
3 PM Senate Regulated Ind & Util 450 CAP
4 PM Senate Insurance & Labor MEZZ 1
Governor Brian Kemp appointed Kristi Goodwin Connell as Superior Court Judge for the Augusta Judicial Circuit, which serves Burke and Richmond counties, according to a Letter to the Editor published in the Augusta Chronicle.
On behalf of the State Bar of Georgia, I am writing to extend congratulations to Columbia Judicial Circuit Assistant District Attorney Kristi Goodwin Connell on her appointment by Gov. Brian Kemp to serve as a Superior Court judge for the Augusta Judicial Circuit, covering Burke and Richmond counties.
Judge Connell will be well served by her 25 years of experience in the legal profession and justice system. Before serving as an assistant district attorney in Columbia County, she was a partner with the Connell Law Firm, where her practice focused on civil, domestic, and criminal defense matters. She began her legal career in the Augusta Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, where she became chief assistant district attorney.
By accepting this appointment, Judge Kristi Connell demonstrates her continued commitment to serving the public and the justice system. We wish her well in this capacity of judicial leadership.
Governor Brian Kemp’s Office released state revenue numbers for January 2026, according to a Press Release.
The State of Georgia’s net tax collections in the month of January totaled $3.03 billion, for a decrease of $18.1 million, or 0.6%, compared to January 2025, when net tax collections totaled $3.05 billion for the month. Year-to-date, net tax revenue collections through seven months totaled roughly $19.75 billion, for an increase of 345.6 million, or 1.8%, compared to FY 2025, when net tax collections totaled almost $19.41 billion.
The changes within the following tax categories account for January’s overall net tax revenue decrease:
Individual Income Tax: Individual Income Tax collections in January totaled nearly $1.57 billion, down from a total of roughly $1.59 billion in fiscal year 2025, for a decrease of $27.4 million, or 1.7%.
The following notable components within Individual Income Tax combine for the net decrease:
• Individual Income Tax refunds issued (net of voided checks) increased by $25 million or 44.1%
• Income Tax Withholding payments decreased by $59.1 million, or 4.4%, compared to last year
• Individual Income Tax Estimated payments increased by $37.9 million, or 18.4%, over January 2025
• All other Individual Tax categories, including Tax Return payments, were up a combined $18.8 million
Sales and Use Tax: Gross Sales and Use Tax collections in January approached $1.93 billion, for an increase of $79.1 million, or 4.3%, over FY 2025. Net Sales and Use Tax increased by $36.3 million, or 4%, compared to last year, when net Sales Tax totaled $910.4 million. The adjusted Sales Tax distribution to local governments totaled $952.2 million, for an increase of $21.8 million. Sales Tax refunds increased by $21 million, or 348.2%.
Corporate Income Tax: Corporate Income Tax collections for the month totaled $122.8 million, which was a decrease of $38.1 million, or 23.7%, from last year, when net Corporate Tax revenues totaled $160.9 million.
The following notable components within Corporate Income Tax make up the net decrease:
• Corporate Income Tax refunds issued (net of voided checks) were up $1.5 million or 4.1%
• Corporate Income Tax Estimated payments decreased by $27.5 million, or 26.7%, from last year
• Corporate Income Tax Return payments decreased by $10 million, or 24.1%, from January 2025
• All other Corporate Tax payments, including S-Corporation payments, were up a combined $0.9 million
Motor Fuel Taxes: Motor Fuel Tax collections during the month increased by $0.3 million, or 0.2%, compared to last year, when motor fuel tax collections totaled $193.6 million in January FY 2025.
Motor Vehicle – Tag, Title & Fees: Motor Vehicle Tag & Title Fee collections for the month decreased by $3.8 million, or 10.8%, while Title ad Valorem Tax (TAVT) collections increased by $0.2 million, or 0.3%.
The Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce heard from state legislators and fed them tasty seafood, according to the Savannah Morning News.
At the event, Savannah Area Chamber President and CEO Bert Brantley said the listening sessions were to give Savannah leaders topics to discuss with lawmakers during the roast. This year’s sessions included updates on major infrastructure projects from the Georgia Department of Transportation, key items in Gov. Brian Kemp’s proposed budget and appearances by top state constitutional officers.
Few infrastructure projects in the Savannah region draw attention like the future of the Talmadge Bridge, the signature cable-stayed bridge that spans the Savannah River and connects Georgia to South Carolina.
The chamber’s Atlanta event brought news that construction for the bridge’s cable maintenance project is expected to begin this year, a significant milestone for a project set to raise the bridge to accommodate larger shipping vessels. The project contract was first awarded in late 2023, and substantial completion on the project is expected in 2030, according to a GDOT presentation last week.
“Now this is going to be a little bit like watching grass grow,” said GDOT Deputy Commissioner Andrew Heath. “It’s not going to be like one day we all show up, we tug on each side of the bridge, and the whole thing climbs up 20 feet. This will be inch by inch, cable by cable, slowly but surely looking to adjust that profile to get that extra air draft that’s critically needed for the larger ships that are coming into Garden City Terminal.”
The state’s fiscal year 2026 mid-year budget is currently moving through the General Assembly, and budget proposals from Kemp could benefit Savannah.
During remarks in Atlanta last week, Brantley noted Kemp’s proposed $50 million homelessness response grant. Brantley said it is the first time he could remember the state investing significantly in resources for local communities to tackle homelessness.
Another key item in Kemp’s proposed budget is an additional $3 million for state tourism marketing. The Savannah chamber’s legislative agenda listed an increase in tourism marketing funding as its number one item this year.
Georgia farmers went to the State Capitol to discuss difficulties in their industry, according to Atlanta News First via WALB.
Georgia farmers say they are facing one of the toughest periods in decades, as more than 600 packed the State Capitol on Tuesday to push lawmakers for support.
Farmers told lawmakers they are weighing whether they can afford to plant in 2026 or if they may be forced to sell land that has been in their families for generations.
Tractors lined the grounds outside the Gold Dome, while inside, members of the Georgia Farm Bureau filled the halls, meeting with legislators, students and families from across the state.
“Farmers always got hope for a better crop next year, but it looks pretty tough right now,” said Andy Futch, a diversified farmer from Gilmer County.
Rising costs for fuel, fertilizer and labor, paired with low commodity prices, are squeezing farms financially, officials said. Extreme weather, such as hurricanes, flooding and drought, can also wipe out a season’s work overnight.
“If it wasn’t for ag, we’d all be naked, sober and hungry,” said Garrett Hart of Hart County, highlighting the essential role of agriculture in Georgia.
For some families, the land itself is increasingly valuable for development, creating pressure to sell. Lawmakers say many farmers are running out of options.
State Sen. Sam Watson, R-Moultrie, said federal changes lowering the H-2A wage rate helped him to plant again for next year, but other farmers may not be able to hold on.
“They’re desperate. They’re looking for all the resources, financially, that they can find anywhere,” he said.
Watson added that the decision facing farmers is about more than money.
“And that’s a heavy burden, to be the one to have to make that tough decision of, ‘Do we farm, do we not farm?’ And you don’t want to lose your land, you don’t want to lose everything you’ve worked for, your family’s worked for,” he said.
Farmers said they will be closely watching the state budget, including disaster relief funding and resources for agriculture and forestry, as they seek support to preserve family farms and the industry that supports thousands of jobs across Georgia.
The Senate will consider property tax reduction, according to the Valdosta Daily Times.
Both chambers of the Georgia General Assembly are taking on one of the top taxes state residents pay — property tax. Local legislators Rep. Chas Cannon (R-Moultrie), Sen. Russ Goodman (R-Cogdell), Sen. Sam Watson (R-Moultrie) and Sen. Carden Summers (R-Cordele) are co-sponsors of those bills.
Representatives dropped HB 1116 on the House floor at the end of January. It seeks to amend two chapters of the Georgia Code that relate to property and sales use tax.
Rep. Cannon said, “The way we’ve done property tax in this state for a long time is a convoluted and complicated process.”
Cannon explained within the “box” of property tax revenue, there is homestead property tax, agriculture land property tax, commercial property tax, industrial property tax, and non-residential homestead property tax.
“What this bill does is, essentially, cut-out the homestead tax portion from that box of property tax; it removes it as a source of revenue,” he said.
Another thing the bill seeks to do is amend the Georgia Code relating to special district option sales and use tax (SPLOST.)
The addition to the code states, “Any imposition of a tax approved in taxable year 2027 or thereafter shall be for a period of ten years.”
Right now, SPLOSTs cannot be imposed for more than five years.
The next addition states that after a SPLOST is imposed for ten years, “…such tax shall be automatically reimposed for an additional period of ten years, unless otherwise provided by passage during the ninth calendar year of the original imposition of the tax by a local Act of the General Assembly calling for termination of the tax.”
Currently, after five years, a SPLOST has to be approved by voters, through a new referendum, before it can be reimposed.
The bill states, any tax approved in 2027 and thereafter will be automatically reimposed for an additional period of five years unless the General Assembly passes a local act calling for the termination of the tax.
Cannon said, in light of removing homestead property tax, the question becomes what options does the state give local governments to replace property tax.
“The bill proposes to do it with backfilling the homestead tax with a variety of sales taxes,” he said. “And the overall idea is … instead of just depending on those who own property or real estate through a sales tax to include those who don’t necessarily live in the county. It’s a larger tax base of taxpayers who are funding local government operations rather than just property and homeowners.”
Senate Bill 343 by State Senator Bo Hatchett (R-Cornelia) would require age verification for minors to open social media accounts and was heard by the Senate Committee on Children and Families, according to WTOC.
Georgia is looking to put new limits on how kids 14 and under use social media.
State lawmakers say one of their major concerns is how addictive these platforms are, especially for kids.
Tuesday Georgia lawmakers met to introduce a bill that would require social media companies to use age verification and adjust their algorithms for users 14 and younger.
“This may be a business decision for adults, but it’s a serious problem when the user is a child,” said State Senator Bo Hatchett of District 50.
Hatchett says the bill focuses on limiting how platforms interact with minors if companies know an account belongs to a child.
“It says that if a social media company knows an account belongs to a minor, it cannot use engagement maximizing algorithms and design features on that child,” Hatchett said.
The Electronic Privacy Information Center, known as EPIC, supports the bill. Deputy Director Caitriona Fitzgerald says she relates personally because her child is in middle school.
“Kids spend a lot of time online, and this is by design. The more time a user spends on certain online products, the more money companies make,” Fitzgerald said.
Fitzgerald and Senator Hatchett say the bill was drafted specifically to avoid potential First Amendment lawsuits.
“A lot of states have passed kids’ online safety laws. They’ve been sued by NetChoice,” Fitzgerald said. “NetChoice just sued South Carolina last night, but this bill was specifically drafted to avoid those issues.”
Brandy Blue, representing the ACLU of Georgia, spoke before the committee, admitting she originally came to oppose the bill.
“We know that the goal is to protect children, and we all want to protect children, but young people also have First Amendment rights, and those rights should be protected as well,” Blue said.
Blue says she is now looking forward to working with officials on the bill.
“Kids can still access lawful speech,” Hatchett said. “They can still communicate. They can still participate, but what they can’t be subjected to is engineered addiction.”
The Senate committee will meet about this bill again next week.
Republican state senators transformed House Bill 54 from a nursing bill and dressed it up, according to the Capitol Beat News Service.
Senate Republicans commandeered legislation involving nurses Tuesday and refashioned the measure as a ban on transgender services for youth.
The move under Georgia’s Gold Dome triggered an hour of by-now familiar debate, with Democrats opposed and Republicans in favor. That is how the final vote went, as well, with the heavily amended House Bill 54 passing 30-18 along party lines.
When the bill passed the House unanimously last year, on the final day of the legislative session, it was about nurses and home health care. When the clock reset this year, the second half of the biennial assembly of lawmakers, it was sitting in the Senate and ripe for the taking.
So, on Tuesday, the Senate took the bill, and changed it to its core, using it as a vehicle to prohibit puberty blockers and other interventions for youth experiencing gender dysphoria.
Afterward, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, a Republican running to be Georgia’s next governor, said Senate Republicans had stood with the majority in acting “to protect our youth.” He added that he “will always fight for Georgia values and the safety of our kids.”
Democrats dismissed the amendment as an election year ploy to grab attention.
“This is a real easy playbook for you all to run, but I want you to know, maybe it worked in 2024, I think voters are tired of it,” said Sen. Josh McLaurin, D-Sandy Springs, who is running to succeed Jones in the lieutenant governor’s office.
The measure now returns to the House, where the original version dealing with nurses was backed by House Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones, R-Milton, the second-ranked member of that chamber.
The warrant for the FBI raid on Fulton County elections has been unsealed, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Savannah Morning News.
The FBI’s investigation of the 2020 presidential election in Fulton County is focused on allegations of double-counted ballots, “pristine” absentee ballots, and missing digital ballot images, according to a search warrant affidavit unsealed Tuesday.
The search warrant affidavit was the basis for an FBI raid of Fulton’s elections office last month, when agents seized 656 boxes of ballots from the 2020 presidential election.
The criminal investigation of Fulton revived allegations of wrongdoing in an election that Republican President Donald Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden by about 12,000 votes.
State election investigations have never found intentional fraud over the last five years, but Fulton has been cited for poor ballot management, disorganized processes, and counting errors.
“There were many allegations of electoral impropriety relating to the voting process and ballot counting in Fulton County, Georgia. Some of those allegations have been disproven, while some of those allegations have been substantiated, including through admissions by Fulton County,” wrote FBI Special Agent Hugh Evans. “This warrant application is part of an FBI criminal investigation into whether any of the improprieties were intentional acts that violated federal criminal laws.”
The search warrant relies on several Republican witnesses who believe there was fraud. The investigation originated with Kurt Olsen, an attorney who tried to help Trump overturn his loss. Trump appointed Olsen as a special government employee to investigate the 2020 election.
The FBI’s 18-page affidavit includes several claims that have been validated by previous investigations, along with other allegations that have never been confirmed.
The State Election Board reprimanded Fulton in 2024 for double-scanning over 3,000 ballots. A recent report produced by conservative election researchers, some of whom were interviewed by the FBI to justify the search warrant, said closer to 4,000 ballots were double-counted.
The allegation of “pristine,” fake, unfolded absentee ballots lacks evidence beyond Republican witnesses who made the allegation.
Georgia election investigators weren’t able to find any fake ballots in the batches identified by Republican vote-counters during an audit of the 2020 election, according to a court filing in 2021.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said Georgia’s elections are safe and secure.
“Instead of wasting time and tax dollars trying to change the past with baseless and repackaged claims, let’s focus our efforts on building a safer, more affordable future for all hardworking Georgians,” Raffensperger said.
The FBI’s investigation could result in criminal charges if intentional wrongdoing is found.
The search warrant cites federal laws that require counties to maintain election records for at least 22 months and prohibit knowingly tabulating fraudulent ballots.
House Bill 1074 by State Rep. Matt Reeves (R-Duluth) is local legislation that would set the municipal homestead exemption at $15,000, according to the Gwinnett Daily Post.
The Georgia House of Representatives passed a bill last Friday that would let Suwanee hold a referendum in November on whether to set the city’s homestead exemption at $15,000. House Bill 1074 is the latest homestead exemption bill that state Rep. Matt Reeves, R-Duluth, has introduced in recent years, both for Gwinnett County and the state of Georgia.
“Homeownership is one of the most important investments a family can make, and this legislation is about helping Suwanee residents keep more of their hard-earned money in their own homes,” Reeves said in a statement.
The Glynn County Board of Elections will send a letter to state legislators about proposed election law changes, according to The Brunswick News.
The board voted unanimously Tuesday to draft a letter to state lawmakers and elections officials expressing concerns about the Republican Party’s plans to overhaul election laws.
The biggest concern is the proposal to hand count ballots, a process that could be so time consuming it could delay runoff elections, said Chris Channell, Glynn County elections supervisor.
“This is a bad idea,” he said.
While some elected officials are saying the hand count requirement will not be approved, Channell said there is no way to verify election results under the new proposal without a hand count.
“If we have to hand count election ballots, we won’t have results for a week,” he said. “I don’t know how to tabulate ballots without hand counting.”
Board member Ken Leppard expressed concerns about the proposed changes, saying they are “too radical.” He predicted the proposed changes could create disruptions and confusion similar to the 2000 elections.
“It would create too much chaos,” he said.
Hand counting ballots “takes us back too far,” Leppard said.
United States Representative Mike Collins (R-Jackson) addressed plans to hold potential deportees at a facility in Social Circle, according to GPB News.
The Department of Homeland Security has completed the purchase of a warehouse in Social Circle, Ga., east of Atlanta, to set up a new Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center.
“I fully support ICE, 100%,” the Republican said. “We need to get these illegal aliens out of our country and make sure that we process them and move them on.”
But local officials in the heavily Republican city say they do not have the infrastructure to support the proposed facility, which is intended to house up to 10,000 people — double the city’s resident population of 5,000.
“Talking with the local mayor and local officials down there, they don’t feel, which I agree with them, that is it a very good fit,” he said.
Collins said he is urging DHS to address Social Circle’s questions.
“They need to make sure that they take care of all the concerns of the local people there,” he said.
Jackson County Board of Education members appointed two new members to fill vacancies, according to AccessWDUN.
Don Clerici was appointed to serve District 5, and Ryan Smoot to serve District 3, with a unanimous vote from the board.
Smoot will take over for Beau Hollett, and Clerici will replace Melissa Mullen, and they will serve the remainder of this year. An election for both seats will be held in November.
Statesboro is considering implementing a fire services fee, according to the Statesboro Herald.
A fire service fee proposed to supply half of the Statesboro Fire Department’s funding would amount to $20 or less each month for single-family homes and duplexes on individual lots. But the fee would be higher on all other types or property, to a $300 monthly limit on places such as retail businesses and apartment buildings.
In contrast to property taxes — which would still supply most of the other half of the department’s annual operating budget — the fire service fee would be charged on all in-town properties that can be billed for city services, including tax-exempt buildings such as those owned by Georgia Southern University, churches, the county government and charitable nonprofit organizations.
Those were some of the facts that emerged from the city’s first public information session on the fee proposal. Although held in the council chambers at City Hall, the session that started at 6 p.m. Monday was not a council meeting. The consultant, journalists and city staff members constituted about half of the approximately two dozen people who attended.
Candidates for Dalton City Council Ward 2 spoke at a public forum, according to the Dalton Daily Citizen.
More than 70 local community members, leaders and residents filed into Shiloh Baptist Church on Friday evening to hear from a trio of candidates vying for the Dalton City Council’s vacant Councilmember Ward 2 seat, which was vacated following the resignation of Nicky Lama, who stepped down from the position in January to run for Congress.
As part of a forum held by the League of Women Voters of the Dalton Area, the community heard from qualified candidates Rojelio “Roy” Alvarron, Julie Locke and Zeucis Martinez, who spoke on “issues important to our community,” said League officials. Held on March 10 this year, the election will include the winning candidate serving the remainder of Lama’s unexpired term which is set to expire at the end of 2029.
During the forum, all three candidates were asked questions about affordable housing development, the introduction of data centers into the community, budget priorities and immigration enforcement, among other topics.
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