On February 3, 1870, the Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, prohibiting racial discrimination in voting.
On February 3, 1887, Congress adopted the Electoral Count Act to clarify how Congress was to count electoral votes.
Electoral vote counting is the oldest activity of the national government and among the oldest questions of constitutional law. It was Congress’s first task when a quorum appeared in the nation’s new legislature on April 6, 1789. It has happened every four years since then. Yet, electoral vote counting remains one of the least understood aspects of our constitutional order.
The Electoral Count Act of 1887 (ECA) lies at the heart of this confusion. In enacting the ECA, Congress drew on lessons learned from its twenty-five previous electoral counts; it sorted through innumerable proposals floated before and after the disastrous presidential election of 1876; and it thrashed out the ECA’s specific provisions over fourteen years of sustained debate. Still, the law invites misinterpretation. The ECA is turgid and repetitious. Its central provisions seem contradictory. Many of its substantive rules are set out in a single sentence that is 275 words long. Proponents of the law admitted it was “not perfect.” Contemporary commentators were less charitable. John Burgess, a leading political scientist in the late nineteenth century, pronounced the law unwise, incomplete, premised on contradictory principles, and expressed in language that was “very confused, almost unintelligible.” At least he thought the law was constitutional; others did not.
Over the nearly 120 years since the ECA’s adoption, the criticisms faded, only to be renewed whenever there was a close presidential election. Our ability to misunderstand the ECA has grown over time. During the 2000 presidential election dispute, politicians, lawyers, commentators, and Supreme Court justices seemed prone to misstate or misinterpret the provisions of the law, even those provisions which were clear to the generation that wrote them. The Supreme Court, for example, mistakenly believed that the Supreme Court of Florida’s erroneous construction of its election code would deny Florida’s electors the ECA’s “safe harbor” protection; Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s hasty submission of his state’s Certificate of Ascertainment was untimely under the Act; and Democratic members of Congress framed their objections to accepting Florida’s electoral vote on the wrong grounds. Even Al Gore, the presidential candidate contesting the election’s outcome, misread the federal deadline for seating Florida’s electors.
Only the United States Congress could so obfuscate a matter as seemingly simple as counting that its Act remained undecipherable for more than one hundred years.
The Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified by Delaware on February 3, 1913, giving the Amendment the requisite Constitutional supermajority of three-fourths of the states. The text of the Amendment reads, in its entirety,
The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.
President Woodrow Wilson died on February 3, 1924 in Washington, DC. Wilson was born in Staunton, Virginia (pronounced Stan-ton) and spent most of his youth to age 14 in Augusta, Georgia. Wilson started practicing law in Atlanta, Georgia in 1882, leaving the next year to pursue a Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins University. His wife, Ellen Louise Axson, was from Savannah, and they married in Rome, Ga in 1885.
On February 3, 1959, a chartered Beechcraft Bonanza carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson crashed near Mason City, Iowa, killing all aboard.
Jimi Hendrix recorded Purple Haze on this date in 1967.
USS Savannah will be commissioned in Brunswick this weekend, according to WTOC.
Commissioning a U.S. warship has been a tradition since 1775. The Chairwoman of the Commission Committee says its the most significant event in the life of the ship.
Here’s what Commander Kevin Ray of the USS Savannah said about Wednesday night’s celebration.
“The focus of this week is getting to know the namesake city, and letting our crew experience some of Savannah Georgia and the great hospitality of Brunswick by allowing us to pull in there.”
This is the sixth ship named the USS Savannah. It will be officially commissioned in Brunswick this weekend. After that, it will head to its home port of San Diego.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
United States Senator Terry Tuberville (R-AL) is supporting the elimination permanent adoption of Daylight Savings Time to pay off a bet over the National Championship game with Georgia State Rep. Wes Cantrell (R-Woodstock). From WTVM:
Senator Tuberville became a cosponsor of the Sunshine Protection Act, originally introduced by Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL).
In 2021, the Alabama State Legislature voted to implement DST year-round. However, for Alabama’s change to apply, a change in the federal statue is required.
“Alabamians have made it clear that springing forward and falling back should be a thing of the past,” said Senator Tuberville. “Centuries ago, a time change might have made sense, but it doesn’t today. An additional hour of sunshine during cold winter months would be welcome news for folks on their way to work and kids on their way home from school. It just makes sense to pass the Sunshine Protection Act.”
The legislation, if enacted, would apply to those states who currently participate in DST, which most states observe for eight months out of the year. Standard Time, from November to March, is only observed for four months out of the year. The bill would simply negate the need for Americans to change their clocks twice a year. A one-pager of the bill is available here.
Under the Gold Dome Today – LD 11
TBD – Senate Rules upon Adjournment – 450 CAP
8:00 AM – HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE – 606 CLOB HYBRID
8:00 AM – Senate Ethics Committee – canceled – 307 CLOB
9:00 AM – HOUSE RULES COMMITTEE – 341 CAP
10:00 AM – HOUSE FLOOR SESSION (LD 11) – House Chamber
10:00 AM – Senate Floor Session – Senate Chamber
12:00 PM – Senate State and Local Government Operations – 307 CLOB
1:00 PM – Senate Public Safety Committee – Mezz 1
2:00 PM – Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee – Mezz 1
2:00 PM – Senate Transportation Committee – canceled – 450 CAP
3:00 PM – Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee – 450 CAP
4:00 PM – Senate Government Oversight- canceled – 450 CAP
Governor Brian Kemp and his floor leaders introduced legislation to create a “Parents’ Bill of Right,” according to a Press Release.
Governor Brian P. Kemp’s floor leaders, Senator Clint Dixon (R – Gwinnett) and Representative Josh Bonner (R – Fayetteville), introduced legislation to establish a Parents’ Bill of Rights to increase transparency in education by ensuring school districts have procedures in place for parental participation in schools.
“At a time when our nation is more divided than ever, we’re leading the fight to ensure parents do not have any barriers which prevent them from playing an active role in their child’s education,” said Governor Kemp. “As the parents of three daughters, Marty and I know students do best when their parents have a seat at the table and their voices are heard and respected. This bill is the product of a months-long, information-gathering campaign which includes the input of superintendents, teachers, parents, and other education stakeholders. At its core, it is about transparency, access, and promoting an engaged partnership between the parent and educators to the ultimate benefit of the student.”
These bills codify parental rights when it comes to their child’s education into law, including the right to access instructional material. The bills affirm a parent’s ability to request information from a principal or superintendent and requires that they provide the requested information within 3 working days. If the principal or superintendent is unable to share the information within that timeframe, they must provide the parent with a description of the material and a timeline for its delivery, not to exceed 30 days.
“I’m honored to be carrying the governor’s legislation to protect Georgia’s students and the rights of their parents,” said Senator Dixon. “This will ensure that there is transparency for parents while upholding best practices for those who work hard to prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow.”
“Parents have the primary responsibility for educating their children,” said Rep. Bonner. “This legislation will provide needed transparency and access for parents as they partner with teachers to achieve the best possible outcomes.”
“We appreciate Governor Kemp and his team for leading and encouraging parental involvement,” said Lauren Plair, 1st Grade Teacher at Hahira Elementary School. “The students and their success is the ‘why’ behind what we do each and every day. In order to see students reach their ultimate goals, it is vital that parents and teachers work together as a team! Parents who give their input, time, and dedication to their child’s education create an investment that is valuable to all students.”
From the Capitol Beat News Service via the Albany Herald:
The bills would add transparency provisions to state law guaranteeing parents the right to access instructional material.
Principals or superintendents who receive a request for information from a parent would have three working days to provide it. If the principal or superintendent is unable to share the information within that timeframe, they must provide the parent a written description of the material and a timeline for its delivery, not to exceed 30 days.
Kemp is backing separate legislation prohibiting Georgia schools from teaching “critical race theory,” which emphasizes the existence of systemic racism in America.
Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan unveiled proposed legislation help law enforcement tap the assistance of behavioral health professionals, according to the Valdosta Daily Times.
The “Georgia Behavioral Health and Peace Officer Co-Responder Act” will allow the local teams to de-escalate behavioral health emergencies as a potential alternative to an arrest.
“Facilitating working partnerships between mental health experts and first responders provides a tailored response to de-escalating emergencies,” Duncan said. “This measure takes a proactive approach to expand mental health resources by not only establishing an emergency response partnership, but by creating a model that includes a follow-up system with individuals and identifies those currently incarcerated that may be treated more effectively in a behavioral health facility.”
According to the act, when a law enforcement agency that is part of a co-responder partnership responds to an emergency call involving an individual with a behavioral health crisis and a co-responder team is dispatched, the behavioral health professional would be available to accompany the officer in person or virtually, and be available for consultation via telephone or telehealth during the emergency call.
The officer can consider input from the behavior health professional in determining whether to refer the individual for behavioral health treatment or other community support or to transport the individual for emergency evaluation, rather than making an arrest.
Forty-two of 56 senators have sponsored the bill, including 13 Democrats; Sen. Ben Watson, R–Savannah, plans to carry the measure throughout the chambers.
Lowndes County will receive a $22 million state grant as part of the broadband expansion project Governor Kemp announced, according to the Valdosta Daily Times.
Gov. Brian Kemp announced 49 grants to communities and companies statewide for “faster and more reliable” broadband access Tuesday, a statement from the governor’s office said. The grants covered by the American Rescue Plan Act, a package of stimulus efforts approved by Congress in March 2021 which was intended to jump-start the American economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lowndes County was earmarked for $22,514,336.00, the statement said.
The grant would cover broadband availability for more than 18,000 county residents and businesses, said Paige Dukes, county manager.
“We are very excited,” she said. “This has been on the (Lowndes County Commission’s) radar for five years.”
Faster internet service is coming to rural counties Central Georgia — 10 counties and 3,000 miles of broadband.
Washington EMC is installing over 3,000 miles of broadband lines to the rural counties they serve. They include Baldwin, Hancock and Washington counties. Washington County Chamber of Commerce created a broadband task force and took a survey to see what people would be willing to pay.
With rural counties being hit the hardest by the pandemic, having faster service is a relief for Veal, her job, and the community.
“This will just advance what we can do in our community,” said Veal.
Washington EMC said they plan to install 12,000 meters in the five counties to provide access. Everyone who is a part of Washington EMC’s service area should have full access in two years.
Senate Bill 319 by State Sen. Jason Anavitarte (R-Paulding) was recommend for passage by the Senate Judiciary Committee, according to the Valdosta Daily Times.
The Republican-led bill removes language that removes the valid weapons carry license requirement, but doesn’t change where guns are prohibited such as government buildings or airports where security checkpoints are performed.
“Permitless carry does not change any prohibited person, laws or any law governing the misuse of a firearm in prohibited places where a firearm cannot be carried, or when force may be used in self defense of others,” said Sen. Jason Anavitarte, the bill’s sponsor, during the committee hearing. “The requirement to have a permit does not deter nor descend, advise the criminal from carrying a firearm concealed. They will do it regardless. Permitless carry gives criminals a reason to fear that any potential victim could be armed and thus decentivizes criminals from conduct.”
Elena Parent and Harold Jones, Democrat senators and committee members, questioned several references of a “lawful weapons carrier” in the bill, without a permit to identify them as such.
“How else would they know that they’re lawful weapons carriers? Because the difference is [now] if you have a permit, and that’s the paperwork, I can say ‘You’re walking in with the weapon can I see your permit?’ because there had to be a permit,” Jones said. “[The proposal] says you have to be a lawful weapons carrier but you don’t know that by looking at someone whether they’re a felon or they have a (domestic violence conviction).”
Anavitarte said local law enforcement in his north Georgia district surrounding Dallas support the measure, while Parent quoted the Atlanta police chief: “the proliferation of weaponry that we are seeing on the streets, we have to do something about it.”
SB 319 approved in the Judiciary Committee 6-3 on a party-line vote. The bill now heads to the Rules Committee before heading to the Senate and House floor for votes.
Gov. Brian Kemp announced his support for constitutional carry early last month.
Senate Bill 369 by State Sen. Clint Dixon (R-Buford) passed the Senate and would convert Gwinnett County Board of Education elections to nonpartisan, according to the Gwinnett Daily Post.
Senate Bill 369 was approved by a vote of 32-21 in the chamber. The Senate rejected — in a 22-30 vote — a proposed amendment that would have let the county’s voters have the final say on whether the change would be made.
Another amendment that would have changed SB 369 to apply to all school boards in Georgia was ruled out of order.
Senate Bill 369 was authored by state Sen. Clint Dixon, R-Buford, whose children do not attend Gwinnett County Public Schools. Both proposed amendments were presented by state Sen. Nikki Merritt, D-Grayson.
“Over the past few months, I have had increasing numbers of constituents contacting me directly about concerns over the operations of our school board in Gwinnett County,” Dixon told the Senate. “The education of our children … should be a nonpartisan issue.”
“Let’s get politics out of our schools and once again focus on educating our children.”
Some senators pointed to a statewide Republican Party question that appeared on the 2020 primary ballot where Republican voters were asked whether school board candidates should declare their party affiliation.
In Gwinnett County alone, nearly 71.5% of Republican voters said school board candidates should declare their party affiliation.
Six out of Gwinnett’s seven senators opposed the bill, however, prompting complaints that processes for local legislation were being ignored.
The Gwinnett Board of Education was majority white and Republican until last year, after voters put three Black Democrats in control. Republicans began calling for nonpartisan elections soon after.
The Republican-led Senate voted along party lines to approve Senate Bill 369 over the objections of Democrats. Should the bill become law, elections would be held earlier in the year when fewer voters go to the polls.
About 40% of Georgia’s 180 school districts hold nonpartisan elections. The rest, using a law that allows for local control, let candidates identify with a political party.
Gwinnett was a Republican stronghold for years, but began moving toward Democrats in 2016, voting for Hillary Clinton in her presidential bid and then for Stacey Abrams’ 2018 campaign for governor. The loss of Republican control over the school board led to the ouster last year of longtime Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks almost a year before his contract was to end.
Senate Bill 356 by State Sen. Frank Ginn (R-Danielsville) would loosen the state’s prohibition on driving while swiping left or right, according to the AJC.
At a committee hearing on the bill Tuesday, Ginn said allowing drivers to legally hold their phone while they’re stopped would allow them to keep their head up while they scroll the phone. Then they can see the changing light, he said.
Ginn said he opposes allowing motorists to hold their phones while their vehicle is in motion.
“The impetus of this bill is to keep our traffic moving,” he said.
Bob Dallas, former head of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, told lawmakers that Georgia’s 2018 distracted driving law should be enforced, not weakened. The law prohibits motorists from handling their phones behind the wheel except in limited circumstances, like dialing 911 to report an emergency.
The State House Governmental Affairs Committee recommended passage of two separate incorporation bills for new cities in Cobb County, according to the AJC.
One measure would create the city of Lost Mountain in West Cobb, an area of 75,000 people that would immediately become the county’s most populous city. The other would incorporate a city government in Vinings, a tight-knit community of about 7,000 that sits between I-285 and the Chattahoochee River.
Both bills now advance to the House floor, while the East Cobb measure awaits its first hearing in the state Senate. If the measures ultimately pass both chambers and are signed into law, voters of the three areas would be asked in a May election to vote on whether the new city governments should be formed.
All three proposals have been brought by Republicans over the opposition of the county’s Democratic-led delegation, who see political motives behind the movements. A long-time Republican stronghold, Cobb County has grown more diverse in recent decades and in 2020 flipped to Democratic control.
Backers of the two movements said they want local control over issues that matter most to them: namely parks and planning and zoning.
“We want to preserve our unique historical character which is so important in our area,” Taryn Bowman, a Vinings resident who is part of the cityhood campaign, told lawmakers at a January public hearing. “And we want to preserve our suburban lifestyle.”
The State Senate Finance Committee recommended passage of Senate Bill 361, which creates a tax credit program to encourage donations to law enforcement groups, according to the AJC.
[Senate] Bill 361 is being pushed by Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, who, while serving in the state House, authored a similar tax credit aimed at pumping money into struggling rural hospitals.
Duncan told committee members the tax credit proposal is a response to rising crime and the need to better fund police and sheriffs’ offices.
Under the bill, Georgians and corporations would get their state income tax bills reduced for writing a check directly to local police or sheriff’s foundations. The tax credits would be capped at $5,000 per individual ($10,000 per married couple) and 75% of a corporation’s tax liability.
Police and sheriffs’ offices would be required to allocate the money to do things such as raise pay, hire more officers and make improvements.
“Basically, you’re redirecting your tax dollars to support law enforcement,” said state Sen. Larry Walker, R-Kathleen, who filed the legislation.
No police foundation would be allowed to receive more than $5 million a year, Walker said, in hopes of spreading the tax credit cash to as many departments as possible.
Georgia legislative Democrats also inveighed against the State House , according to the Georgia Recorder via the Albany Herald.
the Republican-led House Governmental Affairs Committee passed a redrawn map for Gwinnett County’s Board of Commissioners despite objections from the Democratic majority of the county’s legislative caucus and the commissioners themselves, who are all Democrats.
The map was drawn by Suwanee Republican Rep. Bonnie Rich, chair of the House majority caucus and of the House redistricting committee. Unlike a proposal from Buford Republican Sen. Clint Dixon pitched last year, it would not increase the number of commission seats, leaving the county with four district commissioners and a chair elected countywide. Instead, it would create a Republican-friendly district in north Gwinnett, a conservative bastion represented by Rich in the metro Atlanta county that has recently shifted to favor Democrats.
Committee members could not name another case in which the Legislature overrode a local commission’s proposed map. Some Democrats worry what was once a rarity could become commonplace this session. Last month, Republican House members from the Athens area submitted a plan to redraw the Athens-Clarke County lines approved by the left-leaning commission there.
Gwinnett Commission Chair Nickole Hendrickson said the Democratic Gwinnett map incorporated public input from open houses throughout the county and made minimal changes from the last map, which was created when Republicans dominated the commission.
“The map reflected both the input of the public and demographic diversity of our county,” she said. “This is the process that we support, a local map adopted by locals with input from locals. From the very beginning we have affirmed our commitment to a fair process, which ultimately would result in a fair map. While we understand the General Assembly is ultimately responsible for passing local redistricting maps, we cannot support a map that did not have local input from all sides of our county and was not passed by the Gwinnett local delegation.”
The Legislative Redistricting Office is recommending changes in maps for Columbus City Council and Board of Education, according to the Ledger-Enquirer.
The state office tweaked the city’s proposed council districts and revealed an issue regarding Fort Benning that will likely force the school board to draw its own boundaries. The guidance ends a months-long effort for both governing entities to have the same map.
The move could complicate local elections as candidates have a month before the qualifying period to declare they are running. Voters could be asked to cast ballots under old council districts but new school board boundaries.
The new boundaries would not take effect for the Columbus Council until 2024 under terms of the city charter. It’s unclear whether a new school board map must be finished before the 2022 May primary or whether the new boundaries could be approved after the year’s elections. A timetable for approving a new school district map has not been set, school board attorney Greg Ellington told the Ledger-Enquirer.
Deputy City Manager Pam Hodge informed the council Jan. 25 that the state reapportionment office did not certify the district maps drawn and previously approved by the Columbus Districting Commission.
The state-recommended map for the council makes two main changes. It removes the Midland Commons area from District 6, currently represented by Gary Allen, and the area near the Columbus airport would become part of District 8, currently represented by Walker Garrett, Hodge said.
Democrat Vernon Jones visited Mar-A-Lago to discuss changing from the race for Governor to a Republican Primary for Congress, according to CNN via the Gwinnett Daily Post.
Former President Donald Trump has offered Georgia gubernatorial hopeful Vernon Jones his endorsement in a congressional contest if Jones agrees to exit the GOP primary for governor to instead run for Congress, according to two people familiar with the matter, both of whom said Trump’s behind-the-scenes maneuvering is meant to bolster former Sen. David Perdue’s challenge to incumbent Republican Gov. Brian Kemp.
The Jones campaign did not return multiple requests for comment.
People familiar with Jones’ thinking said he is leaning toward seeking the GOP nod in the 10th District if he ultimately decides to exit the governor’s race, though they stressed that he has not yet made a firm decision. One person close to Jones said he believes “he has reasons to believe he has enough support to remain competitive” due to his loyal donor small-dollar donor base and existing campaign infrastructure.
The 10th District seat is currently held by Republican Rep. Jody Hice, who is challenging Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in the statewide primary. Hice has embraced Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election, and received the former President’s endorsement last March.
Hice told CNN he has heard “rumblings” about Jones running for a House seat rather than continuing his bid for the governor’s mansion. The Trump-backed congressman could find himself in an awkward position if Jones ultimately decides to enter the 10th District primary given that Hice previously endorsed state Rep. Timothy Barr to succeed him.
The 6th District, where seven Republicans are battling in the primary, currently is held by a Democrat, Rep. Lucy McBath. Jones’ most formidable competitor would likely be Jake Evans, a former chairman of the Georgia Ethics Commission who is supported by former House Speaker and Newt Gingrich, a Trump ally.
“If (Jones) gets in the 6th District race with a full-on Trump endorsement, he becomes an instant front-runner in the race. It kneecaps Jake Evans,” said one Georgia-based Republican strategist.
Bleckley County Sheriff Kristopher Coody was charged with sexual battery based on allegations stemming from a Sheriffs’ association meeting, according to the AJC.
According to investigators, the alleged incident happened Jan. 18 at the Galleria Parkway hotel and was reported to police the following day. At the time, the hotel was hosting the Georgia Sheriff’s Association’s three-day winter training conference, the association’s online calendar shows.
After interviewing multiple witnesses, an arrest warrant was obtained Friday for Sheriff Kristopher Coody, police said.
Coody was not in custody late Wednesday. No further details were released.
Bleckley County is southeast of Macon, about 120 miles south of downtown Atlanta.
Labor shortages continue to cause problems for employers, according to WALB.
The US Labor Bureau just released new data this February showing that on average, there are two open positions for every unemployed person in the nation.
Effingham County sent a delegation of citizens to the Georgia State Capitol for the first time in two years, according to WTOC.
“I think people were really glad to get back to meeting with legislators face to face, representing the county and also getting together themselves,” said Effingham County Chamber of Commerce CEO Andy Cripps.
The team of roughly 90 from Effingham County spent two days in Atlanta.
“It was really a good experience,” said Effingham County Board of Commissioners Chairman Wesley Corbitt.
Among those they were able to meet with, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, Georgia Department of Public Health Commissioner Kathleen Toomey, Ann Purcell with GDOT, and, “probably the highlight of Effingham County Day at the Capitol was Governor Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp came and talked to the group,” Cripps said.
Four members of Georgia’s Congressional Delegation are supporting retention of the JSTARS program at Robins ARB, according to 13WMAZ.
The Air Force says it’s starting to phase out the JSTARS mission from Robins this year. So far, they have not nailed down plans for the new units intended to replace it, the legislators say.
U.S. Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff and congressmen Sanford Bishop and Austin Scott sent the letter to top Air Force leaders Wednesday afternoon.
Using a fleet of 16 E-8C aircraft, the Robins-based JSTARS unit provides real-time battlefield intelligence to the military. The 21st Century Partnership estimates JSTARS pumps nearly $100 million a year into Central Georgia’s economy.
Warnock wrote, “Robins AFB has long maintained broad and bipartisan support from the Georgia delegation. The Air Force’s decision eventually to retire the E-8 JSTARS platform has been accompanied by promises from both of your predecessors regarding follow on missions at the installation. We ask for your commitment to follow through on the promises made to this delegation, and we affirm our commitment to work in good faith with the Air Force to bring the new missions to Robins[.]”
In December, the Air Force announced that four JSTARS aircraft would be taken out of commission in October — a quarter of the fleet based at Robins.
More than 20,000 civilians and military staff work at Robins, making it Central Georgia’s largest employer.
Columbus area law enforcement leaders discussed local crime issues, according to the Ledger-Enquirer.
During a news conference Wednesday, Columbus Police Chief Freddie Blackmon, Mayor Skip Henderson and acting District Attorney Sheneka Terry tried to reassure residents they are focusing on the local crime problem.
“Enough is enough,” Blackmon said.
He compared the increase in violent crime to a river “where dams have been broken and constantly pouring water downstream.”
The Columbus Police Department investigated 63 murders in 2021 and solved 34 of them, Blackmon said.
Columbus had 70 homicides in 2021, according to Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan, compared to an annual average of around 38 the past five years. The most recent peak was last year, when the city had 46. That surpassed the 44 reported in 2017.
“We’re not going to put up with people terrorizing the neighborhoods of Columbus, Georgia,” Henderson said.
The Northeastern Judicial Circuit, serving Dawson and Hall Counties, is asking for additional funding to address its backlog of cases, according to the Gainesville Times.
The courts submitted a supplemental request for $691,447 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to address the court’s backlog due to COVID-19.
The Northeastern Judicial Circuit, which consists of Hall and Dawson counties, already received its total request of $1,081,610 in late December. Those funds are going toward eight full-time personnel including an additional Juvenile Court judge to address Superior Court cases in the immediate future.
The district attorney’s office will get three of those positions in an assistant district attorney, an investigator and an administrative assistant.
The courts requested funding for a full-time associate judge in Probate Court to help with an increased caseload caused in part by the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the courts’ application, roughly 23% of the Hall County Jail’s inmate population “has been identified as needing mental health services.”
“Most of those inmates, who have been denied bond and pretrial release, are the most serious of our criminal cases pending,” according to the application.
The courts plan to hire a full-time clinician to work directly with the jail to assess inmates and develop discharge plans.
“In an effort to reduce recidivism and provide cost savings to local communities, one of the state standards for treatment courts is to identify appropriate candidates and enroll them in services within 50 days of arrest,” according to the courts’ application. “Treatment Services aims to meet this goal within 7-14 days of arrest, well below the state standard.”
Wayne County public schools returns to in-person attendance after going virtual January 20, according to WTOC.
Reggie Burgess, director of technology and accountability for the school district, says like many school districts, the decision to move to hybrid learning was due to a staffing shortage caused by an increase in COVID cases.
These decisions are also guided by a tiered system based on the percentage of positive cases in the district. Burgess says now, positive cases in the school system are under two percent.
Glynn County Commissioner Cap Fendig will continue working on a short term rental ordinance, according to The Brunswick News.
He says St. Simons Island’s rapid growth is having a severely negative impact on the quality of life there — with traffic congestion nearing the level of a public health concern — and his constituents are largely supportive of his efforts to find a solution.
“I’d say that the theme of conversation from my constituents in District 2 is to reduce traffic and density on the island,” Fendig said.
Short-term rentals are among the larger single issues the island faces and have, in his opinion, “invaded the sanctity of neighborhoods and created commercial activities in residential areas” on the island.
Amendments to the county’s zoning ordinances are difficult to pass, which Fendig believes is for a good reason. The slow process gives the public and county planning officials an opportunity to give their input on changes.
The Mainland Planning Commission heard his proposal to reduce the building height in two key areas of the island Tuesday and is recommending the Glynn County Commission reject the proposal.
A majority of the six members of the commission who heard the presentation Tuesday said they would prefer that the amendment include an exemption for the reconstruction of buildings that already exceed the height limit. One such example was Crabdaddy’s Seafood Grill.
The Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs named Rome-Floyd County Fire Department Chief Troy Brock as Chief of the Year, according to the Rome News Tribune.
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