The first modern circus was held in London on January 9, 1768. The next one kicked off yesterday in the big building downtown with a gold dome.
Thomas Paine published a pamphlet titled, “Common Sense” on January 9, 1776. The pamphlet is considered to have united colonists to the cause of American independence.
Lyman Hall, one of three Georgians who signed the Declaration of Independence, was elected Governor on January 8, 1783.
President George Washington delivered the first “State of the Union” on January 8, 1790.
Herman Talmadge was sworn-in to his second term as Governor of Georgia on January 9, 1951.
Segregated seating on Atlanta buses was held unconstitutional by a federal court on January 9, 1959.
Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter arrived in Athens to register at the University of Georgia on January 9, 1961.
On January 8, 2007, R.E.M. was announced as an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Here’s REM at their induction into the Rock Hall.
Steve Jobs, Apple CEO, debuted the iPhone on January 9, 2007.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
Governor Brian Kemp announced impending French Toast weather preparations for winter storms, according to a Press Release.
Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced he has instructed the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS), the Georgia Department of Public Safety (DPS), the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), and all relevant state agencies to monitor the winter weather forecast and prepare for the storm system expected to enter the state later this week. He has also instructed that they collaborate with local and state officials to assess conditions and determine the best steps to ensure the safety of all Georgians ahead of the storm’s impact.
“As with any weather system that might impact Georgia communities, we are actively monitoring the approaching winter storm and taking action now to ensure our communities are prepared for any possible impact,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “Along with state agency leaders, I’m urging Georgians to stay weather aware, especially as they make plans for the coming days. Please make necessary arrangements to keep your family safe and stay tuned for more information as this storm approaches.”
Current Weather Forecast:
A significant winter weather event is likely to occur across north and central Georgia on Friday with impacts lingering through the weekend.
A mix of rain, freezing rain, sleet, and snow will begin to move into western Georgia early Friday morning and cover much of north and central Georgia by sunrise. This wintry mix will continue throughout the day into Friday night before diminishing early Saturday morning.
Temperatures will be near or just below freezing between the onset of wintry precipitation on Friday morning all the way through sunset on Saturday.
Forecast snowfall and ice accumulation totals will fluctuate over the next few days, but a few inches of snow and one-quarter of an inch of ice or more will be possible across much of north Georgia and even parts of central Georgia on Friday.
Hazardous travel conditions are possible on Friday and Saturday, especially on bridges, overpasses, and untreated roadways.
Light winds are forecast on Friday but will increase between sunrise and sunset on Saturday (10-15 mph sustained, gusting to 20 mph), so any remaining snow and ice could bring down trees and powerlines this weekend.
After sunset Saturday, temperatures will fall below freezing and bottom out in the upper teens to lower 20s across north and central Georgia.
Anything not evaporated by Saturday evening will refreeze into Sunday morning.
Sunday afternoon temperatures should reach the upper 30s to lower 40s, which should allow for any remaining moisture to evaporate before Sunday night.
With impacts depending on slight temperature differences, it is important to monitor forecast changes over the next few days and take proper precautions before Friday morning.
As always, please stay tuned to forecast updates from your local National Weather Service office and reliable media outlets.
State Action and Preparation:
GDOT vehicles and crews will begin brining roads on Thursday, particularly in areas north of and along I-20. Residents are encouraged to avoid travel in the most impacted areas, if at all possible. If travel is absolutely necessary, however, motorists should give plenty of space and clearance to allow GDOT crews to continue to treat and clear roads as needed for the safety of the traveling public.
The Motor Carrier Compliance Division has partnered with GDOT to escort brining details across the metro area into northern Georgia to the Tennessee line starting on Thursday. DPS Troopers and Officers will be on standby across the state for any service calls regarding the winter weather and the needs of the state.
Winter Weather Preparedness Guidance:
Residents should check with their local officials for information about warming centers and comfort station locations. More tips are as follows:
Use electric space heaters with automatic shut-off switches.
Keep heat sources at least three feet away from furniture and drapes.
Insulate your home and ensure doors and windows are sealed.
Check and install a working carbon monoxide detector.
Have backup heat sources like extra blankets, sleeping bags, or a wood-burning fireplace.
Check your antifreeze, brakes, heater, tires, and wipers.
Keep your gas tank at least half full.
Carry an emergency Ready kit with items like a portable phone charger, ice scraper, extra blanket, sand for traction, and jumper cables.
Use generators outdoors and at least 20 feet from doors, windows, or vents to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
Allow pipes to drip or insulate them to prevent freezing.
Keep pets indoors and check on elderly or disabled relatives and neighbors.
For more winter weather preparedness tips, visit gema.georgia.gov/winter.GEMA/HS will provide ongoing updates regarding winter weather conditions via its website (gema.georgia.gov) and social media accounts.
Residents are encouraged to monitor local National Weather Service updates and news stations.
From the Savannah Morning News:
The National Weather Service has predicted the storm will reach north and central Georgia on Friday with a mix of rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow. Now is the time to prepare for the storm, the Weather Service reported on its website.
Governor Kemp also announced recommendations for addressing problems in the state’s correctional system, according to a Press Release.
Governor Brian P. Kemp, in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC), today announced historic budget infusion recommendations for the state’s prison system following an in-depth and independent system-wide assessment of the Georgia corrections system by the consulting firm Guidehouse, Inc. (The Moss Group and Carter, Goble Lee (CGL)). Totaling more than $372 million of the overall $600 in investments across the Amended Fiscal Year 2025 and Fiscal Year 2026 budgets, these recommendations mark the latest measure to improve public safety for all Georgians following a multi-year effort to crack down on crime, take violent offenders off the streets, provide further support and training for state and local law enforcement, and invest well over 1.6 billion additional dollars into public safety since Governor Kemp took office.
“Public safety is the number one priority of state government, and that is why we have taken a comprehensive and deliberate approach to strengthening law enforcement and improving our corrections system,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “Today’s announcement is the latest step we’ve taken to ensure Georgia’s communities remain safe, but it will not be the last. I want to thank the teams at Guidehouse for their diligent and detailed work over the past several months, as well as the Department of Corrections personnel who have been helpful partners at every step of this process and who face incredible challenges each day to keep violent criminals behind bars. Along with our legislative partners in the General Assembly, I look forward to delivering on these historic improvements.”
In June of 2024, Governor Kemp announced he had charged the Department of Corrections and Guidehouse to identify current strengths, opportunities, and recommendations to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness throughout the prison system. In the months following, the teams at Guidehouse, Inc. have worked collaboratively with GDC to assess current operational and infrastructure conditions. Assessments were driven by visits to multiple state prison facilities and interviews with staff, current inmates, and relevant stakeholders, using evidence-based practice and research methods.
“On behalf the entire GDC team, I want to express our gratitude to Governor Kemp, the members of the study committees and the Guidehouse team for their collective commitment to ensuring a thorough evaluation of current challenges facing our agency as we continue to seek ways to improve public safety and better our effectiveness in delivering on the mission to keep Georgians safe,” said GDC Commissioner Oliver.
The recommendations, presented today by GDC Commissioner Tyrone Oliver at a Joint Meeting of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, address significant near-term challenges like employment vacancies for security and non-security staff and aligning facility infrastructure with offender security needs.
“Prisons are for punishment and rehabilitation- not TikTok. We must block cell signals in our prisons for employee, inmate, and public safety,” said Senate Appropriations Chairman Sen. Blake Tillery. “In the face of federal inaction, I want to thank Governor Kemp, Lieutenant Governor Jones, Speaker Burns, Senator Robertson, and the Georgia Department of Corrections for that shared commitment to make prisons safe for employee, inmate, and the public alike. I look forward to continuing this successful approach in the upcoming legislative session.”
“In recent months, we have heard from various stakeholders on what needs to be done to address the challenges currently facing Georgia’s prisons,” said House Appropriations Chairman Matt Hatchett. “These exceptional recommendations address pressing issues by dedicating the funding and resources needed to ensure the safety of our communities, inmates and those who work in our prisons. This session, the Georgia House will promote solutions to the problems facing our facilities, which all states are currently having, as we have learned throughout this review.”
“As a former law enforcement officer, this issue is of great importance to me,” said Majority Whip Sen. Randy Robertson. “Along with the work done by our study committee, I am thankful for Governor Kemp’s recommendations, the Department of Corrections and Guidehouse team for their partnership and, the Lieutenant Governor’s support of our hard work and this honest assessment of conditions within our correctional system. I look forward to continuing this collaborative approach in enhancing the welfare of our corrections officers and those in state custody.”
Notable budget and non-budget recommendations include, but are not limited to:
Enhancements to Staffing LevelsProvide a four percent salary increase for all correctional officer staff, bringing parity to pay with neighboring states.
Increase funds for an eight percent salary increase for behavioral health counselor positions to align with statewide averages to improve recruitment and retention of those positions.
Increase funds for a four percent salary increase for education, chaplain, food service, and maintenance positions to align with statewide averages to improve recruitment and retention of those positions.
Increase correctional and close security officer positions by 330 positions to improve staff-to-offender ratios.
Develop statewide targeted marketing initiative to recruit and onboard new correctional officers.
Develop and implement updated training curriculum for correctional officers.
Emergency Repairs and Infrastructure ImprovementsIncrease funds for emergency repairs and facility maintenance support to bring existing beds online and improve population management.
Fund additional facility maintenance personnel and regional support staff to address critical facility maintenance needs.
Fund a 5 person “Tiger Team” to support ongoing efforts to address repairs needed on facility locks, locking controls, and security electronics statewide.
Invest $40 million for planning and design purposes for a new prison facility.
Increase funds to add 446 private prison beds to the existing contract.
Fund sitework and construction of four 126 bed modular correctional units to facilitate offender population movement necessary for capital and security improvements.
The GDC will continue in its commitment to working alongside the Guidehouse team as they complete their assessment and provide implementation support.
From the Capitol Beat News Service via the Savannah Morning News:
Gov. Brian Kemp and the Georgia Department of Corrections asked state lawmakers Tuesday for $372 million to improve a prison system the Justice Department criticized last fall in a scathing report.
Most of the additional investments would go toward hiring more correctional officers and pay raises aimed at gaining parity with neighboring states.
In a 94-page report following a multi-year investigation, the Justice Department accused the state prison system of violating inmates’ constitutional rights by failing to protect them from widespread violence.
“We want to make sure our prisons are safe for our employees, safe for our inmates, and safe for the public,” Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia, said Tuesday during a joint meeting of House and Senate subcommittees formed last summer to explore funding levels needed to improve safety inside the state prisons.
Many of the spending recommendations Georgia Commissioner of Corrections Tyrone Oliver outlined Tuesday came from Chicago-based Guidehouse Inc., a consultant the state hired last June after an inmate at Smith State Prison in Glennville shot and killed a food-service worker before turning the gun on himself.
“Public safety is the No.-1 priority of state government, and that is why we have taken a comprehensive and deliberate approach to strengthening law enforcement and improving our corrections system,” Kemp said Tuesday.“I want to thank the teams at Guidehouse for their diligent and detailed work over the past several months, as well as the Department of Corrections personnel who have been helpful at every step of this process and who face incredible challenges each day to keep violent criminals behind bars.”
The spending recommendations include providing 4% pay raises for correctional officers as well as education, chaplain, food service and maintenance personnel. Behavioral health counselors would receive 8% salary increases.
The corrections agency also wants to hire 330 additional correctional officers to improve staff-to-inmate ratios.
The spending plan also calls for $40 million to plan and design a new prison and $93 million in additional funds for sitework and construction associated with four 126-bed modular correctional units.
Another $2.8 million would go to develop a statewide marketing initiative to recruit new correctional officers and $900,000 to update the officer training curriculum.
Tuesday’s presentation was highly unusual in that Georgia governors historically don’t present budget recommendations to the General Assembly until the first week of the annual legislative session. Lawmakers won’t convene the 2025 session under the Gold Dome until next week.
“It shows the emphasis (Kemp) and us are putting on this issue,” said House Appropriations Committee Chairman Matt Hatchett, R-Dublin. “This has been studied and studied. It’s time to get something done.”
The proposal, developed with consulting firm Guidehouse Inc., includes measures to hire more correctional and security officers, improve their pay and update their training; make emergency repairs to prison facilities; beef up the maintenance staff; and fix locks and security electronics.
Kemp is also calling for investing $40 million to plan and design a new prison, increasing funds to add 446 private prison beds to the existing contract and paying for construction of modular units to house prisoners while capital and security improvements are being made.
“We do realize and recognize that this is … I don’t know if historical is the proper term, but it is out of the ordinary, and I think it shows the emphasis that he (Kemp) and us collectively are putting on this issue,” said House Appropriations Chairman Matt Hatchett. “Yeah, you can study things for a long time and hope you get the right answer and the right path forward. Well, this has been studied and studied. And it think it’s time to get something done.”
Senate Appropriation Chairman Sen. Blake Tillery said that such an early presentation, before the legislative session begins, hasn’t been done before. “But I think it’s because of the pressure that we have and we feel we owe to the citizens of Georgia, that we want to make sure our prisons are safe for our employees, safe for our inmates and safe for the public. So I’m really glad we’re able to start that process early today.”
State legislators from the Tifton area discussed their priorities for the coming legislative session, according to the Tifton Gazette.
Legislators across the state are hard at work preparing for the start of the assembly’s legislative session Jan. 13, speaking with constituents about the issues they face and identifying problems within their district and the greater state to discuss and advocate for improvement. The politicians speaking for the residents of Tift County are no different, eager to do what they can to provide reform and beneficial policies to the areas they represent.
State Sen. Carden Summers of Senate District 13, which encompasses Tift, Ben Hill, Berrien, Irwin, Crisp, Lee, Turner, and Worth counties, as well as a portion of Coffee County, aims to focus on providing support to mental health treatment and the homelessness situation, helping farmers heavily impacted by Hurricane Helene recover from its devastation, and ensuring a greater deal of funding is given to rural areas of the state, both specifically for improvements to rural airports and in a more general sense.
Summers expressed a desire to ensure Georgia’s rural areas were given equitable funding to that of the state’s urban areas in the hopes that they would be better equipped to attract industry and retain their younger generations of the workforce who would otherwise seek employment in more urbanized counties.
Other policies he hopes to pursue and advocate for include strengthening legislation for CBD and marijuana to allow physicians to recommend them and similar treatment as medication, a reduction to income tax, a request for President-elect Donald Trump to remove the United States from the World Health Organization, and the banning of biological males from playing in women’s sports.
The senator also hopes to bring a number of bills to the table, including heavy restrictions or an outright removal of speed cameras due to difficulties his constituents have experienced with fighting the citations; a DUI expungement bill to offer “second chances” to offending drivers in meeting background checks, provided they haven’t had a mark on their record in five years; a returning proposition from last year’s session to allow county governments to more easily sell derelict property; and a pair of bills providing support for spaying and neutering costs when adopting a pet and punishing animal cruelty, respectively.
Joining Summers in representing the Tiftarea at the upcoming session, but on the other side of the General Assembly, are the newcomer state representatives for District 169 and District 170, Angie O’Steen and Jaclyn Ford.
Among the 21 new legislators stepping into a position in the state government with the most recent election, O’Steen and Ford will fill the seats being vacated by Clay Pirkle and Penny Houston, and are eager to begin supporting and advocating for their new constituents.
O’Steen, a nurse and farmer, plans to work on improving healthcare in rural areas, invest further in public safety, and lower costs and expenditures.
While Ford has experience in government through her position as chair of the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Foundation and a member of the Georgia Economic Development Board, she aims to use the upcoming legislative session as a learning opportunity for how best to support those she will be speaking on behalf of in the coming years.
“I’ve got a lot to learn; I’m coming in behind Penny Houston, who served for 26 years,” Ford said. “I think I just need to sit back and listen this time.”
Indeed, though Ford won’t officially be sworn in until Jan. 13, she’s taken the time since her election to speak with constituents, learn of the concerns and issues affecting her district, and begin forming a game plan for what policies to focus on going forward.
Her current agenda includes providing support to her district’s healthcare and education systems, offering aid to those affected by Hurricane Helene, and working hard to improve Georgia’s rural agriculture industries, but she expects her first year in office will be “eye-opening” and plans to approach the start of the legislative session with an open mind.
Two Augusta-area state legislators also discussed their priorities, according to WJBF.
NewsChannel 6 talked to Senator Harold Jones of Richmond County and representative Gary Richardson of Columbia County about their goals going in.
Both lawmakers said they have a lot they would like to see happen in the upcoming legislative session, for both the state and for the CSRA.
Senator Jones said that from a statewide perspective, he wants to try and lower child care expenses in Georgia. He believes they are too high and that people can’t afford to work because they can’t afford child care.
Senator Jones also said he’s been an advocate for health care expansion in Georgia for years, especially in rural areas.
“We’re looking at doing Medicaid expansion. That would be one of the big issues that we’re looking at. Last year was the first year in the Senate, actually either House, that a vote on Medicaid expansion actually took place. And it did take place in regulated industries. Unfortunately, came one vote short, but we were very encouraged by that because the fact that only one vote short means we actually had Republican support,” Senator Jones explained.
Locally, he is planning to push for funding for a new research building at Wellstar MCG. Representative Richardson agrees.
“From a local perspective, one of our big lifts, we trying to deal with, making sure MCG can get their new research center. That would be one of our big issues that we have,” said Senator Jones.
“The research building down there is aging out. It’s, you know, there’s leaks and there is…when it’s hot, it’s hot. When it’s cold, it’s cold,” said Representative Richardson.
Representative Richardson is heading into his first legislative session in office and he tells me he is looking forward to learning more about the process.
He said there’s a lot he wants to accomplish with this District 125 seat.
His goals include bringing more industry and jobs to Columbia County, improving school safety, and creating a state retirement plan .
The legislative session in Georgia begins on January 13th.
A new poll by the University of Georgia shows most Georgians support legalizing sports betting, according to the AJC.
Sports betting measures have languished for years amid debates over the scope of the legislation and rifts over how the new revenue it would generate should be spent. Other opponents say it’s immoral, addictive and breeds crime.
Still, the University of Georgia poll commissioned by the Metro Atlanta Chamber found some 63% of registered voters support letting adults legally bet on sports. A majority (54%) said they would be more likely to support legalized sports betting if it would discourage residents from crossing the state line or using offshore websites to place wagers.
Nearly 80% say they’re more likely to back legalized sports betting if all the revenues generated pay for education programs like the HOPE scholarship and pre-K programs. Nearly the same proportion supports enshrining sports betting in the state constitution through an amendment rather than having state elected leaders pass a law.
That same poll also found a broad majority of voters say that “an increasing number of lawsuits filed against businesses in Georgia hurts the state’s economy.”
It says most Georgians disagree with the idea that business owners should be held liable for crimes committed by third parties on their property, and an even greater number say businesses shouldn’t be held liable for crimes committed by third parties near their property.
That dovetails with an initiative led by Gov. Brian Kemp to rewrite litigation rules to make it harder to file certain types of lawsuits, reigniting a fierce political battle that’s raged for decades.
South Georgia Judicial Circuit District Attorney Joseph Mulholland wants to intervene in the Bainbridge monkey case, according to WALB.
A South Georgia district attorney has filed a motion to intervene in plans to build a monkey breeding and research facility in Bainbridge.
The company behind the facility, Safer Human Medicine, is trying to enforce a deal it made with leaders in Decatur County.
In the filing, South Georgia circuit district attorney Joseph Mulholland motioned to intervene in the company’s breach of contract lawsuit against county officials.
Mulholland argued the company claims it is entitled to enforce certain contracts against multiple public entities, including the Decatur County-Bainbridge Industrial Development Authority.
When it comes to the project, Mulholland said in court filings the company and officials from the Decatur County-Bainbridge Industrial Development Authority, “have schemed to secure a favorable order from this court so that the authority can in essence shrug its shoulders and say that it had no choice but to move forward.”
Dalton City Schools and Whitfield County schools are considering opting-out of homestead exemptions under House Bill 581, according to the Dalton Daily Citizen News.
The law, passed by state voters as a constitutional amendment, caps the annual rise in values for properties with a homestead exemption for tax purposes to no more than the previous year’s inflation rate. It does not affect the various homestead exemptions provided by the state and local governments.
The amendment gives local governing bodies the option to opt out of the freeze before March 1. Both local school boards have said they plan to explore that option.
“Dalton Public Schools will be scheduling hearings to discuss the possibility of opting out of Georgia House Bill 581,” said Superintendent Steven Craft. “We need to be very intentional in reviewing the financial impact this bill has on our school district. It is important to understand that our school district receives funding from property taxes, and if the county does not collect the appropriate amount (known as the local fair share) the school district receives less state funding.”
“Our situation is complicated because our current tax digest is 40% undervalued, and HB 581 will be based off the temporary tax collection notice we are currently using,” he said.” As a district, we need to hold these hearings to determine what is the best financial course for the school district and our taxpayers.”
Following two court hearings in October, a senior judge from Floyd County ruled in Whitfield County Superior Court in favor of a temporary tax collection order that allowed for the collection of property taxes based on the 2023 tax digest plus a 10% increase in all assessments. This was decided after concerns were raised by Whitfield County Tax Commissioner Danny Sane, as well as members of the City Council and the Whitfield County Board of Commissioners, about the accuracy of the proposed 2024 tax digest. Whitfield County Superior Court judges had recused themselves from the matter.
Whitfield County Schools officials did not immediately respond to email messages but in a newspaper advertisement announcing their intent to opt out of the law, they wrote that opting out “is essential to maintaining financial stability, as it allows the district to generate the necessary revenue to meet critical needs.”
“These include providing competitive salaries and benefits to attract and retain qualified educators, maintaining manageable class sizes, ensuring access to modern educational resources and addressing facility and operational costs,” it said.
Each school board must hold three public hearings before voting on whether to opt out of the law.
Columbia County public schools are considering whether to opt out from the HB 581 homestead exemption, according to WRDW.
House Bill 581 is meant to change how local governments look at property taxes with your homestead exemption.
Lawmakers drafted this with the purpose of putting a cap on how much property taxes could rise each year to prevent tax spikes.
Columbia County commissioners are tackling the big question of how to address taxes moving forward.
“You only get so many bites at the apple to control taxes, and we want to get it right,” says Doug Duncan, chairman of Columbia County Commission.
House Bill 581 is something every local government and school district in Georgia will have to consider.
If entities opt into the law, it could save taxpayers dollars down the road by making property taxes scale and adjust to inflation instead of actual market value.
Columbia County leaders say it’s a complicated subject and they need time to determine what’s best.
“I think what we have to do is analyze it to make sure that it is in a fast-growing county, we may be adding 5000 residents a year, and so we just have to make sure that we can provide the services required with how the money is compressed down based on the law,” says Duncan.
The law also allows government and school districts to implement an additional sales tax to compensate for any revenue lost under the new system.
A subject with a lot of moving pieces that Columbia County officials say all 159 Georgia counties will have to consider.
Columbia County voted to move forward by scheduling three public meetings to further discuss and inform the public on how this will impact your wallet.
If they do nothing the law will automatically go into effect and if they opt out taxes will remain the same as they did before.
All local governments and school boards have until March 1 to decide what they will do and if they opt out, it will go to the state for approval.
Dublin City Schools are considering joining the Laurens County school system, according to 13WMAZ.
Dublin Mayor Joshua Kight proposed the idea initially because of what he called a financial burden on taxpayers. Kight said he also sees combining them as a chance to improve the schools.
Dublin City Schools Superintendent Fred Williams disagrees because the schools are performing well.
Others like Michael Maffett, with the Let’s Vote Dublin group, said they worry it’s too much for taxpayers to support two school systems now.
“We think the community will be better served both financially and for the students because if we could blend the entire population of our students in this community, we feel like the students will get a better education,” Maffett said.
Kight said he wants the ultimate decision to left up to the people. If the petition asking for a vote about consolidating the two districts gets signatures from 25% of registered voters in Dublin, there will be an election at some point.es on our school system may be wasted,” she said. “I hate that. I hate to see that, and I hate to see them think that.”
A state attorney on the panel said if people voted in favor of consolidating the school systems, the school district administrations would not combine. The Dublin City School System would be abolished, and Laurens County School District would take over all the schools.
Gwinnett County Commissioners voted to adopt a $2.67 billion-dollar budget, according to AccessWDUN.
The budget was proposed in November and after public hearings and input from citizens through the month of December, the budget passed at $2.67-billion.
The budget consists of $2.11-billion in operating budget and $555-million for capital improvements, which includes Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds.
Some key points in the budget include the creation of the Parks and Recreation Department, which was previously part of the Department of Community Services.
Also, six employees were added along with vehicles and equipment for the police department.
Despite the denial of Transportation SPLOST (TSPLOST) by the voters in November, the budget also focuses on added staffing to address growing transportation infrastructure and to improve traffic flow throughout the county.
Macon-Bibb County Commissioners voted to extend term limits for the Mayor, according to 13WMAZ.
Since Macon-Bibb County became a consolidated government in 2014, the county charter has limited how many terms the mayor and county commissioners can serve.
A final 6-3 vote marked a step forward in the effort to amend legislation established 11 years ago.
The new legislation would amend the Macon-Bibb County Charter to provide equal term limits for all members of the county’s governing authority. The mayor’s term limits would change from a pair of four-year terms, to three four-year terms.
This comes months after Mayor Lester Miller first shared interest in a third term as mayor or a run for state governor.
“This is not a third term for Lester Miller. It’s not about the person, it’s about the position. It’s about having equal terms with commissioners and the mayor,” Miller said. “Macon-Bibb County suffers a lot financially, suffers a lot moving forward to the state, bringing good things to our community because you don’t have leadership that’s able to be stable for a while.”
Jan. 1 marked the start of a new term for Miller and the rest of the commission.
Mayor Pro Tem Seth Clark, who is sponsoring the resolution, pushed for the commission to vote Tuesday ahead of the 2025 legislative session start.
If approved by the general assembly, the mayor could potentially seek and be elected for a third term in the office.
“That’s gonna take a little bit of time, which is why I advocated for going ahead and getting this done tonight,” Clark said. “The timeline doesn’t give us much time. The general assembly starts next week and I want to make sure that our members of the delegation will have what they need to make this decision not based on one person, but based on the policy of equality between each member of this body.”
Jones County commissioners voted to remove members from the board of tax assessors, according to 13WMAZ.
Jones County commissioners voted to remove the members of its board of tax assessors Tuesday, following failed tax audits and complaints from the community.
At the meeting on Tuesday, members of the community voiced their concerns about the tax assessor’s board, prior to the final decision to remove the board of tax assessors.
Commissioners said the board members engaged in unlawful acts by making changes and overrides in an effort to keep up with sales prices rather than raising values in an equalized way.
“The citizens of Jones County have lost trust and confidence in the Jones County tax assessors board,” one citizen said at the meeting.
Four out of five commissioners agreed to remove the board of tax assessors. Commissioners say the chief assessor, Tony George along with his board, was given a letter about the removal, but they say the letter was later found unopened in the trash.
City Administrator Jason Rizner told 13WMAZ that the commissioners can’t remove the chief tax assessor Tony George, but they can remove the board members so new members can replace him.
Commissioners say the board of tax assessors will have 10 days to appeal to the superior court judge.
If the tax assessors choose to appeal, the judge will hold a hearing and make a recommendation to the board of commissioners.
The board can then choose whether to follow the judge’s recommendation.
Augusta City Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle was elected Mayor Pro Tem by his colleagues, according to WJBF.
Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle and Alvin Mason were nominated with Mason getting five votes and Guilfoyle getting seven votes one more than needed to win the position.
“I’m glad he’s going to be here for the two years to serve as Mayor Pro-Tem. I don’t think… I know that he is more than capable of serving in that position,” said Commissioner Catherine Smith Rice.
“We couldn’t go wrong with either one of those two. They are two senior commissioners. Both have a wealth of knowledge. Looking forward to learning from all of them,” said Commissioner Don Clark.
Glynn County Commissioners and Brunswick City Commissioners are hosting a meet and greet today from 4-6 PM, according to The Brunswick News.
The public is invited, but the event is intended to be a social one for city and county commissioners to introduce themselves and interact informally with each other. No formal county or city business will be transacted or acted upon by either body, the county said.
The Glynn County Commission Finance Committee will consider rising medical costs for inmates in the county jail, according to The Brunswick News.
The Glynn County Finance Committee will consider an increase of $700,000 to pay for jail inmate medical and prescriptions at Thursday’s meeting.
The increase is due to several large medical invoices that have consumed the entire FY25 budget in the first five months of the fiscal year, according to the request by Sheriff Neal Jump.
The original budget of $400,000 for medical and $200,000 for prescriptions has already been exhausted.
The sheriff’s office estimates it will need $500,000 for medical and $200,000 in prescription funds to complete the fiscal year which ends June 30. Any money that is not spent will be returned to the undesignated fund balance at the end of the fiscal year.
The bodies of two juvenile melon-headed whales were found, including one on Tybee Island, according to the Savannah Morning News.
The bodies of two male melon-headed whales were found 50 miles apart along the southeastern coast of the United States―one of them on the North Shore of Tybee Island.
Staff from the city of Tybee Dept. of Public Works found the body of the juvenile male whale during the early morning hours of Dec. 26, 2024, according to a press release from the Tybee Marine Science Center (TIMSC).
Members of the Marine Mammal Stranding Network―including biologists from the Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources (GaDNR), TIMSC, and Savannah State University (SSU)―converged on site to perform a necropsy to determine the cause of death. Preliminary analysis, according to the press release, showed no signs of human causes, such as a boat propeller strike. Tissue samples will be analyzed for illness. The whale was buried after the skull was retained for further study, presenting a rare opportunity for research and education.
GaDNR wildlife biologist Trip Kolmeyer said that the Tybee stranding and the other further south along the coast on Dec. 28, 2024, represent “the first documented strandings of melon-headed whales on the Georgia coast.”
Melon-headed whales, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Division, are small, dark mammals closely related to pygmy killer whales and false killer whales found in tropical waters. They often swim in large groups of hundreds or more than a thousand individuals. They fall under the protection of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
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