The first twenty-three cadets at Virginia Military Institute began their service on November 11, 1839.
On November 11, 1918, word reached Georgia that an armistice was signed between the Allies and Germany, ending World War One. Georgia Governor Hugh Dorsery declared a state holiday. Armistice Day, marking the end of World War I, was first celebrated on November 11, 1919 and is celebrated on November 11th every year.
The Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery was dedicated on November 11, 1921.
On Armistice Day, in the presence of President Harding and other government, military, and international dignitaries, the unknown soldier was buried with highest honors beside the Memorial Amphitheater. As the soldier was lowered to his final resting place, a two-inch layer of soil brought from France was placed below his coffin so that he might rest forever atop the earth on which he died.
The Tomb of the Unknowns is considered the most hallowed grave at Arlington Cemetery, America’s most sacred military cemetery. The tombstone itself, designed by sculptor Thomas Hudson Jones, was not completed until 1932, when it was unveiled bearing the description “Here Rests in Honored Glory an American Soldier Known but to God.” The World War I unknown was later joined by the unidentified remains of soldiers from America’s other major 20th century wars and the tomb was put under permanent guard by special military sentinels.
On November 11, 1942, the draft age was lowered to 18 and raised to 37. At the time, African-Americans were excluded from the draft over concerns about a racially-diverse military.
The “General Lee” first left the ground, using a ramp to clear a police car, during filming of “The Dukes of Hazzard” on November 11, 1978.
Ronald Reagan became the first President of the United States to address the Japanese Diet in Tokyo on November 11, 1983.
On November 11, 1988, the Georgia Vietnam Memorial was dedicated in front of the Sloppy Floyd state government building across the street from the Georgia State Capitol.
On November 11, 1997, a monument to Georgia’s World War I veterans was dedicated, also in front of the Sloppy Floyd building.
On November 11, 2013, the Atlanta Braves announced they would move from downtown Atlanta to Cobb County.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
Funniest thing I learned about Georgia politics and government today: the Georgia Medical Cannabis Commission is located in Suite 420.
Join me today in praying for my friend, Melvin Everson, a career Army retiree who also served on Snellville City Council, in the State House, and in several other government roles. From the Gwinnett Daily Post:
Several Gwinnett County community leaders offered their prayers for Melvin Everson, a well known figure in Gwinnett and Georgia politics, on Monday night, with friends saying he is reportedly hospitalized with a serious medical condition.
There are reports from friends on Facebook that Everson, who is a former state legislator who currently serves as the vice president of community and government affairs at Gwinnett Technical College had a stroke on Sunday night, but the Daily Post has not confirmed those reports.
Some of his friends said he is in a medically-induced coma, however.
Everson is a respected figure in local politics and community efforts, particularly in the Snellville community. A Republican, he has served on the Snellville City Council and in the Georgia House of Representatives in the past.
He served as the executive director of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Development and the Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity under former Gov. Nathan Deal. NewsMax named him one of the 50 most influential African-American Republicans in the nation in 2017.
“Marty, the girls, and I ask all Georgians to join us in praying for our dear friend, former Representative Melvin Everson and his family,” Gov. Brian Kemp said in a statement on Facebook Monday night. “May God bless him with a swift and strong recovery.”
Everson is also an Army veteran and a minister.
He has held multiple posts at Gwinnett Tech since 2017.
Snellvile Councilwoman Gretchen Schulz and Snellville Tourism and Trade Executive Director Kelly McAloon each said Everson underwent surgery on Monday to address brain bleed.
“It will be a day or two before they start bringing him out of the coma and start evaluating any lasting damage,” McAloon said.
Friends, including both Republicans and Democrats, expressed hope that he would recover Monday night.“Praying for God’s healing upon him,” Gwinnett County Magistrate Court Judge Regina Matthews said in a Facebook post.
Former state Sen. P.K. Martin said, “Pull through brother. You bring out the best in everyone.”
Voters in Molena and Pavo voted to opt out of water system fluoridation, according to the AJC.
Two small Georgia cities recently voted to opt out of a law requiring fluoride in their public water systems, following the advice of U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
State law requires public water systems to use fluoride, a mineral that strengthens teeth and reduces cavities. But local governments can opt out of that law through a referendum.
Voters in Molena and Pavo did that last week.
Tommy Coleman, the Pavo city attorney, said residents organized a petition to opt out of the law after hearing Kennedy tell the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stop recommending fluoridation in water systems.
Coleman, who represents about 35 cities and other local governments in South Georgia, said he had never before been asked about opting out of Georgia’s fluoride law.
Kennedy has called fluoride a “dangerous neurotoxin.” Some studies have shown fluoride can cause health problems, but only in higher than recommended amounts. The U.S. government has set guidelines for the amount of fluoride to use in water since 1962.
Pavo, Georgia is a town divided by the border of Brooks and Thomas Counties, and Molena lies in Pike County.
Georgia State Senator Chuck Payne (R-Dalton) wrote an Op-Ed in the Dalton Daily Citizen.
Everyday, veterans across our country face barriers to high-quality healthcare. In Georgia, veterans live far away from VA facilities, receive inconsistent care quality, and often have difficulties accessing specialized care services. As both a U.S. Army Veteran and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans, Military, and Homeland Security, it is my duty to protect the heroes in Georgia who sacrificed their lives to protect us.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed policies that threaten the honest and hard-working Georgians I represent, restricting Medicare patients’ access to cellular, acellular, and matrix like products (CAMPs) essential for treating chronic wounds. Our veterans – your neighbors, family members, and friends – face these conditions at higher rates from combat-related injuries defending our freedom.
Clinical studies have shown that CAMPs can, and do, reduce open wounds by over 75 percent, and decrease wound recurrence by up to 91 percent. Those numbers represent more than medical progress — they represent veterans regaining their independence, their mobility, and their dignity.
These aren’t just statistics on a page. They are real results experienced by veterans in rural North Georgia communities like Murray, Whitfield, and Gordon counties — men and women who already face long drives or lack of transportation to reach specialized clinics. Many of them are seniors living on fixed incomes or disability benefits. When they call my office, they aren’t looking for handouts; they’re looking for hope. For them, CAMPs and at-home wound care services make the difference between healing and life-long suffering.
If these Biden era proposed CMS policies take effect, that hope likely will vanish. Restricting access to CAMPs would force more veterans and seniors to travel longer distances for advanced wound care, a burden that many simply cannot bear. The result would be more untreated wounds, more infections, more amputations — and more preventable deaths. Research shows that timely intervention with CAMPs can lower mortality by 26 percent, saving lives and preserving quality of life for thousands of Georgians.
This issue extends far beyond veterans alone. Seniors with limited mobility, Georgians living in rural areas, and patients with diabetes or vascular disease all stand to lose access to these proven therapies. The data is clear: by improving wound closure rates and preventing complications, CAMPs not only save lives but also save our healthcare system money. Reducing the need for prolonged hospital stays and emergency interventions means lower healthcare costs for patients and taxpayers alike. For Georgians living on military pensions or disability benefits, that financial relief is critical.
Unfortunately, the CMS proposal appears to be an overreaction to the reimbursement system established for these products during the former Administration, and to isolated cases of fraud and abuse by a few bad actors.
When I served in the U.S. Army and the 82nd Airborne Division, I learned one guiding lesson: we never leave our comrades behind. That same principle drives me today. We cannot abandon Georgia’s veterans who are fighting battles at home against chronic wounds and limited healthcare access.
I’ve spoken with veterans who, thanks to CAMPs treatments, avoided amputation and returned to their daily routines. I’ve heard from families who saw loved ones finally heal after years of pain. These treatments don’t just close wounds – they reduce adverse effects by up to 71 percent, helping patients recover faster and avoid repeat hospitalizations.
My responsibility as a legislator, and equally important as a veteran, is to ensure that every Georgian who has served our country has access to the care they need. CMS should reconsider these proposed changes and work collaboratively with providers, industry participants and patient advocates to create policies rooted in evidence, compassion, and common sense.
Our veterans stood on the front lines for us. Now it’s our turn to stand up for them — to defend their right to heal with dignity and protect their access to the best possible products for care.
Chuck Payne, a state Senator from Dalton, is chairman of the Veterans, Military and Homeland Security Committee. He is an Army veteran who served in the 82nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg, N.C.
Voters in two State House districts will vote for new representatives on December 9, 2025, according to the AJC.
Special elections for a pair of statehouse seats heavily favor the GOP. But Democrats are still making a play as part of a larger strategy to retake the House majority.
One of the districts covers the northern exurbs of Atlanta and the other a part of Athens. The elections will take place Dec. 9, and a runoff, if needed, will be Jan. 6.
Republican state Rep. Mandi Ballinger, who represented House District 23, died in October after a long battle with cancer. The candidate elected to fill her seat, which covers Canton and unincorporated parts of Cherokee County, will fill out the remainder of her term.
Five Republicans and one Democrat have qualified to run. With several candidates in the race, it’s unlikely one person will receive the 50%-plus-one majority needed to win outright.
The candidates are Republicans Will Fincher, Brice Futch, Ann Gazell, Rajpal Sagoo and William Ware, as well as Democrat Scott Sanders.
The seat representing House District 121 became open when Republican state Rep. Marcus Wiedower retired from the Georgia Legislature last month to concentrate on his real estate business.
The district covers south Athens, Watkinsville and portions of Oconee County.
One Democrat, Eric Gisler, and one Republican, Mack “Dutch” Guest, qualified for the seat.
Governor Brian Kemp announced he will appoint Carl Cansino as the new Washington County Solicitor General, according to a Press Release.
Carl S. Cansino is the founder of Cansino Law Firm, LLC, where he focuses on criminal matters in state and federal courts. Additionally, he serves as municipal court prosecutor for the cities of Eatonton, Milledgeville, and Sandersville. Before establishing his firm, Cansino served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit. A native of Sebring, Florida, Cansino earned his Juris Doctor from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School and his Bachelor of Arts in literature from Florida State University. Cansino is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He and his wife, Amy, have four children and live in Tennille, Georgia.
Georgia’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will pay out November benefits at 65%, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Dalton Daily Citizen.
The one in eight Georgians who rely on food stamps to put meals on the table will start receiving their money on Tuesday.
The Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS) said recipients who were supposed to receive deposits to their electronic benefit transfer cards last week will see the transactions post, but they will be getting less money than they normally do.
“SNAP recipients will receive up to 65% of their normal benefit amount depending on their household income and other deductions,” the agency announced Sunday after receiving yet another communique from the federal government about the distributions.
A DHS spokesperson confirmed Monday that the plans had not changed.
They are based on a message Saturday from Patrick Penn, a U.S. Department of Agriculture deputy under secretary overseeing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. His latest guidance warned states not to issue full benefits or risk financial consequences.
It was the sixth time the USDA had changed the rules for states since the first guidance went out a month ago, on Oct. 10.
Penn, who had told states last week that they could issue full benefits, said the new mandate was based on the decision Friday by the U.S. Supreme Court to grant a stay against an order by a federal judge in Rhode Island requiring the agency to immediately release full November funding.
Some recipients in Georgia normally begin receiving deposits on the fifth of each month. The payments roll out to others on odd dates through the 23rd. Anyone who normally would have received their November allotment by now will see the deposits Tuesday, the state said. Thereafter, the reduced deposits will return to the normal schedule.
The federal government shutdown also will affect the Savannah Veterans’ Day parade, according to the Savannah Morning News.
Officials say the parade will go on Tuesday – just without its usual military lineup. That means no color guards, no marching troops, and no Fort Stewart band leading the way. Organizers have had to reshuffle the order, add community groups, and find a local musician to perform taps at 11 a.m. – a role usually filled by a military bugler.
While the shutdown may have paused military involvement, they say they are more concerned that military members are not getting paid, but still want to show support. Behind this year’s parade organizing is Joe Higgins, who currently serves as the youngest chairman ever of the Veterans Council of Chatham County.
“It’s important parade that we put on every year for Veterans Day. This is to honor everybody that’s ever put on a uniform and served their country. It’s actually also for everybody that’s currently serving. So, even though they can’t be in the parade with us, we hope that they still come out and enjoy the parade, maybe tune in online and watch it,” shared Higgins.
DeKalb County schools say in a lawsuit that they spent more than $4.3 million dollars addressing student issues with social media, according to the AJC.
The DeKalb County School District has spent over $4.3 million trying to remedy the harm caused by its students’ addiction to social media and will need much more money to keep up the fight, it has revealed in court filings.
The district urged a federal judge Friday to let its lawsuit against TikTok, Meta, Snap, YouTube and associated companies go before a jury in Atlanta. It pushed back against the companies’ argument that their social media platforms aren’t the cause of the district’s problems.
DeKalb’s school district, the third largest in Georgia, said its teachers spend 10-20% of their time in class dealing with social media distractions. It filed documents Friday showing its 91,000 students increasingly feel anxious, depressed, isolated and worthless, allegedly because of their addiction to social media apps like Snapchat and Instagram.
The companies said the DeKalb district’s problems stem in part from its dysfunctional administration and the fact that more than 75% of its 138 schools and centers are considered “high poverty” by the state. They say the district has no evidence showing students’ use of their apps, and not other types of cell phone use, is to blame.
“At the same time, DeKalb has used Defendants’ platforms extensively to promote its own activities and connect with the community, including incorporating Defendants’ platforms into student outreach programs and encouraging students to utilize Defendants’ platforms in DeKalb sanctioned activities,” the companies wrote in a recent court filing.
President Donald Trump’s pardon of co-defendants in the 2020 Georiga election case will not affect the state prosecution, according to the Savannah Morning News.
President Donald Trump pardoned any federal charges for more than 70 people connected to investigations into their conduct during the election. This includes multiple people named in a notable Georgia investigation.
As explained by Fox 5 Atlanta, the Georgia case was originally led by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and was built around accusations that Trump and several allies unlawfully tried to overturn the 2020 election through a “fake electors” scheme, false statements, and pressure on state officials.
In his proclamation, which was posted online by US Pardon Attorney Ed Martin, Trump said these pardons end “a grave national injustice perpetrated upon the American people following the 2020 Presidential Election and continues the process of national reconciliation.”
Willis was disqualified from the case due to her romantic relationship with a special prosecutor, as reported by USA Today. She tried to fight it on appeal, but lost, and the Supreme Court of Georgia upheld that decision in September.
ANF said, after Willis was disqualified, the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia took over, but Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, who has been overseeing the now-stalled indictment, has given prosecutors until Friday to appoint a new prosecutor for the case.
“It is important to note that President Trump’s pardons apply only to federal charges and do not affect state charges,” said the council’s executive director Pete Skandalakis. “Therefore, the task before my office remains unchanged….We will continue to carry out our responsibilities without being influenced by matters outside the scope of our assigned task, with the goal of complying fully with Judge McAfee’s order”
President Trump said U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Extreme NW GA) has “lost her way,” according to the Associated Press via WRDW.
President Donald Trump on Monday said key Republican ally Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene had “lost her way” by saying that he’s spending too much time on foreign affairs and should be more focused on inflation.
The dispute reflects a fundamental challenge within Trump’s coalition after last week’s off-cycle elections, in which voters in the New Jersey and Virginia governor races flocked to Democrats in large part over concerns about the cost of living.
“I don’t know what happened to Marjorie, nice woman,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on a day centered around meeting Syria’s leader and swearing in a new ambassador to India. “She’s lost her way, I think.”
Greene, a Trump advocate in Congress, told NBC News last week that “watching the foreign leaders come to the White House through a revolving door is not helping Americans.” She said prices remain too high and the president needs to focus on that rather than his recent emphasis on foreign affairs.
“It’s not reducing the cost of living.” Greene said. “It’s doing nothing about health insurance premiums. It’s doing nothing to solve the problems that are really plaguing vulnerable segments of our population, especially young people.”
State Senator Blake Tillery (R-Vidalia) campaigned in Coastal Georgia, according to The Brunswick News.
Georgia Sen. Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia, spoke to the Golden Isles Women’s Club Monday about his motivation to seek the office of lieutenant governor.
Tillery spoke about his past experience as member of the Toombs County Commission, where property taxes were lowered all four years he served as the board’s chairman.
He currently serves as chairman of the Georgia Senate Appropriations Committee, where he is responsible for helping shape the state’s budget and funding priorities.
Eliminating the state income tax is important if Georgia wants to continue to compete with states without an income tax such as Florida and Tennessee. Other Southeast states are working toward the same goal.
He said Georgia cannot have the highest income tax in the Southeast with the exception of Alabama.
Tillery said he has identified $30 billion in business exemptions that can be cut or eliminated to help the state eliminate the state income tax.
“We exempt the state sales tax on yacht parts,” he said. “How is that good?”
U.S. Congress candidate Pat Farrell also made a brief speech to encourage people to support his bid for the First Congressional District to replace U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, R-1, a 2026 candidate who hopes to unseat incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-GA.
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