On November 17, 1732, the first English headed to colonize Georgia set off from Gravesend, England, down the Thames. Their supplies included ten tons of beer.
On November 17, 1777, Congress submitted the Articles of Confederation to the states for ratification.
Abraham Lincoln began the first draft of the Gettysburg Address on November 17, 1863.
Herman Talmadge was sworn in as Governor of Georgia on November 17, 1948, ending the “Three Governors” controversy. Click here for a review of the “Three Governors” episode by Ron Daniels.
Richard Nixon declared before a television audience, “I’m not a crook,” on November 17, 1973.
Historian Lorissa Rinehart will discuss her book, “Winning the Earthquake,” a biography of first female U.S. Congresswoman Jeannette Rankin, according to the Athens Banner Herald.
Lorissa Rinehart, an historian and member of the Jeanette Rankin Foundation based in Athens, will discuss Rankin’s “legacy and how her fearless leadership shaped the women’s rights and peace movement of the 20 century,” according to UGA.
The lecture is free and open to the public.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
Police blotter: Jackson County Emergency Management Agency Director Philip Bryan Bullock and his wife were arrested, according to the Athens Banner Herald.
The Jackson County Emergency Management Agency director and his wife were both arrested Thursday on cruelty to children charges, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
The director, Philip Bryan Bullock, 50, of Hoschton, was also charged with aggravated assault, a charge the GBI said stemmed from a “force of hands” assault on a juvenile during a family domestic violence incident.
Bullock faces two counts of first-degree cruelty to children and two counts of second degree. His wife, Karee Whitlock Bullock, 48, is charged with two counts of second-degree cruelty to the children, according to the GBI report.
Although the GBI did not elaborate, the charges stem from the 2021 arrest of their son, Bryson Clay Bullock, on rape and other felony sexual assault charges against a juvenile. He was convicted of the charges in October, the GBI reported.
According to the GBI, once the sexual assault case was completed in court, the ongoing investigation was discussed with the district attorney’s office, and warrants were secured against the Bullock couple.
Philip Bullock, who was hired by Jackson County in 2017 and promoted to director in 2019, was arrested at the Jackson County government complex on Thursday. Jackson County sheriff’s deputies then went to the wife’s workplace in Jefferson and arrested her, according to the sheriff’s report.
Both were placed in the Jackson County Jail.
The GBI has arrested and charged Jackson County Emergency Management Agency Director Philip Bryan Bullock, age 50, of Hoschton, GA, with two counts of Aggravated Assault, two counts of Cruelty to Children in the first degree, and two counts of Cruelty to Children in the second degree. The GBI also arrested and charged Karee Whitlock Bullock, age 48, of Hoschton, GA, with two counts of Cruelty to Children in the second degree.
On July 21, 2021, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office requested the GBI to assist with a sexual assault investigation involving Bryson Bullock, the son of Jackson County EMA Director Bryan Bullock. Bryson Bullock was later arrested for Rape and other felony charges. He was convicted of those charges in October 2025.
This ongoing and extensive investigation led to the arrests of Bryan and Karee Bullock. They were arrested on November 13, 2025, and booked into the Jackson County Jail without incident.
Once the investigation is complete, the case file will be given to the Piedmont Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirmed late Thursday that Philip Bryan Bullock, age 50, and Karee Whitlock Bullock, age 48, both of Hoschton, were arrested earlier that day, Nov. 13. Philip Bullock faces two counts each of aggravated assault, first-degree cruelty to children and second-degree cruelty to children. Karee Bullock faces two charges of second-degree cruelty to children.
The charges come after the couple’s son, Bryson Bullock, age 21, was convicted in Jackson County Superior Court on September 12 of 18 total charges, including rape, cruelty to children, aggravated assault, sexual exploitation of children, aggravated child molestation and sexual battery against a child under the age of 16. He was sentenced to life, with the first 65 years to be served in prison.
The crimes were against three different girls of varying ages, all of whom were under the age of 18 at the time of the crimes, between May 2020 and December 2021. Bryson Bullock was 16 to 17 years old at the time of the crimes.
Bryson Bullock has requested a new trial in the case, with a hearing for that request set for Nov. 25.
No information on why Philip and Karee Bullock were charged with cruelty to children was initially released on Thursday, with the GBI saying only that the charges came after an “ongoing and extensive investigation” that started in July of 2021, with the GBI being requested by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office to aid in that investigation.
President Donald Trump announced he will no longer support U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Extreme NW GA), according to The Hill via WSAV.
President Trump late Friday announced he is pulling his endorsement and support of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and would support a primary challenge against her — a major escalation of their growing beef after months of the House Republican criticizing fellow GOP members and the commander in chief himself.
“I am withdrawing my support and Endorsement of ‘Congresswoman’ Marjorie Taylor Greene, of the Great State of Georgia,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that despite his record, “all I see ‘Wacky’ Marjorie do is COMPLAIN, COMPLAIN, COMPLAIN!”
Trump in the post called Greene a “ranting lunatic” and that she has “gone Far Left.”
The un-endorsement came days after a discharge petition to force a vote on a bill directing the Department of Justice to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein got enough signatures to succeed. Greene was one of four Republicans to sign on, in spite of fierce objections of Trump.
Greene’s split from the president she had once adamantly supported started months earlier, after Trump discouraged Greene earlier this year from running for statewide office in Georgia, which Trump confirmed in the post.
“It seemed to all begin when I sent her a Poll stating that she should not run for Senator, or Governor, she was at 12%, and didn’t have a chance (unless, of course, she had my Endorsement — which she wasn’t about to get!),” Trump said in the post.
“She has told many people that she is upset that I don’t return her phone calls anymore, but with 219 Congressmen/women, 53 U.S. Senators, 24 Cabinet Members, almost 200 Countries, and an otherwise normal life to lead, I can’t take a ranting Lunatic’s call every day.”
Greene in a response on X said that Trump “lied about me” — “I haven’t called him at all.”
She shared a text message she sent Trump earlier on Friday encouraging him to “lean into” the Epstein files issue, noting former President Clinton’s connections to Epstein.
“Apparently this is what sent him over the edge. The Epstein files. And of course he’s coming after me hard to make an example to scare all the other Republicans before next weeks vote to release the Epstein files,” Greene said.
“But really most Americans wish he would fight this hard to help the forgotten men and women of America who are fed up with foreign wars and foreign causes, are going broke trying to feed their families, and are losing hope of ever achieving the American dream,” she added.
Shortly before making the post, Trump told reporters while traveling to his Mar-a-Lago resort that he was open to endorsing someone in primary bid against Greene. On Truth Social, he went further, writing that “the right person runs, they will have my Complete and Unyielding Support.”
“Something happened to her over the last period of a month or two where she changed, I think, politically,” he told reporters on Air Force One. “I think that her constituents aren’t going to be happy. Already I have people calling me, they want to challenge her to a race in her district in Georgia.”
While Greene forged her political identity in Congress as a fierce loyalist of President Trump, she has put herself on the opposite side of many of the president’s positions since he has been back in the White House.
Greene over the summer opposed Trump’s strike on Iran, and became first Republican in Congress to dub Israel’s actions in Gaza a “genocide.” She signed the Epstein discharge petition. And she went against Republicans’ shutdown messaging, saying the GOP have no plan to address health care.
Greene told The Hill in an interview in October that she is “100 percent the same person today as I was when I ran for Congress.”
At the end of his post, Trump took a swipe at Greene for appearing on “The View” last week, during which she said that it is “OK” if Trump does not “love” her back right now.
“She has gone Far Left, even doing The View, with their Low IQ Republican hating Anchors,” Trump said.
From the Associated Press via WRDW:
Greene called it “astonishing really how hard he’s fighting to stop the Epstein files from coming out that he actually goes to this level,” referencing next week’s U.S. House vote over releasing the Epstein files.
Last week, Greene told NBC News that “watching the foreign leaders come to the White House through a revolving door is not helping Americans,” saying that Trump needs to focus on high prices at home rather than his recent emphasis on foreign affairs. Trump responded by saying that Greene had “lost her way.”
Asked about Greene’s comments earlier Friday as he flew from Washington to Florida, Trump reiterated that he felt “something happened to her over the last month or two,” saying that, if he hadn’t gone to China to meet leader Xi Jinping, there would have been negative ramifications for jobs in Georgia and elsewhere because China would have kept its curbs on magnet exports.
Saying that people have been calling him, wanting to challenge Greene, Trump added, “She’s lost a wonderful conservative reputation.”
Greene’s discontent dates back at least to May, when she announced she wouldn’t run for the Senate against Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff, while attacking GOP donors and consultants who feared she couldn’t win.
In June, she publicly sided with Tucker Carlson after Trump called the commentator “kooky” in a schism that emerged between MAGA and national security hardliners over possible U.S. efforts at regime change in Iran.
That only intensified in July, when Greene said she wouldn’t run for governor. Then, she attacked a political “good ole boy” system, alleging it was endangering Republican control of the state.
Greene embarked on a charm offensive in recent weeks, with interviews and appearances in media aimed at people who aren’t hardcore Trump supporters. Asked on comedian Tim Dillon’s podcast if she wanted to run for president in 2028, Greene said in October, “I hate politics so much” and just wanted “to fix problems” — but didn’t give a definitive answer.
That climaxed with an appearance on Bill Maher’s HBO show “Real Time,” followed days later by a Nov. 4 appearance on ABC’s “The View.” Some observers began pronouncing Greene as reasonable as she trashed Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana for not calling Republicans back to Washington and coming up with a health care plan.
“I feel like I’m sitting next to a completely different Marjorie Taylor Greene,” said “The View” co-host Sunny Hostin.
“Maybe you should become a Democrat, Marjorie,” said co-host Joy Behar.
“I’m not a Democrat,” Greene replied. “I think both parties have failed.”
Greene said in a social media post that she and her family have been harassed with “hoax pizza deliveries,” and that her construction business had received a “pipe bomb threat” at its office following Trump’s remarks.
“President Trump’s unwarranted and vicious attacks against me were a dog whistle to dangerous radicals that could lead to serious attacks on me and my family,” Greene wrote in the post.
Last year, police responded to a swatting call at Greene’s house that turned deadly.
Trump, meanwhile, disputed that his comments are endangering Greene.
“Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Greene, I don’t think her life is in danger,” Trump told reporters Sunday. “I don’t think… frankly, I don’t think anybody cares about her.”
After Trump posted on his Truth Social site that House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, he again criticized Greene, writing in another Truth Social post: “Wacky Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Brown (Remember, Green turns to Brown where there is ROT involved!) is working overtime to try and portray herself as a victim when, in actuality, she is the cause of all of her own problems. The fact is, nobody cares about this Traitor to our Country!”
Earlier Sunday, Greene also told CNN that she wants to see an end to what she calls “toxic politics,” and that she regretted taking part in them herself, saying “it’s very bad for our country.”
Greene said she’s often thought of the subject following the assassination of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk.
“I’m only responsible for myself, and my own words and actions, and I’m committed, and I’ve been working on this a lot lately, to put down the knives in politics,” Greene said. “I really just want to see people be kind to one another, and we need to figure out a new path forward that is focused on the American people, because as Americans, no matter what side of the aisle we’re on, we have far more in common than we have differences, and we need to be able to respect each other with our disagreements.”
She went on to say that she doesn’t understand why the president was fighting against the Epstein files being released, saying he hasn’t been implicated in anything illegal.
Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said Sunday night that she and her family have been targeted with hoax pizza deliveries and a pipe bomb threat, blaming what she called President Donald Trump’s “vicious attacks” for escalating the danger against her.
Greene, who was once one of Trump’s earliest and most vocal supporters in Congress, posted on X that the incidents occurred shortly after Trump began publicly calling her a “traitor” amid their growing political feud. She said the former president’s rhetoric had acted as “a dog whistle to dangerous radicals” and warned that it could lead to “a harmful or even deadly outcome.”
“The hoax pizza deliveries have started now, to my house and my family members,” Greene wrote. “We also received a pipe bomb threat at my construction company’s office building.”
“Now that President Trump has called me a traitor, which is absolutely untrue and horrific … this puts blood in the water and creates a feeding frenzy,” Greene said. “It could ultimately lead to a harmful or even deadly outcome.”
Trump, who on Friday signaled he would back a primary challenger against Greene, fired back late Sunday on Truth Social, mocking her as “Wacky Marjorie Traitor Brown” and denying any responsibility for the threats she reported.
“She is working overtime to try to portray herself as a victim when, in actuality, she is the cause of all of her own problems,” Trump wrote. “Nobody cares about this Traitor to our Country.”
Greene said the timing of the harassment, days before a scheduled House vote to release Epstein-related records, was notable but did not directly link the threats to that vote. She defended her voting record as “one of the most conservative” in Congress and said she has paid all her party dues.
“I love America and the American people, and I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution and always do so. I am not a traitor,” Greene wrote. “The toxic and dangerous rhetoric in politics must end, and we need healing in this country for all Americans.”
While interviewing Greene on CNN’s “State of the Union,” anchor Dana Bash noted Sunday that when Trump has attacked or criticized others, Greene hasn’t spoken out against him — until such attacks were directed at her.
“Dana, I think that’s fair criticism, and I would like to say humbly, I’m sorry for taking part in the toxic politics,” Greene said. “It’s very bad for our country. And it’s been something I’ve thought about a lot, especially since Charlie Kirk was assassinated.”
“The most hurtful thing he said, which is absolutely untrue, is, he called me a traitor,” she said. “And that is so extremely wrong, and those are the types of words used that can radicalize people against me and put my life in danger.”
She said she still supports Trump and his administration, but insisted she is working to change her own political style.
“I think America needs to come together and end all the toxic, dangerous rhetoric and divide. And I’m leading the way with my own example, and I hope that President Trump can do the same.”
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee dismissed three charges against some of the alleged co-conspirators in the 2020 Fulton County election case, according to Atlanta News First via WTVM.
On the same day a Georgia prosecutor appointed himself to take over President Donald Trump’s election interference case, the judge overseeing the case dismissed three of the historic charges brought by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
On Friday, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee dismissed charges 14, 15 and 27, all related to the filing of false documents, which were issued by Willis in August 2023.
The order to quash the charges, which was filed Friday, lists Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, Jeffrey Clark, Robert Cheeley, Michael Roman, David Shafer, Stephen Lee, Harrison Floyd, Trevian Kutti, Cathleen Latham and Misty Hampton — all of whom were indicted by Willis’ office.
Counts 15 and 27 were dismissed against Trump in 2024.
Earlier Friday, Pete Skandalakis, the head of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, assigned himself to take over the indictment of Trump and his allies who allegedly tried to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results.
Skandalakis said he has appointed himself because of “my inability to secure another conflict prosecutor to assume responsibility for this case.”
The Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia took over the case’s prosecution after Willis was disqualified over an “appearance of impropriety” caused by a romantic relationship she had with special prosecutor Nathan Wade.
McAfee, who has been overseeing the now-stalled indictment, had given prosecutors until Friday to appoint a new prosecutor for the case. He has also set a hearing for Dec. 1 to determine the status of Skandalakis’ investigations.
On Nov. 10, Trump pardoned the alternate electors who were allegedly involved in plans to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, including all of the defendants charged by Willis.
Willis announced the indictment against Trump and 18 others in August 2023. She used the state’s anti-racketeering law to allege a wide-ranging conspiracy to try to illegally overturn Trump’s narrow loss to Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.
Defense attorneys sought Willis’ removal after the revelation in January 2024 that she had engaged in a romantic relationship with Wade. Attorneys said the relationship created a conflict of interest, alleging that Willis personally profited from the case when Wade used his earnings to pay for vacations the pair took.
McAfee rebuked Willis, saying in an order in March 2024 that her actions showed a “tremendous lapse in judgment.” But he said he did not find a conflict of interest that would disqualify Willis. He ultimately ruled that Willis could remain on the case if Wade resigned, which the special prosecutor did hours later.
Defense attorneys appealed that ruling, and the Georgia Court of Appeals removed Willis from the case in December, citing an “appearance of impropriety.” The high court has since declined to hear Willis’ appeal, putting the case in the lap of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council.
The legislation passed to reopen the federal government will outlaw a number of hemp products, according to WTOC.
The bill that reopened the federal government included language that bans over 95% of all products with hemp extract.
According to the resolution, the ban goes into effect on Nov. 13, 2026.
The larger scale sale of hemp products was made possible by the 2018 Farm Bill. It created what authorities call the THC or hemp “loophole,” which allowed for products with low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), or the intoxicating component of cannabis, to be sold online and in stores across the country.
This week’s shutdown-ending resolution puts the same federal cannabis regulations on all intoxicating THC products. It has some exceptions for non-intoxicating hemp products.
The U.S. Hemp Roundtable, which claims to be a leading voice for hemp regulation to protect consumers and the industry, argued that the move has negative impacts on the whole industry. The group pushed for more regulation, not a ban, which it says would lead to more unregulated products being sold on the black market.
The bill does allow for the sale of products with under 0.4 mg of total THC. The U.S. Hemp Roundtable says while those products are very rare, a large majority of non-intoxicating CBD products on the market feature over 0.4 mg of THC per container.
“Businesses are deeply disappointed by the decisions of Congress and their openness to receiving false information so easily,” U.S. Hemp Roundtable President Art Massolo said in a statement. “The next year will be critical in determining the future of hemp. As a significant American industry, we are committed to sharing with Congress the real story about hemp. Because the truth is that good actors in the industry have created a self-regulation authority to protect consumers. But we need Congress’ help to keep the bad actors out. Hemp is here to stay – let’s do it right.”
The Federal Aviation Administration lifted orders limiting flights during the ended government shutdown, according to the Associated Press via WTVM.
The Federal Aviation Administration said Sunday it is lifting all restrictions on commercial flights that were imposed at 40 major airports during the country’s longest government shutdown.
Airlines can resume their regular flight schedules beginning Monday at 6 a.m. EST, the agency said.
The announcement was made in a joint statement by Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.
Citing safety concerns as staffing shortages grew at air traffic control facilities during the shutdown, the FAA issued an unprecedented order to limit traffic in the skies. It had been in place since Nov. 7, affecting thousands of flights across the country.
Impacted airports included large hubs in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Atlanta.
The flight cuts started at 4% and later grew to 6% before the FAA on Friday rolled the restrictions back to 3%, citing continued improvements in air traffic controller staffing since the record 43-day shutdown ended on Nov. 12.
The number of flights canceled this weekend was at its lowest point since the order took effect and was well below the 3% cuts FAA was requiring for Saturday and Sunday. Data from aviation analytics firm Cirium showed that less than 1% of all flights were canceled this weekend. The flight tracking website FlightAware said 149 flights were cut Sunday and 315 were canceled on Saturday.
The FAA statement said an agency safety team recommended the order be rescinded after “detailed reviews of safety trends and the steady decline of staffing-trigger events in air traffic control facilities.”
The statement said the FAA “is aware of reports of non-compliance by carriers over the course of the emergency order. The agency is reviewing and assessing enforcement options.” It did not elaborate.
Cancellations hit their highest point Nov. 9, when airlines cut more than 2,900 flights because of the FAA order, ongoing controller shortages and severe weather in parts of the country. Conditions began to improve throughout last week as more controllers returned to work amid news that Congress was close to a deal to end the shutdown. That progress also prompted the FAA to pause plans for further rate increases.
The agency had initially aimed for a 10% reduction in flights. Duffy had said worrisome safety data showed the move was necessary to ease pressure on the aviation system and help manage worsening staffing shortages at air traffic control facilities as the shutdown entered its second month and flight disruptions began to pile up.
Air traffic controllers were among the federal employees who had to continue working without pay throughout the shutdown. They missed two paychecks during the impasse.
Duffy hasn’t shared the specific safety data that prompted the cuts, but he cited reports during the shutdown of planes getting too close in the air, more runway incursions and pilot concerns about controllers’ responses.
Airline leaders have expressed optimism that operations would rebound in time for the Thanksgiving travel period after the FAA lifted its order.
The Georgia Public Service Commission will continue moving to a vote on Georgia Power’s proposed expansion of their generation portfolio with two lame duck members, according to the AJC.
The Georgia Public Service Commission has rejected a bid by two environmental groups to delay a key vote on whether to allow Georgia Power to execute a historic, multi-billion dollar expansion of its power generation fleet.
The groups that sought to postpone the decision — the Sierra Club and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy — were doing so, in part, so that two new Democrats elected to the PSC last week could participate in the vote.
The utility’s executives have said the overwhelmingly majority of the new resources are needed to serve data centers popping up across Georgia.
The magnitude of the request merited more time to vet the company’s plans, the groups had argued.
“The fact that this is the largest and most expensive Georgia Power resource approval in history is, itself, good cause for the Commission to allocate 30 more days for review,” the groups said in their motion.
The investments in new power plants the utility has proposed along with grid upgrades will likely run into the tens of billions of dollars. Georgia Power has vowed data centers will pay their fair share and that new billing practices will protect other customers, but at least some costs could fall to residential ratepayers.
The PSC is set to make a final decision in the case, one of its most consequential ones in years, on Dec. 19, just 13 days before Democrats Alicia Johnson and Peter Hubbard are set to take office Jan. 1. Johnson and Hubbard soundly defeated Republican incumbents Tim Echols and Fitz Johnson to claim two seats on the PSC, the state’s top utility regulator with oversight of Georgia Power. Right now, all five of the PSC’s members are Republicans.
Sierra Club and SACE had asked to move the vote to Jan. 20, but on Friday afternoon, PSC Chairman Jason Shaw rejected their request.
In his order, Shaw said the schedule in the case was set months ago and noted some hearings in the case have already taken place. Last month, Georgia Power executives and staff testified in support of the proposed expansion and more hearings are planned in December.
“Changing Commissioners after much of the testimony has already been heard is not conducive to good decision making,” Shaw said in his order.
Georgia’s Secretary of State wants to limit property tax increases, according to the AJC.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger unveiled a property-tax relief package Monday that would cap annual property-tax increases to the rate of inflation and eliminate some local property taxes for seniors if the Republican is elected governor.
The package marks the first major policy rollout of Raffensperger’s campaign and signals that pocketbook issues will be a central part of his pitch in a competitive primary to succeed Gov. Brian Kemp.
The proposal came weeks after rising utility rates helped fuel a Democratic rout of two GOP incumbent Public Service Commissioners, an outcome that Raffensperger said was a “referendum on affordability.”
“No retiree should lose their home to property taxes after a lifetime of paying them,” Raffensperger said. “The people that built Georgia shouldn’t be taxed out of it.”
Raffensperger, who polled in second place in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s survey of likely GOP primary voters, is one of three top Republicans pushing for steeper tax cuts.
Democrat Jason Esteves, also running for Governor, wants to create a statewide child care program, according to the AJC.
The proposal is the first major policy platform of Esteves’ campaign and centers on using existing Georgia Lottery reserves to expand access to early learning programs.
A former middle-school teacher and chair of the Atlanta Public Schools board, Esteves said his plan will tackle the “affordability crisis” in education by expanding the state’s pre-K program.
Launched in 1995 as the nation’s first state-funded universal preschool program for 4-year-olds, Georgia’s’ pre-K program guarantees eligibility but not universal access. Thousands of families land on waitlists each year because funding and classroom capacity vary by county, though a $97 million infusion into the program in 2024 added new seats. Others turn to private providers or alternative options.
The program doesn’t cover 3-year-olds at all, leaving many parents to rely on private centers, informal care or no early-learning options.
Esteves’ plan would guarantee access for all 3- and 4-year-olds with a mixed delivery system through both public and private providers using Georgia Lottery reserves that totaled roughly $2.4 billion in the last fiscal year.
He said he would then move to establish universal child care access for all children under 5 by 2035.
His plan would create an Office of Early Childhood Expansion that offers grants and low-interest loans for providers, classroom materials and facility upgrades.
Mercer University announced that former Governor Nathan Deal (R-Gainesville) will serve as a Trustee, according to 13WMAZ.
Georgia’s 82nd Governor is joining the Mercer University Board of Trustees, according to a press release from the school.
Gov. Nathan Deal was elected to begin service a Mercer University Trustee at the school’s meeting on Friday.
Deal, who graduated from both Mercer University’s undergraduate and law programs, served as Governor of Georgia between 2011 and 2019.
He grew up on a farm in Sandersville, where his parents were teachers.
But its not the first time Deal served on Mercer’s Board of Trustees.
He was on the Board of Trustees from 1994 and 1999.
The appointments comes as Mercer University selected a new president, Penny Elkins, as current President William Underwood returns to teaching at Mercer’s law program.
Federal Judge Marc Treadwell, who serves in the U.S. Middle District in Macon, was also appointed to Mercer’s Board of Trustees.
Governor Deal was also honored by Hall County Schools, according to AccessWDUN.
Former Georgia Governor Nathan Deal was recognized Friday as the Hall County School District’s 2025-2026 RESA Pioneer in Education Award recipient.
The annual recognition honors an individual who has made significant, lasting contributions to public education in Georgia.
The son of two school teachers, and previously married to another, Deal has prioritized public education throughout his career, according to HCSD. His mother taught first grade for 40 years, and his children attended and graduated from the Hall County School District.
The district highlighted that even while serving as a United States Congressman, he often volunteered his time to visit local schools and speak to students.
HCSD said that as governor, Deal advocated for “unprecedented” investments in public education.
“Under his leadership, more than one billion dollars in additional state revenue was funneled into K-12 education, teacher salaries were improved, and programs such as the Innovation Fund and Connections for Classrooms Grant enabled local school systems to bring new technologies, expanded learning time, and innovative instruction into their classrooms,” the school district said. “He prioritized K-12 education in the state budget, and in Fiscal Year 2019, his administration announced that Georgia had fully restored the austerity cuts dating back to 2003 in the Quality Basic Education (QBE) funding formula.”
Deal was also previously recognized by The University System of Georgia for his leadership and support of higher education with the Eldridge McMillan Lifetime Achievement Award.
“Governor Deal’s commitment to educational excellence and workforce development has transformed opportunities for Georgia’s students,” Hall County Superintendent Will Schofield, said. “He has always understood that education is the foundation of strong communities and thriving families. His vision continues to guide our work here in Hall County and throughout the state.”
Metter City Council member Rashida Taylor will serve as the city’s first female Mayor, according to WSAV.
For the first time in over half a century, the city of Metter has elected a female mayor.
Current Councilwoman Rashida Taylor defeated challengers Tim Coleman and David Waters, winning 51.3% of the vote.
Taylor spoke to WSAV about the emotions she felt when she learned of her victory on election night.
“Oh, my gosh, it was so exciting,” she said. “Overwhelming. We had family and friends gather and I am still incredibly shocked about the whole process but I’m excited and I can’t wait to get this process started.”
Taylor also spoke about her motivations to throw her hat in the ring for the position.
“There were several things that led up to my decision to run for mayoral office but one of the most compelling things was actually the citizens,” she said. “They actually called me, texted me, and suggested that I run. Other things that I considered was, I am very involved in the community. I love everything that’s going on here, and I always try to be somewhat of a help.
Taylor wants to hit the ground running once she takes office.
“Initially, I’d like to meet with local leaders, church leaders, business leaders,” she said. “Also meet with the staff to try to understand what were their some their concerns, some of their issues, and how the city can bridge and help them along.”
Other priorities Taylor mentioned was building a relationship with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), prioritizing public safety and continuing to work with Candler County.
Taylor and other incoming leaders will be sworn in at an inauguration ceremony on Dec. 30.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division announced that Chris Harper will be the new agency Director beginning in December, according to the Savannah Morning News.
Chris Harper is the new director of the Wildlife Resources Division of the state Department of Natural Resources, effective Dec. 1, the DNR announced Friday.
Harper has worked with the WRD since 1999, the DNR said, most recently serving as assistant chief of the fisheries management section. Over his career, he has held roles as a fisheries biologist, statewide fish hatchery coordinator and fisheries technician.
Harper said he’s committed to promoting sound stewardship of Georgia’s natural resources and expanding opportunities for outdoor enjoyment.
“It’s an incredible honor to be selected as the next director of the Wildlife Resources Division. I’m proud to lead such a dedicated team and look forward to building on our strong foundation to conserve Georgia’s wildlife and enhance outdoor experiences for everyone,” Harper said.
The City of Tybee Island will seek local legislation to allow a Municipal Option Sales Tax (MOST) election, according to the Savannah Morning News.
After historic amounts of rainfall this year, the City of Tybee Island is once again pursuing the municipal option sales tax (MOST) for the 2026 legislative session, which convenes on Jan. 12, 2026.
Last year, the city also looked to implement MOST with approval from the state legislature to hold a referendum. MOST was first adopted in Atlanta and allows municipalities to tax visitors and residents 1% of sales of goods and services. The tax will fund upgrades to water and sewer infrastructure if the state legislature approves a referendum for islanders to vote on it. MOST would also have a four-year term.
Tybee’s stormwater management plan seeks to invest about $80 million in stormwater maintenance and projects over the next 20 years or so. In August, the city announced on Facebook it would begin plans for major stormwater infrastructure updates included in that plan.
Dalton City Council will vote today on their proposed 2026 budget, according to the Dalton Daily Citizen.
The Dalton City Council will vote Monday on its proposed 2026 budget. As reported in yesterday’s Dalton Daily Citizen, the proposal for the 2026 fiscal year — which begins Jan. 1, 2026, and ends Dec. 31, 2026 — calls for $49.82 million in spending, an increase over the 2025 adopted budget.
The city first released the proposed budget for public review on Nov. 3, with a state-required public hearing held on Nov. 10. Council members are expected to vote on final adoption of the budget at the Monday, Nov. 18 meeting.
Under Georgia law, local governments must hold at least one public hearing on a proposed budget at least one week before adoption.
Total proposed spending: $49,820,000 — 8.5% lower than the 2024 actual expenditures of $54,440,032 and 7.5% higher than the 2025 adopted budget of $46,325,000. These expenditures include, among other lesser categories, Public Works, Police, Fire, Judicial (Municipal Court), Recreation, Housing & Development, and General Government — which includes administration, the city clerk’s office, finance, human resources, information technology, buildings and grounds, and other support functions.
Total projected revenue: $49,015,000 — 0.8% lower than the 2024 actual revenues of $49,435,070 and 5.8% higher than the budgeted 2025 revenues of $46,325,000. These revenues include, among other lesser categories, taxes, charges for service, investment income and transfers from other funds.
The Dublin Board of Education is proposing to raise their property tax millage rate, according to 13WMAZ.
Dublin City Schools plans to adopt a new millage rate that is 3.9% above the rollback rate, but must hold three public hearings before finalizing it.
This comes after the school system has been grappling with financial struggles.
A message on their website notifies their intention to raise the millage rate for 2025 property taxes.
They said that “The budget for Dublin City Schools Board of Education requires a millage rate higher than the rollback millage rate.”
The rollback millage rate is made by Georgia law so that property taxes do not increase as property values increase.
The school system wants to choose a millage rate that is almost 4% higher than the rollback rate.
“Georgia law requires three public hearings to be held to allow the public an opportunity to express their opinions on the increase,” they said on their website.
They held the first hearing on Friday. The next hearings will be on Nov. 24 at noon and 6 p.m. at the Dublin High School Auditorium at 1127 Hillcrest Parkway.
They said that they continue to work with the Georgia Department of Education’s Special Advisor and interim Chief Financial Officer to make sure that each step is carried out “accurately and efficiently.”
“Dublin City Schools also recognizes the need to expand its financial staffing and training plan to support long-term stability and reduce dependence on daily state-level support,” they said in the release.
Over the past few months, the district has made cuts and plans to address their budget shortfall of over $13 million.
The board approved the district’s 2026 deficit reduction plan in October.
Savannah City Council will discuss their budget at a retreat, according to WTOC.
On Monday, the City of Savannah staff will be presenting their recommendations for next year’s budget to city council. City council members will get to ask questions and weigh in on how the money spent.
The City of Savannah overall proposed budget is approximately $656 million. The General Fund, which is part of the total budget, is currently set at $311 million.
The General Fund shows the true operating cost of running the city day-to-day. The remainder of the budget typically includes utilities, capital projects, grants, special funds and more. When city staff were putting the budget proposal together, they focused on six specific priorities, some of which included.
The first proposed budget hearing for public comment is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 25, and the second and final public budget hearing is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 11.
On that day, city council will adopt next year’s budget.
Floyd County Commissioners continue working on their budget, according to WRGA News.
Floyd County Manager Jamie McCord gave an update during a recent county commission meeting.
“We’ve been in the budget process for several months now,” he said. “We’ve been meeting with department heads and going through our requests for 2026. They have gotten all of those to finance, and finance and I have been meeting over the last several weeks. A lot of good things for next year’s budget, but there is also some work to do. We are still in deficit with the first flush and we do need to work through that, which is not unusual at this time. I have gone through everything with the exception of recreation, elections, and our capital budget, but good work by the department heads, and great work by the finance department to get everything in order.”
There was a work session on Tuesday of last week, and another is scheduled for November 25.
“We are currently scheduled to have another work session on December 1, along with a public hearing for first reading on December 1,” McCord added. “Then, adoption will be at the regularly scheduled meeting on December 9. That will be the standard 6 p.m. meeting. Again, there is a lot of work going on between that time frame and this time frame.”
The budget would take effect on January 1, 2026.
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