Friday, October 15, 1582 marked the beginning of the adoption of the Gregorian Calendar – the previous day was Thursday, October 4th.
On October 14, 1735, John and Charles Wesley sailed with James Oglethorpe from Gravesend, England, for Georgia and John Wesley wrote the first entry in his journal that would eventually cover 55 years. On that date, John Wesley wrote,
Our end in leaving our native country, was not to avoid want, (God having given us plenty of temporal blessings,) nor to gain the dung or dross of riches or honour; but singly this, to save our souls; to live wholly to the glory of God.
The Pennsylvania Gazette published a criticism against the British Tea Act on October 16, 1773.
The Tea Act of 1773 was a bill designed to save the faltering British East India Company by greatly lowering its tea tax and granting it a virtual monopoly on the American tea trade. The low tax allowed the company to undercut even tea smuggled into America by Dutch traders, and many colonists viewed the act as yet another example of taxation tyranny. In response, the “Philadelphia Resolutions” called the British tax upon America unfair and said that it introduced “arbitrary government and slavery” upon the American citizens. The resolutions urged all Americans to oppose the British tax and stated that anyone who transported, sold or consumed the taxed tea would be considered “an enemy to his country.”
The First Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Colonial Rights in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 14, 1774.
George Washington left New York, the nation’s capital, on October 15, 1789, embarking upon the first Presidential tour to New England.
On October 16, 1854, Abraham Lincoln, a candidate for Congress, spoke against the Kansas-Nebraska Act and called the practice of slavery “immoral.”
Lincoln, who was practicing law at the time, campaigned on behalf of abolitionist Republicans in Illinois and attacked the Kansas-Nebraska Act. He denounced members of the Democratic Party for backing a law that “assumes there can be moral right in the enslaving of one man by another.” He believed that the law went against the founding American principle that “all men are created equal.”
The world’s first combat submarine, CSS Hunley, sunk during testing in Charleston Harbor on October 15, 1863.
On October 13, 1870, Governor Rufus Bullock signed legislation creating the Georgia State Board of Education.
On October 13, 1885, Governor Henry McDaniel signed legislation authorizing the creation of a state school of technology as a branch of the University of Georgia; the school would open in Atlanta in October 1888, and in 1948 was renamed the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Then-former President Theodore Roosevelt was shot before a campaign speech in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on October 14, 1912.
Roosevelt, who suffered only a flesh wound from the attack, went on to deliver his scheduled speech with the bullet still in his body. After a few words, the former “Rough Rider” pulled the torn and bloodstained manuscript from his breast pocket and declared, “You see, it takes more than one bullet to kill a Bull Moose.” He spoke for nearly an hour and then was rushed to the hospital.
On October 13, 1918, the ban on public gatherings in Atlanta to prevent spread of the Spanish flu, was extended an additional week.
On October 16, 1918, visitors to the Southeastern Fair at the Lakewood Fairgrounds were required by the Georgia State Board of Health to don face masks in order to prevent the spread of the Spanish flu.
A.A. Milne published Winnie-the-Pooh on October 14, 1926. E. H. Shepard illustrated the Pooh books.
The 20th Amendment to the United States Constitution took effect October 15, 1933, changing the Presidential term of office to begin and end on January 20th following each quadrennial election and Senate and Congress to January 3d following biennial elections, both from March 4th.
The War Department renamed Wellston Air Depot to Warner Robins Air Force Depot to honor Brigadier General Augustine Warner Robins on October 14, 1942.
Billy Graham launched his national ministry on October 15, 1949 in Los Angeles, California.
On October 14, 1964, Martin Luther King, Jr. was announced as the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, becoming Georgia’s first native-born winner. The Atlanta Journal Constitution has a story on how King’s Nobel Prize effected Atlanta.
The honor wasn’t just a watershed for King and the civil rights movement but also for Atlanta. It set off a series of events that some say fundamentally changed the city’s business, religious and racial cultures by bringing blacks and whites together for the first time to share a meal in public.
That simple act, holding a multi-racial banquet in the new Nobel laureate’s honor, tested the will and even the nerves of those determined to make Atlanta a more just and inclusive place.
“It was a defining moment in the history of the city, and it should go down in the city’s documented memory,” said Janice R. Blumberg, the widow of Rabbi Jacob Rothschild, who was instrumental in organizing the event.
King’s three surviving children are due in court in December to determine if the 23-karat gold medal — along with a Bible their father once owned — should be sold at auction. Brothers Martin Luther King III and Dexter King, representing the King Estate, plan to sell the items. Sister Bernice King has opposed the sale.
Mayor Allen and J. Paul Austin, chairman of Coca-Cola, gathered the business elite at the Piedmont Driving Club. Allen warned then he would be taking notes on who did not attend the dinner. But Austin delivered the crushing blow.
According to Young’s written account, Austin said: “It is embarrassing for Coca-Cola to be located in a city that refuses to honor its Nobel Prize winner. We are an international business. The Coca-Cola Company does not need Atlanta. You all have to decide whether Atlanta needs the Coca-Cola Company.”
On October 15, 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed legislation creating the United States Department of Transportation. May God have mercy upon his soul.
Interstate 285 around Atlanta was completed on October 15, 1969.
The Omni opened in Atlanta on October 15, 1972, as the Hawks beat the New York Knicks by a score of 109-101.
Maynard Jackson was elected Mayor of Atlanta on October 16, 1973. Jackson was the first African-Amercian Mayor of Atlanta; he served eight years, and was elected for a third, non-consecutive term in 1990.
On October 13, 1976, Democrat Jimmy Carter received a post-debate bump against President Gerald Ford, with polls showing Carter at 50%-40% over the incumbent, up from 47%-45% before the debate.
On October 16, 1976, Jimmy Carter campaigned in Youngstown, Ohio.
On October 14, 1980, Republican candidate for President Ronald Reagan announced he would name a woman to the Supreme Court if elected.
To achieve those ends, we need the best people possible at the highest levels of Government regardless of sex, race or religion. I am also acutely aware, however, that within the guidelines of excellence, appointments can carry enormous symbolic significance. This permits us to guide by example, to show how deep our commitment is and to give meaning to what we profess.
One way I intend to live up to that commitment is to appoint a woman to the Supreme Court. I am announcing today that one of the first Supreme Court vacancies in my administration will be filled by the most qualified woman I can find, one who meets the high standards I will demand for all my appointments.
It is time for a woman to sit among our highest jurists. I will also seek out women to appoint to other Federal courts in an effort to bring about a better balance on the Federal bench.
Former Secretary General of the Communist Party of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev won the Nobel Peace Prize on October 15, 1990
Georgia-born Clarence Thomas was confirmed as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court on October 15, 1991.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
Early voting is now open in many local elections, according to the Statsboro Herald.
A three-week opportunity for in-person early voting begins Monday, Oct. 16, in advance of the Nov. 7 city elections and will include two voting Saturdays.
In Bulloch County, Brooklet has an election that includes a liquor store referendum and a council race; Register has a race for one council seat; and Statesboro Council District 2 voters will decide between incumbent council member Paulette Chavers and challenger Lawton Sack.
But Portal’s election was canceled because all of its incumbents, including Mayor Billy Boggs, Post 2 council member Roy Johnson and Post 5 member Delina Woods, are unopposed for a new four-year term. Elections were also canceled for Statesboro’s Council District 3, where Ginny Hendley is unopposed as a new candidate for council, and District 5, where incumbent member Shari Barr is unopposed.
Absentee ballots are also available for mailing to registered voters who are residents of Bulloch County and of Brooklet, Register or Statesboro District 2. Under current state law, election officials can mail these to the address where in the voter is registered to vote in Bulloch County or to a temporary address requested outside Bulloch County from Oct. 16 until Oct. 27, and no later. But ballots will be counted if returned by the close of polls on Election Day, 7 p.m. Nov. 7.
Voters may request absentee ballots at the county elections office, or online through the state’s online absentee portal at Securemyabsenteeballot.sos.ga.gov/s/.
There’s a city-wide race for [Warner Robins] council post 2 at large. It’s between Incumbent Charlie Bibb and Ellis Carter. There is also a vote on a Brunch Bill that would allow restaurants to serve alcohol before noon on Sunday.
If you’re in the WMAZ coverage area, that article covers a ton of local race, and might be worth reading in its entirety.
Early voting opens on Monday for neighbors to decide who they want to be the next mayor of Grovetown.
We introduced to you all three candidates last week: Deborah Fisher, Ceretta Smith, and current mayor Gary Jones.
Early voting begins Monday in Richmond County. A big item on the November ballot is funding a new James Brown Arena.
To fund the project, voters need to vote FOR the “Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax” – also known as C-SPLOST. This is for a half-cent sales tax.
The General Election is November 7th. Early voting polls open this morning at 8:30 a.m. and close at 5 p.m.
There are 4 locations where you can cast your ballot early.
Rome and Floyd County voters can start casting ballots in the Nov. 7 elections today at the elections center on East 12th Street. Cave Spring residents go to their city hall.
A $110 million special purpose local option sales tax package will be decided by all; Rome and Cave Spring also have city elections.
This year, six of the nine seats on the Rome City Commission are contested and two of Cave Spring’s five city council seats. Only voters who live within the city limits will see those races on their ballots.
Cave Spring City Clerk and Elections Supervisor Judy Dickinson said just one person came to city hall during weekend voting last time. Still, the state mandates the location be open and staffed on the two Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The hours during the week are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
For more in-depth information on Floyd County local elections, check out this article from the Rome News Tribune.
But note that some municipal election early voting may follow different schedules.
The Augusta Chronicle has a good article on voting procedures.
United States District Court Judge J.P. Boulee (ND-GA) ruled against requests to enjoin Georgia election laws, according to the Georgia Recorder.
U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee on Wednesday ruled that U.S. Department of Justice and voting rights groups were unable to support their claims that Republican lawmakers intentionally discriminated against Black voters in 2021 by signing into law new ID requirements for mail-in voting, adding restrictions on absentee drop boxes, shortening the deadline to request absentee ballots and ramping up criminal penalties for passing out refreshments to voters standing in line.
Boulee wrote in a 62-page ruling that the plaintiffs’ expert witnesses and other evidence did not warrant a court-ordered injunction.
“This court cannot find that plaintiffs have presented enough evidence to show that the Legislature foresaw or knew that SB 202 would have a disparate impact on minority voters,” he wrote.
Barring an imminent reversal of Boulee’s court ruling, the rules state lawmakers created in the sprawling 2021 election legislation will remain in effect for the 2024 election cycle.
The case is a consolidation of several election lawsuits filed in the aftermath of Georgia Republican lawmakers passing the omnibus SB 202 in March 2021. Following the contentious 2020 presidential election, several unsuccessful legal challenges were filed by Donald Trump supporters alleging widespread fraud, with claims ranging from illegal ballot stuffing to rigged electronic voting machines as the reasons for Democratic nominee Joe Biden winning by nearly 12,000 votes in Georgia.
In 2021, Georgia legislators passed Senate Bill 202, otherwise known as the Election Integrity Act, placing certain restrictions on election practices in the state.
Various advocacy groups filed a lawsuit in response, claiming the law aims to prevent them from voting.
To start, organizations are not permitted to hand out provisions to those waiting in voting lines on Election Day, including food or water.
Leaders in the Black community say this change targets people of color, saying they’re worried this practice will discourage them from coming out to vote like they did in 2020.
“People stood in long lines because they would not be denied,” Tillman said. “But you could tell, if there’s not those big issues being put in the forefront, then a lot of people may feel, ‘Well, I’m not gonna go through the hassle to vote,’” the pastor said.
However, the chairman of the Chatham County Board of Elections says the policy is only meant to stop campaigning at polling places.
“You don’t want to have people that are in line getting ready to vote, and you don’t want to have people trying to influence their vote,” said Chairman Thomas Mahoney. “And so if you’re handing out gifts, things like that, to try to encourage people to vote a certain way, it becomes very difficult to police and to discern what somebody’s intent is.”
Another change: there won’t be as many ballot drop boxes.
Three other lawsuits alleging issues with legislative districts continue in federal court, according to WABE.
Three lawsuits are challenging Georgia’s state and congressional maps that were redrawn by Republicans in 2021. The state is accused of diluting the voting power of Black Georgians through racial gerrymandering, a violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA).
The redistricting process happens every 10 years after a census. University of Georgia political science professor Charles Bullock says that legal challenges to political maps are nothing new.
“In Georgia, and this is happening around the nation, it has been for at least 30 years and one might argue 40 years … this has been the way the game is played,” Bullock says. “Do your best effort in the legislature, and when you lose, you go to court.”
The federal trial involves three lawsuits that make the same claim — Black voters in Georgia don’t have a fair shot at electing candidates of their choice on a Congressional or state level.
Over the last decade, nearly 500,000 Black people moved to Georgia, and Black residents now make up a third of Georgia’s population — and its electorate — according to the Pew Research Center. Since 2000, Georgia’s eligible voter population grew by 1.9 million, and nearly half of this increase was new Black voters. The plaintiffs argue that Georgia’s maps don’t reflect this growth, and the maps dilute Black voters’ political power.
They claim the state engaged in racial gerrymandering, which is generally known as the practice of drawing districts to advantage whites and disadvantage minorities. It’s done through “packing” and “cracking” districts.
In Georgia’s case, the plaintiffs say Black voters around the state were “packed” into districts. Nearby districts then became more white — and less likely to elect a candidate that Black voters support.
Governor Brian Kemp announced Georgia will buy $10 million dollars worth of Israeli bonds, according to a Press Release.
Governor Brian P. Kemp [on Friday] announced he instructed the State Treasurer to buy $10 million in bonds from Israel to support its defense efforts against the militant Hamas regime. The $10 million amount was the highest available on the market and brings Georgia’s current total investment in Israel via bonds to $25 million. Since Governor Kemp took office, Georgia has purchased an aggregate of $50 million in bonds (including this latest purchase), with half of the bonds now matured.
“Israel is one of Georgia’s strongest allies and greatest friends, and our support for its people as they endure horrific attacks from terrorists is unwavering,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “Purchasing these bonds is just the latest expression of that support. Though this conflict was not of Israel’s choosing, we know they will be victorious in this fight against evil and those who seek its destruction. In addition to these bonds and other measures of support, Marty and I also ask that our fellow Georgians join us in praying for Israel’s safety, for its swift victory, and for the families painfully impacted by the attacks.”
On Saturday, October 7, 2023, terrorists from Gaza launched a coordinated attack on the people of Israel, indiscriminately targeting civilian men, women, children, and the elderly. As of today, over 1,200 Israelis have perished as a result of these attacks and 25 American citizens are among the dead. Both American and Israeli citizens were also taken hostage by Hamas militants. As a mark of respect for those killed and injured by these barbaric attacks, Governor Kemp ordered the flags of the United States and of the State of Georgia to fly at half-staff until sunset on Saturday, October 14 – the week anniversary of when the attacks began. You can view Executive Order 10.11.23.03 here.
In May of this year, Governor and First Lady Kemp, along with their three daughters, led a delegation of state officials on an economic development trip to Israel. During their visit, they traveled across much of the country, passing through several areas attacked during the initial incursions of last Saturday. Along with members of the delegation, Governor and First Lady Kemp also met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, Minister of Foreign Affairs Eli Cohen, and other Israeli officials to discuss security issues in the Middle East, among other topics.
Democratic Socialists of America Savannah held a pro-Palestinian march, according to the Savannah Morning News.
Chants such as “Free, Free Palestine” and “Less blood, more words,” rang out near the Fountain at Forsyth Park Sunday afternoon. Roughly 100 people amassed to protest Israel’s airstrikes and impending ground invasion in Gaza following the Oct. 7 surprise incursion into Israel by Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic political party that has governed the Gaza Strip since 2006 and has an armed wing that has called for the destruction of Israel. The U.S. State Department designated Hamas a terrorist group in 1997.
The protestors referred to Israeli’s retaliation as “genocide” that is sanctioned and funded by the United States. The march was organized by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA ) Savannah. A post on its Instagram from this past Thursday read that the organization, “Stands in solidarity with Palestinians in their struggle for decolonization.”
One of the march’s lead organizers, Mona Abhari, spoke before the crowd. “Hamas must release their hostages, but I do not think the State of Israel is interested in even getting their hostages. They [Isreal] are indiscriminately bombing Gaza and have been quoted that they want to level it to a parking lot.” Abhari said she is an independent organizer but associated with DSA Savannah as well as Migrant Equity Southeast (MESE).
The final speaker before the march got underway was Lindsey Rovenstein of DSA Savannah. She talked about actions people could take today. One was to donate to specific organizations. The other action was to, “contact your local congressman or other representatives and urge them to stop genocide and call a ceasefire.” She pointed to QR codes on some of the protest signs that would direct people to more resources and information.
As protesters marched on the sidewalks along Bull Street they held signs that read “Zionism is Genocide,” “Where are the Human Rights,” “Stop the Killing” and “No Jewish Pride in Apartheid.” A young boy held a sign that simply said, “Stop the siege.”
United States Senator Jon Ossoff (D-Atlanta) sent a letter on the issue to the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, according to the Dalton Daily Citizen News.
“Hamas’ mass murder of Israeli civilians is an act of unconscionable brutality. Whole families murdered in their homes in cold blood. Children killed in front of their parents. Parents killed in front of their children.
“For Jews, these acts of utter depravity call to mind the savagery of the Nazi SS Einsatzgruppen who hunted and murdered Jewish families in their homes and villages during the Holocaust.
“Indeed, Friday’s massacre across southern Israel may be the single most deadly day for Jews since the defeat of the Nazis.
“I spoke last night (Tuesday) with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and conveyed to him, on behalf of all Georgians, our shock, our outrage and our support. I conveyed the same yesterday at the U.S. Embassy to the Israeli ambassador in Beijing and over the weekend by phone to Israel’s consul general here in Georgia, Anat Sultan-Dadon.
“In light of these terrible events, (Senate Majority) Leader (Chuck) Schumer and our bipartisan delegation are returning earlier than planned to Washington following consultations later today with the South Korean President in Seoul. We are determining what legislative response may be necessary to support our allies and protect Americans.
“Fellow Georgians: We pray for the dead and wounded. We pray for the hostages. We pray for all innocents and civilians of all faiths and nationalities who face mortal danger, suffering and displacement — especially for the safety of babies, children and pregnant women. We pray for the young men and women of the Israel Defense Forces. We pray for Israel’s leaders that they may act with wisdom and skill.
“I want to share that for all Georgians with family and friends in Israel who require consular support, my office is in constant touch with the State Department and can assist.
State Rep. Karlton Howard (D-Augusta) returned from an earlier-planned trip to Israel, according to the Augusta Chronicle.
Howard, who is a pastor at Noah’s Ark Missionary Baptist Church in Keysville, traveled with about 61 people including six or seven pastors, leaving Oct. 3. It was his first time in the region. They had just finished baptizing about 40 members of the group in the Jordan River when they noticed the tour guide was running late.
“We could tell something was going on, so we did a quick Google and found out that (Israel) had declared war that morning,” Howard said. “… We got a little apprehensive, wanting to know what was really going on, how it was going to affect where we were and what we were doing.”
Howard’s tour was not near the fighting and, he said, they were mostly able to complete the trip as planned.
“Everything was calm,” he said. “And you could tell on the streets … everything was really quiet.”
Howard was not the only legislator in Israel at the time. State Sen. Russ Goodman, R-Cogdell, put out a statement Thursday on his recent return. Howard said he thought they were probably in some of the same areas at the same time.
State Sen. Russ Goodman was on vacation in Israel when he was jolted by the sound of incoming rockets and the distant echoes of small-arms fire.
“There’s a part of me, even though I’m old and worn out, that wanted to stay there,” he told the Politically Georgia podcast.
“You want to stand by your friends, and be with your friends,” Goodman added. “Nothing against the country of Jordan, but I felt more safe in Israel with rockets landing close to my hotel than I did in Jordan. It hurts your heart to leave them.”
An evangelical Christian, Goodman said he grew up with an unflinching belief that the U.S. should champion Israel’s right to exist – and help defend against enemies who seek to erase the Jewish nation from the map.
Some Sapelo Island residents are appealing and asking a court to enjoin a zoning ordinance adopted by the McIntosh County Commission, according to WTOC.
Just last month, the McIntosh County Board of Commissioners voted to increase the size of homes built on the island, expanding the maximum size to 3,000 square feet. Previously, that was limited to 1,400 square feet. Sapelo Island is home to Hog Hammock, a Gullah-Geechee community.
People who live on the island are worried that the zoning would encourage further development, potentially increasing taxes.
The filing, in McIntosh County Superior Court, says that the recent zoning amendment violates state law and the constitutional right to due process and equal protection of the people who live on the island.
A complaint filed Thursday in McIntosh County Superior Court asks the court to undo the zoning for a number of reasons, including that it “discriminates against the historically and culturally important Gullah-Geechee community on Sapelo Island on the basis of race, and that it is therefore unconstitutional, null, and void.”
McIntosh County and the five-member McIntosh County Board of Commissioners — Kate Pontello Karwacki, David Stevens, Davis Poole, William E. Harrell, and Roger Lotson — are named as defendants.
None [of the plaintiffs] will be able to afford to continue living on Sapelo if the property taxes on the island significantly increase, the complaint also notes.
“Plaintiffs’ land has been in their families for many years, and they plan to bequeath this land to their children and grandchildren,” the attorneys write. “Selling land that has been in their families for decades or generations is untenable for Plaintiffs not only because they will have nowhere else to go, but also because they will be deprived of the opportunity to pass on a rich legacy and intergenerational wealth to their families.
The new zoning, which the McIntosh County Commission passed on September 12, allows larger, taller homes in the small community on Sapelo, where the descendants of enslaved people who worked the island’s plantations have lived for generations. The changes increase the maximum house size from 1,400 square feet of heated space to 3,000 square feet of enclosed space. It increases the allowable height from 1.5 stories to 37 feet tall. Residents fear the changes will attract wealthy developers and drive up property values.
It’s an interesting article worth reading in its entirety. Sapelo Island and the Hog Hammock are Georgia treasures and I highly recommend visiting the island if you are able.
State Rep. Rick Townsend (R-St Simons Island) spoke about his work on committees between legislative sessions, according to The Brunswick News.
State Rep. Rick Townsend, R-St. Simons Island, has high praise for the recommendations he and other legislators will make to the General Assembly in January after serving on the Joint Study Committee on Dual Enrollment for Highly Skilled Talent at Younger Ages.
The House-Senate study committee, created by Senate Resolution 175, examined Georgia’s dual enrollment opportunities to develop highly skilled talent at younger ages and identify potential solutions to yield more dual enrollment participants.
“One area that we found to be of particular interest was streamlining our articulation agreements between the Technical College System of Georgia and the University System of Georgia,” Townsend said. “Fortunately, for Glynn County, Coastal Pines Technical College and College of Coastal Georgia have existing articulation agreements in place.
Based on the testimony and research presented during the study, the committee identified several areas in need of improvement within Georgia’s dual enrollment program and grouped its recommendations into three categories: simplify, education and invest.
Really good work by The Brunswick Times the last couple of days.
Georgia legislators may address fishing rights and water access, according to the Georgia Recorder.
An Upson County landowner’s attempt to claim exclusive fishing rights on a popular stretch of the river has brought long-simmering tensions near a boiling point and ignited a fresh debate in Georgia over the public’s access to the great outdoors. That has pitted property owners, some with multigenerational roots, against the anglers, paddlers and others with traditions firmly anchored in this river.
Fishing is big business in Georgia, where about 1.1 million people hold a fishing license, and the state sinks taxpayer dollars into stocking fish, building boat ramps and conducting surveys and research on Georgia fisheries. Fishing and hunting rights are so highly regarded here that they are enshrined in the state Constitution.
“Fishing is really important to Georgia. It’s really a part of who we are as a people and a state,” said Scott Robinson, who is the chief of fisheries with the state Department of Natural Resources.
The state settled with the Upson County landowner earlier this year, which alarmed proponents of public access who worried other landowners would try to follow suit. The issue landed before state lawmakers just as the 2023 session was winding down, leading them to use late-session maneuvers to pass a bill designed to protect the public’s access to fishing on waterways deemed navigable.
But another landowner has since filed a lawsuit in Talbot County seeking exclusive fishing rights on a stretch of the river that they argue is non-navigable. The state has asked for the case to be dismissed.
The new law asserts that the state became the owner of all navigable stream beds when Georgia became a state back in 1788 and that it is the “trustee of its peoples’ rights to use and enjoy all navigable streams capable of use for fishing, hunting, passage, navigation, commerce, and transportation, pursuant to the common law public trust doctrine.”
And while it also concedes that a private party can own a stream bed in some cases, such as when there is a long-standing state grant to the property, the law now says that those public rights to the flowing stream still remain.
When Gov. Brian Kemp signed the measure into law in May, he issued a special statement defending his support and countering some of the concerns lodged with his office. He also directed critics of the law to make their case for more changes through the study committee.
State Rep. Beth Camp, a Concord Republican whose district includes Yellow Jacket Shoals, was one of dozens of lawmakers who voted against the last-minute bill, which squeaked through the House with a 93-to-75 vote even as it easily cleared the Senate.
Camp, who is not on the study panel, said she voted no because she did not have a chance to read the bill first. Since then, Camp says she has heard strong opinions from both sides of the issue in her district, and she said she would like to see lawmakers address any lingering ambiguity when they return to Atlanta in January.
The next study committee meeting is set for Thursday in Habersham County, where the Soque River’s trout are the big draw and are at the center of tensions there. Other meetings are planned for Oct. 18 in Fannin County and Oct. 25 in Bulloch County.
State Rep. James Burchett, a Waycross Republican who is chairing the panel, said “clarity” may help tamp down the confusion.
“There’s not a lot of folks who want to expand the public interest into these waters. What they want to know is where can I fish and where can I not fish, and the property owners want the same thing. So, that’s where I’m keying in on right now,” Burchett said after the first meeting.
The bill that passed this year only applied to navigable streams, but advocates and others argue that what counts as “navigable” in Georgia isn’t always clear.
And that distinction matters when it comes to a property owner’s rights. If a stream is deemed non-navigable, then the owner can claim exclusive fishing rights out to the center of the waterway. If they own both sides, then the entire stream bed is theirs. But if the waterway is considered navigable, the landowner’s rights stop at the low-water mark.
Robinson with the state Department of Natural Resources acknowledged the challenge of labeling some streams.
He said the state also considers factors like the width of the stream – usually 30 feet or wider – and the volume of water flowing. For example, he said the state can put in a boat ramp with confidence where more than 400 cubic feet of water is passing through every second. But between 200 and 400 cubic feet of flowing water is a gray area.
“Basically, anywhere we put a boat ramp we do consider downstream of there to be open to public use, otherwise it wouldn’t be appropriate for us to put a boat ramp there,” Robinson said.
From the Capitol Beat News Service via the Albany Herald:
Opening up privately held stretches of trout streams in north Georgia to public fishing would ruin a cottage industry vital to the region’s economy, a parade of waterfront property owners told state lawmakers.
“These waters are extremely sensitive to overfishing,” Emily Owenby, the founder and operations coordinator at Noontootla Creek Farms in Blue Ridge, told members of a Georgia House study committee at a hearing in Clarkesville. “If we allow the public to access our streams, we will see immediate devastation. … You can’t promote a fishery that no longer exists.”
Some of the language both in Senate Bill 115 and the House resolution that created the study committee has waterfront property owners worried the state will seek to broaden the definition of “navigable” waterways to encompass privately held stretches of rivers and streams.
Mark Alley, who owns a farm in Habersham County that is split by the Soque, said the river in no way should be considered navigable.
“We’re talking about a strip of land a few feet wide covered by a few inches of water,” he said.
Alley and other speakers said property owners along the Soque and other trout streams in north Georgia spend thousands of dollars each year stocking fish and maintaining stream banks to sustain a trout population adequate to support a fly-fishing industry that draws tourists from around the world.
They said a state takeover of those privately held stretches of waterfront not only would kill their businesses but represent an unconstitutional taking of private property without compensation.
“There is not going to be a change to the definition of navigable waters,” Rep. Will Wade, R-Dawsonville, said.
A few inches of water can be enough to navigate a stream in my kayak, FWIW.
United States Representative Austin Scott (R-Tifton) ran a short campaign for Speaker of the House, according to the Ledger-Enquirer.
Georgia Congressman Austin Scott threw his hat into the ring to be Speaker of the House, capping a tumultuous week of GOP infighting in which no clear favorite has emerged.
“I have filed to be Speaker of the House,” Scott, who represents Georgia’s eighth congressional district, wrote Oct. 13 on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Before his election to Congress, he served for 14 years in the Georgia State House, winning his first election at 26, according to the state’s Chamber of Commerce.
He waged a surprise campaign for House speaker, rising up to challenge U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, the conservative firebrand from Ohio. The results of the speaker election, although unsuccessful for Scott, were considered impressive by many insiders.
The Tifton Republican received support from 81 fellow House Republicans in the secret ballot vote compared to Jordan’s 124.
That’s far from a blowout for Jordan, especially considering Scott had about an hour to prepare for the question-and-answer candidate session that preceded the balloting and little time to whip up votes in his favor. Meanwhile Jordan had been campaigning for the job since Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s ouster as speaker on Oct. 3.
U.S. Representative Rick Allen‘s (R-Augusta) office was the site of a bomb scare from a suspicious package, according to WRDW.
“Out of an abundance of caution, our team contacted the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office about a suspicious package delivered to our Augusta district office. We were given the all-clear and thank all involved for their thoroughness in investigating this matter.”
Security is high across the country after Hamas attacked Israeli sites nearly a week ago and Israel, in turn, declared war on the militant Arab group that controls the Palestinian territory of Gaza.
A former Hamas leader called for Friday to be a day of jihad, raising concerns about possible attacks in the United States, which has shown unwavering support for Israel.
Independent Presidential Candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. campaigned in Augusta, according to the Augusta Chronicle.
The event at the Augusta Marriott was one in a series after Kennedy, the son of former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of former President John F. Kennedy, dropped his bid to win the Democratic primary and instead decided to run as an independent earlier this month. A poll just prior to the announcement put him at 14% support.
“We need to unwind this corrupt collusion between state and corporate power that is … destroying our democracy and beggaring our middle class,” he said towards the end of his roughly hour-long speech.
Kennedy began his comments with home ownership, pointing to rising home prices, increased homelessness and blaming corporate ownership of residential properties.
Kennedy blamed government spending on wars abroad and on the pandemic at home for economic malaise. His uncle, he said, put forward an international policy of peace and considered keeping the nation out of war the key job of the president.
After announcing his candidacy for president as an independent instead of a Democrat, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made a stop in Augusta as part of his campaign.
Kennedy continued, “The central promise of the American dream was that if you worked hard, if you play by the rules…you could finance a home. You could have a summer vacation. You could raise a family. You could put something aside for retirement on one job. There’s nobody my kid’s age I believe that that promise applies to that. It doesn’t. We betrayed this generation of kids.”
“50 percent of Americans can’t put their hands on a thousand dollars if they have an emergency. And if you are that group, or half the people in our country, if the gaslight comes on in your car, it’s the apocalypse,” Presidential Candidate (I) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said.
Candidates for Port Wentworth City Council met in a public forum, according to the Savannah Morning News.
The forum included Mayor Pro Tem Thomas Barbee and LaShawn Benton, running for At-Large Post 2; incumbent Mark Stephens, running unopposed for District 2; Shawn Randerwala, running unopposed for District 4; and ArtLise Alston-Cone and Avril Roy-Smith, running for the At-Large Post 1.
All of the candidates agreed that the biggest issues were mitigating traffic, more restaurants and improving public service.
Candidates for Brunswick City Council answered questions in a public forum, according to The Brunswick News.
Lance Sabbe and Christopher Bower are running for the South Ward seat;Paige Edwards, Gary Cook, Gwen Atikinson-Williams, Zack Lyde and Leroy Dumas Jr. are seeking the North Ward position.
Commissioners Julie Martin and Johnny Cason are not seeking reelection.
It’s a good article that goes into surprising depth on the candidates’ answers.
Dalton City Council will consider whether to ask state legislators to adopt a new city, according to the Dalton Daily Citizen News.
Mitchell County Superior Court Judge Henry Balkcom, IV decided in a residency challenge that Camilla City Council member Corey Morgan is a resident of the municipality, according to WALB.
On Aug. 21, Morgan completed the necessary paperwork to run for re-election to the Camilla City Council, according to a news release.
On Aug. 31, Ginger Kimmel, Morgan’s opponent, filed a challenge with Camilla Election Superintendent Cheryl Ford alleging that Morgan was not qualified to run for District 1 because he did not meet the residency requirements.
Morgan’s voting history and voter registration, which is set in Camilla, as well as his Georgia Driver’s license that has a Camilla address and other mailed documents, including tax filings and bills for his Camilla address, were used as evidence by Ford to make the final ruling that Morgan is eligible to run for office.
“These allegations are aimed to disrupt progress, but progress moves forward not backwards. I want to thank the Court and Camilla’s Election Superintendent for their due diligence in upholding Georgia Law. As mentioned before, we are blocking out the noise and are focused on improving the lives of residents in Camilla. I am looking forward to seeing District 1 residents make their way to the polls to advocate for who they want to represent our community,” Morgan said.
Early voting begins from Monday through Nov. 3 at Camilla City Hall from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Election Day is Nov. 7 at Northside Recreation Center from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
The release said that Mitchell County Superior Court Judge Henry Balkcom IV had ruled that Morgan, whose residency had been challenged, is indeed a resident of Camilla. Morgan and fellow Council member Ventarra Pollard had been removed from office and their seats vacated when a judge ruled in July that the two were not legal residents of the city of Camilla and were, therefore, ineligible to hold seats on the council.
Morgan was elected in 2019, but the challenge by Kimmel was not the first time his residency was questioned. In 2017, he was disqualified from running for a council seat after a challenge from a former city clerk. That case also went to Mitchell County Superior Court, where a judge ruled that Morgan did not qualify to run for office. In that instance, he reportedly had voted in a presidential election in LaGrange within a year of the qualifying period.
In the lead-up to the apparent court ruling, Albany attorney Chris Cohilas, who represented the plaintiffs in the case against both Morgan and Pollard, said he was prepared to present the testimony of the pair’s respective landlords as proof that they lived in Albany and Pelham, respectively, along with other evidence. During investigation in the case, a private investigator performed 75 days of video surveillance of the 70 Dogwood St. residence in Camilla where Pollard has claimed to reside and the 74 Sunset Circle residence where Morgan has claimed he lives. During that time, Cohilas said, neither council member spent a night in Camilla.
Both had been watched driving to and from Camilla for council meetings, in Pollard’s case from Westover Place apartments in Albany, and for Morgan a Pelham residence, according to court filings. Neither has a lease for a Camila residence or pays property tax on residential property in the city, Cohilas said.
Tybee Island City Council member Michael “Spec” Hosti was charged with DUI, according to the Savannah Morning News.
Tybee Island loggerhead turtles logged near-record nesting levels, according to the Savannah Morning News.
“Blackbeard Island has hundreds and then Cumberland Island has thousands. When I started at the Science Center in 2011, we were doing, like, six to 10 nests on average. Because of the project and the constant monitoring, our nest numbers are going up because we’re finding every single nest. And so, our all-time record is 35. We got pretty darn close. So, it was an exceptional year for us.”
While Tybee experienced an exceptional year, Mark Dodd, Georgia DNR Sea Turtle Program coordinator and a senior wildlife biologist, described a “medium year” for Georgia sea turtle nests overall, even though they recorded 3,431 loggerhead nests, which is the third highest total in the past 35 years.
According to Dodd, there’s a lot of annual variability in nesting. “We tend to see a three-year cycle. But there are exceptions to that. The reason that we have that is because turtles don’t just nest every year. After they nest, they might take one or two or three years off ― some turtles as many as 10 years off before they can get enough protein to get in body condition to come back and nest.”
Thanks to the lack of predation from other critters, Tybee has the highest hatching percentage in the state at 69.3 percent, with around 2,200 hatchlings for 2023. While this is well above the 55% average for the rest of the state, it is below the 80%t hatching success rate of last year because two nests were lost because of extremely high tides during storms.
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