USS Constitution, named by President George Washington, was launched in Boston Harbor on October 21, 1791.
During the War of 1812, the Constitution won its enduring nickname “Old Ironsides” after defeating the British warship Guerriére in a furious engagement off the coast of Nova Scotia. Witnesses claimed that the British shots merely bounced off the Constitution‘s sides, as if the ship were made of iron rather than wood. The success of the Constitution against the supposedly invincible Royal Navy provided a tremendous morale boost for the young American republic.
Today, Constitution serves as a museum ship, and has sailed under her own power as recently as 2012. Southern live oak, harvested and milled on St. Simons Island, Georgia, is a primary construction material for Constitution.
On October 21, 1888, the Augusta Chronicle published a letter from General William Tecumseh Sherman.
Pleasant Stovall, editor of The Augusta Chronicle, wrote the famous old general, and what do you know? He answered, in perhaps the most famous letter to the editor ever printed in the newspaper.
It was published Oct. 21, 1888, and basically, the old warhorse said he didn’t attack Augusta because he didn’t have to. He wanted to get to Savannah where the Union Navy could bring him supplies.
However, he offered to correct the oversight if Augusta felt neglected, writing: “I can send a detachment of 100,000 or so of Sherman’s Bummers and their descendants who will finish up the job without charging Uncle Sam a cent.”
Harding was a progressive Republican politician who advocated full civil rights for African Americans and suffrage for women. He supported the Dyer Anti-lynching Bill in 1920. As a presidential candidate that year, he gained support for his views on women’s suffrage, but faced intense opposition on civil rights for blacks. The 1920s was a period of intense racism in the American South, characterized by frequent lynchings. In fact, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) reported that, in 1920, lynching claimed, on average, the lives of two African Americans every week.
On October 21, 1976, Billy Carter spoke to an audience in Albany, Georgia, about his brother’s campaign for President.
On his brother Jimmy’s drinking habits, Billy said, “Jimmy used to drink liquor. Now he’s running for president he drinks Scotch, and I’ve never trusted a Scotch drinker.” Billy preferred the alcohol choice of his brother’s running mate, Walter Mondale – “I liked him the best of all the ones who came to Plains. He’s from a small town and he’s a beer drinker.”
Today, Billy Carter’s service station is preserved as a museum in Plains, Georgia.
The Atlanta Braves won the first game of the 1995 World Series on October 21, 1995, as Greg Maddux dominated the Cleveland Indians, allowing only two hits. Native American groups protested the names of both teams.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
Cairo voters will elect a Mayor and two City Council members, according to WALB.
Early voting is underway for the City of Cairo’s upcoming municipal election, where residents will decide on key leadership positions including the Mayor’s race and City Council seats for Districts 2 and 4.
Voters can cast their ballots now through October 31st at the City of Cairo Council Chambers.
City officials encourage all eligible voters to take advantage of early voting to avoid lines on Election Day and ensure their participation in shaping Cairo’s leadership.
Dawson will also elect a Mayor and two City Council members, according to the Albany Herald.
Dawson Ward III candidates
Caleb Harris said it’s time for Dawson to face its challenges head-on, and that starts with honest conversations and real leadership.
Incumbent Sondra Walker said she is a long-time Dawson resident with more than 30 years of community involvement with the Terrell County Sheriff’s Office, Family Connections, Downtown Development Authority and local churches. During her time on the City Council, she said she has worked on key issues like improving the public utility billing system and enhancing financial planning and budgeting.
Dawson Ward IV candidates
Latoya Johnson said her roots in Dawson run deep, shaped by its people, schools, and traditions. Raised by the community — from local schools like Carver Elementary and Terrell Middle High to the neighborhoods filled with “Sunday dinners, too many plates and not enough chairs” — she said Dawson gave her the foundation for a life of service.
John Harris, the Ward IV incumbent and long-time resident of Dawson said the city has seen real progress during his time as councilman — but there’s still much to do. He emphasized that lasting improvements require collaboration and majority support within the City Council.
Dawson mayoral candidates
Former Dawson Mayor Ada Lemons-McIntyre is running for another shot at serving the city as its mayor. Lemons-McIntyre said if she becomes mayor again, she’d have an “open-door policy.”
Candidate Johnny Jessie gave a short speech during the candidate forum, emphasizing his deep roots in Dawson and his connection to a large number of the city’s residents.
Dawson Mayor Robert Aaron said he’s running for re-election to continue the vision for Dawson that he began six years ago. His priorities include more jobs, attracting businesses, relocating the fire department, and, most importantly, infrastructure.
Colquitt County voters will decide whether to impose a Floating Local Option Sales Tax (FLOST), according to WALB.
Colquitt County voters will soon decide whether to approve a new tax measure known as the FLOST, or Floating Local Option Sales Tax, in the upcoming November 4th election.
The proposal, created as part of House Bill 581 during the 2024 Georgia General Assembly session, was approved locally by 74% of voters in last year’s election. Earlier this fall, all city councils and the Colquitt County Commission agreed to “opt in,” making the measure eligible for the ballot.
According to county officials, the FLOST is not a tax increase but a tax shift — moving part of the local government’s funding from property taxes to sales taxes. The goal is to reduce property tax burdens by offsetting every dollar collected in sales taxes with an equal reduction in property taxes.
If approved, officials project the FLOST could generate about $8 million in its first year, leading to an estimated 51% reduction in both city and county property taxes.
“The FLOST helps shift part of the tax burden from homeowners to those who spend money in Colquitt County such as travelers, visitors, and out-of-town business guests,” the county explained.
If passed, collections would begin in January 2026, with property owners seeing reductions reflected on their 2026 tax bills. The full impact of the FLOST would take effect by the 2027 tax year.
Residents with questions can contact the county at (229) 616-7400 for more details or educational materials about the proposal.
Georgia voters will elect two members of the Public Service Commission and Dems are pointing to utility bills, according to the Associated Press via WRDW.
Georgia Democrats are seeking to make a statewide election of two utility regulators a referendum on rising electricity bills.
Republicans, warning Democrats could steal rare wins in the races for the Public Service Commission, want to make the vote about party loyalty.
Among Republicans trying to turn out voters before Nov. 4 are GOP Gov. Brian Kemp, who is spending from his own war chest to try to get Republican incumbent Tim Echols reelected and to elect Fitz Johnson, a Republican who Kemp appointed. They’re trying to fend off Democrats Peter Hubbard, a green energy advocate, and Alicia Johnson, a health care consultant. All five commission seats are currently held by Republicans.
Supporters of the Democratic candidates are spending large sums on races that typically cost less than $500,000. Georgia Conservation Voters Action Fund said Friday that it would spend more than $2.2 million. Kemp won’t say how much he’s spending, but Echols said Kemp “is very committed” to Republican victory.
“People just don’t know what’s going on. They don’t know how important it is, and the Democrats want it to stay that way,” Kemp said at an Oct. 7 rally in Cumming, a key GOP heartland north of Atlanta.
Georgia isn’t the only state where electricity prices are a political issue this year. They’re being debated in governor’s races in New Jersey and Virginia. Nationwide, electric prices for residential consumers went up 5.2% from July 2024 to July 2025, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
“Are you happy with your power, bill, and do you want it to continue to increase and look like a car payment or a mortgage?” Hubbard says he asks voters. “That’s a natural opener, because no one is happy with the direction of their power bills.”
Rate increases followed by a freeze
Georgia Power bills have risen six times in recent years because of higher natural gas costs and construction projects, including two new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle near Augusta. A typical Georgia Power residential customer now pays more than $175 a month, including taxes.
Republicans are touting a three-year freeze in base rates that they enacted in July, although bills could still rise next year to pay off nearly $1 billion in storm damage, mainly from 2024’s Hurricane Helene. They’re also trying to flip the cost argument on Democrats, claiming Democrats will try to shutter natural gas plants, drive up power bills with environmental mandates and force affluent consumers to subsidize poorer consumers.
“This is the Green New Deal and it is crushing families around this country,” Fitz Johnson said.
Hubbard said Republican attacks claiming Democrats would raise bills are “patently not true.”
“No one’s saying that. And furthermore, you’ve just done that to the people of Georgia,” Hubbard said, referring to bill increases approved by Echols and Fitz Johnson.
Democrats trying to show they can win
Unusually, because of a voting rights lawsuit that delayed elections, Georgia’s Public Service Commission races aren’t overshadowed by governor or U.S. Senate contests. While Atlanta and other cities are having municipal elections, the commission races are the only statewide offices on the ballot for many voters.
The commission regulates prices charged to 2.3 million customers by Georgia Power, the state’s only privately owned electrical utility. It also regulates two private natural gas utilities.
For Democrats, it’s another chance to show strength in Georgia. After a long drought, Joe Biden won Georgia’s presidential votes in 2020, and Democratic U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock were elected in a January 2021 runoff. But while Warnock was reelected in 2022, Democrats lost from governor on down that year.
No Georgia Democrat has won a nonfederal statewide office since 2006.
A win for Democrats could juice fundraising, candidate recruitment and enthusiasm going into 2026, when Ossoff will try to win reelection and Democrats will try to win a gubernatorial race for the first time since 1998.
Jay Morgan, a former executive director of the Georgia Republican Party, said donors are “totally tuned in,” even if voters aren’t.
“I think that what happens in these PSC races in 2025 dramatically impacts the donor class going into 2026,” said Morgan, now a lobbyist. “If either or both of those elections go sideways, it’s going to send shock waves through the political establishment.”
More nuclear or solar?
There are other issues at stake, especially with electricity demand projected to rise because of the growth in computer data centers. The commission passed rules it says will protect other ratepayers from shouldering the costs for data centers, but Democrats say those rules are too flimsy.
The typical Georgia Power residential customer is paying more than $14 a month just for the new reactors at Vogtle, after Georgia Power and its co-owners spent $30.9 billion — coming in seven years late and $17 billion over budget.
Both Echols and Fitz Johnson say they support additional nuclear reactors, with Echols telling The Associated Press on Monday that he would vote for more nuclear plants now if the federal government would provide protection against cost overruns. He added that nuclear is ‘too risky’ right now.”
Alicia Johnson and Hubbard emphasize solar and wind power, motivated by concerns about carbon emissions from natural gas plants that Georgia Power wants to build. The Democrats also support lowering how much Georgia Power can earn on the money it invests, the key driver of the company’s profits.
There are other signs of trouble for Republicans. Echols says city elections statewide are likely to bring out more Democrats than Republicans. Although still microscopic, Democratic turnout far outstripped Republican turnout in primaries over the summer, and Democrats may be more eager to vote because of discontent with President Donald Trump.
But overall, the commission races remain obscure. Early voting started last week, and only 112,000 people have voted through Monday.
“I mean, I’m going to have a hard enough time getting my relatives to go out and vote,” Echols said.
The lawsuit by Burke County Sheriff Alonzo Williams against Burke County Commissioners yielded an 8-hour hearing, according to WRDW.
No decision was made today in the lawsuit between Burke County Sheriff Alfonzo Williams and the Board of Commissioners.
The case centers on a mandamus that Sheriff Williams filed against the county, claiming he is not being given a sufficient budget.
Court started at around 9:30 a.m. Monday with testimony from both sides lasting around eight hours.
Budget dispute at center of case
The main topics included the sheriff’s budget, vehicle maintenance and repair, school zone speed cameras and employee health insurance.
The sheriff’s attorneys argue they have been given a new budget that leaves him in a $2.9 million deficit.
The county argues the sheriff has been given a reasonable budget and is expected to stay within it.
The court heard from two sheriff’s office personnel, Lee Webster and Austin Miettunen, and from County Manager Merv Waldop.
Day 2 of the hearing will continue on Tuesday at 10 a.m.
The county is expected to call two more witnesses, County Commission Chair Evans Martin and Chief Financial Officer Michael Wiseman.
12 On Your Side Investigates has spent the last three years digging deeper into the numerous issues and complaints within the Burke County Sheriff’s Office.
Recently, Ogeechee Judicial Circuit District Attorney Robert Busbee has been appointed to the GBI investigation involving the Burke County Sheriff’s Office.
It’s in relation to claims of the sheriff falsifying training records and out-of-town travel using county funds.
Busbee was appointed after Augusta District Attorney Jared Williams recused himself from handling cases involving Burke County Sheriff Alfonzo Williams.
Our team’s investigations uncovered ongoing issues with county audits looking into spending by the sheriff.
It also uncovered how $425,000 in grant money, some of that from a federal grant, was spent by the sheriff with an unauthorized county credit card.
Our investigative team also uncovered more than $53,000 in confiscated assets that were missing while in the sheriff’s possession.
We’ve also uncovered that friends of the sheriff are benefiting from his time in office. 12 On Your Side Investigates uncovered multiple DUI cases that disappeared after the sheriff stepped in.
We also found the sheriff stepped in on a family violence case involving one of his biggest supporters.
The 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court ruling in favor of Georgia’s Secretary of State in a defamation lawsuit, according to the AJC.
A federal appeals court on Monday upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by Jacki Pick, who accused Raffensperger of defamation over passages in his 2021 book, “Integrity Counts.”
The dispute started during a Dec. 3, 2020, hearing of a Georgia Senate subcommittee about “alleged election irregularities.” Pick showed lawmakers clips from a 20-hour security surveillance video that she said showed election workers secretly restarting a ballot count after observers had left for the evening. She also noted election workers pulled containers out from under a table, referring to them as “suitcases of ballots.”
In his book, Raffensperger referred to the video as deceptively “sliced and diced.” He also quoted Gabriel Sterling, who at the time was the office’s chief operating officer, dismissing concerns about “‘secret suitcases’ … with magic ballots.”
Raffensperger, who is now running for governor, never mentions Pick by name in his book. But she said his statements were about her and damaged her reputation.
A lower court threw out the case, and the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed that decision in a 33-page ruling that found, among other things, that Raffensperger’s statements about the “sliced and diced” video were “substantially true.” They also ruled Pick failed to “adequately allege” Raffensperger’s statements in the book were about her.
Georgia’s Medicaid system ranked 42d among the states, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Savannah Morning News.
Georgia ranked near the bottom of a first-ever analysis of Medicare performance by a foundation that promotes access to quality health care.
The new rankings by The Commonwealth Fund put Georgia in 42nd place out of 50 states and Washington, D.C. — behind Alaska and ahead of New Mexico.
Georgia scored poorly for several reasons. It had a relatively high rate of beneficiaries who took a drug that the elderly should avoid. Its rate for pressure sores among residents of long-stay nursing homes was above the national average.
And people aged 65 and older rated their health as fair or poor more frequently than the norm in surveys. They also reported more difficulty dressing or walking and more often reported loneliness and food insecurity.
Fund staffers involved in the analysis said they included measures such as loneliness and food insecurity because plans in Medicare Advantage — a privately managed alternative to original Medicare — sometimes offer programs to address those issues. State policy also can influence food insecurity, they said.
The Georgia agency that serves Medicare beneficiaries and caregivers had no comment about the findings. The Georgia Department of Human Services merely aids and informs through its State Health Insurance Assistance Program, a spokeswoman said. The federal government administers Medicare.
States with lower health care costs tended to do better in the rankings because recipients shoulder a portion of the expense and are more likely to seek care when they can afford it.
Outcomes on many of the 31 Medicare performance measures, which used data from the last several years, were likely driven by bigger factors than Medicare itself.
States that scored better tended to have health care systems that perform well for everyone, not just those 65 and older who qualify for Medicare.
“When people are sick coming into Medicare, they tend to be really sick when they’re in Medicare,” David Radley, a senior scientist at the Fund, said at a media briefing last week.
Vermont ranked first and Minnesota ranked third. Both have low uninsured rates among younger adults, he noted.
“That means people, if they are sick, if they do have a chronic illness, they’re much more likely to be having that chronic illness managed and keeping that disease in check as they age into Medicare,” he said, “because they’re more likely to be insured and have good access to care younger in life.”
Some Medicaid changes will take effect in 2026, according to WAFF via WALB.
Several Medicare changes will take effect in 2026.
If you’re enrolled, then you will have to pay higher premiums and out-of-pocket costs soon.
Experts warn that some information on the enrollment site may not be updated due to the government shutdown.
Kimberly Reynolds with the Welch Group said that any updates to the website may be delayed or limited during the shutdown.
“I’m advising everyone to continue to review your plan on medicare.gov,” said Reynolds. “If anything looks off or very expensive, that’s when you need to question it. It could just be that the information on the website is inaccurate, with the government shut down right now.”
The standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B, which covers outpatient services, is projected to increase from $185 to $206 in 2026.
Reynolds said this will impact everyone who is on Medicare.
She said if you are on Social Security, then that premium cost will be deducted from your Social Security check.
Another change to Medicare is that the annual out-of-pocket maximum for Part D drugs will increase to $2,100.
This only applies to prescription drugs that are covered by your plan.
Reynolds said the projected Medicare Part B annual deductible is also going to increase to $288.
Reynolds said that it is best to take your time and do your research on the best medical plan for you!
“Just because you’re on a particular plan last year that worked well for your medical and prescription needs does not mean it will be the best plan for the next year,” said Reynolds.
Last year, if you enrolled to spread your drug costs over the entire year, then you will automatically be enrolled again this year unless you opt out.
Open enrollment ends on Dec. 7.
U.S. senators are continuing to try to reach a funding deal to reopen the federal government as the shutdown reaches day 20.
Sen. Raphael Warnock said that the funding solution should include Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidy extensions, despite Republicans’ push for a funding solution that does not renew money for ACA subsidies.
“They are putting forward a false choice: Either open the government or lower people’s health care costs,” Warnock said to reporters at the “No Kings” rally in Atlanta on Saturday. “I think that’s a false choice. We have to lower people’s health care. Health care cannot wait.”
Republicans say that the health care debate is secondary and reopening the government should be a priority. The shutdown started at the beginning of the month over government funding and ACA subsidies.
Open enrollment starts in November and ACA premiums are expected to double for some consumers.
Georgia is expected to lose about 33,600 jobs next year if federal subsidies on the Affordable Care Act marketplace exchange expire, according to a new forecast.
The study was done by researchers at George Washington University and funded by the left-leaning Commonwealth Fund. The ACA, also known as Obamacare, is operated in this state as Georgia Access.
Nationwide, about 340,000 jobs would be lost, the researchers found.
Some would be in the health sector. But more than half would not; they could be people who do business with health workers, from landlords to construction crews to lunch counters, the researchers said.
The economic hit from the expiring subsidies would create a ripple effect. More people going without health insurance and being unable to pay for their health care would mean that health businesses like pharmacies, hospitals and doctors offices would have fewer paying customers, and sometimes would have to provide care for free, the study found.
The economic hit from the expiring subsidies would create a ripple effect. More people going without health insurance and being unable to pay for their health care would mean that health businesses like pharmacies, hospitals and doctors offices would have fewer paying customers, and sometimes would have to provide care for free, the study found.
“The first hit is to healthcare,” said Leighton Ku, director of the Center for Health Policy Research at George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health. “After that, it spreads out quickly.”
Georgia’s job loss would be the third worst, they found, following Texas and Florida.
Federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits could end in November if the federal government shutdown continues, according to Atlanta News First via WTOC.
Millions of families across the country could soon lose the food assistance they rely on — and with Thanksgiving just weeks away, the timing couldn’t be worse.
According to the Georgia Department of Human Services, nearly 1.4 million Georgians are enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which helps low-income families afford groceries. But those benefits could stop on Nov. 1 if the federal government shutdown continues, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“We’re going to run out of money in two weeks,” said USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins on Thursday. “Millions of vulnerable, hungry families won’t have access to these programs because of this shutdown.”
For Atlanta mother Tabitha Brown, that possibility is devastating. Brown, who is raising five children, said she doesn’t know what she’ll do if her benefits disappear.
“When the stamps cut off after this month, what happens next month?” Brown said. “A lot of people may go and start breaking stuff, breaking in stores, stealing food. It’s hard. And I’m not saying I’ll do that, but other families — you don’t know what it’s like.”
Community groups are stepping in to help fill the gap. In Atlanta, the nonprofit Women’s International Grail plans to provide 500 Thanksgiving meals this year.
“With this freeze going on, nobody’s sure if they will receive their benefits or not,” said founder Demetria Henderson. “But we’re going to make sure families in Atlanta have not only food, but job opportunities, mental health assistance and winter essentials.”
Henderson said the ongoing shutdown has also affected some of their partners, with a few donors and nonprofits pulling out of planned holiday events because their funding has been delayed.
The USDA has warned that if Congress doesn’t reach an agreement soon, SNAP benefits could run out nationwide. In Georgia, that would affect nearly one in seven families.
Federal employees missing paychecks during the government shutdown will also impact Georgia’s economy, according to WRDW.
Augusta’s large federal workforce population, including many military personnel at Fort Gordon and the Department of Veterans Affairs, faces growing uncertainty as the government shutdown continues and federal funding dwindles.
Experts say consumer confidence will likely decline, negatively impacting businesses like real estate that often move with the economy.
“Consumer confidence always plays a large factor in any of our purchases, whether it’s going to the grocery store or buying a house,” said John DeFoor, managing broker at DeFoor Realty. “I had our first person that we showed a house to on Friday, who said they were furloughed. So that’s really the first indication that we have seen or heard.”
Week three of the government shutdown has many consumers in the CSRA drawing back, experts say.
“People not receiving their pay for a significant amount of time, that spreads out through the economy because they’re not buying as much on the day-to-day items, even, especially not the big ticket,” said Dr. William Hatcher, political science professor and chair of social sciences at Augusta University. “So that affects the local economy as well in areas where federal employment or federal dollars are really concentrated.”
DeFoor said many potential buyers are taking a wait-and-see approach.
“I think a lot of people are sitting on the fence. They’ve got really good interest rates sitting in the house that they’re in right now,” DeFoor said. “So if they’re not in a position where they have to sell or they have to buy something right now, they’re just kind of waiting to see what’s going to happen.”
Even as economic activity decreases, some remain optimistic Washington will work it out.
“Probably another 10 days, two weeks, then yeah, we’ll start sitting down trying to figure out, hey, is this something that we need to try to look into,” DeFoor said. “Ultimately, they’re going to come up with a solution. They know they can only keep it shut down for so long.”
People expect the pressure to ramp up on Congress as the shutdown approaches the 2019 record of 34 days. Even though temporary funding for workers and programs has helped, Hatcher said the urgency to end the shutdown for Congress has been low.
With every day the shutdown continues, the chance of long-term economic effects becomes more likely.
The State Senate Special Committee on Eliminating Georgia’s Income Tax meets today in Gainesville, according to the Rome News Tribune.
Local state Sens. Chuck Hufstetler, R-Rome, and Jason Anavitarte, R-Dallas, are part of the 11-member committee chaired by Sen. Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia, whose parents grew up in Rome and Cedartown.
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones is slated to give opening remarks at their Tuesday session titled, “How Would Elimination of an Income Tax Affect Georgians’ Lives?” They’re also expected to hear from local speakers about the initiative.
[State Senator Chuck] Hufstetler, [(R-Rome)], who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, has been a staunch advocate for capturing revenue that may be slipping through the cracks. Most recently he worked with his House counterpart, Rep. Shaw Blackmon, R-Bonaire, on a Joint Tax Credit Review Panel to determine if existing incentives are worth the expense.
He’s also sponsored legislation to study Georgia’s tax and revenue structure with an eye to tightening it up, but it failed in the House. The concept was based on a 2010 review that led to the elimination of the “birthday” tax on motor vehicles and the state sales tax on energy used in manufacturing.
Democrat Stacey Abrams spoke at an anti-Trump rally in Atlanta, according to the AJC.
Abrams has not ruled out a third bid for governor. Her address Saturday warned about the direction Republicans were taking the nation.
“Their destination is to take our country — from us. And if there are 10 steps to autocracy and 10 steps to authoritarianism,” Abrams said.
“Atlanta, I’m here to tell you there are 10 steps to freedom and power. That’s what we’re here for. ”
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr (R-Suburbia) discussed his office’s Gang Prosecution unit in Savannah, according to WTOC.
“Let’s work together. Let’s partner together. Let’s acknowledge the problem and then make sure we do something about it,” said Georgia’s Attorney General, Chris Carr.
This month, Carr announced two hires to his Gang Prosecution Unit in Savannah.
The goal is to work with local, state, and federal law enforcement to investigate and prosecute violent criminal gang activity throughout the area.
“Keep the people of Savannah and Chatham County, Georgia safe, but also our guests that are coming to Georgia,” said AG Carr.
Carr is expanding his office’s reach across the state. Carr created the state’s first statewide gang prosecution unit 3 years ago.
“I think public safety is a nonpartisan issue, and I don’t care where you live in this state, what your race is, your gender, your religion, sexual orientation; you deserve to be safe,” said AG Carr.
Now that the unit is expanding to add an office in Savannah.
The first Chief Assistant District Attorney in Chatham County– Brian DeBlasiis– and Savannah Police’s Criminal Investigator with the Gang Unit, Jacob Hesting, will oversee the unit.
AG Carr says he’s looking forward to the bipartisan partnerships with his unit.
“What will serve the people of Chatham County is when they see the Democratic Mayor, the Democratic DA, the Republican AG working together to keep people safe, that’s what they want to see. But pretending there’s not a gang problem, pretending there are no gangs, that’s not going to move the ball down the field,” said Carr.
He says all Georgians should rest assured that his office will help tackle gang violence, human trafficking, and other violent crimes in the community.
Recently, Carr expanded this unit to Augusta as well and is already seeing results from that office.
“Nobody wants a gang in their backyard, but what they want to know is that somebody’s doing something about it, and not addressing the issue doesn’t help the problem. It doesn’t make it go away. What makes it go away is enforcing the law,” said Carr.
This expansion is being funded by the state’s 2026 budget, which was signed by Governor Kemp earlier this year.
State Senator Blake Tillery (R-Valdosta) discussed his campaign for Lieutenant Governor, according to the Statesboro Herald.
By running for lieutenant governor, Sen. Blake Tillery, R-19th District, Vidalia, will be giving up his district seat and the chair of the Georgia Senate’s Appropriations Committee after 2026, whether or not he wins the higher office. So why take the risk now?
“When I ran for the state Senate I ran on a platform of three items,” Tillery said in a recent Statesboro Herald interview, “reducing taxes, bringing jobs to our area, and then on broadband. …”
“I know we can eliminate the state income tax” he said. “I’ve chaired the budget now for what will be my seventh year this year (2026), and we’ve already been able to reduce the income tax by 15 percent. But Florida and Tennessee have done it with zero income tax, North Carolina and South Carolina are rapidly approaching zero.
Asked how the state government will make up for the loss of a revenue source that brings in $16.2 billion annually, Tillery asserted that it can be done mainly by eliminating certain tax exemptions, which he calls “corporate welfare.”
“By not providing as many corporate welfare tax exemptions, 1 percent of sales tax in Tennessee brings in more dollars than 1 percent of sales tax in Georgia, yet we have 3 million more people,” he said.
He portrays eliminating the income tax as a way to help working families, and contrasts this with the exemptions he says go to corporate interests that can afford to hire lobbyists.
“In Georgia, we exempt the sales tax on yacht parts. How does that help a family paying for child care in Candler County?” Tillery asked. “We also exempt the sales tax on lottery tickets. How does that help somebody in Screven County? I’m not sure.”
He acknowledged that scrapping such exemptions may not provide all the needed revenue.
“After we study that out, I think you’re going to see us with an income tax that, I don’t know if we get it all the way to zero, but we get it close, and then we could have the discussion about whether citizens would rather have a consumption-based versus an income tax,” he said.
Consumption-based taxes can include sales taxes and taxes on services.
“But I would only support that if it was a vote of the people,” Tillery said.
The special committee he chairs reportedly has a plan to eliminate the income tax.
“You’ll see that bill introduced this year (the 2026 legislative term), even before I ask for your vote for lieutenant governor,” he said.
He is one of several Republicans seeking their party’s nomination for lieutenant governor, including the state Senate’s President Pro Tempore John Kennedy and former Majority Leader Steve Gooch. State Sen. Josh McLaurin is a Democratic candidate who has filed campaign finance reports.
The party primaries will be held May 19 and the general election Nov. 3, 2026.
Georgia State Senator Sam Watson (R-Moultrie) spoke to the Colquitt County Retired Educators, according to the Moultrie Observer.
Sam Watson, Georgia State Senator, was the guest speaker. He spoke about what was happening in the state legislature and the upcoming election in November. A question and answer time followed the program.
Members were reminded that November 2, will be Retired Educators Day. The November CCREA meeting will be held at the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library on November 10, at 10:30 a.m.
Georgia State Senator Harold Jones II (D-Augusta) and State Sen. Blake Tillery (R-Vidalia) spoke to the Rotary Club of Augusta, according to WJBF.
It was an effort for both sides to come together and speak to the community.
Both Jones and Tillery spoke about key issues impacting Georgians.
“I do think two things that will come up will be vaping issue and also the THC hemp issue will be coming up too,” said Jones. “It’s a loophole in there that basically allows you to sell THC infused hemp. So I know that’s going to be an issue that we’re going to be looking at because it has economic development issues and of course it also has public safety issues, too.
“The two big issues right now are people are feeling the crunch in their pocketbook on childcare, groceries and gas,” Tillery said. “If we could take Georgia’s income tax to zero, we can give them a five percent raise overnight. Their second biggest issue is safety.”
The 2026 legislative session begins in January.
Speaking to the Augusta Rotary Club, Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones II, D-Augusta, shared recent successes and upcoming challenges facing the Augusta-area legislative delegation when the legislature convenes in January.
Among the successes: Jones and Sens. Max Burns, R-Sylvania, and Lee Anderson, R-Grovetown, cosponsored a bill to establish a sixth superior court judgeship for the Augusta Judicial Circuit. Flashpoint legislative issues for 2026, Jones said, are likely to include the regulation of synthetic cannabis and of flavored vaping cartridges that critics say are targeted at underage consumers.
Running for Georgia’s lieutenant governorship, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia, underscored for the audience the importance of strong political representation for citizens across Georgia, not just within metro Atlanta and north Georgia.
“And I can tell you this: Everything in the Senate works as a team effort, but when it comes to appropriations, you have to have Sen. Tillery on our side,” Jones said.
Displaying just a partial list of government-funded projects directed toward the Augusta area, Tillery said Augusta’s ability to match funds often with the state is part of “why that Georgia power matters.”
Appropriations include nearly $100 million for physician research at Augusta University’s Medical College of Georgia, and $375,000 to hire more prosecutors to help navigate an unusually high tide of local sex trafficking cases.
“Augusta, believe it or not, has a huge sex trafficking issue,” said Jones, who served as Richmond County’s solicitor from 2004 to 2009.
Tillery showed results from a poll asking large-scale employers why they chose Georgia to establish their businesses. The No. 1 reason: availability of skilled labor, and he said “I’ve not seen any community do it better than Augusta.”
Tax exemptions, however, came in 11th in a list of 15 reasons. Dangling enticing tax credits to attract big business isn’t all bad, Tillery said, but dialing them back could help set the stage for eliminating the state income tax, which is a main plank in his election platform. Neighboring Florida and Tennessee do not levy income taxes.
“People say, ‘How are you going to take the state income tax to zero?’” Tillery said. “We give out at least $30 billion in special-interest, corporate-level extensions and credits. We only bring in $16.2 billion in personal income tax. I went to (the University of) Georgia, not (Georgia) Tech, but I can do that math, and you can, too.”
State Representative Mark Newton (R-Augusta) penned an Op-Ed on the foster care tax credit program, in the Augusta Chronicle.
There are a lot of bills we pass in the Georgia Legislature aimed at improving the lives of everyday Georgians, but there are few that have had such an immediate impact on reducing poverty, eliminating homelessness, and stemming the tide of human trafficking as Georgia’s new expanded foster care tax credit.
Just two years ago, I sponsored legislation to strengthen and expand the Fostering Success Act (FSA) to $30 million beginning in 2026. But already the program is gaining so much attention among young people who age out of our state’s foster care system.
A new report just released by Fostering Success Act Inc., the nonprofit that helps Georgia taxpayers donate to the tax credit program, found an almost 350% increase in youth served since its launch just three years ago.
That means that of the approximately 600 youth who age out of Georgia’s foster care system each year, they can have a place to call home other than a friend’s couch or a street corner. Instead, this tax credit offers food, housing, transportation, and an opportunity to attend college, technical school, or an apprenticeship program until the age of 26.
It’s something that so touches my heart because kids who have been in foster care have been through so much. Most have post-traumatic stress disorder or some emotional scars due to neglect or even abuse from their parents.
While our foster care families are wonderful, when these youth age out of foster care, they have no home to return to or a future course set for their lives, like other young adults whose families planned and then assisted with sending them to college or technical school.
So just last month, I followed FSA’s new “easy button” right here, at https://fosteringsuccessact.org/apply-now/, and made my 2025 tax credit donation to the program. Like so many others, I can know my contribution will help change the lives of these youth, while also reducing my Georgia tax income burden.
In exchange for a donation of any amount to FSA, the state of Georgia will reduce a donor’s equal amount of tax liability no matter if they file as an individual or corporation. That means an individual or company could donate its entire state tax liability to these youth in need, then owe no state income taxes. It’s a dollar-for-dollar tax credit.
In addition to housing, nutrition, transportation, and tuition expenses, FSA funds are also being used for mentors to help coach these young adults, as they also need someone to both encourage and direct them. These vital mentors guide them in everything from how to fill out a college application to balancing a checkbook or searching for auto insurance. Most of these youth don’t have the life skills needed for today’s world and need good counsel. Mentors provide this crucial resource.
I strongly encourage both my fellow elected officials plus our constituents to invest in this FSA tax credit to help these orphans of our time.
I can’t think of a more worthwhile policy, through just a few minutes of your time, that will change the trajectory of poverty, addiction, crime, and homelessness among young people in our state.
− Mark Newton, an emergency physician and businessman, is a Republican state representative from Augusta. He serves as Chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee on Higher Education.
The Muscogee County School District is paying a retention stipend to some employees, according to the Ledger-Enquirer.
Most employees of the Muscogee County School District will receive more money this year with retention stipends expected to arrive before the holidays.
During its meeting Monday night, the MCSD board unanimously approved superintendent David Lewis’ recommendation to give a one-time retention stipend of:
• $2,000 to teachers eligible for benefits
• $1,000 to teachers not eligible for benefits
• $1,000 to all other employees eligible for benefits
• $500 to all other employees not eligible for benefits.
Employees who are paid monthly must be actively working Nov. 1 to receive the stipend Nov. 30, and employees who are paid semi-monthly must be actively working Nov. 9 to receive the stipend Dec. 15, the meeting’s agenda says.
Athens lawyer Ed Tolley announced he is running for District 7 on the Athens-Clarke County Commission, according to the Athens Banner Herald.
Tolley plans to seek the District 7 seat currently held by John Culpepper, who was elected to his first term in 2022.
Qualifying for the seat is not until March 2026, while the election will be later in the spring. The mayor’s race is also open in 2026, and three people − Tim Denson, Dexter Fisher, and LaKeisha Gantt − have already announced their intentions to run.
Tolley is a University of Georgia graduate and a founding partner with Cook & Tolley. He is a former president of the Clarke County Board of Education and chair of the Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission.
“Athens has given me so much throughout my life and career. Now it’s my turn to give back in a new way — by serving District 7 with honesty, accountability, and respect. Together, we can keep our neighborhoods safe, ensure Athens remains a livable community for every generation, and work to unite people around shared goals rather than divisions,” Tolley said in a statement released with the announcement.
Tolley said his priorities of public safety, responsible growth, and transparent local government reflect the values of residents in District 7.
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