Colonists in Georgia signed a letter allowing the beginning of the slave trade in Georgia on October 26, 1749.
Georgia Sons of Liberty protested against the British Stamp Act on October 26, 1765.
On October 25, 1774, the First Continental Congress addressed a petition to King George III raising concerns about the Coercive Acts passed by Parliament and asserting its loyalty to the monarch.
On October 27, 1775, King George III addressed Parliament, raising concerns about an American rebellion.
The First of the Federalist Papers, an essay by Alexander Hamilton published under the pseudonym Publius, was published on October 27, 1787.
The United States and Spain signed the Treaty of San Lorenzo, also called Pinckney’s Treaty on October 27, 1795, setting the 31st parallel as the border between Georgia and Florida.
The nation’s first Gold Rush started after Benjamin Parks discovered gold in what is now Lumpkin County, Georgia on October 27, 1828.
Theodore Roosevelt was born in New York City on October 27, 1858.
The wooden keel of USS Monitor was laid at Continental Iron Works at Greenpoint, New York on October 25, 1861.
A state Constitutional Convention at Milledgeville, Georgia repealed the state’s Ordinance of Secession on October 26, 1865.
President Woodrow Wilson vetoed the Volstead Act, which implemented the Eighteenth Amendment prohibition on alcohol, on October 27, 1919; the House overrode his veto that same day and the United States Senate overrode the veto on October 28, 1919.
Navy Day was established on October 27, 1922.
October 27 was suggested by the Navy League to recognize Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday. Roosevelt had been an Assistant Secretary of the Navy and supported a strong Navy as well as the idea of Navy Day. In addition, October 27 was the anniversary of a 1775 report issued by a special committee of the Continental Congress favoring the purchase of merchant ships as the foundation of an American Navy.
Ronald Reagan delivered the “A Time for Choosing” speech on October 27, 1964.
And this idea that government is beholden to the people, that it has no other source of power except the sovereign people, is still the newest and the most unique idea in all the long history of man’s relation to man.
This is the issue of this election: Whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capitol can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves.
You and I are told increasingly we have to choose between a left or right. Well I’d like to suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There’s only an up or down—[up] man’s old—old-aged dream, the ultimate in individual freedom consistent with law and order, or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism. And regardless of their sincerity, their humanitarian motives, those who would trade our freedom for security have embarked on this downward course.
You and I have a rendezvous with destiny.
We’ll preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we’ll sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness.
Gladys Knight and the Pips reached #1 with “Midnight Train to Georgia” on October 27, 1973.
Jimmy Carter campaigned in New York on October 27, 1976.
On October 25, 1980, “You Shook Me All Night Long” became AC/DC’s first top 40 hit.
Andrew Young was elected Mayor of Atlanta on October 27, 1981.
Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy accepted the last Ford Taurus built in Hapeville, Georgia on October 27, 2006.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
Former Columbus NAACP chapter president and Democrat Wane Hailes chatted with former Muscogee County Republican Party Chair Alton Russell, according to the Ledger-Enquirer.
Wane Hailes, former president of the Columbus NAACP chapter, is a 68-year-old Black man and a Democrat. Born in Richmond, Virginia, he graduated from high school in Charlottesville and earned a bachelor’s degree in recreation administration from Ottawa University in Kansas. He is president and publisher of the Courier Eco Latino newspaper.
Alton Russell, former chairman of the Muscogee County GOP, is an 86-year-old white man and a Republican. Born and raised in Columbus, he graduated from Jordan Vocational High School. He said his only college degree is from the school of hard knocks with a doctorate is digging post holes. He is a toilet paper salesman for COPACO.
All of that makes their polarized voting preferences unsurprising. But what is remarkable, despite being prominent public figures in Columbus who never had met, they engaged in a fun and meaningful chat when One Small Step recorded their conversation last year to launch the program in Columbus.
In fact, they didn’t even debate politics during their 45-minute exchange. Instead, they simply got to know each other.
They discussed their backgrounds and experiences. They swapped serious and humorous stories. And they shared their appreciation for the progress they’ve seen in Columbus while also agreeing local officials should create more transparency and trust.
Most of all, Hailes and Russell told the Ledger-Enquirer, they realized the other guy is a decent human being. “He didn’t have horns, just a regular person,” Russell said with a laugh, “which I think I am. So that’s why I think we kind of hit it off.”
“Until you get to know somebody, you have these preconceived ideas, but people are people,” Hailes said. “… We all got problems. We all have trials and tribulations in our lives, and sometimes we got joy.”
The challenge to all of us who are concerned with the future of America is to be more like Mr. Hailes and Mr. Russell. I’ve known Alton for years, and he’s a great guy. I just wish I knew earlier that he’s a toilet paper salesman, becuase I feel like I missed out on years of making his profession the butt of a joke.
The best way I know to keep political differences in check is to pray for people by name with whom you have differing views. It’s a reminder that we’re all human beings going through a tough world, and we have more that unites us as Americans than we have differences to divide us.
Today is the last day to request a mail-in absentee ballot for the November 5, 2024 General Election, according to WSAV.
It’s the last day you can request an absentee ballot from your county registrar in Georgia and South Carolina ahead of the general election.
Georgia voters can visit here … to find information for requesting a ballot and the locations of their county election offices.
But there’s an important message from state officials: it may take up to two weeks to receive your ballot.
Further, if you plan to mail back your ballot, it’s recommended that you allow an additional two weeks for it to be received.
Remember: completed and signed ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 5.
To avoid the mail, you can drop off your ballot into an absentee ballot drop box in your county or hand deliver it to your county registrar.
To track your absentee ballot, log in on Georgia’s My Voter Page….
The USPS said they’ll deliver absentee ballots even if the postage is short, according to 13WMAZ.
The postal service will deliver a mail-in ballot even if it has insufficient or unpaid postage. This is due to a USPS policy that requires the postal service not to delay the delivery of completed absentee balloting materials, including mail-in ballots, according to USPS and the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).
“We are proactively working with state and local election officials on mailing requirements, including postage payment. In cases where a ballot enters the mailstream without the proper postage, the Postal Service will deliver the ballot and thereafter attempt to collect postage from the appropriate Board of Elections,” USPS says on an FAQs page about voting by mail.
So, it’s true that the postal service will deliver mail-in ballots if they don’t have enough postage — but election officials, and your tax dollars, may end up footing the bill for the missing stamps.
If the majority of voters don’t add postage to their ballots, “this could be a significant expense for a local election office,” the NCSL says.
No postage is required to mail a ballot in 19 states and Washington, D.C, according to NCSL. But, if you live elsewhere, you may be responsible for postage.
That’s because each state or local Board of Elections determines whether to provide voters with a prepaid return envelope for mail-in ballots, according to USPS. They may also request that voters apply their own appropriate postage.
If a return ballot is entered into the mailstream with insufficient or unpaid postage, it is the Postal Service’s policy not to delay the delivery of completed absentee balloting materials, including mail-in ballots. We are proactively working with state and local election officials on mailing requirements, including postage payment. In cases where a ballot enters the mailstream without the proper postage, the Postal Service will deliver the ballot and thereafter attempt to collect postage from the appropriate Board of Elections.
The Postal Service is taking “extraordinary measures” to ensure ballots are processed and transported on time for this year’s election, such as adding extra deliveries and collections of absentee ballots, Adrienne Marshall, the Postal Service’s director of election and government mail services, said during an online news conference Wednesday.
For parts of the country devastated by hurricane damage, Marshall said the Postal Service has maintained close contact with election officials across Georgia, Florida and North Carolina.
“We work with the election officials, and the election officials are also putting measures in place to ensure that voters have the opportunity to vote, whether it’s through mail or through other means in those impacted areas,” said Steve Monteith, executive vice president of the Postal Service.
Georgia voters have until Friday to request an absentee ballot for this year’s general election. So far, over 125,000 absentee ballots have been accepted, a stark contrast from the 1.3 million votes cast by mail in the 2020 election when mail-in voting took off in popularity amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We encourage those who choose to vote by mail to please mail early,” Marshall said.
This year voters must submit absentee ballots by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 5, for their ballots to be counted as they arrive. Absentee ballots received before Nov. 4 will be tabulated within one hour of polls closing.
“Ensuring the integrity of absentee ballots is crucial for maintaining trust in the democratic process,” Georgia’s House Republicans wrote in a letter to DeJoy in September. “Voting is a sacred right and the most important tool in shaping our republic. The USPS plays a crucial role in processing mail-in ballots during elections and is tasked with working closely with local and state election officials to ensure the secure delivery of absentee ballots.”
The AJC has an explainer on the ballot questions for the General Election.
Constitutional Amendment One
“Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to authorize the General Assembly to provide by general law for a statewide homestead exemption that serves to limit increases in the assessed value of homesteads, but which any county, consolidated government, municipality, or local school system may opt out of upon the completion of certain procedures?”
WHAT IT WOULD DO: The first measure is designed to slow property tax hikes that occur when home values rise. If voters approve the amendment, home property assessments would be capped at the inflation rate for the previous year. By holding down assessment increases, property tax increases also would be limited since they are based on the assessed value of a home and the property tax rate.
The proposal also would allow local governments to use revenue from a 1% sales tax increase to lower property taxes if voters approve a local referendum to increase the sales tax.
If the constitutional amendment is passed, municipalities would have between Jan. 1 and March 1 next year to opt out of the cap. Local officials have to pass a resolution and hold three public hearings in order to opt out.
Constitutional Amendment Two
“Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to provide for the Georgia Tax Court to be vested with the judicial power of the state and to have venue, judges, and jurisdiction concurrent with superior courts?”
Statewide referendum
“Do you approve the Act that increases an exemption from property tax for all tangible personal property from $7,500 to $20,000?”
WHAT IT DOES: The third ballot question asks voters to increase the tax exemption for tangible personal property — such as business inventory and farm machinery — from $7,500 to $20,000. The tax break excludes motor vehicles, trailers and mobile homes.
Currently, business owners pay sales taxes when they buy equipment, then pay property taxes on the value of that equipment.
Personally, I intend to vote “Yes” for all three.
Former President Donald Trump headlined a rally in Duluth, according to AccessWDUN.
With less than two weeks until the November 5 general election, former President and Republican nominee Donald Trump held a rally at Gas South Arena in Duluth Wednesday night.
The event drew thousands and featured a number of guest speakers, ranging from former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to Gainesville pastor Jentezen Franklin. Trump, who is vying to win Georgia after losing it in his 2020 reelection bid, encouraged those in attendance to get out to vote.
“With your help, 13 days from now we’re going to win Georgia. We’re going to defeat (Democrat nominee and Vice President) Kamala Harris and we’re going to make America great again,” Trump said.
“This election is a choice between whether we will have four more years of incompetence, failure and disaster, or whether we will begin the four greatest years in the history of our country,” Trump said. “Georgia, you have to stand up and you have to tell Kamala Harris that you’ve done a horrible job.”
Trump spoke on various issues, talking at length about his promises to improve U.S. border security. His comments included a reference to the February killing of nursing student Laken Riley on the University of Georgia campus in Athens by a man who reportedly entered the country illegally from Venezuela in 2022.
“The savage monster who killed Laken was let in and released into our country by the open border policy of Kamala Harris,” Trump said. ““Immediately upon taking the oath of office, I will launch the largest deportation program in American history.”
“Jimmy Carter is the happiest man, because his administration is brilliant compared to these losers,” Trump said. “You saw him the other day voting…I think he voted for me.”
Jentezen Franklin, pastor of Gainesville-based Free Chapel, voiced his support for Trump at the event.
“You and I, our prayers make a difference and our votes make a difference, and we’ve got to do .” Franklin said. “That’s why I’m here. That’s why I’m in this fight. We’re fighting for the freedom and the faith and growing up in a free nation for our children and our children’s children.”
Other guest speakers included country music singer Jason Aldean, political commentator Tucker Carlson and activist Charlie Kirk, whose political action group Turning Point hosted the event.
The event marked the farthest northeast in the state a major presidential candidate has come since Trump appeared in Commerce in 2022. His vice presidential pick, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, was previously scheduled to appear in Flowery Branch in September, but that event was canceled by the approach of Hurricane Helene.
Harris has also made several recent appearances in Georgia, which is expected to be a key swing state in the 2024 race. She is scheduled to appear Thursday at DeKalb County’s James Hallford Stadium along with several other Democrat officials and celebrities.
Former President Donald Trump opened his remarks in Duluth on Wednesday night by evoking a question Ronald Reagan famously asked voters during the 1980 presidential campaign: “Are you better off now than you were four years ago?”
Trump’s supporters yelled “No” back at the former president — although one man enthusiastically shouted “Hell, no” in response — but it was the start of a theme for his speech.
In his only appearance in Gwinnett County during this election cycle, Trump’s argument to voters was that things are worse off in America since he lost to President Joe Biden four years ago and they need to return him to the White House to fix everything.
“This election is a choice between whether we will have four more years of incompetence, failure and disaster or whether we will begin the four greatest years in the history of our country,” Trump told the crowd of thousands which filled much of the Gas South Arena.
The rally featured a long list of high profile figures including conservative TV personality Tucker Carlson, Robert Kennedy Jr., Jason Aldean, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, Congressman Mike Collins, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper and Georgia GOP Chairman Josh McKoon.
Trump … told voters he will increase tariffs on companies that doesn’t manufacture their products in America, outlaw sanctuary cities, allow fracking and more drilling to boost domestic oil production, using the Alien Enemies Act — passed in 1798 — to deport migrant gangs and imposing the death penalty when U.S. citizens are killed by migrants.
“The United States is now an occupied nation but Nov. 5 is going to be “Liberation Day,’” Trump said as he talked about undocumented immigrants living in the U.S.
“You’ve got to get out there and vote, but most important just vote whichever way you want to do it,” Trump said. “Ive been one that says ‘Whichever way, just get out and vote’ … With your help, in 13 days we’re going to win Georgia. We’re going to defeat Kamala Harris and we’re going to make America great again.”
Collins, whose congressional district will include eastern Gwinnett starting with this election, urged attendees to “hunker down” and vote while McKoon told the crowd it was their mission to vote.
When several attendees cheered to show they had already voted, however, McKoon said it was then their duty to get other people to vote.
“I need every one of you to grab as many of your friends and neighbors as possible and get them to make it a priority to vote between now and Nov. 1,” McKoon said.
Trump also spoke in Zebulon, according to the Macon Telegraph.
Despite an unseasonably warm day Wednesday, more than 1,000 people fought traffic to see former President Donald Trump at Christ Chapel in the small town of Zebulon, in Pike County.
The town hall was geared at affirming Trump as “a vocal defender of religious freedom and an unwavering supporter of Jewish communities,” his campaign said. With the largely religious crowd onhand, it was a chance for Trump to speak directly to a demographic that has shown him strong support in the past — white evangelical Christian voters — in a race where both parties have sought to emphasize faith.
“School boards are being persecuted, parents are being persecuted,” Trump said during his appearance in Zebulon. “People are being persecuted, religious people.”
When Harris was mentioned, a man in the crowd shouted, “She’s Satan!”
Trump also touted his support for Israel, including his 2017 decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move the U.S. embassy there from Tel Aviv.
Before Trump’s Zebulon town hall began, the church’s pastor, Billy Smith, expressed his and other Christians in the area’s support for Trump, and said he was praying for the success of the campaign.
Ralph Reed, head of the conservative political action group Faith & Freedom Coalition, said Trump would return America to Christian values.
“It’s time to get to the biblical principles upon which this nation was built,” Reed said. “It’s time for Christians to be the head of the political system and not the tail.”
Also from the Macon Telegraph:
But before noon, when doors were expected to open, attendees in line were dealing with heat in the crowded parking lot. One attendee appeared to have a medical emergency. Workers were handing and tossing water bottles into the crowd at about 11:45 a.m. Attendees started getting into the building just after 12 p.m.
Trump, who arrived on stage at about 3:50 p.m. Wednesday, addressed religion, Israel, hurricane recovery and more, claiming early in his remarks that the Federal Emergency Management Agency gave money to illegal immigrants instead of making adequate money available to hurricane relief efforts in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and elsewhere.
“FEMA, meaning the White House, did not do their job,” Trump said. “They did not do their job, and we’ve got to change it. We had a great FEMA when we were doing it. We had some problems too, and we had — FEMA came in and they handled it. But they’re not — and they’ve spent a lot of their money on other things … they’ve spent a lot of their money on the illegal migrants coming in, almost a billion dollars. And there was no money. And so now they’re going to have a special session in Congress to try and get money, and it’s too bad.”
Trump also emphasized his support for Israel in its war against Hamas, criticizing President Joe Biden’s approach to foreign policy and border security. As he often has repeated, Trump accused Biden’s administration of letting criminals enter the U.S. illegally through the U.S.-Mexico border, and said border problems were “solved” when he was in office.
When asked about rising energy costs, Trump said if he were president again, the U.S. would drill for oil in America in an effort to reduce energy costs. He criticized Biden for gas prices, claiming they were significantly lower when Trump was in office.
Brian Jack, who worked in Trump’s White House and is running for U.S. Congress in Georgia’s District 3, appeared on-stage before Trump and called Wednesday’s rally “the biggest political event in Pike County’s history.” The last time a president came to Zebulon was in the 1930s, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited.
[Georgia Republican Lieutenant Governor Burt] Jones led the Q&A with Trump.
Former President Barack Obama campaigned in Atlanta for Kamala Harris, according to Atlanta News First via WTVM.
In her quest to become the first woman of color ever elected to the White House, Vice President Kamala Harris brought another historic trailblazer to Atlanta Thursday for her latest campaign rally – the 44th president of the United States, who just happens to be the nation’s first Black president.
Former President Barack Obama appeared with Harris at a DeKalb County campaign rally, one day after Harris’ opponent, former President Donald Trump, held an event at Gas South Arena in Duluth.
With the Nov. 5 election less than two weeks away, Trump is also hoping to make history by becoming the first former president to reclaim the White House after losing a bid for reelection since Democrat Grover Cleveland in the 19th century. Besides the Duluth rally, Trump also attended an event at a Pike County, Georgia, church Wednesday with Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, an ardent Trump supporter.
Georgians continue turning out in record numbers ahead of the Nov. 5 election. On Monday, the Georgia Secretary of State’s office said turnout had surpassed the 1.5 million mark with 1,504,332 check-ins, shattering previous early voting performance.
The state saw its biggest-ever Saturday turnout for a general election on Oct. 19, 2024, according to Gabriel Sterling, chief operating officer for the Georgia secretary of state. As of 1:30 p.m. — hours before the polls closed that day — more than 102,000 Georgians had cast their ballots.
Vice President Kamala Harris returned to rally voters in Dekalb County, along with former US President Barack Obama.
The slew of speakers included Georgia senators, singer Bruce Springsteen, director Spike Lee, Tyler Perry and actor Samuel L. Jackson.
“Because folks the election is here. It is here and upon us. The choice is truly in your hands. Your vote is your voice. Your voice is your power,” said VP Kamala Harris.
“My question to you Georgia is we do not need four years of a wannabe king, wannabe dictator. That’s not what you need in your life. America is ready to turn the page,” said former President Barack Obama.
Harris was back in Atlanta for the second time in a week advocating for abortion rights.
“One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs that the government should not be telling you what to do. Not the government,” said Harris
On Friday, Vice President Kamala Harris will rally in Houston along with Beyonce, while Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance will return to Georgia this Saturday.
Despite polls showing softer support for Harris among Black men than for President Joe Biden four years ago, Black male voters at Harris’ rally in Clarkston Thursday night told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution they are eager to vote and throw their support behind Harris.
Concerns about whether Black men would support Harris in the numbers she needs to win the election became national news earlier this month when former President Barack Obama wondered aloud at an event in Pennsylvania whether Black men were reluctant to vote for a woman for president.
Obama introduced Harris at Thursday’s rally in DeKalb County, steering clear of the earlier controversy. Instead, he drew stark contrasts between Harris and former President Donald Trump, who he characterized as unstable and unfit for the job.
Republican National Committee co-chair Lara Trump spoke in South Fulton, according to the AJC Political Insider.
Her event was in the City of South Fulton, a community of more than 110,000 residents — 91% of whom are Black. And despite the city’s deep-blue leanings, she received a warm welcome.
“There’s been all this agita over the Black vote, but no candidate or campaign for president has visited the Blackest City in America,” said Khalid Kamau, the city’s mayor. “I welcome anyone willing to come listen to my people.”
Lara Trump said Republicans “know that you have to show up and not be afraid to ask for peoples’ votes.”
“Kamala Harris and the Democrats think that they can put on a concert and everyone will forget how much they’ve failed the American people in just four short years,” she said.
Upcoming events, from the AJC Political Insider:
Gov. Brian Kemp and first lady Marty Kemp will encourage early voting at events in Atlanta and Suwanee.
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., will speak at a Harris campaign event in Albany.
Republican United States Senator and Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance (O-H-I-O) will headline an event on Saturday in Atlanta, according to Atlanta News First.
Less than a week after former President Donald Trump appeared in north Georgia for two campaign events, his running-mate, JD Vance, is set to hold a rally in Atlanta on Saturday.
Vance is expected to talk about the economy and the rising cost of living at The Georgia Freight Depot in downtown Atlanta. The doors open at 9 a.m., and Vance’s speech is at 11 a.m., according to the Trump-Vance campaign.
Less than two weeks away from the election, Trump and Vance have set their sights on Georgia, one of the country’s foremost swing states. On Wednesday, Trump spoke in Pike County for a town hall and in Gwinnett County during a rally.
Since early voting started, more than 2 million ballots have been cast. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said he expects that number to hit nearly 4 million before it ends on Nov. 1.
I woudn’t call Gwinnett County “North Georgia.”
More than ten percent of eligible voters in Bulloch County cast early ballots, according to the Statesboro Herald.
The first four days of early voting saw more than 10% of Bulloch County’s approximately 53,000 registered voters already cast their ballot for the 2024 presidential election either in person or via an absentee ballot.
Bulloch County Election Supervisor Shontay Jones said in an email Friday afternoon that 5,425 people, including 1,488 on Friday, came to the Bulloch County Board of Elections and Registration office to vote since early voting began Tuesday, while another 437 absentee ballots were dropped off – a total of 5,862.
And the Elections and Registration office in the County Annex, 113 North Main St., will be open for early voting for the first of two Saturdays, Oct. 19 and Oct. 26, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Governor Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp visited the National Infantry Museum in Columbus, according to the Ledger-Enquirer.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and his wife, Marty, visited Columbus on Thursday for the dedication of the Korean War Memorial at the National Infantry Museum. Before the dedication, the Kemps stopped at a local charity helping veterans affected by homelessness. They arrived around 10:40 a.m. at the Plummer Home, 1214 18th St.
The governor was greeted by members of the Plummer Home as he went around shaking each person’s hand before being brought up to the front porch of the house. There he met Jeff Deaton, an Army veteran staying at the Plummer Home who just underwent what the group calls an “Extreme Veteran Makeover.”
The makeover works in partnership with local businesses that provide clothing, shoes haircuts and shaves for veterans.
Kemp was taken on a tour of the house, which has been renovated and will receive more upgrades. As he entered, a white board on his right read, “604 Veterans Restored” — a nod to the number of veterans the Plummer Home has helped.
At the end of his visit, Kemp comforted a veteran, John Kennelly, who recently lost his service dog named Bruce. Kemp embraced Kennelly and empathized with Kennelly, telling him about dogs he had lost.
In an interview with the Ledger-Enquirer, Kemp said he’s “ very thankful that there’s folks in the community that are helping support homeless veterans.” Kemp said, “It’s a big issue not only here but around the country. So, to see leaders here in the Columbus area doing this, it’s very gratifying.”
Kemp said his favorite thing about his visit to the Plummer Home was learning. “That’s the thing about being in this job, both for Marty and I, we learn so much about our state for the special people we have that are doing so many good things every day.”
In regards to the dedication of the Korean War Memorial, Kemp said, “We’re very excited to be here, honored to be back to the Infantry Museum and really dedicate a memorial to a forgotten war in some ways and to a lot of great veterans who fought in that war.” “I think it’s proper that we honor and remember them,” Kemp said.
The Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce hosted a candidate event, according to the Valdosta Daily Times.
Jill Maine, executive director of The Home Builders Association of South Georgia, stated, “The Home Builders Association of South Georgia is proud to partner with the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber and Valdosta Board of Realtors to offer the Meet the Candidates event as a service to our community to allow individuals time to have one-on-one time with the candidates and hear from them, which helps inform them in exercising their right to vote!”
Amelia Hidy, president of the Valdosta Board of Realtors, expressed the organization’s enthusiasm for being a part of this community initiative. “The Valdosta Board of Realtors was honored to co-sponsor last night’s ‘Meet the Candidates’ event,” Hidy said. “We recognize the importance of ensuring that your voice is heard, and this event provided a valuable opportunity for direct engagement with the candidates for our county. It was a wonderful evening, and we look forward to hosting similar events in the future. Don’t forget to cast your vote in the upcoming November election!”
The Chamber of Commerce was equally thrilled to collaborate on this initiative. “The Chamber believes that it is important to give citizens the opportunity to meet and ask questions to candidates who are seeking office. We were proud to partner with the Valdosta Board of Realtors and Home Builders Association of South Georgia to make this event possible,” Christie Moore, president of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce, shared.`
The Statesboro Herald spoke to the candidates for Bulloch County Commission District 2-C.
WTOC also spoke to those candidates.
Both candidates for the District 2 seat say their biggest concern they are hoping to address in their own ways is uncontrolled growth.
Nick Newkirk, the Republican candidate, says he wants the commissioners and residents to have more of a say than developers.
“We got a bunch of uncontrolled growth where they are developing subdivisions in the middle of farmland that is not inside the Bulloch County growth map that they have. It just seems like the developers are running this county right now, not the commissioners. I want to bring it back to the people and have the opportunity for the people and the citizens to get up and talk at these meetings. And not feel like they are going to get attacked, personally attacked for standing up and talking against the commissioners,” Newkirk said.
Leonard Fatica, the opposing Democratic candidate, says if he is elected, he wants to hear from voices across the county.
“Listening to all the citizens. You know, you can’t just listen to one group of citizens, that may be a couple thousand people. Two or three hundred people, whatever it may be. We have 81,000 people who live in this county. So, I see my responsibility if elected, is going out and actually having town hall meetings in different parts of the county. Even though we are elected to a certain district, we have to represent the entire county,” said Fatica.
The Dalton Daily Citizen spoke to the candidates for Whitfield County Coroner.
Democratic Gwinnett County Commission Chair Nicole Love Hendrickson faces Republican challenger John Sabic in the November 5, 2024 General Election, according to AccessWDUN.
John Sabic recently spoke to AccessWDUN about his campaign and changes he would like to make within the county. Sabic said that should he be elected, he plans to focus on lowering property taxes and increasing police presence in the area.
“We are spending a lot of money and we are taxing our people,” Sabic said. “But the money is not spent where it’s supposed to be spent, which is our police force. It’s depleted. We have under 800 police officers for 1 million people in this county, so we will have to add, for the short term, 200 police officers more, hopefully [in the] first year.”
Sabic said as he has been on the campaign trail since September of 2023, residents have expressed their concerns about crime rates in the area. He emphasized he aims to represent the interests of the people in his community.
“We will work on the tangible result,” He said. “We will work for Gwinnett County residents. I know who I work for. I know who I will be elected to serve. We will tackle these issues.”
Hendrickson was elected as Gwinnett County Chairwoman in 2020. Her campaign website states her priorities in her run for re-election include housing stability within the area.
“As Chair of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s inaugural Local Leaders Housing Action Committee, Nicole led regional conversations on the landscape of housing affordability across the 11-county region,” her website said. “After the culmination of the county’s first comprehensive housing study, Nicole led the strategic direction for the county to address land use and zoning updates, reducing development barriers around affordability, incentivizing smart growth and development, and preserving our naturally occurring affordable housing.”
Hendrickson did not respond to requests for interview by AccessWDUN.
County Commission seats for Districts 1 and 3 are also on the ballot. Democrat Kirkland Dion Carden faces Republican challenger Tim Le in District 1. Meanwhile, incumbent Jasper Watkins, III (D) will run against Republican Bobby Howard to represent District 3.
13WMAZ spoke to the candidates for State House District 128, Democratic Incumbent Mack Jackson and Republican challenger Tracy Wheeler.
Q: What policy change would you make with gun rights?
Mack Jackson (D): “We got violence in our communities and I passed in the 2022 session House Resolution 881. And what House Resolution 881 does is encourage the teachings of, Dr. Martin Luther King. This is part of the curriculum by McGuire Woods. I teamed up with a law professor in DC whose name is Matthew Daniels and Chris Broussard. This curriculum teaches nonviolence and we encouraged every school system to teach nonviolence. The principles of Dr. Martin Luther King are being taught in the state of South Carolina, and other states have adopted this curriculum. We’ve also developed scholarships when a student comes through school, to take this curriculum. They’re eligible for a $5,000 scholarship. McGuire Woods and other companies have teamed up to help us to provide these scholarships. Well, this year, in 2024, we gave out 10 scholarships to students who have taken this course and this course because you gotta have something to replace it. When you talk about violence, you talk about gun violence, you talk about violence in our school, violence in our streets. We’ve got to have something to replace it. And the principles that are taught by Doctor Martin Luther King are shining a light in a divided world through six principles of Martin Luther King Junior. We also have a church curriculum that’s been developed by McGuire Woods to teach in Sunday School about nonviolence because it’s gotta be taught. We’ve gotta teach these principles in order for us to have something because we have too much violence. People not knowing how to get along. And for communities to strive, we need unity.”
Tracy Wheeler (R): “As far as policy change with gun rights, I am a very big advocate for the Second Amendment but, we have laws that are effective right now. I just think they need to be enforced. We have a problem with the gun situation, but I think it is more of a mental health crisis. The gun rights, there are laws in place, but we have to do something to ensure the safety of our children.”
Democrat Madeline Ryan Smith is running against Republican State Rep. Butch Parrish in House District 158, according to State Affairs.
When Madeline Ryan Smith is campaigning, she skips conversations about the presidential race and instead addresses the impact that state races will have on young voters’ lives.
“When you get away from the hoopla of the Democratic establishment and the federal stuff and just bring it back down to home and kitchen table issues in real time, young people care about that. That’s more meaningful,” Ryan Smith said.
Ryan Smith is running for House District 158, which covers Middle Georgia between Macon and Savannah. She faces longtime incumbent Rep. Larry “Butch” Parrish, R-Swainsboro, who has run unopposed for most of his time in office.
“I’ve had more success doing that [keeping it local] with conservative-leaning, young, white men in this area, and that’s because that’s a major demographic we often leave out of the conversation just because we don’t think they want to be included,” said the 27-year-old Statesboro entrepreneur who works with nonprofits and disability-owned businesses.
Ryan Smith is one of four Gen Z candidates running for office on the November ballot. The others are software engineer Ashwin Ramaswami, 25; community organizer Gabriel Sanchez, 27; and Bryce Berry, a 23-year-old Atlanta middle school math teacher. All are on the Democratic ticket. Candidates must be at least 21 years old to serve in the state House and 25 years old to serve in the state Senate.
Ryan Smith has raised over $19,000 and has about $5,300 in cash on hand. Rep. Parrish has raised over $129,400 and has almost $107,500 in cash on hand.
The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office announced that sex offenders on parole or probation must report to the Sheriff’s Office on Halloween, according to WSAV.
On Thursday, Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie announced that all sex offenders who are currently being supervised by probation or parole will have to report to the Sheriff’s Office on Thursday, October 31 from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
On Wednesday through Thursday, deputies will be patrolling neighborhoods and ahead of trick-or-treat time, will be “double-checking” each of Effingham County sex offender’s home addresses.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division pulled the permit for a biomass plant, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Albany Herald.
Georgia environmental regulators have revoked a permit for a wood pellet manufacturing plant in Telfair County following a legal challenge opposing the project.
The state Environmental Protection Division approved a modification of Telfair Forest Products’ air-quality permit last July without requiring the company to install legally required pollution controls or conduct air impact analyses.
The Southern Environmental Law Center, representing the environmental group Georgia Interfaith Power and Light, challenged the permit amendment, arguing it would double the Lumber City plant’s emissions of pollutants in violation of the federal Clean Air Act.
The EPD revoked the amendment this week at the request of the company, according to a news release from the SELC. As a result, the environmental group announced it would withdraw its legal challenge filed with the Georgia Office of Administrative Hearings after the revocation is legally final.
The Cairo Downtown Development Authority sued the city, according to WALB.
The city of Cairo has appointed a new Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and according to State Law, they had no authority to do so. The DDA has filed a lawsuit against the city for violating the Open and Public Meetings Act. The lawsuit states that the DDA is now inactive, and a new DDA has been appointed. This ongoing lawsuit could now cost the city of Cairo and its residents anywhere from $5,000 to $250,000 in fees.
Christopher Cohilas, a legal expert, examined the lawsuit and said the Downtown Development Authority has a lot of examples of how the city of Cairo has been operating behind the scenes.
“This is a lawsuit that if I were on the city council of the city of Cairo, I would be very concerned about,” Cohilas said.
According to this lawsuit, the city council violated this act by meeting outside of an executive session.
“If you’re going to take official action, you have to conduct your meetings in public, and one of the allegations in this lawsuit is they weren’t doing that,” Cohilas said.
Right now, there is currently another Downtown Development Authority appointed by the city council, and this lawsuit seeks to invalidate those subsequent appointments.
“Ultimately, it would be for a judge to decide whether or not the mayor and the city council had the authority to appoint new DDA members when this lawsuit says they didn’t have the authority to do that after these folks have been appointed,” Colihas said.
The DDA is now suing the city council for payment of legal fees and for the members to be reinstated.
As it happens, Christopher Cohilas, the legal expert cited in that story, also serves as Chair of the Dougherty County Commission.
Habersham County Manager Alicia Vaughn resigned effective at the end of the year, according to AccessWDUN.
Habersham County Manager Alicia Vaughn has resigned effective Dec. 31, 2024, acccording to a recent press release. Vaughn submitted her resignation during closed session near the end of the Habersham County Board of Commissioners meeting Monday night, September 16. Up to 30 candidates have reportedly submitting applications for consideration to be Habersham County’s next manager, as of this week.
In an original Habersham County Government press release, Vaughn was quoted as saying, “This is the hardest professional decision I have ever made. I love Habersham County and planned to spend the rest of my career here, but feel the time is right for me to make this move.”
Vaughn has asked for, and will reportedly be receiving a severance package upon her departure, in accordance with her most recent contract agreement with Habersham County’s Commissioners and government. Specifics on her agreement have not officially been publicly released by county authorities.
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