Arizona Diamondback is a male mixed breed puppy who is available for adoption from the Humane Society of Northeast Georgia in Gainesville, GA. If he were my dog, I think I’d say he’s a Lab mix.
Mayor McCheese is an adult male mixed breed dog who is available for adoption from the Humane Society of Northeast Georgia in Gainesville, GA. Looks like a Hound mix to me. In fact, he looks a lot like Dolly.
On September 27, 1779, John Jay, who previously served as President of the Continental Congress, was appointed minister to Spain to seek Spanish support for the revolution.
President Franklin Roosevelt made his ninth visit to Warm Springs, Georgia on September 27, 1927.
September 27 is a red-letter day for the Atlanta Braves and pitcher John Smoltz. The team won a record 14th straight Division Championship on this day in 2005. Smoltz set a team record for regular season wins (24) on September 27, 1996 and extended his team record for strikeouts hitting 276.
On September 27, 2002, Smoltz set a National League record with 54 saves.
The Hall County Board of Education voted to name an elementary school after the late First Lady Sandra Deal, according to the Gainesville Times.
On Monday, the Hall County school board unanimously voted to name the school Sandra Dunagan Deal Elementary School, located on Ramsey Road and scheduled to open in fall 2024.
“Our family appreciates the honor the Hall County Board of Education has bestowed on Sandra by naming this new elementary school after her,” Nathan Deal, Sandra’s husband and former Georgia governor, said in a press release from the school system. “She was an educator at heart! This will be a fitting memorial to her life as a teacher and as The First Lady of Georgia who was committed to literacy and learning.”
“Sandra grew up in New Holland and she taught and lived in North Hall,” said Hall County Superintendent Will Schofield. “Naming this school after a Hall County woman who devoted her life to the next generation represents everything that is good, noble and true — in public education and in humanity.”
“Hall county’s own, Sandra Deal, had a distinguished career in local education,” said Craig Herrington, chairman of the Hall County school board. “It is appropriate that we honor and recognize Mrs. Deal’s dedication to the children of Hall County and Georgia.”
People concerned about voting fraud allegations are signing up in greater numbers to be poll workers, according to the Associated Press via WRDW.
Outraged by false allegations of fraud against a Georgia elections employee in 2020, Amanda Rouser made a vow as she listened to the woman testify before Congress in June about the racist threats and harassment she faced.
“I said that day to myself, ‘I’m going to go work in the polls, and I’m going to see what they’re going to do to me,’” Rouser, who like the targeted employee is Black, recalled after stopping by a recruiting station for poll workers at Atlanta City Hall on a recent afternoon. “Try me, because I’m not scared of people.”
About 40 miles north a day later, claims of fraud also brought Carolyn Barnes to a recruiting event for prospective poll workers, but with a different motivation.
“I believe that we had a fraudulent election in 2020 because of the mail-in ballots, the advanced voting,” Barnes, 52, said after applying to work the polls for the first time in Forsyth County. “I truly believe that the more we flood the system with honest people who are trying to help out, it will straighten it out.”
The possibility they will play a crucial role at polling places is a new worry this election cycle, said Sean Morales-Doyle, an election security expert at The Brennan Center for Justice.
“I think it’s a problem that there may be people who are running our elections that buy into those conspiracy theories and so are approaching their role as fighting back against rampant fraud,” he said.
The Associated Press talked to roughly two dozen prospective poll workers in September during three recruiting events in two Georgia counties — Fulton County, which includes most of Atlanta and where more than 70 percent of voters cast a ballot for Biden, and Forsyth County north of Atlanta, where support for Trump topped 65 percent.
About half said the 2020 election was a factor in their decision to try to become a poll worker.
“We don’t want Donald Trump bullying people,” said Priscilla Ficklin, a Democrat, while taking an application at Atlanta City Hall to be a Fulton County poll worker. “I’m going to stand up for the people who are afraid.”
I agree it’s a crazy situation.Continue Reading..
Porter is an adult male Hound mix who is available for adoption from Royal Animal Refuge in Tyrone GA.
Piper is a young female Hound mix puppy who is available for adoption from Royal Animal Refuge in Tyrone GA.
Peanut is a young female Terrier mix who is available for adoption from Royal Animal Refuge in Tyrone GA.
Royal Animal Refuge has a number of other puppies available for adoption.
On September 26, 1928, future President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke in Atlanta on behalf of Democrat Alfred Smith’s campaign for President.
The first televised debate between major party candidates for President took place on September 26, 1960 between Democrat John F. Kennedy and Republican Richard M. Nixon.
Kennedy emerged the apparent winner from this first of four televised debates, partly owing to his greater ease before the camera than Nixon, who, unlike Kennedy, seemed nervous and declined to wear makeup. Nixon fared better in the second and third debates, and on October 21 the candidates met to discuss foreign affairs in their fourth and final debate. Less than three weeks later, on November 8, Kennedy won 49.7 percent of the popular vote in one of the closest presidential elections in U.S. history, surpassing by a fraction the 49.6 percent received by his Republican opponent.
Governor Brian Kemp ordered the activation of state government resources ahead of the expected landfall of Hurricane Ian, according to WTOC.
Governor Kemp posted to Twitter Sunday about preparations in Georgia; “As we prepare for whatever this storm may bring, I have ordered the activation of @GeorgiaEMAHS’s State Operations Center, beginning tomorrow. We are leaving nothing to chance and will closely monitor the storm’s evolution throughout the week.”
In coordination with Director Chris Stallings of the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS), the National Weather Service, and other storm response partners, Governor Brian P. Kemp has ordered the activation of the State Operations Center on Monday, September 26, to prepare for any potential impact from Tropical Storm Ian later in the week. According to the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Tropical Storm Ian is expected to begin rapidly strengthening today and will continue to do so through Tuesday, at which point it will become a Category 4 hurricane. Though models suggest it will weaken before making landfall on Thursday, and its ultimate route is still undetermined, Ian could result in severe weather damage for large parts of Georgia.
“I want to thank Director Stallings and his team, as well as our emergency management partners throughout the state who stand at the ready, ensuring Georgia is prepared for whatever this major storm system could bring,” said Governor Kemp. “I urge my fellow Georgians to monitor this storm as it evolves and calmly take the necessary precautions to keep their families and neighbors safe, if the storm continues to intensify. Throughout the week, I will work closely with GEMA/HS, the weather service, public safety organizations, and others to ensure we leave nothing to chance.”
Governor Kemp and GEMA/HS are closely monitoring the status and path of the storm and will provide updates when appropriate. In the interim, Georgians are encouraged to remain weather aware by keeping a close eye on weather forecasts and media reports on Tropical Storm Ian. Those who find themselves in Ian’s eventual path can also consult this informational website provided by GEMA/HS that includes tips on storm preparedness before, during, and after a hurricane.
About the State Operations Center
The State Operations Center is a Multi-Agency Coordination Center used by state, federal, local, and volunteer agencies, as well as private sector organizations, to respond to disasters or emergencies that require a coordinated state response. It also includes the state’s 24-hour warning system.
Learn more at: https://gema.georgia.gov/what-we-do/response
Governor Kemp will campaign on Tuesday with Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, according to the AJC.Continue Reading..
Marlon is a 2-year old, 45-pound male Boxer mix who is available for adoption from TLC Pet Rescue in Stockbridge, GA.
Marlon is looking for an active home. He is fully grown at approx 45 lbs. He is dog and kid friendly. His prior owners stated he had separation anxiety when left alone so we think a home with another dog would be best for him. Boxers have a lot of energy and need exercise! Marlon is house and crate trained- he has learned to not enjoy his kennel but we are working on it with him.
Jedi is looking for an active home. He is full of puppy energy and being an active breed we want him with owners who can keep up with him. He is extremely smart, treat motivated and doing great with walks on leash. He is also crate trained! He would do fine in a home with other dogs, cats or children.
Holly and her sister Dahlia were rescued at the last minute (literally) before euthanasia. Fosters stepped up and we are so thankful we could save them! These girls are the absolute sweetest! We believe they are a mix of boxer/lab/staffordshire terrier. They are currently being treated for mange but their skin is healing up beautifully already! We don’t expect them to be too big fully grown. They will most likely be in the 40-50lb range.
Holly is super social, playful and has the cutest ears that stand up! Her ears make her personality even better! She loves playing with her sister and will make a great addition to any family. Her foster family is working on house training her and she is crate trained. She would be fine in a home with other animals, children and cats. Her foster mom has been leash walking her with a harness on and she is doing great!
James Oglethorpe was named Commissioner of Indian Affairs and Charles Wesley was named Secretary of Indian Affairs by the Georgia Trustees in London on September 24, 1735.
John Paul Jones, at the helm of US ship Bonhomme Richard, won a naval battle off the coast of England on September 23, 1779.
After inflicting considerable damage to the Bonhomme Richard, Richard Pearson, the captain of the Serapis, asked Jones if he had struck his colors, the naval sign indicating surrender. From his disabled ship, Jones replied, “I have not yet begun to fight,” and after three more hours of furious fighting the Serapis and Countess of Scarborough surrendered to him.
The Judiciary Act of 1789, which established the first federal judicial system, was adopted on September 24, 1789 with the signature of President George Washington. Under the Act, the original size of the Supreme Court was five Associate Justices and a Chief Justice. Washington nominated John Jay as Chief Justice, and John Rutledge, William Cushing, John Blair, Robert Harrison, and James Wilson as Associates.
On September 25, 1789, Congress adopted the first twelve amendments, called the Bill of Rights, to the United States Constitution. A little more than two years later, in 1791, enough states had ratified ten of the Amendments, with two not receiving sufficient support.
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark returned to St. Louis Missouri from their exploratory trip to the Pacific coast on September 23, 1806.
On September 24, 1862, the Confederate Congress adopted the Seal of the Confederate States of America.
On September 25, 1864, Confederate President Jefferson Davis met with General John Bell Hood and visited troops at Palmetto, Georgia.
The Decatur Female Seminary opened with 60 students on September 24, 1889 and would later be chartered as Agnes Scott College.
White vigilantes seeking to assault African-Americans after reports of four white women being assaulted led to the Atlanta Race Riots on September 22-24, 1906, which would claim the lives of at least 25 African-Americans and one white person.
On September 26, 1928, future President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke in Atlanta on behalf of Democrat Alfred Smith’s campaign for President.
On September 23, 1944, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was speaking at a dinner with the Teamsters union and addressed attacks that had been made by Republicans, including the allegation that after leaving his dog, Fala, behind in the Aleutian Islands, he sent a Navy destroyer to fetch the dog. This would become known as the “Fala speech.”
These Republican leaders have not been content with attacks on me, or my wife, or on my sons. No, not content with that, they now include my little dog, Fala. Well, of course, I don’t resent attacks, and my family don’t resent attacks, but Fala does resent them. You know, Fala is Scotch, and being a Scottie, as soon as he learned that the Republican fiction writers in Congress and out had concocted a story that I’d left him behind on an Aleutian island and had sent a destroyer back to find him—at a cost to the taxpayers of two or three, or eight or twenty million dollars—his Scotch soul was furious. He has not been the same dog since. I am accustomed to hearing malicious falsehoods about myself … But I think I have a right to resent, to object, to libelous statements about my dog.
The idea for the joke was given to FDR by Orson Welles. The political lesson here is that any time you get an audience laughing at your opponent, you are winning.
A statue of former Georgia Governor Eugene Talmadge on the grounds of the Georgia State Capitol was unveiled on September 23, 1949, the 65th anniversary of Talmadge’s birth near Forsyth, Georgia in 1884.
On September 23, 1952, Senator Richard M. Nixon was under fire for allegedly accepting $18,000 and using it for personal expenses. To salvage his place as the Vice Presidential candidate on Eisenhower’s Republican ticket, Nixon took to the airwaves in the first nationally-televised address and delivered what came to be known as the “Checkers Speech. From The Atlantic:”
[A] 1999 poll of leading communication scholars ranked the address as the sixth most important American speech of the 20th century — close behind the soaring addresses of Martin Luther King, Jr., John F. Kennedy and Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
The “Checkers” speech wins this high rank for one stand-out reason: It marked the beginning of the television age in American politics. It also salvaged Nixon’s career, plucking a last-second success from the jaws of abject humiliation, and profoundly shaped Nixon’s personal and professional outlook, convincing him that television was a way to do an end-run around the press and the political “establishment.”
Click here for the full text of the “Checkers Speech.”
On September 24, 1960, USS Enterprise CVN-65, was launched from Newport News Shipbuilding in Norfolk, Virginia, the first Galaxy-class starship nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. Enterprise was inactivated on December 1, 2012 and decommissioned on February 3, 2017.
On September 24, 1976, former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter resumed campaigning after the first debate against President Gerald Ford.
On September 24, 1979, CompuServe offered the first dial-up computer information service to consumers.
Launched as MicroNET in 1979 and sold through Radio Shack stores, the service turned out to be surprisingly popular, thanks perhaps to Radio Shack’s Tandy Model 100 computers, which were portable, rugged writing machines that dovetailed very nicely with the fledgling, 300-baud information service.
MicroNET was renamed the CompuServe Information Service in 1980. Around the same time, CompuServe began working with newspapers to offer online versions of their news stories, starting with the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch in 1980. At least 10 major newspapers were offering online editions through CompuServe by 1982, including The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and the San Francisco Examiner.
Ronald Reagan appointee Sandra Day O’Connor was sworn in as the first female Justice of the United States on September 25, 1981. In an interview with Terry Gross, she recalled receiving the call from President Reagan:
“I was working in my office on the Arizona Court of Appeals,” she tells Fresh Air’s Terry Gross. “I was at the court in my chambers when the telephone rang. And it was the White House calling for me, and I was told that the president was waiting to speak to me. That was quite a shock, but I accepted the phone call, and it was President Reagan, and he said, ‘Sandra?’ ‘Yes, Mr. President?’ ‘Sandra, I’d like to announce your nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court tomorrow. Is that all right with you?’ Well, now, that’s kind of a shock, wouldn’t you say?”
The Princess Bride was released on September 25, 1987. Inconceivable!
Nirvana’s Nevermind was released on September 24, 1991.
The last game played in Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium took place on September 23, 1996.
On September 25, 2008, the last car came off the line at GM’s Doraville Plant.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced the availability of online sample ballots for the November elections, according to AccessWDUN.
Voters in all of Georgia’s 159 counties can now view their sample ballots on the Secretary of State’s My Voter Page.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger made the announcement on Thursday, Sept. 22. According to a statement from Raffensberger, this new rollout will make for a more user-friendly experience for the 2022 General Election.
The sample ballot will replicate the display of a ballot marking device. Voters can select their choices on-screen and print out a marked sample ballot.
“Our job is to ensure that Georgia voters have the information they need to successfully cast a ballot,” Raffensperger said in a statement. “Our Elections Division works tirelessly to ensure that the most cutting-edge improvements are available to election officials across the state and voters in all 159 counties. Enhancements like this make elections go smoothly.”
The Georgia Commission for Access to Medical Cannabis voted to award two licenses for cannabis production, according to the Capitol Beat News Service.
The Georgia Commission for Access to Medical Cannabis voted this week to award licenses to Trulieve Georgia Inc. and Biological Sciences LLC to grow marijuana and convert the leafy crop into low-THC cannabis oil for sale to patients suffering from a range of diseases.
Trulieve is building an indoor cultivation facility in Adel, while Biological Sciences will set up shop in Glennville.
The legislature tried to launch a medical cannabis program back in 2015 by legalizing possession of low-THC cannabis oil. But the law didn’t provide a legal means of obtaining the drug until 2019, when lawmakers put in place a licensing process for companies interested in getting into the medical cannabis business in Georgia.
After a bill aimed at getting the process back on track failed during this year’s legislative session, Gov. Brian Kemp set aside $150,000 from the Governor’s Emergency Fund to expedite hearings for those companies that had been denied licenses.
“The Georgia team is hard at work to begin operations as soon as possible to ensure those in need have access to Trulieve’s line of products,” Trulieve Georgia President Lisa Pinkney said. “We’re also excited to share that Trulieve’s operation and its ancillary business partners are projected to create a wide range of jobs in the state as the business grows.”
Under the 2019 law, low-THC cannabis oil may be used in Georgia to treat patients with diseases including seizure disorders, Parkinson’s disease, terminal cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder and sickle-cell anemia.
To give you some perspective, the first medical cannabis cards were issued in 2015. My late wife was diagnosed with ALS in September 2016, which qualified her for the card. She died waiting for the state to ensure the actual availability of the medicine. That was more than 4.5 years ago. Others still wait. That’s one reason I’m skeptical of government solution.
Meanwhile, the Savannah Board of Aldermen consider regulations for medical marijuana dispensaries, according to WSAV.
For the past couple of months, the City of Savannah has been drafting an ordinance for what and how having medical cannabis dispensaries in the city could look like and to also clear up some questions.
“The state has allowed low levels of THC to be sold through dispensaries by prescription only and it’s only in an oil form,” said Savannah City manager Jay Melder.
A big part of the ordinance, who gets a permit for a dispensary, but also how to introduce these dispensaries within city limits safely.
“We’re looking more at security and distances from schools and churches and all those placements,” said Interim Assistant Chief Robert Gavin. “One of the things that we want to look at, at least from the police standpoint, is the safety of not only the business or the dispensary itself when they open people going in and out.”
At this time no one in the state of Georgia has a permit to open a dispensary, there’s still some time before we can see those on the streets.
It’s a joint effort right now between the city and the Savannah Police Department to establish regulations and examine where the dispensaries can be located.
This will only be prescription-based medicinal marijuana in oil form. It will be a low level of THC that isn’t smokable, vapeable or edible.
There was lengthy discussion on how the city can make sure this process is inclusive.
Some council members aren’t in favor of the process so far.
“It’s a little biased…discriminatory and what have you. It’s only gonna benefit those six companies as far as economics that are concerned,” said Post 2 At-Large Alderwoman Alicia Miller Blakely.
Alderman Nick Palumbo said he’s ready for a decision from the state and legislators have been arguing for too many years.
He said: “40,000 people who are registered and have these licenses who have cancer, who suffered from seizures, who suffered from Multiple sclerosis, from Parkinson’s Disease, from Alzheimer’s, who are in hospice, have suffered while lawmakers like us have continued arguing over the details.”
After the state legalizes it when they’re back in legislative session, Savannah’s city council will still have the power to vote.
I’m surprised the phrase “joint effort” made it past the editor’s desk.
Members of the Savannah Board of Aldermen exchanged heated words, according to the Savannah Morning News.Continue Reading..
The Cobb County Animal Shelter is operating by appointment only at this time, according to a Facebook post.
Click here to schedule an appointment, and select Adoption. You can call 770-499-4136 Tues. through Sun. from 10:30 to 4:30 for more information (closed on Mondays).
Taylor is an 3-year old, 48-pound adult female Hound mix who is available for adoption from the Cobb County Animal Shelter in Marietta, GA.
This beautiful lady is named Taylor. While a tad shy at first (who wouldn’t be in such a strange new place?), she blooms immediately into a sweet, affectionate girl like the lovely flower that she is! Her beautiful, unique coat is even more mesmerizing in-person, and she’s got the personality to match. When you meet her, she’ll eagerly show off how well-mannered she is, but she’d love to (and will very quickly) learn more tricks than just a very patient sit. Taylor is quiet and calm in her kennel, to boot. Come meet this precious angel soon – we guarantee you’ll fall in love! She can be found in kennel 8, ID# 639389.
Emmy Lou is a 6-month old, 37-pound female Shepherd mix puppy who is available for adoption from the Cobb County Animal Shelter in Marietta, GA.
Are you looking for your best friend? Someone sweet and also a head turner? You are in luck. Let me introduce you to this sweet and beautiful girl we are calling Emmy Lou. She was lost and brought to the shelter on 9/9/22. Emmy Lou is eager to please and learns quickly. She would love to learn more when you bring her home. You just need to be patient and give her time because she is still a puppy. Emmy Lou is current on vaccines and is already spayed. She will be micro chipped and heart worm tested upon adoption. Come and see what this little girl is all about, fall in love with her and make her yours forever. She will be waiting in Run 333 and her ID is 639431.
This beautiful lady is named Sylvia. She happens to be the SWEETEST, smartest dog in the whole, wide world. Don’t believe us? Come meet her and she’ll prove it to you! Don’t let those sad eyes fool you – Sylvia adores giving and receiving love and attention, and she’ll happily show you her sit, lay down, stay, and shake. Sylvia was turned into our shelter as a stray, but clearly owned and loved at some point. How could her previous family not be desperately looking for her? We have no idea. What we do know is that whoever adopts this angel is going to be the luckiest person/family in the world. She can be found in kennel 77, ID# 639488. Make an appointment quickly for this girl!
On September 21, 1780, General Benedict Arnold met with British Major John Andre and began plotting to surrender West Point to the British.
On September 22, 1862, Republican President Abraham Lincoln issued a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which stated,
“. . . on the first day of January [1863] . . . all persons held as slaves within any State, or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”
On September 21, 1863, the federal Army of the Cumberland retreated to Chattanooga after its defeat at Chickamauga.
President Rutherford B. Hayes visited Atlanta on September 22, 1877. Click here to read the text of his speech in Atlanta.
White vigilantes seeking to assault African-Americans after reports of four white women being assaulted led to the Atlanta Race Riots on September 22-24, 1906, which would claim the lives of at least 25 African-Americans and one white person.
On September 22, 1918, the City of Atlanta gasoline administator prohibited non-emergency Sunday driving to conserve fuel for the war effort.
Bert Lance resigned as Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Jimmy Carter on September 21, 1977. After a jury acquitted him on ten federal charges in 1980, Lance served as Chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia from 1982 to 1985.
General Colin Powell was confirmed by the Senate Armed Services Committee as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on September 21. 1989. Powell served as National Security Advisor to President Ronald Reagan before being appointed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by President George H.W. Bush; in 2000, Powell was nominated by President George W. Bush as Secretary of State, the first African-American to hold that post.
On September 21, 2011, R.E.M. announced on their website that they were quitting as a band.
Democrat Stacey Abrams wants the November election to hinge on abortion, according to CNN via the Gwinnett Daily Post.
Stacey Abrams, the Democratic nominee for governor in Georgia, is up against a GOP incumbent in a generally favorable Republican environment, while trying to meet the high expectations following her narrow defeat in the 2018 race. But she’s found an issue to center her campaign around as Election Day approaches: protecting abortion rights in Georgia.
“It’s going to be front and center in the conversation,” Abrams told CNN in an interview Saturday while campaigning at a farmers market in Atlanta.
In particular, Abrams has focused on a 2019 law signed by her Republican rival, Gov. Brian Kemp, that bans most abortions when early cardiac activity is detected, which can be as early as six weeks into a pregnancy — when many women don’t yet know they’re pregnant. After initially being blocked, the law went into effect earlier this year following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade — a decision that has energized Democrats across the country, helping shift the midterm political landscape into more unsettled territory. Abrams is testing how much the issue can shift things in her favor in a state President Joe Biden narrowly carried in 2020, but that has long voted Republican.
“Women deserve full citizenship in the United States and certainly in the state of Georgia, and they are being denied that because of Brian Kemp’s 6-week ban,” said Abrams, who lost to Kemp by fewer than 2 points four years ago. She says she hears from outraged health care providers as she travels the state. “We are driving not only doctors and nurses out of the state, we’re likely going to drive jobs away. And that should be terrifying to anyone regardless of your political persuasion.”
“Governor Kemp’s position is his position, and there’s much more important issues for the state of Georgia than just the abortion issue,” Dr. Barry Zisholtz, a Kemp supporter, told CNN following the governor’s remarks at a Republican Jewish Coalition forum Sunday in Sandy Springs. “People want to make it just about one issue, but I think people need to be concerned about paying for their groceries and for gasoline too.”
But Abrams supporters say abortion could be a deciding factor that could sway women who previously voted for Kemp.
Georgia voters don’t appear to care so much. From the AJC:
Georgia Democrats hoping the battle over abortion rights will upend the midterm elections got mixed news from an Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll released this week.
Only a handful of Georgians — 5% — listed abortion as their top issue in the election. And more than half of likely voters indicated that the political divide over abortion won‘t influence their decisions to cast their ballots in November.
But the poll also indicated that nearly half of respondents said they’re more likely to vote for a candidate who wants to protect access to abortion. That includes about half of women and 90% of Democrats.
The AJC poll found that, for a significant bloc of Georgia voters, the decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson case remains a key mobilizer. About 44% of likely voters said it made them “more motivated” to vote in the midterm, including roughly half of women, three-quarters of Democrats and one-third of independents.
“I think across the country, especially for women … of course it will be the Dobbs decision,” former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, now a White House aide, said when asked last week what would motivate voters.
In the new poll, 25% of likely voters said they’re more likely to vote for a candidate who wants to limit abortion. That includes 47% of Republicans and about one-quarter of men.
But the support for abortion rights reflected in the poll doesn’t seem to be moving the needle for Georgia Democrats.
Some 36% of likely voters listed cost of living, jobs and the economy as the most important issue facing the nation. That was followed by 20% of voters who said “threats to democracy” was the top concern. About 14% listed immigration and border security.
Former Savannah Alderman Tony Thomas was arrested and charged with felony theft by taking, according to WTOC.Continue Reading..
On September 20, 1863, the Confederate Army of the Tennessee under General Braxton Bragg repelled Union forces under General William Rosencrans at the Battle of Chickamauga. After Gettysburg, Chickamauga is generally considered the second-bloodiest battle of the Civil War, with 18,500 Confederate casualties and 16,100 Union dead.
Chester A. Arthur was sworn in as President of the United States on September 20, 1881.
The year 1881 began with Republican Rutherford B. Hayes in office. Hayes served out his first and only term and officially turned over the reins of government to James A. Garfield, who happened to be a close friend of his, in March 1881.
Just four months into his term, on July 2, Garfield was shot by an assassin named Charles Guiteau. Guiteau claimed to have killed Garfield because he refused to grant Guiteau a political appointment. Garfield sustained wounds to his back and abdomen and struggled to recover throughout the summer. Though it appeared he would pull through in early September, the autopsy report revealed that the internal bullet wound contributed to an aneurism that ultimately killed Garfield on September 19.
The first classes at Oglethorpe University under it’s current non-denominational charter were held on September 20, 1916. Happy 101st Anniversary to the Stormy Petrels. The university was originally affiliated with the Presbyterian Church and located in Midway, Georgia. In 1870, after a period of closure during the Civil War they relocated to the Atlanta area.
On September 20, 1976, Playboy magazine released an interview with Jimmy Carter, then a candidate for President.
A new poll by the AJC shows Governor Brian Kemp with an 8-point lead over Democrat Stacey Abrams, according to Axios.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has a commanding and expanding lead over Democratic rival Stacey Abrams with less than 50 days remaining until the widely anticipated 2022 elections, per the latest Atlanta Journal-Constitution/University of Georgia poll shared with Axios.
Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) is in a statistical dead heat with Republican challenger Herschel Walker.
The poll of likely voters released Tuesday showed the U.S. Senate race deadlocked between Warnock, who had 44%, and Republican Herschel Walker, who was at 46%. That’s within the poll’s margin of error. An additional 3% of voters indicate they’ll back Libertarian Chase Oliver, while 7% are undecided.
Gov. Brian Kemp led Stacey Abrams 50% to 42% in the AJC poll, one of the first polls that shows the Republican incumbent north of the majority-vote mark he needs to win a second term without a runoff.
Some 51% of likely Georgia voters want the Republican Party to win control of Congress, while 70% say the country is on the wrong track.
And just 37% approve of President Joe Biden’s performance in office, statistically unchanged since the last AJC poll in July. While Biden’s approval rating is rebounding in some other battleground states, he remains underwater in Georgia.
The poll was conducted Sept. 5-16 and has a margin of error of 3.3 percentage points. It’s one of the first public polls in Georgia since Biden signed a federal tax and health care measure and announced his plan to forgive student college debt.
Republican Herschel Walker is setting expectations for his performance against Senator Raphael Warnock. From the Savannah Morning News:
The highly anticipated debate is less than a month away, but Walker downplayed himself when asked what he is doing to prepare for the showdown against Warnock.
“I am getting out talking to people and talking to you (referring to the media),” said Walker. “I’m a country boy. I’m not that smart. He’s a preacher. (Warnock) is smart and wears these nice suits. So, he is going to show up and embarrass me at the debate Oct. 14th, and I’m just waiting to show up and I will do my best.”
But when asked about why he declined to debate Warnock initially, he became aggravated and said he had to hunt down Warnock and told him to “put his big man pants on.”
“He may not even show up for that one,” said Walker. “He has made every excuse not to show up. I begged him until I chased him down and then he decided he was going to show up Oct. 14. I didn’t agree to do his debate because it wasn’t fair. A fair debate is doing it in front of the voters, and I’ve agreed.”
“The race is neck and neck,” said Walker. “And what I have to do is continue to get out and meet people, which is what I’m doing here. I’m more than just a football player. What I’m doing now is moving forward by talking to the voters, because that’s what really counts and let them know what I stand for. I was a great football player, but I will be a better senator because I represent the people.”
“Well, one of the things I learned is this port is the second largest generator in the country of money, and yet [they] wanted to hire 87,000 IRS agents. Wait a minute. If the Port is generating revenue, and if the second largest generator in the country is here, don’t you think we ought to take maybe 4,000 of those agents and put them here on the Port? That still leaves them 83,000. I can count. Then take maybe 3,000 and put them in the schools as police officers.”
“I am from Wrightsville, Ga.,” said Walker. “People are living paycheck to paycheck. They have to afford milk and eggs. Right now, this economy is terrible. The economy not getting better. That is a lie. We got to put money into other things and get people motivated to go to work.”
The AJC profiles the candidates for Agriculture Commissioner, Republican Tyler Harper and Democrat Nakita Hemingway.
For just the third time in over half a century, Georgia’s Department of Agriculture will have a new leader in 2023.
Since 1969, the agency has been led by two men: Democrat Tommy Irvin, who served as commissioner for more than 40 years, and his successor, Republican Gary Black, who is finishing his third term as agriculture commissioner. Now, after Black’s unsuccessful run for Georgia’s U.S. Senate seat, the door has been opened for new leadership.
The candidates vying to replace Black are Republican state Sen. Tyler Harper and Democrat Nakita Hemingway, as well as Libertarian David Raudabaugh. Hemingway and Harper are the favorites, but the third-party candidate could draw enough votes to keep anyone from reaching the 50% vote share threshold needed to avoid a runoff.
Whoever wins the general election will take over an agency that is critical to the state’s economy. The department is tasked with ensuring food safety; monitoring animal diseases; marketing Georgia’s fruit, vegetables and protein to the global market; and even regulating gasoline quality.
Harper says his farming heritage combined with his political experience gives him the tools to address the challenges facing Georgia’s No. 1 industry.
“I don’t think you’ll find a background, record or experience that matches what we have to go to work on day one in January to fight for this industry every day and ensure that it’s successful,” Harper said.
Chatham County, Savannah, and its other municipalities, are still negotiating Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) revenue split after entering mediation, according to the Savannah Morning News.
Negotiations over sharing nearly $1 billion in local sales tax funds resumed Friday, but the stakeholders have yet to reach agreement.
Local leaders met in Richmond Hill for the first in a series of mediation sessions regarding the Local Option Sales Tax, or LOST. The 1% levy is applied to the purchase of most goods and services in Chatham County. Agreement between Chatham County leaders and those of the county’s eight municipalities about how to split LOST proceeds must be reached before the current accord expires on Dec. 31.
A thorny round of discussions on how to divvy up a major source of revenue began in July. The county and cities ultimately failed to reach an agreement, leading to Friday’s mediation meeting, which took place behind closed doors.
During a Monday night council meeting, Garden City’s city attorney, James Gerard, said that the jurisdictions are “closer than we were before … but it’s going to take more meetings.”
The government jurisdictions have until the end of the year to agree on a new breakdown for the LOST certificate. Otherwise, the billion-dollar revenue generator will go uncollected, resulting in severe property tax hikes for all Chatham County residents.
Warner Robins City Council approved its property tax millage rate for this fiscal year, according to 13WMAZ.
Earlier this month, Mayor LaRhonda Patrick proposed keeping the millage rate the same at 9.98 mills, but most Warner Robins property owners could see higher tax bills because property assessments went up and the city has not adopted the rollback rate.
The city notice says on average, the owner of a $150,000 home would pay about $64 more.
The Richmond County public school system is reviewing its safety plans after two shootings at football games, according to the Augusta Chronicle.
The Thomson-Laney football game was postposed Friday night after shots were fired near the stadium. Two suspects were detained and three guns were seized, according to the sheriff’s office. No injuries were reported.
Less than 24 hours later, gunshots were reported at the T.W. Josey High School homecoming tailgate.
The shooting took place after the football game outside of the football stadium, according to the sheriff’s office. Two victims suffered at least one gunshot wound and were brought to the hospital for treatment. Their current conditions are unknown.
