Beast

By

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August 20, 2022

Last week it was Fall. Now, this week it’s Beast, another survivalist film that looks great and has a fair amount of thrills and suspense. With a great performance from Idris Elba at its center, this film keeps us invested even if the movie does go through familiar territory.

Elba plays Dr. Nate Samuels, a recently widowed father who decides to take his daughters (Iyana Halley and Leah Sava Jeffries) on a safari in Africa which is guided by his old friend (Sharlto Copley).

They all take in the lush deserts and small villages, but soon they discover one village has had all its people killed and then they find out that a ravenous lion is on the loose that will devour anyone or anything in its path.

Nate’s friend tries to kill the lion, but he ends up attacked and seriously injured. It isn’t long before the lion sets its sights on Nate and his family. I pretty much described all you need to know about the plot in a nutshell.

The rest of the movie follows what we might expect from a movie like this: The family tries to stay one step ahead of being killed, they’re badly injured in the process and they doubt whether they will make it out alive. That’s the formula for its 93-minute runtime.

I know that sounds like I’m criticizing Beast, but I was just describing it. If anything, it’s a well-made creature feature that does take its time to introduce the characters and even give us some smart thrills to go along with its bloody violence. And it does encourage itself to go right to the wall with its intense carnage at times.

Beast could also be described as one part Jaws, one part Jurassic Park and even a little bit of Anaconda for good measure. Films such as this are not that original. They’re designed to give the audience a disposable ride that’s fun in the moment and may resonate beyond that.

Still, Elba is very effective in his scenes as a father desperate to save not only his life but his daughters’ as well, and he’s fully equipped to face the dangers head-on. He becomes a superhero by circumstance, but it’s a role he plays with relative ease.

Those who don’t demand a whole lot more out of a movie like this will find it an enjoyable creature feature. Beast is derivative but fun.

Grade: B+

(Rated R for violent content, bloody images and some language.)

Tallulah Adventures Grand Opening: Wet weather, great music and lots of food

By

Margie Williamson

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August 20, 2022

Tallulah Adventures food service — The covered spaces inside the cafe and bar were filled as Tallulah Adventures celebrated its grand opening on Friday. The celebration continues through this weekend with events daily, Aug. 20 and 21. (Margie Williamson/Now Habersham)

Tallulah Adventures kicked off its Grand Opening Friday. While the rain kept people off the climbing wall, the weather didn’t keep people from showing up.

Singer and guitarist J. B. Wolf provided the entertainment. Wolf plays country rock, classic rock, and southern rock, and he kept the music jumping under the pavilion. Tables were packed with dinners, the wait staff were jumping, and even a couple of dogs showed up with their owners.

The kitchen and bar were both open and were working hard to keep up with orders.

The Grand Opening continues Saturday and Sunday with a variety of activities, classes, and entertainment scheduled.

Several diners brought their well-behaved pets with them. (Margie Williamson/Now Habersham)

Tallulah Adventures is located at 11785 Highway 441, just north of the bridge across Tallulah Gorge. It’s open Saturday from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. with three workshops and a cooking demonstration scheduled throughout the day. Steady Hand String Band will provide live entertainment from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

On Sunday, a yoga class will be offered from 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. All activities will be available until 8 p.m., depending on the weather.

Read more about Tallulah Adventures here. For a complete listing of daily activities, go to Tallulah Adventures.

Riley, Wright lead Braves past Astros 6-2 in Series rematch

By

George Henry, AP Sports Writer

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August 19, 2022

ATLANTA (AP) — Austin Riley hit a three-run homer off Lance McCullers Jr., Kyle Wright won his 15th game to tie for the NL lead, and the Atlanta Braves beat the Houston Astros 6-2 on Friday night in the teams’ first meeting since last year’s World Series.

The defending champion Braves have won 10 of 11 and are 51-20 since June 1, best in the majors over that span. AL-leading Houston had won six of eight and 10 of 15. The Astros are 41-21 since June 12.

“It’s just a matter of all of us putting it together, and we’re doing it right now,” Riley said. “We’re playing fun baseball right now.”

Houston left fielder Yordan Alvarez left the game in two outs in the bottom of the fifth. He reported feeling ill and was taken to a hospital for evaluation. Alvarez is second in the AL in homers with 31 and leads the league in on-base percentage.

Astros manager Dusty Baker said the slugger was suffering from shortness of breath and was bothered by smoke from in-game fireworks.

“I’m glad we got him out when we did because I looked up and he was in the dugout and it was kind of a scary moment because it could be anything,” Baker said. “But they said he’s doing fine at the moment.”

Wright (15-5) was making his first start since Aug. 10 because of arm fatigue. He erased a one-out walk in the third on Jose Altuve’s double-play grounder and stranded Kyle Tucker, who tripled with two outs in the sixth, by retiring Trey Mancini on a comebacker. Wright allowed two runs and six hits with one walk and seven strikeouts in six innings.

“Like we say, if your starters are pitching the majority of the innings, you’re probably doing pretty good,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “They’re really confident they’ll work their way out of it.”

After taking three of four this week from the NL East-leading New York Mets, the Braves went up 3-0 in the third when Riley hit his 31st homer an estimated 409 feet to right-center. Riley’s 67 extra-base hits lead the majors.

Houston, which was coming off a 21-5 victory at the Chicago White Sox, missed a chance at an inning-ending double play on Dansby Swanson’s single when second baseman Altuve couldn’t handle shortstop Jeremy Peña’s flip throw at second and the ball bounced away.

Riley is the only player in the majors with at least 30 homers and 30 doubles. Swanson, who went 3 for 5 with two RBIs, began the game ranked second in the majors with 104 hits since May 23. He is batting .323 in that span.

McCullers (1-1) allowed three runs and seven hits with three walks and six strikeouts in five innings. He was making his second start since missing last year’s ALCS and World Series and the first 119 games of this season with a right flexor tendon strain.

“McCullers was good,” Baker said. “He was very good. They had two little cheap hits and then the one mistake was a big blast to Riley. This guy is one of the finer young players in the game, so it’s no harm when you give up one to him. He’s excellent.”

The Astros scored twice in the fifth to trim the lead to 3-2. Tucker hit his 22nd homer, a 445-foot shot to right-center. Wright gave up singles to Mancini and Chas McCormick before Altuve drove in Mancini with a single to left.

Phil Maton gave up a leadoff double to Michael Harris II in the sixth and walked Ronald Acuña Jr. before Swanson doubled off the wall in right-center to score both runners and make it 5-2. Matt Olson followed with a sacrifice fly.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: Chas McCormick shifted to left when Alvarez departed, and Mauricio Dubon took over in center. … Dubon tried to stay in the game after crashing into the fence in right-center on Swanson’s double in the sixth. A trainer came out to see about Dubon, who soon left the game with left elbow discomfort. Baker said X-rays came back negative. Jake Meyers took his place. … Baker said the groin injury to INF Aledmys Díaz isn’t as bad as the team originally thought. Díaz was placed on the injured list on Wednesday.

WELCOME BACK

Astros LHP Will Smith returned to his former ballpark and faced four batters in the seventh. Smith was dealt to Houston at the trade deadline for RHP Jake Odorizzi.

NOT CAPACITY

Though both teams are in playoff contention, there were several thousand empty seats at Truist Park. The Braves announced a crowd of 42,837 and their 30th sellout of the year.

UP NEXT

Braves RHP Spencer Strider (7-4, 3.04 ERA) will face Cristian Javier (7-8, 2.96) as the teams play the second game of a three-game series.

Cleveland man missing for days found dead

By

Joy Purcell

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August 19, 2022

Jeffery McKenna was last seen in the Cleveland, Georgia, area on Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact authorities. (Cleveland Police Department photos)

A Cleveland man reported missing earlier this week in White County has been found dead. On Friday, authorities discovered the body of 50-year-old Jeffrey McKenna inside his wrecked pickup truck on Highway 75 north of Cleveland. He had been missing since Tuesday.

McKenna’s vehicle was located a short distance off the highway. Officials say the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado apparently left the road, struck an embankment, and overturned onto its top in a ditch.

Authorities searched for McKenna for four days using tracking dogs and Georgia State Patrol helicopters, says Cleveland Police Chief Jeff Shoemaker. Police put out a flyer on Thursday, asking the public to be on the lookout for McKenna.

“The members of the Cleveland Police Department are saddened by the outcome; our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Mr. McKenna,” says Chief Shoemaker.

Other agencies assisted in the search, including the White County Fire Department, White County Sheriff’s Office, Helen Police Department, Appalachian Regional Drug Enforceement Office, and other surrounding local and state agencies.

In his press release announcing the discovery, Shoemaker did not say how McKenna was located or give his cause of death. He says the matter remains under investigation by the Cleveland Police Department, Georgia State Patrol, and White County Coroner’s Office.

Suspect in 28-year-old murder case captured in Northeast Georgia

By

Joy Purcell

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August 19, 2022

The suspect in a 1994 Atlanta murder case is behind bars after being captured in Northeast Georgia. Deputies arrested Muhammed Bilal El-Amin during a traffic stop in Oconee County earlier this week, the FBI says.

During his arrest, Oconee County Sheriff’s deputies learned the man they arrested was operating under an assumed name and was wanted by the Atlanta Police Department and FBI for murder and flight to avoid prosecution.

El-Amin allegedly shot and killed 18-year-old Jafferd Tucker at a MARTA station on November 27, 1994, then evaded arrest for 28 years. The FBI had a reward out for him, but it was a suspended car tag and license that landed him in jail.

According to the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, on August 16, Deputy Devan Blair stopped a Mazda on East Monroe Highway for lack of registration and insurance. The driver, who identified himself as Rais Sekhem, provided the deputy with a South Carolina license that also came back as suspended. The deputies arrested the man, only to learn later he was wanted by the FBI.

At the jail, deputies fingerprinted him and his prints came back as a match for the fugitive El-Amin, the sheriff’s office says. A judge denied him bond. According to Atlanta police, El-Amin is now awaiting extradition back to Atlanta.

Georgia lawmakers examine changing state K-12 school funding

By

Jeff Amy

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August 19, 2022

Georgia students living in poverty could get some extra money for their education if lawmakers decide to edit the state’s nearly-40-year-old funding formula.

ATLANTA (AP) — The leader of a state legislative committee that’s looking at how Georgia funds K-12 public schools promised on Friday that nothing “dire and ominous” would come from any possible changes.

Nearly 40 years after then-Gov. Joe Frank Harris signed the Quality Basic Education formula into law, Senate Majority Leader Mike Dugan told members of a Senate committee that it was time to consider whether changes were needed.

“QBE was done 40-plus years ago,” the Carrollton Republican said. “The way we educate our children has changed in that time period and what this committee is to look at is are we allocating the resources to the areas of education that are most appropriate today.”

The move comes at what, in some ways, is a good time for Georgia’s $10 billion funding formula. The state has fully funded the formula for four of the last five years after 16 years in which it imposed austerity cuts each year. The formula is used to calculate how much money the state should provide each of Georgia’s 181 school districts to give them enough money to provide a good education for 1.7 million students. Over the 16 years, the state would provide only a portion of the entire amount, saying it had to cut back to balance the state budget.

But there are continuing issues with the QBE formula. It provides only a small fraction of what districts spend to buy and operate school buses. Other costs besides employee salaries are rarely adjusted for inflation. The state, for example, allocates $150 per teacher to pay for what is supposed to be eight sick days. When the formula was written, schools largely relied on textbooks, while they now increasingly rely on electronic materials. And Georgia has yet to fully fund a previous upgrade in the number of school counselors per student.

Georgia’s formula already provides extra money for students with special education needs, students learning English, students needing remediation, those studying career and technical subjects, and gifted students. The formula also provides more money for younger students than high schoolers.

The system also gives more state money to districts with low property tax bases. Lawmakers are likely to consider local property tax and sales tax collections later. Districts also get money from the federal government.

Some lawmakers also expressed interest in the state providing extra money for students in poverty.

Another question is paying teachers more. Georgia teacher salaries are higher than any neighboring state. But take-home pay for first-year teachers lags because state health care premiums are above average.

At least three previous attempted overhauls of QBE faltered, producing few significant changes. Those overhauls were dogged by suspicion that Republicans were trying to spend less. To win support, formula writers often look to spend more, at least temporarily, to avoid creating losers who get less money.

“Ultimately what has happened every time is they think they’re going to go into it and find savings and be able to shift money around, but they go into it and find it’s going to cost more money,” said Angela Palm, a longtime lobbyist with the Georgia School Boards Association.

Dugan encouraged people to be open to possible changes.

“Humans by nature fear change more than they fear failure,” Dugan said. “And failure in my mind is not doing anything when we have the opportunity to improve the quality of our education for our students moving forward.”

Judge clears way for implementation of Georgia’s narrow expansion of Medicaid

By

Jill Nolin

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August 19, 2022

Gov. Brian Kemp announced his plan to partially expand Medicaid coverage in late 2019. (Jill Nolin/Georgia Recorder)

(GA Recorder) — A federal judge has rejected the Biden administration’s rationale for blocking Gov. Brian Kemp’s plan for partial Medicaid expansion, allowing the program to be implemented.

Judge Lisa G. Wood ruled Friday that the federal government’s decision to take back approval for key eligibility requirements was unlawful, calling the move “arbitrary and capricious.”

The decision out of the U.S District Court for the Southern District of Georgia in Brunswick is a boost for Kemp who is in a tough rematch with Democrat Stacey Abrams, who has again put full Medicaid expansion at the center of her campaign.

First unveiled in late 2019, Kemp’s partial Medicaid expansion would extend coverage to about 50,000 new people as long as they complete 80 hours of work, job training or other qualifying activity each month.

The plan was approved by the Trump administration in late 2020 but blocked more than a year later by the Biden administration because of concerns pandemic-era disruptions could make it more difficult for people to satisfy the work requirement to maintain coverage, undermining the Medicaid program’s mission to promote coverage for those eligible.

Wood shredded that argument in a 65-page opinion Friday, accusing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of ignoring the likelihood that Georgia’s plan would increase coverage, even if only modestly, and that blocking its implementation prevents that increased coverage from happening.

The judge, who was appointed by President George W. Bush, concluded the federal agency was too focused on comparing the state’s program to full Medicaid expansion – which could increase coverage for about a half million people – and “did not grapple with the (likely) possibility that rescinding approval for Pathways would result in less Medicaid coverage for Georgians.”

Georgia is one of 12 states that have not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.

“The concept is simple: if Pathways increases Medicaid coverage in Georgia, then it inescapably follows there would be more Medicaid coverage in Georgia with Pathways than without it,” Wood wrote. “But CMS did not mention, let alone consider or weigh, that fact.”

The governor’s office did not immediately respond to a question about how soon the state might move to implement the program. But Kemp celebrated the ruling on Twitter.

“Despite the Left’s efforts to claw back good policy for partisan politics, this week the judiciary ruled the Biden Admin erred in striking down our innovative healthcare waiver which would better serve Georgians than a one-size-fits all Medicaid expansion,” read a tweet posted on his account Friday.

But the judge also suggested the dispute may not be over.

“Georgia has indicated it wishes to implement the demonstration immediately, and CMS has signaled it will re-start the process of considering rescission. That is up to the parties, not the Court,” she said. “And CMS has not pointed to any real harm that might befall potential beneficiaries if either or both of those things happen.”

A spokesperson for CMS did not immediately provide comment when contacted Friday afternoon.

DNR awards $1.5 million in recreational trail grants

By

Now Habersham

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August 19, 2022

The Mulberry Riverwalk Trail in Braselton was damaged due to heavy rains. A state grant will help offset the cost of repairs. Mulberry Riverwalk is one of 11 trail projects to be awarded a state grant through Georgia's Department of Natural Resources. (photo courtesy EMI)

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources on Friday announced two area trails are set to be repaired and expanded under a state grant program. Projects in Braselton and Lumpkin County are among eleven chosen statewide to receive a combined total of $1.5 million in Recreational Trails Program grants.

When leveraged with private and public partnerships, DNR officials say these grants will amount to an approximate $4.2 million investment in trail projects across Georgia. The applicants are now in the process of completing their final environmental reviews and work is set to begin soon.

“These communities are investing in access to outdoor recreation, and we are happy to support them,” says Mark Williams, Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources.

The town of Braselton has been awarded an RTP grant for Phase 2 of its Mulberry Riverwalk Rehabilitation project. The Mulberry Riverwalk Trail, constructed in 2004, is located on the western banks of the Mulberry River. The river has endured several major storms over time and several sections of the trail have been severely damaged by riverbank erosion. Once the riverbanks are stabilized, the city will use RTP funding to restore damaged portions of the trail.

Lumpkin County is also set to receive funding. Its RTP grant will be used to construct two additional miles of pedestrian trails around Yahoola Creek. This work will include one new pedestrian boardwalk, two new trailhead kiosks, and 13 wayfinding signs on the Yahoola Creek Reservoir property.

Other grant projects

The Recreational Trails Program seeks to support communities in developing recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both nonmotorized and motorized outdoor recreation. RTP funds come from the Federal Highway Trust Fund and represent an estimate of the motor fuel excise tax collected from off-highway recreational use.

Georgia DNR conducts biannual grant application cycles for RTP funds. The most recent recipients were selected from 33 project proposals requesting $5.2 million.

Other 2021-2022 RTP grant recipients include:

Augusta Canal Authority – Canal Single-track Mountain Bike Trail Rehabilitation
The existing Canal Single-track Trail, developed in the 1990s, is a loop between the historic Augusta Canal and the Savannah River and is approximately 2.8 miles in length. Recent dredging operations on Raes Creek and Lake Olmstead irreparably damaged about one mile of the trail. This project will rehabilitate that portion of this unique urban mountain bike trail serving the Central Savannah River Area.

Bartow County – Mountain Bike Trail at Wilderness Camp Greenspace
Bartow County will construct approximately four miles of intermediate-level mountain biking trails at its Wilderness Camp Greenspace. The intermediate trails will provide a more challenging option for advanced riders and allow beginners to gradually develop their skills. This will improve recreational opportunities for existing mountain bikers while encouraging others to explore mountain biking.

City of Cedartown – Silver Comet Accessibility Improvements and Rehabilitation Project
The Silver Comet Trail (SCT) is a 61.5-mile multipurpose trail that begins just north of Atlanta and travels west until reaching the Alabama state line. The City of Cedartown’s Silver Comet Accessibility Improvements and Maintenance Project consists of two bridge replacements, rehabilitation of existing trail infrastructure, and installing new trail signage.

City of Leesburg – Central Park Recreational Trail
The City of Leesburg will rehabilitate the existing walking trail in the city’s 48-acre Central Park and add more than half a mile of new trail to that system. The trail will be built to serve both pedestrians and bicycle riders. The trail will be adjacent to public schools and one block away from Leesburg’s downtown/central business district.

City of Thomasville – Thomasville Community Trail – Phase 4
The City of Thomasville will be expanding the Thomasville Community Trail from Hansell St. along E. Washington Street and through MacIntyre Park, to Clay Street. This section will help to connect existing trail segments along Hansell Street and E. Jackson Street. It also connects MacIntyre Park Middle School and Thomasville High School to MacIntyre Park as well as provides access to the inner loop of the Thomasville Community Trail.

Columbus Consolidated Government – Dinglewood Park Trail
The Columbus Consolidated Government has adopted a trail masterplan to provide 65 miles of multi-use trail including new construction and connections to existing trails. The Dinglewood Park Trail is the second phase of the Midtown Connector which will create a north-south artery between the two longest trails in the existing trail network.

Gilmer County – Carters Lake Mountain Bike & Hiking Trail, Ridgeway Recreation Area
This project, located at Ridgeway Recreation Area, will construct three miles of new natural surface trails, consisting of one- and two-mile loops that offer intermediate and expert-level mountain bike opportunities and a chance for pedestrians to take to the trails. The new trails will connect to existing old trails and logging roads. Construction of these two loops will complete the trail plan for Ridgeway Recreation Area.

Harris County – Ellerslie Park Trails
Harris County purchased 124 acres of land for park purposes and has been developing Ellerslie Park since 2018. The county will develop approximately 4,000 additional feet of dirt trails and a gravel trailhead to hold at least 10-15 vehicles.

Union City – Highway 29 Walking Trail
This trail for walking, trail running, and wheelchair access will provide pedestrian access to an almost 17-acre parcel of wooded public land within the city limits of Union City. The trailhead will be located along State Route 14 and the trail will provide connections to the Hwy 29 Ball Fields, The Gathering Place, and the Etris-Darnell Community Center. The new trail will end at Ronald Bridges Park and connects to its existing nature trail.

For more information about RTP and these grants, visit www.gadnr.org/rtp.

Sunflowers and Selfies this weekend and next at Smithgall Woods

By

Joy Purcell

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August 19, 2022

The sunflowers are in full bloom and there’s a field of them waiting for visitors to enjoy at Smithgall Woods State Park in White County.

This weekend and next, the park will again host its highly-anticipated Sunflowers and Selfies annual event. Bring the family to enjoy a day in the park and this ready-made photo op. There will be games and a native plant sale. Learn about the park from its knowledgeable guides as you enjoy the beauty of Smithgall on a hayride, or enjoy it at your own pace.

Sunflowers will be for sale, as well as artisan vases crafted by volunteers.

Sunflowers and Selfies takes place from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, August 20 and 21, and August 27 and 28. The cost is a $5 parking pass or Friend’s Annual Pass, and $5 per hayride ticket. Children 12 and under are free.

The park is located at 61 Tsalaki Trail in Helen, Georgia. For more information, click here to visit the park’s website.

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Looking for things to do in Northeast Georgia? Visit Now Habersham’s Events Calendar.

Norma Jean Trusty Adams

By

Now Habersham

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August 19, 2022

Norma Jean Trusty Adams, age 84, of Clarkesville, passed away on Friday, August 19, 2022.

Born on December 5, 1937, in Clarkesville, she was a daughter of the late Grant Trusty and Nora Ann Wall Trusty. Mrs. Adams moved to Charlotte, North Carolina where she lived and worked in real estate for 20 years before relocating to North Georgia. After moving back, she lived part-time in Atlanta and in Habersham County and eventually retired from The Lighting Loft. In her spare time, Mrs. Adams enjoyed going to the lake. She was of the Baptist faith.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, George L. Adams, Jr.; brothers, Clyde, Harold, Earl and Junior Trusty; sisters, Inez Trusty, Gladys Culbertson, Irene Church.

Survivors include sister, Donna Trusty of Clarkesville; and a number of nieces and nephews.

A private memorial service will be held at a later date.

An online guest register is available and may be viewed at www.mcgaheegriffinandstewart.com.

McGahee-Griffin & Stewart Funeral Home of Cornelia, Georgia (706/778-8668) is in charge of arrangements.

Georgia PSC elections again delayed after high court ruling

By

Joy Purcell

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August 19, 2022

ATLANTA (AP) — Two Georgia Public Service Commission elections will not occur this November, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday, reversing an earlier appeals court ruling that allowed them to proceed.

Instead, the high court reverted to the original decision by a federal judge in Atlanta that postponed the elections after finding that electing the five commissioners statewide illegally diluted Black votes.

District 2 Commissioner Tim Echols and District 3 Commissioner Fitz Johnson, both Republicans, are seeking reelection to six-year terms. Echols is being challenged by Democrat Patty Durand and Libertarian Colin McKinney, while Johnson faces Democrat Shelia Edwards.

The Supreme Court decision came hours after a state court judge in a separate case overturned a residency challenge to Durand and allowed her to stay on the ballot, ruling that new districts drawn earlier this year violated Durand’s rights. Edwards also earlier won a residency challenge.

The Supreme Court ruled that U.S. District Judge Steven Grimberg’s decision did not come too close to the election. The justices ruled that the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was wrong to block Grimberg’s order by citing an earlier Supreme Court decision saying judges shouldn’t order changes close to elections.

Grimberg broke new ground in finding that statewide elections violate the Voting Rights Act, although his decision hinged on Georgia’s decision of having candidates live in particular districts but run statewide. He found that illegally handicapped Black-favored candidates and that such candidates would have a better chance of winning if only voters in a district voted on each candidate, making it possible to draw at least one Black-majority district.

Justices, in an unsigned one-paragraph order, wrote that the 11th Circuit was wrong to rely on that decision because Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger earlier told Grimberg that officials would have enough time to alter ballots if Grimberg ruled by Aug. 12. Justices found that because of that statement, Raffensperger had forfeited that argument.

The high court left open the possibility that the 11th Circuit could block Grimberg’s ruling and let the election go forward on other grounds. The 11th Circuit is also expected to consider a full appeal of the ruling later.

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr argues that Grimberg fundamentally erred in his decision by concluding that race and not Democratic partisanship drove defeats of candidates preferred by Black voters. He also says the judge overstepped in concluding that only state law and not the state constitution requires statewide elections. Grimberg earlier rejected both arguments.

Plaintiffs have said district elections would spotlight concerns of Black voters, including people with lower incomes who pay high utility bills. The lawsuit was brought by leaders of the NAACP, Georgia Conservation Voters and Black Voters Matter.

The commission regulates Georgia Power Co. and other utilities, determining how much companies are allowed to bill millions of ratepayers.

If Grimberg’s ruling stands, state lawmakers would have to draw single-member districts for the commission.

Another federal judge earlier this year allowed Georgia’s congressional elections to proceed even though he preliminarily found redistricting was likely to have illegally harmed Black voters. Voting rights advocates have decried decisions that prioritize allowing elections to go forward, saying they allow states to proceed with illegal elections. It also sparks fears that the Supreme Court will gut the Voting Rights Act section allowing people to sue over district lines and other voting provisions.

Georgia’s Public Service Commission elections have been intensely litigated this year. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Melynee Leftridge ruled Thursday that Durand should stay on the ballot despite Raffensperger trying to kick her off for not meeting her district’s one-year residency requirement.

Leftridge ruled that the requirement was not constitutional in Durand’s case because she was targeted for exclusion during redistricting based on her residency.

The judge cited text messages between Echols and Public Service Commissioner Tricia Pridemore, who drew the districts that lawmakers adopted in March. Leftridge said evidence shows Pridemore had drawn a map that left Gwinnett County, where Durand previously lived, in District 2. But after Echols texted Durand’s previous address to Pridemore, she drew a new map that excluded Gwinnett County from the district.

Durand moved to Conyers, part of the new District 2, but Raffensperger challenged her qualifications in April for not meeting the one-year residency requirement.

Leftridge ruled that the residency law, as applied, violated Durand’s First Amendment right to free association and her 14th Amendment right to equal protection.

Jonny Broner

By

Now Habersham

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August 19, 2022

Johnny Broner, age 65, of Cornelia, passed away on Friday, August 19, 2022.

Born on August 9, 1957, in Demorest, he was a son of the late Frank Broner and Mary Etta Scott Broner. Mr. Broner was the former owner/operator of Broner Trucking and later retired from Lee Arrendale State Prison. He was known for his outgoing and humorous personality and enjoyed fellowshipping and with his friends and neighbors. Above all, Mr. Broner loved his family, especially his children. In his spare time, he enjoyed fishing, partying, and playing cards. He was a member of Shady Grove Baptist Church.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Goldie Summerour; and brother, Richard Broner.

Survivors include wife, Bonnie Broner of Cornelia; sons and daughter-in-law, J.D Broner (Bobbie) of Demorest, Joshua Broner of Cornelia, and Evan Appling of Illinois; daughter, Stormie Abernathy of North Carolina; brother, Michael Broner of Clayton; sisters and brothers-in-law, Dorothy Edmond (Paul), Frankie Mattox, Theresa Brown all of Gainesville, Brenda Perry (Derrick) of Cornelia, Patricia “Pat” Brown (Melvin) of Utah; sister-in-law, Quiddie Cobb Broner of Cornelia; brother-in-law, Johnny Summerour of Gainesville; and special friends, Nathan “Pokey” Berry (Sharon) of Cornelia.

The family will receive friends from 3 – 5 pm on Wednesday, August 24, 2022, at McGahee-Griffin & Stewart Funeral Home.

No formal services are planned at this time.

An online guest register is available and may be viewed at http://www.mcgaheegriffinandstewart.com.

McGahee-Griffin and Stewart Funeral Home of Cornelia, Georgia (706/778-8668) is in charge of arrangements.