Walker was the keynote speaker for the event. (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)
A crowd of around 200 northeast Georgians filled Habersham Central High School’s auditorium Tuesday night for a fundraiser event, featuring a keynote speaker who has become a household name in Georgia.
Football player, business owner and US Senate candidate Herschel Walker was the keynote speaker for the event, which raised funds through ticket sales to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Lanier in Habersham County, an organization that provides after-school stability for area youth.
Representatives from the Habersham community, as well as members of the Boys and Girls Club of Lanier, spoke on the importance of supporting the organization and their goals of helping northeast Georgia’s children succeed.
“Our aim is to make sure every kid has an opportunity to be successful,” the Boys and Girls Club of Lanier CEO Steven Mickens told the audience. “You’ll be excited to know that 1,000 kids that attend our clubs daily are in a safe place that bolsters a learning environment. Between the hours of 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., our kids are involved in tutoring, academic enrichment activities, homework help [and] assistance, chess, checkers, you name it— we’re going to make sure kids are involved in them.”
Boys and Girls Club of Lanier CEO Steven Mickens says that the organization helps more than 1,000 children in the northeast Georgia area. (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)
Mickens says that in Habersham County, the Boys and Girls Club serves 350 children at both the Tim Lee Boys and Girls Club and in the county’s elementary schools.
Wade Rhodes, Chairman of the Steering Committee for the Habersham-based Tim Lee Boys and Girls Club, says that investing in the organization is important to “breaking the cycle” of children becoming involved in illegal activities due to lack of a safe environment outside of school.
“It costs 90,000 to keep one child in a juvenile youth detention center for one year,” Rhodes said. “We can break the cycle of juvenile delinquency by investing in young people.”
Rhodes encouraged attendees to invest in the students walking the halls of Habersham’s schools by investing in the Boys and Girls Club, to give them a safe space after school to learn, grow and stay healthy.
Wade Rhodes, Chairman of the Steering Committee for the Habersham-based Tim Lee Boys and Girls Club, encouraged attendees to invest in the region’s youth. (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)
Providing a home and a family
Jasmin Gaudlock, a Gainesville fourth grade teacher, first-generation college student, Boys and Girls Club tutor and alumna appealed to the audience to share how the organization helped her through the toughest times in her childhood.
She says the organization helped her overcome bullying and self-worth issues in middle school, and while things seemed to be on the up-and-up, in high school, everything changed.
“A few years later, my whole family and I began to experience homelessness,” Gaudlock said. “Around the age of 16, I became the sole provider for our family of eight due to unforeseen circumstances. I’m the second oldest of six siblings, so I had a lot of responsibilities to manage. I feel like it was such a rough time in my life and such a critical point as a 16-year-old girl. It was hard to think about going to school, maintaining a 3.8 GPA working 40 plus hours, trying to take care of my family, and making sure everybody was okay.”
Gaudlock says that she was under an extreme amount of pressure, and became separated from her family during this time in her life. Without the Boys and Girls Club, she says she might have given up and not become the person she is today.
“They inspired me and never gave up on me, even in the moments that I just wanted to give up on myself,” she said. “I was so close to some of them that they started to feel like family and the club started to feel like a home— and that’s a really big deal when you don’t have your own home.”
Gaudlock fights tears as she tells the story of how the Boys and Girls Club helped her through the toughest times of her childhood and early adulthood. (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)
She said that the club continued to support her even after she had grown up. She began working with the organization to put herself through college, and they supported her through a horrible car accident her mother was in that left her with traumatic brain damage. She says that through her toughest times, the Boys and Girls Club was always the place she felt safest.
“When I needed them [the Boys and Girls Club] most, they were there, and they will always be there,” she said. “The Boys and Girls Club will continue to make a positive, everlasting impact on the many youth in our community who lead us into our future. And I hope I can lend a helping hand in that.”
Walker encourages youth to achieve their goals
Walker presented the story of how he pulled himself up over and over again through his childhood and early career to become the person he is today to the audience, and encouraged fundraiser attendees to help children to find the inspiration they need to improve themselves.
“Everyone knows the glory of Herschel Walker, but they don’t know the story,” Walker told the audience. He says through his childhood, he worked on his own to overcome a stutter, bullying and invested in his physical fitness to become one of the University of Georgia’s most accomplished football alumni.
He says that the successes of his post-football career businesses boil down to investing in members of his community, and his community investing in him, to give himself a fulfilling life.
“That’s why I thank all of you for being here,” Walker said. “Because if we help our kids, our kids are our future, and you’ve got to remember that. For every young man and young lady in this audience today, remember this: no matter what you can achieve, if you can see it, you’ve got to dream [it]. And don’t let anyone tell you you can’t.”
Walker closed the event out with a word of encouragement that anyone can succeed.
“God grabbed Herschel Walker out of Wrightsville, Georgia, and he put Herschel Walker through college and the NFL . . . and if he can do me, he can do you,” Walker said.
If you’d like to donate time or money to the Boys and Girls Club to keep the organization’s programs running, you can do so at their website here.
During the City of Baldwin’s Tuesday night work session, the council discussed whether or not they wanted to move forward with renewing their membership with Partnership Habersham. The fee for the city’s 2022 membership would be $2,500— and the council is wondering if those funds are better spent elsewhere.
The City of Baldwin needs to make a decision on whether or not they’ll continue to pay membership fees to have a seat at the Partnership Habersham table by Monday, and the council may be considering not renewing.
“I understand that their job, in general, is to be a bridge between cities and jobs and growth and things like that, but I’m really trying to see where that particular value [is],” Councilwoman Alice Venter said. “What is that they have done for us, where have they performed for us, and does that warrant us giving our taxpayers’ money to them?”
Councilwoman Stephanie Almagno said that she wondered if that $2,500 could be better used in the city’s budget, and that in her view, the membership didn’t provide a necessary service to the city.
“We’re Baldwin in two counties, and this is just Habersham,” Almagno said. “There’s not a Banks County component.”
Mayor Joe Elam, who is one of the more involved members of the council with Partnership Habersham, says that the goal of the membership is to make sure every municipality has “a seat at the table” with Partnership Habersham’s meetings.
“The partnership is much larger than our $2,500,” Elam said. “I would bet it’s not the money they’re worried about, as the opportunity to display some level of unity for the community as a whole.”
But Elam says the city’s current interaction with the group is presenting updates at monthly meetings and being involved with other meetings organized by members of Partnership Habersham.
“There’s some value in what they do,” Elam said. “Whether its value the council wants to support monetarily or not, that’s a decision that needs to be made.”
The council seems to be leaning towards terminating their membership with Partnership Habersham, but no official decision was made at the work session.
“What we receive from those meetings is access to business owners, access to UGA Archway folks, but I don’t think that access can only come through Partnership Habersham,” Almagno said. “I don’t see an immediate benefit for us.”
Almagno says that her opinion could be swayed, but when it comes down to numbers, she’d rather allocate those funds to other projects.
The council will make a decision on the membership at their upcoming regular meeting.
Editor’s Note: The following legislative update is from Rep. Victor Anderson (R-Cornelia) who represents the 10th State House District of Georgia. The opinions in this column are his. You may contact Rep. Anderson at victor.anderson@house.ga.gov
Rep. Victor Anderson (R-Cornelia)
Greetings from the Gold Dome!
Monday, February 28, we returned to the Gold Dome for week eight of our legislative session. It was an eventful week as we passed many bills and resolutions on the House floor. As our Crossover Day [March 15] deadline is quickly approaching, we are all working hard to ensure the passage of sound policy and positive legislation to benefit our citizens and state. Last week we tackled tax reform, healthcare and agriculture, which is covered in the full update below.
In addition to our regularly scheduled session this week, our Georgia Secretary of State will also be hosting qualifying week for the upcoming election cycle. After much prayer and consideration, I am excited to announce that I will be seeking re-election to continue my service as your House Representative within the Georgia General Assembly. Our family sincerely appreciates the guidance and wisdom so many have lent over the years, and we are grateful to have your support as we work to continue serving our home.
As always, I will be updating you weekly on all happenings concerning your government at work. If you have concerns or questions regarding legislation, I ask that you reach out to our office directly. Thank you for allowing me the honor and privilege of serving our home under the Gold Dome. May God bless you, and may He continue to bless the great state of Georgia.
Tax Reform
Tax reform is always an ongoing conversation and priority under the Gold Dome. Last week we successfully passed a number of tax friendly policies, most notably in the form of House Bill 1302 benefiting all Georgians and House Bill 1064 aimed towards assisting our veterans.
Our conservative stewardship of our state’s general fund has paid off, quite literally, as we have a surplus of $1.6 billion in undesignated funding. Therefore, it was an easy decision to vote in favor of House Bill 1302, which will give these funds back to our Georgia families. The tax credits outlined within the bill, based off 2020 filings, are as follows:
Provides a one-time tax credit for eligible Georgia taxpayers who filed income tax returns in both 2020 and 2021.
Single tax filers would receive a $250 refund.
Head-of-household filers would receive $375.
Joint filers would receive a $500 refund.
Refunds would not be available for non-residents, individuals who were claimed as a dependent for the 2020 or 2021 tax years, estates nor trusts.
If signed into law, the refund would be automatically credited on an individuals filed income tax return for 2021. This means the refunds would first be credited against a filer’s outstanding income tax liability prior to being issued directly to the taxpayer. Further, this tax refund would not be taxable under Georgia law, and taxpayers would not accrue interest on the rebate. After a tumultuous and uncertain couple of years, the ability to refund our hardworking citizens is affirmation that we made the right decision to reopen our state’s economy, trust in personal responsibility and continue to support our businesses during the pandemic.
Did you know that Georgia houses one of the largest military and veteran populations in the nation? To that end, we have always worked hard to ensure our men and women in uniform know they are appreciated. Last week solidified our efforts as a military-friendly state through the passage of House Bill 1064. This bill works to give money back to those who protect us.
The bill exempts up to $17,500 in military retirement income from state income taxes for retired service members under 62 years old. If a military retiree continues to work and earns at least $17,500, the retiree would be eligible for an additional exemption up to $17,500 in state income taxes for a total exemption of $35,000. If passed and signed into law, this exemption would become effective on July 1, 2022, and subsequently applicable to all taxable years starting January 1, 2022. We are grateful that so many U.S. military retirees have chosen to call Georgia home, and this legislation would greatly benefit these individuals, especially as the cost of living and inflation has increased recently.
Agricultural Education
As the largest economic engine in our state, adding billions to our state’s economy on an annual basis, Agriculture is always at the forefront of conversation during our legislative sessions. To continue our support of Georgia’s AG community, we successfully passed two bills that allow for hands-on agricultural experiences for our Georgia students.
House Bill 1303 authorizes the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) to implement agricultural education programs in all public elementary schools. This bill also requires our schools hire an agricultural education teacher for these programs.
We also passed House Bill 1292 to ensure that students would not be penalized for missing school when they participate in our state’s invaluable 4-H activities and programs. Under HB 1292, a school could request documentation from a 4-H representative if a student was absent due to involvement in the organization. We are hopeful these bills will educate Georgia students on our state’s largest industry while encouraging them to explore their career options in agriculture.
Healthcare
Last week we also passed House Bill 1348 which would add vaping to the Georgia Smoke-free Air Act and align our vaping laws with our cigarette smoking laws. Under the bill, vaping would be prohibited inside most public areas, such as restaurants and government buildings. Additionally, businesses would be able to designate enclosed areas for vaping that would be separate from non-vaping areas, and individuals who vape in prohibited public spaces would face a $100 to $500 fine.
Bills of Interest
During week eight of session, the following House bills and Senate bill were also passed:
House Bill 1 – or the Forming Open and Robust University Minds Act – which would establish that unrestricted outdoor areas of University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia campuses are public forums for their campus communities, and this bill would prohibit these institutions from restricting expressive activities in those areas or designating any campus areas as a “free speech zone;”
House Bill 389, which would codify existing case law to determine whether work classifies a person as an employee or an independent contractor, and this bill would create an enforcement mechanism by adding a civil penalty paid to the Georgia Department of Labor if an employer misclassifies its employees;
House Bill 508, which would make it unlawful for a person to advertise or conduct a performance or production in Georgia by using any false, deceptive or misleading affiliation, connection or association without authorization; this bill would also create the Georgia True Origin of Digital Goods Act to require websites that distribute commercial recordings or audiovisuals to consumers to clearly disclose its physical address, telephone number and email address on such website or online service;
House Bill 916, or the Superior and State Court Appellate Practice Act, which would modernize and simplify the manner of appealing from lower courts to state courts to ensure that appeal decisions are based on merits and not dismissed on complex procedural grounds;
House Bill 960, which would establish the Office of the Inspector General to investigate the management and operation of state agencies, including complaints alleging fraud, waste or corruption committed against or within an agency;
House Bill 961, which would authorize the apportionment of damages based on who was at fault in single-defendant lawsuits rather than solely in multi-defendant lawsuits;
House Bill 974, which would require recorded instruments, such as deeds, mortgages, liens, maps/plats and state tax executions, to be filed electronically or delivered in person to superior court clerks, and this bill includes certain instructions for these filings;
House Bill 1009, which would provide definitions and operation guidelines for personal delivery devices, such as driverless vehicles, and would prohibit local authorities from enacting ordinances regarding personal delivery devices under specific conditions;
House Bill 1056, which would allow the Georgia Firefighters’ Pension Fund to invest up to 15 percent of the fund’s total assets in alternative investments;
House Bill 1058, which would eliminate the requirement that affiliated corporations have prior approval from or have been requested to file a consolidated income tax return by the Georgia Department of Revenue, and instead, allow affiliated corporations to file these returns without the request or approval of the department;
House Bill 1084, or the Protect Students First Act, which would prevent the use of and reliance on curricula or training programs in state public schools that espouse “divisive concepts” that are specifically included in this bill, and the bill would require each local board of education to adopt a complaint resolution policy to address complaints or violations of this new policy, as well as establish an appeal process for violations through the State Board of Education;
House Bill 1150, or the Freedom to Farm Act, which would update Georgia laws in order to prevent a nuisance lawsuit from being brought against a farming operation that has been active for more than one year, address concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) requirements and clarify that the provisions of the proposed law do not apply if a nuisance is caused by negligence or illegal operations;
House Bill 1175, which would authorize and establish regulations and standards regarding the safety, transportation and sale of raw milk in Georgia and would give the Department of Agriculture permitting and enforcement authority;
House Bill 1178, or the Parents’ Bill of Rights, which would codify a parent’s fundamental right to direct the upbringing and education of their minor children, create certain standards to prevent schools from infringing upon these fundamental rights, as well as require the school board or its governing body to consult with parents, teachers and administrators to develop and adopt policies that promote parental involvement in public schools;
House Bill 1182, which would provide that specified provisions in Georgia law do not apply to the county sale of property that contains any portion of a manmade lake;
House Bill 1183, which would clean up existing Georgia law and revise the timeline for bond remissions in criminal cases by providing more time for the court to bring in defendants;
House Bill 1188, which would revise the crimes of “child molestation” and “sexual exploitation of children” to specify that each individual violation of the crimes can be charged as its own count;
House Bill 1216, which would enhance the penalties for fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer;
House Bill 1219, which would increase the number of members on the Georgia Board of Dentistry to include more dentists, dental hygienists, as well as a dental education expert;
House Bill 1271, which would prohibit a property owner’s association from enacting covenants after July 1, 2022, that forbid a lot owner from displaying an official U.S. flag in certain ways;
House Bill 1274, which would define “antisemitism” in Georgia’s laws as the harassment of a person of actual or perceived Jewish origin, ancestry, ethnicity or faith;
House Bill 1288, which would provide for the assignment of certain group-term life insurance benefits to pay for funeral services of a deceased individual who was a member of the Employees’ Retirement System of Georgia, the Georgia Legislative Retirement System or the Georgia Judicial Retirement System;
House Bill 1294, which would require landowners to send notice within three days to all responsible parties if a local government agent determines that an abandoned mobile home is derelict;
House Bill 1308, which would allow for a sponsor of a health benefit plan to consent on behalf of an enrollee to the electronic delivery of all communications and identification cards for the plan, and enrollees would be able to opt out of electronic communications;
House Bill 1324, which would require insurers to provide coverage for emergency physical or mental health care regardless of the diagnosis given;
House Bill 1346, which would allow a clerk of superior courts, who would otherwise be prohibited from practicing law in his/her name, to serve as a judge advocate or any other role in an active duty or reserve component of the armed forces;
House Bill 1349, which would change the qualifying date from July 1, 2005, to July 1, 2022, for land the Georgia Department of Natural Resources withholds from actions that result in the loss of state-owned acreage available for hunting;
House Bill 1352, which would provide certain protocols for the Georgia Department of Revenue when it handles unclaimed property, including processing unclaimed property claims and retaining wills or trusts;
House Bill 1377, which would authorize a civil cause of action for injunctive relief without having to show special or irreparable damage in the event that a non-government employer fails to properly deduct and withhold from wages as required by Georgia income tax law, and this bill clarifies that the court would award costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, to the prevailing party;
Senate Bill 472, which would update the election districts for members of the Georgia Public Service Commission.
The 10th House District includes portions of Habersham and White counties. Rep. Anderson serves on the House Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Committee, Governmental Affairs Committee, and State Planning & Community Affairs Committee. He also chairs the study committee on annexation and cityhood issues.
This map from GA DOT marks the section of road in Toccoa that will be affected by the bridge work. Drivers should expect delays when traveling through the area, GA DOT says.
If you travel State Route 17 Alternate into Toccoa, prepare for delays. The Georgia Department of Transportation will close one lane of traffic near Stephens County Hospital as part of a bridge replacement project over Toccoa Creek
Crews will install the road closure near the hospital and Toccoa Falls College on March 10; it’s expected to remain closed for 30 to 60 days.
Northbound traffic will be shifted to the right before Hansen Road, ending just past Hospital Road, according to transportation officials. The speed limit will be reduced from 45 to 35 MPH in the work zone.
The bridge work is scheduled to be completed in November, weather permitting.
Dawson Zachary Ansley, age 16, of Baldwin, passed away Tuesday, March 8, 2022.
Born on August 14, 2005, in Gainesville, he was a son of Katrina Canup Whitfield and Jamie Whitfield of Cornelia and David and Maria Ansley of Alto. Dawson attended Mountain Education Charter High School. He enjoyed coon hunting and fishing, and was full of life. Mr. Ansley was especially close to his brother and sisters, he loved his dog, Merly.
He was preceded in death by his maternal great-grandfather, Arthur Chastain and paternal great-grandfather, Lin Ansley.
In addition to his parents, he is survived by his brother, William Grayson Ansley of Alto; sisters, Mattie Grace Ansley of Alto and Addie Kimbrell of Cornelia; step-sisters: Amber, Katelyn, and Madison Whitfield, all of Cornelia; paternal grandparents, Tim and Dana Ansley of Cornelia and Curt and Sheena Chambers of Baldwin; maternal grandparents, Michele and Shawn Chitwood of Cornelia and Greg and Sharon Canup of Alto; maternal great-grandparents, Diane Chastain of Cornelia and Jim and Gwen Canup of Alto; paternal great-grandmother, Cora Lee Ansley of Clarkesville; and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, March 12, 2022, in the Chapel of McGahee-Griffin and Stewart with Rev. Chris Webb, Bishop Kevin Magness, and Mr. Daniel Ferguson officiating. Interment will follow in the family cemetery at the home of Curt and Sheena Chambers.
The family will receive friends from 2 – 4 and 6 – 8 pm on Friday, March 11, 2022, and from 11 am until the service time on Saturday, March 12, 2022, at the funeral home.
Those in attendance are asked to please adhere to the public health and social distancing guidelines regarding COVID-19.
The White County Development Authority hears from Woodlands Camp Director Jon Estes via video conference about the camp’s future plans. (wrwh.com)
The White County Development Authority has agreed to assist Woodlands Camp and Conference Center in Cleveland with their expansion plans by issuing revenue bonds for the nonprofit corporation.
The camp is seeking approximately $15 million dollars for improvements, to the camp and conference center facilities, located on Old Blue Creek Road in Cleveland.
Attorney Carl Free, who represents the authority said this is nothing new.
“It is very similar to the project the Development Authority did for Truett McConnell a couple of years ago and it’s one of the things the Development Authority can do to boost economic development within the county,” said Free. “Obviously, I think the Development Authority was all onboard that what’s going to go on and what’s gonna happen at Woodlands within terms of that expansion is going to be a great thing for the community.”
Jon Estes, CEO & Camp Director for Woodlands Camp shared with the authority during the meeting Tuesday that the expansion plans will enable them to serve more youth as well as adults that use the facilities for conferences plus impact the local economy with jobs and people visiting the area.
Free says there is “no cost to the county or the Development Authority. When a bond issue of this nature is done, the Development Authority serves as the issuer of the bonds, the bonds are purchased by a private entity.”
The Development Authority and County Commissioners will be holding public hearings about this project before it becomes final.
Sen. Butch Miller’s bill to expand school vouchers passed a Senate committee Tuesday. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
(GA Recorder) — A new school voucher bill sponsored by Senate Pro Tempore Butch Miller moved forward in a Senate committee Tuesday.
Senate Bill 601, or the “Georgia Educational Freedom Act,” would provide a $6,000 scholarship to nearly all of Georgia’s approximately 1.7 million public k-12 students to switch to a private school.
Children should not be limited to the school they happen to live near, said Miller, a Gainesville Republican who is running for lieutenant governor. He argued giving parents the means to send them elsewhere will help them succeed.
“I couldn’t be more thankful for the teachers and employees of our school systems, not just in my community, but around the state,” he said. “However, every child is different, every system is different, and not everyone in our state is blessed with the opportunities my children have had, and I think that we’ve seen through the pandemic that there are more options, parental options for our schools.”
School vouchers have been a perennial issue at the Capitol, with opponents decrying them as a means of funneling public dollars to less accountable private institutions.
Miller argued against that idea with a common talking point in the “school choice” movement. While the proposed law would take away the state portion of the money allocated to educating a transferring student, the school would still receive the local portion of the funding, resulting in a net gain, he said.
Democrats expressed skepticism.
“The truth is, if you’ve got a lot of (parents) who decide to move their kids out of their local public education system, the reality is that those schools still have overhead costs that are fixed,” said Atlanta Democratic Sen. Sonya Halpern. “They still have teachers, they have buildings, they have planning that they have to do. And it does, in fact, take a drag on those schools, and the school district. The dollars aren’t just transferring for the child alone, there’s parts of those dollars that are spent on fixed costs.”
Atlanta Democratic Sen. Elena Parent questioned whether the bill would benefit families that could already afford to send their children to private schools. The bill has no income limit, but participating students must have attended a public school for at least six weeks during the previous school year.
“Given that they’re less diverse because they are expensive to attend, and this bill does not give children enough to attend even the average –in fact, it’s a little over half what it is for the average private school attendance, not to mention anywhere in metro Atlanta where they’re significantly more expensive — aren’t you sort of putting private school in reach of some but really leaving out much bigger proportion of kids who wouldn’t be able to take advantage of this?” she said.
According to Private School Review, an online resource for families looking into private schools, the average private school tuition in Georgia is just over $11,000, with schools charging between about $1,000 per year to over $57,000.
No public input
The committee passed the bill without public comment, despite Parent’s objection.
“I really object to rushing a bill of this consequence and not allowing people who have come to the Capitol two times to be heard on it to speak before trying to jam it out of committee,” she said.
Committee Chair Chuck Payne, a Dalton Republican, said there were eight people signed up to speak for the bill and 13 people signed up to speak against it, but they would not get the chance because of limited time.
“Tomorrow is the day we have the deadline, by tomorrow morning, the start of session tomorrow, all bills have to be out of committee, that’s why we’re doing this morning,” he said.
One of the speakers opposed to the bill was Stephen Owens, senior k-12 education policy analyst at the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute.
“I was ready to bring up the fact that $6,000 (the amount included in this voucher bill) is more than schools are given from the state to educate many of their students,” he said. “This year the state provides $5,751 per student, but this average is heavily weighted by students in programs that demand more resources—English Language Learners and students with disabilities are a couple. General education high school students are allotted less than $4,200, a full $1,800 less than the voucher gives. It would only take 42 high school students to use this voucher to deprive the departing public school of $175,000 and hand out $252,000 to a private school, a difference of the salary and benefits for one additional teacher. Why is the state considering prioritizing private education over the public system of education we are constitutionally mandated to support?”
School board meetings
The vote on the bill came after the committee approved another Miller bill designed to protect public access to local board of education meetings.
Battles over masks and so-called critical race theory have led to some rowdy moments in school board meetings around the state, and some parents have been escorted out or, in some cases, arrested. Republican legislators have been focused on passing laws this session that codify the rights of parents in the state.
Miller and Sen. Clint Dixon, a Buford Republican, planned to hold an “Empower Parents” rally in Gwinnett Tuesday evening featuring parents who were removed from Gwinnett County school board meetings.
The proposed law states that “No member of the public shall be removed from a public meeting of a local board of education except for actual disruption of the proceedings and in accordance with the rules of conduct for meetings open to the public adopted and published by the local board of education” and allows for parents who say they have been unfairly kicked out to go to court for relief.
The bulk of the language replicates what is already written in Georgia’s open meetings law, said Jorge Gomez, executive director of administration and policy at Gwinnett County Public Schools.
Gomez said the district believes that the public has a right to attend any board meeting until they cause a disruption, but the bill does not go far enough in defining what is enough to qualify as disrupting a meeting.
“When you say it’s against the law to substantially disrupt a board meeting, what that means to you may be different than what it means to me,” he said. “So, what I would say would be that the bill appears to be duplicative in nature and does not define the key term of substantial disruption. Without a specific definition, that leaves it to broad interpretation.”
Both bills are now slated to head to the full Senate. If they find approval there, the new voucher bill may receive an icier than usual reception in the House.
The continuing battle over school choice took a strange turn this year when House Speaker David Ralston declared the death of a similar bill after a group supporting it sent out mailers to Republican voters urging them to resist the radical left by ensuring their representatives supported the legislation.
“That voucher legislation will not move at all in the Georgia House of Representatives this year, period,” Ralston told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
GBI artist rendering of suspect (Gainesville Police Department/Facebook)
The City of Gainesville Police Department is asking for the public’s help in their search to identify an armed robber.
Police say the robbery occurred on Monday, Feb. 28, around 11:30 p.m. at
Kelly’s Kapers, a liquor store on Broad Street in Gainesville. According to the police department, the store clerk was held at gunpoint by a lone suspect who demanded cash.
The suspect is described as a light skin male, 5’10 to 6′ tall with a thin build. He was wearing sunglasses and a light pink hoodie with black pants at the time of the hold up, police say. The hoodie is described as having a colored emblem on the front left and a design down the center of the back.
Investigators worked with a GBI forensic artist to create a composite sketch of the suspect. Now, investigators are asking the public to share any information they may have about the suspect and crime.
On Tuesday, the Georgia Senate Judiciary Committee advanced a controversial bill that would impose stiffer criminal penalties on protesters when violence or property damage occurs, puts local governments on the hook if protests turn violent and require a permit to hold rallies. Protesters marched down the streets of Atlanta on the anniversary of George Floyd’s murder. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
Senate Bill 171 narrowly advanced through the Senate Judiciary Committee with a 5-4 vote along party lines on Tuesday after a hearing where detractors said the bill unlawfully violates freedom of expression and the right to assemble protected by the First and Fourteenth Amendments.
Critics of the bill include First Amendment lawyers, progressive organizations like the ACLU and Americans for Prosperity, a libertarian and conservative advocacy organization.
Under the bill, a person would face one to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000 if convicted of blocking a highway or participating in a protest with seven or more people that turns violent or damages property.
Spray painting or other ways of defacing a publicly owned monument, structure, or cemetery could result in up to five years in prison, a $10,000 fine, and the tab to repair or replace the monument.
During the 2020 season of protests in Georgia calling for racial justice, Confederate monuments across the state were vandalized, including a prominent marker in downtown Athens.
Cataula Republican Sen. Randy Robertson has said the bill is meant to target events like the 2020 protests in Atlanta that in a few instances turned violent and damaged businesses to the tune of millions. He also cited the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot.
“What this bill does is protect the rights of any Georgian to go out there and exercise their First Amendment rights under the Constitution of the United States of America about any issue they choose to do without fear of being assaulted or hurt,” Robertson said. “It also reminds cities like Atlanta that citizens pay taxes and public safety is a primary responsibility of the city.”
Sen. Randy Robertson. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder
The bill also permanently bars anyone convicted of breaking the law from working for state or local governments and offers a legal shield to people who injure or kill protesters while fleeing if they have a reasonable belief they needed to do so to protect themselves.
The bill was amended Tuesday to remove protection of property from the bill’s proposed justifications to cause injury.
Opponents of the bill argue that it intends to prevent peaceful rallies and protests from taking place on public property by also creating a burdensome permitting process. Organizers would be required to provide to local government and law enforcement agencies contact information of people responsible for keeping order, along with an emergency action plan that addresses first aid and security measures.
Kevin Joachin, a community organizer for Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights, said that the senators who have signed the bill demonstrate their lack of understanding on why protesting is necessary when other approaches have failed in situations such as a Black person being unjustly killed by police.
“I don’t know what this has to do with places like Cataula, Ocilla, Tyrone– the origin of a lot of these representatives who support this bill, but it sounds like people who aren’t from Atlanta, who aren’t Black, who aren’t from communities of color are trying to prevent progress here in the state of Georgia,” Joachin said.
Robertson’s bill is among a slew of Republican tough-on-crime legislation that adds on mandatory minimum sentences, escalates misdemeanors into felonies, and prevents felons from accessing diversion programs for drug and mental health.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and other Republican lawmakers have cited violent crime rates in Atlanta and other parts of the state as reasons to stiffen criminal penalties and provide more resources to police departments, sheriff’s offices, and other law enforcement agencies.
Civil rights organizations say the harsher penalties and other punishments would be a major setback to criminal justice reforms made by Kemp’s predecessor, Republican Gov. Nathan Deal.
On Tuesday representatives for the City of Atlanta and the lobbying organization for county governments spoke out against the bill’s provision that says local governments can be sued if local leaders tell police not to intervene with protesters. An Atlanta city council member urged police to stand down as an armed encampment of protesters took over a Wendy’s where Rashard Brooks was shot by an officer in June 2020.
Larry Ramsey, an attorney for the Association County Commissioners of Georgia, said the law is troubling in 146 of the state’s 159 counties, where sheriffs are responsible for law enforcement, and county commissioners have no control over that.
“I’m concerned that many counties would be in the posture of balancing the state law requirement to have a permitting scheme and then also trying not to tread on citizens First Amendment and Georgia free speech rights, particularly in traditional public forums like sidewalks and courthouses,” he said.
Georgia legislators should be more focused on mass incarceration and other criminal justice problems, said Kareem El-Hosseiny, director of government affairs for the Georgia chapter of Council on American-Islamic Relations.
“We’re all here debating a bill that would curtail our constitutionally protected rights,” he said. “Even now, as I speak, truckers from all around the country are gathered in our nation’s capital doing loops around the Capital Beltway tying up traffic, all to protest the government imposed COVID-19 protocols.
“If SB 171 were to pass, the truckers protest would very likely be unlawful if it happened in this state,” El-Hosseiny said.
The Georgia State Patrol late Tuesday released details of a crash in White County that killed two 16-year-old boys from Habersham. Dawson Zachery Ansley of Baldwin and Walter Avery Camargo of Cornelia died as a result of the wreck around 12:25 a.m. on March 8.
According to the state patrol, Camargo was driving a white Hyundai Sonata northbound on GA 384/Duncan Bridge Road at a high rate of speed when he ran off the road.
“The vehicle then began to rotate and with its passenger side struck a driveway culvert. The vehicle then vaulted before striking a second driveway culvert and overturning,” says Sgt. Michael Best of GSP Post 6 in Gainesville.
After overturning, the car traveled up an embankment and struck a wooden fence before coming to a rest in a ditch.
Shortly after midnight, prior to the crash, a White County Sheriff’s patrol deputy reported seeing a white vehicle traveling northbound on GA 384 at a high rate of speed. He said the vehicle ran a stop sign at the intersection with GA 254.
“The deputy activated his emergency lights in an attempt to catch up to the vehicle, but quickly resumed normal operations once he realized he had lost sight of the vehicle,” says White County Sheriff Rick Kelley.
That vehicle, says Kelley, is the same one later found wrecked on GA 384 north of Pless Road, some three miles from the intersection.
When deputies arrived at the crash site, Kelley says they found Camargo unresponsive behind the wheel of the car: He later died on his way to the hospital. Ansley was pronounced dead at the scene.
Both teens were former Habersham County school students but were no longer enrolled, says Habersham school superintendent Matthew Cooper. They had withdrawn to be homeschooled.
“We are saddened by this tragedy and will be praying for their families,” he says.
Sheriff Kelley, too, offered his condolences to the family, telling WRWH News, “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the victims.”
Gas prices in Northeast Georgia rose above $4 per gallon this week as the economic fallout from the war in Ukraine ramps up here at home. The situation in Europe has accelerated price increases at the pump, which were already rising as demand rebounded from a slump early in the pandemic, exceeding supplies.
The national average for a gallon of regular fuel is now $4.173, according to AAA, after jumping 55 cents in the last week alone. That’s the highest ever recorded, not accounting for inflation, NPR reports.
The previous record price was $4.114 set in the summer of 2008.
The current average price in Georgia is $4.06 per gallon of regular unleaded, 11 cents lower than the national average.
Source: American Automobile Association
In Habersham County, gas was under $3.60 per gallon less than two weeks ago. Now, prices range between $3.90 and $4.50 per gallon.
And drivers are not likely to find any relief soon.
In less than two weeks, the prices at Chevron in Demorest have increased by $1.10. (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)
President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that the United States is banning imports of Russian oil and gas as part of the country’s sanctions against the Russian government. He says the sanctions have bipartisan support and will target the “main artery” of Russia’s economy.
But he says this is ban will cost the American people financially to continue the nation’s support of Ukraine.
“Defending freedom is going to cost,” Biden said. “It’s going to cost us as well in the United States.”
While American support for Ukraine remains high, many drivers, like Slade Dover, are wondering how much more they can afford.
“My mom normally pays for my gas, but it’s been a lot recently,” says Dover, a Habersham Central athlete, who says he doesn’t have time between school and sports to work to help pay for gas.
He’s one of four in his family that drive, with two other brothers that also drive trucks. “It’s going to be really hard to afford to fill these trucks, they hold a lot of gas.”
He says he’s worried about how rising gas prices will impact his family, as well as the rest of the community.
Dover, a high school student, is worried about how gas prices could affect his family. (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)
“I don’t like how it’s going, here or in other places in the world,” Dover said as he filled up his truck at Racetrac in Cornelia. “It’s a tough time.”
In an effort to ease prices at the pump, Governor Brian Kemp announced Tuesday he is temporarily suspending Georgia’s gas tax. He also took the opportunity to try and win some political points in an election year where inflation and high energy prices are weighing heavily on voters’ minds and wallets.
“Due to a total failure of leadership in Washington, we are actively working with the Georgia House and Senate to quickly move legislation that will temporarily suspend the state’s motor fuel tax and lessen the significant impact higher gas prices are having on Georgia families,” Kemp tweeted. “Because of our strong, fiscally conservative budgeting, I’m confident we will be able to provide relief to hardworking Georgians – both in the form of a tax refund and lower gas taxes.”
A recent NPR-Marist survey found that 83% of Americans support financial sanctions on Russia, and 69% say they would continue to support such sanctions even if energy prices rise.
This article has been updated with additional information
