Home Blog Page 1236

Legal threats fly as lawmakers build momentum for new Georgia Senate map

By
Jill Nolin and Ross Williams
-
The metro Atlanta district represented by state Sen. Michelle Au, a Johns Creek Democrat, would become 49% white under the GOP-drawn map – up from 35% white today. Au is the state’s only Asian senator. (Jill Nolin/Georgia Recorder)

ATLANTA (GA Recorder) — The state Senate passed its new district map with a party-line vote after a three-hour debate Tuesday that offered a preview of the likely legal arguments to come.

The 34-to-21 vote moves the new Senate districts over to the House, but the opposite chamber typically signs off on the other’s plan. The House is set to vote on its own new district lines Wednesday. Once the legislative map-making is finished, the work will move on to the contentious process of drawing borders for Georgia’s 14 congressional districts.

In the Senate, Republicans have ceded one seat out of the chamber’s 56 in hopes of holding on to the whole chamber for another decade under a political map they hope will survive a likely racial discrimination challenge in court.

This is the first redistricting and reapportionment since a 2013 U.S. Supreme Court ruling ended the requirement for Justice Department oversight. The high court has barred federal courts from hearing challenges to partisan gerrymandering, but the Voting Rights Act does allow claims of intentional racial discrimination.

Macon Republican Sen. John Kennedy, who chairs the chamber’s redistricting committee, says mapmakers turned to legal counsel for consultation on how to draw lines that comply with the Voting Rights Act. He also touted the map’s districts as contiguous and compact. No Senate incumbents are paired in the map, which means drawn into the same district.

“Yes, there was a political aspect, and that’s okay because that’s part of the process,” Kennedy said to his colleagues Tuesday.

But critics pressed GOP leaders to draw more majority-minority districts to reflect Georgia’s increasingly diverse population and divided electorate. They also urged Republicans to allow more time for public input on a proposal unveiled last Tuesday, which was a week before the final vote and shortly before the Atlanta Braves clinched the World Series title for the first time in 26 years.

Georgia’s white population decreased over the last decade and the state’s growth since the last official headcount is due to more people of color calling Georgia home.

At the time of the 2020 U.S. Census, the state’s white residents represented about 52% of the population. Last year, the white lawmakers made up more than two-thirds of the Georgia General Assembly.

“This map takes pains to ensure white minority rule,” said Sen. Elena Parent, an Atlanta Democrat who had a lead role in developing the Democrats’ alternative map. “The Republican party has become more and more enamored of tactics that enable minority rule and these districts are another example.”

Specifically, Democrats criticized changes to districts in Henry County creating safer territory for McDonough Republican Sen. Brian Strickland, who was narrowly re-elected last year, and changes to a Fulton County seat that set up the Senate’s only Asian member, Johns Creek Democrat Sen. Michelle Au, for a tough reelection bid next year.

The district represented by Au, who was elected to the Senate last year, would go from one that voted 59% for President Joe Biden last year to one that went nearly 52% for former President Donald Trump. The makeup of the new district, which would now reach into Forsyth County, would also become nearly half white, up from about 35% now.

In a speech, Au attributed her presence in the Senate chamber to the state’s growing diversity.

“The Republican map under consideration does not add even a single majority-minority district over the total we’ve had for the past decade. It’s as if the huge population growth we’ve seen consisting essentially entirely of Georgians of color has been rendered invisible,” Au said.

Longtime Sen. David Lucas, a Macon Democrat, also criticized changes made to his district that slightly shrunk the total Black population, which he blamed partly on the ripples from the Henry County district’s makeover.

“We cannot afford to allow you to do this to us. It ain’t gonna happen. So, you can either work at it and try to get it straight right now or go ahead down the path you headed and we’ll see you in court,” Lucas said.

Republicans have shrugged off the criticism, often pointing to a Democratic-drawn map in 2001 that was ruled unconstitutional and reminding Democrats that some of them voted for that map two decades ago.

“The maps were found to be illegal, they were found to be unconstitutional, they were found to be in violation of the Voting Rights Act. In fact, they’re so bad, they’re in college textbooks,” said Roswell Republican Sen. John Albers.

House vote is up next

The House’s state legislative map is poised for a full vote Wednesday after clearing two major hurdles Tuesday.

The plan passed the House redistricting committee and the House Rules Committee largely along party lines, with Democrats asking for more time to analyze the new boundaries and Republicans arguing lawmakers already received feedback via summer meetings, online comments and a marathon public hearing held Monday, the same day the map was introduced.

The latest plan received the same overall B grade from the nonpartisan Princeton Gerrymandering Project as the one proposed by the Republican caucus last week, but the new map is slightly less competitive and favors incumbents slightly more, said Karen McCown of Fair Districts Georgia, a partner of the Princeton project.

The map slated for a House vote includes seven competitive districts, down from the nine in the original Republican plan, and 45 extreme districts, up from 33, McCown said. Princeton researchers found the new map contains 109 minority districts, which include majority-minority and minority influence districts, one fewer than the previous map and two less than the current map.

A map submitted by the Democratic Caucus received the same grade with analysts pointing out similar concerns.

The House is set to convene Wednesday at 11 a.m. for a vote, and debate will be limited to two hours.

Cornelia, Demorest join Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program

By
Hadley Cottingham
-
(Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)

The cities of Demorest and Cornelia have both joined Georgia’s Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program, which would expand the availability of water access to families who are unable to afford their bills.

“I think it’s an excellent idea; the City of Demorest has always taken great efforts to make sure that we accommodated anyone who is having financial troubles and being able to pay for their water,” Demorest Mayor Rick Austin said at their work session discussion of the program. “I’m not aware of anyone who has called city office and said ‘I can’t make my monthly [water] payment this month,’ that we’ve turned off.”

Both the City of Demorest and City of Cornelia unanimously voted to join the program this month, following suit after Clarkesville joined the program in October.

The program was created by the Department of Health and Human Service and Administration for Children and Families and sponsored through the Biden administration’s American Rescue Plan.

The funding gives states the ability to implement this assistance program within their municipalities, should they opt-in. The cities will receive water payments for utility customers from the state, and the money will go into an account in the customer’s name.

Those interested in becoming part of this program should go through the application process with the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services and Ninth District Opportunity Services. The form for requesting utility assistance, as well as all other services, is located here.

This article has been updated.

Decline in Georgia’s Covid numbers may be just a lull

By
Andy Miller
-
(Source: GA DPH COVID-19 Daily Status Report)

The recent news on Covid in Georgia appears quite good – cases, hospitalizations and deaths have all dropped to a low plateau, state health officials said Tuesday.

But the number of vaccinations has also shown a recent decline, with the rate of Georgia residents fully vaccinated now hovering at about 50 percent. During October, vaccinations dropped 30 percent to 40 percent.

That could change since the recent approval of the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5 to 11.

Yet Cherie Drenzek, the state epidemiologist, told the Georgia Department of Public Health’s board that she remains cautious about what lies ahead. “This virus does nothing but surprise us,’’ she said.

Nearly all the recent hospitalizations and deaths have occurred in unvaccinated individuals, she said.

The virus is surging in some states in the West, and also in Europe, Drenzek said. California, New Mexico and Colorado, along with some Northern states, have seen case numbers rise over the past two weeks, according to data in the New York Times.

New cases in the Southeast remain very low, she said.

In Georgia, just 8 percent of counties have high transmission rates, Drenzek said. They include Chattahoochee County, which is home to a large part of the Army’s Fort Benning, and Bacon County in southeast Georgia.

Dr. Harry Heiman, a public health expert at Georgia State University, said Tuesday that there are positive and encouraging trends on Covid in the state, “but we are far from out of the woods.’’

(Fusion Medical Animation/Unsplash)

“Our vaccination rate in Georgia remains among the worst in the nation, which means that if there is another Delta surge over the holidays, there are still many vulnerable Georgians, especially in rural parts of the state,’’ Heiman said.

“Now is a time to remain vigilant, work even harder to increase vaccination rates, including among newly eligible children, and not back away from evidence-based practices like indoor mask mandates . . . or do away with mask mandates in schools,’’ he added.

Georgia Public Health officials are encouraging businesses to offer incentives for workers to get vaccinated.

Gov. Brian Kemp, who has also promoted vaccinations in Georgia, nevertheless joined state Attorney General Chris Carr, along with Alabama and Florida officials, in filing a lawsuit Friday to challenge a federal order requiring companies with 100 or more employees to impose mandatory Covid vaccinations of their staff or weekly testing by Jan. 4.

A similar legal complaint from Louisiana officials led a federal appeals court Saturday to suspend the new vaccine requirement while judges can review the law.

On a national level, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington is projecting a moderate surge in Covid cases this winter.

UGA athletes

IHME modeler Christopher J.L. Murray said last Thursday that reductions in cases, estimated infections, and hospitalizations have essentially stopped in the United States, and we are starting to turn toward another rise in infections.

Rising Covid-19 numbers here in the Northern Hemisphere are due, in part, to the fact that winter temperatures are coming, Murray said.

Vaccine-derived immunity against Covid wanes considerably over the six-month period after vaccination, he said.

Another factor, Murray added, is that “people are much less cautious than last winter, as mask use is much lower. Currently, it is below 40% in the U.S. – slightly higher than that in Europe, but much lower than a year ago.’’

TFS drops season-opening scrimmages to Rabun Gap

By
TFS Athletics
-
Pictured, Veronaye Charlton (photo by Austin Poffenberger)

The Lady Indians opened the season in a non-counting scrimmage against rivals Rabun Gap on the home court Tuesday, coming out with a 54-38 loss.

The first quarter saw the Lady Indians pull ahead 6-0 quickly and later increased the lead with a 3-point play by junior Veronaye Charlton. TFS led 17-13 at the end of the first.

TFS scrimmaged with Rabun Gap on Nov. 9, 2021. (photo by Austin Poffenberger)

In the second, a 21-15 lead vanished when Rabun Gap eventually took a 24-21 lead on a couple of 3-pointers. However, the Lady Indians went on a 5-0 run to end the half up 26-24. Charlton had 12 points in the first half, while Macy Murdock had six and Denika Lightbourne four. The lone varsity freshmen, Haygen James and Breelyn Wood, both scored their first unofficial varsity points in the first half.

The third quarter proved the dagger for TFS, as the Lady Indians scored just one point and had no buckets until the 6:38 mark in the fourth quarter. Rabun Gap went on a 9-0 run to go up 33-26 and led 37-27 at the end of the third. The visitors opened the fourth with another run to go up 43-27 before TFS stormed back to within 45-38. That was as close as the Lady Indians would get though, as it was 54-38 when the final buzzer sounded.

Charlton led with 18 points, while Lightbourne added 11. Murdock had six, while both James and Wood ended with two apiece. The girls open the regular season on Friday at Mt. Paran.

The Indians saw rivals Rabun Gap pull away late in the first half behind a flurry of 3-pointers to an eventual 71-46 final Tuesday night at Tallulah Falls. TFS held close until midway through the second, when the Eagles got hot from beyond the arc.

Pictured, Milos Vico in TFS’ Nov. 9, 2021, scrimmage against Rabun Gap. (photo by Austin Poffenberger)

Rabun Gap opened the game with a 7-0 run, but TFS pulled within 7-4. A 16-4 Eagles lead led to an Indians timeout, and the visitors led 20-11 at the end of the first. The Indians pulled within 20-15 in the second quarter after going on a run, forcing the Eagles to burn a timeout. Rabun Gap then ran up to a 42-20 halftime lead. Anfernee Hanna and Charlie Cody led the Indians with nine and seven points in the first half, respectively.

The second half saw Rabun Gap pull away, though TFS got the crowd ignited when both Devonte Allen and Hanna threw down thunderous back-to-back dunks, and Hanna added a 3-point play to pull within 45-27. By the end of the third, however, the Eagles held a sizeable 63-31 lead on the way to a 71-46 final.

The Indians were paced by Hanna’s team-high 14 points, which included a 3-pointer. Cody had nine, while Allen and Diego Crotta both had six points. Milos Vico and Lincoln Hall both had four points, while Zakhar Valasiuk had two and Gavin Page one.

The Indians will officially open the regular season on Friday at Mt. Paran.

GDOT closes section of I-85 North near Commerce for emergency bridge repair

By
Staff Report
-
(GDOT)

If you’re traveling I-85 North near Commerce this morning, expect possible delays. The Georgia Department of Transportation on Tuesday closed a section of the interstate for emergency bridge construction.

The closed section is at milepost 144.5 on the northbound bridge over the North Oconee River.

GDOT says the closure was necessary to protect drivers. Those traveling should expect “heavy delays” at peak rush hour.

The road could remain closed into early Wednesday morning, transportation officials say.

 

Baked chicken with cornflakes and cheese

By
Mitzi Oxford
-

Somehow I had lost track of this recipe over the years. My bad. It is one of our favorite chicken recipes. Maximum flavor, easy, and delicious!

I went through all my recipe files recently and found it. Am I glad I did! I almost always have chicken, shredded cheese, and cornflakes on hand so it was an easy decision this week when I was contemplating, “What’s for dinner?”

If you like a baked chicken recipe that you can throw together with minimal effort, this is a great one to try.

Ingredients:

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

-In a medium bowl, mix the cornflake crumbs and Cheddar cheese.

-Dip the chicken breasts in the melted butter, milk, and garlic powder mixture. Then roll them in the cornflake crumb and cheese. Place chicken in a lightly greased 9×13 inch baking dish.

-Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

This is an easy, delicious way to prepare baked chicken. It’s also juicy and tender. I served the chicken with roasted Brussel sprouts and parmesan roasted potatoes. Yum!

Americans eat a record 93 pounds of chicken per person each year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. So here’s to the chickens who may get a reprieve as we approach Thanksgiving when the turkey takes center stage.

Let me know if you have a favorite family chicken recipe you are willing to share. [email protected].

GHSA to hear appeals today

By
Todd Holcomb
-

St. Pius, Woodward Academy and Carrollton don’t want to compete in Class 7A next year, and Class A private schools Trinity Christian and Holy Innocents’ want to move up to Class 4A.

Pace Academy also wants in 4A, while Lovett, slated for 4A, wants to stay in 2A.

Marist, Cartersville and Calhoun also are among 60 schools that will contest their class assignments for 2022-23 today, when the Georgia High School Association will hear appeals – 43 from schools wanting to move down in classification, 17 from schools wanting to move up.

That’s more than double the number of appeals the GHSA heard in 2019 during the most recent reclassification. It’s largely the result of a new 3.0 multiplier designed to place in higher classes those schools that get a large percentage of students from outside their attendance zones.

Larger private schools were the most affected in reclassification, which will go into effect next year. Of the eight biggest private schools, only Westminster and Benedictine, both slated for Class 4A, are not appealing.

Joining Marist, St. Pius and Woodward in appealing to move down will be Lovett, Blessed Trinity and Greater Atlanta Christian.

Lovett is actually bidding to remain in Class 2A, where it won five state titles, mostly in golf and tennis, in 2020-21. It was the success of Lovett and Pace in 2A that partly sparked the movement to increase the multiplier to mitigate private-school sports domination.

While most schools are appealing to play in lower classes, others prefer to play higher, usually to remain in regions with nearby schools in order to reduce travel and foster rivalries. Milton, an all-sports power, could’ve gone down to 6A but is requesting to remain in 7A.

Schools petitioning to move up generally get their wish, but private schools wanting to move often face resistance. Pace Academy, Holy Innocents’ and Trinity Christian realize their chances of moving into 2A and 3A will be slim so are asking to compete at the lowest level that other larger private schools have been placed, which is 4A. Fellowship Christian, another Class A Private school, is asking to be in 2A, where there currently are no private schools pegged for 2022-23.

Schools appealing to move down:

From 7A to 6A: Arabia Mountain, Camden County, Carrollton, East Paulding, Etowah, Kennesaw Mountain, Richmond Hill, Rockdale County, St. Pius, Woodward Academy

From 6A to 5A: Blessed Trinity, Cartersville, Chapel Hill, KIPP Atlanta Collegiate, Marist, New Manchester

From 6A to 4A: Thomas County Central

From 5A to 4A: Calhoun, Flowery Branch, Greater Atlanta Christian, Jefferson, Jenkins, Perry, Riverdale, Starr’s Mill, Walnut Grove, Whitewater

From 4A to 3A: Central-Macon, Cross Creek, Johnson-Savannah, Pickens, Richmond Academy, Ridgeland, Sonoraville, West Hall

From 4A to 2A: Lovett

From 3A to 2A: Bremen, East Jackson, Therrell, Thomasville, Vidalia

From 2A to A: Bryan County, Social Circle

Schools petitioning to play up:

7A: Milton

6A: Jackson County

5A: Mays

4A: Holy Innocents’, Mary Persons, Pace Academy, Trinity Christian

3A: Savannah, Woodville-Tompkins

2A: Aquinas, B.E.S.T. Academy, Coretta Scott King, Davidson Fine Arts, Elite Scholars, Fellowship Christian, Johnson-Augusta, Technical Career Magnet

 

Produced by Georgia High School Football Daily, a free e-mail newsletter. To join the mailing list, click here.

Season Recap: TFS Varsity Cross Country

By
TFS Athletics
-

On a challenging course in Carrollton on Saturday morning of November 6, the TFS cross country teams outperformed their respective predicted finishes at the state meet. Going into the season finale, the girls were picked to finish 18th and the boys 14th among 1A Private schools.

Evan Prince paced the Indians with his best finish ever at state, coming in third among 201 runners to propel the boys to a 13th place finish as a team. The girls, led by freshman Josie Chesser’s 49th-place run, also came in 13th.

Tallulah Falls cross country made history throughout the season, with nearly every runner on the varsity team surpassing previous personal bests. Several runners like Walker Bailey, Jenna Chesser, Canon Brooks, Miranda Chapa, Caroline Ball, Lucy Alexander, Zhigao Henrry Xiong, Austin Ball, Kailyn Neal, and Jackson Shadburn – just to name some outside of Prince and Josie Chesser – continued to run at a high level throughout the season.

Both teams were able to qualify for the state meet out of Region 8-A Private when placing third at the region meet. Prince was crowned the region champion individually for the second straight time, becoming only the second TFS athlete to win two or more individual cross country region titles. Prince’s finish at state was the 24th best time out of all classifications (1,649 runners), giving him a second straight invite to the Meet of Champions. Alexander competed in her third state meet, becoming the only TFS girl to ever accomplish the feat.

The boys qualified for state for a third straight season, while the girls qualified for the second time ever. Alexander qualified as an individual last season.

“This season was much like life itself; plenty of challenges, successes, and memories galore,” states coach Scott Neal. “Significantly increased summer preparation mileage, varied team leadership opportunities, hosting GREAT meets, traditions like the quadrathlon, camping trip, and spaghetti dinner, traipsing diverse trails, and enduring not so common workouts pool running and grueling cardio, provided a season of significance. Time improvements over last year on the same courses, all the success, and plenty to reminisce about in future decades strengthened the experience of TFS cross country. I was proud of our performance, of our GREAT attitude and representation, and of the growing expectations in the program.”

PROGRAM HISTORY/RECORDS – BOYS | GIRLS

Police: Defendant changed story on why he suspected Arbery

By
Associated Press
-
Greg McMichael, center, listens to arguments during the trial of himself, his son Travis McMichael, and a neighbor, William "Roddie" Bryan in the Glynn County Courthouse, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021, in Brunswick, Ga. The three are charged with the February 2020 slaying of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton, Pool)

The man who initiated the chase that ended in Ahmaud Arbery’s death rapidly changed his story to police on why he suspected Arbery was a criminal.

Glynn County police Officer Jeff Brandeberry, a patrol officer who interviewed Greg McMichael at the scene of the February 2020 shooting, told a jury Tuesday that McMichael at first told him Arbery had been caught on video “breaking in all these houses out here.”

Glynn County Police Officer Jeff Brandeberry sits on the witness stand during the trial of Greg McMichael and his son, Travis McMichael, and a neighbor, William "Roddie" Bryan in the Glynn County Courthouse, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021, in Brunswick, Ga.
Glynn County Police Officer Jeff Brandeberry sits on the witness stand during the trial of Greg McMichael and his son, Travis McMichael, and a neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan in the Glynn County Courthouse, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021, in Brunswick, Ga. (Pool photo)

McMichael’s account shifted when he spoke with a Glynn County detective at police headquarters late the same day. He then said Arbery had been recorded entering a single home still under construction a few times.

MORE: Graphic photos of Ahmaud Arbery’s wounds shown to jury

Detective Parker Marcy testified that Greg McMichael said he armed himself because he suspected Arbery may have stolen a handgun from his son’s truck several weeks earlier, though he acknowledged he had no proof.

Glynn County Police Department Investigative Detective Parker Marcy sits on the witness stand during the trial of Greg McMichael and his son, Travis McMichael, and a neighbor, William "Roddie" Bryan in the Glynn County Courthouse, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021, in Brunswick, Ga.
Glynn County Police Department Investigative Detective Parker Marcy sits on the witness stand during the trial of Greg McMichael and his son, Travis McMichael, and a neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan in the Glynn County Courthouse, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021, in Brunswick, Ga. (Pool photo)

The detective said he asked whether the videos of Arbery inside the home under construction showed him picking up or taking anything.

“You know, not that I recall,” Greg McMichael answered, according to the interview transcript that the detective read in court. “I don’t think the guy has actually stolen anything out of there, or if he did it was early in the process. But he keeps going back over and over again to this damn house.”

McMichael and his adult son, Travis McMichael, armed themselves and chased Arbery in a pickup truck after spotting him running in their neighborhood. Neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan joined them and took cellphone video of Arbery being shot. All three men are charged with murder.

This article appears on Now Habersham through a news partnership with GPB News

Jackson County Sheriff’s deputy dies days after being shot in the line of duty

By
Joy Purcell
-
Jackson County Deputy Lena Marshall died 3 days after she was shot while responding to a domestic 911 call. (photo Jackson County Sheriff's Office Facebook)

Funeral services are scheduled next week for a Jackson County deputy who died after being shot in the line of duty. Lena Marshall passed away Monday, November 8, days after being wounded while responding to a domestic call at a home in Hoschton.

A woman at the home fired at Marshall, hitting her several times. A second deputy fired back, killing the shooter, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. She has been identified as 43-year-old Jessica Worsham.

The GBI says the people who owned the home had asked Worsham to leave.

Marshall will be laid to rest on Monday, November 15, following a 2 p.m service at Free Chapel Church in Braselton. A law enforcement escort will accompany her body.

“Please continue to pray for Deputy Marshall’s family, her friends, all of us here at the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, along with all law enforcement,” the Sheriff posted to her Facebook page.

This is the 84th officer-involved shooting the GBI has investigated so far this year.

A GoFundMe account set up to help Marshall’s daughter has raised more than $48,000.

A Benefit Fund has also been set up at Northeast Georgia Bank in Jefferson, Georgia

Former Georgia senator, secretary of state Max Cleland dies

By
Joy Purcell
-
Former Georgia Senator Max Cleland salutes delegates before introducing Sen. John Kerry at the Democratic National Convention Thursday, July 29, 2004 at the Fleet Center in Boston, Mass. Cleland, who lost three limbs to a Vietnam War hand grenade blast yet went on to serve as a U.S. senator from Georgia, died on Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. He was 79. (Ed Reinke, AP)

Friends and colleagues are mourning the passing of former Georgia Secretary of State and U.S. Sen. Max Cleland. Cleland, who also served as head of the U.S. Veterans Administration, died Tuesday at his Atlanta home from congestive heart failure, according to reports. He was 79.

A U.S. Army veteran, Cleland lost his right forearm and both legs during the Vietnam War after a grenade exploded near his unit in an accident during the Battle of Khe Sanh. He was 25 at the time. He later authored a book about his Vietnam experience and overcoming it titled, Strong at the Broken Places.

Cleland returned home to Georgia from the war and, two years later, was elected to the Georgia State Senate where he served from 1971-75.

When then Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter was elected president, he appointed Cleland to lead the U.S. Veterans Administration. Cleland was VA director from 1977 to 1981. In 1982, he was elected Georgia’s Secretary of State, a position he held for 14 years. When longtime Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn retired, Cleland ran for the seat, defeating Republican Guy Millner.

Cleland served one term in the U.S. Senate before losing to Republican Saxby Chambliss in the 2002 election. In 2009, President Barack Obama nominated him to serve as secretary of the American Battle Monuments Commission, a position he held until Obama left office.

Reflecting on his former Senate colleague’s life and death, President Biden Tuesday released a statement calling Cleland an ‘American hero.”

“As a 25-year-old serving in the 1st Cavalry Division of the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, Max lost both of his legs and his right arm in a grenade explosion at Khe Sanh. After grueling months in the hospital, enduring multiple surgeries and a long road back to recovery, Max turned his pain into purpose. He continued his distinguished public service, becoming a lifelong champion of the dignity and rights of working people and America’s wounded veterans.”

Biden also reflected on his time serving with Cleland in the U.S. Senate.

“He was a man of unflinching patriotism, boundless courage, and rare character.  I was proud to have Max by my side. He will be remembered as one of Georgia’s and America’s great leaders.”

MORE: Max Cleland’s life of courage and public service celebrated at U.S., Georgia capitols

Former President Carter released this statement upon news of Cleland’s death: “Rosalynn and I join thousands of Americans in mourning the loss of our dear friend Max Cleland. A true American hero who was no stranger to sacrifice, Max gave of his talents in service as a Georgia state senator, secretary of state, head of the VA, and U.S. senator. We are grateful for his commitment to the citizens of the United States, but also for the personal role he played in our lives. We know his legacy of courage and dedication will serve as inspiration for generations to come.”

The Georgia House of Representatives, currently in special session for redistricting, held a special moment of remembrance for Cleland.

Georgia Secretary of Agriculture and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Gary Black acknowledged the former senator’s love for his home state and inspiring nature.

Other tributes poured in through the media and online.

Baldwin annexes 133 acres as residents raise questions, concerns

By
Hadley Cottingham
-
(Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)

The Baldwin City Council voted Monday night to annex 132.65 acres of unincorporated land on the south end of Habersham County into the city. The unanimous 4-0 vote followed a lengthy public hearing and discussion with residents concerned about potential developments.

The land parcel in question sits in the Thompson Road, Alto Mud Creek Road area. (Google Maps)

The parcel in question sits in the Thompson Road, Alto Mud Creek Road area near GA 365. The land is owned by Acres & Acres, LLC.

Lula Capital LLC., the developer involved in the residential development that sparked controversy last year in Baldwin, has expressed interest in the property although, at this time, the developer has no plans for the land.

Packed house

The council meeting had the largest gathering of citizens it had seen in more than a year, with every seat in the municipal courtroom full by the time the public hearing began. The meeting took around two hours; the council heard every citizen’s comments, took questions, and offered explanations throughout the meeting.

“From the looks on their [the citizens’] faces and the energy that I was feeling in the room, I feel like one thing is for sure, we did a heck of a better job than we did the last time,” Baldwin Councilwoman Alice Venter said, referencing the annexation involved in last year’s residential development controversy. “I really hope that they felt […] like we were willing to listen to them and we were willing to take into consideration their concerns.”

Many of the citizens who spoke shared the sentiment that apartments and the development that may come along with them would take away from the rural atmosphere of Habersham County.

“Habersham County is known as a rural area, and we citizens would like to keep it that way,” resident Terri Rogers said. “If we start zoning this out into a multifamily unit, it’s going to cause an increase in 365 [trafic], which is already a very dangerous highway.”

Rogers wasn’t the only one to express concern about the impact residential developments would have on traffic in the area, noting the tragic wreck that occurred at the intersection just south of the one in question that claimed the lives of an Alto woman and her 5-year-old nephew.

“I don’t know if you guys are keeping a tally on how many wrecks and deaths are happening on 365 between Duncan Bridge and Highway 52, but it seems like each month, there are more and more wrecks,” said Baldwin citizen Tom Weyrich. “The greater number of apartment buildings and commercial entities that come in, the more traffic we have, the more this is going to become normal.”

Baldwin council members assured citizens their concerns were heard and explained steps they would take and shared insight that affected their concerns.

Councilwoman Stephanie Almagno pointed out that the unincorporated land the city voted to annex was zoned for the same things Baldwin would zone it for. She says that becoming part of the city subjected the land to Baldwin’s development standards and the council’s discretion when it comes to development. (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)

“At all times I value citizen comments, but it’s also incumbent upon the council to educate the citizens so they have all the info,” Councilwoman Stephanie Almagno said. “There are never easy answers to complex questions, and tonight was a really complex question. It was emotional because this is people’s largest investment. This is an investment in their community, their future [and] their family.”

The council explained the annexation process, zoning, minimum development standards, traffic studies, growth in the county and growth expected to come due to Hall County’s inland port to citizens, as well as addressed individual concerns.

“They [the citizens] needed the information that we had, and that’s why we took so much time tonight,” Almagno said. “Somebody came up to me and said, ‘I didn’t know all of that was going on,’ and the gentleman appreciated us taking the time to help them through it.”

Councilmember Alice Venter made the motion to approve the annexation and Theron Ayers seconded it; the second reading and final vote for the annexation will take place Monday, Nov. 15 at 6:30 p.m. in the Balwin Municipal Courtroom.

The Council maintains the annexation will give the city more control over any developments that come to that parcel in the coming years. While there currently are no plans for the land, the area is zoned for multi-family residential and light industrial use.

1...1,2351,2361,237...2,566Page 1,236 of 2,566
© Copyright 2025 - Now Habersham