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Georgia officials issue cease and desist order, alleging Georgian involved in cryptocurrency scheme

By
Staff Report
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Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (Credit: Riley Bunch/GPB News)

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, Georgia’s commissioner of securities, has issued a cease and desist order against Trage Technologies Limited after an investigation alleging unregistered securities offerings and fraudulent investment schemes.

The order was issued aginst Trage and its principals Graeme Gary Hearn, Michael Holloway and Georgia resident Eric Ture Muhammad on Wednesday, Dec. 18, for multiple alleged violations of the Georgia Uniform Securities Act of 2008. The allegations specifically involve cryptocurrency trading programs that “misled investors and threatened immediate harm to the public,” according to state officials. 

Raffensperger’s investigation led to allegations that Muhammad “marketed an automated cryptocurrency trading program to Georgia investors,” accusing Muhammad of “claiming registration” with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), though officials now say Trage “has never been registered” with the SEC nor the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office.

“This Emergency Order reflects our commitment to protect Georgia’s investors from fraudulent and unregistered securities schemes,” Raffensperger said. “These individuals have jeopardized the financial well-being of Georgians and lied to the public. We urge anyone affected to come forward and seek assistance.”

Raffensperger’s office said Trage and its principals used “aggressive marketing tactics” and “allegedly boasted unrealistic returns” – including daily profits of $120 and annual returns of $43,800 on a $10,000 investment, potentially “misleading investors into believing the program was a fail-safe investment.”

The investigation also “supported allegations” that investor assets exceeding $79 million were misappropriated and transferred to undisclosed recipients, according to state officials, raising suspicions of fraud.

Officials say Muhammad, the subject of an active Emergency Cease and Desist Order issued on January 22, continued to “promote unregistered investment schemes,” despite being barred from broker-dealer activities in Georgia. 

According to Raffensperger’s investigation, Muhammad also made “false claims” regarding regulatory settlements and continued to mislead investors.

“This emergency order reflects our commitment to protect Georgia’s investors from fraudulent and unregistered securities schemes,” Raffensperger said. “These individuals have jeopardized the financial well-being of Georgians and lied to the public. We urge anyone affected to come forward and seek assistance.”

Kemp announces efforts to strengthen Georgia workforce

By
Staff Report
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(Photo: Office of the Governor)

Gov. Brian Kemp on Tuesday announced that the State Workforce Development Board has granted approval to Georgia’s High Demand Career List – which is designed to incorporate education, training and workforce development with needs of employers statewide. 

The High Demand Career List is a component of the Governor’s Top State for Talent initiative – a part of Kemp’s strategy to boost business and opportunity in Georgia. 

The list seeks to identify careers high in demand, high-wage and high-skill to devise educational pathways for economic success and sustainable growth, according to state officials.

“As the number one state to do business for over a decade, maintaining our competitive edge remains a top goal for my administration and our partners in the legislature,” Kemp said. “Georgia’s High Demand Career List is our newest tool in that mission, promoting the alignment of education and training programs to the needs of job creators so we can bring even more opportunities to every part of the state for hardworking Georgians.”

The list, using various data sources, metrics and labor market trends, also serves as guidance for stakeholders, students and parents to decide ideal career choices that will remain high-in-demand and generate revenue to the state’s economy. 

These careers often require specialized training, like college credentials, apprenticeships or certifications to ensure future workers are equipped with proper skill sets. 

“The approval of the High Demand Career List marks a significant step in addressing Georgia’s workforce needs,” Stuart Countess, CEO of Kia Georgia and chair of the State Workforce Development Board, said. “By identifying careers that are critical to our economy, we can ensure that education and training programs are aligned with employer demands, helping to close skill gaps and provide Georgians with pathways to rewarding, high-paying careers.”

GSP details accident at GA 365 and GA 17 at Tommy Irvin interchange Tuesday

By
Jerry Neace
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(Nora Almazan/NowHabersham.com)

A crash report by Georgia State Patrol stated a driver who tried to make an sudden turn onto Toccoa Highway led to a three-vehicle wreck Tuesday, Dec. 17.

According to GSP, Rhiannon Lorene Wright, of Toccoa, was traveling southbound in a Toyota Odyssey in the right lane when she nearly missed her turn and abruptly attempted to make a right onto Toccoa Highway amid slick road conditions.

A report by GSP indicates Wright failed to maintain the lane of travel before she struck the front of a blue Jaguar F-Type driven by Edward Brian Fialkowski, 51, of Clarkesville, as he idled at the intersection.

The impact forced the Jaguar backward, according to authorities, and caused it to strike a red Honda CR-V driven by Delores Andrews Lovell, 80, of Clarkesville.

The three vehicle accident slowed traffic during Tuesday morning’s rush hour at the intersection of GA 365 and GA 17 at the Tommy Irvin interchange. According to Habersham County Public Information Officer Rob Moore, the accident occurred at 7:45 a.m.

According to Moore, emergency responders obtained two patient refusals from those involved in the accident. The accident scene was cleared by 8:45 a.m.

Huge spending bill unveiled in Congress provides more than $100 billion in disaster aid

By
Jennifer Shutt
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Storm damage from Hurricane Helen in western North Carolina. (Tyler Penland/NowHabersham.com)

WASHINGTON (States Newsroom) — The disaster aid section of the package will bolster funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Agriculture, the Small Business Administration and several other federal agencies to continue their ongoing response efforts following a slew of natural disasters during the last two years.

The 1,547-page package would give Congress until mid-March to complete work on the dozen annual government funding bills that were supposed to become law by Oct. 1.

It also extends the farm bill through Sept. 30, 2025. In a victory for corn growers, the bill includes a provision to allow nationwide sales of a gasoline blend that includes up to 15% ethanol throughout the year.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, said during a press conference before the bill was publicly released he had hoped the year-end stopgap spending bill would simply extend current funding until next year, when the GOP will hold the House, Senate and White House.

“But a couple of intervening things have occurred. We had, as we describe them, acts of God. We had these massive hurricanes if you know, in the late fall — Helene and Milton and other disasters,” Johnson said. “We have to make sure that the Americans who were devastated by these hurricanes get the relief they need. So we are adding to this a disaster relief package and that’s critically important.”

“Also important is the devastation that is being faced by our farming community,” he said. “The agriculture sector is really struggling. They’ve had effectively three lost years, and commodity prices are a bit of a mess. And you have input costs that have skyrocketed because of Bidenomics.”

Johnson defended his decision to attach the other provisions in the stopgap spending bill, also known as a continuing resolution. Numerous Republicans have expressed frustration with his choice to bundle all the bills together in one package instead of moving them individually.

“We have to be able to help those who are in these dire straits, and that’s what the volume of the pages to this is,” Johnson said.

House Appropriations Committee ranking member Rosa DeLauro, a Connecticut Democrat, said in a written statement she would support the bill when that chamber votes on it later this week.

“While I — and so many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle — wish we were voting on full-year funding bills, I am pleased that this package includes important resources for American farmers, emergency defense investments, investments in the Virginia Class submarine program, and increased funding for child care,” DeLauro wrote. “It also includes outbound investment protections I have long fought for to prevent American dollars from fueling the Chinese Communist Party’s policies with our capital and capabilities.”

“However, I am concerned that we could not agree on additional funding for veterans health care, and we must be vigilant in ensuring that the incoming Administration does not ration care promised to every affected veteran,” DeLauro added. “The passage of this bill should mark the beginning of negotiations on final 2025 funding bills. The start of a new Congress does not change the reality that any funding bills will still need the support of Democrats and Republicans in the House and in the Senate in order to become law.”

Hurricanes, tornadoes, bridge collapse

President Joe Biden asked Congress to approve nearly $100 billion in emergency aid to bolster the accounts of several agencies that are helping residents, small businesses, farmers, and local and state governments recover from dozens of natural disasters.

The emergency supplemental request came shortly after Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused widespread devastation throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

The funding will also help communities recover following tornadoes throughout the Midwest, the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, and severe storms in Alaska, Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

The disaster response section of the spending package would include:

  • $29 billion for FEMA’s disaster relief fund

  • $21 billion for disaster assistance for farmers and ranchers

  • $12 billion for the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s community development block grant program for disaster assistance

  • $10 billion in economic assistance for farmers and ranchers

  • $8 billion for the Department of Transportation to provide disaster relief for federal highways

  • $3.25 billion for State and Tribal Assistance Grants for water infrastructure repairs.

  • $2.2 billion for the Small Business Administration’s disaster loan program

  • $1.3 billion to replace the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland

Congress headed for finish line

The package is expected to pass the House and Senate before members depart for their holiday break on Friday. Biden is expected to sign the bill into law.

When Congress convenes again on Jan. 3 for the start of the 119th Congress, the Senate will flip from Democratic to Republican control. The House will remain red, though with a slightly smaller majority and very little, possibly no, room for GOP lawmakers to vote against partisan bills.

Republicans hope they can use unified control of Washington, which will begin after President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, to move through sweeping changes to federal spending and policy.

That is one of the reasons Congress included a second continuing resolution in the package released this week. That stopgap spending bill will avoid a partial government shutdown until at least March 14.

That part of the bill is necessary since Congress has brushed off its responsibility to fund the government by failing to complete work on the dozen annual appropriations bills before the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1.

Lawmakers approved another stopgap spending bill in late September to keep funding levels mostly flat through Dec. 20 but did not use the extra time to negotiate a compromise between the Republican House and Democratic Senate.

GOP leaders have opted to hold over those full-year government funding measures until they control both chambers of Congress next year in hopes they’ll be able to more closely align the final versions of the 12 bills to their goals.

But Republican leaders will still need Democratic support to get the final spending bills, or another stopgap spending bill, through the Senate next year if they want to avoid a partial government shutdown.

The Senate requires at least 60 lawmakers to vote to advance major legislation toward a final, simple majority passage vote. The GOP will hold 53 seats next year, short of the requirement. Several Republican senators have also staked their reputations on consistently voting against any spending bill, making Democratic votes necessary to avoid a shutdown.

Republicans in the House will also likely need Democrats to move government funding bills through that chamber, given they, too, have a significant faction of members who refuse to vote for the full-year spending bills and often vote against the short-term stopgap bills as well.

Farm bill extension

The end-of-year catchall bill released Tuesday also includes another extension for the farm bill through next year, a new version of which Congress was supposed to pass more than a year ago.

Instead, lawmakers in both chambers have prioritized other interests, delaying work on the legislation that authorizes agriculture and nutrition programs.

Congress last approved a farm bill in December 2018, which the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said at the time would cost $428 billion during the five years it was supposed to cover.

Funding for nutrition, crop insurance, farm commodity programs, and conservation accounted for about 99% of the mandatory spending in the law, according to a report from the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service.

Nutrition has become one of the higher price tag items in the farm bill during the last few decades and accounted for about $326 billion of the mandatory spending in the 2018 farm bill. Another $38 billion went to crop insurance, $31 billion to commodities, and $29 billion to conservation during the five-year window that has since lapsed.

The nutrition funding goes toward several federal food programs for lower-income people, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP and the Emergency Food Assistance Program.

The Republican House and Democratic Senate have been unable to work through their differences on a new five-year farm bill despite giving themselves more than a year of extra time.

The bill lawmakers are set to approve this month will give unified Republicans in control of Washington another year to get the work done.

D.C. Deputy Bureau Chief Jacob Fischler contributed to this report. 

Unemployment assistance deadline extended for workers impacted by Hurricane Helene

By
Staff Report
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Hurricane Helene swept through Northeast Georgia on Sept. 27, 2024, knocking down trees and power lines.(Daniel Purcell/NowHabersham.com)

If you live in Elbert, Rabun, or Stephens County and lost time on the job due to Hurricane Helene, you may be eligible for federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA). Those Northeast Georgia counties are among 63 statewide covered under a federal disaster declaration.

Eligible applicants may receive a weekly benefit of up to $365 to cover time lost from September 29 through October 30, 2024. The filing deadline to apply has been extended to January 7, 2025.

To determine eligibility, first, you must file a regular state unemployment insurance (UI) claim online with the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) or in person at any GDOL career center.

The agency will notify you if you qualify to file for DUA.

Income verification may be required. Applicants should be prepared to provide proof of earnings for the most recently completed tax year. For additional details, visit dol.georgia.gov or call the GDOL toll-free customer service line at 1-877-709-8185.

Georgia state House panel recommends chipping away at lack of tree care licensing

By
Ross Williams
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Tree care can be deadly work. Georgia lawmakers could consider ways to make the job safer when they meet next month. (stock photo)

(Georgia Recorder) — When there are trees in your yard that need to come down, even die-hard DIYers are likely to call an expert, and for good reason.

“If you really stop and think about our industry, every single thing we do can kill you,” said Rusty Lee, a certified arborist and horticulturist with Norcross-based Heirloom Tree and Garden, at a fall hearing of the state House committee tasked with increasing safety in the industry.

”The chipper can kill you – not only kill you, destroy you – where only DNA is going to figure out who you are,” he added. “The chipper will kill you, falling out of a tree can kill you, the tree falling on you can kill you, parts of the tree falling can kill you, electricity can kill you. So, everything we touch – the chainsaws will kill you – everything is dangerous. And right now, if you have a pickup truck and a chainsaw and a case of beer, you’re in the tree business.”

According to the committee, tree care providers in Georgia have no specific licensing or registration requirements and there are no standards or regulations concerning the training of tree care providers, the use of equipment or insurance requirements.

A 2020 report from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that the fatality rate for tree trimmers and pruners may be as high as 1 in 1,000, nearly 30 times higher than the national average fatality rate of 3.5 per 100,000 for all workers. And as of 2017, Georgia had the third highest rate of reported incidents in the tree care industry, with only California and Florida reporting more incidents, according to data from the Tree Care Industry Association.

Tierson Boutte, founder of Atlanta-based Boutte Tree Service and president of Georgians for a Safer Tree Industry, or GFASTI, told committee members that he thinks the situation won’t improve without government intervention.

“When I got into the industry, it was a small industry,” he said. “There was probably more people working in logging than there were in tree care, but it’s changed. Because there’s more suburbanization, and then the logging is mechanized now, so there’s just all these people, more and more people, and there’s more and more demand, and that’s a growing industry and everything like that, so we need your help to help us solve this problem.”

According to its website, GFASTI supports a law that would require contractors and subcontractors involved in tree care operations to have a license, which would require them to carry insurance and provide basic safety training but not require a credentialing process like a test.

“Nobody wants a tree industry that’s got all kinds of insane barriers to entry or anything like that,” he said. “We think that a little regulation in the right place could save a lot of lives without leading to that point.”

On Friday, the committee approved recommendations that include introducing legislation to create a license and regulatory program for the tree care industry based on a draft proposed by GFASTI. Lawmakers are set to meet in Atlanta next month, when they will have the opportunity to propose specific bills.

“In my opinion, based on the results and the discussions we’ve had in the committee and the presentation that was made, that we do feel that there is a place for state involvement from a regulatory and oversight standpoint with the people who are primarily in this business as a trade and put themselves forward for hire as tree care professionals,” said committee chair Victor Anderson, a Cornelia Republican.

Woodstock Republican Rep. Jordan Ridley, who works in the tree industry, said because of Hurricane Helene, the committee did not hear from people from within the industry not affiliated with GFASTI, and he was wary about regulations creating a slippery slope.

“I just have hesitation when we say we should introduce legislation for a thing when it was one-sided,” he said. “I would love to work forward and bring some of the other voices to make sure if a member does want to bring legislation they can get a well-rounded approach.”

Anderson said lawmakers would consider input from all sides before passing legislation.

Another recommendation was that any licensing and regulatory program go through the Department of Agriculture rather than the Secretary of State’s office, which typically oversees business licensing in Georgia.

Leaders in the House and Senate this year created a joint committee to investigate constituent complaints about delays and inefficiencies with the Secretary of State’s Professional Licensing Boards Division.

“It’s not a secret, but there is extreme scrutiny right now of the other licensing department through the Secretary of State at this moment, and I feel like to have a good chance for something happening, we may want to look at a different avenue,” Anderson said.

“The Department of Agriculture makes the most sense even without that scrutiny going on with the secretary’s office right now,” he added. “So that’s the reason that, again, this is a recommendation. Department of Ag may come back and say we don’t want it. I don’t think they will because they already told me offline that they would accept it.”

Leopards hang on for thrilling, chippy region win against rivals Commerce [VIDEO]

By
Brian Carter
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In an intense battle of cross-town rivals, Banks County held on and led wire-to-wire in a 71-63 thriller Tuesday night in Homer. The game wasn’t without drama, as Commerce (7-4; 0-1 in 8-A DI) got within one point several times, but the Leopards (6-5; 2-0) clung tight and held on for the early region win.

All the points for Banks County came from 5 players, all of whom scored in double figures. Commerce had 8 different players contribute to the scoring.

Luke Dale had back-to-back 3-pointers for the Leopards to open the game, and Kolby Watson had 6 points in the opening period, which had Banks up 17-14. Dayden Rogers caught fire in the second, though Maki Mitchell had a huge shot from downtown to keep Commerce close at 32-28 heading into the break.

The third is when things intensified. Watson had an electric 3-point play, while Dale had a critical shot from long range moments later. Just when Banks County looked to be pulling away, Bryson Parks came up with 7 points for the Tigers to claw back into it, and Jeremiah Jarrells hit a layup at the buzzer to end the third in a 50-45 game.

An already chippy game started to get physical in the fourth. Evan Peters and Ty Sorrells had buckets to get within 50-49 before Dale hit another clutch shot from long distance, and Watson added one also.

With Commerce down 8 points with just over 2 minutes to go, a furious comeback attempt again got the Tigers to within a single point. Peters had a free throw, Essien Lockleer and Sorrells had driving layups, and Mitchell connected on a couple of technical freebies to make it a 64-63 game. However, Banks County went on a 7-0 run to close the contest.
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Rogers and Watson had 19 and 18 points, respectively to lead Banks County. Dale finished with 14, while both Caden Watson and Antonio Gonzalez recorded 10.
The Tigers were paced by Lockleer’s 14 points. Peters and Mitchell each finished with 11, and Sorrells had 9. Parks had 7, Zavion Smith had 6, Jarrells 4, and Tyler Hardman added 1.

SEE ALSO

Banks County connects on 14 3-pointers in blowout over Commerce [VIDEO]

Road closure in Hall County for natural gas pipeline installation

By
Nora Almazan
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Road Closure in Hall County December 19 & 20. (Atlanta Gas Light)

Stowers Road between Old Dahlonega Highway and Thompson Bridge Road will be closed by Atlanta Gas Light. This will take place Thursday, December 19 and Friday, December 20 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Atlanta Gas Light will close the road to install a new natural gas pipeline safely under the roadway.

Public safety officials will be at the intersection of Stowers Road and Dahlonega Highway and at the intersection of Stowers Road and Thompson Bridge Road/SR 60 to help direct drivers around the closure.

Eastbound detour options include:

· Thompson Bridge Road/SR 60 to Rufus Bryant Road to Old Dahlonega Highway

· Thompson Bridge Road/SR 60 to Old Dahlonega Highway

Westbound detour options include:

· Old Dahlonega Highway to Rufus Bryant Road to Thompson Bridge Road/SR 60

· Old Dahlonega Highway to Thompson Bridge Road/SR 60.

Please note that weather could affect the timing of the road closure, which could be extended if necessary.

For more information about the pipeline project, visit Atlanta Gas Light online or call 404-584-3186.

In win for biofuels, stopgap spending bill allows year-round sales of E15 gas nationwide

By
Jacob Fischler
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(NowHabersham.com)

(States Newsroom) — A spending bill U.S. House appropriators released Tuesday evening to keep the government open into next spring includes a provision to allow sales of a gasoline blend that includes up to 15% ethanol nationwide throughout the year.

After years of prohibiting the blend, known as E15, from being sold at gas stations during the summer months, the Environmental Protection Agency this year allowed year-round sales in eight Midwestern states. The provision in the stopgap funding bill would allow E15 sales in all states throughout the year.

The provision is a major win for corn producers and their allies in Congress from both parties. Supporters of ethanol, which is derived from corn, say it boosts U.S. production and lowers gas prices.

Sen. Deb Fischer, a Nebraska Republican who sponsored a bill to make the blend available all year, said the move was part of the GOP agenda to “unleash American energy.”

“My bill puts an end to years of patchwork regulations and uncertainty — year-round, nationwide E15 will now be a reality,” Fischer said. “This legislation also delivers on the mandate we received in November to unleash American energy. Not only will my bill lower gas prices and give consumers more choices, but it will also create new opportunity for American producers, who are especially hurting right now from lower prices.”

House Energy and Commerce ranking Democrat Frank Pallone of New Jersey applauded inclusion of the measure, saying it would help reduce gas prices and bolster U.S. energy production.

“By allowing for a higher blend of ethanol in our gasoline, Americans can rely more on homegrown biofuels that save drivers money at the pump and help insulate Americans from dramatic global price fluctuations,” Pallone said in a statement.

U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., one of a handful of farm-state House Republicans pushing for the E15 provision, said in a statement, “Year around E-15 is the most important policy we can embrace for Midwestern farmers and ranchers. I was glad to advocate for this on the Agriculture Committee and to our Speaker, and glad to see it embraced. I also know our entire Nebraska delegation was pulling for this. It is a team win.”

At a U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing last year, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat who chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee, and Sen. Pete Ricketts of Nebraska promoted E15 availability as a way to lower greenhouse gas emissions and lower prices.

The EPA issued a waiver in May 2022 to allow the blend to be available nationwide throughout the year, as President Joe Biden’s administration sought to tame gas prices.

The stopgap measure, known as a continuing resolution, would keep the government funded at current levels through mid-March. It includes a few additional provisions, including funding to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland.

The House and Senate are expected to pass the catch-all measure before members depart for their holiday break on Friday. Biden is expected to sign the bill.

Nebraska Examiner reporter Aaron Sanderford and D.C. Bureau senior reporter Jennifer Shutt contributed to this report.

Banks County connects on 14 3-pointers in blowout over Commerce [VIDEO]

By
Brian Carter
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The Lady Leopards didn’t hold back on Tuesday night’s region contest at home against rivals Commerce (4-7; 0-1 in 8-A DI). Banks County (4-5; 1-1) notched its first region win in an 83-31 blowout in which nine different Lady Leopards scored points.

It was never in question, as the home team bounced out to an 8-0 lead, with Jana Kate Gibson connecting on a long-range bucket off the tip. Reese Murphy had a 3-point play, and eight different Banks County girls scored in the first frame. It was 25-9 after one.

A 15-0 run extended the lead even further to open the second, as Reese Murphy had 12 points in the first half alone while Banks led 47-12 at the half.

Reese had a couple of 3-pointers in the third, and Cannon Collier added two of her own in the quarter, and it was 70-20 going into the final period. From there, both teams traded buckets.

Reese Murphy had 18 points with 3 3-pointers, with Collier closing with 15 on 5 3-pointers. Maecee Crumley had 10 (3 3PT), Ansley Moore and Callie Whitlock had 8 apiece, and each of Marleigh Dale, Ryleigh Murphy, and Maggie Irvin all had 7 points. Gibson had 3.

Commerce got 10 points from Vi’Tory Williams, as she connected on a pair of triples. Arianna Patman had 7 and Essence Hester 4. Mayah Patman and Gracie Hensley each had 3, while Imani Moore and Alexis Wilhite had 2 apiece.

SEE ALSO

Leopards hang on for thrilling, chippy region win against rivals Commerce [VIDEO]

Legislation to support Gold Star spouses passes U.S. Senate

By
Staff Report
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(Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

The Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, legislation that aims to bolster federal support for veterans and their families, has passed the U.S. Senate.

As drafted, the bill is intended to improve access to VA health care/benefits and expand long-term care programs for student veterans and military family members. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) played a key role in pushing for key provisions in the bill through his bipartisan Love Lives On Act, which were included in the legislation.

“Our service members and military families are the best among us. They already give so much, and some pay the ultimate price with their lives in service to our nation and freedoms. When tragedy strikes the spouses of fallen service members, it is paramount that our federal government honors their service and provides them the full support they need to rebuild their lives, regardless of who they choose to do so with,” Warnock said.

He added: “If one of our heroes loses their life in service to our country, we should honor their sacrifice by ensuring their spouse can retain the benefits they earned even if they choose to remarry. I’m proud we got these provisions passed, and I’m going to keep fighting for our Gold Star spouses and military families.”

Gold Star Spouses are the spouses of servicemembers who died in the line of duty. Currently, a surviving spouse could lose survivor benefits if they remarry under the age of 55.

But provisions included in the bill could allow surviving spouses to maintain eligibility for education benefits upon remarriage. Warnock and others also included a provision in the legislation that removes the “holds oneself out” provision, which penalized former spouses who did not remarry but appeared to be dating someone else, as well as a provision changing the definition of surviving spouse to include same sex couples.

Braves Fest canceled

By
Staff Report
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Construction at Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta is one of the reasons the Braves decided to cancel this year's fan fest in January.

The Atlanta Braves announced this week they won’t be holding Braves Fest this year.

The annual event, held in January, typically provides fans with meet-and-greet opportunities with players and coaches. However, in a statement released on Dec. 16, the Braves organization said construction at Truist Park and preparations for the All-Star Game in July led them to conclude that they would not be able to host the type of event fans deserve.

The state went on to add, “We look forward to welcoming fans back to the ballpark for unforgettable experiences next season, both on and off the field.”

 

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