Letters & Commentary

A message from Mayor Rick Austin, City of Demorest

Editor's Note: Demorest Mayor Rick Austin is seeking a second term in Tuesday's election. Austin, a Piedmont College professor and former Georgia State Representative,...

Last store standing

In the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irma, Quality Foods in Cornelia was the only grocery store in the county that was open for business.  I...

The Dream Divide: Fighting the Classism of the Digital Age

Most Americans have the luxury of being unaware of our nation’s digital divide. Binge-watching “Orange Is the New Black” is a fair litmus test...

Rogers: Georgia can’t wait on federal government for guidance on healthcare

As I've noted on a number of occasions, one of the biggest challenges facing the Georgia House Rural Council is in the area of...

A need for old fashioned patriotism

The beginning of my life helped shaped my character, beliefs, and way of life. My parents, Neal and Durell Dickerson Justus, were Christians and...

Georgia and the Opioid Crisis

The Georgia House Rural Development Council recently met in south Georgia for our third meeting and took on our toughest topic yet, healthcare and...

The Workforce Crisis

Soft skills are lacking and it's hurting Georgia's workforce In my last article, I wrote about the problems facing rural Georgia and the Rural Georgia...

Cagle: I will prioritize rural broadband

Editor's Note: Casey Cagle is lieutenant governor of the state of Georgia. Prior to being elected Lt. Gov. in 2006 he served six terms...

Sine Die

Medical cannabis, cyber security gains; adoption and flat tax losses On Thursday, March 30, the House and Senate completed legislative day 40, the final day...

Sine Die; legislature adjourns

The General Assembly has officially adjourned Sine Die, which means our official lawmaking duties are over for now. We will be back in Atlanta...

State legislative session enters final days

The 2017 Legislative session is rapidly coming to a close. With only a few legislative days remaining to complete our work before sine die,...

$25B budget approved by State Senate

Budget includes $2.2M for Clarkesville NGTC campus expansion project With only five days left on the legislative calendar, it is important to prioritize legislation with Georgians'...