(New Hampshire Bulletin) — Less than 24 hours after he said he wasn’t ready to drop his presidential bid, Chris Christie announced Wednesday in New Hampshire that he’s “suspending” his campaign. He did not endorse another candidate for the Republican nomination, instead questioning the integrity of all of them and criticizing Nikki Haley in particular.
In what sounded like a hot mic moment ahead of his planned remarks in Windham, Christie was heard on his campaign’s video feed predicting Haley would fail to win the nomination.
“Who’s punching above their weight and who’s getting a return on their investment?” Christie was heard saying to an unidentified person, noting that Haley’s campaign had outspent him by tens of millions of dollars. “And she’s going to get smoked, and you and I both know it.”
Later, he told the audience that he knew the Civil War was about slavery, a dig at Haley who cited a different cause during a town hall event in Berlin two weeks ago.
“I think the cause of the civil war was basically how the government was going to run,” she said. “The freedoms and what people could and couldn’t do.” She asked the voter who’d posed the question what he thought the cause was.
“I’m not running for president,” he said.
Christie had faced mounting pressure to leave the race with Haley, the candidate perceived most likely to pick up his supporters, rising in the polls.
Tuesday, a University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll showed Haley just seven points behind former President Donald Trump, “within striking distance,” it said. Two-thirds of undeclared voters who named Christie as their first choice said they’d back Haley if he dropped out.
Among those calling on Christie to leave the race was Gov. Chris Sununu, who endorsed Haley in mid-December. Shortly after Christie’s announcement, Sununu released a statement: “Chris ran a hard-fought campaign and is coming to this decision at a critical time,” it said. “Defeating Donald Trump requires a consolidated field and Nikki Haley has the momentum to do so.”
In remarks that ran nearly an hour, Christie said he would continue to make his case against Trump, but not as a presidential candidate.
“My goal has never been to be just a voice against the hate and the division and the selfishness of what our party has become under Donald Trump,” Christie said during remarks that ran nearly an hour. “It’s also been to win the nomination and defeat Joe Biden and restore our party and our country to a new place of hope and optimism.”
Christie went on to say, “I’ve always said that if there came a point in time in this race where I couldn’t see a path to accomplishing that goal, that I would get out. And it’s clear to me tonight that there isn’t a path for me to win the nomination.”
Following Christie’s announcement, Haley wrote on X, “Chris Christie has been a friend for many years. I commend him on a hard-fought campaign.”
Charles Edward “Ed” Stockton, age 80, of Demorest, Georgia, went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, January 10, 2024.
Born in Toccoa, Georgia, on June 06, 1943, he was the son of the late Elem & Bertha Clara Minyard Stockton. Ed was a rock mason for many years. He retired from the City of Demorest after numerous years working for the Water Department. In his spare time, Ed enjoyed hunting, fishing, and golfing. Most of all, he loved spending time with his family and telling stories from past adventures. Ed was a member of Oakey Mountain Baptist Church.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret Mayfield Stockton; sisters & brothers-in-law, Betty Jean & Cleve Allen, Vernell & Junior Mize, Willie Ruth & Granville Eugene Mize; Martin Robinson; sister-in-law, Wanda Stockton.
Survivors include his daughters & sons-in-law, Brenda & Trevier Hart, Kim & Eddie Beeso; brother, Jimmy Stockton all of Demorest, GA; sisters & brother-in-law, Margaret & Marcel Dickerson of Rabun Gap, GA; Barbara Robinson of Clayton, GA; grandchildren, Kayla & Eric Watts; Christopher Mull; great-granddaughter, Ainsley Watts; special niece, Rhonda Carpenter; special nephews, Randy Robinson, Kale Mize, & Gary Allen; many other nieces, nephews, other relatives, & a host of friends.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, at the Oakey Mountain Baptist Church.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Monday, January 15, 2024.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Hillside Memorial Chapel in Clarkesville to help with funeral expenses.
Gov. Brian Kemp prepares to take the stage at Mercedes-Benz stadium to announce his 2024 priorities. (Ros Williams/Georgia Recorder)
(GA Recorder) — Georgia’s business elite and state leadership filled up Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium from endzone to endzone Wednesday morning for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s annual Eggs and Issues Breakfast, offering a sneak peek at the new laws that could shape the lives of the state’s 10 million-plus residents.
Anti-union action, billions in infrastructure projects and new restrictions on kids’ social media use could all be on the table. So could Medicaid expansion, long considered a third rail in the GOP-led state government.
Unions
One of Gov. Brian Kemp’s top priorities is a bill targeting labor unions by preventing businesses that seek state incentives from allowing unions to form without a formal, anonymous election.
“My commitment to you is that we will never cower to activists who seek to attack job creators and undermine the countless opportunities they create in communities across Georgia, big and small,” Kemp said. “We will remain a right to work state, and this legislative session, we will take further steps to protect workers and require transparency from unions.”
Gov. Brian Kemp. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
Only 5.4% of Georgia workers were represented by unions in 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, down from 5.8% the year before. That’s lower than all but six other states.
“A lot of this is coming out because of the massive strikes that have been going on across the country,” said Zak Norton of Atlanta, an IATSE Local 600 camera technician in the film industry. “Georgia’s actually been affected by a few of the strikes, particularly in my industry, the film industry. And of course, the threat of UPS this summer was a huge issue, particularly in the South. And so what I think what’s going on is you’re seeing employers are trying to fight back.”
Norton said he’s particularly concerned about the bill’s effects on the film industry, which is spurred on by the state’s Film Tax Credit, which costs the state about $1 billion per year.
“When there’s more wealth in the middle class, there’s more prosperity for the rest of us and the rest of the state,” he said. “And that is a belief that I don’t think Kemp and his administration really believes, because of what we’re seeing. We’re seeing some of the unhappiest workforce in the country and some of the lowest union representation.”
James Clements, president of the Georgia State Council of Machinists, said he’d like Gov. Kemp to meet with members of his union.
“We are not sure who he is talking about in his statements, but it certainly isn’t the workers of the (International Association of Machinists),” he said. “We look forward to having a conversation about our workers and the security a contract gives us on the job. We are constantly working to improve dialogue between us and our elected officials. We think this is best achieved by taking out heavy rhetoric and bombastic language.”
“Machinists in Georgia represent a wide range of industry and are heavily loaded with defense workers. A lot of us voted for him,” he added. “We are also working folks who want a fair wage. Our union helps that. Let’s talk.”
Infrastructure and tort legislation
Kemp said stopping “frivolous” lawsuits from driving up business owners insurance premiums is a priority that will take longer than this year’s session to resolve.
“Like in every major undertaking our state has tackled in the past, we will work on a Georgia-specific solution; one designed to make meaningful reforms in this area over the next several years,” adding that his office will introduce the first legislation of a coming tort reform suite this year.
The governor’s speech also outlined some of the budget items he is set to announce Thursday at his annual state of the state address.
Kemp said his recommended budget will include $1.5 billion for the Georgia Department of Transportation for projects aimed at benefiting the movement of commuters and freight, and another $250 million for the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority to spend on local water and sewer projects.
The budget also calls for investments in medical training at two Georgia universities. If the plan passes, Georgia Southern University would receive $178 million to build a dental school in Savannah. Now, the only dental school in Georgia is the Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University.
“I am also proposing 50 million dollars for a medical school at our flagship institution – the University of Georgia,” he said. “This will go a long way to helping us address the medical workforce gap Georgia has struggled with for years.”
Medicaid Expansion
House Speaker Jon Burns raised eyebrows with a suggestion that Georgia is considering expanding Medicaid.
Speaker Jon Burns. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
“When it comes to health care, there has certainly been a lot of discussion of late about Medicaid expansion. Expanding access to care for lower income working families through a private option in a fiscally responsible way that lowers premiums is something we will continue to gather facts on in the House.”
Georgia is one of ten states that have not adopted full Medicaid expansion, which extends coverage to adults who make less than 138% of the federal poverty level. Expansion could provide access to health care for hundreds of thousands of low-income Georgia adults. The opposition has been largely ideological, with GOP state lawmakers erecting roadblocks to expansion under the Affordable Care Act.
Speaking to reporters after the event, Georgia Chamber President and CEO Chris Clark said the General Assembly will consider models approved in other states, including Arkansas. Arkansas’ Medicaid expansion was unusual in that instead of enrolling the expansion population into existing Medicaid programs, Arkansas used the money to buy private insurance for most of its qualifying residents.
Elections
On Monday, as lawmakers convened for the first day of the Legislative session, dozens of 2020 election-denying protesters walked through the Capitol with signs calling for paper ballots and rallied in the public square behind the building.
On Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris flew into Atlanta to call on voting rights advocates and elected officials to continue to fight for expanded access to the ballot box.
The Republican-led Legislature passed a voting overhaul in 2021, which Democrats call an attempt to stifle votes.
Burns said the House will continue to tweak Georgia election law ahead of the big November election.
“We’re going to look at making our State Board of Elections more autonomous by separating them from the Secretary of State’s office,” Burns said. “This will allow them to adjudicate election complaints more efficiently, independently and impartially. Second, we’re going to strengthen the security of our ballots by moving away from the QR code on balance, which many voters find confusing, and towards visible watermarks on security paper to denote voter selections.”
Burns also pledged to nip a new type of high-tech election interference in the bud.
“We want to prevent any election interference through the use of generative AI by creating significant criminal penalties for any bad actors attempting to alter an election,” he said. “When voters see a political advertisement from a candidate or campaign, they should have the utmost confidence that is that candidate’s voice, image and likeness, not a robot’s.”
Education and children
The Legislature’s technological aspirations for the year don’t stop at AI deepfakes. Burns Wednesday echoed a call from Lt. Gov. Burt Jones to limit children from accessing potentially harmful aspects of social media.
“We’re going to look at things like age verification, parental consent, as well as strengthening cyberbullying definitions and penalties to create safer learning environments in our schools,” he said.
States including Utah and Arkansas have passed social media age verification bills, which require social media users to prove their age and restrict what content is available to minors.
Major social media companies argue against these bills, often advocating for blanket federal regulations rather than different rules for different states.
In his remarks, Jones called for the resurrection of a controversial education bill that passed his chamber last year, but stopped short in the House: expanding school vouchers by offering $6,000 to parents in low-performing districts to pull their children out of public schools.
“I’m a son of a public educator, but I’m also somebody who believes in public education, but I also believe in giving opportunities and choices to parents,” Jones said. “We’ve got a lot of great public school systems, but even in the best public school system, it might not be the right fit for an individual child. And so in cases like that, we need to have choices and other opportunities for those parents to feel like they’re empowered.”
Last year’s bill was scuttled by a group of House Republicans who voted with nearly all of the Democrats, who argue that vouchers take money away from public schools and don’t provide enough cash for the average private school tuition.
Speaking with reporters Wednesday afternoon, Burns expressed his support for the idea and his optimism for its chances.
“I’ve had conversations with the proponents, go out and educate my members, and then let’s see what we can do. So it’s an ongoing conversation.”
Mt. Airy council held the 2024 budget public hearing. The council also tabled the animal control IGA with Habersham County. (Jerry Neace/NowHabersham.com)
A balanced budget but a narrow one were the words of Mayor Ray McAllister. He opened the public hearing at the Mt. Airy town council Monday night with the news about the 2024 budget.
There was one change that Mayor McAllister had to the budget. It would be necessary to approve overtime that exceeds four hours per employee per week. The reason for this change was because the city “exceeded their overtime by quite a bit” last year. Council member Mike McCoy commented that it appeared that a lot of work went into creating the budget. He and McAllister thanked the department heads for their hard work.
No citizens spoke during the public hearing.
The council tabled the Animal Control Intergovernmental Agreement with Habersham County. McAllister stated, “Since the county tabled it at their last meeting, and I haven’t heard anything back from them yet, I would like to table that as well.” The council tabled the matter unanimously.
McAllister gave his reasoning for requesting the council to table the matter, “Basically, I want to know what is going on,” he explained.
Other concerns from McAllister were costs. “It is less than it was last year. It’s still a little more than I like.” McAllister added. It is about $4,800 cheaper than last year. He explained that Mt. Airy has about 20 animal pick-ups per year, averaging the cost to about $400 per pick-up.
McAllister told the council that if the matter gets resolved with the county, they would revisit the issue at their next called meeting for the budget on January 16.
Emergency personnel respond to a 3-car wreck near Hollywood, Ga., on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023.
A driver who was critically injured in a wreck near Hollywood, Ga. three weeks ago has died. Habersham County Coroner Kasey McEntire says Charles Edward “Ed” Stockton, 80, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 10.
Stockton suffered serious injuries in a three-vehicle wreck on GA 15/U.S. 441 at Highway 17 Alternate (Talmadge Drive) on Dec. 21, 2023.
He had remained hospitalized since that wreck.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mr. Stockton’s family and friends during this very difficult time,” said Habersham County Coroner Kasey McEntire.
According to the Georgia State Patrol’s preliminary crash investigation, Stockton was driving a Chevrolet C150 pickup truck north on Hwy. 441 when he ran the red light at the intersection. The pickup struck a Toyota RAV4 and a GMC C4C work truck.
The crash also seriously injured the RAV 4 driver, Vera Mercer, of Clarkesville. The driver of the commercial truck, Bobby White, was not injured, according to troopers.
Dan Payne spent his life serving others, first in the military and later as a U.S. Park Ranger.
My buddy passed away last week after valiantly battling cancer for years. I wrote a story about this man in 2021, “Meet God’s Soldier with a Mission,” published in several news outlets across the South. Lieutenant Colonel Dan Payne wore so many different hats during his lifetime of service to God and country that he required a room to hang them all.
If we are fortunate to live a while, we all wind up with a roomful of hats. We change our roles throughout our lives. Transitioning from child to adult, from mothers and fathers to empty nesters, and from one job to another until we wear the cap announcing, “I’m Retired!”
Dan graduated high school with me and married my good friend, Jo. Became a father, college student, Vietnam veteran, seminary graduate, and Baptist pastor. Then rejoined the Army and became a Chaplain in various military bases worldwide, including in the Desert Storm/Shield conflicts. Finally, after serving 28 years, he was a veteran with so many medals that he needed another room for those!
Yet, that wasn’t the end. No, Dan became a Park Ranger and a grandfather while continuing to counsel and support countless appreciative people.
“Lynn, I often wonder why God keeps me on earth to suffer?”
“Well, Dan, I think God has used you to send messages of hope to the numerous folks you touch throughout your life. And he is still making you work. How many people have been encouraged to never give up because of the grace and bravery you exhibit through your sickness?”
Then, I ended my conversation as I usually did with Dan…. A joke. “Shoot, Dan, who knows, you might wind up taking Job’s place in the Bible!”
I didn’t shed a tear when I heard Dan had left us. Instead, I smiled. To lose a lifetime buddy usually puts me holding a box of tissues for a while, but not this time. It was as if heaven opened for me to glimpse Dan sitting beside the Lord. This time, he wasn’t wearing a hat; he donned a crown.
I traveled with another high school friend to Dan’s funeral in north Georgia. We listened to members of the military speak, saw Dan’s minister shed tears as he delivered his eulogy, and Park Rangers sitting side by side in a pew. Family members gathered in swarms, and as I watched Jo enter the church in the arms of her sons, I saw her smile.
After the military, Dan and Jo retired to the mountains of North Georgia. (Facebook)
She knows Dan’s life isn’t over and his legacy will live on for years. A life of service, sacrifice, and joy.
Dan’s life journey taught me that it is not how much we accumulate in our earthly life. Instead, it is about how much we give away during our time here.
We can spend time on the beach or playing sports. How many of us spend years searching for success and making money only to obtain more material items? We spend hours looking for ways to entertain ourselves and have fun. We spend precious time defending our often-errant beliefs and personal opinions that, most of the time, matter little.
Ultimately, what have we given to others’ lives when our life was complete? How many hats did we wear that improved the world? Like Dan, did we inspire others by the way we spent our time? Did we leave a legacy, benefit our nation, protect our forest, become a hero, and hear thunderous applause when we reached heaven’s door?
People often ask, “Do you think about death often?” Usually, if one does, it is a sign of depression or negativity. I have made the monumental discovery that we should contemplate our death more. We all know our lives will end, and if we live as though it could be over tomorrow, perhaps we will treasure our days and spend our time in more valuable ways.
We cannot take success, money, fame, fun, political party affiliation, or beach chairs when we pass to the great beyond. We will not be asked how we spent our hours because God already knows the answer.
Lt. Col. Dan Payne
Did we serve, minister to others, provide calm, and love people and all of God’s creatures? Were we kind, patient, forgiving, giving, faithful, and fearless? And did we do well enough that folks smiled at our funeral because they knew, without a doubt, that we were safely in the arms of the Lord? If so, what a glorious way to end our earthly journey.
Goodbye, old pal; you were outstanding here. I can’t imagine how spectacular you will be in heaven!
In memory of Lieutenant Colonel Dan L. Payne, 1947-2024
State Sen. Bill Cowsert presents Senate Bill 172, which would legalize some forms of sports betting in Georgia. (Screenshot)
A bill aiming to legalize sports betting in Georgia passed the Senate regulated industries committee on Tuesday.
Senate Bill 172 would allow sports betting in the state with the help of a constitutional amendment and set up a governing body for the industry.
Sen. Bill Cowsert, the bill’s sponsor, is hopeful this is the year sports betting passes.
“There seems to be a good, a lot of push for this from some of our constituents,” he said. “And I just think it may be time and I certainly wanted us to address the issue this year, list, decide it once and for all, and move on.”
Several bills aiming to legalize sports betting or other types of gambling failed during the 2023 session. One of those bills was Senate Resolution 140, SB 172’s companion bill calling for a constitutional amendment.
Lawmakers will need to draft another proposed constitutional amendment, as SB 172 does not legalize sports betting on its own. A constitutional amendment requires a “yes” vote from two-thirds of the Legislature and approval from Georgia voters.
The current Georgia Constitution prohibits gambling. Last session, former State Supreme Court Justice Harold Melton said that some types sports betting may be allowed without a constitutional amendment. But a bill trying to legalize sports betting failed last year.
Cowsert said that he believes legalizing sports betting through a constitutional amendment will reduce legal troubles around the law if it passes.
This article comes to Now Habersham in partnership with GPB News
Tallulah Falls standout swimmer Henry Rickman has made it official with Piedmont University, as the senior has signed his letter of intent (LOI) to continue his athletic and academic career.
“Being able to have my decision on college and swimming completely done has allowed for the last half of the season to feel like the culmination of years of work and allows me to focus on getting better for college and helping my teammates,” says Rickman.
Rickman will join the Piedmont Lions’ swim team, coached by Teddy Guyer, at the NCAA D-III level and compete in the Independent South Swimming Conference.
“Very excited to have Henry committing to Piedmont University. He will do good things here,” adds Guyer. “Henry is an excellent swimmer and student, but more importantly, a great young man.”
His current coach can attest to those same qualities.
“Henry is a dedicated team leader and teammate,” says TFS coach Tamara Griffis. “He is goal-driven. He both practices and competes with focus and determination. As a state qualifier at the high school level, we are excited to see what he will do at the collegiate level.”
For Rickman, he knows that Piedmont is a place where he can flourish.
“Coach Guyer has spoken about how he always finds a way to get his swimmers into events that benefit both themselves and the team to win meets, and I am hoping that my skills in the 100 Free and 100 Fly allow me to aid the team in the race for a championship,” states Rickman.
Rickman becomes the second TFS athlete this school year to sign his LOI to compete in college athletics. He, along with all other Class of 2024 signees, will be honored at the second annual Next Level Signing Ceremony in May 2024.
A street sign on Manley St, Carnesville Ga. is bent as a result of the 28 mph winds that came with the storm on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. (Damian Dorn/NowHabersham.com)
Storm cleanup continues across northern Georgia as flood waters recede in the wake of Tuesday’s storm.
More than a half dozen school systems in the region operated on a 2-hour delay Wednesday as downed trees and power lines continued to pose a risk. Sections of dirt roads washed out by flooding also added to the driving hazards.
By early afternoon Wednesday, utility crews had successfully restored power to over 70,000 customers in Georgia who lost service during the storm. Around 1 p.m. on Jan. 10, around 9,000 Georgia Power customers and EMC members were still without electricity.
Department of Transportation workers and local county road crews in Banks, Habersham, Franklin, White, and other counties continue to clear blocked roads from trees and other debris. Barricades have been set up to warn drivers of flooding and other road hazards.
Habersham County E-911 and other local emergency management agencies continued fielding calls about storm-related hazards throughout the morning Wednesday.
A Clarkesville business reported a problem with mud sliding into its driveway, blocking the entrance. Also, in Clarkesville, city police had to shoo boaters away after they were caught floating in a canoe through the town’s flooded Pitts Park.
Runoff from flooded farmland funnels into Stephens Creek, Carnesville Ga. after heavy rainfall on Jan. 9, 2024. (Damian Dorn/NowHabersham.com)(Damian Dorn/NowHabersham.com)Properties in Lavonia, Ga. left flooded after heavy rain on Jan.9, 2024, resulting in waters as deep as 3 feet in some areas. (Damian Dorn/NowHabersham.com)(Damian Dorn/NowHabersham.com)Lavonia, Ga., Jan.9, 2024. (Damian Dorn/NowHabersham.com)Creek floodwaters flow over The Dip on GA 197 North outside of Clarkesville, Ga. (Jerry Neace/NowHabersham.com)Flooding from the Soque River in Clarkesville reached within inches of this picnic tabletop at Pitts Park. (Joy Purcell/NowHabersham.com)
Sprawling storm system
The wild winter weather that swept through on Jan. 9 was part of a sprawling storm system across wide swaths of the country that spawned tornadoes, flooding, and blizzards.
According to AP, the storm is being blamed for at least three deaths in the South.
A 78-year-old man was killed on a state highway in Jonesboro, Georgia, when a tree fell on his car during heavy rain.
A man in Clayton County died when a tree fell on a vehicle during severe storms in Georgia on January 9, 2024. (Clayton County Police Department)
And near Cottonwood, Alabama, close to the Georgia-Florida border, officials confirmed that an 81-year-old woman was killed when her mobile home was tossed from its foundation. A suspected tornado had touched down in the area.
There were several reports of radar-confirmed tornadoes on Tuesday, the National Weather Service said.
Light snow fell overnight into early Wednesday in Blairsville and the higher elevations of Georgia. While in the Midwest, more than half a foot of snow fell, stranding people on highways.
Flooding affected nearly a dozen Habersham County roads Tuesday morning, Jan. 9, 2024. (Jerry Neace/NowHabersham.com)
Habersham County law enforcement and county road crews, along with Department of Transportation personnel, continue to respond to weather-related road hazards caused by Tuesday’s storm.
Habersham County E-911 has been fielding calls about trouble spots in the county since early Tuesday, Jan. 9. Below is a list of locations where hazards have been reported:
1656 New Liberty Road – tree blocking roadway
Hwy. 356 at Old Chimney Mountain Road – tree blocking westbound lane
Zeb Bryson Road at Faye Potts Road – flooding;
Hwy. 197 North at The Dip – flooding;
Wilson Road at Keller Road in Mt. Airy – flooding;
518 Daniel Road – flooding;
Pitts Park in the city of Clarkesville is closed due to flooding;
Alto-Mud Creek at Mt. Zion Road – tree blocking roadway;
New Liberty Road at Frank Lovell Road – flooding with culverts backed up;
Sam Bell Road at Alec Mountain Road – flooding;
Hwy. 197 South at Ansley Road – small creek close to overflowing;
Rock Stand Gap at Alec Mountain Road – flooding;
East Glade Creek Road outside Clarkesville;
Boyd Wood Road at Buckhorn Road in Hollywood;
Dooley Road and Buckhorn Road in Hollywood;
Daniel Road, where the pavement turns to dirt in the Fairview community;
Sam Bell Road off Alec Mountain Road outside Clarkesville;
Garrison Drive outside Cornelia;
Zeb Bryson Road outside Clarkesville;
302 Davison Street - trees in power lines;
222 Aspen Lane - trees in power lines;
Mandys Cove at Alfred Taylor Road - tree in roadway;
Cannon Bridge Road at Timberline Drive - tree in power lines and lines on the roadway;
378 Savage Road – tree blocking road;
Deerfield Road and Blair Road – tree blocking one lane;
Ponce de Leon Drive in Clarkesville – mud sliding into driveways and blocking the entrance.
While many of these problem areas have been cleared, drivers should remain vigilant. If you see standing floodwaters on the road, seek an alternate route and watch for fallen trees and debris.
Also, if you see road hazards and other conditions in your area that threaten public safety, please notify your local emergency management agency. In Habersham County, the non-emergency number is 706-778-3911.
Day 2 of the Georgia General Assembly’s 2024 legislative session did not bring the same busy energy as Day 1. But there was still business to be done.
The day started off with stormy weather at the capitol, causing the Georgia House of Representatives to push its floor session to mid-afternoon.
But the Senate met at its usual time, gaveling in — and then quickly gaveling out.
Georgia Speaker of the House Jon Burns released a video touting some of his and the House’s accomplishments from last year and promoting what he hopes will continue during this session.
In the House, members finished business quickly as well. But before adjourning, Democrats called attention to jarring statistics about pregnancy-related deaths. Georgia is among the worst states for maternal mortality.
Rep. Long Tran from Dunwoody said, “In Georgia, the [rate of death] for white women [during pregnancy and childbirth] is 23.3 per 100,000 births. Horrifically, for Black women, it’s 48.6 per 100,000 births… So, while we are leading the country in business development, we are failing the mothers in our state.”
Several bills dealing with gun legislation were also filed. A bipartisan group of senators filed a bill to remove sales tax for gun safes and some Democrats in the House filed a bill to ban people convicted of family violence from having firearms.
The House convenes again at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10, followed by the Senate at 2 p.m.
This article comes to Now Habersham in partnership with GPB News
