All posts tagged: Georgia News

Georgia Supreme Court Declines to Rule on Whether Counties Can Draw Their Own Electoral Maps

Georgia Supreme Court Declines to Rule on Whether Counties Can Draw Their Own Electoral Maps

Published by skeptic

ATLANTA (AP) — The Georgia Supreme Court agrees that someone needs to issue a legally final ruling on whether county commissioners can override state legislators and draw their own electoral districts. But the nine justices on Thursday also agreed it would be improper to rule on that question in a lawsuit brought by two Cobb County residents, reversing a lower court judgment that had thrown out the county commissioners’ own map. The ruling that Catherine and David Floam weren’t qualified to get a declaratory judgment means that, for now, residents in Georgia’s third-largest county will elect two county commissioners in districts mapped by the Democratic-majority Cobb County Commission, and not under the earlier map drawn by the Republican-majority legislature. Voting is underway in advance of May 21 primaries. “To be clear, the fact that there are two competing maps does create significant uncertainty for many,” Justice Nels Peterson wrote for a unanimous court in explaining why the couple didn’t qualify for declaratory judgment. “But the Floams have not shown that this uncertainty affects their future …

Michigan Former Clerk and Attorney Charged After Alleged Unauthorized Access to 2020 Voter Data

Michigan Former Clerk and Attorney Charged After Alleged Unauthorized Access to 2020 Voter Data

Published by skeptic

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan’s attorney general announced charges Wednesday against a former township clerk and a lawyer who had supported attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, alleging they accessed voting systems without authorization in a search of fraud. Former Adams Township Clerk Stephanie Scott and her attorney, Stefanie Lambert, were charged with multiple felonies, including unauthorized access to a computer and using a computer to commit a crime. “When elected officials and their proxies use their positions to promote baseless conspiracies, show blatant disregard for voter privacy, and break the law in the process, it undermines the very essence of the democratic process,” Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement. “Those who engage in such reckless conduct must be held accountable for their actions.” The charges are the latest to be brought against people in multiple states who had been entrusted to ensure the security of election systems but instead allowed others to breach them in a futile search for evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential election. …

Georgia Appeals Court Agrees to Review Ruling Allowing Fani Willis to Stay on Trump Election Case

Georgia Appeals Court Agrees to Review Ruling Allowing Fani Willis to Stay on Trump Election Case

Published by skeptic

ATLANTA (AP) — A Georgia appeals court on Wednesday agreed to review a lower court ruling allowing Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to continue to prosecute the election interference case she brought against former President Donald Trump. The move seems likely to delay the case and is the second time in as many days that the former president has gotten a favorable ruling that could push any future trials beyond the November election, when he is expected to be the Republican nominee for president. A day earlier, the judge in his Florida classified documents case indefinitely postponed that trial date. That intermediate appeals court agreed on Wednesday to take up the case. Once it rules, the losing side could ask the Georgia Supreme Court to consider an appeal. Trump’s lead attorney in Georgia, Steve Sadow, said in an email that the former president looks forward to presenting arguments to the appeals court as to why the case should be dismissed and why Willis “should be disqualified for her misconduct in this unjustified, unwarranted political …

Atlanta to Pay .8 Million to Family of Church Deacon Who Died in Struggle With Officer

Atlanta to Pay $3.8 Million to Family of Church Deacon Who Died in Struggle With Officer

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ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta City Council has agreed to pay $3.8 million to settle a lawsuit by the family of a church deacon who died in a struggle with a city police officer following a minor car crash. Deacon Johnny Hollman’s family sued the the city, Officer Kiran Kimbrough and Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum in January, alleging Kimbrough used excessive force after the 62-year-old refused to sign a citation finding him at fault for the crash. An attorney for Kimbrough has said Hollman resisted arrest and Kimbrough acted lawfully when he deployed his stun gun and used force. The city council, without comment, unanimously approved the settlement at its regular meeting on Monday. An attorney for Hollman’s family, Mawuli Davis, issued a statement saying the settlement allows the family to “focus on healing from the devastating and senseless loss of their beloved father.” Hollman’s daughter, Arnitra, expressed gratitude to Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and the city council. Photos You Should See – April 2024 “On behalf of my siblings and our entire family, …

Georgia’s Attorney General Says Savannah Overstepped in Outlawing Guns in Unlocked Cars

Georgia’s Attorney General Says Savannah Overstepped in Outlawing Guns in Unlocked Cars

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SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Georgia’s attorney general says city officials in Savannah overstepped their authority by making it illegal to leave firearms in unlocked cars. Savannah’s mayor and city council in April enacted the new city ordinance aimed at making it harder for criminals to steal guns, citing local police statistics showing more than 200 guns reported stolen last year from vehicles that weren’t locked. The law carries maximum penalties of a $1,000 fine and 30 days in jail. State Attorney General Chris Carr, a Republican, said in a letter to Savannah officials Friday that the gun ordinance runs afoul of a state law that prohibits local governments from regulating “the possession, ownership, transport, (or) carrying” of firearms. “Because the General Assembly has expressly designated the regulation of firearms as an issue of general, state-wide concern, no local ordinance can regulate firearms,” Carr wrote. Carr’s letter foreshadows a likely court battle over whether city governments like Savannah’s can impose gun safety measures that have received little support in a state legislature dominated by Republicans. A …

Small Plane Crashed Into Residential Georgia Neighborhood, Killing Pilot

Small Plane Crashed Into Residential Georgia Neighborhood, Killing Pilot

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — A pilot has died after a small plane crashed into a residential neighborhood in a Georgia city. The plane crashed on Thursday a little more than a half mile (1 kilometer) from Daniel Field, a general aviation airport in Augusta. Augusta University told local news outlets that the pilot was Jason McKenzie, the associate director of philanthropy at the school. McKenzie had just taken off in a single-engine Beechcraft 36 with plans to fly to New Haven, Connecticut. It’s unclear what caused the plane to descend. As it was coming down, it clipped a tree and hit power lines, leaving debris in the tree, and then crashed between two homes in the affluent neighborhood, bursting into flames. No one else was injured, and the plane didn’t hit any buildings. “I think that was a miracle,” resident Lisa Lewis told WRDW-TV. “I think the Lord protected everyone else.” Neighbors said that while it’s not unusual to hear planes so close to the airport, this one sounded much louder, followed by the boom …

Investors Trying to Take Control of Norfolk Southern Railroad Pick up Key Support

Investors Trying to Take Control of Norfolk Southern Railroad Pick up Key Support

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The activist investors trying to take control of Norfolk Southern’s board are picking up key support, but the railroad’s CEO promised Monday to fight the takeover attempt until a May 9 shareholder vote because he believes his strategy is the best in the long run for investors, customers and workers. Ancora Holdings’ bid to elect seven new directors and replace management at the Atlanta-based railroad has gained the backing of one of the major proxy advisory firms, one of the railroad’s biggest customers and two of its largest labor unions in recent days. But CEO Alan Shaw said he believes he still has the support of most of the railroad’s workers, investors and customers. “The choice really couldn’t be any more clear for our shareholders,” Shaw said an interview with The Associated Press. “We make promises and we’ve continued to keep our promises, and we will continue to deliver. And we’ve got a long-term vision for Norfolk Southern where shareholders win, as opposed to the activists who’ve got a short-term and erratic approach where shareholders …

2 Hikers Drown After Falling Into Creek on Tennessee Trail

2 Hikers Drown After Falling Into Creek on Tennessee Trail

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CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — Two family members drowned while hiking near a lake outside of Chattanooga, officials said. The Signal Mountain fire and police departments were called to Rainbow Lake Trail on Sunday evening after two people were reported underwater, authorities said. Rescue personnel hiked a mile (1.6 kilometers) down the trail and spoke to a female who said she was hiking with the others to a large creek on the trail when another woman trying to cross the creek fell in. She said a man jumped in and tried to rescue her, but he also disappeared. Crews were able to pull the woman out and tried to revive her but were unsuccessful, police and fire officials said. They recovered the man’s body later. Police identified the woman as 23-year-old Greffania Merilus, of Cohutta, Georgia, and the man as 20-year-old Gullson Elve, of Birchwood, Tennessee. Their exact relation between the two wasn’t clear, but they were members of the same extended family, Holloway said. Photos You Should See – April 2024 Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. …

Early In-Person Voting Begins Ahead of Georgia’s May 21 Primary and Judicial Elections

Early In-Person Voting Begins Ahead of Georgia’s May 21 Primary and Judicial Elections

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ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia voters are beginning to have their say on party primary races and nonpartisan judicial elections. Three weeks of early in-person voting is set to begin Monday ahead of the May 21 election, when parties will choose their nominees for congressional and state legislative seats, as well as for local races including sheriffs, district attorneys and county commissioners. May 21 also is the general election for judicial candidates, who run on a nonpartisan basis. Mail-in ballots were sent last week to those who had requested them, while people can continue to request a mail ballot through May 10. Among the top races are a state supreme court race between incumbent Justice Andrew Pinson and challenger John Barrow and primaries in the 3rd Congressional District, where incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson is stepping down. Runoffs will be held June 18 in races where candidates don’t win a majority in May. Photos You Should See – April 2024 Here’s a look at the election and some top races: Six Republicans are seeking their …

News Anchor Poppy Harlow Announces Departure From CNN

News Anchor Poppy Harlow Announces Departure From CNN

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ATLANTA (AP) — Anchor Poppy Harlow is leaving CNN, according to the network. Harlow, who joined CNN in 2008 and most recently co-hosted “CNN This Morning,” announced her parting from the cable news giant in an email to colleagues. She called her time at CNN “a gift.” “I have been inspired by you and learned so much from you – who are (and will remain) dear friends,” Harlow wrote. “This place has shaped me as a leader, taught me resilience, shown me the value of perspective and how to make hard decisions.” At CNN, Harlow reported on the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings and the 2015 Paris terror attacks, among other stories. “I got to experience what makes this country great,” Harlow wrote in her email. “I sat with people in their best moments and in their hardest. They taught me about the human condition and what binds us.” Photos You Should See – April 2024 Earlier this year, CNN announced changes to the time slot for “CNN This Morning” and moved it to Washington. CNN …