Even small-town Georgia is getting a little testy these days. The news outfit All On Georgia reports that one of its reporters was doused by the spouse of a north Georgia official on Friday:
According to an incident report by Summerville police, Abbey Winters, wife of Chattooga County Sole Commissioner Jason Winters, poured a drink on AllOnGeorgia reporter Casie Bryant as she sat at a conference table ahead of Friday's public meeting. The drink soaked Bryant's hair, clothing, belongings, and equipment. A witness called 911 and Summerville police responded to the Commissioner's Office.
Present for the meeting and at the time of the incident were representatives from the local newspaper and the local radio station, WZQZ – FM 99.1 – AM 1180 Radio and four witnesses, all of whom offered statements to authorities, several of which included that Abbey Winters said twice after dumping the drink that Bryant "deserved" it.
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More small town news, from our AJC colleagues Gracie Bonds Staples and Chris Joyner:
Hoschton Mayor Theresa Kenerly resigned Saturday during a special called meeting in the Jackson County town. The City Council accepted her resignation effective 1 p.m. Sunday.
The resignation came just days after Councilman Jim Cleveland resigned saying he'd rather leave office on his own terms than face voters in a recall election next month.
Both resignations follow an AJC investigation launched seven months ago into claims that an African American candidate for city administrator was sidetracked by Mayor Theresa Kenerly because of his race.
Over at Trouble in God's Country, number-cruncher Charlie Hayslett has dug up this gem of a stat:
As of 2018, fully three-fourths of the state's gross domestic product was being generated north of the gnat line. My Trouble in God's Country 12-county Metro Atlanta region and 41-county North Georgia region accounted for $396.9 billion of the state's $529.1 billion GDP – or 75.01 percent. This isn't a huge surprise, but it is a first, and it represents the high point so far in a steady trend that developed several years ago as the state was clawing its way out of the Great Recession.
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Jenna Garland, a former press secretary to ex-Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, and the first person ever charged criminally with violating Georgia's public records law, will finally have her say in court today.
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A combat veteran and union member has joined the race to challenge Republican Barry Loudermilk for his 11th District congressional seat.
Rod Sellers launched his bid with a promise not to take any campaign funds from corporate PACs or lobbyists, and to reject the outsized influence of the "donor class." He also said he would sign the Young Turks' progressive economic pledge.
“I’m probably not that different from you,” he said in his introduction to voters. “I swore off a mini-van at 21 and bought one at 33. I grew up here, I went to school here and after eight years of service I’m raising my family here.”
Other Democrats in the contest include Dana Barrett, who recently left her show on 640/WGST-AM to challenge Loudermilk with a bet that a "socially liberal" stance will win over suburban women.
The 11th, which stretches from Adairsville down to Buckhead, was represented by Phil Gingrey and Bob Barr before Loudermilk’s 2014 victory.
It’s far more conservative than the nearby 6th and 7th districts, a target of both parties in 2020. Trump carried the district by 25 percentage points in 2016 and Loudermilk captured more than 60% of the vote last year.
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Dozens of protesters showed up outside U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath's office on Saturday as part of a concerted attack focusing on her support for the impeachment of President Donald Trump.
Trump campaign spokeswoman Danielle Alvarez said the Marietta Democrat is “politically motivated and continues to resist the voters in her district.”
U.S. Sen. David Perdue got in on the action, too, with a Tweet about the demonstration saying Georgians are fed up with the "impeachment scarm" and want results growing the economy and boosting the military.
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At least 20 legal scholars affiliated with a Georgia law school have come out publicly in favor of impeaching President Donald Trump.
They are among 854 law professors and counting who have signed an open letter encouraging Congress to move forward with impeachment. The letter is sponsored by government watchdog group Protect Democracy and posted on the website Medium.
The essay says there is clear evidence that Trump violated his oath of office.
Each of Georgia’s five law schools have at least one current or former instructor who signed the letter. Other colleagues told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution they decided against participating or did not agree with its contents.
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Atlanta rapper and businessman Michael Render, a.k.a. Killer Mike, was dispatched to Greenville, S.C., this weekend to speak up for Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.
