Ups, Downs and In-betweens
Isakson Symposium at UGA: Two prominent U.S. senators, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) and Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia), were invited to speak at the inaugural Isakson Symposium on Political Civility on Nov. 10 in the University of Georgia Chapel. This is sponsored by the School of Public and International Affairs and honors the late Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson, a UGA alum who also served in the U.S. House.
University President Jere Morehead said in a press release, “Senator Isakson represented the very best of public service during his more than 40 years in elected office, and a hallmark of his career was his ability to get results by reaching across the aisle and engaging in civil discourse.”
Isakson’s oft-quoted personal motto was, “There are only two kinds of people in the world: friends and future friends.”
6th District Race: Democratic Cobb County Commissioner Jerica Richardson has launched her campaign for Georgia’s 6th Congressional District, hoping to win her party’s nomination in the May 2024 primary election and challenge incumbent Republican Rep. Rich McCormick. This seat was once held by Democrat Rep. Lucy McBath, who now represents the 7th District; she ran in her new district after legislative redistricting dramatically changed the 6th’s electorate from blue to red. Democrats are hoping that a court case might result in redrawn district lines that would help their candidate.
Gas Tax Suspension: Gov. Kemp declared a state of emergency “due to the 40-year high inflation and negative economic conditions” and temporarily suspended the state’s excise tax on motor and locomotive fuel in September. The current suspension lasts until Nov. 12. Blaming “Bidenomics” for increased gas prices, Kemp said in a press release, “While high prices continue to hit family budgets, hardworking Georgians deserve real relief.”
Gun Safety Requests: A group of 43 Georgia mayors, including Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz, has written to Gov. Kemp and members of the General Assembly urging them to enact new gun safety measures.
“We currently live with the reality that gun violence has become the No.1 killer of children, and in which Georgia has become a top exporter of illegal weapons,” the mayors wrote, noting, “our residents rely upon us to be the front line of efforts to enhance their quality of life.”
Among their requests: More funding for mental health services, background checks for firearms purchases or transfers, a new mechanism for identifying individuals who should not have access to guns, a focus on high-capacity or rapid-fire-action weapons and safe storage requirements for guns.
The letter was signed by mayors from larger cities like Savannah as well as smaller communities like Blakely and Adel.
Wellstar Merger: Marietta-based Wellstar Health System and Augusta University Health System are officially joined and now operate under the name Wellstar MCG Health. Wellstar has a 40-year contract with the University System of Georgia Board of Regents to run the hospital attached to Augusta University’s Medical College of Georgia, the state’s only public medical school.
The merger has been in the works for some time. It will allow Wellstar to build and operate a new hospital in nearby Columbia County and will provide financial help for the university hospital system, which is more than $200 million in debt.
Tilting at Windmills: State Sen. Colton Moore (R-Trenton) has been suspended by the Georgia State Republican Caucus after he unsuccessfully called for a legislative session to investigate Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis for her prosecution of former President Donald Trump. The caucus accused Moore of using false statements and putting his caucus colleagues and their families at risk of harm. Gov. Kemp, who has the authority to call a special session, has said he will not do so. “In Georgia, we will not be engaging in political theater that only inflames the emotions of the moment,” he said.
Photo contributed.
New Leadership at DPS: Former Deputy Commissioner William “Billy” Hitchens assumed the role of commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety and colonel of the Georgia State Patrol in October, succeeding Col. Chris Wright, who retired.
Gov. Brian Kemp praised Hitchens as “someone who has dedicated his career to the agency.” Hitchens began as a cadet trooper in Sylvania in 1995. He was assigned to Centennial Park during the 1996 Olympic Games and received a Meritorious Service Award for his actions prior to and after the park bombing. Kendrick Lowe succeeds Hitchens as deputy commissioner and lieutenant colonel of the state patrol; Joshua Lamb is now assistant commissioner.
