Georgia Front Page

Justice approves Georgia’s redistricting plans

2011-12-23T14:46:00.001-08:00

The U.S. Department of Justice has approved the congressional and legislative maps passed into law this summer by the state of Georgia, the state’s elected leaders learned today. Under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, Georgia must receive approval from the federal government before any changes in election practices or procedures are implemented.

“The state of Georgia put forth a tremendous team effort. The maps offer rational district lines, equitable representation and meet the strict standards of the Voting Rights Act,” Gov. Nathan Deal said. “The Justice Department's decision demonstrates that our state’s districts serve our diverse population well. The Legislature conducted an open and fair process that allowed input from all parts of the state, and the final product reflects legislators’ hard work and diligence. Special thanks also goes to Attorney General Sam Olens, who shepherded the maps through the preclearance process.”

“I am pleased that the U.S. Department of Justice affirmed that Georgia’s new legislative and congressional plans meet the legal requirements of the Voting Rights Act,” said Attorney General Sam Olens. “The responsible approach taken by the General Assembly during the redistricting process resulted in carefully drawn maps, which ensure that Georgia’s growing population will be fairly represented. In fact, this redistricting cycle marks the first time since the Voting Rights Act became law that all of Georgia’s plans have been approved on the first review. I applaud the excellent work of Gov. Deal, Lt. Gov. Casey, Speaker Ralston and the General Assembly, and outside counsel Strickland Brockington Lewis throughout the process to ensure a positive outcome for the citizens of Georgia.”

“From the beginning of this process, all of us have been committed to ensuring that Georgia’s legislative and congressional maps are fair and meet all legal requirements, including compliance with the Voting Rights Act,” Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle said. “Today’s decision by the Department of Justice is a validation of our commitment to those principles. I appreciate the diligent work of the Reapportionment and Redistricting Committee as well as the entire Senate that resulted in this important approval.”

“Today’s announcement by the U.S. Justice Department is welcome news and validates what we have been saying all along -- that these maps are fair, sensible and fully comply with the Voting Rights Act. I appreciate House Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Committee Chairman Roger Lane, the members of his committee and the staff for their efforts that allowed us to successfully reach this point.”

Today's approval by the Democratically controlled Justice Department marks the first time in Georgia's history that the federal government has approved all three statewide redistricting plans on the first review. The federal approval means that the new districts will be used in the 2012 elections.

Deal signs House, Senate maps

2011-08-24T16:21:00.001-07:00

Governor, legislative leaders decide to remove T-SPLOST issue

Gov. Nathan Deal today signed the state House and state Senate legislative district maps, praising the Legislature for its open, transparent process that produced compact districts and kept communities of interest together. Both the House and Senate have also affirmed Deal’s freezing of the gas tax rate, which gave the state’s motorists a $40 million tax cut.

“Georgians can be proud of what their legislators produced in these new maps,” said Deal. “After all the shenanigans we saw 10 years ago with multimember districts and outrageous gerrymandering, we have upheld our vow to keep communities together. House and Senate leaders held hearings across the state and worked individually with members of both parties. Both bodies produced maps that obey federal laws and honor the one-person-one-vote principle. The maps also pass the ‘optics test,’ meaning that a casual viewer could look at the districts and tell they make sense. It’s a benefit to our state and a benefit to our taxpayers that we have accomplished this important part of the special session so quickly. I’m proud to sign my name to these maps which will shape our General Assembly for the next decade.”

The General Assembly is currently in Week 2 of its special session for redistricting. Legislators currently are working on the congressional district map, which adds a 14th District.

The governor today reached a joint decision with House and Senate leadership to suspend further consideration of legislation to move the date for T-SPLOST referendum.

“We’ve had a healthy debate on the T-SPLOST referendum date here at the Gold Dome,” Deal said. “I’m a supporter of the referendum, and I believe it’s important to job creation and economic development throughout Georgia. I further believe that it is a sound conservative principle to allow as many taxpayers as possible to participate in this important decision. Our time during this special session, however, is precious, and it’s now obvious that it will take too much time to reach a consensus on changing the date. It’s best for taxpayers that we not let this special session drag on. Redistricting was our priority, and we have delivered a great product.”

House Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Committee Chairman Roger Lane Releases Proposed Map

2011-08-12T11:47:00.001-07:00

Rep. Roger Lane (R-Darien), Chairman of the House Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Committee, today released a proposed redistricting plan for the Georgia House of Representatives. The proposed plan is available on the Joint Reapportionment Office Website, http://www.legis.ga.gov, Joint Offices, Reapportionment, by clicking this link, or by following this web address: http://www.legis.ga.gov/Joint/reapportionment/en-US/default.aspx

The plan was drafted by House Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Committee Chairman Roger Lane through an open process that included meetings with local delegations of Republicans and Democrats to review each area of the state. The plan meets all the guidelines adopted by the House Committee in a bipartisan, unanimous vote on July 20. The plan:

· Complies with the US Constitution’s requirement of “one person, one vote”;

· Complies with the Voting Rights Act of 1965;

· Complies with the Georgia Constitution;

· Respects the boundaries of counties and precincts;

· Consists of compact districts;

· Respects communities of interest; and

· Avoids the unnecessary pairing of incumbents.

The plan for the 180 House seats splits only 72 of Georgia’s 159 counties, fewer than the plan drafted by the federal court in 2004, which split 77. In contrast, the 2001 plan split 80 counties. The use of multi-member districts in 2001 reduced the total number of House districts from 180 to 147.

The 2001 plan paired 37 of the 74 Republican incumbents, 9 Democrats and 1 Independent. In contrast, the plan released today contains only ten pairings. Both Republicans and Democrats are paired but only when required by population shifts or compliance with the Voting Rights Act. The 10 incumbent pairings, six with two Democrats paired and four with two Republicans paired, are:

1. Ely Dobbs (D-Atlanta) and Sheila Jones (D-Atlanta)

2. Pat Gardner (D-Atlanta) and Rashad Taylor (D-Atlanta)

3. Simone Bell (D-Atlanta) and Ralph Long (D-Atlanta)

4. Stephanie Benfield (D-Atlanta) and Howard Mosby (D-Atlanta)

5. Elena Parent (D-Atlanta) and Scott Holcomb (D-Atlanta)

6. Mack Jackson (D-Sandersville) and Sistie Hudson (D-Sparta)

7. Gerald Greene (R-Cuthbert) and Bob Hanner (R-Parrott)

8. Darlene Taylor (R-Thomasville) and Gene Maddox (R-Cairo)

9. Chuck Sims (R-Ambrose) and Tommy Smith (R-Nicholls)

10. Mark Hatfield (R-Waycross) and Jason Spencer (R-Woodbine)

“Chairman Lane has drawn a map that is fair to all Georgians,” said House Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge). “By releasing this plan before the session, Republicans have fulfilled the commitment to draw maps in a fair, open, and transparent process that is completely different from the Democratic games in 2001.”

“It’s been tough putting this plan together, but we’ve created a plan that does a great job of representing all Georgians and complying with all legal requirements,” said Rep. Roger Lane, chairman of the House Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Committee. “I’m proud of the plan that we’ve created together and look forward to a bipartisan vote in favor of this plan.”

In 2001, House leaders refused to share proposed plans with Republican legislators or the public until the special session was well underway. This time, nearly every Democratic legislator has reviewed the proposed changes to his or her district. Even more importantly, the plan has been released to the public in multiple formats, including a Google Earth layer, allowing the public to review the plan and offer input before or during the Special Session.

“Each of these pairings is necessitated by the Voting Rights Act and population shifts,” said Rep. Edward Lindsey (R-Atlanta). “The areas represented by these members lost population in relation to the growth in the rest of the state. For instance, of the 10 smallest districts by population, eight are inside the perimeter in metro Atlanta. South Georgia has similarly lost population.”

The special session to consider redistricting begins on Monday, August 15, and the House Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Committee will meet on Tuesday, August 16 to begin taking public comment on the proposed plan and any other plans proposed by other Representative.

Deal releases findings of Atlanta school probe

2011-07-05T08:54:00.000-07:00

Gov. Nathan Deal today released an outline of findings from the state’s investigation into the 2009 administration of the Atlanta Public Schools CRCT exams.

“Nothing is more important to the future of our state than ensuring that today’s students receive a first-class education and integrity in testing is a necessary piece of the equation,” said Deal. “When test results are falsified and students who have not mastered the necessary material are promoted, our students are harmed, parents lose sight of their child’s true progress, and taxpayers are cheated. The report’s findings are troubling, but I am encouraged that this investigation will bring closure to the problems that existed in APS and restore the focus on students and the classroom. As we begin to turn the page on this dark chapter in Atlanta Public Schools, I am confident brighter days lie ahead.”

An outline of the findings of the investigation follows:

· Thousands of children were harmed by the 2009 CRCT cheating by being denied remedial education because of their inflated CRCT scores.

o We found cheating in 44 of the 56 schools we examined (78.6%). There were 38 principals of those 56 schools (67.9%) found to be responsible for, or directly involved in, cheating.

o We determined that 178 teachers and principals in the Atlanta Public Schools System cheated. Of the 178, 82 confessed to this misconduct. Six principals refused to answer our questions, and pled the Fifth Amendment, which, under civil law is an implied admission of wrongdoing. These principals, and 32 more, either were involved with, or should have known that, there was test cheating in their schools.

o We empathize with those educators who felt they were pressured to cheat and commend those who were willing to tell us the truth regarding their misconduct. However, this report is not meant to excuse their ethical failings, or exonerate them from their wrongdoings.

· The 2009 CRCT statistics are overwhelming and allow for no conclusion other than widespread cheating in APS. The BRC expert, Dr. John Fremer, wrote an op-ed article for the AJC in which he said there was widespread, organized cheating in APS.

· The drop in 2010 CRCT erasures confirm the conclusion above.

· Cheating occurred as early as 2001.

· There were warnings of cheating on CRCT as early as December 2005/January 2006. The warnings were significant and clear and were ignored.

· Cheating was caused by a number of factors but primarily by the pressure to meet targets in the data-driven environment.

· There was a major failure of leadership throughout APS with regard to the ethical administration of the 2009 CRCT.

· A culture of fear, intimidation and retaliation existed in APS, which created a conspiracy of silence and deniability with respect to standardized test misconduct.

· In addition to the 2009 CRCT cheating, we found other improper conduct: several open record act violations; instances of false statements; and instances of document destruction.

Deal touts Georgia ranking as No. 4 for business

2011-07-01T09:21:00.000-07:00

State also received high marks from U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Gov. Nathan Deal this week announced that CNBC ranked Georgia as the fourth-best place for business in the cable business network’s annual listing of the top states for business released. The 2011 ranking is a six-place jump from the state’s previous 10th-place ranking.

“This 2011 fourth-best ranking is a significant accomplishment for our state and will undoubtedly go a long way in helping us to tell Georgia’s business story in our country and in strategic markets around the world,” Deal said. “We want businesses to know that Georgia is well equipped to help them compete and succeed. Business is a top priority in Georgia, and we are committed to making every effort to ensure we remain a top environment for business.”

The 2011 ranking represents the first time Georgia broke into the top five in four years. CNBC attributed Georgia’s success to its second-place infrastructure and transportation ranking and its fourth-place workforce ranking. States are scored in 10 categories and then ranked based on their overall score. CNBC also cited Georgia’s transportation and logistics system, including the world’s busiest airport, bustling ports and high-quality roads, as score boosters. The network also took note of the Georgia’s promising workforce, describing the labor pool as large and growing.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce also released its Enterprising States report this week, which ranked Georgia first in entrepreneurial activity among other top-10 category rankings. The Chamber’s report recognizes state-level efforts to create jobs and encourage economic growth. The state’s most notable gain was its six-spot move to ninth for exports. This gain also earned Georgia a sixth-place ranking for growth in share of national exports. Georgia was also ranked in the top 10 for categories such as high school advanced placement intensity, business birth rate, job placement efficiency and higher education efficiency.

“These national recognitions help to validate the work we are doing to aggressively market Georgia as one of the best places nationwide for business,” said Chris Cummiskey, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “Beyond being regarded as the business capital of the Southeast, we want businesses here and abroad to know that we offer the most comprehensive and competitive resources in areas that are most important to the business community. Whether it is a small business or a major corporation, business is welcomed and supported in Georgia.”

U.S. Census Bureau Announces Field Management Reforms to Reduce Costs and Enhance Data Quality

2011-07-01T04:45:00.000-07:00

Atlanta office to remain open

The U.S. Census Bureau today announced a realignment of its national field office structure and management reforms designed to keep pace with modern survey collection methods worldwide and reduce costs by an estimated $15 million to $18 million annually beginning in 2014. The reforms build on the work the Bureau’s leadership did in bringing in the 2010 Census on time and 25 percent under budget.

The changes are the first to the field office structure since 1961 and will result in the permanent closing of six of the agency’s 12 Regional Offices, affecting approximately 330 employees in a national field force of about 7,200. The six remaining Regional Offices will increase slightly in size, although a net loss of approximately 115-130 positions nationally is expected. Most staff reductions will happen through attrition, early retirements, or transfers to vacant jobs at Census headquarters or elsewhere across the federal government.

“Director Groves and his staff at Census are making good on the President’s charge to cut costs and change the way the government does business,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said. “This reorganization supports the administration’s ongoing effort to make government more efficient, effective and accountable to the American people.”

The realignment will close Regional Offices located in Boston, Charlotte, Dallas, Detroit, Kansas City and Seattle. The remaining six Regional Offices and their new boundaries will be located in Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New York and Philadelphia.

“As we go through this transition over the next 18 months, our Regional Office employees affected by this realignment will be our first priority,” U.S. Census Bureau Director Robert Groves said.

Advances in technology have allowed survey organizations to provide field interviewers with better tools and move to a leaner management structure. Increasing virtualization of supervision using more timely management information can yield both cost and quality advantages.

“Our professional field interviewers across the country are critical to helping us generate vital statistics about our economy, our communities and our households,” Groves said. “We owe it to them and the American people to constantly improve our processes and become more efficient, using taxpayer money wisely while maintaining the highest quality statistics.”

The U.S. Census Bureau is committed to finding the best possible outcome for each affected employee in a closing office and is seeking approval from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management to provide these employees with transition assistance, early retirement, retirement incentives, and job opportunities.

SBA’s Deadline for Physical Damage Disaster Loan Applications in Georgia Is June 28

2011-05-30T10:08:00.000-07:00

(BUSINESS WIRE)--The U.S. Small Business Administration reminds homeowners, renters, businesses and non-profit organizations of the deadline to submit disaster loan applications for damages caused by the severe storms, tornadoes, high winds and flooding that occurred April 27-28. The deadline to file an SBA disaster loan application for physical damage is on June 28, 2011.

Anyone with insured losses should not wait for an insurance settlement before applying to the SBA. “If someone does not know how much of their loss will be covered by insurance or other sources, the SBA will consider making a loan for the total loss up to its loan limits, provided they agree to use insurance proceeds to reduce or repay their SBA loan,” said Frank Skaggs, director of SBA Field Operations Center East.

Low-interest disaster loans for physical damages are available in the following Georgia counties: Bartow, Catoosa, Cherokee, Coweta, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, Greene, Habersham, Harris, Heard, Lamar, Lumpkin, Meriwether, Monroe, Morgan, Newton, Pickens, Polk, Rabun, Spalding, Troup, Upson, Walker and White, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA.

Interest rates are as low as 2.688 percent for homeowners and renters, 3 percent for non-profit organizations and 4 percent for businesses with terms up to 30 years. The SBA sets the loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

For additional assistance, call the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for people with speech or hearing disabilities) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., ET or send an e-mail to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan application forms can be downloaded from the SBA website at www.sba.gov. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

Those affected by the disaster may apply for disaster loans from SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical damage is June 28, 2011. The deadline to return economic injury applications is January 30, 2012.

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CPSC Alert: Counterfeit Smoke Alarms Distributed in Atlanta

2011-05-27T13:36:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging consumers in the Atlanta area to check their homes for counterfeit smoke alarms. About 18,500 counterfeit photoelectric smoke alarms were distributed for free in the Atlanta area between 2006 through May 2011 as part of the Atlanta Smoke Alarm Program. The smoke alarms can fail to alert consumers in the event of a fire.

The Atlanta Fire Rescue Department, which distributed the free smoke alarms as part of a fire safety campaign, is recalling the smoke alarms and is working to provide free smoke alarm inspections and replacement units. Consumers who received these alarms should immediately contact the Atlanta Smoke Alarm Recall Hotline at (404) 546-2733.

The counterfeit alarms can be identified by a silver Underwriters Laboratories' UL label on the back and three sets of vented slots on the front. The UL label is counterfeit. The alarms do not have a model number or brand name printed on them. "Important: Refer to Manual for Operating Instruction and Safety" and "Do Not Paint" are stamped into the plastic on the front of the alarm in both English and German. The package states, "This Smoke Alarm save [sic] life and property by early warning!" Claims that smoke alarms can "save property" are not typical claims for smoke alarms. The packaging states, "10 YEAR LIFE LITHIUM BATTERY," but the battery included with the smoke alarm is a carbon zinc, industrial, heavy duty battery, which will power the alarm for only one year.

CPSC's independent testing of the smoke alarms determined that the alarms pose a life safety hazard to the occupants in the event of a fire. The alarms perform poorly and inconsistently and do not meet voluntary standards requirements in Underwriters Laboratories' (UL) 217, Single and Multiple Station Smoke Alarms and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 72, Fire Alarm and Signaling Code. The smoke alarms' sensitivity settings varied greatly between the alarms tested. Some alarms did not respond within an adequate time for life safety and other alarms did not respond at all.

CPSC has worked with the voluntary standards organizations to improve smoke alarm performance and reliability. Counterfeit alarms can put lives at risk. Working smoke alarms that meet the voluntary standards are proven to save lives. CPSC urges consumers to install smoke alarms on every level of the home, outside sleeping areas and inside bedrooms. Replace batteries at least once every year and test the alarms once a month.

Counterfeit UL Label

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of the thousands of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $800 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals – contributed to a significant decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

Under federal law, it is illegal to attempt to sell or re-sell any recalled product.

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Reminder: National Infantry Museum, Columbus, GA, to Host Gulf War 20th Anniversary National Tribute 9 a.m. Thurs., May 26 to Honor Service Members, Unveil Stones to Those Who Lost Lives in Decisive Military Action

2011-05-24T05:38:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- The National Infantry Museum, located adjacent to Fort Benning in Columbus, GA, will host a Gulf War Twentieth Anniversary National Tribute to the men and women killed in service during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm on Thursday, May 26, from 9-10:30 a.m., leading off Memorial Day Weekend. The event will include participation by the top service commanders from the conflict and will feature laying commemorative granite paved stones for each of the men and women who died. Families and unit members will attend and thousands are expected.

"We won rapidly in the Gulf War; 382 men and women gave their lives," says Col. Greg Camp (Ret), Executive Vice President of the National Infantry Foundation. Infantry Foundation Chairman Lieutenant General Carmen Cavezza added, "This event is a well earned national tribute to the sacrifices our military heroes made to enable a clear victory by the United States and coalition forces. This will be the first official recognition of all Gulf War men and women who died in service." The event is also Fort Benning's Memorial Day celebration.

The event's host speaker will be retired Four-Star General Barry R. McCaffrey, a division commander in the Gulf War. The top Air Force and Navy commanders in the Gulf War have already indicated participation, Gen. Charles Horner (Ret), and Admiral Stanley Arthur (Ret), as well as LtGen. William M. Keys, USMC (Ret.), who commanded the 2nd Marine Division in the Gulf War. Other leaders from all branches are expected. In addition to the stone pavers and speeches, a military honor guard will march. Taps will be played following the unveiling of the stones and the raising of a new, special, dedicated flag for the Gulf War.

McCaffrey stated, "The Gulf War was a decisive military action. Anyone who comes to the Infantry Museum and sees the powerful exhibits from all of America's wars will understand how appropriate it is that the Gulf War commemoration be hosted here. As a participant in the Gulf War, I am proud that America is giving recognition to those who served and died for their country."

The National Infantry Museum and Foundation continues to seek information from families and unit members of the service members killed in the Gulf War to include at the event. All are invited to come. Persons with information or photos of the 382 are asked to send them to Cyndy Cerbin at ccerbin@nationalinfantryfoundation.org. "We want families and friends of Gulf War veterans to feel that this is home for recognition of their heroes," said Ben Williams, Executive Director of National Infantry Foundation.

In partnership with the Army and the Maneuver Center of Excellence, the Gulf War ceremony will be a special event included at the conclusion of the graduation of a company of new Infantry School soldiers, a powerful message of continuity for the graduates. Four-Star General BB Bell (Ret), who was General Norman Schwarzkopf's executive officer in the Gulf War as a colonel, will deliver the graduation address. Four-Star General Ronald Griffith, a commander of the First Armored Division in Iraq, will also participate. The class will then march the short distance to the granite pavers for the unveiling.

For planning purposes, Columbus' airport is served by Delta and American Airlines, or media may wish to fly to Atlanta and rent a car or take a shuttle to Columbus, which has many hotels. Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International airport (ATL) is approximately a 75-minute drive from the National Infantry Museum, and Columbus Airport (CSG) is a twenty-minute drive.

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Full Text of Pres. Obama's Speech on Israel

2011-05-20T06:20:00.000-07:00

For decades, the conflict between Israelis and Arabs has cast a shadow over the region. For Israelis, it has meant living with the fear that their children could be blown up on a bus or by rockets fired at their homes, as well as the pain of knowing that other children in the region are taught to hate them. For Palestinians, it has meant suffering the humiliation of occupation, and never living in a nation of their own. Moreover, this conflict has come with a larger cost to the Middle East, as it impedes partnerships that could bring greater security and prosperity and empowerment to ordinary people.

For over two years, my administration has worked with the parties and the international community to end this conflict, building on decades of work by previous administrations. Yet expectations have gone unmet. Israeli settlement activity continues. Palestinians have walked away from talks. The world looks at a conflict that has grinded on and on and on, and sees nothing but stalemate. Indeed, there are those who argue that with all the change and uncertainty in the region, it is simply not possible to move forward now.

I disagree. At a time when the people of the Middle East and North Africa are casting off the burdens of the past, the drive for a lasting peace that ends the conflict and resolves all claims is more urgent than ever. That’s certainly true for the two parties involved.

For the Palestinians, efforts to delegitimize Israel will end in failure. Symbolic actions to isolate Israel at the United Nations in September won’t create an independent state. Palestinian leaders will not achieve peace or prosperity if Hamas insists on a path of terror and rejection. And Palestinians will never realize their independence by denying the right of Israel to exist.

As for Israel, our friendship is rooted deeply in a shared history and shared values. Our commitment to Israel’s security is unshakeable. And we will stand against attempts to single it out for criticism in international forums. But precisely because of our friendship, it’s important that we tell the truth: The status quo is unsustainable, and Israel too must act boldly to advance a lasting peace.

The fact is, a growing number of Palestinians live west of the Jordan River. Technology will make it harder for Israel to defend itself. A region undergoing profound change will lead to populism in which millions of people -– not just one or two leaders — must believe peace is possible. The international community is tired of an endless process that never produces an outcome. The dream of a Jewish and democratic state cannot be fulfilled with permanent occupation.

Now, ultimately, it is up to the Israelis and Palestinians to take action. No peace can be imposed upon them — not by the United States; not by anybody else. But endless delay won’t make the problem go away. What America and the international community can do is to state frankly what everyone knows — a lasting peace will involve two states for two peoples: Israel as a Jewish state and the homeland for the Jewish people, and the state of Palestine as the homeland for the Palestinian people, each state enjoying self-determination, mutual recognition, and peace.

So while the core issues of the conflict must be negotiated, the basis of those negotiations is clear: a viable Palestine, a secure Israel. The United States believes that negotiations should result in two states, with permanent Palestinian borders with Israel, Jordan, and Egypt, and permanent Israeli borders with Palestine. We believe the borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps, so that secure and recognized borders are established for both states.

The Palestinian people must have the right to govern themselves, and reach their full potential, in a sovereign and contiguous state.

As for security, every state has the right to self-defense, and Israel must be able to defend itself -– by itself -– against any threat. Provisions must also be robust enough to prevent a resurgence of terrorism, to stop the infiltration of weapons, and to provide effective border security. The full and phased withdrawal of Israeli military forces should be coordinated with the assumption of Palestinian security responsibility in a sovereign, non-militarized state. And the duration of this transition period must be agreed, and the effectiveness of security arrangements must be demonstrated.

These principles provide a foundation for negotiations. Palestinians should know the territorial outlines of their state; Israelis should know that their basic security concerns will be met. I’m aware that these steps alone will not resolve the conflict, because two wrenching and emotional issues will remain: the future of Jerusalem, and the fate of Palestinian refugees. But moving forward now on the basis of territory and security provides a foundation to resolve those two issues in a way that is just and fair, and that respects the rights and aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians.

Now, let me say this: Recognizing that negotiations need to begin with the issues of territory and security does not mean that it will be easy to come back to the table. In particular, the recent announcement of an agreement between Fatah and Hamas raises profound and legitimate questions for Israel: How can one negotiate with a party that has shown itself unwilling to recognize your right to exist? And in the weeks and months to come, Palestinian leaders will have to provide a credible answer to that question. Meanwhile, the United States, our Quartet partners, and the Arab states will need to continue every effort to get beyond the current impasse.

I recognize how hard this will be. Suspicion and hostility has been passed on for generations, and at times it has hardened. But I’m convinced that the majority of Israelis and Palestinians would rather look to the future than be trapped in the past. We see that spirit in the Israeli father whose son was killed by Hamas, who helped start an organization that brought together Israelis and Palestinians who had lost loved ones. That father said, “I gradually realized that the only hope for progress was to recognize the face of the conflict.” We see it in the actions of a Palestinian who lost three daughters to Israeli shells in Gaza. “I have the right to feel angry,” he said. “So many people were expecting me to hate. My answer to them is I shall not hate. Let us hope,” he said, “for tomorrow.”

That is the choice that must be made -– not simply in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but across the entire region -– a choice between hate and hope; between the shackles of the past and the promise of the future. It’s a choice that must be made by leaders and by the people, and it’s a choice that will define the future of a region that served as the cradle of civilization and a crucible of strife.

Georgia Receives $55,000 Grant from NSSF to Promote Hunting

2011-05-20T06:10:00.000-07:00

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has been awarded a grant for $55,000 from the National Shooting Sports Foundation to expand opportunities for hunters.

The state is one of nine to receive funding from NSSF through its Hunting Heritage Partnership program. NSSF, the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting-sports industry, has provided more than $4.3 million in grants to 38 state agencies over the past nine years to support programs that promote hunting and target shooting.

The agency's project, which will be coordinated with Alabama and Kentucky, will assess the best ways to encourage and assist hunter-education graduates to become active hunters and hunting-license purchasers. The project will focus on developing "next step" guidance for hunter-education graduates.

"The future of hunting in Georgia relies on establishing new generations of hunters," says Dan Forster, director of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division. "This grant will help make it possible for state wildlife agencies to obtain practical and specific tools and resources to help hunter-education graduates take the next step toward becoming hunters."

NSSF developed the Hunting Heritage Partnership grant program to assist state agencies nationwide in their attempts to help hunters locate land on which to hunt and easily access state hunting information plus encourage newcomers to start and then continue hunting.

"NSSF grants to state agencies are making a difference," said Chris Dolnack, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of NSSF. "Programs are being launched to benefit hunting and target shooting that otherwise might never have gotten off the ground in these challenging economic times."

The grant program is helping NSSF fulfill its goal of increasing participation in hunting and target shooting by 20 percent by 2014.

"I congratulate the Georgia Department of Natural Resources for earning this NSSF grant. By increasing the number of sportsmen in America we increase the funding available for wildlife conservation and for building target shooting ranges, thereby preserving our American heritage well into the future," said Joshua W. Dorsey IV, vice president of operations at Smyrna-based Glock Inc. and a member of the NSSF Board of Governors.

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New U.K. relationship may boost state's economy: Deal announces UK Trade & Investment to establish base in Georgia

2011-05-19T06:30:00.000-07:00

Gov. Nathan Deal and Lord Stephen Green, Minister of State for Trade and Investment, announced today (May 18) from London that UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) will establish an office in Georgia to promote trade and foreign direct investment opportunities between the United Kingdom and the state.

“The United Kingdom is and will remain a strong business partner for the state of Georgia. The ties that bind us grow stronger each year, benefiting both economies,” said Gov. Deal. “In this mission to the United Kingdom, I hope to build on our firm foundation of friendship and trust to further opportunities that will create jobs and profitable investment opportunities.”

UKTI, part of the British Government, helps U.K.-based companies succeed in international markets and overseas companies bring high-quality investment to the country. The UKTI will be co-located with the British Consulate-General in downtown Atlanta. An officer is in place temporarily for the months of May and June to undertake preparation for the launch of the full-time trade office opening in early July with a team of two full-time trade officers. UKTI has been operating in Georgia through regular visits of trade officers from its Miami location.

“Trade and investment is at the heart of the UK’s growth strategy and we see great prospects for further growth of British business links with Georgia and across the Southeast,” said Lord Green. “That is why we are pleased to announce today an expansion of our UK Trade and Investment team in Atlanta to further develop these opportunities to the benefit of jobs in both our countries.”

Deal and Lord Green made the announcement during the governor’s first international mission since taking office. His visits to Liverpool and London are helping develop strategic partnerships with the United Kingdom to support job growth in both countries.

“The British government is delighted to be hosting Gov. Deal on this visit. The governor’s visit will help to advance additional opportunities to expand this successful economic partnership to the benefit of both our countries,” said Her Majesty’s Consul General, Annabelle Malins, who is accompanying the visit.

“We do a lot of business in and with the U.K. and establishing the new trade and investment office is a natural outgrowth of that relationship,” said Chris Cummiskey, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, who is traveling with Deal on the mission.

The United Kingdom ranks as the sixth-largest export market and eighth-largest import market for Georgia. The state exported nearly $990 million there in 2010, with top exports including electrical machinery, wood pulp, aircraft or spacecraft, paper and machinery. Imports from the U.K. totaled close to $2.3 billion and consisted primarily of pharmaceutical products, nonrailway vehicles, electrical machinery, machinery, and aircraft or spacecraft.

More than 100 Georgia companies have operations in the U.K. and around 565 British facilities operate in Georgia, including 110 manufacturing locations. These U.K.-affiliated companies employ close to 35,000 Georgians. Through the Department of Economic Development, Georgia maintains both a business office and a tourism office in the U.K.

This program follows a series of high-level visits: Mayor Kasim Reed of Atlanta visited London in November, U.K. Minister Alistair Burt visited Georgia in December and a Liverpool delegation led by the University of Liverpool visited Georgia in January. Daily flights between Atlanta and London operate out of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

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Georgia Residents Affected by Recent Tornadoes Urged to Return Completed SBA Applications

2011-05-19T05:57:00.000-07:00

(BUSINESS WIRE)--The U.S. Small Business Administration is urging Georgia survivors affected by the recent tornadoes to quickly return completed SBA low-interest disaster loan applications in order to be considered for all forms of assistance. Homeowners and renters who cannot afford a loan will be referred to FEMA for possible grant funds.

“There is a tendency for survivors to discard SBA disaster loan applications because they may not want a loan. However, they risk missing out on grants by not returning completed applications to SBA,” said Frank Skaggs, director, SBA Field Operations Center East, Atlanta.

The Presidential disaster declaration in Georgia as a result of the severe storms and tornadoes of April 27-28 automatically activated the SBA disaster loan program. Survivors are encouraged to register with FEMA at 800-621-FEMA (3362). After registering with FEMA, many homeowners and renters will be referred to SBA to see if they may qualify for a low-interest disaster loan to replace or repair property destroyed or damaged by the tornadoes. If SBA determines they cannot afford a loan, in most instances, they will be referred back to FEMA for grant consideration.

Interest rates are as low as 2.688 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance call the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at 800-621-FEMA (3362), TTY 800-462-7585 for people with speech or hearing disabilities. The locations of Disaster Recovery Centers and the loan application process can be obtained by calling the SBA Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for people with speech or hearing disabilities) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET or by sending an e-mail to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

SBA provides disaster loans to homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes. Those affected by this disaster may fill out a loan application online by visiting SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

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Governor Deal Signs Bill Enhancing Beautification, Outdoor Advertising Projects in Georgia

2011-05-16T10:38:00.000-07:00

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Governor Nathan Deal yesterday (May 12) announced he has signed House Bill 179, legislation that finally creates a common sense approach balancing the need for our community businesses to effectively promote themselves, while establishing stronger stewardship provisions than are in current law. In addition to the bill signing, the Outdoor Advertising Association of Georgia (OAAG) is also proud to announce that member companies are donating hundreds of vinyl signs to be used as tarps to cover storm-damaged homes as well as space on billboards to inform residents of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and American Red Cross contact information.

“I am proud that we are doing our part to help our neighbors who were severely impacted by these devastating storms.”

Under the new law, vegetation removal will now be allowed in a smaller area in front of billboards allowing motorists to fully view advertising messages and bring new business to Georgia companies. The bill requires outdoor advertising companies to pay the highest mitigation fees in the country and fund the replacement and replanting of all vegetation that is removed.

“The previous law was very ineffective, leaving signs close to the ground obstructed from view behind trees and either abandoned or raised to skyscraper levels for visibility,” said Ray Moyers, President of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Georgia (OAAG). “This compromise bill will lead to lower signs, more beautification projects and, most importantly, economic growth as Georgia small businesses reach new customers through advertising.”

In addition, the bill requires signs to be lowered to at least 75 feet as a condition for receiving relief from obstructions. It also ensures the industry fully funds the Georgia Department of Transportation’s administrative costs, relieving the burden from our state’s taxpayers.

For the first time in state law, House Bill 179 creates new provisions for the removal of abandoned, cluttered, and dilapidated signs at no cost to the taxpayer. And, the legislation emphasizes local control allowing local governments to determine billboard regulations in their community.

“Georgia’s network of outdoor advertising can be an incredible resource to help us market our community businesses, grow new jobs, and maintain our existing workforce, but only if the messages were visible to the traveling public,” said Rep. Jon Burns, sponsor of HB 179. “We worked hard over the past few months and fashioned a reasonable bill that achieves many of the goals sought after by both sides of this debate. I want to publicly thank Governor Deal for recognizing the benefits of the bill and signing it into law.”

Since the bill passed during this year’s legislative session, the outdoor advertising industry has continued to contribute heavily to Georgia’s economy and civic concerns. When tornados struck Georgia in late April, billboard companies immediately mobilized and donated over 500 vinyl signs that can be used as tarps to cover storm-damaged homes until repairs can be made.

The industry has also donated space on 75 electronic message boards in Georgia, including the hardest-hit storm areas of Rome, Griffin and Clayton. The messages inform residents on how to contact FEMA for storm-related assistance. There will also be two traditional (non-electronic) billboards in Trenton and Ringgold with FEMA contact information. The Outdoor Advertising Association of Georgia is paying for the production of the vinyl signs and Fairway Outdoor Advertising of Chattanooga is donating the space for those two signs. Clear Channel is also featuring messages for the American Red Cross on more than 20 digital signs in the Metro Atlanta area.

“Our industry is made up of community-minded citizens that respond quickly when Georgians are in need,” Moyers added. “I am proud that we are doing our part to help our neighbors who were severely impacted by these devastating storms.”

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Deal signs Child Booster Seat bill, creates MLK Advisory Council

2011-05-10T07:12:00.001-07:00

Gov. Nathan Deal today bolstered child safety efforts by signing a bill to strengthen the state’s booster seat law (SB 88), and he enacted legislation that creates an advisory council for state Capitol ceremonies for the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday (SB 141).

“We must do everything in our power to protect young Georgians, and studies show consistently that booster seats provide children with a much greater level of safety than vehicle seats built for adults,” said Deal, who signed the bill at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Scottish Rite Hospital. “I have no doubt that this law will save countless lives and prevent serious injuries for many young children.”

This bill will bring Georgia in line with the age recommendations of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration by raising the mandatory booster seat age to 8. SB 88 contains exceptions for children taller than 4 feet 9 inches or a child’s parent or guardian obtaining a physician’s written permission.

At Ebenezer Baptist Church, surrounded by members of the King family, Deal signed SB 141, a bill that promotes the legacy and philosophy of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. by creating the Martin Luther King, Jr. Advisory Council.

“It will be the duty of this council to promote the principles of nonviolence, peace, social justice and the awareness and appreciation of the civil rights movement and the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr.,” Deal said. “Our state is proud to be the home of Dr. King, and Ebenezer Baptist Church, surrounded by Dr. King’s family, was the perfect place to start this new council.”

The advisory council will also develop and coordinate ceremonies and activities relating to the observance of the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. on behalf of the state of Georgia.

Bills can be read in their entirety at http://www.legis.ga.gov/en-US/default.aspx.

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Deal signs bill to designate funding for burn trauma centers

2011-05-05T12:04:00.000-07:00

In Augusta and Columbia County today, Gov. Nathan Deal signed three bills into law. The governor signed HB 307, a bill that designates burn trauma centers treating the largest portion of significant burn cases -- at least 300 patients annually -- as designated facilities of the Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission.

“Despite Georgia’s fast-paced growth and a population of more than 9.8 million people in our state, we have only two major burn trauma centers, which bear the demand of treating patients with serious burn injuries. One center is at Doctors Hospital in Augusta; the other is at Grady Hospital in Atlanta,” said Deal. “This designation will permit Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission funding for the treatment of indigent burn victims at these burn centers.

“We must ensure our state is well-positioned to continue to provide critical care to victims of these life-threatening injuries.”

Deal signed the bill during a ceremony at the Enterprise Mill in Augusta. While there, Deal also enacted SB 240, a bill that creates a new class of motor vehicles and personal transportation vehicles (golf carts). Georgia is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of golf carts, and this legislation aims not only to promote the use of golf carts but also to support job growth in the state.

Earlier in the day during the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce’s post-legislative session breakfast at Savannah Rapids Pavilion in Martinez, he signed HB 280, which allows counties and municipalities with excess 911 funds to utilize that money for 911-related expenses. Currently that money was restricted to expenses as defined when the Georgia Emergency Telephone Act was passed in 1977, and HB 280 permits money to be spent on modern technologies. Deal was joined by Columbia County Sheriff Clay Whittle for the bill signing.

Bills can be read in their entirety at http://www.legis.ga.gov/en-US/default.aspx

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Deal signs bill to fight human trafficking: Governor modernizes Georgia legal code, including updated Rules of Evidence

2011-05-03T12:11:00.000-07:00

Gov. Nathan Deal today signed three bills pertaining to legal issues at the State Bar of Georgia and signed two bills advocated by the Women’s Caucus at My Sister’s House, an Atlanta facility that offers overnight shelter and residential discipleship programs for homeless women and women with children.

Bill signing at State Bar:

HB 24 modernizes the Rules of Evidence
Current Rules of Evidence are nearly 150 years old
Brings OCGA in line with Federal Rules of Evidence pertaining to hearsay
Georgia becomes the 45th state to modernize

HB 238 revamps the Georgia Public Defenders Standards Council
Agency has been plagued with issues
Gives more autonomy to Director
Reconstitutes the Council

HB 415 provides for a statewide jury pool
Since the 1960s, Georgia has used forced balancing to ensure demographic groups within counties are proportionally represented in the jury pool.
Ends forced balancing and implements a series of procedures and rules to compile a statewide, inclusive juror source list. It calls for the Council of Superior Court Clerks to establish and maintain a statewide master jury list and requires the Department of Driver Services and the Secretary of State to provide certain information to the Council of Superior Court Clerks.
The council will screen driver license records, vital records and voter registration records to create a more inclusive source list of eligible jurors. The database will be cleaned of duplicates, bad addresses and the names of felons and deceased people. Then the Council of Superior Court Clerks will certify and distribute an inclusive list to each individual county’s Board of Jury Commissioners.

Bill Signing at My Sister’s House:

“Human trafficking is a repugnant crime that is growing like a cancer in our society,” Deal said. “Signing this bill into law, I join my fellow Georgians in declaring moral outrage and vowing to fight human trafficking here in our state. These criminals rob their victims of freedom and human dignity, and they destroy lives. With this bill now a law, we will find these criminals and we will punish them harshly.”

HB 200 addresses human trafficking
Strengthens the punishment against traffickers by increasing the minimum imprisonment for any person who commits the offense of trafficking a person for labor or sexual servitude and subjects the convicted to a fine.
Increases the punishment for any person who commits the offense of trafficking a person for labor or sexual servitude against a person who is under the age of 18 years
Protects those that fall victim to predators whom act on their state of desperation by providing that a person shall NOT be guilty of a sexual crime if the conduct upon which the alleged criminal liability is based was committed under coercion or deception while the accused was being trafficked for sexual servitude

HB 503 provides for the Georgia Crime Victims Emergency Fund to cover the costs of medical exams of alleged victims of rape
Ensures that victims will have these exams paid for and that the responsibility will not fall on local law enforcement that have budget constraints

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Statement from Sen. Mullis on Storm Damage in Northwest Georgia

2011-04-28T11:01:00.000-07:00

State Sen. Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga) released the following statement today regarding the recent storm damage to Northwest Georgia:

“My prayers go out to the families of the victims of this devastating storm, and to those who have lost their homes and possessions amid the widespread destruction.

“I’m extremely grateful to the local officials and emergency workers for their search and rescue efforts to help the victims of this tragic event. I have directed state agencies to focus their resources in the areas of Northwest Georgia that have been hit particularly hard, including the City of Ringgold and Catoosa County, the City of Trenton and Dade County, as well as Walker and Chattooga counties. These areas need all the search and rescue help that they can get, and I’m confident that our emergency personnel will do everything they can to assist every victim.”

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Survey: Weak Economy Led to 1,395 Child Care Program Closures In Georgia Last Year

2011-04-22T08:32:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Already struggling in a difficult economy, conditions went from bad to worse in 2010 for Georgia's child care providers and the thousands of children and families they serve.

According to a new report released by Quality Care for Children, Georgia lost 1,395 child care programs due to the poor economy – a net loss of 43,000 child care slots statewide. This represents an 11 percent decline in the number of child care centers and a more than 30 percent decline in family child care.

The 1,395 closures are more than double the 600 shutdowns reported by Quality Care for Children last year.

And the worst may not be over. The annual statewide survey of 485 child care programs also found that 20 percent of child care centers and 33 percent of family child care providers are considering closing their doors. Approximately one in three family child care providers say they're worried about having to close, an increase from last year when one in four had the same concern.

"We've seen a huge spike in the number of vacancies in child care programs throughout the state, brought on by parents who've either lost jobs or seen their income reduced and then had to withdraw their children," said Quality Care for Children CEO Pam Tatum, "At the same time, costs to operate a center have never been higher – further adding to the financial pressure on providers. The most pressing concern is: Who is now caring for these children? In tough economic times, parents have fewer options and often feel financially pressured to leave their kids in care situations that may be unsuitable – even dangerous – in order to make ends meet. Ultimately it's the kids who pay the price."

Tatum said nearly 65 percent of families in Georgia use some form of child care today.

QCC also reported a troubling new trend tied to the economy: More children are arriving to child care hungry. A significant number of providers are reporting that children appear more stressed and are living in homes that are experiencing hardship, evidenced by the number of children coming into the provider's home hungry in the morning, especially after weekends.

QCC ensures more than 10,000 children in family child care receive nutritious snacks and meals every day through the USDA Child Care Food Program. "Clearly, that's not enough," Tatum said.

"Any child who starts their day hungry; who seems visibly stressed; and who is not in a stable, nurturing quality environment is not getting the start that is essential to their healthy development and the ultimate health of Georgia's economy," Tatum said.

For the third consecutive year, QCC reported substantial declines in the overall quality of child care programs as well, measured by the number of programs that have cut staff hours, eliminated staff positions, and spent less on needed improvements and supplies such as books and toys. "These cuts and lack of investments can be devastating to the quality of early education in Georgia. Our children can't afford another year of decline."

Copies of the report are available at www.qualitycareforchildren.org.

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Health Care Compact Heads to Governor’s Desk in Georgia

2011-04-19T07:49:00.000-07:00

The Georgia General Assembly passed the Health Care Compact, making them the second state to send the Compact to its governor. The Compact, introduced in the Senate by State Sen. Charlie Bethel (R-Dalton), would allow Georgia to join a Health Care Compact and provide Georgia the freedom and responsibility to develop health care laws. The Health Care Compact allows consumers more power to make health care decisions by returning funding and authority to state governments.

“Preserving 10th Amendment rights so states can move forward with true health care reform has been a driving force behind support across this nation for this Compact,” said Bethel. “Here in Georgia, we deserve full authority over our health care system to provide the best and most effective services for our citizens. It is our goal to implement free-market initiatives aimed at improving quality, increasing access, and lowering costs of health care for all Georgians. With this compact in place, we are ensured that we can make the decisions best for every person in this state. I thank the House and Senate for their hard work getting this compact passed and I look forward to working with Governor Deal to have it signed into law.”

I along with my conservative colleagues believe that states deserve control over health care goods and services and this Compact will guarantee

The Health Care Compact is an agreement between participating states that restores authority and responsibility for health care regulation to member states. The compact allows member states to create laws that are better suited for the state’s needs, including amendments to the federal health care law passed last year.

Georgia is the second state to send the compact to their governor for signature. The Health Care Compact has been introduced in 12 states and has passed the State House of Representatives in Montana, Missouri, and Arizona and State Senate in Oklahoma and Arizona. In addition, more than 36 states, citizen groups and state legislators are actively considering the Health Care Compact with legislative activity expected in the coming weeks.

The Georgia House version of the compact was introduced by Rep. Rick Jasperse (R-Jasper) and was co-sponsored by Representatives John Meadows (R-Calhoun), Tim Bearden (R-Villa Rica), Terry England (R-Auburn), Roger Williams (R-Dalton), Delvis Dutton (R- Glennville) and others.

The Health Care Compact was introduced by the Health Care Compact Alliance, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to providing Americans more influence over decisions that govern their health care.

“The Health Care Compact gives the health care decision-making power back to the people instead of the bureaucrats in Washington. It allows greater citizen influence, more competition, and more options for health care for millions of Americans,” said Eric O’Keefe, Chairman of the Health Care Compact Alliance. “We would like to thank Sen. Bethel for introducing this important legislation that will provide the citizens of Georgia with greater control over their government and, ultimately, over their health care.”

For the Health Care Compact to become law it must be passed by both houses of the General Assembly, signed by the governor, and approved through Congress. The way health care works in a member state is not prescribed in the compact. Who and what is covered as well as the level of regulation are determined by each state after the compact is ratified.

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Civil Rights Leaders Call for Halt to Water Fluoridation

2011-04-15T07:50:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Because fluoride can disproportionately harm poor citizens and black families, Atlanta civil rights leaders, Andrew Young and Dr. Gerald Durley, have asked Georgia legislators to repeal the state's mandatory water fluoridation law, reports Fluoride Action Network (FAN).

Andrew Young, former U.N. Ambassador and former Atlanta Mayor, along with Reverend Dr. Gerald Durley, Pastor of Providence Baptist Church in Atlanta, both inductees in the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame, expressed concerns about the fairness, safety, and full disclosure regarding fluoridation in letters to the state's minority and majority legislative leaders. (4,5)

Fluoride chemicals, added to 96% of Georgia's public drinking water supplies are meant to prevent tooth decay, especially in the poor. Yet, 61% of low-income Georgia third-graders have tooth decay compared to 51% from higher income families - and 33% and 20%, respectively, have untreated cavities showing a dire need for dental care. (1)

"We also have a cavity epidemic today in our inner cities that have been fluoridated for decades," wrote Ambassador Young.

Studies show that despite fluoridation, tooth decay is higher in blacks (2) along with fluoride overexposure symptoms - dental fluorosis or discolored teeth.(3)

Dr. Durley wrote, "The National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academy of Sciences has designated kidney patients, diabetics, seniors, and babies as 'susceptible subpopulations' that are especially vulnerable to harm from ingested fluorides. Black citizens are disproportionately affected by kidney disease and diabetes, and are therefore more impacted by fluorides."(4)

Ambassador Young wrote, "I am most deeply concerned for poor families who have babies: if they cannot afford unfluoridated water for their babies' milk formula, do their babies not count? Of course they do. This is an issue of fairness, civil rights, and compassion. We must find better ways to prevent cavities, such as helping those most at risk for cavities obtain access to the services of a dentist."(5)

Dr. Durley's letter to the legislators also says, "I support the holding of Fluoridegate hearings at the state and national level so we can learn why we haven't been openly told that fluorides build up in the body over time (and) why our government agencies haven't told the black community openly that fluorides disproportionately harm black Americans…"

An American Association for Justice Newsletter for trial lawyers describes potential fluoride legal actions based on personal injury, consumer fraud, and civil rights harm.(6)

In a letter to their state's Health Commissioner, a bipartisan group of Tennessee legislators expressed their concern about fluoridation's undesirable impact on babies and other groups.(7)

A bipartisan group of New York City Council Members has also introduced legislation to stop fluoridation in NYC. (8)

Daniel G. Stockin of The Lillie Center Inc., a Georgia-based firm working to end the practice of fluoridation says, "You can look for even more leaders and persons harmed by fluoridation to speak out now."

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposes to lower water fluoride levels to alleviate the growing dental fluorosis epidemic. FAN submitted scientific evidence to HHS indicating that fluoridation must stop completely to preserve health, documenting that:

* HHS has failed to consider fluoride's impact on the brain. Fluoride has been linked to lowered IQ in 24 human studies, and over 100 animal studies have reported damage to the brain.
* Infants who are fed formula made with fluoridated tap water will receive up to 175 times more fluoride than breast-fed infants. Infants 0-6 months old, the smallest and most vulnerable in our population, were completely excluded from risk calculations in HHS's proposal.
* African-American children and low-income children suffer from the highest rates of dental fluorosis, including the most severe forms of the condition. The HHS has failed to take any steps to redress this inequity, thereby making fluoridation an Environmental Justice issue.

(Ref: FAN submission to HHS, Feb 4, 2011. http://fluoridealert.org/fan-comments.html)

Young stated, "My father was a dentist. I formerly was a strong believer in the benefits of water fluoridation for preventing cavities. But many things that we began to do 50 or more years ago we now no longer do, because we have learned further information that changes our practices and policies. So it is with fluoridation."

Paul Connett, PhD, Director of FAN says, "Fluoridation is unnecessary, unethical, the benefits wildly exaggerated and the risks minimized."

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DNA Database Bill on the way to the Governor

2011-04-15T04:48:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, the Senate passed a House version of bill that will close a loophole by allowing the collection of DNA samples, not only from convicted felons in prisons, but also from convicted felons on probation. The DNA samples will be entered into a database to help with identification in future cases.

If signed by the governor, Senate Bill 80 will help expand the DNA database to quickly identify suspects and quickly solidify convictions in future crimes. DNA sampling would generally include a simple oral swab, a non-invasive technique. The DNA collection would be performed after a judge or jury has convicted a suspect of a felony, no matter the sentence. Currently, only felons in Georgia state prisons can be sampled for DNA.

As of now, 24 states and the federal government have programs similar to the one passed in SB 80. In those states, the DNA databases have also proven effective in closing cold cases and in freeing people who were wrongly convicted of crimes.

Sen. Josh McKoon (R-Columbus), the bill’s sponsor, said DNA testing is the modern form of fingerprint identification, only more reliable. Eventually, Sen. McKoon said, all law enforcement agencies will use DNA databases to help solve crimes.

“I think it is important to point out that everyone who is arrested is fingerprinted and put into a database,” Sen. McKoon said. “This is a much more conservative system where only convicted felons will have their DNA put into a database. Eventually, however, I expect future legislation will allow DNA samples to be collected upon probable cause, rather than conviction. When this happens, many more crimes will be solved quickly and many more falsely accused suspects will be set free.”

Sen. Josh McKoon represents the 29th Senate District which includes Harris and Meriwether counties and portions of Muscogee and Troup counties. He may be reached by phone at 404.463.3931 or by e-mail at josh.mckoon@legis.ga.gov.

Secretary of State Kemp Applauds Passage of Bipartisan Early Voting Reform

2011-04-11T14:08:00.001-07:00

Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp applauded the Georgia General Assembly for its bipartisan support and passage of HB 92 to enact reforms to the state’s early voting period and process. HB 92 now goes to Governor Nathan Deal for his signature.

Secretary Kemp said, “Georgia citizens enjoy the greatest election access in the nation with our early voting period for casting ballots in-person and by mail, and increased access to mail-in ballots for military and overseas voters through our MVP voter education website. HB 92 improves early voting by making the voting period consistent throughout the state and reducing costs for county election offices, while protecting the voter’s ability to cast their ballot 45 days prior to Election Day. I also would like to thank State Representative Mark Hamilton for introducing this common sense legislation.”

HB 92 makes the following key changes to the early voting process.

First, the bill provides a uniform starting date for Georgia elections and reduces the in-person early voting period to 21 days. Shortening the required in-person early voting period will free up critically needed resources in Georgia counties, while not compromising the ability of any voter to cast their ballot early.. In fact, recent elections have shown that 80 percent of Georgians who vote early in person do so in the three weeks prior to Election Day.

Second, HB 92 increases early voting opportunities by allowing counties to increase the hours of voting throughout the week, and requires them to conduct elections on at least one Saturday, provided that it not be the Saturday immediately prior to Election Day. Counties may also include additional weekend voting opportunities at their discretion.

Third, HB 92 does not in any way affect a voter’s option or ability to cast an absentee or mail-in ballot 45 days prior to Election Day. HB 92 only affects in-person early voting.

Secretary Kemp added, “The Secretary of State’s Elections Division will work closely with Georgia’s county elections offices to make sure they are prepared for all aspects of early voting. It is our expectation that the counties will be able to accommodate their voters under the new time frame required under HB 92.”

Brian Kemp has been Secretary of State since January, 2010. Among the office’s wide-ranging responsibilities, the Secretary of State is charged with conducting efficient and secure elections, the registration of corporations, and the regulation of securities and professional license holders. The office also oversees the Georgia Archives and the Capitol Museum.

Westmoreland Applauds GOP FY12 Budget

2011-04-05T12:43:00.001-07:00

Rep. Paul Ryan’s Proposal, deemed ‘The Path to Prosperity,’ Cuts $6.2 Trillion from President Obama’s Budget over the Next Ten Years

Today, Congressman Paul Ryan (WI-01), Chairman of the House Budget Committee, released the House Republican 2012 budget proposal. The proposed budget sets spending levels for the 2012 fiscal year that runs October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2012, as well as for the next decade. Some of the more notable aspects of the bill including switching Medicare for those already over age 55 to provide for private health insurance rather than paying doctors directly, trimming Medicaid funding, and reforming our outdated tax code. Below is Congressman Westmoreland’s Statement.

“Unlike President Obama’s budget, which includes $1.5 trillion in new taxes and triples the debt held by the public by 2021, the GOP’s ‘Path to Prosperity’ would enact real spending reform, lower taxes, and work towards balancing our budget and paying down our national debt. In addition to keeping our promise not to raise taxes on American families and small businesses, the ‘Path to Prosperity’ addresses the pink elephant in the room that President Obama failed to: entitlement spending. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid currently account for 43 percent of our federal budget. They are the largest drivers of our debt and it’s time that Members of Congress are honest with their constituents and begin addressing them. However, if you are age 55 or older, it is important to know nothing will change in your Medicare or Social Security benefits under the GOP’s ‘Path to Prosperity.’

“Unfortunately, because of the mess Congressional Democrats and President Obama have gotten us into over the last four years, we still have a long road to go and even with these common-sense cuts, we are still looking at deficits ten years out. However, this is a good first step and I applaud Chairman Ryan and the House Budget Committee for their hard work and I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to stand up for the American people and support this budget,” stated Westmoreland.

For more information on the GOP budget proposal, visit the House Budget Committee’s website http://www.budget.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=233859.

Secretary of State Kemp Announces Approval of Georgia’s Proof of Citizenship Requirement for New Voter Registration Applicants

2011-04-04T07:33:00.000-07:00

Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp announced today that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) precleared Georgia’s law and related regulations which require new voter registration applicants to provide evidence of United States citizenship with their voter registration applications. The law is Act 143 of the 2009 Georgia General Assembly, also known as Senate Bill 86.

Secretary Kemp stated, “This law is a common sense enhancement to our voter registration process that will prevent non-citizens from voting in Georgia’s elections. Every ballot cast by a non-citizen erases a ballot cast by an eligible Georgia voter. The voter roll protections in Act 143, our photo ID requirement for in-person voting, and our triple-signature verification procedure for mail-in ballots make Georgia a national model for election security and integrity.”

Act 143 was signed into law by Governor Sonny Perdue on May 5, 2009 and requires those registering to vote to submit evidence of United States citizenship with their applications. There are many forms of acceptable identification, including a Georgia driver’s license number or identification card number, birth certificate, U.S. passport, U.S. naturalization documents or alien registration number, and a copy of a driver’s license or identification card from any state whose cards comply with the requirements of the federal REAL ID Act of 2005.

Background

Under federal law, Georgia must obtain federal preclearance of any change affecting voting by filing suit in federal court or by obtaining administrative preclearance through the DOJ. On November 15, 2010, the State filed suit against the DOJ in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to obtain preclearance of Act 143 and related regulations. Last week, after the DOJ indicated that it would consent to preclearance because the law did not have a discriminatory effect or purpose, the State submitted Act 143 and related regulations to the DOJ for administrative preclearance. After receiving that preclearance, the State dismissed its lawsuit.

In June 2010, the State filed a lawsuit against the DOJ to obtain preclearance of its voter verification process under the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA). That process verifies information obtained from a voter registration applicant with information maintained by the Department of Drivers Services and Social Security Administration. At the time the State filed suit, Georgia was the only state in the nation barred from complying with the HAVA voter verification requirement. After the DOJ determined that the State’s HAVA verification process did not have a discriminatory purpose or effect, the State obtained administrative preclearance and dismissed the suit.

Brian Kemp has been Secretary of State since January, 2010. Among the office’s wide-ranging responsibilities, the Secretary of State is charged with conducting efficient and secure elections, the registration of corporations, and the regulation of securities and professional license holders. The office also oversees the Georgia Archives and the Capitol Museum.

House Passes Legislation to Protect Georgians Against Threats from Celebratory Gunfire

2011-03-29T07:39:00.000-07:00

The Georgia House of Representatives today (March 28) passed House Resolution 341 by a vote of 139 to 23. Introduced by State Representative Michele Henson (D-Stone Mountain), this legislation serves to increase public awareness of the dangers associated with celebratory gunfire.

“The loss of an innocent human life is always tragic, but it seems even more so when it is caused by a thoughtless random act,” said Rep. Henson. “There are times we all want to celebrate special occasions, but it is never right to celebrate in a way that endangers human life – it is never right to celebrate with random gunfire.”

Celebratory gunfire is the illegal practice of randomly firing a weapon into the air. While the practice may be done with the best of intentions, many fail to realize the dangerous unintended consequences these actions create in the surrounding areas. This incredibly reckless form of celebration most often occurs during holidays like the 4th of July and New Years Eve. During 2009 and 2010, one metro Atlanta county reported over 5,000 calls concerning people discharging firearms on these two holidays.

HR 341 seeks to end the practice of celebratory gunfire by urging governmental and private entities to promote public awareness of the dangers associated with celebratory gunfire. The resolution further urges state and local governments as well as law enforcement agencies to better educate Georgians about the serious threats created by firing a weapon into the air during celebration. Additionally, HR 341 calls for the Georgia House of Representatives to study and adopt tougher criminal sanctions for individuals whose celebratory gunfire results in the injury or death of another person.

HR 341 also calls special attention to Marquel Peters, a DeKalb County four-year-old that died on New Year’s Eve 2010 as a result of celebratory gunfire. As he sat next to his mother, 4-year-old Marquel Peters was struck and killed in church by a bullet believed to have been fired by a New Year’s Eve reveler. The stray bullet came through the roof of the sanctuary and struck Marquel in the top of his head. Though tragic, the loss of this young boy to celebratory gunfire led to the creation of “Marquel’s Pledge.”

Marquel’s Pledge is a community campaign to reduce celebratory gunfire in DeKalb County and throughout Georgia. Individuals who sign the pledge promise to stop celebratory gunfire by encouraging members of their community to refrain from using gunfire to celebrate. Businesses that sign the pledge promise to refrain from or limit the sale of ammunition two days prior to the 4th of July and New Year’s holidays. Additionally, DeKalb County works with citizens, community organizations, churches, and businesses to educate others about the dangers of celebratory gunfire and to encourage citizens to refrain from the dangerous practice.

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Pilot Project Funded for Prescription Drug Oversight for Foster Children

2011-03-18T11:34:00.000-07:00

State Representative Mary Margaret Oliver (D–Decatur) today (March 17) announced that Casey Family Programs will fund a pilot program to review prescription patterns of psychotropic drugs for children in Georgia’s foster care system. The program will work out of the Barton Child Law and Policy Center at Emory University Law School, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS) and other community partners.

“This pilot project to review how the state provides mental health services and psychotropic prescriptions for foster care children is an excellent public-private partnership including the courts, physicians and the Barton Child Law and Policy Center at Emory Law School,” said Commissioner Clyde L. Reese, Commissioner of Department of Human Services.

“Many children in foster care have been traumatized and are in need of quality mental health treatment. However, multiple overlapping layers of prescription drugs is not always quality care,” said Rep. Oliver. “This Casey Family Programs grant will help us develop a plan for better mental health care, and I am grateful for their timely participation.”

Today’s announcement came as a direct result of Georgia Supreme Court’s “Cold Case Project” recommendations and House Bill 23, which would put those recommendations into law.

The Georgia Supreme Court’s Cold Case Project is funded by Casey Family Programs and conducted in full partnership with the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services and the Georgia Office of the Child Advocate. This project allows thirteen attorneys, serving as Supreme Court of Georgia Fellows, to thoroughly review cases of children who have been in foster care for an extended period of time and who appear to be aging out of foster care without attaining permanency.

When the Cold Case Project concluded its original one year term, the Committee on Justice for Children published a paper based on project findings. This paper included recommendations for changes in law or policy that will serve to stop “foster care drift” and find permanent homes for children who have been in foster care more than two years. “Drift” refers to a child’s lengthy placement away from the natural family and no clear goal to return the child or find some other permanent home.

Working in a bi-partisan manner to enact the Cold Case Project recommendations, Representatives Mary Margaret Oliver and Judy Manning (R-Marietta) sponsored HB 23. This legislation is a product of efforts involving Governor Deal, Commissioners Frank Shelp of the Department of Behavior Health, Commissioner Reese, and other state leaders.

“Governor Deal’s early career days as a juvenile court judge gives him unique insight into what children in foster care experience and how government cannot be the best parent for children who have experienced trauma,” said Rep. Oliver.

HB 23 would create an independent medical review for prescription drug use of children in state custody. The bill would also require DHS to develop an independent medical review of psychotropic medications and to define the proper authority for consenting to prescription drugs for children in foster care. These measures are necessary because Department of Community Health cost reports and file reviews show that children in foster care are prescribed psychotropic drugs at an alarmingly high rate.

HB 23 is currently under review in the House Health and Human Services Committee.

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Georgia Latino Population Swells

2011-03-18T11:27:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- The Latino population in Georgia experienced exceptional growth since 2000, increasing 96% in the last decade, according to a National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund analysis of newly released Census 2010 data.

Between 2000 and 2010, while the state's overall population grew 18% from 8.2 million to 9.7 million, the Latino population increased from 435,227 to 853,689.

Latinos account for 28% of overall population growth in the state over the last ten years, and represent 8.8% of the state's population.

"These numbers show that Latinos are an integral part of the state's future economic well-being," said State Representative Pedro Marin. "In order to ensure the prosperity and well-being of all residents of Georgia, our policies must promote the economic and civic progress of Latinos."

Many of Georgia's ten largest incorporated areas – which include the state's cities – also have significant Latino populations, including Roswell (17%), Sandy Springs (14%), and Athens-Clarke County (10%), which the U.S. Census Bureau classifies as the state's fastest-growing big city. Additionally, more than half (57%) of Georgia's Latino residents live in the ten largest counties, including Fulton – home to Atlanta.

The data also found the Latino population is significantly younger than the non-Latino population.

"The newly released numbers suggest that the Latino community in our state placed a high priority on being counted in the 2010 Census and of being full participants in the political process in our country," said Jerry Gonzalez, Executive Director of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials (GALEO).

"As Georgia now undertakes the redistricting process, it is time to make sure Latinos can embrace the opportunity to translate those Census numbers into full and fair representation."

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Georgia State to host National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day event

2011-03-09T08:43:00.000-08:00

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will hold an event to observe National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on March 10 at Georgia State University.

The event, sponsored by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Region IV and GSU's Department of Student Health Promotion, will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Hall in Dahlberg Hall, 30 Courtland St.

Other co-sponsors include the Center for Black Women's Wellness, The Creative Conversations Group LLC, Girlfriends Health Guide and AID Atlanta.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in five people living with HIV infection in the United States do not know they are infected. In 2007, more than a quarter of diagnoses of HIV infection in the United States were among women and girls age 13 and older. The numbers are an indicator that it is time to increase awareness and prevention efforts.

According to the Office on Women's Health, National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is a nationwide observance that encourages people to take action in the fight against HIV/AIDS and raise awareness of its impact on women and girls. Organizations across the country come together to offer support, encourage discussion, and teach women and girls about prevention of HIV, the importance of getting tested for HIV, and how to live with and manage HIV/AIDS.

During the event, Candice Wiggins of the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx will share her personal testimony in regards to HIV/AIDS while encouraging young women and girls to take a stand and get tested. The event will highlight a thought provoking HIV/AIDS awareness performance by the group "Substance Abuse Prevention Teen Theater (SAPTT)." In addition, the event will include a self esteem building workshop to inspire women and girls facilitated by AID Atlanta.

For more information on National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, please visit http://www.womenshealth.gov/nwghaad.

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Department of Defense to Turn Landfill Gases into Sustainable Renewable Clean Energy with FlexEnergy Powerstation™

2011-02-28T10:06:00.000-08:00

Technology slated for Fort Benning, Ga., will be showcased at today's ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit

/PRNewswire/ -- FlexEnergy (www.flexenergy.com), a cleantech company that creates clean energy with near-zero emissions from harmful greenhouse gases, announced its Powerstation™ technology will allow the Department of Defense's (DoD) Fort Benning, Ga. base to convert its landfill gas, an unconventional energy source, into renewable energy. FlexEnergy will deliver two powerstations in collaboration with Southern Research Institute (SRI) through the DoD's ESTCP (Environmental Security Technology Certification Program).
"The Department of Defense is at the forefront of deploying breakthrough technologies. The installation of the Flex Powerstation at Fort Benning, GA enables the Army to generate its own continuous, clean, renewable energy from an on base landfill," said Joseph Perry, CEO of FlexEnergy.

Currently, a successful Powerstation™ pilot program operates at the Lamb Canyon Landfill in Riverside County, Calif. The smaller, 10-ton test unit has the capability to produce enough electricity to power 30 homes in the community. Once installed at Fort Benning, the 250 kW Powerstation™ can potentially provide electricity for 250 homes.

FlexEnergy will showcase its Powerstation™ February 28-March 2 at the second annual ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit in Washington, D.C. The Summit, co-hosted by the Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) and the Clean Technology and Sustainable Industries Organization (CTSI), features cutting-edge cleantech organizations that are helping to determine the future of energy. FlexEnergy's plug-and-play system was selected for its ability to oxidize gases as low as 1.5 percent methane, a greenhouse gas with 20-25 times the environmental impact of carbon dioxide.

"Exhibiting among the key players in the energy community at ARPA-E is a great opportunity to reach more potential customers who want to control pollution, generate clean sustainable energy and help save the U.S. up to 60 million barrels of oil imports annually," Perry said.

FlexEnergy will exhibit to nearly 2,000 researchers, investors, entrepreneurs, corporate executives and government officials at the Gaylord Convention Center just outside of Washington, D.C. The ARPA-E Summit's high-profile speakers include U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, ARPA-E Director Arun Majumdar and U.S. Navy Secretary Raymond Mabus.

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Senate Passes Constitutional Amendment to Limit State Spending

2011-02-24T15:28:00.000-08:00

State Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) introduced Senate Resolution 20 - “Taxpayer Protection Act of 2011” in late January. The proposed Constitutional Amendment would limit the growth in state Government. Today, the resolution passed through the Senate with overwhelming bi-partisan support.

“The citizens of Georgia have a right to say ‘how much is too much’ when it comes to state spending. This Amendment would be the very best tool we have to ensure government does not spend beyond its means,” said Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers. “Once enacted Georgia taxpayers can expect our state to eventually refill the rainy day fund and begin to gradually eliminate the state income tax.”

The resolution has garnered enormous support from many advocacy groups such as the National Federation of Independent Businesses, Americans for Tax Reform and the National Taxpayers Union. Kyle Jackson, the NFIB State Director said, “SR 20 not only protects the taxpayer from unsustainable accelerated growth in state government but it also contains language to help rebuild budget reserves and even give back to the taxpayer in the form of income tax cuts.”

Senate Resolution 20 would restrict the state from spending any money in excess of the previous year budget adjusted for inflation and population. Any additional revenue beyond the spending limitations would be required to go into the Rainy Day fund until it reaches a point of 15% of the previous year spending. Once the rainy day fund is at 15%, additional revenue would be used to slowly phase-out the state income tax.

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"Spot the Vigil Ford Fiesta" a New Community Promotion

2011-02-23T05:53:00.000-08:00

Award-winning Allan Vigil Ford—an institution in South Atlanta for 30 years—loves giving back to the communities it serves. To help other businesses increase their visibility and generate new revenues, the dealership is sharing the colorful new Ford Fiesta with local businesses by parking it for a day at such locations as the Chick-Fil-A Dwarf House and Food Depot.

According to William Barber, spokesperson for Food Depot, “Our customers always want to see the latest and greatest in new products while they’re shopping for food. The colorful Ford Fiesta is certainly such a product, and Food Depot welcomes the opportunity to park the car in front of our store.”

This month, the dealership has launched the “Spot the Vigil Ford Fiesta” promotion which runs through April 1st at its two locations: Mt. Zion Boulevard in Morrow and Glynn Street North in Fayetteville. Each person who spots the colorful Ford Fiesta around town could win a Smart Phone with MyFord Touch capabilities. To enter, a person needs to snap a photo of the Fiesta and upload it to his Facebook Page; or visit one of the two dealerships and test drive a 2011 Ford Fiesta.

Moreover, anyone purchasing a new 2011 Ford Fiesta at Allan Vigil Ford in Morrow or Fayetteville will receive a 16GB iPad.

In addition, Allan Vigil Ford in Fayetteville will host the next Fayette County Chamber of Commerce “Business After Hours” on 24th where the Fiesta will be parked. To keep up with the location of the Fiesta at businesses and events where the Fiesta will be parked, follow Allan Vigil Ford at Twitter@VigilTouch, Facebook, and Foursquare, a volunteer website dedicated to promoting and sharing all things Foursquare around metro Atlanta.

If you are a local area business, organization or event and are interested in having the Vigil Ford Fiesta show up at your location, please call us at (404) 343-4377 or (404) 343-4377 or click here to email us for details.

The Federal Government’s Edison Complex

2011-02-17T12:44:00.000-08:00

By Sen. Barry Loudermilk

First, they came for our toilets. Now, they want our light bulbs.

Believe it or not, I’m serious about this.

In 1995, the federal government tried to mandate water conservation. All homes would use low-flow toilets and, of course, water would be saved. Well, now that all toilets in the U.S. flush with no more than 1.6 gallons of water, a University of Arizona study showed that people just flush twice. The bottom line: no significant water savings.

The federal government, once again, shows the worth of its good intentions.

Now, in an effort to save energy, the federal watchdogs prove they have not learned anything from the great toilet fiasco of 1995. By 2014, energy efficiency limits on 40- to 100-watt light bulbs will effectively ban most standard incandescent light bulbs in the United States of America. You do remember all that “land of the free” mumbo jumbo, right?

The government, it seems, wants us to use the more expensive but “efficient” compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL). The math is simple: CFL bulbs use less energy; if everyone uses CFL bulbs, energy consumption will drop. Well, if you said it can’t be that simple, you’d be right. CFL bulbs cost three times more to produce, take more energy to manufacture and 80 percent of them are made in China, meaning they are shipped across the globe on oil-guzzling tanker ships.

Making matters worse, CFL bulbs contain mercury and are considered an environmental hazard to homes and businesses. The U.S. Environment Protection Agency offers guidelines on how to clean up broken CFL bulbs. The guidelines are three-pages long and, according to the EPA Website, will be updated as more information becomes available.

According to the EPA, the minimum actions that should be taken once a CFL bulb is broken include: open doors and windows for 5-10 minutes, shut off the air conditioner or heater, scoop up broken material and place it in a glass container with a metal lid, use duct tape to clean up the remaining particles and put the used duct tape in a glass jar with a metal lid. If you vacuum the area, you must remove the vacuum bag when you are done, put it in a sealed plastic bag and get it out of your house. However you choose to clean up, you should let the house air out, without the AC or heater going, for “several hours.” The next several times you vacuum the area, you again should open windows and doors for several hours, turn off the AC and heater and seal the vacuum bag in a plastic bag. Some states, the EPA says, have specific guideline for where you must go to dispose of the sealed plastic bags and glass jars with metal lids.

I’ve used CFL bulbs in my house, mostly to see if I noticed a difference. My power bill did not seem to change but I can say with authority that the light level that these little things give off stinks.

I’ve sponsored Senate Bill 61, moving through the General Assembly now, which says federal law cannot ban incandescent bulbs in Georgia if they are made here and not shipped across state lines. Lawyers tell me this may not work. The federal government rules are too strong for state law to overcome. I’m going to push anyway. Maybe, just maybe, common sense is not lying broken in a pile of mercury-tainted glass.

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Sen. Barry Loudermilk serves as Chairman of the Science and Technology Committee. He represents the 52nd Senate District, which includes Floyd County and portions of Bartow and Gordon counties.

Historic Gathering of 3 Branches of Government Unveils Criminal Justice Reform Effort for Georgia

2011-02-16T14:48:00.001-08:00

Georgia Public Policy Foundation President Kelly McCutchen joined Gov. Nathan Deal, state legislative leaders, Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Carol Hunstein and Attorney General Sam Olens today at the state Capitol for an unprecedented news conference by the three branches of government to announce a bipartisan effort at criminal justice reform for the state.

"Constitutionally, public safety is a core responsibility of state government, but that doesn't mean criminal justice shouldn't be held accountable for results – or that more taxpayer funds will solve the problem," McCutchen said. "This news conference shows that our state's leaders are willing to set aside partisanship for the opportunity to strategically build on Georgia's early successes and transform our criminal justice system to be more effective and efficient."

About one adult in 13 is under some form of correctional supervision in Georgia, which is the highest rate in the nation, and the state spends more than $1 billion per year on housing approximately 60,000 inmates. Through its Criminal Justice Initiative, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation has brought national experts on the issue to Georgia and proposed reforms that can reduce incarceration, recidivism and the burden on taxpayers.

Gov. Deal, who declared criminal justice reform one of his priorities during his inaugural address, was joined by legislative leaders including Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, House Speaker David Ralston, Rep. Jay Neal, Chairman of the House State Institutions and Property Committee, and House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams. Deal announced legislation, sponsored by Rep. Neal, to create a special council to study criminal justice reforms and make recommendations to a joint legislative committee in 2012.

The governor thanked the Foundation "for its leadership and focus on the issue, which heavily impacts families' lives and taxpayers' pocketbooks."

"The Foundation's Criminal Justice Initiative pushed the problems to the forefront, proposed practical solutions, brought in leaders from other states to share examples, and created this nonpartisan opportunity," Deal added.

"There are numerous options," McCutchen said, "and each should be explored to see how it meets Georgia's needs: Drug and mental health courts can divert more nonviolent offenders away from the prison system on the front end. Faith- and character-based programs within the system reduce the recidivism rate, and day report centers and alternative sanctions for technical parole violations help turn tax burdens into taxpayers on the back end."

To find out more about the Foundation's Criminal Justice Initiative, call Kelly McCutchen at 404-256-4050 or e-mail him at Kmccutchen@georgiapolicy.org. About the Georgia Public Policy Foundation: The Foundation is an independent, state-based think tank that proposes practical, market-oriented approaches to public policy to improve the lives of Georgians. The Foundation’s regular events include Leadership Breakfasts and Policy Briefing Luncheons. Weekly publications are the Friday Facts and Friday Idea commentaries. Visit www.georgiapolicy.org to read about innovative solutions to the state’s challenges or to watch streaming online video of Foundation events. Join the Foundation’s Facebook Page, discuss state issues on our community site, The Forum, or follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/gppf.

Deal, leaders seek commission on criminal justice reform

2011-02-16T14:34:00.001-08:00

Gov. Nathan Deal, along with Speaker David Ralston, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, Chief Justice Carol Hunstein, Rep. Jay Neal and many others, today unveiled Neal’s legislation to establish the 2011 Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform for Georgia.

“With this new commission in place, we hope to uncover new approaches to make Georgia communities safer while increasing offender accountability, improving rehabilitation efforts and lowering costs,” said Deal. “While this effort should ultimately uncover strategies that will save taxpayer dollars, we are first and foremost attacking the human costs of a society with too much crime, too many people behind bars, too many children growing up without a much-needed parent and too many wasted lives.”

Deal also noted the troubling numbers Georgia faces in terms of crime: Georgia has the fourth-largest prison system in the nation and that in the last two years alone the state’s overall prison population has grown 4.6 percent.

“That growth has taken us to a place where our budgets no longer reflect our priorities,” he said. “Between 1987 and 2008, national higher education spending increased 24 percent. In that same period corrections spending increased 137 percent. We now spend $3,800 a year for a K-12 student, $6,300 a year per university system college student and an overwhelming $18,000 a year to house an inmate in our state prisons.

“That math does not work for Georgia. Today costs are too high, recidivism rates are too high and rehabilitation is too rare.”

Deal thanked both the Pew Center on the States and the Georgia Public Policy Foundation for their leadership and guidance on the issue. The newly created council is to report its findings and recommendations to the legislature no later than Jan. 9, 2012.

As governor, Deal remains strongly committed to saving taxpayer dollars while protecting Georgians from dangerous criminals. During his Inaugural address last month he laid out his vision to help offenders who want to change their lives by providing them the opportunity to do so with Day Reporting Centers, Drug, DUI and Mental Health Courts and expanded probation and treatment options. “For violent and repeat offenders, we will make you pay for your crimes,” he said. “As a state, we cannot afford to have so many of our citizens waste their lives because of addictions. It is draining our state Treasury and depleting our workforce.”

Governor's Office Grant Helps Prevent Underage Drinking

2011-02-10T08:28:00.000-08:00

/PRNewswire/ -- The Georgia Governor's Office for Children and Families (GOCF) awarded a $60,000 grant to The Council on Alcohol and Drugs to prevent and reduce underage drinking through a statewide website, stopalcoholunder21.org. The grant also provides for radio PSAs and newspaper print ads in ten counties in Georgia determined to be most at risk via a 2010 Underage Drinking Needs Reassessment conducted by Georgia State University and The Council on Alcohol and Drugs.

Underage drinking and the consequences of juvenile alcohol use are serious issues in the state of Georgia. The Georgia Governor's Office for Children and Families (GOCF) has awarded a $60,000 grant to The Council on Alcohol and Drugs to prevent and reduce underage drinking by providing a statewide website, stopalcoholunder21.org.

The website includes features designed to help parents, youth, educators, alcohol retailers and others. Those features include downloadable:

* Public Service Announcements for Radio Broadcast
* Newspaper Print Ads
* Parenting Manuals for Parents of Children Ages 6-11 / 12-14 / 15-18/ and 19-20
* 1/2 Hour Video: "The Worst Drug of All"
* Video Vignettes on various topics related to Underage Drinking
* Resource Links to Other Web Sites related to Preventing Underage Drinking
* Additional Print Resources

The grant also provides for radio PSAs and newspaper print ads in ten counties in Georgia determined to be most at risk for underage drinking via a 2010 Underage Drinking Needs Reassessment conducted by Georgia State University and The Council on Alcohol and Drugs. The counties being served by the grant's Media Campaign are Ben Hill, Bulloch, Candler, Catoosa, Fannin, Lanier, Lowndes, Walker, Wilcox and Worth Counties.

This program is made possible with funding from the Governor's Office for Children and Families under a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Enforcing the Underage Drinking Laws Block Grant Program, CFDA 16.727.

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Sen. Murphy Files Illegal Immigration Bill

2011-02-03T12:00:00.001-08:00

Sen. Jack Murphy (R-Cumming) today held a press conference to mark the filing of SB 40, an immigration reform bill to enhance the use of the federal E-Verify system and to allow local and state law enforcement officers to help federal authorities identify illegal immigrants in Georgia.

Specific portions of this bill include:

Increased punishments on contractors who work on state projects but do not use the federal E-Verify system to ensure their employees are legal to work in the United States
A mandate that subcontractors must use E-Verify as well.
Increased punishment for public agencies that ignore the law requiring them to ensure their contractors and subcontractor use E-Verify.
A mandate that private businesses use E-Verify.
Authorizes law enforcement officers to ask for immigration documents from a person who was stopped for probable cause of a crime. (Federal rules already require immigrants under visa to carry the documents with them).
Authorizes law enforcement to verify citizenship or legal immigration status by asking for government identification such as a driver’s license.
Authorizes law enforcement to turn over suspected illegal aliens to federal authorities.
Specifically states that race or country of origin cannot be used to determine if someone is in the United States illegally.

Sen. Murphy said the main portions of this bill are intended to help businesses and state agencies determine that people working for them are not in the country illegally. Many businesses perform drug tests or other verification procedures on their employees. E-Verify requires a simple computer check and is much less time consuming and invasive than many procedures businesses already use.

“I do not want to promote any law that would be a hindrance to businesses,” Sen. Murphy said. “The purpose of this bill is to restrict the massive influx of illegal immigrants into Georgia. This is about stopping illegal workers from taking Georgia jobs and stopping their financial drain on our education, health and public-safety systems.”

Sen. Murphy pointed out that the bill would not apply to any person or company that has filed an H-1 or H-2 application with the U.S. Department of Labor.

“Many industries in Georgia rely on temporary foreign workers,” Sen. Murphy said. “H-1 and H-2 applications allow businesses to hire temporary foreign workers, including restaurant workers, hotel workers, nurses, agricultural workers and various specialty employees. Although we want these businesses to stay within the law, we do not want to hinder their businesses by making them use E-Verify when they are already taking steps to ensure their employees are legal.”

Deal, Olens will continue fight vs. Obamacare

2011-01-31T19:16:00.000-08:00

Attorney General Sam Olens, U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland
and Governor Nathan Deal

At a news conference today, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal and Attorney Gen. Sam Olens vowed to continue the state’s lawsuit against Obamacare to the Supreme Court after a federal district court judge ruled the law unconstitutional.

“Today marks a major victory for Georgia taxpayers and for all Americans concerned about the unconstitutional mandates in the Obamacare legislation,” Deal said. “As the ranking Republican on the health care subcommittee in the U.S. House, I was the first to say on the House floor that the individual mandate is unconstitutional. The federal government doesn’t have the right to demand that Americans purchase a product. Today’s ruling backs up that assertion. In fact, it goes even further by saying that the individual mandate is so inextricably linked to the overall bill that the entire law falls short of constitutional muster.

“Along with the great leadership of Attorney General Olens, I will continue to fight against this law because it bears too great a burden on Georgia taxpayers. This is an unfunded mandate that will cripple our state budget by flooding our Medicaid system.”

Although pleased with today’s ruling, Olens knows there is a long road ahead.

“I fully expect that this legal challenge by a majority of the states in our Union will go all the way to the United States Supreme Court,” Olens said. “But the issues at stake are too vital to do otherwise. This case is about protecting our Constitution, which limits the powers of the federal government, and protecting Georgia taxpayers from the overwhelming costs the law would impose.”

U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.), who voted to repeal Obamacare last week, joined the governor and attorney general at today’s news conference at the state Capitol.

“I hope today’s ruling encourages Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to do the right thing and bring up our repeal legislation in the Senate,” Westmoreland said. “There’s a growing consensus that this bill is unconstitutional. The Senate should do the right thing, scrap this law and start over with common sense reforms that will expand access to high-quality health care without violating the rights of every American and bankrupting states.”

Georgia is assisted in its efforts in this litigation by a team of pro-bono attorneys working at no cost to the state. The team includes: Frank C. Jones, Michael C. Russ, Benton J. Mathis, Jr., Jason Alloy, John H. Parker, Jr., W. Pitts Carr, David G. Oedel and Joshua B. Belinfante.

Deal appoints APS liaisons, empowers GEMA director

2011-01-21T19:32:00.001-08:00

Gov. Nathan Deal has named Georgia House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams and Atlanta attorney Beth Beskin to act as his liaisons with the Atlanta Public Schools. They will serve as the governor's eyes and ears in the system by attending APS board meetings and meetings with SACS and then report back to the governor on the progress the districts are making.

“I am calling on these two leaders to work on behalf of Atlanta’s children,” said Deal. “This week I met with the members of the Atlanta delegation last week and I will make every effort to ensure that our children aren’t harmed by the adults who failed them.”

Rep. Abrams is the House minority leader for the Georgia General Assembly and state representative for the 84th House District. She is the first woman to lead either party in the Georgia General Assembly. She is the CEO of SageWorks, LLC, a legal advisory firm that serves as general counsel for the Atlanta Dream WNBA professional basketball team. She co-founded and acts as chief operating officer of the Insomnia Group, a firm specializing in development, investment and consulting for complex infrastructure projects.

Abrams received her J.D. from the Yale Law School. Abrams graduated from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin with an M.P.Aff. in public policy. She earned a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Spelman College, magna cum laude.

Beskin is an attorney in private practice. From 2003 through 2010, Beskin served as counsel with the Atlanta firm Warner, Mayoue, Bates & McGough. She has focused in her law practice on issues involving the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, pension matters and family law. She graduated from LSU Law School, where she was a member of the Louisiana Law Review and Order of the Coif in 1989. Beskin obtained a M.S. degree in geology from the University of New Orleans in 1983 and worked for Shell Oil Company in New Orleans. Beskin and her husband, Jim, live in Atlanta and are the parents of two daughters, Alison and Claire.

Deal to empower GEMA to direct emergency response

Deal will sign an executive order next week which establishes a unified command at the agency head level to coordinate and direct emergency response actions of the state of Georgia. This is the first time a unified command operation of this kind will be put in place. The governor’s executive order will create and establish an Emergency Management Operations Command which may, depending upon necessity as determined by GEMA Director Charley English, consist of the director of the GBI, the commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, the adjutant general, the commissioners of the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Transportation and the Department of Community Health.

Deal also announced two board appointments

Philip Wilheit, Jr., Fourth Congressional District, DNR

Wilheit is partner at Wilheit Packaging, LLC and owner of TargetMatz, LLC. He serves on the board of directors of the United Way of Hall County and John Jarrard Foundation. Wilheit is also a member of the Benedicts of Atlanta and sits on the Chattahoochee Bank of Georgia Advisory Board and the Greater Hall County Chamber of Commerce Membership Committee. Wilheit earned his bachelor’s degree from Mercer University and a master’s in business from Georgia State University. He and his wife, Addie, have one child, Turner.

Wilheit replaces Dwight Davis, who resigned effective Jan. 10 to join the Judicial Nominating Commission.

Jon Canada, Board of Public SafetyCanada serves as fire chief of Gainesville’s Fire Department and is also an emergency medical technician. He is certified by the National Board of Fire Service Professional Qualifications and is a member of the Georgia State Firefighters Association and the Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs. Canada earned a degree in fire management from Dekalb College and Lanier Technical College. He holds a Class One Firefighter Certification from the Georgia Fire Academy at Georgia’s Public Safety Training Center. He and his wife, Jenny, have two children.
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Attorney General Sam Olens Joins Lawsuit Challenging Constitutionality Of Federal Healthcare Reform

2011-01-19T10:41:00.000-08:00

In a motion filed today in the lawsuit pending in the Northern District of Florida, Attorney General Samuel S. Olens joined the litigation challenging the constitutionality of The Patient Protection and Affordable Healthcare Reform Act, otherwise known as the 2010 federal healthcare reform. Georgia had originally joined the litigation in 2010, but had to do so through the Governor’s Office when Olens’ predecessor as Attorney General declined to join the litigation. Today’s filing places the number of states represented by their Attorneys General at 21 of the 26 states that are now party to the Florida litigation.

“Given the far-reaching impact of the federal healthcare law on every Georgia citizen as well as the critical constitutional implications of its requirements, it is important that Georgia’s interests were protected at all stages of the litigation,” stated Attorney General Olens.

In addition to the Georgia Attorney General’s office, six additional states – Iowa, Ohio, Kansas, Maine, Wisconsin and Wyoming – joined the litigation, bringing the total number of states which are party to the Florida litigation to 26.[1] Combined with Virginia, which brought a separate challenge to the healthcare reform law, a majority of states are now challenging the constitutionality of the federal healthcare reform law passed last year. While there has not been a final ruling in the Florida litigation, a federal district judge ruled portions of the federal healthcare reform unconstitutional on December 14, 2010 in the Virginia litigation. The federal government has indicated that it plans to appeal that adverse ruling.

Outside counsel who has been assisting the Governor’s office on a pro bono basis will continue to assist the Attorney General on this case without cost to Georgia taxpayers.

[1] The states that are now party to the litigation in Florida are: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
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HHS increases total LIHEAP funding available to help low-income families to $3.9 billion

2011-01-12T15:20:00.000-08:00

Georgia's allocation will be $86,178,083.

Today U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the availability of additional funding to help eligible low-income families meet their home energy needs, bringing the total made available since October 1 to $3.9 billion. These funds will go to states, tribes and territories under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and are available under the terms of the latest continuing resolution.

"Much of the country has already experienced a very cold winter," said Secretary Sebelius. "Today's additional funds will help struggling families keep safe and warm for the remainder of the season."

LIHEAP assists qualified families with their home energy needs such as heating in the winter, cooling their homes in the summer, and insulating their homes to make them more energy efficient and reduce their energy costs. By doing so, families are less likely to have to choose between paying their energy bills and other necessities, such as food or medicine. Energy assistance can reduce illness or the risk of fires that can break out when households turn to using candles or space heaters because they cannot pay their electricity or gas bill.

The block grant funds released today supplement two previous releases of funds under continuing resolutions in Fiscal Year 2011.

"As temperatures drop, heating costs can pose a serious challenge for struggling families," said David A. Hansell, HHS acting assistant secretary for children and families. "At the start of a new year, these additional LIHEAP funds will help ease the financial burdens for many families."

A complete list of funds available to states today is below:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/news/press/2011/liheap_allocation.html

Individuals interested in applying for energy assistance should contact their local/state LIHEAP agency. For more information, go to: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap/ or http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap/brochure/brochure.html.

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2011 State of the State Address from Governor Nathan Deal

2011-01-12T11:09:00.001-08:00

Lt. Governor, Mr. Speaker, President Pro Tem Williams, Speaker Pro Tem Jones, Members of the General Assembly, Constitutional Officers, Members of the Judiciary, my fellow Georgians:

The address I deliver today is historically referred to as the State of the State. It is designed to convey my assessment of the condition of our State and its people with special emphasis on the budgets I present for your deliberation. With regard to our State and its citizens, I concur in the description found in the 1885 publication entitled The Commonwealth of Georgia, prepared under the direction of Georgia's second Commissioner of Agriculture, J.T. Henderson, which poses the following question:

"In general productiveness, in salubrity of climate, in the incomparable blessing of good water, in facilities of transportation, in educational advantages, in the moral tone of her people, and the almost unbroken good order of society, what State of our day and generation can justly claim a happier condition or a higher civilization?"

It is comforting to know that the things which truly define who we are as a State and a people have changed very little in 126 years. With regard to our State budget, however, it must be adjusted to reflect the financial realities of today. Those realities, unlike the natural resources of our State and the character of our people, are constantly changing and the budgets I submit to you today reflect those changes.

Today I will present two budgets. The first is an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2011 budget, which was adopted by the General Assembly last year. Since our 2011 fiscal year began on July 1, 2010, we are approximately half way through the budget period. I am reducing the revenue estimate on which the budget is based by over $27.5 million. The primary reason for this reduction is that revenues from fees are lower than projected. Even though there are some signs of economic recovery, I do not believe we should spend additional revenue, if actual collections exceed the estimate. One of the driving principles behind these conservative budgets is a commitment to replenish the Revenue Shortfall Reserve, sometimes referred to as our Rainy Day Fund. I commend you for raising the authorized limits of the Fund last year. It will help protect our future budgets.

Although I am lowering the Revenue Estimate for the remainder of the Fiscal Year, I am also proposing that 1 percent of the Revenue Shortfall Reserve be appropriated for K-12 education. This will cover the Mid-Term Adjustment for QBE (Quality Basic Education) and the shortfall for Non-Certified Personnel health insurance costs.

An important part of these budgets is curbing the growth of the number of State employees. Downsizing is a process that began several years ago. Now we are adjusting the authorized position count downward and eliminating about 14,000 positions which effectively freezes State employment at current levels. That is a reduction of over 10 percent. Many politicians have long talked about reducing the size of the government. My friends, we are doing it.

I also believe we should redirect some of our budgeted spending. I am proposing that State Agencies reduce their spending on an average of 4 percent. The agencies are currently withholding at that level so it should be achievable. Those savings are necessary in order to replace the enhanced Federal Medicaid funds that will not be received, and address other critical needs such as funding for Disproportionate Share Hospitals, almost $20 million for the One Georgia Authority (which is an important tool for economic development in rural Georgia), and other important budget areas such as funding the settlement with the Department of Justice so that mental health patients and developmentally disabled individuals can be transferred from State hospitals into community service settings.

For the Fiscal Year 2012 budget I am setting the Revenue Estimate based on a modest 3.75 percent increase over the amended 2011 recommendations. The greatest challenge for 2012 is replacing almost $1 billion in the Federal Stimulus Funds that will not be available this year. In order to keep our budget in balance, State Agencies must reduce their spending by an average of 7 percent. These reductions are not uniform across agencies, but are designed to give priority funding to core responsibilities of State Government. My budget will have a net increase of $30 million in K-12 formula funding and no reduction in Equalization Grants. Earlier this school year, the Federal Education Jobs Bill directed $322 million to Georgia schools. Local school systems should have been able to set aside local funds to be used in FY 2012.

Both budgets make funding for K-12 education a top priority. Let me be clear: my budget will end teacher furloughs and keep students in school for a full school year. I view education as our number one economic development tool and there is no more forward-looking or strategic place to invest.

Georgia is one of only eight states in the nation with a Triple A bond rating by all three major bond rating agencies. I intend to maintain that rating.

My proposed bond package is less than $563 million which is approximately 50% less than bond packages in recent years. I urge you to join me in keeping our borrowingat a lower level than the past. I believe that is the wise course of action.

Let me highlight some of the projects I propose for bond funding: $231 million for K-12 construction, equipment and buses; $15 million for funding for STEM charter schools that focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education, areas that are vital to our competiveness in the global economy; $46 million for reservoir development; $35 million for water and sewer infrastructure; $32 million for deepening of the Savannah harbor; $50 million for repairs and renovations in the University System, and $28 million for upgrades at our technical colleges.

My budgets reflect my commitment to preserving the HOPE Program. Since its creation, it has served over 1.2 million students and provided benefits totaling more than 5 billion dollars. It has also established the first state universal program for Pre-Kindergarten that has served over 1 million children.

Over the past several years, HOPE pays out more than the lottery brings in. In FY 2010, over $150 million of reserve funds were spent. In FY 2011, it is estimated that over $300 million of reserves will be needed and for FY 2012, over $400 million of reserve funds will be needed. If this pattern is not preserved by FY 2013 all of the reserves will have been expended and HOPE cannot meet its obligations.

If we are to save HOPE we must make programmatic changes during this legislative session. I am ready and your leadership has indicated they are ready to make those changes. My 2012 budget does not authorize HOPE expenditures beyond what the lottery produces; therefore, we must act now to maintain the Georgia jewel known as HOPE.

Another top priority of this administration will be ensuring that our Medicaid program continues to deliver quality care for Georgians. However, the overreaching federal health care legislation will greatly add to the burden that we face.

In fact, it will add approximately 650,000 Georgians to the Medicaid rolls. This mandated expansion of service will cost Georgia Medicaid an additional $2.5 billion in State funds alone over the next ten years.

The Obama Administration has placed onerous Maintenance of Effort requirements as well, which have severely tied our hands with respect to managing our state Medicaid program.

Last month, I co-signed a letter with Governors and Governors-elect from across the country highlighting the challenges that those requirements will place on our state. We urged the President and the Congress to provide the flexibility that is needed so Medicaid programs across the country can be managed in the most effective manner. Left unaddressed, we expect to see patient access to care severely limited and an overall erosion of the high-quality care that our state prides itself upon.

Going forward, tough decisions will have to be made, and I look forward to working with you and healthcare providers across our state to find unique and innovative ways to ensure quality patient care and competitive reimbursement rates for physicians. And we must meet these budgetary challenges while maintaining our chief focus on improving Georgia's economic competitiveness.

To that end, we must ensure that Georgia has all of the ingredients necessary to attract, support and grow business. One of the biggest threats to that future is water. We just learned in the 2010 Census that Georgia's population grew 18.3 percent over the last ten years. That growth combined with recent droughts have Georgians focused on water availability more than at any point in our state's history. We are continuing to negotiate with Alabama and Florida and it will be a top priority of my administration to reach an agreement before the Federal Court ruling takes effect in 2012. We are also continuing our appeal efforts to overturn the ruling.

But that is not enough. That's why I am recommending $300 million spread over the next four years for reservoir creation and expansion.

We are also making changes that will allow these funds to be used for planning and design. We believe this money can be leveraged best in the form of local-state partnerships as we work together to ensure a sustainable water supply.

There is no more important public works project for the competitiveness of our entire region than the Savannah harbor deepening project. When the enlarged Panama Canal comes online in 2014, we will be ready to receive the Post-Panamax ships heading north. These larger ships improve cargo rates for shippers and receiving these ships in Savannah will have a ripple effect throughout the state.

Also, as we prepare to deepen the Savannah Harbor, we must work to ensure that we have last mile connectivity with the Port and statewide East-West connectivity to guarantee the efficient movement of people and goods throughout our state.

Infrastructure is key to economic competitiveness and Georgia's transportation network has always been our strength. Georgia is already home to the most capable airport in the world, an extensive network of regional airports, the fastest growing ports in the nation and two Class One rail lines. 99 percent of Georgians live within 20 miles of a four-lane road.

But we still have transportation issues that demand resolution...just ask Atlanta commuters. And to confront those issues in these tough times, we must prioritize funding to relieve congestion and improve mobility.

Over this next year, through regional transportation roundtables, Georgians will have an opportunity to shape investment in their communities - decisions that will ultimately be made by voters. It is important that all Georgians be involved in this process.

But we will not stop there, we must think innovatively to find alternative funding sources. In particular, because Georgia is an attractive destination for investment with a strong balance sheet and good demographics, public-private partnerships hold incredible potential.

Before I close, I want to acknowledge that this period has held unique challenges for Georgians from all walks of life. I also know that this period has been particularly challenging for state employees and teachers and I want to recognize their excellence and professionalism in this difficult time. Everyone from teachers to police officers have been asked to do more with less and they have delivered.

That commitment to go the extra mile deserves our recognition. To all members of our State team: Thank you for putting in the extra effort and the extra hours to meet this challenge! Thank you for refusing to make excuses!

These are tough times, but the State of our State is strong. The economy has begun to stabilize and Georgia businesses are seeing the first signs of recovery.

We are now entering a new era of smaller government and greater personal responsibility. Government must pull back, but Georgians and our strong communities, big and small, have what it takes to fill the gap. Our State's fortunes do not rise and fall with the size of government. I saw that last Saturday when Georgians from around the State rallied together for a Day of Service. Today, I am calling on all Georgians to support us in this time of transition.

Some may have lost optimism, but I have not. I believe that the citizens of this great State are ready to rally in this time to achieve great things...and to create a better Georgia. As elected leaders we must sound the call and demonstrate a new form of statesmanship. I call on all Georgians to support their elected officials when they make the tough choices to ensure our future prosperity.

I am confident that through working together we can put our people back to work, and educate our children for the jobs of the future. Then, we can ask as did our State leaders in 1885, "What State of our day and generation can justly claim a happier condition or a higher civilization?"

Thank you. God bless you and the great State of Georgia.

Some nasty spots on the road, plus update from Gwinnett on roads

2011-01-11T13:18:00.000-08:00

CREWS CONTINUE TO BATTLE HAZARDOUS ROADWAY CONDITIONS - 3:30 PM UPDATE

WHEN: Now, and continuing through Tuesday night, Ongoing
WHERE: Multiple Counties
WHAT: Sleet, freezing rain and sustained temperatures below freezing are causing extremely hazardous driving conditions throughout Georgia. Dangerous icing continues across the entire advisory area. Georgia DOT has marshaled all available assets from throughout the state and will respond in strength but encourages the public to refrain from all but absolutely necessary driving.

County State Route or Interstate & Direction Intersection or closest cross street Initial Roadway Condition

Coweta SR 70,34E, 54 & 154 Multiple Locations Icy Patches
Coweta SR 34 EB Multiple areas near and around Shenandoah Blvd. Icy Patches
Heard SR 1/US 27 Multiple Locations Icy Patches
Heard SR 219 Multiple Locations Icy Patches
Heard SR 34 EB Multiple Locations Icy Patches
Muscogee SR 27 Victory Drive @ Morgan St. Sign down
Troup I-85 South of SR 54 (Exit 28) Icy Patches
Troup I-85 SB I-185 Widespread Icy Patches

Motorists are urged to slow down and leave, at least, a ten car length distance between their vehicles and the DOT trucks clearing the roadways. Treat any traffic signal that is not working as a four-way stop, and be aware of black ice, especially on bridges and overpasses.

Georgia DOT urges travelers to call 511 for updated information about this or any other construction project on interstates and state routes. Georgia 511 is a free phone service that provides real-time traffic and travel information statewide, such as traffic conditions, incidents, lane closures, and delays due to inclement weather. Callers also can transfer to operators to request assistance or report incidents 24 hours a day, seven days a week. More information is available at www.511ga.org.

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GWINNETT DOT RESPONDS TO ICY ROADS

The Gwinnett County Department of Transportation has been responding to weather-related road conditions since a winter storm hit metropolitan Atlanta on Sunday evening. The department has been primarily cooperating with and assisting the County’s emergency personnel and crews have responded to icy conditions on major thoroughfares and collector streets.

Road Maintenance crews have been and will continue to work in the following shifts:

· 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. – Five trucks equipped with snow plows, six motor graders and 15 sand/salt spreaders (depending on the specific need). Approximately 35 employees have been responding to calls, which have been received primarily from the County’s 911 emergency call center.

· 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. – Four trucks equipped with snow plows and three sand/salt spreaders (depending on the specific need). A minimum of eight employees are available to respond to emergency-related calls with the ability to call in more personnel if necessary.

Traffic signal crews have had up to four crews handling any traffic signal outages, on-flash reports, emergencies, etc. Gwinnett DOT will continue to staff the Traffic Control Center beginning each day at 5 a.m. to monitor road conditions of major arterials/corridors. Residents can watch streaming video 24/7 from several major intersections and corridors at www.gcsmartcommute.com and on TVgwinnett government access cable during the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. and again between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

“It has always been Gwinnett County DOT’s philosophy to try to concentrate our limited resources on major roadways,” said Gwinnett DOT Director Brian Allen. “We are committed to do our best on major arterials and collector streets.”

Gwinnett County officials urge drivers to use extreme caution as conditions along roadways can change greatly over short distances.

GDOT Crews Opening Roads Around Metro Area

2011-01-11T07:24:00.000-08:00

WHAT: Work crews have been moving across the Metro Area and have opened a number of areas.
Additionally, crews are on location at several hot spots in an effort to get those interstates opened.

WHERE:
I-75 at Wade Green - opened
I-75 at Mt. Zion – opened
I-75 at Delk Road in Cobb County – DOT crews on site
I-20 Conyers/Rockdale County – 5 DOT trucks on site
I-75/I-285 in South Fulton County – 12 DOT trucks on site – already moved 3 tractor trailer trucks out of the roadway
I-75 at Frey Road overpass in Cobb County– DOT crews on site
I-85 N at GA 400 – DOT crews are working a jack-knifed tractor trailer

WHEN: NOW through late Tuesday at least

The Georgia DOT Maintenance Crews continue to work around the clock to clear roadways across Georgia. Motorists are urged to use extreme caution as travel remains hazardous in many areas. If you must drive, be especially careful on bridges and overpasses, as ice often forms more quickly in these areas. Motorists should check with media outlets for updates.

Motorists are urged to slow down and leave, at least, a ten car length distance between their vehicles and the DOT trucks clearing the roadways. They are also advised to treat any traffic signal that is not working as a four-way stop, and be aware of black ice, especially on bridges and overpasses.

Georgia 511 is a free phone service that provides real-time traffic and travel information statewide, such as traffic conditions, incidents, lane closures, and delays due to inclement weather. Callers also can transfer to operators to request assistance or report incidents 24 hours a day, seven days a week. More information is available at www.511ga.org .

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Deal Swears in New Regent

2011-01-10T14:52:00.000-08:00

New governor continues state of emergency, ethics rules

In his first official actions as the governor of Georgia, Nathan Deal swore in Philip Wilheit Sr. of Gainesville to fill the unexpired term of Regent Felton Jenkins, and he continued Georgia's state of emergency declaration signed this weekend by Gov. Sonny Perdue.

Wilheit, 66, is the president of Wilheit Packaging and Marketing Images. He served for more than 40 years on the board of the Greater Hall County Chamber of Commerce with one year as chairman and he served more than 20 years on the Georgia Chamber of Commerce with one year as chairman. Gov. Perdue appointed him to the Economic Development Commission and to the water task force. Wilheit served as treasurer for Deal's campaigns for 28 years and chaired the Deal for Governor campaign. Wilheit participated in Leadership Georgia, and he and his wife Mary Hart are members of Grace Episcopal Church. They have two adult children and three grandchildren.

The executive order for the state of emergency allows for state resources to be available for response and recovery activities, and calls for the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) / Office of Homeland Security to activate the state's Emergency Operations Plan.

In other action, Deal announced that attorneys Randy Evans and Pete Robinson will chair his Judicial Nominating Commission. Evans, of Atlanta, is a partner at McKenna Long and Aldridge in Atlanta. He's the counsel to House Speaker John Boehner and former Speaker Newt Gingrich, among many others. Robinson, of Columbus, is a partner at Troutman Sanders and he's a former majority leader in the state Senate.

Deal also signed an executive order to continue the current ethics guidelines, including a gift ban, for his staff and for executive agency heads.
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Georgia EMCs Continue Power Restoration

2011-01-10T13:07:00.000-08:00

/PRNewswire/ -- As of 4:00 p.m., Georgia's EMCs are reporting approximately 1900 customers without power. Those affected are in north and middle Georgia.

Most of the outages have been caused by ice accumulation on trees and power lines. The outage numbers have fluctuated throughout the day when some outages have been restored as new outages have been reported.

Crews are working non-stop to restore power. Customers are reminded to stay away from fallen power lines, report outages to their local EMC, and call for safety instructions when clearing tree limbs and other vegetation near power lines and electric facilities.

Georgia EMC is the statewide trade association representing the state's 42 EMCs, Oglethorpe Power Corp., Georgia Transmission Corp. and Georgia System Operations Corp. Collectively, Georgia's customer-owned EMCs provide electricity and related services to more than four million people, half of Georgia's population, across 73 percent of the state's land area.

Georgia Transmission, a not-for-profit cooperative owned by 39 EMCs, owns more than 3000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines and more than 600 substations. These facilities deliver power to Georgia's EMCs who serve nearly 50 percent of Georgia's population (4.5 million).

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Inaugural Address of Governor Nathan Deal

2011-01-10T12:40:00.000-08:00

Lt. Governor Cagle, Speaker Ralston, Governor Perdue, Members of the General Assembly, Members of our Congressional Delegation, Members of the Judiciary, Members of the Consular Corps, my fellow Georgians:

On this second week of the second decade of the 21st Century, my wife Sandra and I enter the service of our native state with excited expectancy, sincere humility and unwavering resolve.

As we stand here in this beautiful Capitol building, I recall my first visit here as a fifth grade student at Sandersville Elementary School. Our class rode the Nancy Hanks train to Atlanta and visited here and the Cyclorama. For many of us it was our first train ride and our first visit to our Capitol city.

Much has changed in the more than a half century since my first visit here, but my sense of awe and appreciation of our history has not. The historic journey on the road of self-government which our nation and state embarked upon almost two and one half centuries ago has taken us through the battlefields of Revolution, Civil War and World Wars.

Throughout this "Experiment in Democracy," there has been a healthy skepticism by "We the People" about the role of government which we have "ordained and established." The lingering pain of this "Great Recession" in which we are still engulfed has underscored the urgency of re-examining the role of government in our lives.

The evolution of society has infringed on much of the elbow room our ancestors enjoyed and government has been asked to regulate our actions as we bump into each other in our frantic search for success. In times of economic prosperity, we often ignore the costs and inconvenience of governmental paternalism. But in times such as these, with more than one of every ten of our employable citizens out of work, we must justify every cent that government extracts from our economy. Therefore, we must concentrate our attention and our resources on the core responsibilities of government.

Our State Constitution provides that "Government is instituted for the protection, security, and benefit of the people..." (Article 1, Section2, Paragraph 2). Keeping our citizens safe, therefore, is one of state government's primary responsibilities. The challenge is great. Presently, one out of every thirteen Georgia residents is under some form of correctional control. It cost about Three Million Dollars per day to operate our Department of Corrections. And yet, every day criminals continue to inflict violence on our citizens and an alarming number of perpetrators are juveniles.

College students should be concerned about their grades not whether they are going to be mugged on their way home from class. Visitors to our cities should be treated as welcomed guests and protected. Families should not live in fear of gang violence and drive-by shootings. But most of all, our dedicated law enforcement officers must not be targets for criminals. Anyone who harms one of them harms us all, for they embody the Constitutional mandate that government provide us with protection and security.

Breaking the culture of crime and violence is not a task for law enforcement officials alone. Parents must assume more responsibility for their children. Communities must marshal their collective wills; civic and religious organizations must use their influence to set the tone for expected behavior.

For violent and repeat offenders, we will make you pay for your crimes. For other offenders who want to change their lives, we will provide the opportunity to do so with Day Reporting Centers, Drug, DUI and Mental Health Courts and expanded probation and treatment options. As a State, we cannot afford to have so many of our citizens waste their lives because of addictions. It is draining our State Treasury and depleting our workforce.

As Governor I call on local elected officials, Sheriffs and local law enforcement personnel to work with me and State law enforcement officers to break this cycle of crime that threatens the security of all law abiding citizens.

One of the other core responsibilities of State government is the education of our children. This is an undertaking that has been the primary focus of several of my predecessors in this office. Despite their best efforts and that of dedicated teachers and educators all across our state, our public education system in grades K through 12 has failed to make the progress we need. This failure is a stain on our efforts to recruit businesses to our State and is a contributing factor in the frightening crime statistics previously mentioned. High dropout rates and low graduation percentages are incompatible with the future I envision for Georgia.

We are blessed with many schools that are producing excellent results and it is their example which we should attempt to replicate all across the state. We are also blessed with dedicated teachers and principals who work very hard to improve the lives of the young people they teach. In addition, we have many support staff and dedicated parents who are an important part of our education system. I thank them for their service and encourage them in these difficult economic times. I will do my best to reward their efforts.

Improving public education is not just the responsibility of educators. Therefore, I call on all Georgians to rededicate themselves to the improvement of education. I ask parents to read to their young children and cooperate with teachers so that educational excellence is a family goal. I ask teachers and educators to recommit themselves to their profession and be willing to embrace new ideas. I ask local school boards to listen to the opinions of parents and teachers as they adopt education policies. And I ask the members of the General Assembly and our State School Board to work with me to restore discipline in our schools, eliminate bureaucratic nonsense, adopt fair funding mechanisms and reward quality and excellence. If we do these things, we will convey the magic of learning to our children and restore the joy of teaching to our educators.

One of the bright stars of education in our State is the HOPE Program. This initiative of Former Governor Zell Miller has greatly enhanced the Pre-K, Technical College and College and University opportunities for our young people. As the scope of these programs has expanded and as the number of participants has increased, the financial reserves are being rapidly depleted. I am dedicated to honoring the promise that has been made to our students through HOPE and will work with the General Assembly to tailor the program to the financial realities we face today. I was not elected to make easy decisions, but difficult ones. In this legislative session we will save the HOPE for future generations.

Another core responsibility of State Government is transportation. With an expansive land mass that is populated by one large metropolitan area, several medium-sized municipalities, and many smaller cities and rural counties, our transportation needs are very diverse. With our ports at Savannah and Brunswick, we are part of an expanding international trade community. We will do our part to deepen the Savannah port in order to accommodate the larger vessels that will soon pass through the Panama Canal. But we must do more. Our rail capacity and cargo routes must be improved and expanded. We must not miss this opportunity to provide jobs for Georgians.

Highway congestion, especially in the Greater Atlanta area is a deterrent to job growth in the region. If we do not solve this problem soon, we will lose the businesses who want to expand or locate in our State. I am dedicated to working with all elements of government to improve our transportation system and I call on all Georgians to join us. We must put aside some of the regional differences of the past and work for the common good of our State.

As our State continues to grow, the demand for water has likewise increased. As Governor, I will continue to pursue negotiations with Alabama and Florida to reach a resolution of the long standing dispute over the use of water in our Federal reservoirs and our major rivers. We will develop regional reservoirs and continue our conservation efforts. We have been blessed with abundant water resources and we must use them wisely.

Georgia cannot achieve its potential if its people are not healthy. As Governor, I will resist the efforts of the Federal Government to mandate its solutions on our people, our businesses and our State government. We will do our part to provide healthcare to our most vulnerable citizens, but government cannot make or keep us healthy. The primary responsibility for good health rests with individuals and families. We can help cultivate a culture of wellness in our educational programs and offer incentives in Medicaid and the State Health Insurance Program, but it is only individuals and families that can make healthy lifestyle choices.

There are many other functions of our State Government, but I consider these to be the most important. Each in its own way is a part of the greatest challenge we face, the creation of jobs for our citizens. If we make Georgia the best place in the country to live, learn and work, businesses will grow and expand and we will achieve real prosperity. That is my goal and the actions of my administration will always be focused on it.

So today as we embark on this journey to lead our State forward, I call on all Georgians to assume responsibility for themselves and their family. I call on communities and civic and religious organizations to continue and expand their efforts to serve the needs of people in their area. State government cannot and should not be expected to provide for us what we can provide for ourselves.

Let us refocus State Government on its core responsibilities and relieve our taxpayers of the burden of unnecessary programs. Let us be frugal and wise. Let us restore the confidence of our citizens in a government that is limited and efficient. Together let us make Georgia the brightest star in the constellation of these United States.

May God bless you and our great State of Georgia.

Georgia DOT Urges Avoid All Travel Until Tuesday

2011-01-10T09:41:00.000-08:00

12:20 pm Mon. Jan. 10: A winter storm warning is in effect through Monday evening for all of north and central Georgia. Extremely hazardous driving conditions, major accidents, and impassable roads have been reported throughout the warning area. Motorists are urged to AVOID ALL TRAVEL until at least Tuesday.

Source: Georgia DOT

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Georgia EMCs Report Power Outages

2011-01-10T06:34:00.000-08:00

/PRNewswire/ -- As of 5:30 a.m., Monday, Jan. 10, the electric membership cooperatives (EMCs) are reporting approximately 600 customers without power in Gordon, Whitfield, Walker and Chattooga Counties. Outages have been caused by heavy snowfall which is weighing down tree limbs causing them to fall on power lines.

The EMCs began preparing for the storm Friday and mobilized employees and contract crews, prepared trucks with emergency equipment and procured necessary materials.

They have stocked supplies of poles, wire, connectors, transformers and other materials frequently used in the restoration process. They have also contacted unaffected EMCs to arrange for additional restoration assistance.

Georgia EMC is the statewide trade association representing the state's 42 EMCs, Oglethorpe Power Corp., Georgia Transmission Corp. and Georgia System Operations Corp. Collectively, Georgia's customer-owned EMCs provide electricity and related services to more than four million people, half of Georgia's population, across 73 percent of the state's land area.

Georgia Transmission, a not-for-profit cooperative owned by 39 EMCs, owns more than 3000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines and more than 600 substations. These facilities deliver power to Georgia's EMCs who serve nearly 50 percent of Georgia's population (4.5 million).

Latest EMC Outage Updates:

http://www.georgiaemc.com/stormcentral/storm.aspx

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Road issues from DOT as of 7:30 a.m. - West Central

2011-01-10T05:23:00.000-08:00

County	State Route or Interstate	Intersection or closest cross street	Roadway Condition
Chattahoochee	SR 520	at the intersection of SR 26	CLOSED - Icy Road Conditions
Lamar	SR 7 North		Icy Road Conditions
Macon County	SR 90 WB		Icy Road Conditions
Meriwether	SR 27 / 41	Roosevelt Hwy	Icy Road Conditions
Meriwether	85 Alt	SR 41	Icy Road Conditions
Meriwether	SR 85 / 74		Icy Road Conditions
Monroe	I-75 NB	SR 42	Icy Road Conditions
Pike	SR 3 South		Icy Road Conditions
Spalding	I-75		Icy Road Conditions
Spalding	SR 36	Fill Bridge Road	Icy Road Conditions
Troup	SR 219	I-85	Icy Road Conditions
Troup	SR 219	Murphy Rd	Icy Road Conditions
Troup	SR 109	Troup to Meriwether	Icy Road Conditions
Troup	SR 1 NB / SB		Icy Road Conditions
Troup	SR 14 SB / NB	Hudson Rd	Icy Road Conditions
Troup	SR 14 Spur		Icy Road Conditions
Upson	SR 3 NB		Icy Road Conditions
Upson	SR 36	Delray Road	Icy Road Conditions

GA DOT Advises of Hazardous Roadway Conditions

2011-01-10T05:20:00.000-08:00

WHEN: Now, and continuing overnight hours Sunday and throughout Monday Ongoing

WHERE: Multiple Counties

WHAT: Snow, sleet, freezing rain and sustained temperatures below freezing are causing extremely hazardous driving conditions throughout Georgia. Significant accumulations of snow are occurring from the Metro Atlanta area; dangerous icing is expected across the entire advisory area. Georgia DOT has marshaled all available assets from throughout the state and will respond in strength but encourages the public to refrain from all but absolutely necessary driving until at least Tuesday.

COUNTY	ROADWAY	SECONDARY LOCATION	CONDITION
Coweta	I-85	MP 35 – 44	Widespread Ice
	1-85	SR 14/US 29	Overpass Closed

Henry	SR 675	I-75	Ramp Closed-Crews are Salting

Motorists are urged to slow down and leave, at least, a ten car length distance between their vehicles and the DOT trucks clearing the roadways. They are also advised to treat any traffic signal that is not working as a four-way stop, and be aware of black ice, especially on bridges and overpasses.

Georgia DOT urges travelers to call 511 for updated information about this or any other construction project on interstates and state routes. Georgia 511 is a free phone service that provides real-time traffic and travel information statewide, such as traffic conditions, incidents, lane closures, and delays due to inclement weather. Callers also can transfer to operators to request assistance or report incidents 24 hours a day, seven days a week. More information is available at www.511ga.org.

Georgia DOT: Prepared to Clear Interstates and State Routes from Snow and Ice in West Central GA

2011-01-09T18:16:00.000-08:00

Winter weather preparations kicked into high gear this evening as 399 Georgia DOT employees were on call and the first shift of the maintenance crews in District Three in West Central Georgia gassed up trucks equipped with snow plows and salt and stone spreaders, in case roads become covered with snow or ice.

In the 31 counties of West Central Georgia, the state DOT has the following resources to deal with the current winter weather storm:

399 employees on call
45 snow plows
7 Hopper Spreaders
17 motor graders
4,600 tons of salt
4,000 tons of gravel

When winter weather hits West Central Georgia, keeping the state highways safe for emergency vehicles becomes a top priority. Georgia DOT crews focus first on clearing interstates and heavily traveled state routes from snow and/or ice, and will specifically target areas vulnerable to freezing, like bridges, ramps and interchanges.

Motorists are urged to:

Slow down and stay behind the snowplows. The road behind the plow will be the safest place to drive. Allow at least ten car lengths between your vehicle and snowplows or hopper spreaders.
Do not pass. The plows are wide, and sometimes a group of trucks will work in tandem to clear snow quickly, especially on major highways.
Be particularly aware of black ice conditions on surfaces such as bridge decks and entrance and exit ramps late tonight and the early hours of tomorrow morning.
Remember that technology helps, but only to a point. Four-wheel drive, anti-lock brakes and traction control are beneficial advancements in today's cars, trucks and SUVs, but they can't take the place of good driving habits and the need to reduce speed on snowy or icy roads.
Call 511 or visit www.georgia-navigator.com to get current information on road conditions. Georgia 511 is a free phone service that provides real-time traffic and travel information statewide, such as traffic conditions, incidents, lane closures, and delays due to inclement weather. Callers also can transfer to operators to request assistance or report incidents 24 hours a day, seven days a week. More information is available at www.511ga.org

National Guard Prepares to Support Communities During Winter Storm

2011-01-09T18:08:00.001-08:00

In anticipation of an impending winter storm, Guardsmen across Georgia today are preparing equipment and issuing plans to support communities if the Governor orders their mobilization.

"Soldiers and Airmen of the Georgia National Guard stand ready to do our part to help local communities recover, if we are needed," said Maj. Gen. William Nesbitt, Georgia's Adjutant General.

Governor Perdue Issues State of Emergency for Georgia

2011-01-09T17:03:00.001-08:00

Today Governor Sonny Perdue, in close coordination with Governor-elect Nathan Deal, issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency in anticipation of a severe winter storm that is expected to impact much of the state.

The executive order allows for state resources to be available for response and recovery activities, and calls for the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) / Office of Homeland Security to activate the state’s Emergency Operations Plan.

GEMA / Homeland Security has activated the State Operations Center (SOC) to support the state in its response and recovery efforts to a severe weather system that is expected to begin impacting Georgia tonight through Tuesday.

“For the past several days GEMA / Homeland Security has been actively monitoring and preparing for the impacts of a significant winter weather event," said GEMA Director Charley English. “We continue to coordinate with the National Weather Service and all local emergency management agencies, in addition to the appropriate state agencies, Georgia Power Company and the Federal Emergency Management Agency."

GEMA / Homeland Security is the lead state agency for coordination of emergency and disaster response activities. For more preparedness and emergency information, visit www.gema.ga.gov and www.ready.ga.gov.

To view the Executive Order, click here.

Urgent Update on Inaugural Events

2011-01-09T11:02:00.000-08:00

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning and therefore all nonessential Inaugural activities have been canceled for Monday, January 10th. Neither the Prayer Breakfast at Mount Paran nor the Celebration at Philips Arena will be held.

The swearing-in ceremonies for all Georgia constitutional officers will still take place inside the state Capitol on the floor of the House of Representatives. Gov.-elect Deal encourages you to stay off the roads and watch the ceremony live on Georgia Public Broadcasting at 2:30 p.m.

You may also watch it streamed on the internet at http://www.dealinaugural.com/tv.php. We will not have seating available for the general public or ticket holders inside the Capitol. If you have tickets for the swearing-in ceremony, and you still wish to attend, we will have indoor seating at the Georgia Freight Depot to view the ceremony through live feed.

All tickets purchased for the Inaugural Celebration will be refunded via your method of payment. There is no need to contact our office to request a refund. We will make every effort to get refunds to you in a timely manner, but please understand that we will be processing thousands of refunds.

Thank you and be safe.

Georgia Power Urges Customers to Prepare for Winter Storms

2011-01-09T10:42:00.000-08:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power has crews on standby statewide, as well as mutual-assistance crews from around the country en-route, to mobilize and restore power outages caused by the anticipated winter storm.

The company urges its customers to have their emergency plans in place as there may be lengthy delays in power restoration if severe weather coats ice on roads, tree limbs and power lines.

To learn more about how ice and snow can interrupt power, visit our website to watch an interactive video. Major outage information will be available on Twitter, @georgiapower.

Here are some safety tips for customers to follow when severe weather hits:

* Anyone with a life-threatening medical emergency should dial 9-1-1.

* Always avoid downed power lines. Any downed line should be considered energized and therefore dangerous. Report downed lines immediately to local public safety authorities and stay out of the immediate area.

* Avoid debris on the ground that may conceal downed power lines and make sure there are no downed lines before allowing children out to play. Do not attempt to make repairs to Georgia Power's electrical system or pull limbs off lines.

* Watch out for falling trees, tree limbs and power lines.

* Steer clear of Georgia Power crew work areas. Equipment and energized lines may be in the area that could create a safety hazard.

* When driving, watch for crews working along the roadways, and obey all traffic signs and directions around work areas.

* When leaving your home and power is off, turn off the main breaker as a precaution to avoid a power surge once the power is restored.

* Be patient. When major outages occur, Georgia Power crews must first restore power to transmission lines and distribution circuits before working on distribution lines that feed directly to homes and businesses. However, be assured that Georgia Power crews are working as quickly and safely as possible to restore power to customers.

* Customers are reminded to be careful when using portable heaters or other supplemental heating. Never place heaters near flammable materials or where they might tip over. Use fire screens to prevent sparks and embers from causing problems.

* Customers should exercise extreme caution if using candles during a power outage. Always keep candles away from flammable objects and never leave them burning unattended. Make sure flashlights have fresh batteries.

If the weather interrupts electrical service, customers are urged to report outages by visiting our website, www.georgiapower.com or by calling the Customer Care Center at 1-888-891-0938. This line is answered by an automated system designed to handle power outage calls quicker than speaking to a person; however, customers may also talk directly with a customer service representative.

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GEMA Urges Georgians to Prepare for Possible Severe Winter Weather

2011-01-07T16:10:00.000-08:00

Agency suggests residents turn to its Ready Georgia campaign at www.ready.ga.gov

National Weather Service meteorologists said today that widespread accumulations of snow and ice are possible on Sunday and Monday for areas of central and north Georgia.

The Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) – Office of Homeland Security warns that widespread power outages can become an issue during severe winter weather and encourages Georgians to turn to its Ready Georgia campaign to prepare, plan and stay informed about severe winter weather.

“No Georgian should be caught off guard, as severe winter weather is predicted and may cause power outages and transportation challenges across the state,” said GEMA / Homeland Security Director Charley English.

English offers these tips from GEMA’s Ready Georgia campaign that residents can use to become familiar with the emergency preparedness steps for severe winter weather.

Prepare a Ready Kit of Emergency Supplies
Prepare a Ready kit of emergency supplies for your home and car. Include at least a three-day supply of nonperishable food, water, a flash light with extra batteries, a NOAA Weather Radio, adequate clothing and blankets to keep you warm, as well as additional supplies for the unique needs of your family.
Ensure proper home insulation by placing weather stripping around doors and windows, allowing faucets to drip during cold weather to prevent freezing and opening cabinet doors to let heat reach uninsulated pipes under sinks and appliances near exterior walls.
Winterize your vehicle and keep the gas tank at least half full to prevent the fuel line from freezing.
Only use portable generators outdoors _ the exhaust contains deadly carbon monoxide fumes.
If using a space heater:

– Follow all safety guidelines and instructions for use provided by the manufacturer.

– Ensure adequate ventilation _ propane and kerosene heaters often have open flames, emitting carbon monoxide.

– Keep it at least three feet away from combustible items.

– Turn off before leaving a room or going to sleep.

– Always supervise children and pets when using a space heater.

– Do not use a space heater to dry clothes.

– Allow heater to cool down completely before adding fuel.

Create a Winter Weather Plan
Plan to stay inside, if necessary, for at least three days. If trapped outside during severe winter try to stay dry, cover all body parts, periodically move limbs to keep blood circulating and build a fire, if possible.
Avoid traveling by car in icy conditions. If you must travel and do get stuck, stay with your car. Leave the overhead lights on when the engine is running so you can be seen.
Plan for pets to come inside and store adequate food and water for them.
Create an emergency communications plan so family members will know who to contact if separated during a storm. Designate at least one out-of-town contact that all family members can call.

Stay Informed about Winter Weather
Listen to a NOAA Weather Radio and monitor commercial radio, television and the Internet to stay informed of winter weather.
Learn about the terms used to describe winter hazards such as freezing rain, sleet, winter weather advisory, winter storm watch and winter storm warning.
Know the symptoms of frostbite and hypothermia. If you suspect you have frostbite or hypothermia, get medical attention immediately.

– Frostbite occurs when body tissue freezes. Extremities may have a white or pale appearance and may lose feeling. The most susceptible areas are fingers, toes, earlobes, or the tip of your nose.

– Hypothermia occurs when the body temperature falls below 95 degrees. Warning signs include uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness and exhaustion.

For more information on preparing for winter storms, tune into Ready Georgia’s “Preparing for Winter Weather” podcast or visit www.ready.ga.gov. The site offers an interactive preparedness tool that generates customized checklists of emergency supplies and communications plans to take the guesswork out of getting ready for the unexpected.

Atlanta's 2011 Civil Rights Celebration Marks Anniversaries, New Discoveries

2011-01-05T08:24:00.000-08:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Unexpected actions make for extraordinary stories. Who would expect that a young Martin Luther King Jr. would perform at the segregated movie premiere of "Gone with the Wind" in 1939? Who would think that revenue from the novel would fund medical scholarships for graduates of Morehouse College in Atlanta, an all-male, historically black college?

As the home of the Civil Rights Movement, Atlanta is the perfect destination to explore the history, personalities and places where one of America's most important movements was centered. Visitors will find that Atlanta's Civil Rights story extends beyond commonly known icons and venues.

The 25th anniversary of the first observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday on January 17, 2011 and the 75th anniversary of the publishing of "Gone with the Wind" bring forward the little-known connection between the leader of the civil rights movement and the author of one of the most popular novels in history.

Newly discovered correspondence between Margaret Mitchell and the president of Morehouse College Dr. Benjamin E Mays paints the author in a new light. Mitchell, who wrote "Gone with the Wind" in a small apartment in Atlanta, donated thousands of dollars to Morehouse College to fund undergraduate educations and medical and dental scholarships for graduates. According to her letters, she saw a disparity in African-American healthcare. Instead of accepting the status quo, she bravely devoted herself to fixing the problem.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., born and raised in Atlanta, attended Morehouse College, where he was granted early admission at age 15. Just five years before, the 10-year-old Dr. King performed at the segregated festivities for the premiere of "Gone with the Wind" with the boys' choir of Ebenezer Baptist Church. Rev. Martin Luther King Sr. had been urged to boycott the celebration by other community leaders because African Americans were not allowed to attend, including the film's actors. A brave and forward thinker, King Sr. attended because he was invited.

Mitchell quietly fought against racial prejudice, but did not get a chance to see Martin Luther King Jr. become the strongest voice for equality. Decades after their deaths, we are still learning about their impressive efforts to make Atlanta a beautiful city void of the stereotypes associated with their time.

This month, celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Atlanta with the following events:

* 2.5 Mile Youth Stop the Violence Run in Honor of the 25th Anniversary of the National King Holiday

Saturday, Jan. 8 at 9 a.m.

The King Center

* 4th Annual King Peace Program: Celebrating the Peace Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Thursday, Jan. 13 at 6 p.m.

The King Center

* Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's King Celebration Concert

Thursday, Jan. 13 at 8 p.m.

King International Chapel, Morehouse College, Atlanta

* Martin Luther King, Jr. Annual Commemorative Service

Monday, Jan. 17 at 10 a.m.

Ebenezer Baptist Church

* Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Summit Hosted by Hands on Atlanta

Monday, Jan. 17 at 7:30 a.m.

Begins with Freedom Rally at Ferst Center for the Performing Arts at Georgia Tech

For more information on Atlanta's civil rights history, visit www.atlanta.net/civilrights.

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Day of Service will be first event of Deal Inaugural Weekend

2010-12-09T05:57:00.000-08:00

The first event of Gov.-elect Nathan Deal's inaugural celebration will be a day filled with volunteer service opportunities throughout the state of Georgia.

"With a Servant's Heart" will offer volunteers an opportunity to participate in 17 service projects in eight Georgia communities on Saturday, Jan. 8.

"Through his personal record of service, the governor-elect has set an example for all Georgians," said Tricia Pridemore. "'With a Servant's Heart' is a day for Georgians to respond and act on needs within their own region."

The planned service events range from collecting and sorting canned food to a day of health care services at a Georgia clinic. Participation in the events is open to the public and the tasks will be varied by location.

For information on locations and how you can become involved, go to dealinaugural.com or call 404-681-4717.
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SBA Disaster Loans Available Following Secretary of Agriculture Disaster Declaration in Georgia

2010-12-08T07:48:00.000-08:00

(BUSINESS WIRE)--The U.S. Small Business Administration announces today (December 7) that federal economic injury disaster loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private non-profit organizations of all sizes located in the entire state of Georgia because of drought and excessive heat that began July 1, 2010.

“When the Secretary of Agriculture issues a disaster declaration to help farmers recover from damages and losses to crops, the Small Business Administration issues a declaration to eligible entities affected by the same disaster”

“When the Secretary of Agriculture issues a disaster declaration to help farmers recover from damages and losses to crops, the Small Business Administration issues a declaration to eligible entities affected by the same disaster,” said Frank Skaggs, director of SBA’s Field Operations Center East.

Under this declaration, the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to eligible farm-related and nonfarm-related entities that suffered financial losses as a direct result of this disaster. Agricultural producers, farmers and ranchers are not eligible to apply to SBA, but nurseries are eligible to apply for economic injury disaster loans for losses caused by drought conditions.

The loan amount can be up to $2 million with a 4 percent interest rate for small businesses, 3 percent for non-profit organizations and terms up to 30 years. The SBA determines eligibility based on the size of the applicant, type of activity and its financial resources. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition. These working capital loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred. These loans are not intended to replace lost sales or profits.

Disaster loan information and application forms may be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the hearing-impaired) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET or by sending an e-mail to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan applications can be downloaded from the SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

Those affected by the disaster may apply for disaster loans from SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

Completed loan applications must be returned to SBA no later than July 26, 2011.

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Verizon Wireless and Governor Perdue Celebrate Company's 4G LTE Network in Georgia

2010-12-08T07:20:00.000-08:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless and Governor Sonny Perdue teamed up at December 7 at the state Capitol to demonstrate the impressive speeds and "wow factor" of Georgia's first large-scale 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) wireless network. Verizon Wireless officially launched the LTE network in Atlanta and Athens on Sunday, December 5. The initial availability of 4G LTE in Atlanta, including Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and Athens is part of the company's national rollout in 38 major metropolitan areas, immediately reaching one-third of all Americans.

"The inclusion of Atlanta and Athens on the list of the first cities nationwide to get this next generation technology makes perfect sense," said Jeff Mango, president – Georgia/Alabama Region, Verizon Wireless. "Atlanta is one of the leading technology hubs in the United States and Athens is the home of the University of Georgia, an internationally recognized educational and research institution. We are thrilled to introduce the fastest, most advanced 4G mobile network in America to Georgians in these two cities and look forward to a statewide 4G network in the near future."

"Verizon Wireless has long been recognized in the wireless industry as tirelessly committed to its network. Georgia's 4G LTE network in Atlanta and Athens is further evidence of that constant commitment to performance and reliability," said Governor Sonny Perdue.

The 4G LTE network in Atlanta covers 4.1 million people and over 2,500 square miles. All of downtown Atlanta is covered including the facilities at the Georgia Aquarium, Georgia Dome, Philip's Arena and Turner Field. Coverage extends as far west as Lithia Springs and Austell, south of Fayetteville, east past Lithonia and north to Alpharetta. Atlanta-area universities impacted by the 4G LTE network footprint are Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Georgia State University, Clark Atlanta University, Spelman, Morehouse, Mercer and Oglethorpe. Atlanta's 10 major shopping malls are also covered including North Point, Perimeter, Lenox, Southlake, Cobb Galleria, Gwinnett Place, Towne Center, Discovery Mills, and Stonebriar.

The Athens 4G LTE coverage area includes over 180,000 residents and over 550 square miles, including downtown Athens and the University of Georgia's 33,000 students. The network covers the 78 Loop, four miles north of the Loop, west to Coggins Industrial Park, south to Watkinsville and east to Winterville.

"We are extremely excited about the possibilities this technology brings to enterprise and government users, businesses and individual laptop users in Athens and eventually throughout Georgia. What we witnessed today is just one example of what this new technology allows us to do," said Kathy Hoard, Mayor Pro Tem, Athens-Clarke County.

Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE network provides higher data rates, better coverage, improved mobility and performance, end-to-end Quality of Service, security and simplified roaming. While Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE network promises much more than speed, this first rollout gives Georgia's mobile workforce the ability to work significantly faster and with improved latency, increasing productivity and the opportunity to get work done wherever business takes them.

Initially, Verizon Wireless 4G LTE services can be accessed on laptop computers equipped with either the LG VL600 or Pantech UML290 wireless modems. Both USB modems provide backward-compatibility with the Verizon Wireless 3G network. If laptop users travel outside of a 4G LTE coverage area, they will automatically stay connected on the company's 3G network, the nation's largest and most reliable.

Additional 4G devices will be launched in coming months, and the company expects consumer-oriented LTE handsets will be available by mid-2011.

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Governor, First Lady to Light Governor's Mansion Christmas Tree

2010-12-04T14:14:00.000-08:00

Governor Sonny Perdue and First Lady Mary Perdue will host the annual tree lighting at the Governor’s Mansion this SUNDAY, December 5 at 6:30 p.m., an event jump starting the Mansion holiday touring season.

“Mary and I would like to invite Georgians to visit the Governor’s Mansion this holiday season,” said Governor Perdue. “It is our privilege to welcome visitors to the Mansion and celebrate the holidays in this beautiful residence.”

The annual holiday tour hosts musical performances from students and groups from across the state. Tours featuring the holiday-themed decorations at the Governor’s Mansion will be held Dec. 6 through Dec. 17, Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10 p.m. to 1 p.m. For information regarding holiday tours please visit www.mansion.georgia.gov.

The Governor’s Mansion is also a drop-off location for Toys for Tots. Visitors are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy for children ranging from toddlers-18 years of age. Toys for Tots Began in 1947, when Major Bill Hendricks, USCR and a group of Marine Reservists in Los Angeles collected and distributed 5,000 toys to needy children. The tradition has continued for more than 60 years and thousands of toys are donated each year. More information on the Toys for Tots program can be found at www.toysfortots.org.

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Over 95% of Plaintiffs Accept World Trade Center Settlement

2010-11-19T11:13:00.000-08:00

-10,043 plaintiffs signed releases accepting settlement terms, according to the Allocation Neutral's report to the Court, with 98% of those claiming some of the most severe injuries signing on.

-- The WTC Captive Insurance Company confirms the 95% participation threshold of eligible plaintiffs has been reached.

/PRNewswire/ -- Over 95% of the eligible plaintiffs have accepted a settlement worth at least $625 million in compensation, which will result in the dismissal of their claims against the City of New York and its contractors for injuries they say they suffered from their work during the rescue, recovery and/or clean-up efforts after the terrorist attack of 9/11. The WTC Captive Insurance Company confirms the 95% participation threshold of eligible plaintiffs has been reached, subject to the correction of certain deficiencies in some releases.

The Allocation Neutral, appointed under the agreement, reported the opt-in numbers to Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, who previously had declared the settlement "fair and reasonable," in the face of "potent defenses" held by the City and its contractors under the law.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs noted that over 98% of plaintiffs in Tier 4, claiming the most severe injuries that could possibly be tied to work at the site, agreed to the settlement. In addition, over 95% of the plaintiffs in Tiers 2 and 3, with less severe injuries, also signed on.

"It has been my personal and professional mission to ensure that we negotiate a settlement that is fair and reasonable to all sides and I am extremely heartened that the overwhelming majority of plaintiffs have decided that is exactly what we achieved," said Christine LaSala, President and CEO of the WTC Captive Insurance Company. "I hope that this settlement will bring closure to the heroes on both sides of this litigation who did their best to repair this City and restore this community in those difficult days and months following 9/11."

"This process has been intense for all, but the numbers of people opting in show that the settlement we developed and the process to obtain compensation have been judged fair and transparent by those plaintiffs," said Margaret H. Warner, a partner at McDermott Will & Emery, who negotiated the settlement on behalf of the WTC Captive Insurance Company. "Crafting this settlement has been especially challenging given the emotional significance of the work done by all, plaintiffs and defendants, in aid of our country in those difficult days and months. It was important that the compensation reflect the seriousness of injuries claimed and the strength of the legal claim, while also being transparent in all respects."

"We negotiated for over two years to achieve this settlement for our clients, which we truly believe is the best result, given the uncertainty of protracted litigation," said Paul Napoli, a senior partner with the law firm Worby, Groner, Edelman & Napoli, Bern, LLP. "We are working around the clock to conclude settlements we have negotiated with a few other defendants that will add more than $100 million in additional compensation for our clients."

"This settlement is a fair and just resolution of these claims, protecting those who came to the aid of this City when we needed it most," said Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. "We will continue our commitment to treatment and monitoring of those who were present at Ground Zero. This settlement can also help encourage the Senate to follow the lead of their colleagues in the House of Representatives and pass the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which will now be a less expensive proposition due to the payments made under this settlement agreement."

"All parties have worked tirelessly to come to a fair and just resolution to this litigation. The settlement avoids costly and time consuming litigation that serves no one's interests. The lawsuits between the City and its contractors on the one hand, and the rescue and recovery workers on the other, pit one set of heroes against another," said Corporation Counsel Michael A. Cardozo of the New York City Law Department. "We will continue to urge the Senate to pass the Zadroga Act and re-open the WTC Victim Compensation Fund."

"The City and its contractors have an array of powerful defenses to these claims and do not admit any liability. Those defenses include the important doctrine of immunity under state and federal law for those responding to a civil emergency, which will be pursued with respect to plaintiffs who have opted out," said James E. Tyrrell, Jr., a partner at Patton Boggs, LLP, who is lead defense counsel representing the City and its contractors.

"We welcome this settlement so that our clients can have compensation that offers certainty and closure," said Nicholas Papain, Andrew Carboy and Michael Block, members of Sullivan Papain Block McGrath & Cannavo P.C., representing 640 firefighters in the lawsuit.

The Amended Settlement Process Agreement was signed by plaintiffs' attorneys and the WTC Captive on June 10, 2010 but required 95 percent of the plaintiffs to accept the settlement by a certain date in order for it to become effective. The opt-in deadline date originally was set at September 8, 2010 but was extended to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on November 16, 2010.

About the Settlement

Compensation was determined on the severity of the illness claimed and the likelihood it could be linked to work at the World Trade Center operations. For example, those claiming debilitating respiratory illnesses such as severe asthma, contracted by a non-smoker within seven months of exposure at the World Trade Center site and surrounding areas, could receive between $800,000 and $1,050,000, and approximately $1.5 million could go to compensate claims of death determined to be caused by the post 9/11 operations. Plaintiffs who have no qualifying injury, but have a legal claim for fear of becoming sick, will receive $3,250. All qualifying plaintiffs will be enrolled in a special insurance policy through MetLife to provide coverage for certain blood and respiratory cancers diagnosed during the coverage period, paying a benefit of up to $100,000.

To ensure transparency and independence in determining compensation for each plaintiff, an Allocation Neutral, a neutral third party, will oversee the valuation of each claim, assisted by a panel of independent physicians. The Garretson Firm Resolution Group, Inc., an experienced claims administration company, will serve as the Allocation Neutral. The firm and the physician panel will review the proof that each plaintiff is required to submit under the settlement, showing that he or she was present and participated in 9/11-related rescue, recovery and debris removal operations, as well as specific medical documentation. All of this information must be submitted by plaintiffs under oath and will be subject to audit. Plaintiffs can ask for the Allocation Neutral to reconsider its initial decision and, after that review, appeal to the Claims Appeal Neutral.

Kenneth R. Feinberg, former Special Master for the U.S. Government's September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, will serve as the Claims Appeal Neutral. He will serve pro bono. Mr. Feinberg will determine appeals requested by plaintiffs seeking review of the Garretson Firm's decisions. His determinations will be binding and may be used to adjust a plaintiff's final compensation.

About the WTC Captive Insurance Company

In the absence of commercially available insurance, the WTC Captive Insurance Company was formed in July 2004 to insure the City of New York and nearly 140 contractors, subcontractors and others it engaged against claims arising out of the debris removal process that began immediately after the collapse of the twin towers of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. The mission of the WTC Captive is to insure and defend in court, and thereby to protect, the City and the contractor and subcontractor policyholders as claims are processed, adjudicated and resolved.

Organized as a not-for-profit corporation under the laws of the State of New York and licensed by the New York State Insurance Department, the WTC Captive is governed by a five-member Board of Directors composed of current and former City officials plus a representative of the City's lead contractors.

The WTC Captive was funded with just under $1 billion in federal funds provided through a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)—part of the $20 billion of such funds requested by the Administration and authorized by Congress to help New York City and its people recover and rebuild after 9/11.

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Beacon of Hope: New Special Olympics Georgia Cauldron for the Flame of Hope to be Unveiled Nov. 10

2010-11-05T07:18:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Duke Oursler used to help run concession stands and run other errands at Special Olympics events his mom ran in Kansas. And recently, using his art and sculpting talents, he built something even greater for the movement: a bright and shiny beacon of hope for the athletes in Georgia.

The lighting of the new cauldron marks the opening of the games. This high energy portion of the Opening Ceremony is carried out by athletes and law enforcement officers and is always a highlight of the ceremony. The new Special Olympics cauldron will be unveiled at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10 on the lawn of the Bulloch County Court House in downtown, followed by a reception at the Averitt Center for the Arts. The cauldron is made of sanded stainless steel that looks like marble. Steps were built in the back where the torch lighter can easily light the fuse.

"It'll be like a shining moment the athletes experience at Games. I wanted to reflect that energy, because that's what it's all about," said Oursler, a Savannah State University art instructor. It took three months to create and design the cauldron and about a month to sand until it was sparkly into almost a mirror surface, like a piece of forever-lasting jewelry, he said.

The cauldron was designed and created to help in the celebration of Special Olympics Georgia's 40th Anniversary.

"Duke was given several ideas and he took those ideas and created a cauldron that would make all of our athletes, coaches, volunteers, Law Enforcement Torch Run officers, parents, sponsors and staff proud to be involved in the Special Olympics movement and to ignite the flame of hope," said SOGA's Vice President of Programs Robert Yost.

The cauldron will be lit for the first time Friday, Nov. 12 at State Fall Games Opening Ceremony at South East Bulloch High School.

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Wear a mustache, win a FREE ad

2010-11-04T09:33:00.001-07:00

In honor of @highmuseumofart's #mustacheparty tomorrow night Arts Across Georgia is giving away a FREE ad to the first office to send us a photo of folks in their office wearing mustaches! We'll also make your photo top of the page...

Doesn't matter what kind of mustache --- draw them on your faces, cut them from paper, or wear the real deal! Just make sure they're worthy of Salvador Dali and his mustache legacy.

Details below.

The High Museum of Art is hosting a wide assortment of great events to publicize the Dali: The Late Works exhibit. Be sure to visit the High's website and take a look!

Hope you'll attend the Mustache Party Friday night at the High Museum of Art, it's going to be fabulous fun.

Special Event - FEATURED EVENT

The Mustache Party

November 5, 2010, 8-11:59 p.m.

High Museum of Art
$10 regular admission; $5 for members.

Show off your real (or fake) 'stache at the High's Mustache Party beginning at 8 p.m. featuring live musical performances by Lyonnais, and DJ Heart Disease, cold beer, video projection by Bean Worley and a mustache contest. After the Mustache Party view a free screening of The Mustache, at 10 p.m. on Sifly Piazza (rain location is Rich Theater).

http://www.high.org/main.taf?p=4,3,2&eventId=697&eventTypeId=12

Details:

Send photos to: editor@artsacrossgeorgia.com (jpg format please). Be sure to include your contact information and office / company name (make sure it's OK with the company for us to show your photo if you're not a decision maker... we'd hate to get you in trouble!).

Ad details: 180 x 180 px which will be shown on Arts Across Georgia's main site plus, if your photo's are outrageous enough, we may pop the ad on some of our other sites.

If we receive enough photos, we'll make a special photo page or slide show!

U.S. Marshals Seize FDA-Regulated Food Stored at Rodent-Infested Warehouse in Georgia

2010-10-27T12:36:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- U.S. Marshals, acting under a court order sought by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, today seized an estimated $700,000 worth of rice and other packaged food products from a rodent-infested warehouse in East Point, Ga. The FDA-regulated food products were stored in a warehouse operated by Sun Hong Kai Holding Inc., which does business as United Food Service.

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia issued a warrant for the seizure of all FDA-regulated food stored in the warehouse in permeable containers. The federal government's complaint alleges that the products are adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because they have been held under insanitary conditions and may have become contaminated with filth.

An FDA inspection of United Food Service's facility between Sept. 22, 2010, and Oct 1, 2010, revealed "an active and widespread rodent infestation, including live and dead rodents within the warehouse where food products are stored," according to the complaint.

"United Food Service not only failed to protect the food in this warehouse, it failed to act promptly to correct the violations," said Dara A. Corrigan, the FDA's associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. "This prompted the FDA, working together with its state partner, the Georgia Department of Agriculture, to take these aggressive enforcement actions to protect the health of consumers."

FDA investigators found 28 live rodents, one dead rodent, apparent rodent droppings, 26 apparent rodent gnaw holes in multiple packages of food products, rodent urine stains on food packaging and four rodent nesting sites. FDA laboratory analyses of samples collected during the inspection confirmed the investigators' observations. FDA investigators also found structural defects making the facility accessible to rodents.

On Sept. 30, 2010, the Georgia Department of Agriculture placed all food in the warehouse under an order that prevents sale of the products. A day later, FDA investigators provided the warehouse manager a list documenting the violations.

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Self Service Health Care Unveiled in Georgia

2010-10-21T05:36:00.000-07:00

/24-7/ -- Rural Georgians are less healthy than those living in urban areas. They are more likely to be under-insured or uninsured and they are more likely to suffer from heart disease, obesity, diabetes and cancer.

In a pioneering attempt to improve these statistics, free, user-friendly health information technology is being unveiled today in Blakely, Georgia (Early County).

The National Health Museum (NHM) of Atlanta, the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) and SoloHealth are unveiling Georgia's first Personal Health Advisor (PHA). The digital system is a new way for residents to learn about their health by the simple touch of a computer screen.

The PHA unit is a free-standing kiosk device that is being piloted and evaluated at the Primary Care of Southwest Georgia (PCSG) community clinic, 360 College Street in Blakely, Georgia. In addition to no-charge use of the kiosk, activities for Early County residents will include free health screenings and a health fair organized by DCH. After its initial stay in Early County, NHM plans to collaborate with DCH to make the PHA available for statewide use.

The PHA developed by SoloHealth and the NHM is the newest health information delivery platform. It allows users to assess their risk for overweight and obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. PHA users can also access interactive information about STDs and vaccines.

"We're pleased to be collaborating with DCH to develop innovative ways to improve the health of Georgians," said Louis W. Sullivan, M.D., the Museum's chairman. "We look forward to expanding this concept throughout the state of Georgia and beyond. In Blakely and Early County, where my brother Walter and I grew up, being healthy is not only beneficial for individuals and families, but also is fundamental for economic development and quality of life."

"The PHA is a great example of how the National Health Museum is using new technology to create educational tools that help people change their behavior and live healthier lifestyles," said David Roland, NHM's president and CEO. "This is just the beginning of a series of new health and life science activities that we will be announcing during the coming year."

The PHA is designed to be user-friendly for people of all ages and education levels, and for those with limited technology experience. The kiosk's touch screen features two "physician tour guides" to help patients answer questions about their health and health knowledge. Users enter non-identifiable demographic data and answer health status questions, and within minutes they are provided with a custom risk assessment printout, along with action-oriented tips for healthy living, and local and national health resources. To protect user privacy, no personal information is collected.

"We are proud to be partnering with the NHM and the Georgia DCH. We have a shared mission to increase access to health care while reducing health care costs. This new technology empowers consumers to learn about their own health and encourages them to take action," said Bart Foster, SoloHealth's Founder and CEO.Early County was identified as an ideal location to launch the program because of the community's significant health care needs coupled with a shortage of health resources. The PHA system will remain in Blakely for testing over the next few months.

The project was jointly funded by DCH and a matching grant from The Charles and Catherine B. Rice Foundation of Atlanta, in association with Early County 2055, Inc.

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Public Forum on Plan 2040 Nov 9 (North Fulton, North DeKalb, Gwinnett)

2010-10-19T07:57:00.000-07:00

Fast‐growing region needs forward‐thinking plan: Civic League, ARC seek citizen input on Nov. 9

Residents of North Fulton, North DeKalb and Gwinnett counties are invited to join The Civic League for Regional Atlanta and the Atlanta Regional Commission on Tuesday, Nov. 9 from 6:45 to 9:00 p.m. for a public forum on Plan 2040, the 10‐county region’s plan for guiding economic and population growth sustainably over the next 30 years. The Plan 2040 Forum will be held at Christ the King Lutheran Church (5575 Peachtree Parkway, Norcross GA 30092), and though this is a free event, registration is requested by Nov. 5.

With a projected population increase of around 3 million people by 2040, regional citizens and policymakers have much to consider ‐‐ How will we all get around? How much farther out (or up) should our communities grow? How do we balance what we want against what we really need? Planners from ARC will be on hand at this event to explain Plan 2040 and answer questions, and The Civic League will facilitate a group discussion designed to solicit thoughtful feedback from all participants.

Since June, The Civic League and ARC have been hosting Plan 2040 Forums in communities around the region to engage a broad cross‐section of citizens in planning for the region’s continued strong growth. The Nov. 9 forum is located for the convenience of individuals who live or work in northeast metro communities, including Chamblee, Doraville, Dunwoody, Norcross, Lilburn, Berkley Lake, Lawrenceville, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Alpharetta, Johns Creek and Suwanee.
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HHS announces a major new investment in community health centers

2010-10-08T10:00:00.000-07:00

Valley Healthcare System, Inc. of Columbus and Community Health Care Systems, Inc of Wrightsville receive over $8 million in grants.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced awards of $727 million to 143 community health centers across the country to address pressing construction and renovation needs and expand access to quality health care. The funds are the first in a series of awards that will be made available to community health centers under the Affordable Care Act.

Community health centers serve nearly 19 million patients, about 40 percent of whom have no health insurance. Community health centers deliver preventive and primary care services at more than 7,900 service delivery sites around the country to patients regardless of their ability to pay; charges for services are set according to income.

"There is no question that the economic downturn has made it harder for some Americans to get health care and important preventive services. Community Health Centers provide quality healthcare services to Americans across the country but are a life line for those who have lost coverage or are between jobs. These funds from the Affordable Care Act will help get more people care in some communities where there have not been many options in the past," said Secretary Sebelius. "The newly constructed or expanded community health centers will provide care to an additional 745,000 patients and much needed employment opportunities in both rural and urban underserved communities."

The Capital Development (CD) program grants, administered by HHS' Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), will support major construction and renovation at 143 community health centers nationwide. This builds on the more than $2 billion investment in community health centers in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. A state by state list of Recovery Act investments in community health centers is available at http://www.hhs.gov/recovery/programs/hrsa/index.html .

"Many of these community health centers need more modern space to meet the increasing patient demand for services. These funds will help community health centers build new facilities and modernize their current sites in their continuing effort to provide the best care possible to more and more people in need," said HRSA Administrator Mary K. Wakefield, Ph.D., R.N.

Over the next five years, the Affordable Care Act provides $11 billion in funding for the operation, expansion and construction of community health centers across the country. This expansion of sites and services will help community health centers to serve nearly double the number of patients receiving care, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay.

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September Revenues Up, But Long Road to Full Recovery

2010-10-08T09:51:00.000-07:00

State revenues in September were up 5.7 percent over revenues in September 2009, according to data released by the Georgia Department of Revenue. That is certainly good news, but Georgia has a long road to recovery in revenues.

Net revenues in the first quarter (July-September) were 7.4 percent above first quarter 2009 revenues. However, fewer income tax refunds were issued in the first quarter of 2010 compared to 2009, giving 2010 a temporary boost in July and August. Removing the anomaly of fewer refunds, gross revenues grew by 1.9 percent in the first quarter. The revenue estimate for the fiscal year is currently set at 4.2 percent.

"Consider a worker who has his pay cut by 20 percent, and then receives a 5 percent raise. The pay raise is great news, but he is still going to have trouble paying his bills, much less saving for his kid's college education," said Alan Essig, executive director of the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute. "That's what the state faces today. Revenues are growing, but we have a long way to go to regain the ground we lost. The state will continue to struggle to pay for essential services or invest in infrastructure unless leaders reform and improve our tax structure."

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Secretary of State Kemp Announces Start of General Election Early Voting Period in all Georgia Counties

2010-09-21T06:39:00.000-07:00

Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp announced today (September 17) that early voting for the November 2 General Election begins Monday, September 20 and ends on Friday, October 29 in all Georgia counties. The deadline to request a mail-in ballot is Friday, October 29; mail-in ballots must be received by the voter’s county elections office by the close of polls on Election Day.

Secretary Kemp reminded voters to utilize the Secretary of State’s My Voter Page (MVP) voter education website before participating in the General Election. The MVP website allows voters to view their sample ballot, find the early voting locations in their county and their Election Day polling location, check their registration status, track the status of their absentee ballot, and more. The MVP website can be accessed at: http://www.sos.ga.gov/mvp.

“The MVP e-government solution provides an invaluable educational resource for voters,” said Secretary Kemp. “We want to put as much information in the hands of the voter as we can, in an easy-to-use format. The goal is for every voter in the State of Georgia to have the information he or she needs to be able to make the voting process work for them.”

Secretary Kemp also encouraged Georgians to assist his agency with preventing election fraud. The Stop Voter Fraud website allows Georgians to report questionable election activity online or via the Stop Voter Fraud hotline. Citizens who witness questionable election-related activity can submit a Stop Voter Fraud form at: www.sos.ga.gov/StopVoterFraud or call the Secretary of State’s Voter Fraud Hotline at 877-725-9797.

Voters who cast their ballot in-person or on Election Day will be required to show one of the following forms of photo ID:

A Georgia driver’s license, even if expired;
Any valid state or federal government issued photo ID, including a free Voter ID Card issued by your county registrar or Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS);
Valid U.S. passport;
Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority, or other entity of this state;
Valid U.S. military photo ID; or
Valid tribal photo ID.
If a voter does not have one of these forms of photo identification, they can obtain a free voter ID card at their county registrar’s office or the Georgia Department of Driver Services. Photo identification is not required when voting by mail.

For additional information about Georgia’s photo ID requirement please visit www.GAPhotoID.com.

Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 2.

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