Georgia Beat

Sen. Hooks Will Not Return for 17th Term

Joe — Mon, 14 May 2012 16:53:19 +0000

State Senator George Hooks (D-Americus) has announced that he will not seek a seventeenth term in the Georgia legislature. Sen. Hooks is the current “Dean of the Senate” and is one of the upper chamber’s most influential and respected memers.
“With the strong support of my family, my constituents, and my colleagues, we have accomplished much. I believe the time has come to step aside and perhaps explore other areas of public service. I
am humbled to have held the public trust of my friends and neighbors for more than three decades.”
During his thirty-two year career, Hooks has served as an Administration Floor Leader for th eGovernor, and chaired the agenda setting RulesCommittee as well as the budget writing Senate Appropriations Committee. Long recognized for his legislative skills, Hooks was the chief designer of Georgia’s current state flag.

Updated List of Political Events Posted Regularly on Georgia Beat

Joe — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:10:10 +0000

Click on “Political Events” for schedule of fundraisers planned by legislators in the coming months.

Driver Services To Launch More Secure License Process

Joe — Tue, 08 May 2012 21:16:43 +0000

Gov. Nathan Deal and the Georgia Department of Driver Services today announced the launch of Secure ID, a program aimed to further ensure the integrity of driver’s licenses and identification cards whil offering additional protectiion from identity theft. Secure ID also pleases Georgia in compliance with the Federal Rea ID Act of 2005 prohibiting the federal government from acception DL/IDs issued by noncompliant states for boardng a commercial flight or entering a federal building.”This program will give Georgians the most secure IDs we’ve ever issued in this state,” said Deal. “It is our duty to protect our residents’ identities to the best of our ability.”
“Georgians deserve to havethe highest degree of safety measures in place to protect their identity,” said DDS Commissioner Greg C. Dozier. “And DDS in Committed to that goal.”

Beginning, July 1, customers who need to renew, reinstate or apply for their first Georgia license/ID will have to visit a DDS Customer Service Center to present their original identification documents. They will have to prove their (identity,(2) full Social Security number and (3) residential address.

Baxter To Bring Jobs to Stanton Springs, Near Social Circle

Joe — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:30:33 +0000

Baxter International, a Deerfield, Ill-based maker of vaccines, treatment for blood disorders and medical devices will soon locate a production facility east of Atlanta. The plant site is in Stanton Springs, a planned mixed-use development along I-20 near the town of Social Circle, about 40 miles from downtown Atlanta. The new plant is expected to bring more than 1,500 jobs to the state. The company expects to invest more than $1 billion over the next five years in support of the project. Baxter has an 80-year history in medical technology. It makes products to help patients with bleeding and immune disorders. It also makes vaccines and products to help treat kidney disease, as well as to help heal surgical wounds. Baxter has production sites in 27 countries and more than 48,000 employees. Gov. Nathan Deal ailed the project as a milestone for the state.

The Shuttle Arrives — Photo by a friend, Kristi Tucker

Joe — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 01:03:41 +0000

We will see lots of pictures of the space shuttle arriving at Dulles for taking a position in the space museum, but this one is special to me since it is made by a good friend, Kristi Tucker, from the top of her office building near Dulles.

Welcome Home, Patricia Murphy

Joe — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:52:00 +0000

Patricia Murphy and longtime friend, Elsie Hand visit in Atlanta.

After working on Capitol Hill in Washington and then starting her own website and frequent TV appearances, Patricia Murphy has moved back home to Georgia. She will continue her media work from Atlanta where guest appearances on CNN will be easier and she will travel to New York and Washington for other work on CNBC and FOX. Her many Georgia friends, including Miss Elsie Hand, say welcome to Patricia — glad to have you back in Georgia.

Georgian Also Out When GSA Chief Resigns After Report of Luxury Conference

Joe — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 02:16:41 +0000

Well-known Georgia politico Stephen Leeds, was forced out of his job in Washington on Monday after his boss, GSA Administrator, Martha Johnson, submitted her resignation to the White House. Her two top deputies were fired amid reports of excessive spending at a training conference at a luxury hotel that featured a mindreader, a clown and a comedian.
GSA’s inspector general releaded a scathing report on the training conference held at a luxury hotel outside Las Vegas in 2010. The Washington Post said that organizers spent $835,000 on the event, which was attended by 300 employees. Expenses included $147,000 in airfare and lodging for six planning trips by a team of organizers. “When the White House was informed of the Inspector General’s findings we acted quickly to determine who was responsible for such a gross misuse of taxpayer dollars,” White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew said in a statement to The Washington Post. President Obama “was outraged by the excessinve spending, questionable dealings with contracotrs, and disregard for taxpayer dollars,” Lew said, “and called for all those responsible to be held fully accountable.” Leeds moved to Washington shortly after President Obama’s election. He previously worked with an Atlanta law firm and was active in Democratic politics.

Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens Back Home after Supreme Court Hearings.

Joe — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 01:13:38 +0000

Attorney General Sam Olens was in Washington for the oral arguments on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordability Care Act. Upon his return to Georgia, Olens said, “The outcome of this case will drastically impact the course of this Nation for decades to come, and the repercussions will be broder than just healthcare.” He said, “I am encouraged by the past three days of arguments and look forward to the Court’s decision at the end of June.”

Senate Passes Bill Prohibiting Assisted Suicide

Joe — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:49:45 +0000

After hearing a case in which a bag was placed over a man’s head and his arms held to keep him from removing the bag as helium was administered, the State Senate voted tonight 48-1 for legislation to prohibit assisted suicide, making it a felony punishable by incarceration of up to ten years.
Introduced inthe House by Rep. Setzler and presented in the Senate by Sen. William Ligon of Waverly, HB 1114 was drafted in response to the Georgia Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the state’s assisted suicide law, which prohibits the advertisement of assisted suicide services. There are several provisions in the bill to excempt from thie law such things as living wills and prescribed pain relief. The bill now goes to the governor for signature.

Kight Appointed to Superior Court

Joe — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 19:20:53 +0000

Jude Jeff Kight

Gov. Nathan Deal today announced the appointment of Jeffrey H. Kight to the Superior Court Judgeship within the Waycross Judicial Circuit. Kight will fill the vacancy created by the appointment of the Honorable Michael Boggs to the Court of Appeals of Georgia. The appointment will take effect upon swearing in which will take place at the Capitol on April 18.

Judge Kight is the Solicitor General of Coffee County and an attorney with Cottingham & Porter, PC in Douglas. He earned his bachelor’s and law degrees from Mercer University. He and his wife, Walda, have two children. They reside in Douglas. Walda Kight is an official with South Georgia College in Douglas.