State Takeover of Fulton Elections Proposed

A state lawmaker proposed that the Georgia State Election Board take control of Fulton County’s elections management.

State Sen. Greg Dolezal, R-Cumming, urged the board to use its authority under the state’s 2021 Election Integrity Act, saying Fulton County officials “are incapable, unwilling, or for some reason refuse to clean up their voter rolls.”

State election board member Janelle King said the five-member panel would consider its options at its February meeting on Wednesday in Winder.

Fulton County Commission Chair Robb Pitts said the county would fight any state intervention.

Earlier this week, a federal court unsealed documents about the FBI’s January seizure of roughly 700 boxes of 2020 ballots from the Fulton County election center, part of an investigation into the county’s election practices.

  Stork Leaving Endangered List

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will remove the wood stork from the federal endangered and threatened species list after four decades of conservation efforts.

The birds are most common in Florida and Georgia. The delisting will take effect in March, with the Fish and Wildlife Service following up with a 10-year monitoring plan.

Last year in Georgia, state wildlife officials documented a record 3,000 wood stork nests and about 30 colonies. The wood stork is the only stork that breeds in the U.S.

The Southern Environmental Law Center called the decision premature, citing shrinking wetland habitats.

Coast Earns Winter Fishing Honor

Georgia’s coast earned a spot among the nation’s top winter fishing destinations, with Tybee Island named to a national ranking of the 10 best places to cast a line during the colder months.

Cooler water temperatures push redfish, speckled trout, and sheepshead into shallow coastal areas, creating prime conditions for inshore anglers.

The honor arrives as interest in off-season angling grows. A Tybee Island nonprofit recently hosted a sheepshead fishing tournament to fund mental health services for veterans.

In related news, state officials continue working to expand the recreational red snapper season through a pilot plan, with a public comment period now open.

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➤ Statewide: A group of state lawmakers introduced a bill that would require social media companies to verify ages and adjust their algorithms for users 14 and younger, targeting what state Sen. Bo Hatchett, R-Cornelia, called “engineered addiction.” (More)

➤ Hinesville: Fort Stewart soldiers discussed how they incorporate drones and 3D printing into their operations to enhance battlefield effectiveness. (More)

➤ Glynn County: The county alerted restaurants to an angry customer posing as a health inspector and threatening to shut a business down last week, urging businesses to check IDs.  (More)

➤ Atlanta: A California man arrested in January at Hartsfield-Jackson airport was allegedly carrying 42 pounds of marijuana in his checked luggage for a France-bound flight. (More) 

➤ South Georgia: Dry conditions are leading some communities to ban open burning of yard debris until further notice. (More)

➤ Oakwood: The federal government proposes to convert a local warehouse into an immigration processing center for about 1,500 detainees, prompting city leaders to raise questions about sewer capacity and lost future tax revenue. (More)

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➤ Georgia Tech baseball opens its season today, ranked as high as No. 2 in national polls and the SEC preseason favorite in a poll of conference coaches. (More) 

➤ The Atlanta Braves signed former All-Star and Gold Glove winner Jonah Heim to a one-year, $1.25 million deal to add catching depth. (More)

➤ Atlanta Hawks player Mo Gueye was fined $35,000 for an in-game fight with a Minnesota Timberwolves player. (More)

➤ Former Atlanta Falcons assistant coach Jacquies Smith was hired as outside linebackers coach at Texas Tech. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: Olympics | NBA | NCAAM | NCAAW | NCAASB | Soccer | Golf

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➤ Hyundai is in talks with Waymo to build 50,000 robotaxi-ready electric vehicles at the Hyundai factory near Savannah, in an estimated $2.5 billion deal. (More)

➤ Georgia craft breweries told a state Senate committee their businesses are struggling under laws that block direct sales to retailers, with several small brewers reportedly closing or consolidating. (More)

➤ The Georgia Ports Authority named Kevin Price as its next president, effective July 1, part of a transition plan where he will also become CEO after current CEO Griff Lynch retires in mid-2027. (More)

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➤ A Coweta County police dog was hit by a car while chasing a bank robbery suspect, resumed the chase, and helped nab the person. The robbery took place Wednesday at Regions Bank in Newnan. (More)

➤ Visit Savannah will celebrate its 50th anniversary today with a ceremonial cake cutting and champagne toast, with tourism now generating an estimated $4.1 billion a year for the area’s economy. (More)

➤ Atlanta United unveiled a new soccer uniform inspired by the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics. (More)

What are you most superstitious about?

1. Friday the 13th
2. Sports teams
3. Walking under a ladder 
4. Breaking a mirror
5. Black cats
6. Opening an umbrella inside
7. Other

Yesterday’s Results:

What’s your favorite way to celebrate Georgia Day?

1. No plans: 37%
2. Learn state history: 22%
3. Support local businesses: 21%
4. Other: 20%

About how many nesting pairs of wood storks are in the Southeast?

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