1 of 2 | A newly redrawn map of Georgia’s congressional districts was signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp on Friday following a special session held this week by state lawmakers. Image by Georgia General Assembly
Dec. 9 (UPI) — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has signed legislation redrawing the state’s congressional map after the previous one, also drawn up by Republican state lawmakers, was ruled unconstitutional.
Kemp signed the legislation into law on Friday, a day after the Georgia House of Representatives approved the redrawn map during ahead of a deadline imposed by a judge during a special session.
The new map sees Georgia’s 6th Congressional District extended to include parts of urbanized Fulton and Cobb counties, where the Black voting-age population will now amount to 51.75%.
A federal judge had previously ruled Georgia’s existing electoral district maps to be unconstitutional, violating part of the 1964 Voting Rights Act.
U.S. District Court Judge Steven Jones set a hearing later this month to ensure the new maps meet specifications. That hearing is scheduled to take place Dec. 20.
Jones’ previous order instructed state legislators to draw a pair of new districts containing a majority black population in the state Senate and five in the House of Representatives.
Georgia opened a special legislative session on Nov. 29 in response to the judge’s ruling, wrapping up Thursday evening.
The new map passed largely along party lines with Republican lawmakers insisting it meets the judge’s specifications.
“The remedy involves an additional majority black congressional district in west metro Atlanta that’s from the often quoted page 509 of judge jones order so here again, it falls to us in the general assembly to comply with judge jones order as he is allowed us to do,” Rep. Rob Leverette told his colleagues in the House Thursday, according to WGXA-TV.
“The bill you have before you will adopt a congressional map that does just that,” he asserted.
Some Democrats, however, said the new maps amount to a reshuffling and do not fulfill the spirit of the judge’s order.
“Georgia’s Republican politicians have passed an unlawful legislative map, defying a judge’s order to redraw our state’s districts after they violated the Voting Rights Act,” Rep. Sam Park told the house Thursday.
The new maps “certainly are not fair to Georgia voters especially for Black voters and voters of color, whose freedom to elect their candidate of choice is being attacked and undermined.” he said.
Thanksgiving dinner costs are on dropping for second year in a row
For the second year in a row, the cost of buying Thanksgiving dinner has decreased, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Helen, a town in Georgia, has been voted as the top Thanksgiving road trip destination for families in Georgia. Helen has also earned a spot in the top 5 destinations in the country.
This was revealed by a recent survey conducted by Gunther Motor Company. The survey, which polled 3,000 families, aimed to uncover the most sought-after Thanksgiving destinations for a 2024 road trip.
The survey found that families are looking for a quick and memorable road trip that blends the holiday’s festive spirit with a rare moment to relax and recharge.
“The drive to Helen offers plenty of pull-offs and overlooks, especially at spots like Unicoi State Park, where families can stop for hiking or a picnic beside tranquil lakes,” the study wrote. “Helen itself is known for its Bavarian architecture, but nearby towns like Sautee-Nacoochee and Clarkesville provide additional scenic beauty and history.”
Multiple sources are telling us this evening that Georgia Labor Commissioner, Bruce Thompson, has lost his battle with cancer.
I first met Bruce Thompson when he decided to seek the 14th Georgia State Senate District to succeed Barry Loudermilk, which would make him my State Senator. He was straight to the point. No pretense. He knew a lot about what he knew, and wasn’t afraid to say he didn’t know about what he didn’t. I instantly liked him.
Originally from Montana, Bruce wasn’t shy about sharing how Christ had changed his life. He knew that his relationship with The Lord meant that he wasn’t perfect, just forgiven. And he regularly expressed his gratitude for the Grace of his Lord and Savior.
He was a devoted husband and loving father. He leaves behind his wife, Becky, and two adult children, Faith and Max. To meet his children is to understand the man, and he was very proud of them both.
In business, Bruce was a serial entrepreneur. He ran businesses that developed software, installed pool covers, and sold insurance among others. It would not be fair to say that he had the Midas touch because all Midas had to do was touch something to make it turn into gold. No, Bruce was successful because he worked hard to make everything he did a success. In fact, this is a favorite photo I have of him when someone was a no-call-no-showed on one of his work sites. He threw on some old clothes in the Georgia heat and went to work.
A couple of years ago Bruce took a bold step and announce that he was going to challenge a Republican incumbent in Georgia’s Department of Labor. Elected Republicans simply do not challenge other elected incumbents. But it was clear that change was needed at that department as COVID had exposed how bad things could get when an important agency isn’t run well. He came into that office with a sense of urgency those who knew him had come to recognize as a key trait of his personality and work ethic.
Earlier this year Bruce announced that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. And he decided to fight with all of the same spirit and determination that had come to define so much about him. And he did it with an up-beat and positive spirit. Not too long ago I texted him to see how he was doing. He responded, “Just rocking and rolling, brother!!! Jesus is in control, and I have a darn good feeling He isn’t done with me yet!”
As I look at the legacy Bruce leaves behind, those whose lives he made better through service to them, his wife, his kids, I think Jesus is going to continue to be working through Bruce Thompson for quite a while yet. No. Jesus isn’t done with you, Bruce. Not by a long shot. Not even now. Because of what He has done through you.
Farewell, my friend. I am better for having known you.
After beating NC State on Thursday, Georgia Tech is now 7-4 heading into their Black Friday rivalry showdown with the Georgia Bulldogs. The Yellow Jackets have not beaten Georgia since 2016, but this could be the best chance that they have had to knock off the Bulldogs since then and if they were to win, they would put a big dent in the Bulldogs playoff hopes, though they would still have a chance to win the SEC.
It is going to be a big task for the Yellow Jackets though and at Fanduel Sportsbook, Georgia Tech is a 20.5 point underdog next Friday vs Georgia and the total is set at 54.5.
Georgia Tech played Georgia almost as well as anyone did last year. Georgia won 31-23, but the Yellow Jackets were an onside kick away from getting the ball back and having a chance to tie the game up. In 2022, Key had his alma mater within six points of the No. 1 Bulldogs (13-7) in the middle of the third quarter before Georgia finally pulled away. In each of the past two seasons, Key has had this team playing better against the Bulldogs since the last time the Yellow Jackets won in 2016. In 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021, Georgia handled the Yellow Jackets with ease, but they have had to fight for the past two seasons to put Georgia Tech away.
It will be a tall task though. Despite their losses to Alabama and Ole Miss, Georgia has one of, if not the most talented roster in the country and has not lost a home game since being upset by South Carolina in 2019.
Will Georgia Tech’s two-quarterback system work against the Bulldogs? It worked to perfection against Miami, but not so much against NC State. True freshman Aaron Philo played well and led the game-winning drive, but going into Athens as a true freshman and beating Georgia is a tough ask. Can Georgia Tech run the ball? They were able to overcome a poor performance on the ground last night, but they usually lose when they don’t run the ball well. The defense played great at times last night, but had a really bad fourth quarter and nearly let the game slip away. When Georgia has lost this season, quarterback Carson Beck has been a big reason why. Can Tyler Santucci’s defense force Beck to make mistakes?
They might not be able to beat the Bulldogs in Athens to close the season out, but this is without a doubt the best chance that they have had since they last won the game in 2016. Georgia Tech has relished being in the underdog role with Key at the helm and he is looking to pull off his biggest win yet.
Additional Links:
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Updated ACC Recruiting Rankings: Georgia Tech Has a Strong Grip On The No. 2 Class in the Conference
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