Georgia
Georgia representative proposes house bill after child dies in daycare
POOLER, Ga. (WSAV) — Georgia state representative Rick Townsend of Brunswick, has introduced House Bill 118, following the death of one year old Jamal Bryant Jr. who tragically died last may in daycare.
This bill would require CPR training and devices to assist children who are choking in childcare settings.
It has been nearly a year since one year old Jamal Bryant Jr. died from choking on a piece of watermelon at a daycare center in Brunswick. Georgia leaders had their first and second reading this week, which would require daycare centers to have at least one portable airway clearance device.
We spoke to Allison McLean, director at Primrose Schools in Pooler, about their thoughts on the proposed bill.
“I think, unfortunately, choking is a common situation that can happen within childcare facilities, and it can happen very fast,” McLean said.
She said this will be a positive step forward for the childcare industry.
“I like the idea of something being put in place to help hopefully prevent those incidents from happening,” McLean explained. “So, if a child were to be choking, knowing that we have this life back on hand, that we could grab and quickly take to help that choking situation”
Townsend is also proposing that daycare employees complete CPR training within their first 45-days of employment, rather than the first 90 days.
McLean said their team is ahead of the game, with 100 percent of their staff CPR certified.
“We have noticed here at our school that we have found that we like to get our teacher CPR drift training within the first 30 to 60 days,” she said.
We are told it’s a bill that could potentially change the public’s perception of daycare safety.
“I think sometimes what you’re thinking of as a mom or a dad is who can take care of your child best,” McLean said. “I think knowing that the schools have something already that could help in an instance like that would support those parents feeling more comfortable bringing their children to school.”
If passed, all childcare centers licensed under the Georgia Department of Early Care Learning’ will have to obtain a portable airway device.
Former GOP Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan has the best shot at defeating the GOP in November’s general election.
Democratic candidate for governor Geoff Duncan walks in to file paperwork to run for election at the Capitol in Atlanta on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)
By Michèle Taylor – For The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
42 minutes ago
I was fresh out of college when I worked on my first presidential campaign for the Democratic candidate in 1988.
Over the years, I have worked on campaigns across Georgia and the nation. I have served as a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee’s national finance committee and as our country’s United Nations human rights ambassador under President Joe Biden.
s’namow htiw ot ot ot ot ot eht eht eht taht detrats ehs thgir duorp trap fo .sdeen ni erachtlaeh evah tsrif ylimaf yreve peed tnemtimmoc esoohc eb dna ma ssecca a a ,tsaehtuoS dennalP doohtneraP I
ew ,etov ot ot ot ot ot eht eht taht sdraugefas elor sthgir yler ytilauq tcetorp stcepsorp yalp sevlesruo ruo no fo fo sevil ni ni gnivorpmi sah sah tnemnrevog latnemadnuf eligarf sserpxe yreve yllaicepse noitacude cimonoce ,sdaorssorc eroc feileb neeb ta era dna dna syawla a a a ehT ytraP .aigroeG citarcomeD .naciremA A eht eht ecnis lacitilop tuo fo ton larom dekcol tsuj ti si si .evitarepmi evah pihsronrevog ;laog cimonoce neeb kcab dna a a gninniW noisnaM s’ronrevoG starcomeD .3002
Ambassador Michèle Taylor is a lifelong Democrat who served in the Biden administration. She is a professor of the practice at the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at Georgia Tech. (Courtesy)
gnikcerw htiw ediw ohw sretov eht ,sgniws ylpmis evres tcejer hcaer lacitilop ,muludnep ruo fo tsum etaredom elddim snaem ytirojam sti ylgnisaercni emoh sah rof ezigrene noitilaoc tonnac gnidliub emoceb .esab .llab sa dna dna osla a a a gninniW eW eW .pmurT ehT nacilbupeR AGAM .snaigroeG dlanoD
gnorw yhw ohw emoclew ew delbuort eht eht taht os dluohs rewop ytrap tuo fo ton .gnol dekcol si si otni slaudividni evah sah remrof rof rof yltcaxe yb neeb deugra hcaorppa ma a sihT tahT snacilbupeR .ytraP I citarcomeD
ohw nrut oot ot emit emit eht eht ;stset .tnet sekats ylpmis elpoep ruo ton sumtil nioj ti si si ni hgih gniworg doog rof rof .htiaf yawa era sihT ehT
htiw ohw nehw ew dehctaw tsomtu ot ot rieht eht eht eht eht eht tsegnorts tes thgir desrever tcepser gnitibihorp egelivirp noitisop noitisop elpoep elpoep nwo ruo ylnepo no no fo fo fo fo tsom egairram ekam evil sredael deniargni ni ni sih sih eh evah dah gnidnuf .yleerf rof rof laredef rovaf .ytiuqe .ytilauqe ,yhtapme enirtcod ylpeed ,noissapmoc seciohc degnahc snoipmahc ,sesac nac htob gnieb emaceb edisa sa dna dna dna dna tnemdnema lla ;snoitroba tnediserP tnediserP amabO nI I I edyH nediB kcaraB 9102 lliw ohw ohw ohw tahw tahw nrut pot ot ot yeht rieht eht eht slliks devres evres nees thgir noitatuper sesimorp ylsuoiverp evreserp ecalp elpoep ruo ylno ton deen tnanetueil sredael egdelwonk si otni ni ereh evah evah worg taerg .ronrevog ronrevog morf rof rof rof thgif etadidnac tub ,ssenisub sa sa dna dna osla .noitca a a a a eW s’tahT nacilbupeR I aigroeG ffoeG ,nacnuD citarcomeD htiw mohw ohw nehw pu deirt ot ot ot ot ot ot ot yeht yeht eht eht taht laets dnats nwohs ksir stcetorp laitnediserp lanosrep ssap ro no eenimon on larom rettam .evol gnol noitalsigel ni sih flesmih eh eh etah sah nug taerg .ylimaf evlove yreve esrodne ,noitcele semirc egaruoc ,lortnoc eciohc ngiapmac erofeb emaceb ta era ,dna dna dna dna dna a eciV pmurT tnediserP tnediserP alamaK sirraH naigroeG nacnuD dlanoD citarcomeD ,tarcomeD llA ,4202 0202
erehw emit yeht eht eht naht .murtceps lacitilop segdelp erom tnanetueil swonk swonk boj sih eh ,ronrevog morf dnuof nac ngiapmac eb .elbaniatta ,lanoitaripsa sa era era dna seilla lla ssorca siH eH
dluow .niw tahw ,skeew ,snoinu ot ot ot .hguoht yeht yeht eht eht eht ekat detrats dnuos ezingocer tnecer gniyllar tnenimorp noitisop ,slaiciffo sredael wonk tsuj ti si ni ni sih eh evah tsedrah lareneg morf gnicaf ,noitcele detcele :od ytinummoc ngiapmac tseb dniheb esuaceb esuaceb .taeb eb era dna mrala ssorca tuoba a snacilbupeR robaL nI I aigroeG ffoeG nacnuD nacnuD t’noD ,starcomeD tarcomeD
krow ohw ot ot ot yeht yeht rieht eht eht gnilggurts .etats gnivlos larur elpoep .stnemyap strap ruo ro no fo .deen deen egagtrom ynam rojam gnisol si ni slatipsoh erachtlaeh erachtlaeh ,seirecorg ronrevog teg teg ,sag :gnicaf gniyd srotcod sesirc t’nac nac esuaceb era era era dna dna ,ytilibadroffa droffa ssecca a nemoW eW .pmurT ooT snaigroeG aigroeG dlanoD
Biden and Obama both evolved in their political positions
Duncan showed he is willing to fight against Trump
s’nemow ohw retov siht eht dias sthgir detcepser evitcudorper duorp evissergorp no fo fo ,wal-ni-rehtom senil seussi ni ni reh reh htlaeh sah :ediug tnorf rof tnemesrodne ,sedaced neeb dna a ,rolyaT yM htiduJ nacnuD
:RONREVOG“ gninniw ohw eht taht ediwetats orp eno dlo fo ylwen wen si si eh sah yllaicepse ,eciohc ecnahc retteb tseb eveileb na a a ”.nacilbupeR I ffoeG nevE .nacnuD ,tarcomeD hguohtlA … )naht( ,)tarcomeD(
.sraey htiw niw lliw ohw tiaw su .kcart lacitilop no sredael pleh teg evresed egaruoc tonnac kcab rehtona dna aigroeG starcomeD 03
ohw rednu ot eht eht eht eht devres sthgir evitatneserper rosseforp ecitcarp tnenamrep fo fo gnolefil si si ni namuh dehsiugnitsid yltnerruc noipmahc ta ta sa dna dna dna rodassabma a a .S.U .N.U .hceT rolyaT dnalreztiwS loohcS maS sthgiR tnediserP nnuN elèhciM eoJ lanoitanretnI namuH aigroeG ,aveneG tarcomeD licnuoC nediB rodassabmA sriaffA
Georgia
Injured US military veterans find relief and awe swimming with a whale shark at Georgia Aquarium – The Boston Globe
ATLANTA (AP) — Swimming with manta rays, giant groupers, and even a whale shark brought joy and excitement to a group of injured U.S. military veterans who got to experience the healing power of water and wildlife at the Georgia Aquarium.
The swim Wednesday at the aquarium in Atlanta also gave the U.S. service people who are part of the Wounded Warrior Project a much needed respite from their recovery and the stresses of life. The organization works with injured and wounded veterans and their families.
“It gives them, you know, 30 or 40 minutes to just relax,” said Jason Bush, manager of the aquarium’s Military Salute program, which once a week brings members of the armed forces to swim or dive with marine animals.
“Whether it’s swimming in the water or scuba diving in particular, you’re weightless,” he added. “So physically, it takes away even for a moment physical pain that you feel when you’re on land.”
The military veterans snorkeled or swam with the giant whale shark, Yushan, stingrays, and a variety of other marine animals. After being rescued from a Taiwanese fish market several years ago, Yushan is the only whale shark in captivity in the Western Hemisphere, according to aquarium officials.
“They go in nervous and they come out saying it’s the best experience they’ve had in their life,” Bush said.
William Mund, a U.S. Marine gunnery sergeant who was wounded in Iraq, said the water helps with his blood flow. His swim with the whale shark was a “once-in-a-lifetime thing,” he said.
U.S. Army Col. Quentin Collins was wounded twice in Iraq – once by a mortar and then a second time when he drove over an improvised explosive device. Collins, who is paralyzed, said his favorite part was “surfing” with the whale shark.
“Actually, its wake pulled me with it,” a joyous Collins said. “So I was swimming forward and the next thing I know, I’m going backwards and I realized the whale shark is right below me.”
Quentin had not been in the water since 2020 because of his injuries. His son, Ian Collins, got to witness his it.
“It’s a wonderful thing to see my dad being able to enjoy things he couldn’t anymore,” he said. “It’s a great thing to see.”
Seven small and rural Peach State cities are hosting exhibits as part of the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street ‘Voices and Votes’ program.
Georgia’s inaugural “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America” exhibit launched Saturday, April 25, 2026, at the Putnam County Administrative Building. This is a partnership of Georgia Humanities, Georgia Writers Museum and the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street initiative. (David Plazas/AJC)
Our soon-to-be 250-year-old democratic republic endured major stress tests recently that shook the faith of citizens across the political spectrum.
A presidential assassination attempt at the April 25 White House Correspondents’ Association dinner engendered conspiracy theories on social media that further pushed people into their corners.
erehw yaw sretov senimrednu ot ot ot rieht eht eht eht eht taht gnilur warder hsup snaicitilop kcip rehto fo ton spam nasitraprepyh teg leuf erif lanoissergnoc .dnuora dna na ydaerla dedda gnitoV .S.U emerpuS sthgiR truoC lirpA nA tcA 92 5691
”tnaryT“ — — mohw tahw eht eht eht dednimer fo fo fo lanoitan hcranom sredael si ni ni detcele tnadnecsed dellac lla .tuoba a samohT ,elihwnaeM nosreffeJ ecnednepednI gnidnuoF rehtaF noitaralceD hsitirB aciremA 6771
seulav ot ot eht eht taht derahs mialcer snalp no fo on tsol dekoj ni sih sih eh eh dah remrof ycarcomed seinoloc skcehc detarbelec yb ,secnalab dna dna dna dna ,rotsecna sserdda .S.U s’.K.U gniK gniK .III ,III egroeG ssergnoC selrahC lirpA ,82 s’aciremA“ — — sdrow thgiew yeht eht eht ecnis .dias ”,erom gninaem rettam gnik ecnednepedni evah neve yrrac sa dna snoitca
— htiw tnaw gnitov ,seciov ot ereht eht eht taht llams .ecnanrevog-fles larur sthgir thgir ecitcarp lufrewop rehto fo fo si ni ni ni ereh gnineppah sllah egagne hcae ycarcomed noitasrevnoc seitinummoc snezitic dna dna dna tuoba a edistuO aigroeG ,ssergnoC naciremA
erom“ — — raey erehw ew ”noinu ot ot ot eht eht eht ngis lainnetnecniuqimes evitcelfer elbmaerp evitisop tcefrep ruo thguo fo s’noitan si otni ylbidercni ni ni woh worg debircsed eunitnoc snezitic nac eb na a .S.U sihT .noitutitsnoC
secioV“ erehw ruot ot eht eht eht .)margorp gnitapicitrap no no selim laruguani ni ni detsoh tnemnrevog morf tsae evord ,rennid dellac erofeb era dna dna osla tuoba gnimoyW ACHW :setoV hatU teertS teertS nainoshtimS mantuP muesuM muesuM niaM niaM noitutitsnI I sruoH s’aigroeG ,notnotaE ycarcomeD ytnuoC atnaltA ”.aciremA 08 ,anaidnI(
lliw ot rieht eht taht deroliat llams neves larur ralucitrap eno fo won si tsoh ,tibihxe ,ytinummoc seitic deretnec neewteb neewteb ro/dna dna dna rialcniS ,eenocO hcraM ekaL ekaL aigroeG ,notnotaE .7202 ,91 ,)eciwt rehto seitic era dna nonreV ehT ,yrreP tnuoM ,llewtraH .noswaD ,ellivsretraC kciwsnurB gnitsoh(
AJC Opinion Editor David Plazas (center) stands with Georgia Writers Museum board member Chip Ward (left) and board president Lou Benjamin (right) at the inaugural “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America” exhibit in Eatonton, Georgia on April 25, 2026.
Celebrate your republic across the state
erehw .seulav pirt ot eht gnikat dluohs stnediser noitalupop fo raen rojam detacol yrotsih citarcomed yad redisnoc sretnec etarbelec ytic-reggib dnuora era dna dna lla a yehT etatS hcaeP naciremA
— — sraey gnikrow htiw owt ot eht eht eht eht eht s’etats detrats fo rof .tibihxe poleved oga etailiffa nainoshtimS lanoitaN seitinamuH seitinamuH aigroeG tnemwodnE dlo-raey-55
ot hguoht eht eht dias tcejorp ytiroirp noitazinagro evom edam tsol ti .weivretni ni ,gnidnuf ,drawrof laredef na a nraeW tnediserP nitraCcM yraM seitinamuH aigroeG nevE eW“ ew ew ew eciov ot siht yeht rieht eht eht eht taht taht gnillet seirots llams llams .dias fo lanoitan evol evol tcaf etavele ”,ycarcomed tnetnoc s’ytinummoc ,ytinummoc tub gnirb esuaceb era osla nraeW nitraCcM
koot eht eht fo lacol .dael sah ytinummoc .egrahc esac a sretirW muesuM nI aigroeG ,notnotaE hcaE
sretirw ot derutrun gnidulcni sah taerg aera dna dna dna reklaW ehT ,)”seirotS sgnoS .)”sgniyaS ,sumeR ,)”elpruP ronnoC’O rehtO naM leoJ sI siH siH sirraH draH dooG yrennalF dniF notnotaE roloC reldnahC ecilA elcnU“( ehT“( A“(
ehT“ dnA“ secioV‘ uoy sraey tuohtiw ohw ohw tahw ”,gnitov ”,gnitov gnitov ,etov ,etov koot ot ot ot esoht eht eht eht eht eht s’taht s’taht taht smret selggurts dias serudecorp tnediserp gnitneserp ,ecalp etapicitrap revo fo fo fo fo boj s’ti si devlovni .weivretni ni ni ni woh woh woh yrotsih yrotsih evah taerg tnemnrevog steg teg tibihxe tibihxe neve seod t’ndid ycarcomed ,etabed seunitnoc degnahc nac dellac draob neeb eb eb dna dna dna dna dna dna dna na tuoba a a a sretirW ’,setoV ,muesuM uoL aigroeG ,nimajneB
dnA“ tahw tahw ,saw susrev kniht eht eht eht sthgir seitilibisnopser noitseuq fo fo gnitseretni eh ”?nezitic nezitic era era .dedda a a I ohw retov scipot ot eht eht eht ,)sexat noisserppus hcus hcus llits gniyhs sediserp llop revo gninepo no fo ton lanoitan senotselim ,royam lacol ,yrotsih dnarg morf tsrif derutaef tibihxe .tneve noitcele s’ytic detarbelec emac yawa sa sa dna dna dna dna na osla ehT ,dieR uK xulK nalK nhoJ notnotaE kcalB lirpA 52 eht(
,sraey htiw ohw eht etats ekops devres tnediserp lenap no fo fo won ni remrof remrof rof dna gnola a a .ytisrevinU etatS etatS ,erymS yraterceS ,nacilbupeR .peR nahtaN .voG aigroeG aigroeG aigroeG lareneG remroF citarcomeD ,laeD ,xoC egelloC yhtaC nivlaC ylbmessA 84 ;pma&
susrev sthgir thgir seitilibisnopser skramer .no no fo snezitic era s’nimajneB
krow htiw gnilevart ot ot eht sepirts etats ,llams stnediser suoiverp lacitilop yllufecaep rehto seitinutroppo no fo fo ym lufgninaem egral ni dnuorg rof gnidnif egagne hcae gnissucsid stnemeergasid tnereffid detaerc .ylevitcurtsnoc ytinummoc ,seitinummoc nommoc gnidliub dna dna dna osla ssorca ,eessenneT nI
ruoy .uoy su nopu ot ot eht eht scitilop nasitrap tuo esion srobhgien wonk si detcilfni gnitteg gnitteg seitinummoc yb dnuora etoditna dna dna nA secioV“ — ruoy htiw ot eseht eht mret ,sloohcs suoigiler ecitcarp .ssenetilop dewodahsrevo tuo rehto ro ro eno netfo fo fo fo erom nredom sti ni ni spuorg ,sdneirf ,ylimaf stibihxe egagne ycarcomed noitinifed ,seugaelloc ytilivic yb snoitaicossa dna dna a ”setoV aigroeG kcehC
— er’uoy ot siht ,ereht eht eht taht naht ,gniniatsus .etats didnelps yteicos setis tnaruatser gnitapicitrap fo fo erom snaem lacol s’ti ni rof raf erolpxe ecarbme tae ytisrevid .ytinummoc gnignellahc gnidliub ta dna dna tuoba a elihW s’tI
,efiL“ ,sraey htiw seulav .tnaryt shturt ot ot ot esoht yeht rieht eht eht eht eht eht evirts eruces elur gnitcejer tup tup tiusrup .rehto no no fo fo fo fo tsum sevil evil enil ycagel otni drah snoitareneg modeerf rof rof erudne hcae gnizicitirc gnitcennoc gnitnorfnoc .emoc yb yb dliub rehtona dna dna dna dna lla noitca a eW oT ytrebiL nI ”ssenippaH gnidnuoF srehtaF snaciremA 052 ,6771
secioV“ eht noinipo erom si .gro.seitinamuhaigroeg .rotide ta dna tuoba ”setoV sazalP nraeL divaD s’CJA
tahW“ aciremA“ ruoy ruoy sdrow htiw gninrut ot ot siht siht eht eht tcejbus noitcelfer sredaer :noitseuq ro no fo eman enil srettel si gnitivni ,sepoh rewef .moc.cja@sazalp.divad snrecnoc nwot/ytic ta era rewsna dna dna esU detinU ehT setatS yluJ liamE CJA ”?4 ”.052 052 052 Civility is more than mere politeness
David Plazas joined the AJC as opinion editor in 2025. His goal is to create the ultimate platform for conversations, debates and idea exchanges in the South. He spent 25 years at the USA TODAY Company working his way from reporter at The News-Press in Fort Myers, Florida, to statewide opinion and engagement editor at The Tennessean in Nashville.
-
Maine1 minute agoWho visited Maine in 2025, and how much did they spend?
-
Maryland7 minutes agoMaryland students react to Canvas data breach
-
Michigan13 minutes agoI discovered anti-Zionism at the University of Michigan. I’m glad it lives on there
-
Massachusetts19 minutes agoFamily of fallen Massachusetts State Trooper attends ceremony remembering those killed in the line of duty – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News
-
Minnesota25 minutes ago1 injured after shooting in Inver Grove Heights, police say; search for suspect underway
-
Mississippi31 minutes ago
Voting Rights Upheaval Casts Shadow Over Mississippi Redistricting Case
-
Missouri37 minutes agoJudge denies Missouri attorney general’s bid to halt 7-OH kratom sales by American Shaman
-
Montana43 minutes ago“It’s Life Alert or rent”: Montana trailer park tenants are on rent strike