Georgia
Georgia Senate gives sports betting legislation a chance to land on November ballot
(Georgia Recorder) — The Georgia Senate approved a plan on Tuesday that would allow Georgians to decide at the ballot box in November whether legalized sports betting should be allowed in the state.
Senate Resolution 579, which would set up a constitutional amendment referendum to sanction sports gambling in Georgia, was passed Tuesday by a vote of 41 to 12. The bipartisan support for Athens Republican Sen. Bill Cowsert’s legislation was comfortably large enough to meet the two-thirds majority required to amend the Georgia Constitution through a ballot referendum.
Cowsert’s resolution calls for the creation of a gaming commission to regulate the sports betting industry that officials are estimating could generate more than $100 million in annual tax revenue for the state.
On Feb. 1, the Senate adopted Sen. Clint Dixon’s SB 386, which established a framework for how sports gambling would operate in the Peach State. The Sandy Springs Republican’s bill proposes that the Georgia Lottery oversee the bidding process to award seven licenses to sports gambling companies. The other licenses would be distributed among Atlanta’s five major professional sports franchises: NASCAR, Georgia Lottery, PGA, and Augusta National. Cowsert successfully amended Dixon’s bill by adding language that required the General Assembly to also adopt the amendment referendum.
Cowsert said Tuesday if Georgians agree to the constitutional amendment, then it helps the new industry withstand legal scrutiny rather than the Legislature unilaterally legalizing an expansion of legal gambling based on the theory that it can be treated the same as state lottery games.
Under Cowsert’s legislation, 80% of tax revenue the state receives would be allocated to the lottery’s education fund, with first priority going toward pre-K programs and leftover money going toward HOPE collegiate scholarships. The other revenue would be split with 15% for educating the public about the dangers of gambling and 5% used to promote major sporting events in the state.
“The ballot question is just as clean and straightforward as it could be,” Cowsert said. “There is no way any voter would be confused by it.”
The measure’s passage in the Senate marked a significant milestone for legalized sports betting in Georgia after several years of unsuccessful attempts to legalize sports betting, horse racing, and casinos in conjunction or as standalones.
Republican Sen. Marty Harbin of Tyrone said the economic benefits of sports betting would be outweighed by the problems associated with gambling addiction that are harming people 30 and younger in states where it’s already legalized,
Harbin said that the state’s $16 billion budget surplus is more than enough to fund pre-K classes across Georgia and to continue supporting HOPE scholarships.
“(Gambling) addiction is a real addiction. It’s an addiction like drugs and alcohol,” Harbin said.
Georgia Tech LB Kyle Efford was in Charlotte today representing the Yellow Jackets and talked to the media on Thursday at ACC Media Days. Here is what he had to say.
On being more of a vocal leader…
“Oh, man, it’s changed a lot. I’m at that point now where I’m in my redshirt senior year, man, my fifth year. I have no other option but to be a vocal leader and to lead my team by example, but also, if I need to speak up, I’ll speak up.”
On benefiting from Jason Semore as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach…
“Yes, sir. So Coach Semore is not only the best coordinator in the country, but he’s the best linebackers coach in the country. And his defense is made for linebackers to run the show, be the quarterbacks, get us in and out of defenses. And that’s what I’m willing to go for the defense, for the best of the team.
Coach Semore, he definitely has enigmatic defenses. His major thing is offenses are not the same from the 1990s. Why are the defenses the same? That’s his major point. I can see how it’s going to be great.”
On the consistency of his game…
“Man, just effort to the football. It ain’t nothing but seeing the ball and running the ball every single play.I mean, it’s one thing when you know what you’re doing, but it’s another thing when you empty the tank on every single play. And that’s all I’ve been doing, and the results show.”
On how to improve the run defense…
“Oh, man, across the board, from the first level, second level, third level. There’s always places to develop. I mean, I feel like from our big guys getting vertical, cutting the ball off, to taking double-teams, to the backers, you know, filling gaps, going sideline to sideline all the way to the back and communicating and getting down. There’s room for development everywhere. There’s not one specific area. But I feel like we need to develop across the board.”
On how his brother playing soccer allows him to think differently…
“Yeah, I mean, my brother taught me what it takes to be a pro. I mean, growing up from as far as I can remember, he showed me my work ethic. I was probably in second, third grade, and he was getting me up 5:00 in the morning to go outside and work out with him.I mean, he and my father essentially made me who I am, showed me what it takes to play at a high level.”
On rivalry vs Georgia…
“We Georgia Tech men, it doesn’t matter to us. Bobby Dodd, in between the hedges, Piedmont Park. It don’t matter. We’re a group of guys wired like that. We don’t like to (indiscernible) on the road. We want to get them boys, and I’m sure we will.”
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CATOOSA COUNTY, Ga. — Animal shelters in Northwest Georgia are running out of space, with Catoosa and Walker County unable to take in more animals as the number of strays rises during the summer months.
Catoosa County officials say the county’s animal shelter is maxed out and can no longer accept animals.
Image via Catoosa County Animal Control
The shelter has room for 80 pets but is currently over capacity, limiting how much it can help when large animal rescues happen in nearby areas.
“I can’t speak for everybody, but I can say that working in animal care, summertime is definitely one of the worst times for us and for the animals more,” Abby Lynch, the community outreach and kennel officer for the Catoosa County Animal Shelter says.
Catoosa County officials say summer is when dogs and cats breed because the weather is nice, leading to more strays than usual.
Image via Catoosa County Animal Control
The Walker County Animal Shelter is also dealing with capacity issues.
The shelter says it has brought in 73 animals since the beginning of July.
Image: Walker County Animal Shelter
“In that same time, we have done 28 adoptions, which 28 adoptions in two weeks sounds great. But when you’re doing the math of 73 animals in and 28 animals going out, not super great,” says Melissa Smith, director of the Walker County Animal Shelter.
Catoosa County has helped neighboring counties during past crises.
Image via Catoosa County Animal Control
“We’ve assisted Dade County in the past with similar situations, and that’s when really rescues and shelters help each other,” says Dylan McColollum, director of Catoosa County Animal Control.
Dade County only got an animal shelter this year.
Image: Walker County Animal Shelter
In Georgia, only 61 out of 159 counties have animal shelters, making it more important for shelters to have enough capacity to help their own communities and assist neighboring counties when needed.
“We’re just grateful that we have our own shelter and can take care of our our county and its needs, and we’re happy to assist if other counties need our assistance,” McColollum says.
Image: Walker County Animal Shelter
Adoptions at the Catoosa County Animal Shelter are currently free because of donors. See available animals here.
They were designed to hold a drink, but cups produced in Rome, Georgia, have become one of the FIFA Men’s World Cup’s most unexpected souvenirs.
Inside the Top Cup plant in Rome, millions of cups were created to celebrate the world’s biggest sporting event.
“We made 10 million over 70 different graphics for the World Cup,” said Rome native and Top Cup General Manager Zach Dixon.
The plant in north Georgia produces up to 750,000 cups a day.
“We’ve always been really proud of the cup … but the World Cup has obviously taken it to another level,” said Top Cup CEO David Cuthbert.
Fans have been taking them home from matches. Some have even been listed for sale online.
“We’ve always been really proud of the cup… but the World Cup has obviously taken it to another level,” said Cuthbert.
Dixon said they begin the process with massive coils of aluminum, each weighing about 30,000 pounds. The metal is stamped, stretched, washed, and moved down the line.
The plant produces about 1,100 cups every minute.
Ricardo Marques, the senior vice president of marketing for Michelob ULTRA, said that there have been venue-specific, match-specific, and Finals-specific stadium cups for the World Cup. There are also three separate red, white, and blue designs available for fans at bars and restaurants around the U.S.
“We’ve seen an incredible response to the collection. Together, these commemorative cups give fans a unique keepsake and a lasting reminder of an unforgettable FIFA World Cup experience and the moments that brought millions of people together through the world’s game,” Marques said.
Cuthbert said his company has seen how the World Cup has done wonders for metro Atlanta businesses.
“Our team in Rome, Georgia takes tremendous pride in helping bring this fan experience to life for one of the world’s biggest sporting events,” he said.
So when soccer fans celebrate the surprise victory or mourn their last-minute loss, they’re doing so with a little piece of Georgia.
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