Community column for April 10

John James Audubon Chapter members attended the Louisiana Daughters of the American Revolution State Conference March 15-17 at the Renaissance Hotel in Baton Rouge. Shown are, from left, seated, Chapter Regent Georgia LaCour, President General Ann Dillon, State Regent Zora Olsson, State Third Vice Regent Margaret Tyler, State Treasurer Charlotte White; standing, Nola Labat, Yvonne Lewis Day, Amy Fontenot, Denise Malesic, Betty Jo Snellgrove, Stella Tanoos, Bridget May, Carole Gloger, Norma Gerace, Essie Mongeau, Shirley Newsham, Gloria Wilbert, Paula Wilbert, Sue Ann Shore, Sue Badeaux, Denise Lindsly and Glenda Carlile.

Crawford: It was a good close to the legislative session

Georgia's legislators gaveled things to a close last week and for the first time in a while, it was a session that provided some positive accomplishments for taxpayers. For the first time since at least 2002, Georgia will not have "austerity cuts" for K-12 public schools in the state budget for the new fiscal year.

Interior secretary: ‘Opposition’ to offshore drill plan

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke acknowledges there is "a lot of opposition" to President Donald Trump's plan to open most of the nation's coastline to oil and gas drilling. Speaking at a forum on offshore wind energy Friday in Plainsboro, New Jersey, Zinke touted Trump's "all of the above" energy menu that calls for oil and gas, as well as renewable energy projects.

Local officials weigh in on new regional transit authority

The Georgia Legislature passed a bill March 29 that creates a regional transit authority and provides for a new funding option for metro Atlanta's 13 counties. On the final version of the bill, Rep. Micah Gravley, R-Douglasville, who represents House District 67, was the only member of Douglas County's eight-member state delegation who voted against it.

Georgia Legislature passes budget with boost for K-12 education

Georgia lawmakers agreed to a budget that fully funds the state's K-12 education formula and passed a measure that cracks down on distracted driving before the gavel fell on this year's legislative session early Friday. A number of bills, including a controversial immigration enforcement measure and a proposal to move away from electronic voting machines failed to be taken up as lawmakers rushed to pass dozens of other bills throughout the final hours of the legislative session.

Georgia lawmakers pass bills on online snooping, free speech, bail

Georgia lawmakers passed dozens of bills Tuesday, as they rush to complete their work before the legislative session is set to end Thursday night. Neither the House nor Senate is convening inside the Capitol on Wednesday, meaning that legislators have only one more day left to send their proposals to Gov. Nathan Deal's desk.

Villa Rica development bill ready for governor

Villa Rica and Douglasville may be on the verge of a new era of development, thanks to two pieces of legislation that are now headed to the desk of Gov. Nathan Deal. Two separate bills authorizing referenda to create Tax Allocation Districts in both communities have now cleared both houses of the General Assembly.

Governor’s criminal justice overhaul passes House committee

The final piece of Republican Gov. Nathan Deal's years-long criminal justice overhaul is expected to see a vote in the Georgia House early next week, after passing through the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee Thursday. The proposal, which backers say seeks to keep fewer non-violent offenders behind bars, would give judges more leeway in forgoing cash bail for low-income offenders and more opportunities to impose community service rather than fines.

Inability to audit U.S. elections a ‘national security concern’: Homeland chief

Not having a verifiable way to audit election results in some states represents a "national security concern," the Trump administration's homeland security chief said on Wednesday, looking ahead to U.S. midterm elections in November. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security was prioritizing election cyber security above all other critical infrastructure it protects, such as the financial, energy and communications systems, the agency's chief, Kirstjen Nielsen, told the Senate Intelligence Committee.

‘Naked politics’ of punishing Delta could haunt Georgia

He said that while he supported portions of the bill, he thought the state should look to ... . Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and Gov. Deal's chief of staff Chris Riley confer in the senate before the senate went into recess and the Rules Committee stripped the Delta tax cut from legislation.

Commentary: Parkland shooting has changed politics-as-usual in…

Trump was angry and 'unglued' when he started a trade war, officials say - WASHINGTON - With global markets shaken by President Donald Trump's surprise decision to impose strict tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, the president went into battle mode on Friday: "Trade wars are good, and easy to win," he wrote on Twitter.

Italy election: prospects high for more political tension

Italy's soon-to-end election campaign reads muc... . The League party's candidate premier, Matteo Salvini, shakes hands with sympathizers during an electoral meeting in view of March 4 Italy's general elections, in Rome, Thursday, March 1, 2018.

Twitter CEO asks for help on ‘civility’; YouTube stumbles

Democratic House Majority Leader KC... An effort by Colorado Democrats to expel one of their own over sexual misconduct allegations appeared set to fail Friday amid Republican objections to how the complaints have been handled. Republicans object to how... An effort by Colorado Democrats to expel one of their own over sexual misconduct allegations appeared set to fail Friday amid Republican objections to how the complaints have been handled.

Gov. Deal opposes medical marijuana cultivation in Georgia

Possessing medical cannabis oil may be legal in Georgia, but Gov. Nathan Deal says he opposes allowing medical marijuana to be grown in the state. GOP Rep. Allen Peake, who uses cannabis oil, had been spearheading a push to allow for in-state cultivation of medical marijuana to treat certain conditions.

CAIR-Georgia Welcomes Syrian Grandfather to Atlanta for Cancer…

The Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations today announced that Mohamed Al-Bitar, a Syrian grandfather suffering from eye cancer, has arrived in Atlanta for medical treatment after receiving a waiver to the Trump administration's "Muslim Ban." On Saturday, February 9, Al-Bitar and his wife arrived at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, where they were reunited with their Georgia-based family members, including a daughter, son-in-law and four grandchildren.