December 1, 2019

Terry Glenn Jr., son of former Dallas Cowboys star, dies of accidental drug overdose

Terry Glenn Jr., the son of the late star receiver for the Dallas Cowboys and Ohio State Buckeyes, died of an accidental drug overdose Thursday, according to sources close to the family.

Glenn Jr., 22, was at home in Columbus, Ohio, with his family on Thanksgiving Day when he was found unresponsive in a bathroom.

His tragic death comes roughly two years after his father died in a car wreck Nov. 20, 2017, on his way home from a Cowboys game with his fiance, Verina LeGrand. The vehicle struck a concrete barrier, causing it to roll over and ejecting Glenn from the driver’s seat.

It’s safe to say that Glenn Jr. never got over his father’s death, and understandably so.

Read more: https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/nfl/dallas-cowboys/article237923579.html

December 1, 2019

Sanders: Scripture calls for renewed focus on justice in US

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders says Scripture calls for a renewed focus on justice as Democrats campaign to replace President Donald Trump.

The Vermont senator also tells a church congregation in Columbia, South Carolina, that the United States needs “a nation and government that works for all of us, not just wealthy campaign contributors.”

Black support is crucial for Democrats trying to win in a state that holds the South’s first primary on the 2020 election calendar and has a heavily black Democratic electorate.

Like some of his fellow presidential contenders, Sanders has rolled out endorsements from a number of black state lawmakers.

Read more: https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/article/Sanders-Scriptures-call-for-renewed-focus-on-14873699.php

December 1, 2019

Toll at least 21 after Mexico cartel attack near US border

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican security forces on Sunday killed seven more members of a presumed cartel assault force that rolled into a town near the Texas border and staged an hour-long attack, officials said, bringing the death toll to at least 21.

The Coahuila state government said in a statement that lawmen were still chasing remnants of the force that arrived in a convoy of trucks and attacked the city hall of Villa Union on Saturday.

Gov. Miguel Angel Riquelme said at least 14 people had died by that afternoon, four of them police officers. He also said then that several municipal workers were missing. It wasn’t clear if they had since been located.

The new statement did not give a new death total, but said seven more attackers were killed on Sunday in addition to 10 who reportedly died the day before.

Read more: https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/texas/article/Toll-at-least-21-after-Mexico-cartel-attack-near-14873636.php

December 1, 2019

Abrams campaign asks Georgia judge to deny request for more documents

Stacey Abrams’ campaign on Wednesday asked a judge to deny the Georgia ethics commission’s demand for more documents linked to the Democrat’s 2018 race for governor, saying it had already sufficiently complied with the panel’s request.

It said the commission was seeking documents from the campaign of Republican Gov. Brian Kemp’s top rival that are unrelated to campaign finance issues — which are within the panel’s jurisdiction. And it said that it has no documents showing illegal coordination between the campaign and third-party groups that backed her unsuccessful bid for governor.

The commission said in a Fulton County Superior Court filing earlier this month that it requested thousands of documents as part of its probe into possible coordination between Abrams and so-called independent groups. Such groups spent millions of dollars backing Abrams, but, by law, they are not allowed to coordinate directly with a campaign.

The Abrams campaign said it handed over thousands of documents to the commission’s investigators, and that the judge didn’t have jurisdiction to rule in such a preliminary investigation with the commission still not having shown there is evidence a violation occurred.

Read more: https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/abrams-campaign-asks-georgia-judge-deny-request-for-more-documents/sMuBFaFhTi6bfSqiWjkeGL/

December 1, 2019

Biden thinks Georgia may be a good place to find a veep

When former Vice President Joe Biden was in Atlanta for the Democratic presidential debate, he must have had potential running mates on his mind.

During a campaign stop in Iowa, he recently suggested a pair of Georgians as possible candidates for his old job: Stacey Abrams and Sally Yates.

He didn’t go into specifics, and he didn’t limit his options to just the two Georgians, The Des Moines Register reported.

“I could start naming people but the press will think that’s who I picked,” Biden said, and then — while eschewing names — he gave highly specific clues about who he thought were good options for No. 2 on the Democratic ticket.

Read more: https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/capitol-recap-biden-thinks-georgia-may-good-place-find-veep/AqTQgSLqpUV0x9MhXHhMCP/

December 1, 2019

Food stamp use is highest in rural Georgia. So are grocery prices.

DAWSON — Rural Georgians are more likely to need the help of food stamps to pay for their groceries, but that public help probably doesn’t stretch as far as it does in places such as Atlanta because of higher food prices in small-town stores.

Poor, rural Georgians pay more for fresh lettuce, macaroni and cheese, and other foods in part because there is so little competition for their business, according to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution review.

Georgia’s lawmakers have spent the past several years focusing on ways to boost the economy in rural areas, but little has been done to address the emergence of food deserts across the state as grocery stores go out of business.

It’s a trend occurring across the country. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that about 5 million people in rural areas have to travel 10 miles or more to buy groceries.

Read more: https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/food-stamp-use-highest-rural-georgia-are-grocery-prices/7RNmDJUynvycInEwfEGH1J/
(Atlanta Journal Constitution)

December 1, 2019

Judge grants summary judgment to Hall county in employee pension case; plaintiffs announce appeal

The judge overseeing an estimated $75 million class-action pension lawsuit granted summary judgment to the Hall County government and the Association County Commissioners of Georgia, but the employees’ attorney said they are planning to appeal.

Roughly 100 current and retired employees were expected to be in the class for the lawsuit filed in January 2017. Employees say unlawful freezes to the Hall County pension plan have resulted in much reduced payouts.

Judge Martha Christian heard arguments from both sides in May and indicated to both sides in July her intention to rule in favor of the county government and the county commissioners association.

The employees argued that the county was required to follow procedural requirements for ordinances when trying to change the county pension plan.

Read more: https://www.gainesvilletimes.com/news/public-safety/judge-grants-summary-judgment-county-employee-pension-case-plaintiffs-announce-appeal/

December 1, 2019

Game of dare, horseplay with Tasers, poor supervision: Jailer misconduct detailed by Sheriff's

Game of dare, horseplay with Tasers, poor supervision: Jailer misconduct detailed by Sheriff’s Office, 2 supervisors


Recently reported misconduct of Hall County Jail employees included improper use of a Taser and a game of dare that led to sexual misconduct between employees, The Times learned Saturday.

Neither of the supervisors, Lt. Ken Nix and Sgt. Andrew Ondo, were involved in the sexual misconduct, although they did not properly supervise the employees, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Inmates were not involved, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

A statement from Lt. Greg Cochran obtained by The Times Saturday offers clarification on the investigation by the Sheriff’s Office that led to the resignation of six jail employees and the suspension of two employees. The Sheriff’s Office had previously declined to specify which employees were accused of which infraction.

The employees involved, who all worked the same night shift, were:

Deputy Randall Norton, resigned during pre-termination hearing

Jailer Dani Colella, resigned during pre-termination hearing

Jailer Christopher Smith, resigned during pre-termination hearing

Deputy Daniel Harris, suspended five days

Jailer Kingston Morris, suspended two days

Jailer Alexis Mitchell, resigned while under investigation

Sgt. Andrew Ondo, resigned while under investigation

Lt. Ken Nix, retired/resigned

Read more: https://www.gainesvilletimes.com/news/public-safety/game-of-dare-horseplay-with-tasers-poor-supervision-jailer-misconduct-detailed-by-sheriffs-office-2-supervisors/

December 1, 2019

Swastikas at 2 Georgia campuses alarm students and parents

ATLANTA (AP) — Swastika symbols on two Georgia university campuses have students and parents on edge.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that swastikas were drawn on message boards recently in Creswell and Russell halls at the University of Georgia.

Two students at Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville also reported to campus officials that a swastika was drawn on the doors of their residence hall recently.

The incidents come as hate crimes are on the rise on campuses across the nation.

Federal officials in October found that religious-based hate crime on college campuses has increased significantly nationwide over the past decade.

https://thebrunswicknews.com/news/state_news/swastikas-at-georgia-campuses-alarm-students-and-parents/article_95bfb6b1-c25f-573c-b920-a3adeccf7058.html

December 1, 2019

Georgia black caucus will push for hate crime law after teen allegedly planned to attack black

Georgia black caucus will push for hate crime law after teen allegedly planned to attack black churchgoers


A white teen who allegedly plotted to attack a historically black church in Georgia faces a charge of criminal attempt to commit murder, but she's not charged with a hate crime because the state does not have such a law.

The 16-year-old, a high school student in Gainesville, had allegedly planned the attack on the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church for several weeks, police said. She researched black places of worship online and visited the church this month, but no one was there at the time.

"She is a racist," Gainesville Police Chief Jay Parrish said, adding he wouldn't make the statement without substantial evidence.

While police have not released much detail on the alleged plot, Bishop Reginald Jackson of the Sixth Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church told local media he hoped the teenager would be tried as an adult, and denounced the absence of hate crimes laws in Georgia.

Read more: https://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/news/world_nation/georgia-black-caucus-will-push-for-hate-crime-law-after/article_e678ed7c-c09f-584b-9b73-0a6111d189b8.html