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Victims watch Bush sign 'Amber Alert'
The legislation's centerpiece would expand nationwide a voluntary
rapid-response network to help find kidnapped children. Georgia
is one of 41 states involved in the Amber Alert network. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
State likely to take charge of Sports Hall
A state agency, not an appointed authority, will be calling
the shots at the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame under a bill
approved by the General Assembly last week. Macon
Telegraph
State gets $37.5 million for homeland security
Georgia will receive $37.5 million more in federal money to
help train and equip "first responders" to terrorist
attacks. The funding, announced Wednesday by U.S. Homeland
Security Secretary Tom Ridge, was approved by Congress in
the wake of the war in Iraq. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
* Hurricane
forecasts to come days in advance
Glynn and other coastal counties in Georgia will get even
more advanced warning than in the past of a pending or potential
hurricane strike. The National Hurricane Center will begin
this year to extend hurricane predictions from three days
to five days. Brunswick
News
Presidential candidate’s campaign trail
leads to firearm-friendly city
A candidate for the Libertarian Party nomination for president
in 2004, Badnarik said for years he has been impressed by
Kennesaw’s unique and controversial city ordinance making
gun ownership compulsory for city residents. Marietta
Daily Journal
Child support guidelines upheld
The Georgia Supreme Court upheld the state's child support
guidelines by reversing a lower court that said that those
guidelines were unconstitutional. "This ruling by the
Georgia Supreme Court removes a cloud of uncertainty regarding
child support enforcement actions around the state,"
said Russ Willard, spokesman for the attorney general's office.
Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
$2.5 million grant sought to boost Farmers
Market
U.S. Rep. David Scott is seeking a $2.5 million federal transportation
planning grant that would include a rail link between the
Atlanta State Farmers Market and Hartsfield International
Airport. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution/Clayton-Henry
3rd ID honors its fallen
Fort Stewart honors soldiers killed in action with memorial
service and new monuments. Savannah
Morning News, WGNX-TV,
Florida
Times-Union Fort Stewart honors fallen soldiers.
Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
Family says ex-POW is changed man
After a week out of the spotlight and out of town, Ronald
Young, Jr., a former prisoner of war in Iraq returned home
to metro Atlanta on Wednesday as details emerged about his
captivity and how it changed him. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
Thrill fades fast
3rd Brigade soldiers get no hero's treatment from Rumsfeld.
Columbus
Ledger-Enquirer
Judge, former soldier honored
Retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey, perhaps best known to viewers
of NBC as the network's prime analyst on Operation Iraqi Freedom
coverage, is coming to Columbus. He'll be paying homage to
another former soldier who has found success in a different
career -- Juvenile Court Judge Aaron Cohn. Columbus
Ledger-Enquirer
Brunswick agency ships medical supplies
Almost $1 million of drugs to treat wounds, water-borne diseases
and other illnesses will leave MAP International this week
for Iraq. Florida
Times-Union
Attorney general reviews complaints against Oxendine
The state Attorney General's office is reviewing a complaint
that Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine used tax money to
fill his new state car with fancy accessories, even after
bean-counters rejected the purchase. Athens
Banner-Herald/Morris
Senator claims success: Clay gets indigent
defense bill passed
State Sen. Chuck Clay comes home claiming victory for
a bill to reform indigent defense, a long-neglected cause
thought to have no political constituency. Gov. Sonny Perdue
said he will sign the bill, which he said makes the state's
justice system "stronger and fairer than ever before."
Atlanta
Journal-Constitution/Cobb
Cobb legislators reflect on long session
Following the longest legislative session in more than 100
years, two Cobb lawmakers told the Powder Springs Chamber
of Commerce on Wednesday that they were pleased with at least
part of what was accomplished. Marietta
Daily Journal
New senators seek to end judicial battles
The 10 newest U.S. senators -- nine Republicans and one Democrat
-- urged senior colleagues on Wednesday to stop the bickering
and find a way to end partisan battles over judicial nominations
New
York Times/Reuters
Majette coming into her own in Congress
Her first piece of legislation would turn Arabia Mountain
in southeast DeKalb County into a federally protected preserve.
U.S. Rep. Denise Majette has also announced $256 million in
new federal funding for her district and lectured fellow Democrats
on how to take back the White House, Congress and the Georgia
Governor's Mansion from the GOP. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution/DeKalb
* Douglasville
vote on smoking approved
A bill authorizing the city of Douglasville to conduct a nonbinding
referendum on public smoking passed the General Assembly on
the final day and now awaits the governor’s signature.
Douglas
County Sentinel
Perdue pays state for hunting trip
Gov. Sonny Perdue took a state helicopter to a quail hunting
trip on an insurance company's South Georgia plantation in
January, days after adopting a strict ethics policy. Perdue
decided Wednesday to reimburse the state $373 for the flight
after a citizen filed a complaint with the governor's inspector
general. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
Meriwether competes for Ford plant
The city manager of Grantville, Ga., is making a presentation
to Ford Motor Co. officials today on supplying electricity
and natural gas to a tract of land in nearby Meriwether County,
where Ford reportedly is considering relocating its Hapeville,
Ga., automobile assembly plant. The plant could bring 2,000
jobs to the area. Columbus
Ledger-Enquirer Ford to build Ga. plant, sources say.
New
York Times/AP, Atlanta
Business Chronicle/AP Ford explores Ga. sites for plant
Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
Starbucks drops Augusta plan
Frappuccino addicts will have to wait to get their own Starbucks
in Augusta, county officials said Wednesday. Augusta
Chronicle
Delta wants pilots to reduce salaries 22%
Delta Air Lines Inc. has proposed a 22 percent reduction in
pilot's hourly wage rates and an elimination of raises due
next month, The Wall Street Journal reported. Atlanta
Business Chronicle, Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
Hawks, Thrashers find buyer
Texas businessman David McDavid, who has wanted to own a professional
sports team for years, signed a letter of intent Wednesday
to buy the Atlanta Hawks and Thrashers from AOL Time Warner.
The agreement, which also covers the operating rights to Philips
Arena, signals that the media conglomerate expects to complete
a sale to McDavid within the next two months. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution Arena lease sale's sweetener.
Atlanta
Journal-Constitution A new owner could learn from Blank.
Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
* Development
to help shape Gwinnett's future
A $600 million project — the largest of its kind in Gwinnett
— is taking hundreds of acres along Interstate 85 and
turning them into corporate offices, upscale homes and shopping
centers. Gwinnett
Daily Post
Winter cold snap helps Southern top expectations
Unusually cold winter weather and favorable regulatory
action in Alabama and Florida helped push Southern Co.'s earnings
well beyond Wall Street estimates in the first quarter. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
Peachtree Mall sold for $87 million
General Growth Properties has bought Peachtree Mall in Columbus
from an institutional owner for $87.6 million. Atlanta
Business Chronicle
MARTA's reserves to plug rising gap
MARTA, facing a bigger budget shortfall than anticipated because
of the sluggish economy, is planning to take an additional
$8 million from its reserves to balance next year's operating
budget. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
* Mirant sells
Canadian services contracts
Mirant Corp. has sold its Canadian natural gas aggregator
services contracts, a significant portion of its natural gas
transportation contracts and a portion of its storage contracts
to Cargill Limited. Atlanta
Business Chronicle
GCI execs resign, form new PR and marketing
firm
Seven senior executives of GCI Group Atlanta have resigned
and formed their own public relations and marketing agency.
Atlanta
Business Chronicle Legend of PR back in mix: Cohn,
2 partners to form new firm. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
Hartsfield to lose 19 percent of security
screening jobs
Hartsfield International Airport will lose 263 full-time security
screening jobs --- about 19 percent of its total --- by the
end of September as part of a cost-cutting measure affecting
airports nationwide. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
458-house development planned for Rockdale
Developer Robbie Lanier of I-20 East Inc. in Decatur has submitted
plans to build a 458 single-family-house development in Rockdale
County. Atlanta
Business Chronicle
Mall project in Forsyth to shrink
Plans for an open-air mall featuring Neiman Marcus in Forsyth
County are being pared back as its developer struggles to
lure tenants. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
DeKalb's job growth called slow
A recent study found that job growth in DeKalb County lags
other metro Atlanta counties and suggests that situation may
not change anytime soon. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution/DeKalb
Perdue balks at teacher raises
State legislators helped Gov. Sonny Perdue fulfill a campaign
promise to Georgia's politically potent teachers. But there's
a catch that could cost the state millions of dollars ---
or force the governor to veto the measure. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
Local bill gives more power to schools superintendent
The Atlanta schools superintendent is a step closer to getting
the power to hire and fire the district's legal counsel and
chief financial officer. The change comes courtesy of the
state Legislature, which last week approved a local bill modifying
the school system's governing charter. The bill still needs
the governor's signature. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution/CityLife
Law reins in appointments to Clayton board
Gov. Sonny Perdue signed into law Wednesday a bill that prevents
the Clayton County school board from appointing its own new
members. But school board Chairwoman Nedra Ware said she's
not convinced Perdue's signature makes the issue moot. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
* Cordele eighth
graders 'out-performing' on writing test
Over the last two years, there has been a very definite upward
trend at Crisp County Middle School in the scores of eighth
graders taking the Middle Grades Writing Assessment Test.
Cordele
Dispatch
Savannah's Eli Whitney students re-assigned
School board members accept staff's redistricting plan to
divide students among new schools. Savannah
Morning News
* UGA funds
program to help Latino students
A new University center has developed a program to improve
Latino student academic achievements in metro and north Georgia
schools. The center will fund the program through a $3.5 million
grant from the Goizueta Foundation in the College of Education.
Red
& Black
160 Rockdale students request transfers
Nearly 160 Rockdale County students have applied for transfers
from their home schools to other schools in the system through
the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution/East Metro
Chattahoochee County school funds in budget
About $4.08 million in capital outlay funds to help build
a Chattahoochee County high school were included in the state
budget approved Friday night by the Georgia General Assembly.
Columbus
Ledger-Enquirer
Gwinnett underreporting spurs probes, angry
parents
The Gwinnett County district attorney and state educators
plan to launch separate inquiries after a joint investigation
by Channel 2 Action News and the AJC found that Gwinnett schools
have been underreporting the number of disciplinary cases
on their campuses, a revelation that has angered parents.
WSB-TV
State to investigate Gwinnett Schools for underreporting
safety. WGNX-TV
Gwinnett DA eyes schools. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution * Investigation
to look into underreporting of school violence. Gwinnett
Daily Post
Improvements, attitude pay off for Tri-Cities
High
Tri-Cities High in East Point has all the challenges facing
many urban schools --- a high poverty rate, large numbers
of students moving in and out each year, a history of underachievement.
But the 2,000-student school seems to be turning things around.
Test scores are up. More students than ever are taking advanced,
college-level courses. The percentage of graduates going to
college is steadily increasing. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
Duplicated questions pop up on quizzes
If those test questions look familiar, it might be because
they are - students taking state standardized tests this week
will be seeing some duplicate questions from practice tests,
even on forms that the state Department of Education allowed
schools to use.
Athens Banner-Herald
State honor stuns student
Evan Sussenbach, a senior at Columbus High School, has been
named Georgia's STAR student for 2003 by the Professional
Association of Georgia Educators. Columbus
Ledger-Enquirer
Double-clicking on the virtual classroom
While online learning isn't new to Cherokee County, school
officials are putting new emphasis on the virtual classroom
for high school students in the 2003-04 academic year. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution/Cherokee
Stewart County superintendent leaves system
Bettye Ray resigns to take head job at Social Circle City
Schools. Columbus
Ledger-Enquirer
Judge rules in favor of Griffin plant
Griffin Industries can start spraying its waste water again,
a judge has ruled. In an order made public Wednesday, Administrative
Court Judge Joe Baird revoked the Environment Protection Division's
emergency suspension of the company's waste-water spray permit.
Macon
Telegraph, Athens
Banner-Herald/AP
* Newton board
votes to protect all of county’s rivers
Hundreds of Newton County residents cheered and clapped Tuesday
night following a crucial vote by the Board of Commissioners
(BOC) that effectively took steps to protect all of the county’s
rivers from encroaching development. Rockdale
Citizen
Macon faces air-quality hit
State regulators will almost certainly recommend this summer
that Macon be added to a federal list of areas that fail to
meet air-quality standards, but it is unlikely that Houston
County will be included. Macon
Telegraph
* Gwinnett County’s
ground-level ozone has already reached unhealthy level at
least once. Gwinnett
Daily Post
* Consultants:
EPD may accept changes to Bridgeport plan
A little daylight may be shining at the end of a decades-long
tunnel to clean up the former Bridgeport Brass Waste Water
Treatment Facility. Moultrie
Observer
Metro area on top 10 bad air list
Just in time for the start of the smog season today, the American
Lung Association is putting Atlanta on its top 10 list of
the country's smoggiest cities --- for the fourth year in
a row. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
* Shoreline
restoration project shuts down Jones Bridge Park. Gwinnett
Daily Post
Costs of new blood tests worry medical facilities
Careful screening and genetic-based testing for new blood-borne
viruses such as West Nile and possibly severe acute respiratory
syndrome should help safeguard the nation's blood supply,
Marsha J. Evans, the national president of the American Red
Cross, said Wednesday. Augusta
Chronicle
* Atlanta health
festival targets Latino women
This weekend, while some are using the Cinco de Mayo holiday
as an excuse to party, thousands of Georgia's Latinos will
be celebrating life and health. Saturday marks the seventh
annual Dia de la Mujer Latina (Day of the Latina Woman) festival,
held at the Plaza Fiesta, a Hispanic shopping center on Buford
Highway in metro Atlanta. Gainesville
Times
Community hospital plans expansion
Fayette Community Hospital plans to build professional buildings
and parking spaces on almost 28 acres west of the main hospital
building on Ga. 54. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution/Fayette
Valdosta's Greenleaf opens new outpatient
clinic
Greenleaf Center, a division of South Georgia Medical Center,
will host a ribbon-cutting and open house for its new Outpatient
Center at 3 p.m. May 8. Valdosta
Daily Times
* UGA student
may face 15 years in prison for passenger's death
UGA student Brett Allen Steele, the driver of the pickup truck
from which another student was thrown, is facing a possible
15 years in jail. Red
& Black
New vaccine can reduce illnesses in kids
A new vaccine for blood infections, meningitis and some pneumonia
and earaches in young children has reduced those diseases
by 69 percent in kids under age 2, a study says. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
Hospitals differ over need for services
Southern Regional Medical Center says it has enough beds to
support the Southern Crescent area. Adding more beds in Henry
County is not necessary, Southern Regional officials said
in opposing expansion efforts by Henry Medical Center. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution/Clayton-Henry
Savannah looks for transportation sites
Environmental review of proposed transfer station sites begin,
but group charged with ranking them remains divided. Savannah
Morning News
Augusta board begins project search
With more than $320 million in projects on the table,
and as long as 10 years to pay for them, the 21-member citizens
special purpose local option sales tax committee has its work
cut out for it, committee member and Co-chairman Monty Osteen
said after the panel's meeting Wednesday. Augusta
Chronicle
It's over: Macon Trax leaving for Fla.
New Macon Trax owner David Waronker announced Wednesday that
the independent hockey team will relocate to Lakeland, Fla.,
making it official that Macon will more than likely not have
a hockey team next season. Macon
Telegraph
* $1.5M in state
greenspace funds allotted for Cherokee County preservation
The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners is searching for
land to set aside with state greenspace money, but additional
funds for the program likely will be unavailable. The Georgia
Greenspace Commission has awarded Cherokee more than $1.5
million in the past two years as part of the Georgia Community
Greenspace Program, created by former Gov. Roy Barnes in 2000.
Cherokee
Tribune
* UGA's marijuana debate
gets heated
Tuesday night at the "Heads vs. Feds" marijuana
legalization debate, there were a lot of heads and very few
feds. In fact, there was only one fed -- former drug enforcement
agent Robert Stutman, self-titled "the most famous narc
in America." Red
& Black
Music to fill Atlanta midtown for weekend fest
Some call it "the perfect storm" of the music concert
world as performers, location and ticket price come together
for one extraordinary weekend. Florida
Times-Union
Athens budget tight, but new posts deemed
'key'
Mayor Heidi Davison calls her recommendation for two new government
positions ''key elements'' in Athens-Clarke's budget for the
coming fiscal year, despite budget constraints. Athens
Banner-Herald
* The cost of
mobile-home living in Decatur County
So far this year, according to Tax Commissioner Donald Belcher,
more than 840 of Decatur County’s approximately 3,200
mobile home owners have not yet paid the taxes on their mobile
homes. Bainbridge
Post-Searchlight
Clay County granted water money
Now that Clay County has been awarded $4.38 million in federal
grants and loans to build a water system serving the north
part of the county, it must have 615 water subscribers before
the funds will be released and the project can begin. Columbus
Ledger-Enquirer
* UGA student
leaders not yet satisfied with local rental permit
Despite changes to a local rental permit ordinance, student
leaders say the revisions do not go far enough. Red
& Black
* Rise in Cherokee
911 calls attributed to population increase. Cherokee
Tribune
Woodstock wants on board for train service
Strong support for a commuter rail to Atlanta has Woodstock
city officials vowing to press forward. In a recent poll conducted
through the city's monthly newsletter, 87 percent of those
responding endorsed a proposed commuter train to Atlanta.
Forty-nine percent supported expanded pedestrian and bike
trails. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution/Cherokee
Cobb Bar Association marks 50th anniversary
today, notes changes
When the Cobb County Bar Association came into being 50 years
ago, the criminal court was only in session twice a year in
a building that was not air-conditioned and where only four
women practiced law. Marietta
Daily Journal
Riverboat Princess at center of storm in
Columbus
The Chattahoochee Princess is docked in troubled waters. The
city of Columbus is pushing F.D. Williams, the owner of the
city's lone riverboat, to move it from the Rotary Park dock
or face legal consequences. Columbus
Ledger-Enquirer
Coweta population surpasses Fayette
Coweta County has edged ahead of Fayette in total population,
and everybody in Coweta saw it coming. "I think the space
available has a lot to do with it," said Richard Brooks,
interim president of the Newnan-Coweta Chamber of Commerce.
"Coweta County is a lot larger than Fayette County and
has direct access to I-85." Atlanta
Journal-Constitution/Coweta
* Thomasville
cuts paper waste
Paper could be a thing of the past at city council meetings.
Computers are helping to phase out the thick red council packets
normally stuffed with printed agendas and backup information
for council members and other city officials. Thomasville
Times-Enterprise
Replica of famine ship to visit Savannah
A replica of the Jeanie Johnston, the triple-masted barque
that rescued more than 2,500 people from the grips of the
potato famine, will arrive in Savannah on Friday. Savannah
Morning News
Jackson courthouse designers aim to cut confusion
When a team of Atlanta architects drew the new Jackson County
Courthouse, they had a lot more than symbolism to consider.
They thought about the possibility that a crazy person might
try to sneak a gun into the building, and they left plenty
of room for the sheriff to station guards or metal detectors
inside the main entrance. Athens
Banner-Herald
* Horses test
positive for encephalitis
A horse in Atkinson County and one in Clinch County have tested
positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), according
to public health officials with the Southeast Health Unit
(SEHU). Jeff
Davis Ledger
Renters key to zoning law in Roswell
Roswell spent many months grinding through the process of
creating an ordinance requiring every multifamily rental unit
in town to pass a zoning inspection. There were studies, negotiations,
drafts, alterations and, finally last week, a City Council
vote approving the controversial ordinance. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution/North Fulton
Mable House to open amphitheater Saturday
After more than 15 years of planning, the Mable House Amphitheatre
will host its first performance Saturday night. Marietta
Daily Journal Community residents pleased with facility.
Marietta
Daily Journal
Festive days set to unfold in Snellville
Snellville Days, bowing in for the 30th annual time this Saturday
and Sunday, has just about everything. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution/Gwinnett
Chamber hosts open house at new HQ
It took eight months to build and Wedneday the Greater Hall
Chamber of Commerce hosted an open house at its renovated
and expanded headquarters building in Gainesville. AccessNorthGeorgia.com
Atlanta Botanical Garden to turn Gainesville
estate into Smithgall Arboretum
Instead of an exotic plant, Charles and Lessie Smithgall gave
the Atlanta Botanical Garden a more permanent gift: their
Gainesville home and the 184 acres surrounding it. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution/Gwinnett
Cleanup in Rome goes on 1 year after storms
A year after storms swept through Calhoun and other parts
of Northwest Georgia, two Floyd County recreation areas still
have damage and debris to be cleaned up. Rome
News-Tribune
* Lumpkin County
fire department, EMS merge
Lumpkin County is following a nationwide trend by combining
its fire department and emergency medical services (EMS) into
one department under command of fire chief Ed Eggert. Dahlonega
Nugget
Power struggle in Peachtree City closer to
ending
The Peachtree City City Council and the city development authority
may have resolved a long and confusing argument. A bill recently
passed by both houses of the Georgia Legislature amends state
law so that development authorities can legally operate sports
facilities and amphitheaters. Atlanta
Journal-Constitution/Fayette
Symphony's last note
"Last week, SSO officials announced plans to file for
Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which will force the orchestra to liquidate
its assets -- mostly office and concert equipment, as well
as the 1,200-page music library -- to pay approximately $1
million in debt. Within a matter of weeks, the orchestra will
be no more. With its demise, though, comes the hope that a
new group can make a clean start, unhampered by financial
struggles, egos and other heavy baggage that were weighing
it down." Savannah
Morning News
* Legislators
did much despite the obstacles
"Cherokee County legislators delivered on several important
bills despite the obstacles raised by the lengthy 2003 regular
session of the General Assembly and its preoccupation with
budget, taxes and the state flag." Cherokee
Tribune
‘Power’ crux of suit
"You can forget all the high-blown rhetoric about protecting
voters’ rights and minorities’ rights. What the
Georgia redistricting suit now before the U.S. Supreme Court
is all about is one thing — power, pure and simple."
Marietta
Daily Journal
Credit for plant shared by many
"While the rest of Georgia is reeling from a recession,
ground was broken Tuesday for a new manufacturing plant in
Valdosta. Just luck, you think? Not entirely. It was, in fact,
good fortune that American Drill Bushings President Al Steele
stopped here less than a year ago for lunch while traveling
from Florida to Michigan. He liked what he saw and experienced,
and added Valdosta to his list of possible new sites for his
relocated California plant." Valdosta
Daily Times
No time like present for attack on 'spam'
"It is an action whose time has come. The nation's largest
e-mail account providers have agreed to take on "spammers,"
Internet rogues who flood private computers with vast numbers
of unsolicited and frequently very objectional commercial
messages that have come to be known as 'spam.'" Macon
Telegraph
Perdue can still fix ethics damage
"Gov. Sonny Perdue has missed several chances to stay
on the high road to ethics reform. While he proposed a strong
ethics bill, he turned around and plotted to bring the Ethics
Commission under his control, subverting a long tradition
whereby the commission has been independent." Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
* What was gained?
"Some dispassionate soul—not a “flagger”
of either pro- or anti-1956 flag persuasion—will have
to explain what was settled in last week’s touted Great
Flag Compromise. Outside of ridding Georgia of the abomination
that replaced the 1956 Georgia flag, the so-called compromise
would seem to put the issue squarely back where it was after
the Barnes flag coup and before the current flap began: People
who liked the 1956 flag and resented the backroom manner in
which it was changed still feel they have been denied a voice—an
up or down vote on the 1956 flag." Bainbridge
Post-Searchlight
* Give court nominees their
day in Senate
Zell Miller and Saxby Chambliss: Give court nominees their
day in Senate
"The ongoing filibuster in the United States Senate of
Miguel Estrada, President Bush's nominee to the D.C. Circuit
Court of Appeals, is unprecedented. Sadly, it has set the
stage for future nominees to receive the same partisan, politicized
and unfair treatment. Four times, the Senate has voted to
bring Estrada's nomination to the floor for a vote. And four
times, certain Senate Democrats have stood in the way of basic
fairness. Their obstruction hasn't just stopped with the Estrada
nomination. This week, the president's nominee for the 5th
U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Priscilla Owen, is likely to
receive similar unfair treatment by these same Senate Democrats.
For nearly two years, Senate Democrats have obstructed the
judicial nominations of Estrada, Owen and many others. Obstructionism
and unfair treatment of judicial nominees is wrong and outrageous."
Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
Cal Thomas: Sex & privacy: When does
game of ‘moral dominoes’ begin?
"I have waited to see what my media colleagues and the
politicians — from pagan to religious — think about
Sen. Rick Santorum’s (R-Pa.) remarks to a reporter about
homosexuality before offering my own." Marietta
Daily Journal
Gordon Sawyer: This historic legislature
has served us well
"The Georgia Legislature has adjourned for the time being,
unless of course there is a called session later in the year.
And to watch the news and read the newspapers one would think
not much had happened under the Gold Dome this year but a
lot of bitter arguing. But I, for one, would like to congratulate
the Governor and leaders of the Senate and House on the way
they handled the 2003 legislative session. I would like to
congratulate every State Senator and Representative who served
in that legislature, as well as the governor." AccessNorthGeorgia.com
Larry Fennelly: Get the politics out
"A national organization has developed a set of standards
for college-bound high school students that could - if properly
employed - make a major contribution to the education reform
movement. I say "could" because education reform
- at least in Georgia - is so tangled up with partisan politics
that the good of the students has so far ranked low on the
scale of priorities." Macon
Telegraph
Dick Yarbrough: Dear Sonny: Staff can lead
you astray
"Dear Governor: When you were elected, I wrote and told
you I would be giving you free advice in my role as a public-spirited
citizen. I mentioned also that I had attempted to do the same
for your predecessor, Roy Barnes, but evidently his crack
staff convinced him they knew more about politics than I did
and suggested he ignore me. Hopefully, your own crack staff
won't make the same mistake." Athens
Banner-Herald
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