Former Good Hope mayor dies
Jimmy Guthrie, who served his country and his community, died Tuesday morning after a battle with cancer.
Guthrie served as the mayor of Good Hope in Walton County for two terms and was elected last year for a third. He resigned in January due to health concerns.
The mayors of Loganville, Monroe and Social Circle ordered flags at city facilities lowered to half-staff.
As mayor, Guthrie helped start the Good Hope Poppy Festival and was instrumental in bringing a Walton County Sheriff’s Office precinct to the community.
He also was the mayor during some of the biggest changes in the city’s recent history: implementation of a four-way stop at the main intersection in town, the introduction of alcohol sales and approval of a Dollar General.
Guthrie oversaw the improvement of local parks and support of cycling programs. Early in his term, he led the way as Good Hope was recertified as a City of Ethics.
He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy who came to the community about 1980.
Mayor Pro Tem David Mullis, who served as interim mayor earlier this year, called Guthrie “a phenomenal force in our community” during a reception the City Council held to recognize him.
At the time, former Mayor Randy Garrett — who is now back in the position — called Guthrie “a statesman.”
Guthrie also was involved with the Student Success Alliance in Walton County.
— The Walton Tribune
One injured in Loganville road rage shooting
One person was injured in what police are describing as a road rage incident on Atlanta Highway.
The other person involved in the altercation was being interviewed by police detectives Monday afternoon, city spokesman Robbie Schwartz said.
It happened on the westbound lanes of the highway near Main Street just before 11:45 a.m.
Schwartz said two men exchanged gunfire after a collision.
One of the men had multiple gunshot wounds. An ambulance took him to Northside Hospital Gwinnett.
Schwartz said there were no other reports of injuries and everyone involved in the incident was believed to be accounted for as of early Monday afternoon.
— The Walton Tribune
Rockdale judge orders masks required at courthouse
Chief Rockdale Superior Court Judge Robert Mumford has amended a court order to mandate masks be worn by everyone entering the courthouse.
A previous order only required people not vaccinated to wear masks.
The updated order calls for people to wear masks at all times while inside the courthouse.
The judge said only witnesses and attorneys would be allowed to remove their masks during a hearing or trial.
Rockdale BOE reduces millage rate for FY22
The Rockdale County Schools Board of Education has opted to reduce the millage rate by 1.883 mills and adopt a rollback millage rate of 22.717, which is, reportedly, the lowest rate in more than a decade.
In June, the board adopted a budget of approximately $171 million for fiscal year. Approximately 70% of the funds were earmarked for instruction and student support.
State Supreme Court goes back to remote oral arguments
This month’s oral arguments before the Georgia Supreme Court will be held remotely, Chief Justice David Nahmias announced Thursday.
Word that the high court was going back to online proceedings came less than a week after Verda Colvin was sworn in as the newest Supreme Court justice during a live ceremony inside the state Capitol and two months after the court resumed conducting in-person hearings at the nearby Nathan Deal Judicial Center.
Nahmias cited the increase in cases of COVID-19 resulting from the highly contagious delta variant and the resulting revision of public health guidelines.
Nahmias said evidentiary hearings and jury trials elsewhere in Georgia’s court system that must be done in person should continue subject to “appropriate health protections.”
Former Chief Justice Harold Melton issued a string of statewide judicial emergencies after the coronavirus pandemic first struck Georgia in March of last year.
Although the most recent of those orders expired June 30, the state Supreme Court has extended emergency rules allowing all levels of the court system to continue conducting some proceedings using video conferencing technology.
This month’s oral arguments in the Georgia Supreme Court are scheduled to take place Aug. 24, Aug. 25 and Aug. 26. No decision has been made regarding the oral arguments set for mid-September.
— Capitol Beat News
University System of Georgia won’t mandate masks, shots for coronavirus
The University System of Georgia is stopping short of requiring students returning to classes during the next couple of weeks to wear masks or get vaccinated against COVID-19.
With confirmed cases of the virus, hospitalizations and deaths on the rise in Georgia, the university system issued guidelines this week urging but not mandating masking and vaccinations.
“The University System of Georgia recognizes COVID-19 vaccines offer safe, effective protection and urges all students, faculty, staff and visitors to get vaccinated either on campus or with a local provider,” the guidelines stated.
“Additionally, everyone is encouraged to wear a mask or face covering while inside campus facilities. The system continues to work closely with the Georgia Department of Public Health to prioritize the health and safety of our campus communities.”
With the particularly contagious Delta variant of the virus spreading, about 600 of the nation’s 4,000 colleges and universities have ordered students to get fully vaccinated in time for the fall semester, while hundreds also have imposed mask mandates.
The schools have cited new guidelines from the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommending that even fully vaccinated Americans mask up indoors.
The University System of Georgia policy is in keeping with Gov. Brian Kemp’s position on virus mandates. Like other Republican governors, Kemp has resisted calls to require Georgians to mask up or get vaccinated throughout the course of the pandemic.
Kemp has been getting pressure from both sides of the mandates debate. Some Republicans have urged him to prohibit local school systems from imposing mask mandates.
Other legislators have urged the governor to impose a statewide mask mandate.
— Capitol Beat News
