Eight candidates are running for two seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission in a long-delayed election taking place this year. The primaries are June 17, followed by a general election on November 4.
Two of the five seats on the Commission – districts 2 and 3, currently held by Republicans Tim Echols and Fitz Johnson – were due for an election in 2022. But a lawsuit delayed that election. A third seat, the district five post held by Tricia Pridemore, was due for an election last year, but that also didn’t happen because of the ongoing legal battle.
In district 2, Republican Lee Muns is challenging Echols for the party’s nomination. Democrat Alicia Johnson of Savannah is also running for that seat.
Four Democrats are vying for their party’s nomination in district 3: Daniel Blackman, Keisha Sean Waites, Peter Hubbard and Robert Jones. The winner of that primary will face incumbent Fitz Johnson in November.
The candidates must live in their districts. For District 2, that’s a swath of east and southeast Georgia that includes Athens, Augusta and Savannah; District 3 includes the Metro Atlanta counties of Fulton, DeKalb and Clayton. But the elections are statewide, meaning voters throughout Georgia can vote in both races.
Under a state law passed last year, all the current commissioners’ terms have been extended. The next to face reelection will be Pridemore, whose district 5 seat will be up next year. Elections for the remaining two seats, currently held by Republicans Jason Shaw and Lauren “Bubba” McDonald, will be held in 2028.
Jackson EMC linemen finish among best in Georgia
EMC journeyman lineman teams were among the best in the state at the Georgia Lineman’s Rodeo, held May 3 in Fort Valley, Ga. Three Jackson EMC teams placed in the top five among all teams at the annual competition.
Jackson EMC sent 21 apprentices and eight journeyman teams to the Georgia Lineman’s Rodeo, where they competed in a series of events in traditional lineman skills and tasks. A total of 136 apprentices and 27 journeyman teams from electric utility providers across the state participated in the competition. Apprentices compete as individuals, while journeymen compete in teams of three.
The top performers from Jackson EMC will represent the electric cooperative at the International Lineman’s Rodeo in Bonner Springs, Kansas in October. Attending from Jackson EMC will be 16 total: three teams of three Journeymen, and seven Apprentices.
Team honors include:
- Ben Brissey, Ben Adams and T.J. Witherell, of Jefferson, finished third overall, third in the cooperative division, third in the single-phase tap event and ninth in the riser pole switch change event.
- Easton Tuggle, Cody Watson and Brandon Sanders, of Neese, finished fourth overall, fourth in the cooperative division, second in the hurtman rescue event, second in the riser pole switch change event, fifth in the single-phase tap event and ninth in the grounded insulator change event.
- Ben Campbell, Austin Lewis and Brandon Carter, of Neese, finished fifth overall, fifth in the cooperative division, fourth in the single-phase tap event, fifth in the riser pole switch change event, sixth in the grounded insulator change event and 10th in the hurtman rescue event.
- Kaleb Chapman, Jeff Sutton and Justin Roper, of Oakwood, finished eighth overall, eighth place in the cooperative division, first in the riser pole switch change event, fourth in the hurtman rescue event, eighth in the grounded insulator change event and ninth in the single-phase tap event.
- Austin Yearwood, Aaron Krumenacker and Jose Rodriguez, of Oakwood, finished fifth in the hurtman rescue event.
- Austin Gragg, Devin Triplett and Justin Cash, of Jefferson, finished sixth in the hurtman rescue event.
Individual honors include:
- Shawn Thurston, of Gwinnett, placed second in the insulator change event and fifth in the hurtman rescue event.
- Shaffer Meisner, of Gwinnett, placed fourth in the written exam and ninth in the neutral jumper change out event.
- Kirby Mitchell, of Oakwood, placed seventh in the obstacle course event.
DAR recognizes Good Citizens, essay contest winners
DAR Good Citizens honorees are on the back row, Olivia Johnson, Zamzam Aden, Maro Edibioko, Logan Borneman, Duy Vuy, and Regent Randi Minor. On the front row are Sydney Scheiwe, Camara Haynes, and Christine Son. Provided.
Daughters of the American Revolution Chapter, Philadelphia Winn of Lawrenceville recently awarded nine students from local high schools with the Good Citizen Award. The DAR Good Citizen Contest was created in 1934 to encourage and reward the qualities of good citizenship in America’s youth.
The award recognizes high school seniors who possess the qualities of dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism in their homes, schools, and communities. This year, through the coordination of Committee Chair Cheryl Hall, Philadelphia Winn awarded students with a certificate, lapel pin, and cash award for consistently demonstrating these qualities to their families, peers, and community members.
Shown are Committee Chair Linda LaPerre, Regent Randi Minor and American History essay contest winners Farzeen Raina, Collyns Pangle, and Rayleigh Pangle.
Philadelphia Winn also awarded three talented students with the American History Essay Award for their outstanding participation in the DAR American History Essay Contest. This contest has public, private, home-study, and parochial school students write an essay about a pre-selected historical topic. Essays are judged for historical accuracy, adherence to topic, organization of materials, interest, originality, and grammatical proficiency.
Good Citizen award winners were:
- Zamzam Aden, Brookwood High School;
- Maro Edibiokpo, Central Gwinnett High School;
- Doc Duy Vo, Discovery High School;
- Isabel Dotson, Grayson High School;
- Logan Borneman, Gwinnett Math, Science and Technology School;
- Sydney Scheiwe, Mountain View High School;
- Christine Son, Killian Hill Christian School;
- Olivia Johnson, Providence Christian Academy; and
- Camara Haynes, South Gwinnett High School.
American history essay contest winners were:
- Farzeen Raina, 5th grade winner;
- Collyns Pangle, 6th grade winner; and
- Rayleigh Pangle, high school winner.
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