WGAA 1340AM Cedartown

By: Sen. Bill Heath (R-Bremen)

Last July, in compliance with federal law, the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) enacted a Secure ID program to enhance the integrity and security of your Georgia driver’s license or identification card. In order to ensure that your renewal or application process runs smoothly, I would like to discuss how these changes will affect you, the constituents of the 31^st Senate District.

Some of you may have seen news stories about how these changes have caused long waits at Georgia Department of Driver Services offices over the past year. It is important to remember that any new process requires some initial time to implement; however, you can ensure a dramatic improvement in wait time if you prepare ahead of time by securing the necessary documents before your visit.

Those wishing to secure/renew a Georgia driver’s license or ID card will now need to bring the following documents:

• At least one (1) original or certified document to prove primary identity
• At least one (1) document to prove social security number
• At least two (2) documents to prove Residential Address
• Appropriate name change documents, if needed
• Non-citizens will also need to bring a document to prove legal presence in Georgia

The implementation of the Georgia Department of Driver Services’ Secure ID program was necessary in order for Georgia to be in compliance with the Federal Real ID Act of 2005. The Federal Real ID Act established new federal standards for state driver’s licenses and identification cards. In addition, it also set forth new requirements on what the federal government will and will not accept as identification for “official purposes” including:

• Boarding official aircrafts
• Entering federal buildings and nuclear plants

There are a few important things to remember with these new guidelines.  First of all, this is a phased process. Your current ID or license is valid until its expiration date; you do not need to go out and immediately renew your license or ID. However, the Federal REAL ID Act of 2005 states that anyone born before December 1, 1964, will have until December 1, 2017, to obtain the new ID card or license-. Therefore, you will need to renew at expiration or before December 1, 2017 to be compliant with federal standards – whichever comes first. Your current license will be accepted as a valid form of federal identification for the aforementioned “official purposes,” as long as that ID or license has not expired.

With identity theft becoming a growing concern for Georgians, the Secure ID program serves to protect Georgia drivers against license fraud and identity theft. With that in mind, the new documents are designed to be more difficult to counterfeit, alter or replicate. For example, the new cards have several added security features, including ghost photos, a laser-engraved signature over the primary photo to minimize alterations and a tamper-resistant coating placed over the card.

If you have questions about documentation or the process, please don’t hesitate to call the Georgia DDS office close to you – they are there to assist you through the process. For more information on the types of documents you can bring and to create a custom checklist, visit the Georgia Department of Driver Services website at http://www.dds.ga.gov/SecureID/index.aspx

Ten people face criminal charges after a drug raid in Rockmart last Thursday ended with police seizing methamphetamine.

According to a press release, agents from the Polk County Drug Task Force raided a residence at 410 Vinson Mountain Road in Rockmart on May 9 after a lengthy investigation.

The release said “a quantity of methamphetamine” was recovered.

Those arrested include April Clayton, of 816 Forest Ave., Rockmart; Michelle Drummond, 508 Goodyear St., Rockmart; Alissa Garrett, of 91 Formby Trail, Aragon; Robert Hayes, of 816 4th Ave., Rockmart; Stephanie Johnson, of an unknown address; Rhonda Mayfield of an unknown address; Rachel Padgett, of 816 Forest Ave., Rockmart; Stephen Pence, of 85 Formby Trail, Rockmart; James Pennington, of 367 Atlanta Highway, Rockmart; and Amanda Sinard, of 463 Dallas Highway, Cartersville.

Those arrested were charged with a variety of drug charges including methamphetamine possession, criminal attempt to purchase methamphetamine, conspiracy to purchase methamphetamine and party to a crime, according to the press release.

The Polk County Drug Task Force encourages anyone with drug-related information to please contact the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 678-901-4630. All information is confidential.

Gov. Nathan Deal today instructed the state Department of Natural Resources to return Bibles to cabins and lodge rooms at state parks

“Out of an abundance of caution to avoid potential litigation, the commissioner removed the Bibles from rooms – though they were still available on site – after a complaint from a visitor. The attorney general and I agree that the state is on firm legal footing as we move to return the Bibles to the rooms. These Bibles are donated by outside groups, not paid for by the state, and I do not believe that a Bible in a bedside table drawer constitutes a state establishment of religion. In fact, any religious group is free to donate literature.”

The following meetings have been scheduled  and will meet at the designated times in the commissioners meeting room located at 73 Cline Ingram Jackson Road in Cedartown.
( Polk County Police Dept Building)

Board of Commissioners will meet Friday May 17 at 10:30am. They will be discussing Proposed FY 2014 General Fund Budget

Finance Committee will meet Friday May 17 following the work session. They will be discussing Recreation Funding Request from City of Aragon.

New BUI limit in effect May 15, Gov Nathan Deal to join “.08 where the rudder meets the road” tour on Lake Lanier.

Officials from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the Georgia Department of Public Safety and the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety will tour the state next week to remind boaters of new alcohol- consumption limits that go info effect May 15. The three agencies have teamed up to make sure no driver – in a boat or a car- gets behind the wheel with a 0.08 BAC or higher.

Who: Col. Eddie Henderson, Chief of Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division, Col. Mark McDonough, commissioner of Georgia’s Department of Public Safety, and Harris Blackwood, director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. Gov. Nathan Deal and Mark Williams, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, are also scheduled to speak at the 2pm event.

The Department of Natural Resources will have boats ready at each location to take reporters out for B-roll footage and photographs.

The Schedule is as follows:
May 15
10:00am Kings Ferry boat ramp, Hwy 17 S. Savannah GA
11:30am Augusta Riverwalk Marina, 1 5^th, Augusta GA
2:00pm Laurel Park boat ramp, 3100 old Cleveland Highway Gainesville GA

Gov. Nathan Deal and Mark Williams, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, are scheduled to speak at this event.

The  city Fire Department would like to let the community know they will be Conducting a city wide emergency siren test this Thursday, May 16th at 10:00 am. This test will include a new emergency siren located at GEO Chemicals. Do not be alarm when you hear the sirens go off it is only a test.

DECA National Competition  -  Anaheim, CA   4/24/13-4/27/13. Over 15,000 students from every state in the USA. Jimmy Hand  & Nick Redden–1) Top 10 role play in Marketing Communications Team Decision Making, and 2) Award of Excellence. Victoria McGinnis – Human Resources Management – Award of Excellence. Award of Excellence is given to top 20% for each event. Competition consisted of testing and role play activities

Jimmy Hand and Nick Redden received medals for Top 10 role play and competition finalists.

left to right Front row - Taylor Novinger, Alexis Robinson, Valerie DeWandel Back row – left to right Zach Parish, Victoria McGinnis, Mary Paige Gray, Nick Redden, Jimmy Hand

At the Technical College System of Georgia 2013 Leadership Summit, Gov. Nathan Deal signed into law legislation that will lower the GPA requirement for the HOPE Grant, which goes to students in the technical college system. By expanding access to the HOPE Grant, HB 372 will strengthen the state’s workforce development efforts.

“We need more college or technical college degrees in order to attract  and fill the jobs of tomorrow,” Deal said. “This additional benefit will provide Georgians with greater access to school at a relatively small cost to the state.”

This bill will drop the GPA requirement for the HOPE Grant back to a 2.0 after it increased to 3.0 two years ago for budgetary reasons. Recent growth in Lottery revenues will cover the additional $5 million to $8 million this expansion will cost. In the first six months of this fiscal year, deposits were up $32 million, a 7.6 percent increase over the same period the year before.

“In recent years, Georgia has seen a large drop in technical college enrollment – much larger than in our University System,” Deal said. “For some students enrolled in a technical school, the loss of scholarship money put higher education out of reach. This law will provide greater access to school and to a brighter career for thousands of Georgians.”

A few weeks ago First Baptist Church finished up their annual Basketball Season. According to League Director, Sam Branch, over 200 youth between the ages of 4 years old and 18 years old  made up 24 teams that participated in this year’s season. First Baptist also had 21 coaches and 6 high school and college students that assisted in this year’s season. Branch wants to thank all the parents, players, coaches and workers for all of their support and patient during this year’s season. This was the first basketball season after the retirement of longtime Minister of Activities Rev. Bob Holcomb. Branch is proud to see this great program that Holcomb started continuing on and hopes that it will continue to grow in the future.

ATLANTA – The Small Business Development Committee will hold a Red Tape Watch meeting Thursday, March 21, 2013, at 2:00 PM in Room 406 of the Coverdell Legislative Office Building.  During the meeting, the committee will hear directly from small business owners about how Georgia regulations impact their operations.

Anyone interested in testifying before the committee about specific regulations should contact the Committee Policy Analyst, Jenee’ Burke, at jenee.burke@house.ga.gov or at 404-657-7683; information may also be submitted online via www.house.ga.gov/redtapewatch.

Red Tape Watch is an ongoing effort by the House Small Business Development Committee to review and evaluate Georgia’s regulatory environment in order to help spur economic development and job growth throughout the state.

WHO: House Small Business Development Committee

WHAT: Red Tape Watch Hearing

WHEN: Thursday, March 21, 2013  2:00 PM

WHERE: Coverdell Legislative Office Building  Room 406   18 Capitol Square  Atlanta, GA