Pearl Harbor, NBC, and National Bible Week

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, December 7, 2018 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Virtually everyone knows about Thanksgiving, but how many know the week of Thanksgiving is, also, National Bible Week, first observed December 8-14, 1941.  The Week was established months after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt wrote a personal prologue to a New Testament special edition that was distributed to millions of U.S. soldiers.

Everyone seemed to be excited about the new observance.  President Roosevelt hosted special events at the White House to promote the first National Bible Week, and a well-organized media campaign publicized the wide-spread religious, civic, and organizational support.  As a prelude to the week-long event, the NBC Radio Network scheduled a live day-long national reading of the Bible for December 7, 1941.  That reading was interrupted with news of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

However, that attack did not stop the scheduled broadcast.  NBC executives asked leaders of the National Bible Association to continue the live reading of the Bible before and after the news throughout the day.

Since then, National Bible Week has been observed nationwide and is still the signature event sponsored by the National Bible Association.  As Honorary Chairman of National Bible Week the President of the United States, customarily, issues an annual message from the White House, Congressmen document the occasion in the Congressional Record, while governors and local officials issue proclamations locally. Continue reading →

Pre-filing for the 2019 Session

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, November 30, 2018 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

On November 6^th Georgians elected a new crop of legislators who will take the oath of office when the next General Assembly convenes January 14, 2019 for 40 days, as the constitution requires.  However, those 40 days may stretch into March or early April, depending on how often they recess for committee meetings and holidays.

Legislators are authorized to pre-file legislation beginning on November 15^th every year.  On that date this year one house bill and three house resolutions were pre-filed and on November 16^th, six more house bills were pre-filed.  So far, the only pre-filed senate bill was on November 19^th.

Pre-filed bills are assigned a permanent number, but won’t be handled in the legislature, until they are officially introduced during the session.  According to subject, bills and resolutions that are officially introduced are assigned to committees for consideration before they go to the Senate or House for a vote.

While representatives have pre-filed ten pieces of legislation, the Senate has pre-filed only S.B. 1 that would penalize hit and run drivers whose accidents cause serious injury.

At this writing, these bills have been pre-filed in the House: H.B. 1 would change the name of the scholarship program for needy students.  H.B. 2 would amend rules for hand-gun carry in certain places.  H.B. 3 repeals a Code Section requiring innkeepers to pay more taxes.  H.B. 4 changes the process for voting on the budget.  H.B. 5 prohibits employers from relying on salary history data when hiring job applicants.   H.B. 6 rewrites part of the law governing primaries and general elections.  H.B. 7 affects military service retirement income.  Continue reading →

December 4th Run-Off and Special Session

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, November 16, 2018 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Put December 4^th on your calendar.  It’s Run-off Election Day.  That’s when voters will decide whether Republican Brad Raffensperger or former Democratic congressman John Barrow will be Georgia’s next secretary of state.

After Brian Kemp resigned from that position on November 8^th, Governor Deal appointed Georgia Department of Human Services Commissioner Robyn Crittenden to serve as interim secretary of state until the new secretary takes office in January.

According to the best information available right now, (a) early voting for the December 4^th run-off will begin on November 26^th.  (b) Absentee ballots for the run-off must be requested no later than November 30^th, then, (c) completed and returned no later than December 4^th.

Also on December 4^th, voters in a do-over election will determine who will represent House District 28 in the General Assembly.  Since several residents in that area voted incorrect ballots in the May Primary Election, the judge ordered the repeat election.  Continue reading →