Johnson-Green, Fore to face off in 10th District Dem runoff
The Democratic candidates vying for Georgia’s 10th Congressional District seat remain unchanged after a recount. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger certified the recount Tuesday.
Voters will still choose between Tabitha Johnson-Green and Jessica Fore. Third place finisher Phyllis Hatcher called for the recount, which did not provide her with enough votes for her to take second place. Hatcher was just 137 votes behind Fore in the initial results. The new tally opened the gap wider.
Meanwhile, Mike Collins and Vernon Jones are contesting a Republican runoff. The runoff elections for both nominations, as well as several other statewide offices on the Democratic ballot, will be on June 21. Early voting is underway.
Public health officials confirm second monkeypox case in Georgia
The Georgia Department of Public Health has confirmed a second case of monkeypox.
Earlier this month, DPH announced the first case in the state's history — a man who lives in metro Atlanta with a history of international travel. He was ordered into isolation where public health officials are monitoring his symptoms. The agency also traced his recent contacts.
The second case is also a man who also lives in metro Atlanta and has traveled internationally. DPH said the two cases are not related.
There are more than 1,600 cases in 39 countries including several countries where the disease does not typically occur including Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. The CDC says there is no specific treatment approved for the virus, but antivirals developed for patients with smallpox may prove beneficial.
Oconee Board of Education passes $90 million budget
Oconee County Observations reports the board of education there approved a 90.2 million dollar budget for fiscal year 2023. The budget is four percent higher than last year’s budget. The budget includes $1.6 million for 19 new positions in Oconee County Schools, $1.8 million for salary increases for certified employees, and $0.5 million for salary increases for classified employees.
Certified employees will get a $2,000 salary increase, and classified employees will receive a 3 percent salary increase. New positions include 15 teachers, three paraprofessionals and one payroll specialist.
The board had already approved a millage rate of 16.25, the lowest the board has approved since 1999.
Prisoner convicted in double slaying of guards
A Georgia prisoner has been found guilty of murder in the killings of two guards during an escape from a prison bus five years ago in Putnam County, about 40 miles south of Athens. Now jurors will have to decide whether he should be sentenced to die for the killings or should spend the rest of his life in prison.
A jury deliberated about 90 minutes Monday evening before convicting Ricky Dubose in the June 2017 shooting deaths of Sgt. Christopher Monica and Sgt. Curtis Billue.
Dubose shot the guards in the head after slipping out of handcuffs and bursting through an unlocked gate at the front of the bus. Security cameras on the bus recorded the violent escape and roughly 30 other prisoners witnessed the killings. His accomplice, Donnie Rowe, was convicted last year and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
