Flagpole. (Athens, Ga.) 1987-current, August 24, 2011, Image 6
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Canoe <S Kayak Rentals a T Weekends/Holidays $20 - $15. Weekdays^ & the II RAYS i§ ISo a — e os 2 — v 2 < IB 490 4. iffl rs MONDAY POOL TOURNAMENT OPEN TABLES 6 8 W/ BUCKET $4 COOPS PITCI1ERS WEDNESDAYbSAILPDA! KARAOKE WEDNESDAY DART SEASON STARTS! *1.50 PBRS 5 12 DOMESTIC BUCKETS *2.75 IMPORTS THURSDAY BEER SPECIALS BEER PONG Kblilbl tn NUW AND SAVh! REGISTRATION ONLY $60 THIS EVENT SOLD OUT LAST YEAR. DON’T MISS OUT! if* THens,Ga HALF MARATHON REGISTER ONLINE TODAY AthensGaHalf.com CHANGING POLITICAL LANDSCAPE When legislators redraw the boundaries of election districts, they not only reshape the state's political landscape, they close out chapters in Georgia's history. One bit of politi cal history involves the 14th District of the Senate, which covers a large area of Southwest Georgia centered around Americus and Sumter County. That district has been a part of the legislative map since the modern-day Senate was established in 1962 with the end of the county unit system. Jimmy Carter first became a political player in the 1960s by winning two elections in the 14th District. The rural district has been rep resented by just four different senators over the past 50 years. The historic 14th District will be eliminated under the new Senate plan, however. Because of popu lation losses in South Georgia, the counties making up the 14th will be divided among three sur rounding districts. Sen. George Hooks (D-Americus), who has held the seat for the past 22 years, will have to run against another Democrat, Sen. Freddie Powell Sims of Albany, or retire from the Legislature. That's what happens in every redistrict ing. Areas with population losses or stagnant population growth lose seats in the House and Senate, while areas with a growing population add those seats. Hooks is not the only lawmaker to see his old district disappear. There are four House districts south of the gnat line where two incumbents will be paired against each other—which means that at least one incum bent will be eliminated in each district. Like migratory birds heading north, those districts are winging their way to Metro Atlanta, where they will become open seats in areas where population growth has been strongest. The 14th Senate District has been configured as a new district that incorporates parts of Bartow and Cherokee counties. Sen. Barry Loudermilk (R-Cassville) is expected to move into that new district. The new map for the House of Representatives includes six open seats in Republican-leaning areas. There are two new House districts in Gwinnett County and one new seat in each of these suburban counties: Forsyth, Douglas, Cherokee and Henry. Most of the areas where the population loss has been heaviest are currently represented by Democratic legislators, which has made it eas ier for the Republican leadership to draw maps that eliminate Democratic districts. In six of the redrawn House districts, two Democratic incumbents are paired against each other. That means at least six of these incumbents will not be returning to the General Assembly after the 2012 elections. It is highly possible that five of the Democratic incumbents who will be forced out of office are white women, a develop ment that prompted Democrats to accuse Republicans of attempt ing to make Georgia a more racially polarized state. Republicans say they are only drawing the lines to reflect the popu lation shifts recorded in the 2010 census. The relative truthfulness of those oppos ing arguments will be decided at some future point by a federal court judge, because the Democratic minority will file a lawsuit chal lenging the boundaries of the new districts drawn by Republicans. Republicans did the same thing after the 2001 redistricting session and persuaded a panel of federal judges to throw out the maps drawn by the Democrats, who then held major ity control of the Legislature. "This process is far from over," Hooks said. "There will be other options to look at. I have never seen a redistricting plan passed in the final form in which it was originally introduced." Tom Crawford lcrawford@gareporl.com THIS MSIIIH WSILI --AND IT'S TIME ONCE ‘GAIN FOR POINTLESS SPECULATION about THE 2012 PRESIDENTIAL CAM PAIGN! ELECTION DAY IS A MERE YEAR AND A HALF AWAY.' MITT ROMNEY IS THE OBVIOUS MEDIA-ANNOINTED FRONT-RUNNER IN THE 6.0.P. RACE AT THIS MOMENT-- —BUT MICHELE 8ACHMANN DID MAKE A STRONG SHOWING AMONG A STATISTICALLY MEANING LESS SAANPLING OF IOWA STRAW POLL VOTERS' by TOM TOMORROW WELL, SHE IS THE ONLY CANDI DATE PROMISING TWO DOLLAR A GALLON GAS IF SHE WINS.'* WITH HIS STRAIGHT TALK AND TEXAS SWAGGER, PERRY HAS MADE QUITE AN IMPRESSION on commen- TATQRS SUCH AS OURSELVES* HE 1$ A STRONG CON TENDER TO THE BE THE NEXT MEDIA-ANNOINTED FRONT-RUNNER, IF HE CAN REFRAIN FROM THREATENING BODILY HARM TO ANY MORE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.' AND NOW FOR A QUICK RECAP OF THE DAY’S OTHER NEWS' WAR, FAMINE, RIOTS, ECONOMIC CALAMITY, MURDER, MAYHEM AND DESPAIR.' YADDA, YADDA YADDA, BLAH BLAH BLAH.' □ NOW LET'S GET BACK TO THE IMPORTANT QUESTION— V —WHO WILL WIN THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION NEXT SUMMER? m:.. : ACCORDING TO MY LATEST T'l GUT FEELING, IT COULD BE PERRT- -UNLESS IT'S RoMNET QR BACH MANN! □ 1 OR MAYBE CHRISTIE OR RYAN. WE'LL HAVE MORE SPECULATION--AFTER THE5E MESSAGES' 6 FLAGPOLE.COM AUGUST 24. 2011 f*M T«MoRReW©20ll •• .www.thisinodernworld.com...twitter.com/tomtomorrow