Creative Loafing has the scoop on a flyer that’s been making the rounds around the Toco Hills area – and posted this morning on Peach Pundit -  showing a picture of Yasser Arafat with three other guys (none of which are Carter), and asserting that 70% of District 42 candldate Jason Carter’s campaign funds come from outside the district and 40% from outside the state.  It also mentions a $9,600 donation made by someone named Amir Emami (also not in the deceiving flyer, according to Carter), who lives in Hong Kong.

CL reports that Carter and his campaign have responded, calling the flyer “completely erroneous and wrong” and provided facts to dispute both the claim that Emami gave $9,600 (he gave the legal max of $4,800) and that 40% of Carter’s contributers are based outside the state. (They have it at more like 27%.)

Carter’s opponent Tom Stubbs has also condemned the note on Peach Pundit and released his own press release calling for the State Ethics Comittee to investigate the flyer. Stubbs release can be read at the bottom of the CL article.

The AJC reports that Fulton Superior Court Judge Wendy L. Shoob ruled in favor of Georgia’s charter schools today, in a lawsuit brought by seven school districts, who challenged that the charter school legislation was unconstitutional.

It is not an independent school system,” Shoob said. “The General Assembly has provided sufficient guidelines. Commission charter schools are not required to be under the control or managed by an elected board of education. The funding is constitutional.”

Though Decatur could not formall join the lawsuit against the charter schools because it was determined that they had suffered no direct damages as a result of the charter school legislation, Decatur’s school board passed a resolution in December backing actions of the seven school districts.

Meanwhile, Avondale’s new charter, The Museum School, just broke ground on a temporary facility at 3191 Covington Highway yesterday.

Andisheh sends in this pic, which gives a good look at the interior renovations at the Decatur Diner.

(P.S. That starburst on the vinyl sign touts “360 menu items”)

Click to enlarge.

Because it’s a well-known and scientific fact that once you turn 18, you really master the art of simultaneous cell phone/auto use.  (Cue Liz Lemon-esque, over-the-top eye roll)

HB 23 prohibits the use of cell phones and similar electronic devices by class D driver’s license holders under the age of eighteen. Penalties for violation include a fine of not more than $100 and not less than $50 as well as 2 points on the offender’s driving record.

The Senate Public Safety Committee substitute to HB 23 makes violation of its provisions a flat $150 fine. It changes the point accumulation on the license to 1 point from 2. And, finally, it removes the automatic suspension of the license if the driver is involved in an accident.

• - Authored By: Rep. Matt Ramsey of the 72nd
• - House Committee: Motor Vehicles
• - A motion to agree represents final passage of this bill.

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