Politics Archives - The Truth Seekers Journal

Mayor Dickens Names New Housing Leadership Team to Drive Atlanta’s Affordable Housing Vision

Mayor Andre Dickens appoints Amanda Rhein as Chief Housing Officer and Chatiqua Ellison as Deputy, strengthening Atlanta’s affordable housing and homelessness response.

By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | October 9, 2025

Mayor Andre Dickens has announced a new housing leadership team that is committed to shaping the City’s next chapter in affordable housing, homelessness response, and community development, instilling hope for a better future.

At the top of that team is Amanda Rhein, appointed Chief Housing Officer, effective January 2026. Rhein currently serves as Executive Director of the Atlanta Land Trust, where she has built one of the nation’s most successful community land trust models. Under her leadership, the organization has placed more than 100 homes into trust and has 100 more under development.

Rhein brings over two decades of experience in equitable development, affordable housing, and community revitalization. She previously led transit-oriented development (TOD) at MARTA, where she redeveloped more than 35 acres of underused surface parking at eight rail stations. Before that, she spent nearly a decade at Invest Atlanta, managing more than 30 projects that generated $3.5 billion in investment for underserved neighborhoods.

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Rhein earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Boston College and a Master of City and Regional Planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

“Amanda is a nationally respected leader whose experience, innovation, and track record of execution will serve the city well,” said Mayor Dickens. “With her leadership, we will continue to set national standards for how cities can tackle housing affordability with innovation and compassion.”

Strengthening the City’s Homelessness Response

Joining Rhein is Chatiqua Ellison, appointed Deputy Chief Housing Officer and Senior Advisor to the Mayor on Homelessness. An Atlanta native, Ellison has led several of the City’s most transformative housing efforts — including the Forest Cove Relocation, which successfully moved 193 families into safe, stable homes.

Chatiqua Ellison – Courtesy City of Atlanta

She also oversees the Rapid Housing Initiative, which has already created more than 300 of a targeted 500 quick-delivery homes for unhoused residents, including The Melody, Atlanta’s first container home community.

Ellison earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Spelman College and a Master of Public Policy in Urban Planning and Policy from Georgia State University’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies.

Her leadership extends to chairing the City’s Homelessness Taskforce, where she helped establish coordinated encampment closure policies, and to partnering with Invest Atlanta to launch the Grocery Initiative, which expands access to fresh food in underserved neighborhoods and supports projects like The Azalea Market.

A Comprehensive Housing Leadership Team

The new housing leadership team will report directly to Chief of Staff Courtney English, aligning the City’s affordable housing, homelessness, and revitalization goals.

Other key appointments include:

William Tucker, Director of the Housing Innovation Lab, leading creative housing affordability strategies.
Katie Molla, Director of Special Projects, overseeing food access programs and Tax Allocation District implementation.
Colin Delargy, Assistant Director, focusing on housing finance, planning, and policy.
Carolyn Kovar, Assistant Director of Housing Delivery, coordinating affordable housing projects on public land.
Matt Delicata, Senior Real Estate Advisor, specializing in large-scale real estate development.
Chanel Ziesel, continuing as Director of Housing Policy, leading anti-blight and downtown revitalization initiatives.

“This team represents the best housing leadership in the country,” said Dickens. “Together, we’re not just building housing — we’re building pathways to stability, dignity, and opportunity for all.”

From OutKast to Urban Renewal: The Civic Center and Atlanta’s Complicated Progress

Dickens, Invest Atlanta Board Advance Affordable Housing Push Amid National Crisis

Mayor Dickes Strengthes Leadership Team with Key Appointments

Bridge to the Future: Ted Turner Bridge Reopens After 7-Year Closure, Reconnecting Downtown Atlanta

Walmart Returns to Vine City Location

Mayor Dickens Strengthens Leadership Team with Key Appointments

Mayor Andre Dickens appoints Courtney English as permanent Chief of Staff, names Greg Clay and Gabrielle Slade deputies, and launches a national search for Chief Policy Officer.

By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | October 9, 2025

Mayor Andre Dickens has appointed Courtney English as the permanent Chief of Staff for the City of Atlanta, solidifying leadership within his administration as it advances major housing, infrastructure, and equity priorities. English, who had served in the role on an interim basis, will now officially oversee operations of the Mayor’s Executive Office, intergovernmental coordination, and the strategic rollout of citywide initiatives.

English has been a key architect of several high-impact programs under Mayor Dickens. He led the $5 billion Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative, a sweeping plan to strengthen housing, infrastructure, and community development across Atlanta. He also helped secure the $60 million Homeless Opportunity Bond—Atlanta’s largest-ever investment in homelessness solutions—and spearheaded the Affordable Housing Strike Force, credited with delivering nearly 12,000 affordable units in less than four years.

Under his direction, the city launched Azalea Market, Atlanta’s first municipal grocery store, expanding access to healthy food and stimulating neighborhood revitalization. English also helped shape rapid housing projects such as The Melody and Ralph David’s House, providing critical shelter and stability for unhoused residents. His leadership on the Year of the Youth initiative expanded programs that have already reached more than 30,000 young Atlantans.

“Courtney English has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership and a steadfast commitment to the residents of Atlanta,” said Mayor Dickens. “His strategic vision and dedication to public service will continue to guide this administration as we advance our mission of building a City of Opportunity for All.”

Alongside English’s appointment, Dickens named Greg Clay and Gabrielle Slade as Deputy Chiefs of Staff.

Clay, an Atlanta native and former Executive Director of Constituent Services, brings decades of experience as a nonprofit executive, community advocate, and public administrator. His past leadership includes service in five Georgia municipalities, including East Point and College Park. A graduate of Florida A&M University and the University of Kansas, Clay has earned recognition including the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 Under Forty Award and President Obama’s Drum Major for Service Award.

Slade, a 19-year veteran of Atlanta city government and Spelman College graduate, most recently served as Deputy Chief Equity Officer in the Mayor’s Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Her tenure includes five years in legislative affairs, 20 successful city annexations, and leadership in the Department of Parks and Recreation, which achieved national accreditation under her guidance.

“With the addition of Greg and Gabrielle to our leadership team, Atlanta is well-positioned to advance our mission of building a city that works for everyone,” said English. “Their expertise and commitment will ensure residents and neighborhoods remain at the heart of everything we do.”

A national search is now underway to fill the Chief Policy Officer position previously held by English. The new role will report directly to the Chief of Staff and help coordinate the administration’s policy and strategic initiatives across departments.

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Trump no longer distancing himself from Project 2025 as he uses shutdown to further pursue its goals

By Jill Colvin | New York, NY | October 3, 2025

NEW YORK — President Donald Trump is openly embracing the conservative blueprint he desperately tried to distance himself from during the 2024 campaign, as one of its architects works to use the government shutdown to accelerate his goals of slashing the size of the federal workforce and punishing Democratic states.

In a post on his Truth Social site Thursday morning, Trump announced he would be meeting with his budget chief, “Russ Vought, he of PROJECT 2025 Fame, to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent.”

The comments represented a dramatic about-face for Trump, who spent much of last year denouncing Project 2025, The Heritage Foundation’s massive proposed overhaul of the federal government, which was drafted by many of his longtime allies and current and former administration officials.

Both of Trump’s Democratic rivals, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, made the far-right wish list a centerpiece of their campaigns, and a giant replica of the book featured prominently onstage at the Democratic National Convention.

“Donald Trump and his stooges lied through their teeth about Project 2025, and now he’s running the country straight into it,” said Ammar Moussa, a former spokesperson for both campaigns. “There’s no comfort in being right — just anger that we’re stuck with the consequences of his lies.”

Shalanda Young, director of the Office of Management and Budget under Biden, said the administration had clearly been following the project’s blueprint all along.

“I guess Democrats were right, but that doesn’t make me feel better,” she said. “I’m angry that this is happening after being told that this document was not going to be the centerpiece of this administration.”

Asked about Trump’s reversal, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said, “Democrats are desperate to talk about anything aside from their decision to hurt the American people by shutting down the government.”

Project what?

Top Trump campaign leaders spent much of 2024 livid at The Heritage Foundation for publishing a book full of unpopular proposals that Democrats tried to pin on the campaign to warn a second Trump term would be too extreme.

While many of the policies outlined in its 900-plus pages aligned closely with the agenda that Trump was proposing — particularly on curbing immigration and dismantling certain federal agencies — others called for action Trump had never discussed, like banning pornography, or Trump’s team was actively trying to avoid, like withdrawing approval for abortion medication.

Trump repeatedly insisted he knew nothing about the group or who was behind it, despite his close ties with many of its authors. They included John McEntee, his former director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office, and Paul Dans, former chief of staff at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

“I know nothing about Project 2025,” Trump insisted in July 2024. “I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things they’re saying and some of the things they’re saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them.”

Trump’s campaign chiefs were equally critical.

“President Trump’s campaign has been very clear for over a year that Project 2025 had nothing to do with the campaign, did not speak for the campaign, and should not be associated with the campaign or the President in any way,” wrote Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita in a campaign memo. They added, “Reports of Project 2025’s demise would be greatly welcomed and should serve as notice to anyone or any group trying to misrepresent their influence with President Trump and his campaign — it will not end well for you.”

Trump has since gone on to stock his second administration with its authors, including Vought, “border czar” Tom Homan, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, immigration hard-liner Stephen Miller and Brendan Carr, who wrote Project 2025’s chapter on the Federal Communications Commission and now chairs the panel.

Heritage did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. But Dans, the project’s former director, said it’s been “exciting” to see so much of what was laid out in the book put into action.

“It’s gratifying. We’re very proud of the work that was done for this express purpose: to have a doer like President Trump ready to roll on Day One,” said Dans, who is currently running for Senate against Lindsey Graham in South Carolina.

Trump administration uses the shutdown to further its goals

Since his swearing in, Trump has been pursuing plans laid out in Project 2025 to dramatically expand presidential power and reduce the size of the federal workforce. They include efforts like the Department of Government Efficiency and budget rescission packages, which have led to billions of dollars being stalled, scrapped or withheld by the administration so far this year.

They are now using the shutdown to accelerate their progress.

Ahead of the funding deadline, OMB directed agencies to prepare for additional mass firings of federal workers, rather than simply furloughing those who are not deemed essential, as has been the usual practice during past shutdowns. Vought told House GOP lawmakers in a private conference call Wednesday that layoffs would begin in the next day or two.

They have also used the shutdown to target projects championed by Democrats, including canceling $8 billion in green energy projects in states with Democratic senators and withholding $18 billion for transportation projects in New York City that have been championed by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries in their home state.

Dreaming of this moment

The moves are part of a broader effort to concentrate federal authority in the presidency, which permeated Project 2025.

In his chapter in the blueprint, Vought made clear he wanted the president and OMB to wield more direct power.

“The Director must view his job as the best, most comprehensive approximation of the President’s mind,” he wrote. Vought described OMB as “a President’s air-traffic control system,” which should be “involved in all aspects of the White House policy process,” becoming “powerful enough to override implementing agencies’ bureaucracies.”

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said on Fox News Channel that Vought “has a plan, and that plan is going to succeed in further empowering Trump. This is going to be the Democrats’ worst nightmare.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson echoed that message, insisting the government shutdown gives Trump and his budget director vast power over the federal government and the unilateral power to determine which personnel and policies are essential and which are not.

Schumer has handed “the keys of the kingdom to the president,” Johnson said Thursday. “Because they have decided to vote to shut the government down, they have now effectively turned off the legislative branch … and they’ve turned it over to the executive.”

Young said the Constitution gives the White House no such power and chastised Republicans in Congress for abandoning their duty to serve as a check on the president.

“I don’t want to hear a lecture about handing the keys over,” she said. “The keys are gone. They’re lost. They’re down a drain. This shutdown is not what lost the keys.”

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Dickens, Invest Atlanta Board Advance Affordable Housing Push Amid National Crisis

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Invest Atlanta approved housing projects to add 2,500 affordable units, part of a broader response to America’s worsening housing crisis.

Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | September 29, 2025

Atlanta’s affordable housing efforts took a major step forward on September 18, 2025 when Mayor Andre Dickens and the Invest Atlanta Board of Directors approved a slate of projects that could yield more than 2,500 affordable housing units across the city.

The board’s actions span 10 of the city’s 12 council districts, reflecting both the broad demand for affordable housing and Atlanta’s growing population pressures.

“Now more than ever, we must continue to be resourceful and innovative in our approach to meeting the needs of the community,” said Mayor Dickens, who also serves as chair of the Invest Atlanta Board. “The number of actions taken today sends a strong message about the need to continue expanding housing options across our city.”

Major Approvals and Investments

The board authorized two bond resolutions that will support 351 affordable housing units expected to close by the end of the year. Those approvals unlock bond financing through Invest Atlanta.

In addition, 14 inducement resolutions were passed for projects that—if approved by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs—could finance another 2,201 affordable units. Because inducement resolutions must pass through a statewide competitive process, Invest Atlanta officials stressed that these approvals are an important but early step in securing funding.

Collectively, the projects could inject more than $891 million in capital investment into Atlanta’s economy, funding both new construction and rehabilitation of existing communities.

Dr. Eloisa Klementich, president and CEO of Invest Atlanta, emphasized the economic link. “Atlanta’s continued economic growth depends on our ability to ensure that the people who power our city—our teachers, healthcare workers, small business owners, and service professionals—can afford to live here,” she said. “When families can live near jobs, transit, and schools, we strengthen our workforce, reduce barriers to opportunity, and build a more resilient economy.”

Project Highlights

Among the key developments approved:

City Lights South (404 Boulevard NE, Old Fourth Ward): $30.9 million in tax-exempt bonds for 159 new affordable units.
Ashley Cascade (1371 Kimberly Way SW, Ashley Courts): $25.6 million for rehabilitation of 384 units as part of a HOPE VI revitalization.
Columbia Senior at Mechanicsville (555 McDaniel St SW): $8.5 million to rehabilitate 150 affordable senior units near downtown.
Folio House Phase II (143 Alabama St SW, Downtown): $22 million to build 149 new affordable units alongside commercial space.

Since 2022, Invest Atlanta has financed 7,141 housing units, including 6,302 affordable units, contributing to Dickens’ goal of creating or preserving 20,000 affordable homes by 2030.

Part of a National Crisis

Atlanta’s actions come as experts warn of a deepening national affordable housing crisis. The National Low Income Housing Coalition’s 2025 The Gap report found that extremely low-income renters face a shortage of 7.1 million affordable homes nationwide. Only 35 affordable and available homes exist for every 100 extremely low-income renter households.

The Joint Center for Housing Studies reports that22.6 million renter households are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing. Among extremely low-income renters, many spend more than half their income on rent, a situation HUD labels “worst case housing needs.”

Polling shows that 77% of Americans believe the nation faces a housing shortage and needs more homes and rentals, according to the Center for American Progress.

Experts point to multiple causes: underproduction of new housing, restrictive zoning and land-use rules, rising construction costs, stagnant wages, and the loss of older affordable units to gentrification or deterioration.

Local Action, National Relevance

While the national crisis cuts across regions, Atlanta’s approvals highlight how local governments can leverage bond financing, inducements, and partnerships to tackle affordability challenges. Yet the scope of the crisis means such efforts, while significant, remain one part of a much larger puzzle. As Dickens noted, ensuring every Atlanta resident has access to safe, affordable housing is both a moral and economic imperative. With billions in investment on the table and projects spread across the city, Atlanta is positioning itself as a case study in how local leadership can respond to a national challenge.

From OutKast to Urban Renewal: The Civic Center and Atlanta’s Complicated Progress

Mayor Dickens Names New Housing Leadership Team to Drive Atlanta’s Affordable Housing Vision

Mayor Dickes Strengthens Leadership Team with Key Appointments

Dickens, Invest Atlanta Board Advance Affordable Housing Push Amid National Crisis

Bridge to the Future: Ted Turner Bridge Reopens After 7-Year Closure, Reconnecting Downtown Atlanta

Walmart Returns to Vine City Location

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Presidency Boosts Trump’s Net Worth By $3 Billion In A Year

Donald Trump lost money during his first term. Out of office, he found a formula for profiting off politics—now he’s piling up billions.

By Dan Alexander | Forbes | September 15, 2025

Donald Trump just had the most lucrative year of his life. The president is now worth a record $7.3 billion, up from $4.3 billion in 2024, when he was still running for office. The $3 billion gain vaulted him 118 spots on The Forbes 400, where he lands at No. 201 this year.

No president in U.S. history has used his position of power to profit as immensely as Trump. His primary vehicle for enrichment: cryptocurrency, an asset class full of hype and vulnerable to regulators. Teaming up with his three sons, Trump announced a crypto venture in September 2024 named World Liberty Financial, which initially struggled to gain traction. Then he won the White House.

Crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun, whom the Securities and Exchange Commission had accused of fraud, invested $75 million, routing an estimated $40 million to the president-elect and millions more to his family members, kickstarting a bonanza that has since snowballed. In January, days before reentering the White House, Trump launched a memecoin, adding hundreds of millions to his pile of cash.

In office, Trump rolled back regulatory enforcement of crypto and signed legislation favorable to the industry, ensuring he would personally benefit from conflicts of interest. His memecoins, initially tied up for three months, now unlock daily, freeing tens of millions per week. World Liberty Financial, meanwhile, has continued selling tokens, including to opaque buyers, generating an estimated $1.4 billion so far. A Trump family entity receives a roughly 75% cut of those sales, amounting to more than $1 billion.

The president apparently made plans to sell part of that entity, according to a letter that a court-appointed monitor overseeing the Trump Organization wrote to a New York judge in May. It remains unclear what percentage the president sold or whether the transaction even happened. The identity of the supposed buyer also remains unknown. The Trump Organization did not respond to questions about the deal. (Shortly after a Forbes reporter first exposed it, the president ranted about the journalist on Truth Social.)

With supporters piling into risky assets, Trump deployed his cash conservatively. He paid off $114 million of debt against 40 Wall Street, a troubled New York skyscraper, at the start of the summer. In July, he knocked out a couple of smaller loans, totaling an estimated $15 million, against mansions in New York and Florida. He also loaded up on municipal and corporate bonds. Trump’s balance sheet is now stronger than it has ever been, with an estimated $1.1 billion of liabilities and $8.4 billion of assets, $1.1 billion of which are in liquid holdings.

Cashing in on Crypto

Most of Trump’s jump in net worth comes from his move into cryptocurrency, which provided him with a pile of cash. He still has plenty of coins leftover, set to jump in value as they unlock over the course of his presidency. Below, Forbes highlights which parts of the Trump fortune improved the most over the last year.

Memecoin: +$710 million

Liquid assets: +$660 million

Licensing and management business: +$410 million

Legal victory: +$470 million

World Liberty Financial tokens: +$340 million

Stablecoin business: +$240 million

Almost everything in his portfolio is doing well. Appellate judges in New York threw out a roughly $500 million fraud penalty in August. Trump’s real-estate licensing business, stalled out for years, has come roaring back to life, with new deals in Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Romania, India, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Revenues jumped an estimated 580% in 2024 to $45 million, boosting the value of the business by $400 million. In the United States, the president’s golf-and-club portfolio continues to thrive, as profits jumped an estimated 30% in 2024, adding roughly $325 million to Trump’s net worth.

With so much money coming in, the president may soon get back to his first love, building. He and his family have been making noise for years about constructing small villages at golf resorts in Scotland and Florida. Projects like that require a lot of liquidity, something that has not always been available to Trump. But now, after reclaiming the White House—and cashing in on the power that comes with it—he can pretty much do anything he wants.

—With additional reporting by Kyle-Khan Mullins, Zach Everson and Thomas Gallagher.

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From Pecans to Hospitals: Warnock Highlights Tariff and Health Care Struggles in Georgia

Senator Raphael Warnock visited Georgia farms, hospitals, and small businesses, warning Trump tariffs and GOP tax cuts threaten farmers, rural hospitals, and small business survival statewide.

By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | August 20, 2025

U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock spent the past week crisscrossing Georgia, meeting with farmers, health care providers, and small business owners to highlight the economic risks he says stem from former President Donald Trump’s tariff policies and the recently passed GOP tax bill.

Tariffs Burden Georgia Farmers

On Saturday, Warnock toured Three Bees Pecan Farm in Wrens with owner Jeb Barrow Jr., meeting local producers to discuss the financial uncertainty surrounding U.S. tariff policy. Georgia farmers, already operating on thin margins, said shifting trade rules make it difficult to plan investments and sustain jobs.

“I just know how hard farmers work in this state, and if you talk to them, they’re not interested in aid, they’re interested in trade,” Warnock said. “They want to see their products make it to India. But right now, this whole thing is being operated willy-nilly, from Donald Trump’s back pocket. One announcement, then a reversal. How do you plan a farm around that?”

Barrow praised Warnock’s approach: “He takes a genuine interest in our problems, and when we sit down at the table, he listens.”

Georgia is the nation’s top pecan producer, and nearly 28% of U.S. pecans are exported, making access to foreign markets critical. In 2022, Warnock helped lower India’s trade barriers on pecans by 70%, opening a major market for Georgia growers.

Senator Raphael Warnock visited Georgia pecan farm

As Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Trade, Warnock has pressed administration officials for relief, voting to roll back tariffs on Canada, urging expedited USDA action on pecan exports, and demanding answers on how tariffs impact small producers.

Rural Hospitals Under Pressure

In Claxton, Warnock visited Evans Memorial Hospital, which faces an annual shortfall of $3.3 million due to cuts embedded in the GOP tax bill. The hospital, already forced to close its labor and delivery unit, now risks cutting intensive care or cardio-pulmonary rehab services.

“This is a matter of life and death,” Warnock said. “We’re cutting services and endangering rural health care, all to give billionaires a tax cut. That’s bad public policy.”

According to the Georgia Hospital Association, more than 16,000 rural health care jobs could be at risk statewide. Medicaid cuts would remove up to 93,000 Georgians from coverage, while raising premiums for 1.2 million.

Warnock previously secured $1 million for Evans Memorial to replace its leaking roof, protecting equipment and patient safety. He continues to push the Health Care Affordability Act to prevent premium hikes for Georgians on the state’s insurance marketplace.

Tariffs Strain Small Businesses

On Tuesday, Warnock traveled to Atlanta’s XocolATLChocolate Factory, where owners Matt Weyandt and Elaine Read described the challenges of importing cacao beans from Central America and Africa, as well as sugar from Brazil. Tariffs on those products have spiked between 10% and 50%, forcing the business to raise prices and stockpile raw materials.

“We don’t even know what our cost of goods will be in six months,” Weyandt said. “Setting a price for customers is almost impossible.”

Warnock called the tariff policy “a job killer,” emphasizing that small businesses are the backbone of Georgia’s economy. “Congress could put forward a coherent tariff policy, but so far, my Republican colleagues have ceded all their power to the executive branch,” he said.

During his visit, the Senator joined employees in grinding cocoa beans and mixing sugar, joking, “I can’t even wrap my Christmas gifts. This is a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it.”

Broader Message

The Senator tied the week’s visits together with a broader critique: tariffs, tax cuts for the wealthy, and health care reductions are connected by what he sees as misplaced priorities. “When you center politics rather than people, you hurt farmers, you hurt families, and you hurt the very businesses that fuel Georgia’s economy,” Warnock said.

For Georgia’s farmers, small business owners, and rural health workers, the message was clear: the fight over tariffs and tax policy is not just about Washington politics — it’s about survival at home.

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Exports, Tariffs, and Tradition, Pecan Farmers Seek Relief in Global Market

Georgia pecan farmers met with Senator Raphael Warnock to discuss tariffs, exports, and resilience as the state leads U.S. production and expands into global markets

By Milton Kirby | Keysville, GA | August 18, 2025

In the rolling orchards of middle and south Georgia, pecan farming is more than a business. It is a heritage rooted in resilience, family, and faith in the land. Saturday, three longtime growers sat down with U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock to talk about the future of their crop and the pressures of international trade.

Photo by Milton Kirby – Pecan farmers at the table with Senator Raphael Warnock

Georgia is the nation’s leading pecan producer, with over 144,000 acres planted across the state. For 17 consecutive years, Georgia has outpaced all others, producing an average of 88 million pounds annually. In strong years, like 2020, output climbed above 142 million pounds. Nearly one-third of the state’s harvest is exported, with the Port of Savannah serving as a major hub for shipments to Asia, Europe, and South America.

A Legacy Crop with Deep Roots

The pecan tree, native to North America, can bear edible nuts for more than 300 years. Commercial planting in Georgia began in the early 1900s, especially in the sandy soils of the southwest. Albany and Dougherty County quickly became known as the “Pecan Capital of the World.”

The crop has endured both natural and economic tests. Hurricane Michael in 2018 wiped out more than 26,000 acres of pecan trees, cutting yields nearly in half. Recovery has been slow, as new trees can take close to a decade to mature. But farmers persevered, and by 2020, Georgia reclaimed its top spot in production, thanks to improved yields and strategic replanting.

Governor Brian Kemp underscored the crop’s importance by declaring the pecan the official state nut in April 2021. Legislation like Senate Bill 222 further spotlighted Georgia Grown products, boosting the visibility of local agriculture.

Farmers at the Table

In Keysville, Jeb Barrow runs Three Bee’s Farms, a pecan orchard his family has operated for nearly 130 years. Generations of Barrows have lived through storms and market swings, but recent years have been particularly rough. “Last year I lost around 40% of my crop,” Barrow said. Hurricane Helene damaged three-quarters of his trees, and he has worked steadily to replant. “It takes all of us—farmers here on the ground, support from Washington, and smart trade decisions. That’s what keeps us moving forward.”

Barrow praised Senator Warnock’s willingness to listen. “He’s serious about supporting Georgia agriculture. He didn’t come here to lecture—he came here to sit at the table and hear us out,” he said.

For R.G. Lamar, pecans have always been a family business. His parents, John and Carol Lamar, started Lamar Pecan Company in Hawkinsville during the late 1970s. At first, the family could not afford large equipment, so much of the work was done by hand. “My dad and my brother built this place through sweat,” Lamar recalled. By 1992, they had constructed a cleaning plant, and by the early 2000s, they were exporting pecans to China.

Today, R.G. and his stepbrother Grant manage more than 2,300 acres. The farm produces over 2.5 million pounds annually, with varieties such as Desirable, Stuart, Schley, and Sumner. Their retail brand, Front Porch Pecans, offers roasted snacks sold on Amazon and in stores across the country. “We believe Georgia pecans can compete anywhere in the world,” Lamar said. “But we need stability in trade policy.”

Sam Pennington, who operates Pennington Farms, Inc. in Wrens, emphasized the delicate balance of farming in a global economy. His operation, like many, depends on steady exports to remain profitable. “We know we grow a world-class product,” Pennington said. “But tariffs can close doors overnight. That uncertainty is the hardest part.”

Exports and Tariffs

Georgia’s export market has shown resilience. The Port of Savannah reported a 20% increase in nut exports in 2020 over 2019, a sign of strong international demand. Still, China, once a top buyer, pulled back during the trade disputes of the Trump administration. Farmers and state officials now view India as a promising market to help fill that gap.

Warnock addressed those concerns directly. “I’m not opposed to tariffs,” he told the farmers, “but we need a strategic, thoughtful, coherent approach to trade. A blanket 10% increase in consumer goods doesn’t help farmers or families.”

The senator noted that Congress, not the executive branch, holds constitutional authority over trade policy. “Congress does have the power and the ability to bring some common sense approach to this if it chooses to do so,” he said.

Walking with the Farmers

Warnock said his visit was about more than policy. “It was really important for me to be here in the region today,” he said. “I promised Georgians that I would always walk with them, even while working for them. Our farmers are the best among us. It’s very hard work, with a lot of uncertainty. We should do everything we can to try to lighten that burden.”

As the meeting ended, the farmers returned to their orchards, where new trees take root alongside old ones. For them, the work is as much about legacy as livelihood. And with the backing of policymakers, Georgia’s pecan growers hope to keep the state’s title as the nation’s top producer for generations to come.

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‘We Will Be Married Forever’ – Michelle Obama Admits 10 ‘Bad Years’ with Barack but Says Quitting Was Never an Option

Michelle Obama shut down divorce rumors, revealing that even a decade of marital struggle didn’t shake their bond: “We’ll be married forever—bad years and all.”

By Mohar Battacharjee | Published on August 8, 2025

Divorce rumors have been swirling around Michelle and Barack Obama for months now, but time and again, the former first couple shows the world what real married life actually looks like messy moments, tough seasons, yet very much in love with each other.

Speaking on the August 6 episode of her Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast, the former first lady addressed both the whispers about their relationship and the realities of a three-decade-long marriage, reports RadarOnline. Michelle, now 62, didn’t shy away from admitting that even her union with the former president has had rough patches, the kind of years when, as she put it, “you’re struggling to find that connection.”

“A lot of people joke about the fact that it’s like, there are 10 years when I didn’t like my husband, right?” she said, referencing her now-famous confession that she “couldn’t stand” Barack for a decade of their nearly 33-year marriage.

Despite that candor, Michelle made one thing absolutely clear: there’s no divorce on the horizon. “We’ve been married for 30 years, and we will be married forever. So, let’s say we live long. It will be 50-plus years. And if 10 of those years were bad, you know, anybody would take those odds,” she explained, noting that the lows are just part of the bigger picture.

Michelle then broke down what she calls “marital math,” a realistic way to look at long-term relationships. “People don’t tend to think in terms of odds and numbers. Of course, you’re going to have years if you add up the days and the hours where you’re struggling to find that connection,” she said. “That is a normal experience. You would have that if you lived with your best friend for 30 years — 10 of those years you would hate each other. But you don’t throw out a relationship or marriage because of a couple of bad years.”

She also used her own marriage as a cautionary example for younger couples, who she worries often give up too quickly when times get hard. “I think more married couples need to talk more honestly about what marriage really is, because I see too many young people quitting on relationships,” Michelle warned.

For her, the lesson is simple. Long-lasting love isn’t about constant butterflies or perfect harmony. It’s about compromise, resilience, and staying in the fight even when it’s uncomfortable. Without that, she says, people will “end up alone” because they’re unwilling to put in the work. Her remarks come as the “Divorce of the Century” rumors continue to circulate online, with tabloids speculating about cracks in the Obamas’ marriage. But as Michelle’s latest comments make clear, she and Barack see those rough patches as part of the deal, not a reason to walk away, ever.

Michael Thurmond Enters 2026 Georgia Governor’s Race with Focus on Unity and Experience

Michael Thurmond launches 2026 Georgia governor bid, emphasizing experience, Medicaid expansion, education, and coalition-building in a high-stakes race to succeed term-limited Gov. Brian Kemp.

By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | August 9, 2025

Michael Thurmond, a veteran Georgia politician with decades of public service, officially announced Wednesday that he is running for governor in 2026. The 72-year-old former DeKalb County CEO, state labor commissioner, and state lawmaker framed his campaign as a call for competence, coalition-building, and a break from “hyper-partisan politics.”

“I’m running for Governor to fight for working families, protect and expand access to healthcare, and build an education system that creates multiple pathways to success,” Thurmond said in a statement. “This campaign won’t be about promises, but performance.”

Thurmond enters a Democratic primary already featuring prominent contenders, including former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, state Sen. Jason Esteves of Atlanta, and state Rep. Derrick Jackson. The Republican field is led by Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and Attorney General Chris Carr, both of whom are courting conservative voters with positions aligned with former President Donald Trump.

A History of Statewide Wins

Unlike some of his Democratic rivals, Thurmond has won statewide office before—serving three terms as Georgia’s labor commissioner from 1998 to 2010, including during the Great Recession. Earlier in his career, he was the first African American elected to the Georgia General Assembly from Clarke County since Reconstruction. He was later appointed by Gov. Zell Miller to head the state Division of Family and Children Services.

After leaving statewide office, Thurmond became interim superintendent of the DeKalb County School District in 2013, credited with steering the district away from the loss of accreditation. He went on to serve two terms as DeKalb County CEO, leaving office earlier this year due to term limits.

Born the son of a Clarke County sharecropper and grandson of an enslaved man, Thurmond often references his family’s story to highlight economic inequality. In his launch video, he recalled his father working two jobs in the Georgia sun and his own conversations with laid-off auto workers about vanishing livelihoods.

“I knew from a young age that you can work hard as hell and still be poor in America,” Thurmond said. “I had that thought again years later, sitting in a Ford manufacturing plant, talking to three generations of men who were realizing their jobs, retirement, and way of life had disappeared overnight.”

Challenges Ahead

Thurmond’s candidacy comes in a state where Republicans still dominate most statewide races, even as Democrats have won the last two U.S. Senate contests. He will need to overcome rivals with significant fundraising momentum. Both Bottoms and Esteves launched their campaigns months ago and have already raised more than $1 million each. Esteves has lined up endorsements from Atlanta City Council President Doug Shipman, much of the city council, and the Latino Victory Fund. Bottoms is banking on strong support from Black women voters across Georgia.

Thurmond hopes to tap into his DeKalb County base while appealing to moderates and independents. He says he sees opportunity on issues such as Medicaid expansion, improving maternal and infant health outcomes, and enhancing education access.

“Georgia is underachieving,” Thurmond said. “We can do better, but we can’t do better when we are basically imprisoned in this world of hyper-partisan politics.”

Michael Thurmond: A Political Career at a Glance

Age: 72
Hometown: Clarke County, Georgia

Early Life:

Son of a sharecropper; grandson of a man born into slavery.
First African American elected to the Georgia General Assembly from Clarke County since Reconstruction (1986).

Career Milestones:

State Representative (1987–1993): Served three terms during Democratic control of the legislature.
Division of Family and Children Services: Appointed director by Gov. Zell Miller.
Georgia Labor Commissioner (1998–2010): Won three statewide elections; guided the agency through the Great Recession; one of the few Democrats to win statewide during GOP dominance.
Interim Superintendent, DeKalb County Schools (2013–2014): Steered the district away from losing accreditation amid financial and governance crises.
CEO, DeKalb County (2017–2025): Two-term county executive; term-limited in 2025.

Political Stance:

Moderate Democrat focusing on coalition-building.
Advocates Medicaid expansion, education reform, and reducing maternal and infant mortality rates.
Calls for an end to “hyper-partisan politics.”

Campaign Notes:

Enters a crowded Democratic primary with former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, state Sen. Jason Esteves, and state Rep. Derrick Jackson.
Will face likely GOP contenders Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and Attorney General Chris Carr in the general election if nominated.
Primary scheduled for May 19, 2026; general election on Nov. 3, 2026.

A Different Approach

Political observers say Thurmond’s coalition-building pitch is a gamble in today’s polarized climate. University of Georgia political science professor Audrey Haynes noted that while voters frustrated by political gridlock may welcome his approach, “it remains to be seen if a unifying message can win in a climate where many want their leaders to fight harder for their side.”

Thurmond has pledged to visit communities in all corners of the state and is touting his experience navigating Republican-led legislatures to pass policy. His early campaign materials feature a gospel-tinged rally song urging supporters to “get our boots on the ground” for his candidacy.

With the Democratic primary set for May 19, 2026, and the general election on Nov. 3, the race to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Brian Kemp is expected to be one of the most closely watched contests in the nation.

Michael Thurmond enters the 2026 Georgia race for governor with a press conference and this video.

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Warnock, Ossoff Bring $500M Military Construction Funding Package to Georgia

Senator Raphael Warnock secures over $500M in bipartisan military funding, Georgia’s largest investment since 2010, boosting bases, families, and veterans’ support services.

Senator’s $500M Bipartisan Defense Funding Boosts Bases, Families Across the State

By Milton Kirby | Washington, DC | August 1, 2025

U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock has secured more than $500 million in bipartisan funding for military construction projects across Georgia—marking the state’s largest investment of its kind since 2010. The funding, supported in part by Senator Jon Ossoff, comes from a military construction and veterans affairs appropriations bill and is now headed for reconciliation with the House version before becoming law.

“This is about readiness, dignity, and the people who serve this country,” Senator Warnock said. “We cannot let Washington politics get in the way of delivering this bipartisan funding to Georgia’s military communities, and I will keep fighting until we get this across the finish line.”

Georgia Projects Get Major Boost

The funding includes $127 million for the construction of a new Dexter Elementary School at Fort Benning in Columbus, one of the single largest education-related military projects in recent state history.

Other key investments include:

Fort Gillem: $166 million for an evidence storage facility
Fort Stewart: $8 million for an aircraft maintenance hangar (design phase) and $45 million for barracks renovations
Moody AFB: $17.5 million for a new security forces squadron facility and $3.7 million for an F-35 simulator (design phase)
Robins AFB: $28 million for a new aircraft control tower
Savannah CRTC: $27 million for a new dining hall and $11.4 million for a C-130 corrosion control facility
Dobbins ARB: $3 million for an entry control facility (design phase)
Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base: $119 million for a submarine maintenance facility

Investment in Veterans’ Health and Housing

The bill also allocates billions nationally to support veterans, with Georgia standing to benefit significantly. Highlights include:

$342 million to expand access to rural health care via transportation and telehealth
$3.5 billion for veteran housing assistance programs
$18.9 billion for mental health services, including $698 million for suicide prevention
$30 million to improve oversight and maintenance of privatized military housing

Longstanding Support for Servicemembers

Warnock’s record on military support includes co-authoring the PACT Act in 2022 to expand veterans’ health care, and introducing multiple bipartisan bills to improve military housing and survivor benefits. Earlier this year, he launched a bipartisan oversight effort demanding better food quality at military dining facilities after troubling reports from Army bases.

“Georgia is a military state, with one in 10 residents connected to the Armed Forces,” Warnock said. “These investments reflect my commitment to making sure they and their families are never forgotten.”

The bill now moves to a conference committee where Senate and House versions will be reconciled before heading to President Biden’s desk.

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