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Bill banning cellphones in grades K-8 passes committee | Georgia

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www.thecentersquare.com – By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-03-18 13:46:00

(The Center Square) – Creation of cellphone bans for Georgia students in kindergarten through eighth grade was recommended Tuesday through legislation approved by the Children and Families Committee of the state Senate.

The ban would last from “bell to bell,” said Rep Scott Hilton, R-Peachtree Corners, the bill’s sponsor. The bill doesn’t address high schools but doesn’t keep school districts from enacting cellphone policies for grades 9-12. 

“What we’ve thought we’d do is create a culture of cellphone free in those grades and as kids matriculate to high school it won’t be such a shock to the system when they get to high school,” Hilton said. “This was the easiest bite at the apple.”

The bill leaves it up to the school districts to determine how to store the cellphones.

Hilton said the school districts must also create emergency communications protocols. 

“I spent a lot of time,” Hilton said, “talking to sheriffs and safety personnel who have all told me, ‘Scott, in the case of emergency, the very last thing we want is children to have cellphones in their hands. We need them to listen to clear instructions as to where they’re to go and once they are safe, absolutely, reunify them with their phones, with their parents.'” 

Georgia’s neighbor to the south, Florida, was the first state to pass a cellphone ban in schools. California, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia also have bans while nearly two dozen other states are considering them, according to committee testimony. 

The House passed the bill earlier this month. The committee’s 4-1 approval now goes to the full Senate.

The post Bill banning cellphones in grades K-8 passes committee | Georgia appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com

News from the South - Georgia News Feed

Remaining mall shooting suspects face judge, youngest suspect makes public debut

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www.wsav.com – Kaley Fedko – 2025-09-03 22:41:00

SUMMARY: In Savannah, Georgia, 20-year-old Aujawan Hymon and 16-year-old Dahmil Johnson, the final suspects in the Oglethorpe Mall shooting, appeared in court. Johnson made his first public court appearance, supported by his lawyer. Defense attorneys argued insufficient evidence links the shootout to Tina Smith’s death, attributed to heart complications during the chaos. They moved to dismiss felony murder charges, calling them an overreach, but Judge Crystal Harmon denied the motions, citing probable cause. The shooting reportedly began after a scuffle involving a gold chain. Both face felony murder, assault, and firearm charges, with additional weapons charges. The State aims to indict all six suspects by October 1.

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National Guard deploying to more states | FOX 5 News

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www.youtube.com – FOX 5 Atlanta – 2025-09-03 20:07:39

SUMMARY: President Trump plans to deploy the National Guard to Chicago to combat rising crime, despite opposition from Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who dispute the severity of the crime issue and reject federal troops. Chicago recently experienced a violent Labor Day weekend with 37 shootings and eight deaths. Trump cites a nearly 90% crime reduction in Washington, D.C. after National Guard deployment as justification. Some residents support federal intervention, while others and Democratic leaders criticize it as political and unnecessary. Trump is also considering sending troops to New Orleans and other states to address crime.

Despite pushback from state leaders, President Trump said he is moving forward with deploying the National Guard to fight crime in more cities. Now, FOX 5 News is getting a better understanding of when this might happen.

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After more than 50 years, Augusta’s Villa Europa is closed

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www.wjbf.com – D.V. Wise – 2025-09-03 06:35:00

SUMMARY: Augusta’s historic Villa Europa restaurant is temporarily closed due to financial and regulatory challenges, including obligations to the Department of Revenue and pandemic impacts. The Schaffer Neises family, who operated the German-Italian American eatery for over 50 years, expressed gratitude to patrons and hope for future investors to continue the legacy. While the restaurant remains closed, their food truck, Villa Wagen, will operate when possible, though its future is uncertain. The family will serve at the Germany tent at this year’s Arts in the Heart for the last time and is working on a cookbook to preserve Villa Europa’s recipes and stories.

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