www.thecentersquare.com – By David Beasley | The Center Square contributor – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-24 13:44:00
(The Center Square) – Angelique McClendon will head Georgia’s Department of Driver Services as of May 1 succeeding Spencer Moore, Gov. Brian Kemp announced Thursday.
“With an extensive career serving both DDS and the people of our state, I know she will be a great asset in ensuring that those who interact with one of our most prominent state agencies have an efficient and smooth experience,” Kemp said in a statement.
Angelique McClendon
Gov.Georgia.gov
Since 2015, McLendon has been the agency’s general counsel and assistant deputy commissioner of legal and regulatory affairs, according to a news release. In that position, she provided legal advice on projects including creation of a digital driver’s license, a free service that allows drivers to keep a copy of their licenses on their cellphones.
Although law enforcement in Georgia requires drivers to show their physical licenses during a stop, the digital version can used in places such as some Transportation Safety Administration checkpoints at airport, according to DDS.
McClendon has an undergraduate degree from Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans and a law degree from Georgia State University in Atlanta.
DDS is in charge of issuing and renewing licenses to Georgia’s 8.7 million drivers. The agency has more than 1,000 employees and 67 facilities for testing.
It also provides motorcycle safety training, alcohol and drug awareness programs for teens and regulates commercial vehicle driver training schools. It also regulates risk-reduction programs for drivers who have had their driver’s licenses suspended.
In fiscal year 2024, DDS had a budget of nearly $100 million.
In a statement, Kemp praised Moore, the outgoing commissioner.
“His efforts as DDS Commissioner have helped grow our nationally-ranked logistics network, put state government’s best foot forward when serving the hardworking people of Georgia, and modernize operations at an agency that directly interacts with citizens in every community of our state,” the governor said in a statement.
Moore, a career state employee, was appointed DDS commissioner in 2017 by then Gov. Nathan Deal and reappointed in 2019 by Kemp.
SUMMARY: Meteorologist Jennifer Bellamy and chief meteorologist Chris Holcomb clarify that the chance of rain percentages shown on 11 Alive forecasts represent the true likelihood of measurable rain (0.1 inch or more) occurring in a specific area during a given timeframe. A 40% chance means there is a 40% probability that you personally will experience rain—not that 40% of the area will get rain or that it will rain for 40% of the day. Their calculations consider factors like area size, expected rainfall amount, and confidence in precipitation reaching the location. So, when you see a rain percentage on 11 Alive, it’s a real chance you might encounter rain.
It’s that time of year again! Georgia is seeing many pop-up showers and storms. Here’s what a chance of rain actually means.
North Carolina Republican Senator Thom Tillis announced he will not seek reelection in 2026, opening a key Senate seat. Tillis, 64, cited pride in bipartisan achievements like mental health funding and infrastructure. His announcement followed criticism from former President Trump after Tillis voted against advancing a GOP tax and spending bill. Tillis, who narrowly won reelection in 2020, will serve through January 2027. His retirement shifts North Carolina from a Republican lean to a toss-up Senate race, making it a top Democratic pickup target in 2026. Both parties are gearing up for a competitive election in the state.
WASHINGTON — North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis announced Sunday he won’t seek reelection when his term ends next year, opening up a seat that will become central to control of Congress during next year’s midterms.
Tillis’ announcement came just hours after he voted against moving forward with Republicans’ tax and spending cuts package, eliciting a wave of criticism on social media from President Donald Trump.
Tillis wrote in a statement that it “has been a blessing to go on a journey from living in a trailer park and making minimum wage as a young man to having the honor of serving as U.S. Senator for North Carolina.”
His proudest accomplishments, he wrote, were the “bipartisan victories,” including “working across the aisle in the Senate to pass the largest investment in mental health in American history, passing the Respect for Marriage Act and monumental infrastructure investments, and reestablishing the Senate NATO Observer Group.
“Sometimes those bipartisan initiatives got me into trouble with my own party, but I wouldn’t have changed a single one.”
Tillis wrote he looks “forward to continuing to serve North Carolina over the next 18 months. I look forward to solely focusing on producing meaningful results without the distraction of raising money or campaigning for another election. I look forward to having the pure freedom to call the balls and strikes as I see fit and representing the great people of North Carolina to the best of my ability.”
Targeted by Trump over vote
Tills’ announcement followed several hectic days on Capitol Hill, where GOP leaders sought to sway him to support the party’s “big, beautiful bill,” though he ultimately voted against advancing the tax and spending cut legislation toward final passage on Saturday night.
That vote elicited a torrent of rebuke from Trump on social media.
“Numerous people have come forward wanting to run in the Primary against ‘Senator Thom’ Tillis,” Trump wrote in one post. ‘I will be meeting with them over the coming weeks, looking for someone who will properly represent the Great People of North Carolina and, so importantly, the United States of America. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Tillis, 64, became a member of the state House of Representatives in 2007 before rising to become speaker in 2011. He held that position until 2014, when he was elected to the U.S. Senate.
Tillis secured reelection in 2020 with 48.7% of the vote compared to his Democratic opponent’s 46.9%. The two were separated by fewer than 96,000 votes out of more than 5.2 million cast.
His term will officially expire in January 2027, but the contest to replace him is expected to begin quickly.
2026 election
Republicans will want whoever emerges from their primary well positioned to fend off a general election challenge. Democrats will be just as focused on the state as they look to regain control of the Senate following the 2026 midterm elections.
Republicans currently hold 53 seats in the Senate and while the map is highly favorable to the GOP, Democrats are expected to spend a considerable amount of time and money trying to flip seats.
North Carolina and Maine are the two most likely pick-up opportunities for Democrats and an open seat in North Carolina could help them a bit. But Democrats still face long odds to flip other seats in deeply red states like Alabama, Florida, Montana and West Virginia.
The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter had rated both Maine and North Carolina as leaning toward Republican wins next year, though its analysts moved North Carolina into the “toss-up” category a few hours after the Tillis retirement announcement.
Jessica Taylor, the Senate and Governors editor for CPR, wrote that Tillis’ retirement “officially makes the Tar Heel State Democrats’ top pickup opportunity.”
“The vulnerability of this seat, however, does not alter the overall Senate math for 2026,” Taylor added. “Even if Democrats were to win here in 2026, they’d still need to flip three more seats, including at least two in deep red states, in order to win a bare majority.”
Democrats not only need to pick up several seats to regain control of the Senate but will need to defend an open seat in Michigan and Sen. Jon Ossoff’s seat in deeply red Georgia.
The Cook Political Report rates both Georgia and Michigan as “toss-up races.”
Campaign committees react
National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C., wrote in a statement he expects North Carolina will stay red following the midterms.
“President Trump has won North Carolina three times, and the state’s been represented by two Republican Senators for over a decade,” Scott wrote. “That streak will continue in 2026 when North Carolinians elect a conservative leader committed to advancing an agenda of opportunity, prosperity, and security.”
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesperson Maeve Coyle released a written statement just minutes after the announcement that “Tillis’ decision not to run for reelection is another blow to Republicans’ chances as they face a midterm backlash that puts their majority at risk.
“Even Tillis admits the GOP plan to slash Medicaid and spike costs for families is toxic — and in 2026, Democrats will flip North Carolina’s Senate seat.”
Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said during an interview with NC Newsline just a few days before Tillis’ announcement that the state represented “one of our best pickup opportunities in the Senate” in 2026.
Martin said he had spoken with former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper about potentially running for the Senate seat.
Georgia Recorder is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Georgia Recorder maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jill Nolin for questions: info@georgiarecorder.com.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
This article presents a balanced and factual overview of Senator Thom Tillis’s retirement and the political implications for the 2026 Senate elections in North Carolina. It neutrally covers Tillis’s career, his bipartisan accomplishments, and his recent vote against a GOP tax and spending package without editorializing. The coverage includes perspectives from both Republican and Democratic figures, quoting each side’s statements about the seat and the upcoming election. The tone remains informative without promoting a particular ideology or framing events to favor one party, adhering to objective political reporting.
www.youtube.com – FOX 5 Atlanta – 2025-06-29 18:28:51
SUMMARY: A shooting at Cone Park in southeast Atlanta during a fraternity gathering left one man dead and three others injured. The incident began when an uninvited guest approached the group, sparking an argument that escalated to gunfire. Police arrived around 8 p.m. Saturday, finding two men shot; one died on the scene from a headshot, while another was hospitalized at Grady. Two additional victims were shot but are expected to recover. The park is a popular community space, making the violence shocking to residents. Authorities urge people to call police rather than confronting disputes themselves. Investigation continues.
Police said they believe one of the people injured in the shooting was the aggressor in the situation.
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