Bill Shipp Online

Former Gov. Carl E. Sanders celebrated his 83rd birthday today. Elected in 1962 as the state's first modern governor chosen by popular vote (not the rural-dominated County Unit System), he is remembered for improving Georgia's higher education system and building 72 community airports. After serving one term, he sought the governorship again in 1970 and was defeated for the Democratic nomination by Jimmy Carter. Sanders is a founding partner of one of the region's largest law firms.

From the Athens Banner-Herald: "The closing of Barnett's Newstand in downtown Athens feels like a death in the family.  I was in Athens three weeks ago, visiting my daughter, and made a point of dropping by Barnett's, which smells and looks much the same as it did when I stumbled in there as a freshman in 1965.  I mentioned to the clerk that I became a regular customer after John E. Drewry, then dean of the University of Georgia's journalism school, told us that if you didn't read Harper's and the Atlantic, you just weren't civilized." -- Douglas Monroe, former Atlanta journalist and presently a teacher in Brooklyn, N.Y. public schools.

5 Democratic candidates competed in the special election to fill disgraced former Rep. Ron Sailor's House seat on Tuesday. With 95% of the precincts reporting in this DeKalb and Rockdale district, Dee Dawkins-Haigler appears likely to face a runoff against Malik Douglas. Dawkins-Haigler got 164 votes (31%) to Douglas's 99 votes (19%). Turnout for the district was about 2%, well under 600 votes total. All 5 candidates are facing off in the regularly scheduled July primary. Another candidate not on the ballot for the special election is also running. Because the runoff will be held June 10, the winner will get to campaign as the incumbent in the primary, even though the winner of the special election is unlikely to ever serve a day in session at the General Assembly. Turnout for the regular July primary could be ten times higher than today's special general election.