Phone Ban in School, Runoff Time

Sunday Solutions — June 16, 2024

Good morning! It’s July and Liberty County teachers are likely smiling at a new chance to have students paying closer attention in the fall. Reminder: Runoff elections are Tuesday for those who want to make sure their voices are heard. And, we’ve got more info on the Supreme Court decision on mifepristone, some wicked cool photos from Ossabaw’s mansion and a video on how tunnels are built — if you are curious about that. All that and more for a summer day!

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NEWS: EDUCATION

No phones in class

Liberty County teachers will get a little more attention this fall after the school board unanimously voted to ban cell phones in classes. The board made the move after hearing about successes in other places, including Montgomery, Ala. Statewide initiatives are growing, and are in place in Indiana and South Carolina. How does it work? Students will be required to put their phones in special bags that lock using magnets. As they leave class, they can unlock the bags by running them past a device to demagnetize them. Parents can find out more in virtual meetings at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 18. The district will implement a digital code of conduct for students, parents and employees. Here’s the story from The Current’s Robin Kemp.

School officials say research supports the move to remove distractions in the classrooms. However, research is mixed on the topic. Some students report better mental health with access to a phone while others say it cuts down on cyber bullying. Here’s a story about the research so far.

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NEWS: ELECTIONS

Last blast to November ballot

There’s one topic that just keeps coming ‘r0und: Traffic circles. And the planned road work is a star for Tuesday’s runoff for the District 2 seat – St. Simons Island — county commission seat. Bob Duncan and Amy Abbott are running to see who might have sway over the contested intersection designs. The Current’s Jabari Gibbs has an update on the District 2 candidates. Also, in south Glynn and all of Camden County, state Rep. Steven Sainz is in a runoff with Glenn Cook to determine if he’ll be back around for another term. Follow results Tuesday evening at thecurrentga.org.

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NEWS: COMMUNITY

Get out & go: Juneteenth celebrations span coast

Wednesday brings the Juneteenth holiday, but celebrations have already started from Woodbine to Sapelo to Savannah and Tybee and Port Wentworth. It’s not too late to join wherever you are on the coast.

Tybee Island hosts a 2-day festival Sunday and Monday at the pier pavilion followed by the annual Wade-In at 9 a.m. Wednesday. In Liberty County, on Wednesday, the Susie King Taylor Museum will open its doors for free admission on Juneteenth, 11 a.m. to 2 p. m. The museum is located at the Liberty County Historical Society, 100 S. Commerce Street in downtown Hinesville. Woodbine holds its Juneteenth Jubilee from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday at Cornelia Jackson Memorial Park, 201 15th St.

If you miss the day’s celebrations, Port Wentworth has you covered: It continues the festival spirit from 5-9 p.m. Friday, June 21, at Port Wentworth City Hall, 7224 GA 21. Get out & go!

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Here’s a hot one

Don’t let the summer heat keep you from your quiz! Every Sunday, we’ll test your news knowledge with a few short questions related to stories we published in recent weeks.

We track your average scores over time, so make sure to include your name or nickname with each weekly News Quiz! We will reset the scores on the overall leaderboard in July and start the Second Half Challenge. Practice will start your quest up the leaderboard! Here’s this week’s quiz link.

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More reading

• Slideshow: Georgia to rehab Ossabaw mansion: The State of Georgia plans to rehab the nearly century-old Ossabaw Island mansion that was the family home of Eleanor “Sandy” Torrey West, who sold the island to the state to save it from development. Visual journalist Justin Taylor and summer staffer Serra Sowers were on Ossabaw last week and brought back images from the house West’s grandson calls “the heart of the island.” Read our story on the plan from The Current’s Mary Landers and see the photos of the mansion.
• Supreme Court dismisses case that would have limited abortion pill access: Thursday’s decision means that the pill will remain accessible in states where abortion is legal. Still, the decision is hardly the end of the fight over medication abortion, either on a state or federal level. From The 19th*
• New Jersey Dropped Cash Bail. What Happened to Gun Violence? Bail reform is often blamed for spikes in gun violence, and it was a leading issue to pass in the last Georgia General Assembly session. A new study on one of the first states to adopt the policy is in. Read more from The Trace
• The ‘silver tsunami’ is here. Is government ready? About 10,000 Americans are turning 65 every day. As the nation’s aging population continues to climb, states and the federal government are working to get plans in place to care for older adults. From Governing

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EXPLAINER: GROWTH

☕ Your second cup: Bridges & tunnels

With all the discussions around building a bigger Savannah River bridge or digging a tunnel instead, we turned to the experts at The Conversation to explain how these things are done. Most of us aren’t engineers and always wonder “how do they do that?” or “Has this been done before?” This story and accompanying video about tunnel construction explains how’s it’s been done in other places and what it requires. It answered a few questions for us and raised a few, as well. Here’s the link.

Enjoy.

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