🌱 Hiram Church Under Fire + Sen. Bill Could Ban TikTok For Government

Hello, friends. It's Saturday in Dallas-Hiram and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on the most important things happening in our community, including updates on...

• New Season Baptist Church in Hiram could be removed from Southern Baptist Convention
• Senate Bill 93 introduced that could ban TikTok on state devices in Georgia
• Candidate qualifying information is available for Hiram's 2023 General Election

But first, today's weather:

Sun mixing with clouds. High: 50 Low: 32.

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Here are the top five stories today in Dallas-Hiram:

1. Hiram's New Season Church is under fire after affiliating with Southern Baptist Convention's former president Johnny Hunt. Hunt, a pastor, has been accused of sexually assaulting his wife and two decades' worth of other sexual assault allegations. The Hiram Southern Baptist church could be removed from cooperation by the denomination's Credentials Committee. (Church Leaders)
2. On Thursday, Sen. Jason Anavitarte of Dallas filed Senate Bill 93, which would restrict TikTok and other social media on all government devices. The filing comes about a month after Gov. Kemp told employees of the state of Georgia not to use the social media platform on state-issued devices. Ultimately, the bill will put Gov. Kemp's restrictions into law for all branches of government, including in K-12 public schools. (Subscription: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
3. In case you missed it, candidate qualifying information for the 2023 City of Hiram municipal election is now available. The available elected offices in the General Election include Mayor, Council Post 1, and Council Post 2. Anyone interested in becoming a qualified candidate can learn more about the specifications here. (City of Hiram)
4. Two bills introduced in the state this week could have prosecutors face disciplinary sanctions, removals, or easier voter recalls. The bills – House Bill 229 and House Bill 231 – are for district attorneys and county solicitors who refuse to bring charges for misdemeanors. Gov. Kemp says prosecutors aren't doing enough to prosecute all crimes. (Subscription: Plainview Daily Herald)
5. The Paulding County Sheriff's Office announced Detention Officer Brandi Robinson received an award this week. Robinson was the recipient of the Employee of the Quarter Award for the department's Jail Division. Robinson received the award for the fourth quarter of 2022. (Paulding County Sheriff’s Office via Facebook)

Today in Dallas-Hiram:

• Public Safety Job Fair At Paulding County Administrative Building (10:00 AM)
• Bob Ross Painting Class At EK's Art Barn (11:00 AM)
• 10th Annual Paulding Casino - Denim & Diamonds Style At GreyStone Power Corporation (6:30 PM)
• "Matilda" At Paulding County High School Performing Arts (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Paulding County High School Performing Arts is presenting "Matilda" this evening at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. (Paulding County School District via Facebook)
• The Public Safety Job Fair is today at the Paulding County Administration Building from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Interested candidates can apply and interview on-site at the fair. (Paulding County Sheriff’s Office via Facebook)
• Not sure what you should read next? The staff at Maude P. Ragsdale Hiram Library would love to help. Drop a comment on the library's Facebook post for a personalized librarian recommendation. (Maude P. Ragsdale Hiram Library via Facebook)

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Events:

• Taxes in Retirement Seminar at Chattahoochee Technical College on February 6th & 8th (February 6)
• A Night on Broadway (February 10)
• Crossing Over With Psychic Medium John Edward (Live)! (February 23)
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Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll be in your inbox Monday with a new update!

— Sean Peek

About me: Sean Peek is a writer and entrepreneur with a degree in English Literature from Weber State University. Over the years, he has worked as a copywriter, editor, SEO specialist, and marketing director for various digital media companies. He currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.