Mid-Morning Reads for International Traffic Lights Day (August 5)

Good morning! Or mid-morning. Y’all, I totally thought it was Tuesday until an hour ago when I got the reminder for my weekly Wednesday meeting coming up in an hour. But, it’s International Traffic Lights Day, which is pretty awesome. Here is a short history of the first ever installed electric traffic light. There’s not really much in the way of celebration for the day, but I suggest obeying the signals you see, which you should also do every other day of the year, too. Obviously.

Now, the news:

Pat Conroy

• The Secretary of State has declared DeKalb County’s plan to send absentee ballot applications to both active and inactive voters “increases the possibility of voter fraud.” (Alternate link.)
• After issues with the June primary election, several changes have been made to ensure a smoother process for the primary runoffs. (Alternate link.)
• It’s Veto Day. The biggest bill still not signed or vetoed is the “police protection” bill. (Alternate link.)
• Governor Kemp has signed a bill allowing home delivery of beer, wine, and liquor.
• Some Georgians have been waiting more than five month for unemployment checks. This led to protests outside the Department of Labor’s Atlanta office yesterday.
• The first day of classes for many Georgia schools was Monday. Several school systems are already dealing with students testing COVID positive. (Alternate link.)
• WNBA players from several teams wore “Vote Warnock” shirts to warmups on Tuesday.

Alice Walker

• There’s still no deal on the second stimulus, but talks continue. (Alternate link.)
• Now it’s a shortage of chemicals causing delays in COVID test results. (Alternate link.)
• Vice President Joe Biden has said he will not continue building the border wall if elected, though the current portions of the wall would remain.
• In case you’ve heard about Axios reporter Jonathan Swan’s interview with President Trump and wanted to watch it for yourself, here’s a link to view it in full.
• Thousands of foreigners from 129 countries who at one time worked in the U.S. on temporary visas were mistakenly issued stimulus checks this spring.

Flannery O’Connor

• A Vermont farmer found and returned a prosthetic leg a skydiver lost during a jump.