CSRA League of Women Voters

08/13/2026

Hackers broke into a jail in Claremore, Oklahoma and walked away with inmates’ Social Security numbers, home addresses, and driver’s license numbers. But the people they exposed are not just the inmates.

Here is the part almost no one is talking about. One of the people exposed was not an inmate. She was listed as her husband’s contact. That is it.

As a criminal defense attorney, here is what people do not realize. A jail does not just hold data on the person locked up. It holds data on everyone connected to them. When that system is breached, the harm does not stay behind the bars.

If you have ever been someone’s jail contact, watch your credit. Save this and send it to someone it applies to.

08/12/2026

DATA CENTERS & PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY — PART 2

The second half of the C-CAPE Community Forum brought together three subject-matter experts for a moderated panel discussion:

Dr. Laura O. Taylor — Georgia Institute of Technology
Chris Martin — Surveillance Technology & Community Privacy
Tonya Bonitatibus — Savannah Riverkeeper

The panel explored data centers from several angles, including technology and policy, privacy, environmental impacts, public accountability, and the questions communities should be asking as data center development expands.

The discussion was followed by questions from the community.

Recorded live August 12, 2026, at Julian Smith Casino in Augusta.

08/12/2026

DATA CENTERS & PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY — PART 1

The first half of tonight’s C-CAPE Community Forum began with a presentation from Dr. Laura O. Taylor of Georgia Tech, looking at data center planning, policy, and lessons from other jurisdictions.

The program then continued with a Zoom Q&A with Nora Benavidez, Senior Counsel & Director of Digital Justice & Civil Rights at Free Press, focused on transparency, public participation, access to information, civil rights, and public trust.

Recorded live August 12, 2026, at Julian Smith Casino in Augusta.

08/12/2026

If you’re trying to understand why data centers have become such a big local issue, this is a good place to start.

Janice Allen Jackson talks with Dr. Amy Sharma, Executive Director of Science for Georgia, about what today’s AI data centers are, why they use so much electricity and water, what they can mean for nearby communities, and what local governments can do before projects are approved.

The conversation also covers jobs and tax revenue, noise, water use, residential buffers, decommissioning, and why strong local ordinances matter.

As Augusta continues reviewing its own data center ordinance, these are exactly the kinds of questions residents should be asking.

Watch here:
https://youtu.be/XGeyPBsEkEM?si=OH2A3vYqpyUs2hyT

And remember: public comments are already helping shape Augusta’s draft ordinance. Keep paying attention, keep asking questions, and keep showing up.

Amy Sharma, PhD, is Executive Director of Science for Georgia, a no...

08/12/2026

Civil rights leader Bryan Stevenson of the Equal Justice Initiative has called the death penalty the "stepchild of lynching" and argues for its abolition.

Tap the link in 's bio for more of our coverage.

08/12/2026

What happens after you speak at a public meeting?

In Augusta’s data center ordinance process, we’re starting to see an answer: public comments are helping shape the draft while the rules are still being written.

That’s encouraging. But there’s still an important question about what happens after the remaining community meetings, where the ordinance goes next, and when residents will have another opportunity to weigh in.

Our latest LWVCSRA Civic Dispatch looks at why participation before decisions are final matters—and why being able to follow the process matters too.

Read the article:
https://lwvcsra1.substack.com

If this issue matters to you, please read, comment, and re-share so more people know their voices can still be part of this process.

08/12/2026

Want a say in Augusta's future? Here's your chance.

Mayor-Elect Steven Kendrick's Transition Team is holding 4 public sessions this August to identify community priorities, discuss concerns, and offer ideas that will help inform the Transition Team's recommendations.

📅 Mon, Aug 17 – Diamond Lakes Community Center
📅 Thu, Aug 20 – Henry Brigham Community Center
📅 Mon, Aug 24 – Julian Smith Casino
📅 Thu, Aug 27 – Warren Road Community Center

All sessions start at 6:00 PM and are open to the public.

08/11/2026

If you’re trying to understand why data centers have become such a big local issue, this is a good place to start.

Janice Allen Jackson talks with Dr. Amy Sharma, Executive Director of Science for Georgia, about what today’s AI data centers are, why they use so much electricity and water, what they can mean for nearby communities, and what local governments can do before projects are approved.

The conversation also covers jobs and tax revenue, noise, water use, residential buffers, decommissioning, and why strong local ordinances matter.

As Augusta continues reviewing its own data center ordinance, these are exactly the kinds of questions residents should be asking.

And remember: public comments are already helping shape Augusta’s draft ordinance. Keep paying attention, keep asking questions, and keep showing up.

Watch here:

Amy Sharma, PhD, is Executive Director of Science for Georgia, a no...

08/11/2026

Before there was a search box, finding a book meant opening a drawer, flipping through cards, writing down a call number, and heading into the stacks.

That memory is where this story begins. From there, we look at what happens when books are still in the library but become harder for readers to find.

Read the full article in the LWVCSRA Civic Dispatch — link in bio or lwvcsra1.substack.com.

08/11/2026

Here's something we don't talk about enough: libraries aren't just good for you as a person, even though they are. A community where people read a lot, think for themselves, and can get information for free is much harder to fool or control.

When people don't have easy access to real, reliable information, false information spreads faster. When there's no free place left to just be — where you don't have to spend money to belong — people become more isolated. And when people can only see what an algorithm shows them, instead of learning history and civics on their own, they're easier to manipulate.

There's also a simple, practical reason to use your library. Every dollar you don't spend at a big online store is a dollar that stays in your town instead of going to a billionaire's company. Libraries let you read, watch, and learn without spending money that leaves your community.

A well-informed public is the biggest defense against authoritarianism. Every time you use your library card, you're pushing back in a small but real way.

Go use yours. What do you have checked out right now?

Additional resources and related links are available in our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/lwvcsra