Latest news with #SkipHenderson
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Columbus mayor's race now has a second candidate as Hugley challenger emerges
Candidates have begun filing their paperwork to run for Columbus mayor in the 2026 election, a race that won't have an incumbent because Mayor Skip Henderson is completing the last of his two terms. The nonpartisan election for Columbus mayor will be May 19, 2026. The qualifying period will begin March 2 at 9 a.m. and finish March 6 at noon. Here are the candidates who have filed with the Muscogee County Board of Elections and Registration their declaration of intention to accept campaign contributions. This list will be updated as more candidates file their declaration. A former Republican candidate for Muscogee County sheriff is now in the Columbus mayoral race. Mark LaJoye, who has run for sheriff and lost five times, filed his paperwork July 11 to be a candidate for mayor. He lost to John Darr in 2008 and 2012, Donna Tompkins in 2016 and Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman in 2020 and 2024. LaJoye served in the U.S. Army for 40 years and worked for the Columbus Police Department for 13 years. He earned a master's of law degree from St. Louis University, and a bachelor's and an associate's degree in criminal justice from Troy University, the Ledger-Enquirer reported. LaJoye hopes to focus on issues including community safety, fiscal responsibility, transparency and infrastructure, he told the Ledger-Enquirerin an email July 14. He wants to lead with transparency and help manage the city's 'recovery from scandal and questionable standards.' 'My disappointment in our current leaders has driven me to this mayoral race,' LaJoye said. 'I'm called to serve. I uphold the high standards I was raised with, have served by, and continue to practice both personally and as Mayor of Columbus, Georgia.' Former city manager Isaiah Hugley filed his declaration of intention July 10 for the 2026 mayoral race. Hugley was the first Black city manager and the longest-serving city or county manager in Columbus history before the Columbus Council voted 7-3 to fire him May 27. He worked for the Columbus Consolidated Government for 41 years, including 20 years as city manager. If successful, Hugley would be the first elected Black mayor of Columbus. He also would be the third member of his family elected to public office in Columbus, following his wife, state Rep. Carolyn Hugley (D-Columbus), and his sister, Pat Hugley Green, the District 1 representative and chairwoman of the Muscogee County School Board. 'Please know that my Declaration of Intent filing today is intended to be a clear message to the citizens of Columbus,' Hugley wrote to the Ledger-Enquirer in a text message July 10. 'It's time for leadership that listens, innovates and unites. My vision is simple but bold — a Columbus that works for everyone. Now the work begins!'
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Clear message to the citizens of Columbus.' Isaiah Hugley files to run for mayor
Fired Columbus city manager Isaiah Hugley filed paperwork Thursday declaring his intention to accept campaign contributions to run for mayor in the 2026 election. Hugley was the first Black city manager and the longest-serving city or county manager in Columbus' history before the Columbus Council voted 7-3 to terminate him May 27. The termination followed controversies over two city employees being arrested because of the investigation into the finance department and Hugley's legal clash with some councilors after his ethics were questioned following Hugley's wife receiving American Rescue Plan grant of approximately $29,000. Councilors argued the grant should have been disclosed to the Columbus Council, while Hugley and Mayor Skip Henderson argued the grant was disclosed to the mayor and city attorney. Hugley acted on the advice of the city attorney. Hugley's lawyer, Scott Grubman, shared with the Ledger-Enquirer last week an unfiled draft of a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging that Hugley's termination was the result of discrimination and retaliation. Grubman said the draft would be filed July 14 unless the city responds with a 'meaningful proposal.' The Ledger-Enquirer reported in December that Hugley planned to retire at the end of 2025. He worked 41 years for the Columbus Consolidated Government, including 20 years as city manager. Hugley told the Ledger-Enquirer on May 20, before his termination, that he was focused on finishing out his last year as city manager and that he didn't know his plans after retiring. Columbus, GA United, a coalition with a goal of unifying Black voters in Columbus to vote for a single candidate, has not made any decision about whom they will endorse in the next mayoral election, Wane Hailes, owner of the Columbus Courier Eco Latino and an organizer of Columbus, GA, United, told the Ledger-Enquirer. The group plans to find out who all the candidates will be before making a decision to support any individual, he said. The nonpartisan election for Columbus mayor will be May 19, 2026. No other candidate has filed paperwork to run in the race, according to the Muscogee County Board of Elections and Registration website, but the qualifying period isn't until March 2-6. Henderson, in his second term, isn't allowed to run for Columbus mayor again. If his bid for mayor is successful, Hugley would be the third member of his family elected to public office in Columbus, following his wife, state Rep. Carolyn Hugley (D-Columbus), and his sister, Pat Hugley Green, the District 1 representative and chairwoman of the Muscogee County School Board. Hugley also would be the first elected Black mayor of Columbus. A.J. McClung was Mayor Pro Tem and served as interim mayor after Mayor JR Allen died in a plane crash in 1973. 'Please know that my Declaration of Intent filing today is intended to be a clear message to the citizens of Columbus,' Hugley wrote to the Ledger-Enquirer in a text message Thursday night. 'It's time for leadership that listens, innovates and unites. My vision is simple but bold — a Columbus that works for everyone. Now the work begins! 'A formal announcement will come later. I will make myself available to the media at that time.'
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Almost 500 anti-Trump protestors gather peacefully in downtown Columbus
COLUMBUS, Ga. () — Several hundred protesters expressed their displeasure with President Donald Trump in downtown Columbus Saturday morning. Carrying signs that read 'No Kings, No Ice' and 'Join the Resistance,' the peaceful gathering was held in two locations downtown. A small group of a few dozen gathered at 13th Street and Broadway. A much larger and more vocal group was in the Broadway median across from the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts. Columbus Police estimated the crowd at 430 near the RiverCenter and 30 protestors at 13th and Broadway. Columbus Police reported no arrests or incidents related to the protests. There was a larger-than-normal Columbus Police presence downtown. 'It's always a hard line to figure out where it is, whether you're overpolicing,' Columbus Mayor and Public Safety Director Skip Henderson said. 'But I think in a situation like this, we anticipate a very peaceful and an open discussion with the folks that have a permit. But our job is to plan for any eventuality. Our police department does an outstanding job of having the presence and yet still kind of blending back into the background so that they're not being overbearing with people.' There were two permitted protests, according to Columbus Police. One in the 900 block of Broadway, organized by the Columbus GA Indivisibles and Phenix City AL Indivisibles under the banner 'No Kings.' The same group applied for a permit to demonstrate in the 1300 block of Broadway. There were small counter-protests. One person drove down Broadway repeatedly in a late-model truck with a Trump flag flying from the back. A few Trump supporters could be seen on the edge of the Broadway protest at the RiverCenter. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
Miracle Riders return to Columbus
COLUMBUS, Ga. () — Scott Ressmeyer and the Miracle Riders are back in Columbus after 21 days on the road, closing out a nearly 10,000 mile journey to raise money for the CSU nursing program. Friday evening, the Miracle Riders made one final stop at Covenant Woods retirement community, where residents were the first to welcome the riders home. The group traveled through 34 states, delivering handwritten letters from loved ones in the Chattahoochee Valley. The homecoming continued in Uptown Columbus, where the riders were greeted with hugs, cheers, and a check for $227,950, funds that will go towards the neonatal intensive care simulation lab at Columbus State University. For 17 years, the Miracle Riders have carried messages from the community to cities across the country. This year's Pony Express theme brought a personal touch with each handwritten letter. A final handwritten note from the Miracle Riders was delivered on horseback to Mayor Skip Henderson and CSU President Stuart Rayfield to cap off the Pony Express Ride. The Miracle Riders have now raised a total of $827,950 for CSU's pediatric nursing program, and they say they're not done yet. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
‘We need to honor that sacrifice': The 2025 Peace Officer's Memorial Service
COLUMBUS, Ga. () — Law enforcement officers, families, and community members came together at the Bibb Mill Event Center to honor the ultimate sacrifice made by fallen officers. The annual Peace Officers' Memorial Service, hosted by the Fraternal Order of Police, recognized fallen officers from across Georgia and Alabama. This year's Roll Call of Heroes included names stretching back to the 1800s, each read aloud and honored in solemn silence. There were 43 names called. Each name that echoed through the room served as a reminder of the lives lost. The service included a proclamation from Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson. As well as representative speakers from the Columbus Police Department, Muscogee County Sheriff's Office, Muscogee County Prison, and Rutledge State Prison. 'We need to honor that sacrifice both on the part of the officer as well as their families.' said Sgt. Kelly Phillips, the Fraternal Order of Police, Vice President. 'I would hope the public would look at an event like this and realize there are still individuals out there who want to serve, who want to help… and that we're human too.' The Fraternal Order of Police says the memorial is also a reminder to the public that behind every badge is a person, and behind every name is a family. The Peace Officers' Memorial Service is held each year in May, aligning with National Police Week and Peace Officers Memorial Day on May 15th. The Fraternal Order of Police says it hopes to see even greater turnout next year as the community continues to honor its heroes. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
