Let’s all take a moment of silence for our Peachtree City Walmart. I’ll always remember you, buddy. So while you’re trying to find a new place to get cheap groceries, take a look at these KICs. This week we have the Kenyan Presidential runner up claiming a fraudulent election, charges dropped against officers, Cleveland Elementary students getting a bus surprise, Biden enacting student debt forgiveness, and Trump’s political deadlines. 

August 22, 2022 – Runner-up in Kenyan presidential election claims fraudulent results

In Kenya’s presidential election, runner-up Raila Odinga is alleging the results to be fraudulent. Upset with the results, Odinga gathered a 70-page legal argument claiming there was pre-planning to sway the numbers.

This is not Odinga’s first hoorah with running for president This was his fifth time in the running and the third time he claimed the results were altered. Although this time around the numbers were pretty close. Odinga garnered 48.8 % of the vote and his victor William Ruto winning with 50.5% of the vote. Odinga claims that the final results are deemed “premeditated, unlawful and criminal.” He also claims that voter turnout was manipulated.

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William Yarbrough

Opinion: Merging the gap

The Independent Elections Observation Group (IBEC) considered Odinga’s words, and did their own tally and found that the numbers were consistent and the electoral commission had their numbers right. Although this was another loss for Odinga, Ruto said he would respect the court process, this being the country’s electoral law. 

August 23, 2022 – Charges dropped against officers responsible for the fatal shooting of Rayshard Brooks

Nearly two years ago Rayshard Brooks, a 27 year-old black man, was fatally shot by officers in a fast food restaurant parking lot in Atlanta. Prosecutors have only now determined that the cop responsible for firing the fatal shots, as well as another officer assisting on the scene, have committed no crimes.

Pete Skandalakis, a veteran Georgia prosecutor appointed to handle the case, announced his decision to drop the charges Tuesday during a news conference. Skandalakis, along with another former prosecutor, Danny Porter, came to the conclusion that the violent fight sparked after Brooks resisted arrest and gave the officers on scene justification to apply deadly force.

Rolfe was officially charged with 11 counts, including murder, and the other assisting officer at the scene faced a number of lesser charges. Although the charges against the officers have been dropped, the damage done by the fatal shooting will forever leave a scar on the city of Atlanta.

August 24, 2022 – Cleveland Elementary students rewarded with guest for good behavior 

Cleveland Elementary school created an effort to encourage good behavior on the bus. If the students kept a positive attitude on the bus, they would be rewarded with a “special guest”.  

A group of fifth grade students at Cleveland Elementary School pointed out worries about the behavior on the school bus in the beginning of this school year. The students were told if they could build a positive environment, they would get a reward. Assistant Principal Allison Staggs encouraged the students and driver to contribute to building the positive reinforcements on the school buses and then get a special guest. 

After three successful days the reward was given and enrichment teacher Erin Dalton was the star of the ride. The students asked for The Rock and Justin Bieber, but Erin Dalton got to talk to all of the students on their ride. She had the opportunity to talk to the students about their day, and leadership on their bus ride. 

 August 25, 2022 – Joe Biden enacts student debt forgiveness

President Joe Biden announced he will forgive $10,000 for student loan recipients and $20,000 for those under the Federal Pell Grant. The bill is supposed to cost around $300 billion.

60% of student loan recipients owe less than $10,000. This bill will completely resolve student loan debt for 25.8 million people. The plan does not provide a solution for inevitable future student loan debt however. The bill will be enacted through Income-Based Repayment loan plans and paid for by the taxpayers. 

This will help those suffering from student loan debt, but the plan does not include a cost offset. Future student loan recipients are skeptical due to this fact because their debt might not be resolved.

August 26, 2022 – Trump’s political deadlines cause trouble 

There is a change in Trump’s deadline for his documents that are at his Florida home. His allies are getting more concerned. According to the courts and the Justice Department, Trump has succeeded in creating a political storm in Florida about his deadlines and documents. 

The Justice Department is in charge of saying and telling the Florida residents about Trump’s success to the political storm and they are in charge of what goes out to the public. Law enforcement agents are involved in searching for the witness of all of this. 

Trump says Biden’s administrators have claimed it to be a partisan attack on him. It is now the DOJ’s job to see what they are going to say about Trump’s actions on innocent people.