Longtime investigative reporter Randy Travis wants to protect your tax dollars from the inside as he launches his campaign for Lawrenceville City Council Post 3.
🏙️ The Candidate’s Vision: Travis pledges to keep taxes and utility fees low while promoting diverse housing options.
“I want to make sure everyone knows Lawrenceville welcomes smart growth – affordable housing to executive homes and everything in between,” Travis said in his announcement video. “Let’s get others to share our tax burden.”
👨👩👧👧 Family Connections: Travis’ older daughter Katie works as a Gwinnett County special education teacher and graduated from Georgia Gwinnett College, while his younger daughter Millie owns a small business with 9 employees.
🎄 Community Roots: For more than 20 years, Travis has served as master of ceremonies for the annual Christmas tree lighting at the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse.
During that time, he says he’s witnessed Lawrenceville’s transformation with new restaurants, the performing arts center, and Northside Hospital’s expanded medical center.
🗳️ Election Details: The Lawrenceville City Council election takes place November 4. Travis is running for Post 3. Travis is running against incumbent Austin Thompson, who is seeking reelection to Post 3.
How to Read and Understand the News
Truth doesn’t bend because we dislike it.
Facts don’t vanish when they make us uncomfortable.
Events happen whether we accept them or not.
Good reporting challenges us. The press isn’t choosing sides — it’s relaying what official, verified sources say. Blaming reporters for bad news is like blaming a thermometer for a fever.
Americans have a history of misunderstanding simple things. In the 1980s, A&W rolled out a 1/3-pound burger to compete with McDonald’s Quarter Pounder. It failed because too many people thought 1/3 was smaller than 1/4. If we can botch basic math, we can certainly misread the news.
Before dismissing a story, ask yourself:
- What evidence backs this?
- Am I reacting to facts or feelings?
- What would change my mind?
- Am I just shooting the messenger?
And one more: Am I assuming bias just because I don’t like the story?
Smart news consumers seek truth, not comfort.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
