Fresh Loaf

JIM MARTIN: Soundly defeats Vernon Jones to win the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate; will face Saxby Chambliss in November.

TED JACKSON: There’s a new (Democratic nominee for) sheriff in town.

CLAYTON: Kem Kimbrough beats controversy-prone Sheriff Victor Hill for the Democratic nomination.

DEKALB CEO: Burrell Ellis beats Stan Watson and, with no Republican contender in the race, is the new CEO.

EX-BIN LADEN DRIVER: Found guilty today in the first Guantanamo war crimes trial.

SEA TURTLE NESTS: A record number have been found in Georgia this year.

ARBORING A GRUDGE: The New York Times reports on former Atlanta senior arborist Tom Coffin, who was fired July 29 for pointing out to his bosses the under- or nonenforcement of the tree ordinance in certain parts of the city.

WILLIE B.: The subject of a new documentary produced by Andrew Young.

UGA: Named by Sports Illustrated as the magazine’s preseason No. 1 and featured on one of five regional covers this week.

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Georgia’s primary runoffs are a week from today. And early voting takes place though this Friday at a handful of voting stations.

The stakes are high — higher maybe than they were in July 15 primary. The big three races inside the Perimeter — Democratic contests for U.S. Senate, DeKalb CEO and Fulton sheriff — all went into runoffs. And one of the runoffs (actually, most likely two) will determine who takes office in January.

A quick, comprehensive Loafer’s guide to the runoffs comes after the jump. We’ve endorsed in bold where we figured we knew enough about the race to offer good advice. (more…)

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For the second consecutive morning, Dekalb County is telling me not to drink tap water without first boiling it for at least three minutes.

To put it mildly, I’m irritated — not just because I can’t drink coffee at home this morning, but because of all the people who, upon waking, don’t read Dekalb County press releases, and who are therefore drinking dirty water this morning.

By my count, this is the second time in just a few weeks that a run-of-the-mill storm has knocked out the county’s supply of clean drinking water.

A water system that fails every time it gets windy is a broken water system.

After I get some caffeine in me, I plan to call Burrell Ellis and Stan Watson, the remaining two candidates for Dekalb County CEO, and ask what they plan to do to fix the problem.

The candidate who promises me potable tap water on a daily basis will get my vote.

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RUNSOFF: Jim Martin and Vernon Jones will face off in a runoff Aug. 5 to determine who faces Saxby Chambliss in November; Burrell Ellis and Stan Watson will also have a runoff in the DeKalb CEO race; the Fulton County sheriff’s race will be running off to decide whether incumbent Myron Freeman or retired FBI agent Ted Jackson will face Republican Michael Rary in November.

INCUMBENTS: U.S Reps. John Lewis, John Barrow and Paul Broun all fended off their challengers to retain their seats in Congress.

CITI TREND: Dunwoody becomes the latest north Atlanta community to catch city fever.

GWINNETTIANS: Less opposed to MARTA than they used to be.

ALL-STAR GAME: American League wins its 12th straight in the longest All-Star Game in major-league history.

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