Acting Houston County district attorney intends to seek post permanently

Gov. Brian Kemp on Friday announced his intention to appoint acting Houston County District Attorney William M. Kendall to serve in the position until a special election is held.

Kendall, a prosecutor in Middle Georgia since 2018, has served in the Perry-based position since last fall in the wake of former DA George Hartwig’s unexpected retirement.

A special election is yet to be set for voters to choose Hartwig’s successor, but Kendall on Friday told The Telegraph that he intends to be a candidate.

“I am honored and grateful of the governor’s decision to allow me to continue to serve the citizens of Houston County,” Kendall said in a statement about the governor’s appointment.

Kendall went on to note that at the time of Hartwig’s departure the DA’s office had just four attorneys on staff and that since then hirings have the office at or nearly back to its capacity of a dozen prosecutors.

Joe Kovac Jr.

The Telegraph

Joe Kovac Jr. writes about local news and features for The Telegraph, with an eye for human-interest stories. Joe is a Warner Robins native and graduate of Warner Robins High. He joined the Telegraph in 1991 after graduating from the University of Georgia. As a Pulliam Fellowship recipient in 1991, Joe worked for the Indianapolis News. His stories have appeared in the Washington Post, the Seattle Times and Atlanta Magazine. He has been a Livingston Award finalist and won numerous Georgia Press Association and Georgia Associated Press awards.