Happy Independence Day, America. To underscore the many things that make our country great, we offer columns today that emphasize the importance of voting, and the push to ensure all citizens have easy access to cast ballots for the candidates and initiatives of their choice. In our third column, a Georgia nonprofit executive writes about ways to overcome the problems plaguing our VA medical services: Local communities need to step up for our veterans.

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Inventor Lonnie Johnson stands with his Super Soaker water guns at JTEC Energy on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Atlanta. Johnson, a former NASA engineer, is currently working on a new energy technology through his company’s JTEC device that turns thermal heat into usable energy. (Natrice Miller/AJC)