It's been almost two weeks since a series of mishaps ahead of the ice storm put Georgia's top emergency official on a hot seat that only seemed to be getting hotter. Since then, embarrassing emails have raised more questions about Charley English's performance, and petitions have called for his head.

But English hasn't gone anywhere. And the wintry weather zeroing in on Atlanta this week could offer him a chance at redemption.

Gov. Nathan Deal has declined to comment on the future of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency’s head. But an interview Friday with Deal and documents obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution suggest English has begun to redeem himself in the eyes of the governor and his top aides.

“I’ve seen a significant difference in the response time and the information that he’s conveying,” Deal said in the interview. “I just don’t want him to overreact. That’s the greatest danger he can have. Don’t jump the gun. Because these situations have a very significant economic impact.”

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Cox Enterprises CEO Alex Taylor and AJC Publisher Andrew Morse were joined by AJC editors and Atlanta business react during the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in Midtown on Friday, January 24, 2025.
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