Georgia Trend Daily – March 8, 2019
March 8, 2019 WABE 90.1
Georgia Senate Passes State Airport Takeover Bill
Emma Hurt reports, by a vote of 34-22, the Georgia State Senate approved a contentious proposal to create a state authority to take control of the City of Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. There is an option in the bill for the state and city to work out a “joint governance plan” instead, by the summer of 2020.
March 8, 2019 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Political Notes: The Up’s, Down’s, and In-between’s
Susan Percy reports that Georgia’s senior U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson remains the only senator to chair two committees; he was re-elected by his colleagues to the chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Senate Select Committee on Ethics for the 116th Congress. He also continues as a member of Senate committees on Finance; Foreign Relations; and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
March 8, 2019 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Trendy clothing store Charlotte Russe to close all 13 Georgia stores
Nancy Clanton reports, trendy clothing store Charlotte Russe announced in February it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and was closing many of its stores, including three in Georgia. Now, the San Diego-based company has announced it is closing all stores.
March 8, 2019 Atlanta Business Chronicle
Coca-Cola showcasing ‘Smoobucha,’ mini Topo Chico at California expo
Eric Mandel reports that Coca-Cola’s evolving beverage portfolio is on display this week at the Expo West Natural Food and Beverage Trade Show in California — and that includes a new option for Topo Chico fanatics. The Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO) said it’s showcasing six new products that demonstrate the “total beverage strategy” the company has been touting since James Quincey took over as CEO in 2017.
March 8, 2019 Saporta Report
Delta’s top credit rating reflects lower costs of hub at ATL airport: Moody’s report
David Pendered reports, as state lawmakers consider taking over Atlanta’s airport, Delta Air Lines, Inc. on Wednesday received a top credit rating from Moody’s Investors Service that builds on a recent rating that said one of Delta’s key credit strengths is the lower costs of doing business at Atlanta’s airport.
March 8, 2019 Savannah Morning News
FedEx Ground opens package processing center in Savannah
Katie Nussbaum reports, showing no signs of slowing, the industrial and logistical growth in western Chatham County continued on Thursday as FedEx Ground, city of Savannah and Savannah Economic Development Authority officials cut the ribbon for the new FedEx Ground Large Package Processing Center at the Morgan Lakes Industrial Park off of Jimmy DeLoach Parkway.
March 8, 2019 GlobalAtlanta.com
Taking Powdered Peanut Butter to the World
Trevor Williams reports, in 2013, Reid Edgar had become a fan of powdered peanut butter, but there were a few things about the emerging category that didn’t impress the Atlanta native. For one, the flavors lacked ingenuity. But the bigger problem was why: Little competition meant that the top producer had no reason to innovate.
March 8, 2019 Dalton Daily Citizen-News
Statewide hospital reforms fail, for now
Jill Nolin reports that a plan to change how Georgia regulates health care services — while also requiring much more transparency from the state’s nonprofit hospitals — was rejected Thursday. The proposal was backed by several high-profile legislators who sought to update a decades-old program called certificate of need, or CON, which regulates how many health care facilities can pop up in any given area with the goal of controlling health care costs.
March 8, 2019 Brunswick News
Hate crimes bill passes divided House following heartfelt reflections
Wes Wolfe reports that Thursday marked the last chance for the majority of legislation in the General Assembly to stay alive this year, and a controversial proposal — that cut across party lines — to approve a new hates crimes law passed the House just before 9 p.m. House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee Chairman Chuck Efstration, R-Dacula and House Bill 426’s lead sponsor, made an impassioned speech from the House well supporting the bill.
March 8, 2019 Cartersville Daily Tribune News
State Rep. Gambill makes legislative push for Habitat for Humanity
James Swift reports that District 15 State Rep. Matthew Gambill (R-Cartersville) has high hopes for House Bill 344, a piece of proposed legislation that would provide major tax breaks to nonprofits such as Habitat for Humanity. “I was very honored to be able to work with my colleague, Rep. Spencer Frye, who is from the Athens area and works for Habitat for Humanity,” Gambill said.
March 8, 2019 Atlanta Business Chronicle
Georgia Senate OKs rural broadband bill
Dave Williams reports that Georgia’s 41 electric membership corporations (EMCs) would be allowed to get into the broadband business under legislation that overwhelmingly cleared the state Senate Thursday. Senators voted 53-1 for a bill primarily aimed at increasing broadband deployment in rural Georgia.
March 8, 2019 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Home design bill doesn’t make it out of House
J.D. Capelouto reports that the controversial bill that would prevent cities and counties from setting design restrictions on homes appears to have failed to stay alive this year. House Bill 302, as well as its Senate companion, did not make it to the floor for a vote Thursday, when bills generally must pass either the House or Senate to move forward.
