Georgia Trend Daily – Sept. 13, 2019
Sept. 13, 2019 Brunswick News
Port of Brunswick shipping resumes on a case-by-case basis
Larry Hobbs reports that U.S. Coast Guard officials determined Thursday morning that the Port of Brunswick could resume shipping on a “case by case” basis, five days after the freighter Golden Ray rolled over in the St. Simons Sound in the early morning hours on Sunday, said Kathy Knowlton, spokeswoman with Unified Command Center that is responding to the shipwreck. Shipping to the port has been closed since the since the incident, which left the 656-foot, 25,000-ton freighter and its cargo of 4,200 cars floundering on its left side in the sound between St. Simons and Jekyll islands.
Sept. 13, 2019 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Political Notes: Ups, Downs and In-betweens
Susan Percy reports, a First in Cobb: New Cobb County District Attorney Joyette Holmes is the first female and the first African American to hold that position. Holmes, who was formerly chief magistrate judge for the county, was appointed and sworn in by Gov. Kemp.
Sept. 13, 2019 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Antibiotics are officially off Chick-fil-A’s menu
Nancy Clanton reports that Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A announced Thursday it has reached its goal of eliminating antibiotics from the chicken it uses. In 2014, the restaurant announced the No Antibiotics Ever initiative, with a goal of serving only chicken raised free of the drug at its more than 2,400 restaurants nationwide.
Sept. 13, 2019 Atlanta Business Chronicle
Firm investing $16 million to acquire, renovate Sandy Springs office building
Douglas Sams reports that a real estate investment firm will put over $16 million into buying and turning around The Dupree office building in Sandy Springs. A fund affiliated with Bridge Investment Group paid $12.6 million, or just $91 per foot, for the 6-story building on Powers Ferry Road by I-285 and Heards Ferry Elementary School.
Sept. 13, 2019 GPB
Kemp Launches ‘Rural Strike Team,’ Tour Highlighting Georgia-Made Products
Stephen Fowler reports that Gov. Brian Kemp is launching a new statewide initiative to promote Georgia-made products and bring new business to rural parts of the state. At Faircloth Forest Products in Swainsboro, midway between Macon and Savannah, Kemp said he was fulfilling another campaign promise: to showcase economic opportunities available to companies that choose to invest in Georgia outside of the metro Atlanta area.
Sept. 13, 2019 Savannah Morning News
Port of Savannah to expand rail service to Chicago
Katie Nussbaum reports that the Hostess City will soon have a larger presence in the Windy City as the Georgia Ports Authority introduces dual rail service from the Port of Savannah to Chicago, with cargo reaching the midwestern city in less than three days. Griff Lynch, executive director of the Georgia Ports Authority, announced the new service by Norfolk Southern and CSX during the annual State of the Ports address on Thursday at the Savannah Convention Center.
Sept. 13, 2019 Athens Banner-Herald
Georgia part of NASA mission
Beth Burger reports that when NASA launches its next mission taking astronauts to the moon and then to Mars for deep space exploration, Georgia will have had a hand in making that happen. At least 85 companies from Georgia, including Chathan Steel Corporation in Savannah, are among the roughly 3,800 suppliers nationwide that will equip NASA’s latest Orion mission, Artemis 1.
Sept. 13, 2019 WABE 90.1
U.S. House Moves To Ban Offshore Oil In The Atlantic As Concern For Right Whales Grows
Molly Samuel reports that the U.S. House passed a bill Wednesday to ban offshore oil and gas leasing in the Atlantic. Though there isn’t any oil and gas drilling off the coast of Georgia now, the Trump administration has tried to expand exploration in the Atlantic. Opposition to oil and gas development has been somewhat bipartisan in Georgia, with local politicians and businesses expressing concern about the effects on tourism and the environment. Gov. Brian Kemp has also said he’s against it.
Sept. 13, 2019 Savannah Morning News
Rep. Carter opposes widespread ban on offshore drilling
Mary Landers reports that U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, a Republican whose district spans the coast of Georgia, voted against legislation that passed the House of Representatives Wednesday to ban offshore drilling off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts as well as the eastern Gulf of Mexico. “I value the beautiful coastline that we have in my district,” he said on the house floor Wednesday. “But blanket bans instituted by these bills across the Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf, and Arctic are misguided and are, quite plainly, the wrong approach.”
Sept. 13, 2019 Saporta Report
Georgia AG joins 49 others in Google antitrust investigation
Maggie Lee reports that U.S. attorneys general are asking whether Google has crossed the line from aggressive business practices into illegal ones. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr is one of 50 attorneys general who thinks that question is worth a look. His office has signed onto an investigation of the tech behemoth, which is being led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Sept. 13, 2019 Georgia Recorder
Initial state rural broadband mapping shows less coverage than FCC
Jill Nolin reports that a federal map shows Lumpkin County with just a smattering of dark zones where residents and business owners lack access to broadband internet access. But that has proven to be a rosy view of internet connections in this mountain community. State mapping now shows most of the north Georgia county living without broadband-level service, meaning a download speed of at least 25 megabits and an upload speed of 3 megabits.
Sept. 13, 2019 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Karen Handel on Donald Trump’s popularity in the Sixth District
Jim Galloway, Greg Bluestein and Tamar Hallerman reports that Ben Burnett, the Alpharetta city councilman and podcaster, on Tuesday posted an interview with Karen Handel, the former Republican congresswoman who wants her Sixth District seat back. The dialogue was relatively tame. Guns and impeachment may be the hot topics in Washington this week, with U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath playing a key role in both debates, but neither subject came up in the podcast.
