Georgia Trend Daily – Oct. 4, 2019

Oct. 4, 2019 Georgia Recorder

Georgia’s new voting machines rolled out for demonstrations and training

Beau Evans reports that about 70 elections officials from 20 counties in north Georgia this week attended a two-day session in Calhoun to get acquainted with Georgia’s new voting machine system. Top county elections officials, including supervisors and administrative staff, gathered at the Gordon County Agricultural Service Center in Calhoun Tuesday and Wednesday to test the equipment as the state begins orientation sessions in Georgia’s 159 counties.

Oct. 4, 2019 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!

Savannah climate-change science recognized

Mary Ann DeMuth reports that flooding and sea-level rise are growing concerns related to climate change that are affecting coastal cities around the world. Local efforts to prepare for and address these threats in Savannah have recently been recognized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest general scientific society.

Oct. 4, 2019 Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Hospital disclosures show disparities, 7-figure salaries

Ariel Hart reports that the state legislature required nonprofit hospitals to begin posting a raft of financial information on their websites this week, and some of it is eye-opening at a time when some facilities say they are struggling to get by. Northside Hospital CEO Bob Quattrocchi makes $4.9 million including salary and other benefits.

Oct. 4, 2019 Atlanta Business Chronicle

A rival to Hollywood: Tyler Perry unveils his new Atlanta studios for the world

Maria Saporta reports, at a grand opening gala on Oct. 5, Tyler Perry will unveil to the world all he has created at Tyler Perry Studios since 2015 when he bought 330 acres of the former Fort McPherson. An A-list of national celebrities and leaders are expected to attend the opening of Tyler Perry Studios – people whom Perry said have had a major influence on his life: Oprah Winfrey, the Clintons, Halle Berry, Will Smith, Denzel Washington, and Cicely Tyson, to name a few.

Oct. 4, 2019 Beyond Dreaming

Beyond Dreaming Entrepreneurship & Leadership Seminar October 14-15, 2019

Join Dr. Gregory B. Levett, Sr. and other thought leaders for an intimate conversation. Learn how to master the art of entrepreneurship, team building and business strategies to create your own success and wealth.

Oct. 4, 2019 Covington News

Georgia receives $180 million for literacy

Staff reports that the Georgia Department of Education has been awarded nearly $180 million to support literacy efforts in the state’s K-12 public schools through the federal Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant, Gov. Brian P. Kemp announced today. Georgia will receive a total of $179,174,766 over five years to continue the Literacy for Learning, Living and Leading in Georgia (L4GA) initiative, which aims to improve literacy outcomes for students from birth through grade 12.

Oct. 4, 2019 GlobalAtlanta.com

Big Data Firm’s Equifax Deal Could Drive Financial Inclusion Globally

Trevor Williams reports that Atlanta-based Urjanet has landed a global partnership with credit information provider Equifax Inc., a fellow Atlanta firm with 11,000 employees, that could help improve financial inclusion around the world. Urjanet is tied into 6,500 water, waste, power, gas, cableand telecom utilities in 47 countries, gaining access to their customers’ billing and payment history.

Oct. 4, 2019 Valdosta Daily Times

Kemp: South Georgia not forgotten

Desiree Carver reports that Gov. Brian Kemp sang the praises of South Georgia Wednesday during the Home Builders Association of South Georgia 54th Installation of Officers Awards and Annual Membership Luncheon. The Homebuilder’s Association is something near to Kemp’s heart.

Oct. 4, 2019 Marietta Daily Journal

Working Mother names WellStar Health System as one of the 2019 100 Best Companies

Staff reports that Working Mother magazine recently announced that WellStar Health System was named to its annual list of the 2019 100 Best Companies. This is WellStar’s 12th year in the top 100. WellStar was one of only two Atlanta-based companies on the list.

Oct. 4, 2019 Savannah Morning News

More to Brunswick Port than autos

Mary Mayle reports that the big takeaway from Wednesday’s annual State of the Brunswick Port was — to no one’s surprise — the little port’s huge auto volumes. The second busiest roll-on/roll-off port in the nation — No. 1 for new auto imports — continues to grow its footprint on Colonel’s Island, recently adding another 40 acres of dockside processing space to the more than 500 acres already in use.

Oct. 4, 2019 Georgia Health News

Covington plant had 8-day leak of toxic gas; state reports on Sterigenics leaks

Brenda Goodman reports that a medical supply sterilizing facility east of Atlanta that is under scrutiny for toxic emissions had an eight-day leak last month of ethylene oxide, a cancer-causing substance. The City of Covington on Wednesday released a report on the September ethylene oxide leak at the BD facility, which the company said was about 7 pounds per day, or 54 pounds in all.

Oct. 4, 2019 Gwinnett Daily Post

Recall effort against Hoschton officials allowed to proceed

Curt Yeomans reports that a Jackson County judge decided this week that efforts to recall Hoschton’s embattled mayor and one of its City Council members will be allowed to proceed. A community group is seeking to remove Mayor Theresa Kenerly and councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Jim Cleveland from office on multiple grounds, mostly aimed at Kenerly, according to Daily Post news partner FOX 5 Atlanta.

Oct. 4, 2019 The Center Square

Georgia lawmakers plan to take on vaping in 2020 legislative session

Nyamekye Daniel reports that two Georgia lawmakers said they plan to take action in the wake of the first vaping-related death in the state. State Reps. Bonnie Rich, R-Suwanee, and Gerald Greene, R-Cuthbert, announced Thursday that they plan to introduce legislation to address vaping and e-cigarette use in Georgia in the next session.

Oct. 4, 2019 Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Georgia Senate: Randy Evans, Jack Kingston apply for Isakson’s seat

Greg Bluestein reports that two more well-known Republicans have asked Gov. Brian Kemp to consider them for U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson’s seat when he steps down at the end of the year, submitting their resumes to his office within hours of each other. The first is Randy Evans, an influential attorney and U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg. He was soon followed by former U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, a Savannah Republican who was the runner-up to U.S. Sen. David Perdue in the 2014 runoff.