Georgia Trend Daily – Feb. 20, 2020
Feb. 20, 2020 GlobalAtlanta.com
International Visitors Have Outsized Influence on Georgia’s Record Tourism Year
Trevor Williams reports that a record tourism year in which Georgia saw 111.7 million visitors spending $36.9 billion in the state was bolstered by the growing international segment, where stays tend to be longer and spending levels higher. The nearly 1.4 million international visitors, up 1.4 percent from the year before, may seem minuscule in comparison to the massive domestic numbers, but their spending in the state totaled more than $2 billion.
Feb. 20, 2020 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Visonary Cities
Anna Bentley, Karen Kirkpatrick and Haisten Willis report, cities that are successful at luring residents and visitors all have one thing in common – a vision for making that happen. This year, the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) and Georgia Trend have teamed up to honor nine cities with the inaugural Visionary City Award.
Feb. 20, 2020 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Metro Atlanta home sales hot in January
Michael E. Kanell reports that the metro Atlanta housing market has continued to heat up, with sales jumping and pricing rising modestly since the start of the year, according to a monthly report from Re/Max. January sales increased 12.7% from a year ago, according to the monthly report by the national real estate company.
Feb. 20, 2020 Atlanta Business Chronicle
Former Congressman Tom Price joins medical device company board
Jessica Saunders reports that former Georgia Congressman Tom Price has a new role with a medical technology company. Price was appointed to the Board of Directors of SANUWAVE Health Inc. (OTCQB:SNWV), a shockwave technology company which focuses on developing and commercializing patented, noninvasive, biological-response activating devices for the repair and regeneration of skin, musculoskeletal tissue and vascular structures.
Feb. 20, 2020 Georgia Southern University
How four Georgia Southern students used jewelry to earn $5,000 scholarships
Staff reports that more than eight months of teamwork and a jewelry line concept earned four Parker College of Business students a $5,000 scholarship each after they were named the Top Team during the annual NRF Foundation Student Challenge. Cayley Creekmore, Shannon Foote, Anna Tiller and Woodley White were recognized in front of hundreds of top executives and celebrities from the retail industry in New York City for their work on a case study that involved Akola, a jewelry company in Dallas, Texas, that empowers women in Uganda by providing them the skills to earn a living wage to support their families.
Feb. 20, 2020 Savannah Morning News
Amazon coming to Port Wentworth
DeAnn Komanecky reports that Amazon is coming to Port Wentworth after the City Council was finally able to approve a site plan for the job-creating project at the Wednesday, Feb. 19 meeting. The Amazon facility will be built on Crossgate Road, behind the Parker’s store on Ga. 21.
Feb. 20, 2020 All On Georgia
9 Farms Recognized as 2019 Georgia Quality Cotton Award Winners
Staff reports that the 2019 Georgia Quality Cotton Awards were presented at the Georgia Cotton Commission’s 13th Annual Meeting and UGA Cotton Production Workshop last month in Tifton, GA. The awards are co-sponsored by the Georgia Cotton Commission and BASF, and administered by the University of Georgia Cotton Team.
Feb. 20, 2020 Saporta Report
Blackhall, one of Georgia’s largest film studios, expanding overseas
Maria Saporta reports that Blackhall Studios announced Tuesday that it would be investing about $200 million to build 1.2 million square feet of studio space in Reading, a city west of London. But Ryan Millsap, Blackhall’s chairman and CEO, said the expansion to the United Kingdom was being done in addition to (not in lieu of) the studio’s plans to expand in Atlanta.
Feb. 20, 2020 Rome News-Tribune, Capitol Beat News
Interim public safety chief tapped in Georgia
Beau Evans reports that former Tift County Sheriff Gary Vowell has been tapped to head up the Georgia Department of Public Safety on an interim basis following the resignation last week of former Commissioner Mark McDonough. McDonough tendered his resignation Thursday, Feb. 13, at the behest of Gov. Brian Kemp in the wake of a cheating scandal in the agency’s cadet training program.
Feb. 20, 2020 WABE 90.1
Bill Advances To Add Primaries For Georgia Special Elections – But Not Until Next Year
Emil Moffat reports that the November special Senate election for Kelly Loeffler’s seat will still happen without any party primaries. But state lawmakers are moving forward with plans to change that system starting next year.
Feb. 20, 2020 WSB Radio, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Bill allowing carry of guns into Georgia sails through House panel
Maya T. Prabhu reports that a Georgia House panel on Wednesday approved legislation that aims to allow anyone to bring their firearm into Georgia if he or she has a permit to carry a weapon. Georgia currently operates under what is known as “reciprocity” — where only people from states that allow those with Georgia gun permits to carry the weapons there can bring their guns here.
Feb. 20, 2020 Capitol Beat
Georgia lawmakers mull over vaping tax
Beau Evans reports that vaping could face a new tax in Georgia under a House bill state lawmakers began considering Wednesday. Several legislators have targeted vaping amid studies showing a growing number of teenagers becoming addicted to nicotine and reports of dozens of vaping-related lung illnesses seen in Georgia by the state Department of Public Health.
Feb. 20, 2020 The Center Square
$159M in budget cuts for current fiscal year pass Georgia House
Nyamekye Daniel reports that the Georgia House on Wednesday passed a revised version of the state’s current fiscal year budget that was $159 million lighter. The 126-46 vote on House Bill 792 was a result of Gov. Brian Kemp’s directive to streamline government spending for the next two years. The revised bill will now be forwarded to the Senate.
Feb. 20, 2020 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia lawmakers consider barring minors from buying some cough medicines
Sarah Kallis reports that a bill that would require customers to prove they are at least 18 before purchasing some over-the-counter cough suppressants – like Vick’s or NyQuil – passed a Senate Committee on Wednesday. Senate Bill 272, proposed by Sen. Randy Robertson, R – Cataula, specifically targets the active ingredient dextromethorphan, more commonly known as DM.
