Georgia Trend Daily – May 19, 2020
May 19, 2020 Athens Banner-Herald
Georgia hardest hit state with COVID-19 job losses
Lee Shearer reports that Georgia’s rise in unemployment has been steeper than in any other state, according to an analysis by the personal finance website WalletHub. But statistics released from the U.S. Department of Labor late last week showed some improvement in Georgia’s soaring jobless numbers.
May 19, 2020 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
The Launch Pad
Patty Rasmussen reports that of all the graduate business degrees, the master of business administration, or MBA, has long been considered the gold standard. Initially designed for individuals educated outside of business school, the MBA is a generalist degree preparing the holder to step up to executive-level challenges.
May 19, 2020 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia companies redirect efforts to COVID-19 supply needs
Andy Peters reports that Gaston Liang’s company normally manufactures product molds at its factories in southern China. But in the past two months, he’s redirected his facilities to make surgical masks for health care workers.
May 19, 2020 Georgia.org
Over 220 Georgia Companies Providing Critical Supplies to Fight COVID-19
Staff reports that Governor Brian P. Kemp announced on May 18 a list and interactive map of Georgia companies that have signed up to help businesses obtain personal protective equipment and health care supplies to fight COVID-19. The Georgia Suppliers Interactive Map and List, compiled by the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), includes more than 220 Georgia companies providing needed protective supplies, along with an interactive map displaying business location and a tool to sort supplies by category.
May 19, 2020 Augusta Chronicle
University creates its own gown and wipe factories to supply the hospital
Tom Corwin reports that faced with dwindling supplies, employees at University Hospital came up with their own way to fashion thousands of protective gowns and millions of disinfectant wipes. After a long career in manufacturing at E-Z-Go and Club Car, Cindy Rigdon never dreamed she would be back in an assembly line.
May 19, 2020 Saporta Report
Reopening metro Atlanta’s economy safely: Google offers data to inform decisions
David Pendered reports that Google has made public a treasure trove of never-before-seen proprietary data that could help decision makers reopen the economy safely in metro Atlanta. Google’s report shows changes in categories of places people visit – whether they’re going to work, buy groceries or walk the dog, and so forth.
May 19, 2020 Capitol Beat News
Georgia Supreme Court rules in favor of lactation counselors
Dave Williams reports that the Georgia Supreme Court Monday sided with a group of certified lactation counselors who sued the secretary of state’s office two years ago. Writing for the court, Justice Michael Boggs ruled that a trial court erred in dismissing the challenge of a state law as unconstitutional.
May 19, 2020 Gwinnett Daily Post, Capitol Beat News
Former Georgia House Speaker Mark Burkhalter nominated as U.S. ambassador to Norway
Dave Williams reports that former Georgia House Speaker Mark Burkhalter has been nominated by President Trump to serve as U.S. ambassador to Norway. Burkhalter is a senior advisor in the Public Policy and Regulation practice in the Atlanta office of Dentons U.S. LLP and plays a significant role in the global law firm’s public affairs and economic development initiatives in the United Kingdom.
May 19, 2020 Georgia Recorder
Early voting begins, state lawmakers still can’t raise campaign cash
Jill Nolin and Ross Williams report that state lawmakers who face primary challengers raised the last dollar for their re-election bids back in early January before they were gaveled into session. And a law that forbids fundraising during a legislative session – even one suspended for months because of a pandemic – will keep donors at bay until after the final votes are tallied for the June 9 primary.
May 19, 2020 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Republicans aim to hang onto Georgia’s 7th Congressional District seat
Tia Mitchell and Amanda C. Coyne report that a crowded field of Republican candidates is hoping to prevent Georgia’s 7th Congressional District from flipping to blue two years after incumbent U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall barely held on. With Woodall retiring and seven Republicans campaigning to succeed him, a July runoff is almost certain.
