Georgia Trend Daily – Aug. 12, 2020
Aug. 12, 2020 WABE 90.1
Highlights From Georgia’s Primary Runoffs
Emma Hurt reports, in Georgia’s August primary runoff elections, two Fulton County incumbents were defeated and a controversial GOP candidate won her primary in North Georgia. Fulton voters overwhelmingly rejected incumbent District Attorney Paul Howard after more than 30 years in office as the first African American DA in Georgia history.
Aug. 12, 2020 Ga. Secretary of State
For a listing of the not-yet-official results in the Aug. 11 election, click here.
Aug. 12, 2020 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Economic Development Around the State
Christy Simo reports on projects in Calhoun, Savannah, Atlanta and more. In Calhoun, Creative Flooring Solutions (CFL), which makes laminate, wood and luxury vinyl tile flooring, is investing $70 million into a new 252,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Calhoun, creating 300 jobs.
Aug. 12, 2020 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Delta says it will double share of Black officers, directors by 2025
Kelly Yamanouchi reports that Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said the company will double its percentage of officers and directors who are Black by 2025. Delta has faced questions about its leadership committee’s lack of Black executives.
Aug. 12, 2020 Augusta Chronicle
Waitr seeks 200 delivery drivers in metro Augusta
Staff reports that food delivery service Waitr said it is looking to hire 200 additional drivers in the metro Augusta market. The Louisiana-based company said Tuesday it is seeking contract drivers to satisfy increased demand for delivered goods as well as provide employment to workers displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Aug. 12, 2020 Saporta Report
Former Turner Field now named Center Parc Credit Union Stadium
David Pendered reports that the former Turner Field now is named Center Parc Credit Union Stadium, or the short version – Center Parc Stadium. Georgia State University announced the naming rights on Tuesday. “We are thrilled to be a partner with a socially conscious organization like Center Parc,” Mark Becker, GSU’s president said in a statement.
Aug. 12, 2020 Rome News-Tribune
Southeastern Mills adds more land to facility in industrial park
Doug Walker reports that Southeastern Mills is growing again. The Development Authority of Floyd County agreed to sell another 10-plus acres in the Floyd County Industrial Park to the fourth-generation Rome company Monday.
Aug. 12, 2020 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Leadership Southeast Georgia seeks applicants
Mary Ann DeMuth reports, if you’re a business, nonprofit or civic leader, live in the southeast part of the state and are interested in improving quality of life and increasing growth there, Leadership Southeast Georgia wants you. Each year, Leadership Southeast Georgia seeks participants for its program that equips, empowers and connects community leaders to shape the future of the region.
Aug. 12, 2020 The Center Square
Georgia city faces massive job, revenue losses when federal prison closes
Nyamekye Daniel reports that one rural Georgia city is about to lose its biggest private employer after a Federal Bureau of Prisons’ decision to end its contract with a private prison. The D. Ray James Correctional Facility in Folkston, a town of about 4,000 residents between Waycross and Jacksonville, Fla., is scheduled to close at the end of September.
Aug. 12, 2020 University of Georgia
USG Board of Regents endorses more than $39 million in UGA capital projects for FY22
Staff reports that the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia on Tuesday endorsed more than $39 million in FY 2022 capital projects that will enhance research, outreach and teaching opportunities across the University of Georgia.
Aug. 12, 2020 GlobalAtlanta.com
Canadian Lumber Giant Interfor’s ‘Surreal’ Quarter Ends With Georgia Mills Back on Track
Trevor Williams reports that Interfor Inc., a Canadian forest products company that tops Georgia’s list of lumber producers, has bounced back after the pandemic forced it to slash production and signal the prospect of suspending more than 400 jobs.
Aug. 12, 2020 Georgia Recorder
State asks for $1.1B federal loan to cover shrinking unemployment fund
Ross Williams reports that Georgia is asking for a $1.1 billion loan from the federal government to help refill the state’s depleted Unemployment Trust Fund, which pays unemployment benefits to displaced workers. The fund contracted by about 80% since March, when Georgia businesses began laying off workers in historic numbers as fear COVID-19 spurred the governor to issue stay-home orders.
Aug. 12, 2020 Capitol Beat News
Early mail-in vote counting, online request portal OK’d for Nov. 3 election
Beau Evans reports that absentee ballots can be opened a week earlier than usual ahead of elections in Georgia following emergency steps the State Election Board took Monday to help ease a vote-tally bottleneck amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the upcoming Nov. 3 general election. The board also gave Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s office the green light to create an online portal for voters to request absentee ballots via the internet rather than by mail or with a county elections office.
Aug. 12, 2020 Law.com|Daily Report
Kemp Appeals Judge’s Order Blocking Abortion Ban
Katheryn Tucker reports that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has officially begun the appeal of a federal judge’s order blocking the state’s law banning abortion. Attorney General Chris Carr, Solicitor General Andrew Pinson and their outside counsel at Consovoy McCarthy in Washington filed a notice of appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit Tuesday.
Aug. 12, 2020 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Bypassed by Biden, Abrams likely to focus on 2022 rematch against Kemp
Greg Bluestein reports that the 2022 race for Georgia governor got off to an unofficial start Tuesday with the news that Stacey Abrams would not be Joe Biden’s pick to be his running-mate. Biden’s decision to bypass Abrams clears the way for a widely-expected rematch against Gov. Brian Kemp in 2022.
