Georgia Trend Daily – Feb. 9, 2021
Feb. 9, 2021 Georgia.gov
Duncan, Ralston Announce EMC Partnership to Expand Broadband in Rural Middle Georgia;Central Georgia EMC, Southern Rivers Energy and Conexon expand broadband to 80,000 EMC members across 18 counties
Staff reports that efforts to provide broadband in unserved areas of Georgia took another leap forward when Governor Brian Kemp, Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan and Speaker David Ralston made a joint announcement at the State Capitol today. Governor Kemp announced that Central Georgia EMC (Jackson, GA) and Southern Rivers Energy (Barnesville, GA) will form a new partnership with Conexon to provide high-speed internet to 80,000 homes and businesses in 18 Middle Georgia counties: Bibb, Butts, Clayton, Coweta, Crawford, Fayette, Henry, Jasper, Jones, Lamar, Meriwether, Monroe, Morgan, Newton, Pike, Putnam, Spalding, and Upson.
Feb. 9, 2021 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Caring for Georgia’s broken hearts
February is American Heart Month, a time to increase awareness about the factors that lead to heart disease and ways to prevent and treat it. Women actually outnumber men when it comes to heart disease and it is more deadly than all forms of cancer combined.
Feb. 9, 2021 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
New Atlanta venture firm to invest in female, minority tech startups
Christopher Quinn reports that two leaders in Atlanta’s technology industry announced Monday the launch of a new venture capital fund that will focus on investing in new companies in emerging tech hubs with an emphasis on minority and women founders. Paul Judge, who has helped found multiple Atlanta startups such as cybersecurity company Pindrop, is joining with Mark Buffington, the co-founder of BIP Capital, an investment firm with more than a decade of history in Atlanta.
Feb. 9, 2021 Savannah Morning News
Savannah medical company achieves FDA clearance
Katie Nussbaum reports that Savannah medical start-up OXOS Medical recently closed a long, complex chapter in its short history. Last month the company’s debut product, a handheld digital medical imaging solution that takes X-rays and photographs known as the Micro C Medical Imaging System, was granted clearance by the Food and Drug Administration. OXOS co-founder and Chief Medical Officer Greg Kolovich said FDA clearance of their technology is just the start for the company.
Feb. 9, 2021 GPB
Public Comment Sought On Ocmulgee Mounds National Park Corridor
Liz Fabian reports, when Congress agreed to enlarge the boundaries of the former Ocmulgee National Monument the national park designation was only part of the plan. For the next few years, the National Park Service will study whether to include about 50 river miles in Bibb, Twiggs, Houston, Bleckley and Pulaski counties.
Feb. 9, 2021 WABE 90.1
Georgia Lawmakers Consider Prohibiting Local Natural Gas Bans
Molly Samuel reports that Georgia lawmakers are considering a bill that would prohibit local governments from banning natural gas. Other states, including Tennessee, Oklahoma and Arizona, have passed similar laws recently in response to the increasing number of cities that have banned new gas hookups out of a concern about climate change.
Feb. 9, 2021 Georgia Recorder
Georgia lawmakers aim to shift millions to shore up HIV program
Jill Nolin reports that high infection rates and economic hardships brought on by the pandemic have put new strain on a program that provides life-saving assistance to low-income Georgians living with HIV. The rising demand nearly outpaced the state Department of Public Health’s current capacity.
Feb. 9, 2021 Clayton News-Daily
Rep. Sandra Scott introduces resolution to declare racism a public health crisis in Georgia
Staff reports that State Rep. Sandra Scott, D-Rex, recently introduced House Resolution 78, legislation that would declare racism a public health crisis in Georgia. “Racism and health are tied together on many different fronts: where we live, go to school, the air we breathe, our income, wealth, health care and much more,” said Rep. Scott.
Feb. 9, 2021 Capitol Beat News
Term limits for Georgia lawmakers proposed in General Assembly bill
Beau Evans reports that a state Senate committee debated a measure Monday to limit terms for Georgia House and Senate members to 12 years total, as well as doubling the term for state senators from two to four years. A constitutional amendment proposed by Sen. Greg Dolezal, R-Cumming, would set term limits for state House members at six two-year terms and for senators at three four-year terms.
Feb. 9, 2021 Rome News-Tribune
Potential candidates already express interest in 14th District run
national pushback from 14th District Rep. Marjorie Greene’s inflammatory and conspiracy-laden social media activity appears to have energized potential candidates to begin campaigning for her seat. Only just over a month in office, several potential candidates have said they’ll seek her post in Congress next year.
Feb. 9, 2021 New York Times
Georgia Officials Review Trump Phone Call as Scrutiny Intensifies
Richard Fausset and Danny Hakim report that the office of Georgia’s secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, on Monday started an investigation into former President Donald J. Trump’s attempts to overturn the state’s election results, including a phone call he made to Mr. Raffensperger in which Mr. Trump pressured him to “find” enough votes to reverse his loss.
Feb. 9, 2021 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia plays key role in Trump’s second impeachment trial
Tia Mitchell reports that former President Donald Trump’s attempts to pressure state elections officials to reverse his election defeat in Georgia will help shape the second U.S. Senate impeachment trial that opens Tuesday. The trial, which begins at noon, is expected to be a speedy process that requires members of an evenly split U.S. Senate to decide whether to convict Trump on charges that he incited the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol that left five people dead.
