Georgia Trend Daily – July 15, 2021
July 15, 2021 GPB
Georgia Leaders Share Vision For Transforming Mental Health, Substance Use Care
Ellen Eldridge reports, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Georgians struggled with access to mental health care and substance use disorder treatment. The state ranks 51st in access to health care, and Lee and Haralson counties are among the top 20 counties nationwide with the highest percentages of their populations reporting frequent suicidal ideation, according to a screening done in 2020 by Mental Health America.
July 15, 2021 Georgia Trend – Exclusive
Catch Olympics Fever
Mary Ann DeMuth reports that the 1996 Olympic and Paralympic Games were arguably a turning point for Atlanta, generating significant economic development and focusing the world’s attention on the city. On the eve of the rescheduled 2020 Tokyo Games, the Atlanta History Center is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Atlanta Games with a variety of activities and digital explorations.
July 15, 2021 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
New company taking over currency exchange locations at Hartsfield-Jackson
Kelly Yamanouchi reports that Travelex, already struggling because of the rise of cashless payments and hurt even more by the recent drop in international travel, has shut down its currency exchange locations at Hartsfield-Jackson airport and is transferring its contract to another company. With an increasing number of international travelers using credit cards and debit cards, foreign currency exchange businesses have faced hard times in recent years.
July 15, 2021 Gainesville Times
When construction could begin on Inland Port
Conner Evans reports that the Georgia Ports Authority will move forward with plans to construct the Northeast Georgia Inland Port, with the hope of being operational by the end of 2024. Construction is expected to start in the summer of 2022.
July 15, 2021 Georgia Health News
N.C.-based Atrium clinches deal for another Georgia hospital system
Andy Miller reports that a Charlotte-based health care system has finalized a deal to acquire a nonprofit hospital organization based in Rome. Floyd Medical Center, a hospital in Cedartown and one in Alabama will now become part of Atrium Health under the long-delayed agreement, announced Wednesday.
July 15, 2021 Rome News-Tribune
Rome to keep MSA status as feds move away from 100,000 population proposal
Staff reports that Rome and Floyd County will keep the Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area designation, a U.S. Office of Management and Budget release stated. The designation, which dictates the allocation of over a half a million dollars in federal funding, had appeared to be in jeopardy because Rome and Floyd County’s population fell just under a proposed 100,000 threshold unveiled earlier this year.
July 15, 2021 Clayton Crescent
County lost $600K meant for elections facility
Robin Kemp reports that the Clayton County Office of Elections and Registration is having to return about $600,000 in grant money because, according to member Pat Pullar, the county has dragged its feet on finding a suitable space for the office to relocate. The Clayton Crescent is working to clarify the exact amount and the source of the funds that had to be returned.
July 15, 2021 Capitol Beat News
Georgia senators backing new Medicaid expansion bill
Dave Williams reports that Georgia’s two U.S. senators are pushing legislation to let Georgia and 11 other states that have not expanded Medicaid coverage through the Affordable Care Act do so through a new “look-alike” federal program. Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff introduced the Medicaid Saves Live Act this week to extend Medicaid to up to 4 million low-income Americans who earn too much to qualify for traditional Medicaid but not enough to buy coverage on the private market.
July 15, 2021 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Trump says he won’t endorse Georgia Republican Butch Miller for lieutenant governor
Maya T. Prabhu reports that Donald Trump says he will not “support or endorse” Butch Miller’s candidacy to be Georgia’s next lieutenant governor. The former president sent a press release late Wednesday saying Miller, currently the Senate president pro tem, refused “to work with other Republican Senators on voter fraud and irregularities in the state.”
