Georgia Trend Daily – July 27, 2021
July 27, 2021 The Center Square
Georgia’s bond obligations amount to $2,027 per person
Nyamekye Daniel reports that Georgia has the 16th-lowest bonded obligations per capita at $2,027 per person, according to a recent report from the American Legislative Exchange Council that details the $1.25 trillion in bonded obligations nationwide. The state has nearly $21.5 billion in bonded obligations, according to the report, which was part of ALEC’s annual report from its Center for State Fiscal Reform.
Credit: WoodieWilliamsPhoto.com
July 27, 2021 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Catching up with Michael T. Dunham
Susan Percy reports, the Associated General Contractors of Georgia is a trade association representing commercial construction. The industry is a mainstay of the economy, responsible for nearly 200,000 jobs in 2020. Here are highlights from an interview with the CEO.
July 27, 2021 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia trying to lure new Rivian electric vehicle factory
Scott Trubey, Greg Bluestein and Andy Peters report, Georgia plans to make an aggressive push for a new electric-vehicle factory, representing one of its largest job recruitment efforts in the past decade. The state is trying to recruit Rivian, an electric-truck, van and SUV startup, according to three people familiar with the matter.
July 27, 2021 Savannah Morning News
Covid-related spending leads to record year, demand for labor at Georgia Ports
Zoe Nickleson reports, the Georgia Ports Authority shattered records in 2020, with COVID-related consumer spending driving a 20% increase in operations at the Savannah Port. “If you look at the Georgia Ports Authority over the last 15 years, our average [annual] growth rate was 6.2%,” said CEO Griff Lynch.
July 27, 2021 Augusta Chronicle
How Georgia economic developers help create jobs, incentives to bring in major employers
Abraham Kenmore reports that the SK Battery America plant is, appropriately, located in the city of Commerce, Georgia. The $1.6 billion project – expected to employ 2,000 – was finalized in early January 2019, but without investment from the state and local government, it might not have been built in Georgia. “They were looking at several other states, especially in the southeastern U.S.,” said John Scott, director of economic development for Jackson County.
July 27, 2021 Brunswick News
Spaceport decision delayed until September
Gordon Jackson reports, the wait for the long-awaited final Record of Decision for a proposed spaceport in Camden County just got longer. The Federal Aviation Administration announced Monday that the final Record of Decision, which was originally planned this month, has been delayed until sometime in September.
July 27, 2021 Capitol Beat News
Cloud computing being added to Georgia Career Pathways program
Dave Williams reports that Georgia high schools soon will be offering a new career pathway aimed at filling the growing number of technology jobs in the Peach State. The state Board of Education has approved State School Superintendent Richard Woods’ recommendation to launch a career pathway in cloud computing.
July 27, 2021 University of Georgia
Burgeoning hemp industry faces growing pains
Maria Lameiras reports, when you buy something at the store, you have a pretty good idea of what you’re getting no matter where you buy it — a Coke is a Coke, Oreos are Oreos — and whether you buy them in Atlanta or Seattle doesn’t really change what you get. Farmers are in a similar position when they choose what to plant, but in the burgeoning field of industrial hemp, it turns out that things are much more complicated.
July 27, 2021 All On Georgia
Tricia Pridemore Elected as New Chairman by Georgia Public Service Commission
Staff reports that the Public Service Commission unanimously elected Commissioner Tricia Pridemore as the Chairman of the Commission. Chairman Pridemore was elected to a six-year term in November 2018.
July 27, 2021 Rome News-Tribune, Al.com
Marjorie Taylor Greene in Alabama: Do not force people to take COVID vaccine
John Sharp reports that Republican leaders and conservative TV personalities like Sean Hannity encouraged people this past week to get vaccinated as the Delta variant spreads in states like Alabama where an overwhelming majority of residents remain unvaccinated. But U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, continued to downplay on Friday the importance of unvaccinated people to consider getting vaccinated.
July 27, 2021 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Takeover of Fulton elections considered by Georgia Republicans
Mark Niesse and Ben Brasch report, with a rising drumbeat of criticism, several Republican Georgia legislators are building a case for the state government to take over Fulton County elections. The newfound power to fire local elections management, created by Georgia’s voting law, worries voting rights advocates, who say it could be abused for partisan purposes to tamper with the heavily Democratic county.
