Georgia Trend Daily – Aug. 6, 2021
Aug. 6, 2021 Capitol Beat News
Georgia Supreme Court going back to remote oral arguments
Dave Williams reports that this month’s oral arguments before the Georgia Supreme Court will be held remotely, Chief Justice David Nahmias announced Thursday. Word that the high court was going back to online proceedings came less than a week after Verda Colvin was sworn in as the newest Supreme Court justice during a live ceremony inside the state Capitol and two months after the court resumed conducting in-person hearings at the nearby Nathan Deal Judicial Center.
Aug. 6, 2021 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Political Notes: Ups, Downs and In-betweens
Susan Percy reports that Teresa MacCartney, formerly executive vice chancellor for administration at USG and the state budget director under former Gov. Nathan Deal, is the new acting chancellor of the university system. She was appointed by the Board of Regents (BOR) to lead the system while members continue the search for a permanent chancellor to replace Steve Wrigley, who retired July 1, after serving since 2017.
Aug. 6, 2021 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia jobless claims tick up, but longer trend is down
Michael E. Kanell reports that jobless claims in Georgia ticked up last week to halt — at least temporarily — a four-month decline. The Department of Labor processed 13,406 claims during the seven days ending July 31.
Aug. 6, 2021 Rome News-Tribune
Hearing on Hammond coal-ash pond set for Tuesday; Ga. Power wants to cap the unlined pool
Doug Walker reports that Georgia Power is seeking a permit to leave one of its coal ash ponds at Plant Hammond in place for perpetuity. The state Environmental Protection Division has scheduled a public hearing on the issue for Tuesday. It will be conducted virtually, via Zoom, starting at 6 p.m.
Aug. 6, 2021 WABE 90.1
Ga. Monarch Butterflies Struggle With Climate Change
Aaron Tremper reports that Georgia residents can expect to see monarch butterflies two times during the year: in the spring, when the orange and black insects lay their eggs all over the state, and in the fall, when adult butterflies make a pitstop during their 3,000-mile journey back to their overwintering grounds in Mexico. But starting in the mid-’90s, researchers noticed that monarchs were struggling.
Aug. 6, 2021 Brunswick News
Development authority gets creative to promote the region
Gordon Jackson reports that the Southeast Georgia Development Authority is trying to get creative when it comes to promoting the region to site selection managers. Board members will host a virtual tour of the region in October to promote different locations available for development.
Aug. 6, 2021 Macon Telegraph
New interstate connecting Columbus, Macon one step closer to reality with this bill
Nick Wooten reports that a long-proposed interstate route connecting key military installations and three of Georgia’s largest cities inches closer to reality if Congress passes the new bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure bill. An amendment to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act proposed by Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) for Interstate 14 passed the Senate Tuesday by a rare voice vote with no objections.
Aug. 6, 2021 GPB
Raffensperger Announces 185,666 Voter Registrations Will Soon Move To Inactive Status
Stephen Fowler reports that Georgia Secretary of State’s office will soon move more than 185,000 voter registrations to inactive status after receiving no contact from them for five years, kicking off the process for eventual removal from the state’s rolls under a federally mandated list maintenance process. Inactive voters are still eligible to vote like normal.
Aug. 6, 2021 CNN
GOP fears grow over Herschel Walker as party leaders seek other candidates in Georgia Senate race
Manu Raju, Alex Rogers and Michael Warren report that Republicans from Georgia to Washington, DC, are searching for a viable candidate to mount a Senate bid in the Peach State next year, fearing that former President Donald Trump’s choice, football great Herschel Walker, would implode if he ran and could cost the GOP a winnable seat. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has suggested to allies that former Georgia senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler should take another look at running again, according to three sources familiar with the matter, after their narrow losses in January flipped the Senate to Democratic control.
Aug. 6, 2021 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Jolt: Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Iowa trip fuels speculation of presidential hopes
Tia Mitchell and Greg Bluestein report that U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has not said anything about wanting to be president. But she has been traveling across the nation with a fellow conservative, raising big cash and increasing her profile as a far-right firebrand.
