Georgia Trend Daily – Sept. 2, 2021
Sept. 2, 2021 Georgia Health News
State Shatters Record For COVID-19 Hospitalizations
Andy Miller reports that state has broken its record for COVID patient hospitalizations, and has reached 5,880, a Public Health spokeswoman said Tuesday. The previous mark was set Jan. 12 at 5,814 hospitalized virus patients during the third COVID surge, according to Nancy Nydam, the spokeswoman. (The agency’s website Tuesday shows a lower hospitalization figure.)
Sept. 2, 2021 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Four Georgia communities chosen for “smart” services
Mary Ann DeMuth reports that the nonprofit Partnership for Inclusive Innovation (PIN) has selected four communities to take part in its 2021 Georgia Smart Communities Challenge (GA Smart). The program enables localities across the state to apply for research assistance in planning for a “smart” future.
Sept. 2, 2021 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta hopes return of college football provides economic kick
Christopher Quinn reports that Atlanta’s big-events industry is putting its hopes in people like Reginald and Latia Boney from Durham, North Carolina. The two North Carolina Central University graduates came to Atlanta last weekend and joined 15,000 other fans at the annual Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff to watch their alma mater’s football team beat Alcorn State University.
Sept. 2, 2021 Brunswick News
Mining plans to get more scrutiny
Gordon Jackson reports that legislation that changed the scope of the Clean Water Act last year has been overturned by a federal judge. The ruling earlier this week restores the federal government’s responsibility to protect streams that provide clean drinking water and wetlands that provide sanctuary for wildlife.
Sept. 2, 2021 The Center Square
Federal stimulus pushes Georgia to record personal income growth
Nyamekye Daniel reports that Georgia experienced a double-digit increase in personal income growth over the course of a year, reflecting the strongest rise ever in the first quarter, according to a new report. The Pew Charitable Trusts report released Wednesday showed the state’s personal income in the first quarter of 2020 through the first quarter of 2021 increased by 15.7%.
Sept. 2, 2021 Augusta Chronicle
University Hospital board could review, approve merger with Piedmont next week
Tom Corwin reports that University Hospital and Piedmont Healthcare are close to having a definitive agreement that University’s board could review and approve next week, although the deal still faces state and federal scrutiny. University, which announced a potential merger with Piedmont in May, has been in extensive negotiations over the language of the agreement and most of the issues are finalized, said University CEO Jim Davis.
Sept. 2, 2021 Savannah Morning News
Tybee Island passes ordinance decriminalizing marijuana possession of one ounce or less
Nancy Guan reports that Tybee Island has passed an ordinance reducing penalties for marijuana possession of one ounce or less, joining the City of Savannah, Chatham County and a handful of other jurisdictions in Georgia that have decriminalized minor possession in recent years. Savannah decriminalized marijuana in 2018. Chatham County did likewise in 2020.
Sept. 2, 2021 Georgia Recorder
State lawmakers urged to take action as ‘rural Georgia falls into ruins’
Jill Nolin reports that the population shift from Georgia’s small towns to its cities has accelerated over the last decade, frustrating the state’s rural lawmakers and others who have worked for years to buck the trend. Rural Georgia continues to represent the bulk of the state’s land mass, but it is now only home to 21% of the state’s population.
Sept. 2, 2021 WSB-Radio
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger wants answers concerning the DOJ’s recent election law lawsuit
Sandra Parrish reports that Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger wants to know who is behind the lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice over the state’s new election law. He has filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the DOJ to release any records of contact with Stacey Abrams, her Fair Fight Action group or more than 60 other such organizations.
Sept. 2, 2021 Capitol Beat News
Georgia wins another tri-state water wars case
Dave Williams reports that Georgia has scored another victory in the decades-long tri-state water wars with Alabama and Florida. In a decision issued late last week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers granted Georgia’s request for water allocation from Allatoona Lake, which supplies Cobb County and the city of Cartersville.
Sept. 2, 2021 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia anti-abortion law heads back to court in September
Maya T. Prabhu reports that while the U.S. Supreme Court’s announced Monday that it would consider a restrictive anti-abortion law out of Mississippi, Georgia activists are readying for their day in a federal appeals court later this year. Debate on Georgia’s law that would ban most abortions once a doctor could detect fetal cardiac activity — usually around six weeks of pregnancy — is scheduled for the week of Sept. 24.
