Georgia Trend Daily – March 8, 2022
March 8, 2022 Valdosta Daily Times
Valdosta gas prices highest in Ga.
Terry Richards reports that Valdosta gasoline prices have skyrocketed to the highest in Georgia since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The average cost of a gallon of regular gasoline in the Azalea City Monday was $4.02 — an increase of a staggering 51 cents in a week, according to the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report.
March 8, 2022 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Political Notes: The Ups, Downs and In-betweens
Susan Percy reports that Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has announced a new partnership with Salesforce and MTX Group, a global technology consulting firm, aimed at streamlining the voting process in Georgia. The new system, the Georgia Registered Voter Information System (GaRVIS), will store registration records and is expected to reduce voters’ waiting-in-line times and allow for faster processing of absentee ballots.
March 8, 2022 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Delta Air Lines sponsors National Women’s Soccer League
Kelly Yamanouchi reports that Delta Air Lines said it has signed a sponsorship deal to become the official airline of the National Women’s Soccer League. It’s Delta’s first major sponsorship of a women’s professional league and will make it the women’s soccer league’s travel partner, though it does not include a charter contract.
March 8, 2022 Saporta Report
Interface names Laurel Hurd of Newell Brands as its new CEO
Maria Saporta reports that one of Georgia’s most environmentally-friendly companies — Interface Inc. — has selected a new president and CEO. The company announced on Monday that Laurel Hurd has been tapped to lead the company, effective April 18.
March 8, 2022 Athens Banner-Herald, Augusta Chronicle
National faculty organization censures University System of Georgia over tenure
Abraham Kenmore reports that the governing council of the American Association of University Professors voted to censure the University System of Georgia over changes to tenure protections for faculty on Saturday. USG is the first public university system to be censured by the faculty group in 44 years.
March 8, 2022 Brunswick News
Legislation banning mining in Okefenokee swamp not moving forward
Gordon Jackson reports that proposed legislation that would have ended the possibility of mining near the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is no longer a consideration. House Bill 1289, the Okefenokee Protection Act, would have prevented the state Environmental Protection Division from issuing, modifying or renewing surface mining permits on Trial Ridge for any applications submitted or revised after July 1.
March 8, 2022 The Current
Late Friday appointments to Spaceport Authority raise concerns about county intent
Mary Landers reports, in special called meeting late Friday afternoon, the Camden County Commission appointed members to the Spaceport Camden Authority, a move that spaceport opponents and a state representative fear may indicate an attempt to buy the land for the spaceport even if Camden voters object. The authority was created three years ago by the Georgia General Assembly, but no members had ever been named.
March 8, 2022 Gwinnett Daily Post
Gwinnett’s legislative races begin to take shape as qualifying begins
Curt Yeomans reports that the races for seats in Gwinnett County’s state Senate and state House delegations began to take shape as candidate qualifying for the May 24 primary election got underway on Monday. Several candidates were listed on the Secretary of State’s website as having already filed paperwork to run for legislative seats from Gwinnett by early afternoon on Monday.
March 8, 2022 Rome News-Tribune
Longtime senator Jeff Mullis of Chickamauga not seeking re-election
Staff reports that Republican State Sen. Jeff Mullis of Chickamauga, who has served more than two decades, announced Monday, March 7, he’s not seeking reelection. Under new redistricting maps Mullis would have represented Chattooga and northern Floyd in Senate District 53, with Walker, Catoosa and Dade counties.
March 8, 2022 Georgia Recorder
Senate education panel advances ‘divisive concepts’ bill, stripped of college rules
Stanley Dunlap reports that a Georgia lawmaker’s proposal to prohibit the teaching of “divisive concepts” in public schools will no longer force colleges and universities to comply. The Senate Education and Youth Committee voted Monday in favor of Senate Bill 377 after its author stripped away higher education so that it now only prohibits k-12 teachers and other school staff from causing students to feel guilty or ashamed by talking about race, ethnicity, or other sensitive topics in the classroom.
March 8, 2022 Capitol Beat News
State Senate committee OKs bond financing option for Plant Vogtle project
Dave Williams reports that legislation allowing Georgia Power to finance the Plant Vogtle nuclear expansion and other large projects through bonds cleared a state Senate committee Monday over the objections of the chairman of the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC). Senate Bill 421 would authorize Georgia Power to pursue securitized bond financing to recover some of the costs of the Vogtle project as well as what the Atlanta-based utility is spending to retire its fleet of coal-burning power plants and clean up the ash ponds surrounding those plants.
March 8, 2022 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Senate panel backs ban on session fundraising by special committees
James Salzer reports that the Georgia Senate Ethics Committee on Monday unanimously backed legislation banning the new leadership committees affiliated with candidates such as Gov. Brian Kemp from raising money during legislative sessions. The campaign committees of statewide elected officials — such as Kemp — and lawmakers have been barred for more than three decades from raising money during legislative sessions, when they are passing bills and deciding how to spend state tax money.
