Georgia Trend Daily – Aug. 2, 2022
Aug. 2, 2022 Georgia.gov
Gov. Kemp: Georgia Made Film & TV Productions Generate $4.4B for State in Yet Another Chart-Topping Year
Staff reports that Governor Brian P. Kemp yesterday announced a chart-topping year for the film and television industry as productions spent $4.4 billion in Georgia during fiscal year 2022 – a new industry record. The Georgia Film Office, a strategic office within the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), reported that the State of Georgia hosted 412 productions, represented by 32 feature films, 36 independent films, 269 television and episodic productions, 42 commercials, and 33 music videos between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022.
Aug. 2, 2022 Georgia Trend – Exclusive
HBCU cyber programs get boost
Kenna Simmons reports, calling it “a big win for Georgia’s HBCUs and for cybersecurity in Georgia and nationwide,” Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) celebrated the passage of his bipartisan legislation on July 27 that will expand cybersecurity training programs at the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities. Georgia’s Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Decatur) sponsored the bill in the House of Representatives.
Aug. 2, 2022 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta-based Global Payments makes $4 billion purchase
Michael E. Kanell reports that Atlanta-based Global Payments, which sells technology for financial transactions, announced Monday that it will acquire EVO Payments for $4 billion. The acquisition will allow Global Payments to expand, selling into new markets, while adding to its own product line in business-to-business software, officials said in a statement.
Aug. 2, 2022 Reporter Newspapers & Atlanta Intown
Update: $50 million loss to economy after Music Midtown festival canceled due to gun ban challenge
Collin Kelley and Sammie Purcell report that 2022 Music Midtown festival scheduled to take place in September at Piedmont Park has been canceled. Rumors had been circulating all weekend on social media that a cancellation announcement was imminent.
Aug. 2, 2022 Georgia.org
Two Industrial Sites in Bibb County Earn Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development – Select Certification
Staff reports that the Georgia Department of Economic Development, in cooperation with the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority (MBCIA), today announced that the Airport East Industrial Park and the Interstate 75 Business Park have earned a “Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development” (GRAD) certification with “Select” status. The sites’ new “GRAD Select” status provides an additional seal of approval that makes it especially attractive for future industrial development.
Aug. 2, 2022 GlobalAtlanta.com
Delta Adds Atlanta-Cape Town Flight to Growing Africa Map
Trevor Williams reports, on the eve of restoring service on one of the longest flights in the world — a 17-hour nonstop from Atlanta to Johannesburg set to restart Aug. 1 — Delta Air Lines Inc. is adding another marathon flight to its South Africa repertoire. The airline announced that it would fly to Cape Town beginning Dec. 17, a more-than-15-hour trip that expands the Atlanta-based airline’s Africa map, already the most extensive among American carriers.
Aug. 2, 2022 GPB
Minor traffic tickets and private probation land many poor Georgians thousands of dollars in debt
Leah Fleming reports, there is a law that allows cities and counties in Georgia to offload their probations for misdemeanors to private companies. Those cities and counties charge the companies, and the companies then shift the cost to the person on probation. But people who are coming through the system are often poor or low income.
Aug. 2, 2022 The Center Square
Georgia pension fund provides 1.5% cost of living adjustment to help retirees
T.A. DeFeo reports that retired Georgia state employees started receiving a 1.5% cost-of-living adjustment with their monthly benefit payment, which state lawmakers say is needed amid rising inflation. In passing the $30.2 billion fiscal 2023 state budget with House Bill 911, Georgia lawmakers allocated $119.6 million to increase the employer contribution rate for several retirement plans.
Aug. 2, 2022 Georgia Recorder
Probe of Coffee County’s 2020 election conduct revives Georgia voting machine lawsuit
Stanley Dunlap reports that a long-running federal lawsuit challenging the security of Georgia’s voting system is now entangled in a dispute over the handling of an investigation into allegations that 2020 election skeptics illegally breached a county’s voting system. Attorneys representing the Coalition for a Good Governance and other election security advocates will attempt to wrap up depositions in the coming weeks and obtain other evidence regarding accusations that Coffee County elections officials granted activists access to the Dominion Voting System that is a frequent target of conspiracy theories tied to Republican President Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 election to Democrat Joe Biden.
Aug. 2, 2022 Capitol Beat News
Georgia ethics panel moves ahead with full hearing on group linked to Stacey Abrams
Rebecca Grapevine reports that the state ethics commission voted Monday to move forward with a full hearing on whether a group founded by Democratic gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams and its affiliated action fund violated campaign finance laws. At the center of the dispute is whether the activities of the New Georgia Project and an affiliated fund were sufficiently political in nature to require registering as campaign and ballot committees under Georgia law.
Aug. 2, 2022 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Some guidance issued for Georgians to claim embryos on their taxes
Maya T. Prabhu reports that the Georgia Department of Revenue on Monday released guidance for parents who are expecting children to claim an embryo on their taxes. n a press release, Revenue Department officials said anyone who is expecting a child as of July 20 through the end of the year can claim in their 2022 filing a $3,000 tax deduction per embryo or fetus on the “other adjustments” line of the state’s tax documents.
