Georgia Trend Daily – July 24, 2023
July 24, 2023 Georgia Recorder
State regulators to hear Plant Vogtle progress report after nuclear expansion stalled again
Stanley Dunlap reports that Georgia Power announced on Friday that the Waynesboro’s nuclear energy facility operators, Southern Nuclear, has turned over to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission the 364 inspections, tests and analyses required for regulatory approval to assure that Vogtle’s final reactor meets strict nuclear safety and quality standards prior to completion.
July 24, 2023 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
An Optimistic Outlook
Philippa Maister reports that Georgia was on a lot of people’s minds in 2022 as companies and countries jockeyed to find the best markets for their goods and the best sources for their supplies. The result was a record $196 billion in the state’s total trade, up 18% from 2021.
July 24, 2023 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
UPS and Teamsters to resume contract negotiations Tuesday
Kelly Yamanouchi reports that the Teamsters union said Friday that negotiations with Sandy Springs-based UPS are set to restart next Tuesday. The talks will resume with just a week remaining to reach a labor deal and avert a strike, before the UPS contract with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union representing 340,000 workers is set to expire.
July 24, 2023 Georgia.gov
Gov. Kemp Announces New Executive Director of State Charter Schools Commission
Staff reports that Gov. Kemp, on Friday announced that the State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia has selected Donovan Head to serve as Executive Director of the Commission, following approval of his hiring by the Board of Commissioners at a called meeting this morning. Head will begin serving as Executive Director effective August 1.
July 24, 2023 The Brunswick News
Tourism continues to grow in Golden Isles
Gordon Jackson reports, despite a 5.34% decrease in tourism in June, the Golden Isles is still seeing positive growth in the occupancy rate through the first six months of the year. Compared to this time last year, the occupancy rate has grown by 2.8%, according to the Golden Isles Convention and Visitors Bureau.
July 24, 2023 Marietta Daily Journal
Get to know Vanderlande, the Cobb-based firm that handles your luggage
Hunter Riggall reports, if you’ve received a package from an e-commerce site, or flown Delta Air Lines out of the Atlanta airport, the company has likely helped move your stuff from point A to point B. The firm last fall opened its new $59 million North American headquarters on Sandy Plains Road in the Town Center community.
July 24, 2023 Valdosta Daily Times
Making History: Civil rights mural graces downtown
Malia Thomas reports, history makes its way from books and onto the canvas of Downtown Valdosta thanks to a new mural honoring civil rights figures of the past. According to Christ the King Church officials, the mural, located adjacent to Mack’s Park on McKey Street, will showcase a collection of portraits representing notable leaders who have made significant contributions to promoting equality, LGBTQ rights and the pursuit of justice.
July 24, 2023 Athens Banner-Herald
The Endangered Species Act turns 50 this year. See how it has helped in Georgia.
Erica Van Buren reports that the Endangered Species Act, enacted 50 years ago to protect animal and plant species from becoming extinct, is credited with protecting 1,662 species in the United States and 638 foreign species. The ESA provides protection of ecosystems, conservation of endangered and threatened species, and the enforcement of all treaties related to wildlife preservation, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
July 24, 2023 Union-Recorder, CNHI News
Commission overseeing Georgia district attorneys slow to start
Asia Ashley reports that members for the new Republican-backed commission established to oversee Georgia’s district attorneys and solicitors general have yet to be appointed despite the July 1 deadline. So far, House Speaker Jon Burns, R-Newington, is the only authorized person to make his appointment to the eight-member Prosecuting Attorneys Qualification Commission.
July 24, 2023 GPB
Savannah ‘shero’ tops list of recommendations for city’s historic square renaming
Benjamin Payne reports, Savannah park officials have signaled a clear favorite in the city’s search for a new name to bestow upon a historic town square that — for more than 170 years until late 2022 — had honored former Vice President John C. Calhoun, an avowed supporter of slavery. The city’s Park and Tree Commission voted Tuesday to recommend a slate of five names to Savannah City Council, led by the nine-member board’s top vote-getter: Susie King Taylor, a Black educator who served as an Army nurse for the Union during the Civil War.
July 24, 2023 State Affairs
Legislative Black Caucus calls out racial disparities and socioeconomic inequities in Georgia at annual conference
Jill Jordan Sieder reports, the annual gathering of the nation’s largest Black legislative caucus kicked off Friday with a presentation by the Urban League of Greater Atlanta on “The State of Black Georgia,” which pointed out racial disparities across the state in the areas of economics, education, social justice, health, and civic engagement. Black legislators and civic leaders present called for legislation and policy to address the inequities and challenges highlighted in the report.
July 24, 2023 Capitol Beat News
Georgia DOT to test mileage-based user fee
Dave Williams reports that the Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) is about to launch an experiment with a different form of transportation tax designed to capture revenue from drivers of electric vehicles. The agency is looking for 150 volunteers to take part in a federally funded pilot project that will replace gasoline and other motor fuels taxes with a tax based on the number of miles driven.
July 24, 2023 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Stamp ceremony gives community chance to reflect on John Lewis’ legacy
Davis Giangiulio reports that family and friends of John Lewis gathered with community members in Morehouse College’s Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel on Friday to celebrate the first day of sale of a forever stamp honoring the late congressman. The event was also the first public memorial for Lewis’ life and legacy since his death from pancreatic cancer three years ago Monday.
