Georgia Trend Daily – Aug. 31, 2023
Aug. 31, 2023 WSB-Radio
Idalia makes its way out of Georgia after causing widespread damage
Staff reports that Hurricane Idalia officially made landfall as a Category 3 storm on Wednesday morning on Florida’s Big Bend coast before bringing damaging winds and heavy rain to south Georgia. Idalia was downgraded to a tropical storm as of 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Aug. 31, 2023 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Towns Resurrected
Betty Darby reports, a few decades ago, many of Georgia’s downtowns could have been the backdrop for “The Walking Dead,” the apocalyptic television series filmed in the state. The downtowns weren’t exactly dead in the ‘70s and ‘80s, but they weren’t pretty and their economic prospects were poor.
Aug. 31, 2023 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A year later, the future of the former AMC site remains up in the air
Donovan J. Thomas and Ariel Hart report that today marks a year since the bombshell announcement confirming that Atlanta Medical Center would be closed, leaving city leaders furious and vowing to stymie any new development until health services can be restored. Today the buildings are still dark and it’s unclear if any progress has been made toward restoring health care services there or finding a future use for the property.
Aug. 31, 2023 Georgia.org
4 Fungi’s Regenerative Takes Root in Georgia
Staff reports that the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) announced that 4 Fungi’s Regenerative, a sustainable controlled environment agriculture (CEA) and food production company, will establish a new greenhouse in Metter. The facility will create almost 50 new jobs and $27 million in investment in Candler County.
Aug. 31, 2023 Georgia Recorder
Georgia Power, state regulators agree to division of Vogtle nuclear plant costs
Stanley Dunlap reports, a settlement agreement among Georgia Power, clean energy advocates, and state regulators’ staff could result in several billion dollars of costs being passed along to company shareholders for the beleaguered Plant Vogtle nuclear expansion project.
Aug. 31, 2023 Capitol Beat News
Wellstar, Augusta University partnership up and running
Dave Williams reports that the partnership the Wellstar and Augusta University health systems (AUHS) announced last December went into operation Wednesday. Under a 40-year agreement the two parties announced in March, Wellstar plans to invest nearly $800 million over the next decade in AUHS facilities and infrastructure, including more than $200 million that will go to Augusta University Medical Center, a more than 600-bed safety net and teaching hospital.
Aug. 31, 2023 Saporta Report
Preservationists to call for saving Central State Hospital historic buildings at Aug. 31 meeting
John Ruch reports that preservationists plan to press officials at an Aug. 31 meeting to back off a demolition plan for historic buildings at Milledgeville’s Central State Hospital. Friends of Central State Hospital (FCSH) and the Atlanta Preservation Center (APC) are among those who plan to attend the meeting of the Board of the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), which last month got the demolition authorization from Gov. Brian Kemp.
Aug. 31, 2023 WABE
Georgia labor union representatives push for Hyundai to commit to protecting workers
Marion Hyder reports, in a letter to the CEO of Hyundai Motors on Aug. 27, a coalition of labor union members from Alabama and Georgia say they’re deeply concerned with what they say is Hyundai’s track record of violating worker’s rights. The South Korean automaker says they will hire more than 8,000 people in the U.S. over the next few years as they grow EV manufacturing in the South.
Aug. 31, 2023 Albany Herald
UGA professor J. Marshall Shepherd to receive Environmental Achievement Award
Staff reports that University of Georgia professor J. Marshall Shepherd was recently named the recipient of the prestigious 2023 Environmental Achievement Award. This accolade is presented annually by the Environmental Law Institute to individuals or organizations that have made notable contributions to environmental protection, conservation and sustainability.
Aug. 31, 2023 Rome News-Tribune
Rome water customers to begin seeing lower water bills stemming from lawsuit settlement
David Crowder reports that Rome water and sewer customers will soon be getting some relief on their bills, as a rate rollback goes into effect on Friday. The Rome City Commission had increased rates to pay for a new reverse osmosis facility to filter per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, and other chemicals from its drinking water supply on the Oostanaula River.
Aug. 31, 2023 Capitol Beat News
New coalition takes aim at tort reform in Georgia
Dave Williams reports that a new nonprofit founded by three high-power lobbying firms is setting its sites on tort reform in Georgia. Competitive Georgia announced its formation Tuesday, the latest sign that business leaders are preparing a major push for the General Assembly to curb what they see as frivolous lawsuits that drive up the cost of doing business.
Aug. 31, 2023 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Jolt: GOP leaders battling misinformation in their ranks
Patricia Murphy, Greg Bluestein, Tia Mitchell and Adam Van Brimmer report a haunting pattern is emerging in Georgia with Donald Trump-fueled misinformation. Back in 2020, Trump and his allies pressed Georgia lawmakers to overturn the state’s election. He then vilified Gov. Brian Kemp and legislative leaders when they refused to break state laws to invalidate the result of Georgia votes.
