Georgia Trend Daily – Sept. 29, 2023

Sept. 29, 2023 WABE

Advocates call for federal intervention on Georgia’s toxic coal ash

Emily Jones reports that as federal regulators prepare to reject Alabama’s plan for storing toxic coal ash, Georgia activists are calling for the same in their state. Coal ash is a byproduct of burning coal to make electricity.

Sept. 29, 2023 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!

Jekyll Island’s Local Impact

Jeffrey Humphreys reports, Jekyll Island’s fiscal year 2022 economic impact on Glynn County includes: $1.1 billion in sales (output or gross receipts); $625 million in production (value added); $387 million in income; 9,905 full- and part-time jobs; and $35 million in tax revenue for local government.

Sept. 29, 2023 Atlanta Journal-Constitution

AGCO spending $2 billion on new ag tech joint venture with Trimble

Drew Kann reports that Georgia-based agricultural machinery giant AGCO announced Thursday that it will spend $2 billion to purchase an 85% stake in the agriculture business of technology firm Trimble, in a bid to boost its automated and precision farming offerings. AGCO said it will create a joint venture with the investment, which will be the exclusive provider of Trimble’s agricultural technology offerings.

Sept. 29, 2023 Savannah Morning News

Would a federal shutdown affect air travel? Georgia airports may see delays, worker shortages

Abraham Kenmore reports that Georgia is a hub of air travel, with the busiest airport in the world being Hatsfield-Jackson in Atlanta. If the government shuts down, however, that air travel could be slowing.

Sept. 29, 2023 GlobalAtlanta.com

New Korean Consul General No Stranger to Georgia

Trevor Williams reports, many diplomats posted in Atlanta discover the city for the first time when it comes available as a possible posting. For Sangpyo Suh, arriving here in July constituted something of a homecoming.

Sept. 29, 2023 Marietta Daily Journal

Business leaders talk future growth of Cumberland

Hunter Riggall reports, future development in Cumberland could bring lots more housing, some offices and a smattering of retail and hotels, consultants told business leaders Thursday. The success of the area, they added, will depend on leveraging and weaving together the area’s major assets.

Sept. 29, 2023 Capitol Beat News

Five rural Georgia school districts getting grants for innovative programs

Dave Williams reports that five school districts in rural Georgia will receive $20,000 grants to pilot innovative educational programs, the state Department of Education announced Thursday. The Clay, Crisp, Dooly, Macon, and Sumpter county school systems will get grants from the nonprofit Georgia Foundation for Public Education (GFPE) funded through a dollar-for-dollar state income tax credit program.

Sept. 29, 2023 Georgia Recorder

Georgia officials, honeybee experts working to take sting out of hornet invasion

Ross Williams reports that a tiny menace has been buzzing around Georgia’s coastal region and is trying to snatch up the state’s honeybees, but a team of scientists and state and federal employees are working to prevent the dangerous and disrespectful yellow-legged hornet from gaining a foothold in the Peach state.

Sept. 29, 2023 Athens Banner Herald

Second Chance Desk in Athens helps people restrict viewing of criminal records

Wayne Ford reports, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held Thursday in Athens for the opening of an office that can help people with criminal convictions effectively restrict public viewing of these histories. The Second Chance Desk of the Georgia Justice Project can clean a person’s conviction on public records with a goal of enabling the person find employment, obtain housing and moving forward with their lives, according to Tiffany Gordon, staff attorney for the Project at its headquarters in Atlanta.

Sept. 29, 2023 Georgia Trend – Exclusive

Georgia’s Seasonal Coast

Sucheta Rawal reports that Savannah’s Waterfront seems to be expanding in both directions. With the JW Marriott on one end and the Thompson Hotel at the other, there are plenty of dining options along River Street. The newest addition to the block is Fleeting, a modern chic restaurant that marries Georgia ingredients with internationally inspired flavors.

Sept. 29, 2023 The Center Square

Georgia district attorney says more money is needed for DNA testing

T.A. Defeo reports that a $535,000 grant from the federal Bureau of Justice Assistance helps fund Cobb County’s cold case squad, which at the time of the grant had “physical case files” for roughly 100 unsolved violent crimes, sexual assaults and murders — about 10% with DNA from a suspect. District Attorney Flynn Broady told The Center Square more money is needed for DNA testing.

Sept. 29, 2023 State Affairs

Georgia considering occupational license reform

Tammy Joyner reports that the Senate Study Committee on Occupational Licensing heard this week from several experts with insights into the bureaucratic barriers plaguing skilled workers. Many occupational licenses in Georgia are issued by one of 43 licensing boards housed in the Professional Licensing Boards Division of the secretary of state’s office.

Sept. 29, 2023 Rome News-Tribune

Moore booted from GOP Senate Caucus after members say he put colleagues and families at risk

John Druckenmiller reports that a Northwest Georgia state senator’s unrelenting push to investigate Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis over the indictments of Donald Trump and 18 others has cost him a seat at the state GOP Senate Caucus. Sen. Colton Moore, a first-term Republican whose district includes the western edges of Floyd County, was removed because of his “advocacy for his ill-conceived proposal,” according to a statement from state Republicans.

Sept. 29, 2023 Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Jolt: Poll shows strong state support for public safety training center

Adam Van Brimmer, Greg Bluestein, Patricia Murphy and Tia Mitchell report that a new poll highlights the risks for Democrats with statewide political ambitions who oppose the Atlanta public safety training center, hinting at why so few prominent party leaders have argued against the $90 million project. The 20-20 Insight poll found about 60% of likely Georgia voters said they back Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens’ support for the facility.