Georgia Trend Daily – Oct. 27, 2023
Oct. 27, 2023 Georgia Recorder
Georgia special legislative session on tap for the holidays after judge tosses political maps
Jill Nolin reports that the governor has called a special session to draw new political maps after a federal judge struck down Georgia’s congressional and legislative boundary lines as racially discriminatory and blocked the state from using the maps in future elections. Gov. Brian Kemp set Nov. 29 as the date for state lawmakers to return to Atlanta for a redistricting do-over after U.S. District Court Judge Steve C. Jones ruled Thursday that the state’s 2021 maps illegally dilute Black voting strength and violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
Oct. 27, 2023 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Honoring our 2023 40 Under 40 Recipients
Julia Roberts reports, on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, at the Atlanta History Center, we had the pleasure of celebrating the 2023 Georgia Trend 40 Under 40 honorees. The evening was made possible because of generous sponsors Mercer University and Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce.
Oct. 27, 2023 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
UPS revenue, profits continue to decline amid economic turmoil
Kelly Yamanouchi reports that Sandy Springs-based UPS said its revenue declined by 12.8% in the third quarter and its profit fell by more than half, amid rocky economic conditions and the effects of lost business during labor negotiations earlier this year. UPS on Thursday reported net income of $1.1 billion for the quarter ended September 30. That’s down 56.4% from a year ago.
Oct. 27, 2023 GlobalAtlanta.com
A Year After Groundbreaking, Hyundai Ramps Up Hiring at Electric Vehicle Factory
Trevor Williams reports, a year after breaking ground, Hyundai Motor Group has hired about 290 people at its Metaplant near Savannah, the company announced as it released photos and renderings of the factory being built along Interstate 16. These “Meta Pros,” in company parlance, are direct employees of Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, or HMGMA.
Oct. 27, 2023 Rome News-Tribune
Georgia Council for the Arts Awards Grant Funding to 87 Organizations including DeSoto Theatre, Rome Little Theatre
Staff reports that the Historic DeSoto Theatre and Rome Little Theatre are among 87 organizations to receive grant funding from the Georgia Council for the Arts. Georgia Council for the Arts, a strategic arm of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, recently announced the recipients of fiscal year 2024 Vibrant Communities and Cultural Facilities grant awards.
Oct. 27, 2023 Athens Banner-Herald
Most recent median home sales in Clarke County down at $299,750
Staff reports, newly-released data for July shows that potential buyers and sellers in Clarke County saw houses sell for lower than the previous month’s median sale price of $360,000. The median home sold for $299,750, an analysis of data from Realtor.com shows.
Oct. 27, 2023 Augusta Chronicle
Most recent median home sales in Richmond County the same at $185,000
Staff reports, newly-released data for July shows that potential buyers and sellers in Richmond County saw houses sell for the same as the previous month’s median sale price of $185,000. The median home sold for $185,000, an analysis of data from Realtor.com shows.
Oct. 27, 2023 The Brunswick News
Federal judge rejects Camden spaceport lawsuit
Gordon Jackson reports, a federal judge has denied a lawsuit by Camden County seeking a refund of the $2.64 million for the money paid to Union Carbide for a 4,000-acre tract planned as a commercial spaceport. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood, rejected the county’s claim for a refund, as well as legal fees associated with the lawsuit.
Oct. 27, 2023 Clayton News-Daily
Clayton County Office of Economic Development Seeking Input on Small Business Incubator
Anthony Rhodes reports that the Clayton County Office of Economic Development is seeking input on a new small business incubator to be located in the old Social Security office near Southlake Mall in Morrow. The county recently bought the building for $3 million, with the facility to be renovated to serve as the new Clayton OED office and small business incubator.
Oct. 27, 2023 State Affairs
Lawmakers scramble for ideas on how to improve health care in rural Georgia
Tammy Joyner reports, on Wednesday, state lawmakers heard from experts from across the health care spectrum about the challenges of getting health care to rural Georgians and how to deal with them. “We’re at a crossroads in our health crisis in the state of Georgia,” Rep. Gerald Greene, co-chairman of the House Rural Development Council, told State Affairs.
Oct. 27, 2023 Capitol Beat News
Rural Georgians suffering disproportionately from mental health issues
Dave Williams reports that most calls from Georgians to a national mental health crisis hotline launched last year have come from rural areas of the state, particularly counties in South Georgia, a state mental health official said Thursday. The comparatively large volume of calls from rural Georgians to the 988 number since the hotline went live in July 2022 dovetails with a significantly higher number of suicides reported in rural Georgia, Ashley Fielding, an assistant commissioner with the state Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, told members of the Georgia House Rural Development Council meeting at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro.
Oct. 27, 2023 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Jolt: Court orders redistricting do-over, but legal tests still ahead
Adam Van Brimmer, Greg Bluestein, Patricia Murphy and Tia Mitchell report that Georgia state lawmakers are now scheduled for a post-Thanksgiving special legislative session after a federal judge on Thursday ruled the Republican-drawn political district maps violated a landmark civil rights law. U.S. District Judge Steve Jones gave lawmakers until Dec. 8 to overhaul the political boundaries drawn in 2021, but how much that will shake up Georgia’s 2024 election is unknown.
