Georgia Trend Daily – Jan. 26, 2024
Jan. 26, 2024 State Affairs
Atlanta State Farmer’s Market may get $50 million face-lift under Kemp’s proposed budget
Tammy Joyner reports that at 66 years old, the Atlanta State Farmer’s Market — one of the largest in the Southeast if not the nation — is slated to get a $50 million makeover. It’s a line item in Gov. Brian Kemp’s proposed Capital Projects Fund Grant Program set forth in his amended fiscal year 2024 budget.
Jan. 26, 2024 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Move Over Latte, Here Comes Matcha
Sucheta Rawal reports, as the new year begins, we start with new resolutions – some of which may be to eat healthier, spend less money, or exercise more. Lately, matcha has become a popular health drink offered at coffee chops, as an alternative to specialty coffee and tea.
Jan. 26, 2024 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia wanted to attract more data centers. Now it needs more power
Drew Kann and Zachary Hansen report, last fall, the state’s largest electric utility — Georgia Power — came to regulators with a surprising request. Just months after placing the country’s first new nuclear reactor in decades into service, the company said it already needed to make more electricity, and fast.
Jan. 26, 2024 Macon Telegraph
World’s first sustainable jet fuel plant opens in Georgia. What it means for climate change
Kala Hunter and Gautama Mehta report, the world’s first sustainable jet fuel plant made with ethanol technology opened Wednesday in a small town in Georgia. It brought with it the promise of a new way to mitigate a large source of climate change in the aviation sector.
Jan. 26, 2024 The Brunswick News
DNR funding to go to local projects
Gordon Jackson reports that funding has been announced for improvements at Glynn County Coast Guard Beach Park, the creation of a wildlife corridor on Jekyll Island, and a trail in St. Marys. The Coast Guard Beach Park project will receive $3 million to fund renovations, including a new bathroom and additional parking spaces.
Jan. 26, 2024 Covington News
City of Oxford receives Georgia ReLeaf grant
Staff reports that the City of Oxford recently received a Georgia ReLeaf Grant from the Georgia Forestry Commission and Georgia Tree Council for planting trees in Oxford. Oxford was awarded $7,550 for planting trees in the Longstreet Circle subdivision. In 2022, the city arborist and an Oxford College intern completed a street tree inventory for the city of Oxford.
Jan. 26, 2024 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
A growing list of groups oppose mining at Okefenokee Swamp. Will Columbus be next?
Kala Hunter reports, will Columbus add its name to the long list of Georgia cities, counties, and organizations that support the protection of Okefenokee Swamp through a state bill? The 438,000-acre Okefenokee Swamp (three times the size of Muscogee County) that reigns Southeast Georgia has been on the minds of the Georgia legislature, environmentalists, residents of Charlton County, and titanium mining companies for the last several years.
Jan. 26, 2024 Fresh Take Georgia
Gender Disparities in Coaching Salaries at UGA
Taylor Boysen reports that the University of Georgia’s top 15 highest paid coaches primarily represent men’s sports, with only one leading a women’s team. In the 2022 fiscal year, women’s sports coaches at UGA consistently received lower base pay compared to their male counterparts, as revealed by Open Georgia.
Jan. 26, 2024 Savannah Morning News
Raffensperger asking district attorneys to investigate 17 instances of voter fraud
Melissa Cruz reports that Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is asking for investigations into more than a dozen cases of possible voter fraud related to the 2022 General Election. State officials discovered the cases thanks to Georgia’s membership in the Electronic Registration Information Center.
Jan. 26, 2024 Gwinnett Daily Post
Gwinnett Commissioners Urge Legislators To Reconsider Mulberry Cityhood Proposal
Curt Yeomans reports that Gwinnett County commissioners are urging state legislators to consider the impact that the creation of a new city in the northeastern part of the county would have on the rest of Gwinnett. The commission unanimously voted to approve a resolution urging the county’s legislative delegation to “carefully consider” the ramifications of the creation of the proposed city of Mulberry.
Jan. 26, 2024 Georgia Recorder
Have Georgia lawmakers finally hit on the winning formula to pass bill legalizing sports betting?
Stanley Dunlap reports that the ability to legally place a bet in Georgia on an Atlanta Falcons game and other sports competitions is gaining traction with this week’s filing of legislation endorsed by a powerful coalition of Republican and Democratic senators. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, a Butts County Republican, and Senate Minority Leader Gloria Butler are banking on getting a majority of lawmakers enticed by the possibility of legalized sports betting raising millions of dollars for the state lottery’s HOPE collegiate scholarship and pre-K programs.
Jan. 26, 2024 Capitol Beat News
Georgia lawmakers passes antisemitism bill
Dave Williams reports that the General Assembly overwhelmingly passed legislation Thursday defining antisemitism and incorporating it into Georgia’s hate crimes law. The state Senate approved the bill 44-6 after a nearly two-hour debate. The Georgia House of Representatives followed in a 129-5 vote.
Jan. 26, 2024 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia AG pressed to review Election Board proposal
Staff reports that the Republican sponsor of a measure that would allow the State Election Board to investigate Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger asked Attorney General Chris Carr on Thursday to vet the constitutionality of the proposal. The request from state Sen. Max Burns came after his general counsel wrote a letter saying Senate Bill 358 would violate the Georgia Constitution by allowing “unelected bureaucrats unchecked power over the state’s executive branch” and could lead to illegal election interference.
