Georgia Trend Daily – July 10, 2024
July 10, 2024 Savannah Morning News
Georgia releases draft permits to send 6.6M gallons of water per day to Hyundai site
John Deem reports that Georgia environmental officials have released long-awaited draft permits for four wells expected to pump more than 6.6 million gallons of water per day to Hyundai Motor Company’s electric-vehicle manufacturing site near Savannah. The move comes two weeks after local agreements were finalized to draw water from the Floridan Aquifer in Bulloch County and send it to Hyundai’s nearly 2,500-acre complex in Bryan County.
July 10, 2024 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Ups, Downs and In-betweens
Susan Percy reports, former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, a Republican sharply critical of former President Donald Trump, has officially endorsed President Joe Biden’s bid for a second term in the upcoming November election. Duncan served as lieutenant governor from 2019 to 2023 and declined to run for a second term.
July 10, 2024 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Roswell establishes a public facilities authority to fund city projects
Adrianne Murchison reports that Roswell has formed a public facilities authority for the purpose of issuing bonds to raise capital for city-owned development projects. Gov. Brian Kemp approved House Bill 1501 in May to allow for the formation of the Roswell Public Facilities Authority.
July 10, 2024 Capitol Beat News
Federal funding for electric buses coming to Savannah, Augusta
Dave Williams reports that bus systems in two Georgia cities will receive nearly $20 million in federal funds to replace older buses with electric models. Augusta Transit will get almost $12.1 million for quieter, safer, and more reliable electric buses.
July 10, 2024 The Current
Petition starts process for county-wide zoning vote on Sapelo’s Hogg Hummock
Mary Landers reports that community groups in McIntosh County filed a petition in probate court Tuesday to force a county-wide vote on a controversial zoning change on Sapelo Island’s Hogg Hummock. “This is about us asking our local officials and wanting to work with them, and them not hearing us, not listening to us,” said Josiah “Jazz” Watts, a community leader who also works on environmental justice issues for One Hundred Miles.
July 10, 2024 Marietta Daily Journal
Cobb Elections Board to Sue County over Home Rule Map
Annie Mayne reports, the Cobb County Board of Elections has voted to file suit against the county government and state of Georgia, asking Cobb Superior Court to decide once and for all whether the “home rule” map passed by the Cobb Board of Commissioners in 2022 is constitutional. The elections board voted 3-2 Monday, with members Stacy Efrat and Jennifer Mosbacher opposed, to authorize its legal counsel, led by Daniel White, to prepare the lawsuit.
July 10, 2024 GPB
Rome Brewing Company wins gold at U.S. Open Beer Championship
Ambria Burton reports, on July 8, the River Remedy Brewing Company, a craft brewery based in Rome, Ga., announced that it had won two gold medals at the U.S. Open Beer Championship, one of the world’s most popular beer competitions. The U.S. Open Beer Championship, held in Oxford, Ohio, this year, is the third-largest beer brewing competition in the U.S. and is known for judging more beers than any other competition globally, according to a press release.
July 10, 2024 State Affairs
Looking to buy a home but don’t have the down payment? Help is here
Tammy Joyner reports that prospective homebuyers in Georgia needing help with down payments can get an assist from the state and a major banking organization. The Georgia Department of Community Affairs and Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta have teamed up to help would-be homebuyers get money from existing programs in both organizations.
July 10, 2024 WABE
What is a liquid? Utilities sue to avoid coal ash cleanup — and lose
Gautama Mehta reports, in 2019, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division received the authority to issue its own coal ash permits. The state’s main power company, Georgia Power, has plans to close ash ponds in contact with groundwater at a number of sites across Georgia.
July 10, 2024 Capitol Beat News
Ossoff introduces bipartisan bill aimed at human trafficking
Dave Williams reports that U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., and Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., introduced bipartisan legislation Tuesday to strengthen support for victims of human trafficking. Ossoff chairs the Senate’s Human Rights Subcommittee, and Blackburn is the ranking Republican on the panel.
July 10, 2024 Georgia Recorder
GOP election board members press new rules over handling of Georgia’s 2020 presidential election
Stanley Dunlap reports, Georgia’s State Election Board gave initial approval to an amended rule Tuesday that would give local officials more authority to dispute election results if there is a discrepancy in vote totals tallied and the number of votes cast at precincts. The proposed rule, approved by a 3-1 vote during Tuesday’s state board meeting, would require local election officials to count ballots at the precinct level on election night and investigate any discrepancies prior to certifying the election.
July 10, 2024 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Democrats in Congress stick with Biden
Tia Mitchell reports, since his disastrous debate performance in Atlanta, President Joe Biden has attempted to alleviate concerns from supporters through solid public appearances and delicate private conversations. That work appears to have paid off as most congressional Democrats, including those in Georgia’s delegation, say they still support Biden as the party’s nominee for president.
