Georgia Trend Daily – Aug. 2, 2024
Aug. 2, 2024 The Brunswick News
Army Corps considering abandoning commercial maintenance of waterways
Michael Hall reports that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wants to abandon its responsibilities to maintain several Coastal Georgia waterways as commercially navigable, a move that has area advocacy groups scratching their heads over the potential impacts. “There’s a lot that needs to be explained,” said Maggie Van Cantfort, Coastkeeper for the Altamaha Riverkeeper organization
High angle view of business people shaking hands in workshop
Aug. 2, 2024 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
In Commercial Banking, Relationships Remain Top Priority but the Dynamics are Shifting
Cory Jackson reports, relationships have always been critical to the banking industry, even as technological innovation has made it possible to bank anytime, anywhere and often without interacting with another human. This is especially true in consumer finance, where institutions vie for clients on the strength of their automated banking capabilities.
Aug. 2, 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Southern Company profits soar 43% as customers feel pain of rate hikes
Drew Kann reports that profits at Southern Company — the parent of Georgia Power — rose to $1.2 billion in the second quarter of 2024, an increase of more than 43% compared to last year, as the company benefitted from a series of electricity rate increases, high temperatures and an influx of data centers to its service territories. The company reported on Thursday that its earnings across the first half of the year are also up more than 35% compared to 2023, climbing from $1.7 billion to $2.3 billion.
Aug. 2, 2024 GlobalAtlanta.com
Decades of Partnership Pays Off as German Manufacturer Plans Return to Waynesboro
Trevor Williams reports that a German producer of electrical transformers is planning a new facility in the Georgia city where it opened an initial outpost in the state more than 30 years ago. Ritz Instrument Transformers, founded and based in Hamburg, Germany, will invest $28 million in Waynesboro, Ga., just south of Augusta, creating 130 jobs.
Aug. 2, 2024 Gwinnett Daily Post
Suwanee Makes Fortune’s List Of Top Places For Families
Staff reports that the city of Suwanee’s commitment to creating a community that not only supports families in the present but also serves them in the long term is paying off. The city was recently named in Fortune’s Top 50 Best Places to Live for Families in the United States. More than 2,000 cities were analyzed, with Suwanee ranking 27th in the country and No. 1 in Georgia.
Aug. 2, 2024 Marietta Daily Journal
Small Business Grant Program has ‘Remarkable Record of Success’
Annie Mayne reports, in the five years since the Development Authority of Cobb County signed off on a grant program that allocates funding to small businesses, 20 businesses have gotten a cash boost. Brittney Rasmuson, a county economic development coordinator who helps facilitate the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Grant program, recently gave a presentation on the program’s success to the development authority.
Aug. 2, 2024 Rome News-Tribune
Rome Commissioners Debate Site For New Water Treatment Facility
David Crowder reports that Rome City Commission could vote on the location of a new reverse osmosis water treatment facility during their next meeting. On Thursday, the city’s water and sewer committee recommended that work proceed on the previously announced Riverside Parkway site.
Aug. 2, 2024 WABE
Georgia counties partner with nonpartisan coalition to recruit poll workers
Kenny Murry reports, on National Poll Recruitment Day, U.S. residents nationwide are invited to sign up to help manage polling locations before the November presidential election. It’s an opportunity to usher in a new wave of poll workers and volunteers for the country’s most anticipated election of the year.
Aug. 2, 2024 Savannah Morning News
Senator Billy Hickman is on a mission to save Georgia’s farmland. Can he do it?
Latrice Williams reports, Georgia State Senator Billy Hickman (R-Dist. 4) grows pecan trees in Candler County. He farms part time, and although he enjoys tending his crops, he cannot help but think about the Georgia farmland that no longer exists.
Aug. 2, 2024 State Affairs
New Georgia laws affecting this year’s back-to-school season
Nava Rawls reports, Senate Bill 395 requires public schools to make a “reasonable effort” to stock an opioid antidote to treat overdoses related to substances such as fentanyl. This act was passed following an incident in May at Dunwoody High School, where a student suffered acute fentanyl intoxication and later died.
Aug. 2, 2024 Georgia Recorder
Georgia Secretary of State says bug in new web voter portal briefly spilled personal data
Ross Williams reports that a new web portal designed to allow Georgians to cancel their voter registration has come under fire after a technical bug caused personal data to display on users’ screens. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced the new site Monday with the goal of allowing Georgians to easily cancel their voting registration if they move out of the state, or to cancel that of a recently-deceased loved one.
Aug. 2, 2024 Capitol Beat News
State Senate forms committee to protect women’s sports
Dave Williams reports, a newly formed state Senate committee will look to ensure that female athletes have the right to participate on an even basis with their males counterparts. Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, the Senate’s presiding officer, announced Thursday the creation of the Georgia Senate Special Committee on the Protection of Women’s Sports.
Aug. 2, 2024 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Kemp, other Georgia GOP bigwigs to skip Trump-Vance rally in Atlanta
Greg Bluestein, Tia Mitchell, Patricia Murphy and Adam Van Brimmer report, the MAGA Georgia glitterati is expected to be out in full force on Saturday when former President Donald Trump holds his first joint rally in Atlanta with his newly christened running mate U.S. Sen. JD Vance of Ohio. Just as notable will be those who aren’t expected to attend: a trio of Republican incumbents Trump tried to oust two years ago after blaming Gov. Brian Kemp and his allies for his election defeat.
