Georgia Trend Daily – Aug. 6, 2024

Aug. 6, 2024 Savannah Morning News

Rain from Debby reaches Savannah; 10-20 inches still possible, forecasters say

John Deem reports that Savannah is no longer the bullseye for the highest rain totals from Hurricane Debby, but flooding remains a concern for forecasters. However, 10-20 inches of rain is still possible over the next few days in the Savannah area if, as forecasters expect, the remnants of Debby move slowly along the coast after the storm crosses into Georgia from Florida.

Aug. 6, 2024 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!

Security First: Protecting Georgia Businesses Against Rising Theft

Julia Roberts reports, in today’s business environment, security isn’t just an option—it’s a necessity. When a Georgia-based professional landscaping company lost all their equipment in a property crime incident, police warned it could likely happen again.

Aug. 6, 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Scarred by recent storms, Georgia farmers fear Debby’s wind and rain

Mirtha Donastorg, Drew Kann and Meris Lutz report, for farmers, rain can be both a blessing and a curse. Without it, crops can’t grow, but too much of it can drown and kill the plants. As Tropical Storm Debby makes its way across South Georgia, the region’s farmers are bracing for up to 20 inches of rain and the potentially devastating impacts that could bring to an industry that has already seen its share of disasters in recent years.

Aug. 6, 2024 WSB TV, WSB Radio

Tropical Storm Debby: Kemp signs order for up to 2,000 National Guard members to help with response

Staff reports, with Tropical Storm Debby barreling down on Florida and expected to impact southeast Georgia, the Georgia National Guard is on standby. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed an emergency executive order on Monday that would allow up to 2,000 National Guard members to help with cleanup and recovery efforts.

Aug. 6, 2024 Newnan Times-Herald

Hospital transition to nonprofit removes $60 million from tax digest

Laura Camper reports that the Newnan City Council members in December approved a $36.7 million budget including a $3.6 million increase from the previous year, much of which funded employee raises. At the same time that the city was estimating an increase in property tax revenue, the Cancer Treatments Centers of America became City of Hope Atlanta, a nonprofit, tax exempt organization.

Aug. 6, 2024 Albany Herald

Southwest Georgia Regional Airport awarded Airport Improvement Grant

Staff reports that Congressman Sanford D. Bishop Jr., D-Ga., announced Monday that the U.S. Department of Transportation, through the Federal Aviation Administration, has awarded the Southwest Georgia Regional Airport a $270,000 Airport Improvement Grant. The grant will fund the first phase of a project to design and rehabilitate 200 feet and 500 feet of two separate runways as well as additional paved operating spaces for airplanes using the airport.

Aug. 6, 2024 Marietta Daily Journal

Judge Asked How Cobb Map Ruling Affects Commissioner

Annie Mayne reports that after Cobb Superior Court Judge Kellie Hill decided the “home rule” map the Cobb County Board of Commissioners operated under for two years was unconstitutional, and ordered new primary and general elections for two commission seats last month, the Democratic activist involved in the case is seeking more clarity. In a petition for clarification filed last week, activist Mindy Seger asked Hill to explicitly answer what her recent ruling means for Commissioner Jerica Richardson, who does not live in District 2 under the map drawn by the state legislature that the commission is now operating under.

Aug. 6, 2024 State Affairs

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey reflects on 1st year as state’s top crimefighter

Tammy Joyner reports that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation has opened more gang units in the state and created a cold case crime unit. And so far in 2024, the number of officer-involved shootings and deaths compiled by the bureau are down.

Aug. 6, 2024 GPB

Bipartisan group of former leaders aims to rebuild trust in elections

Peter Biello reports that four former Georgia politicians, Republicans and Democrats, are working together to rebuild confidence in our elections. Two governors — Democrat Roy Barnes and Republican Nathan Deal — Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, and Democratic Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin have joined the Democracy Defense Project, an organization meant to “defend the transparency, safety, security, and validity of our nation’s electoral system.” Chambliss spoke with GPB’s Peter Biello.

Aug. 6, 2024 Georgia Recorder

Right-wing GOP faction of state election board poised to pass rules affecting November vote

Stanley Dunlap reports that Georgia’s State Election Board is set to resume its controversial remake of rules to certify vote counts this fall on Tuesday, just days after former President Donald Trump publicly praised three right-wing members for recently advancing several new election rules. The board meeting Tuesday is set to include several GOP-backed rules that received Trump’s support during a rally at Georgia State University on Saturday.

Aug. 6, 2024 Capitol Beat News

Georgia Republicans fined for illegal campaign coordinating

Dave Williams reports that the Federal Election Commission (FEC) has fined the Georgia Republican Party $14,500 for failing to report a contribution from a nonprofit during the 2021 U.S. Senate runoff elections. The fine settled a complaint lodged by Common Cause Georgia and the Washington, D.C.-based Campaign Legal Center Action targeting an “in-kind” contribution the group True the Vote made to the Georgia GOP.

Aug. 6, 2024 Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Georgia election officials weigh voting rule changes feted by Trump

Greg Bluestein, Tia Mitchell, Patricia Murphy and Adam Van Brimmer report that of the VIPs that former President Donald Trump called out at his Saturday rally in Atlanta were the usual suspects — former U.S. Sen. David Perdue, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, state Sen. Brandon Beach of Alpharetta and U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Rome. But three singled out by Trump in his remarks seemed to get the most praise of anyone — GOP members of the Georgia State Election Board: Janelle King, Janice Johnston and Rick Jeffares.