Georgia Trend Daily – Oct. 8, 2024
Oct. 8, 2024 Augusta Chronicle
Hundreds of complaints allege price gouging in Georgia as hurricane order is set to expire
Matthew Dolan reports, there have been alarming, but largely unsubstantiated reports on social media and beyond about widespread price gouging in and around Augusta in the wake of Hurricane Helene — from $10 for a gallon of passenger car gas to $35 for a 12-pack of water. Now there’s official information about the scope of the allegations formally filed.
Oct. 8, 2024 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Ups, Downs and In-betweens
Susan Percy reports, early voting begins Oct. 14 and runs through Nov. 1. The secretary of state’s website (sos.ga.gov) has information about where you can vote early, where you vote on election day, and how to obtain and use an absentee ballot.
Oct. 8, 2024 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
What is sustainable paper innovation worth? For this company, about $7B
Zachary Hansen reports, it’s a tall task to replace America’s reliance on plastic grocery bags, six-pack beverage rings and polystyrene products such as Styrofoam with more sustainable alternatives. But for this company with a large Atlanta presence, greener alternatives to some of those fossil fuel-based products are becoming reality — and are worth a lot of money.
Oct. 8, 2024 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
Film industry in Columbus requires infrastructure, local workforce. Why it slowed down
Brittany McGee reports that making Columbus the third leg of Georgia’s film industry became a goal in 2019, but the pandemic — followed by strikes — made building a local workforce and bringing in productions difficult. The goal was for Columbus to utilize a $5 million film fund, a studio, an annual film festival and workforce development to lure more productions to Muscogee County and develop a sustainable industry, Peter Bowden, president and CEO of VisitColumbusGA, said in a 2019 statement.
Oct. 8, 2024 Georgia Recorder
Reeling from Helene damage, Coffee County residents get help from good Samaritans
Ross Williams reports that Coffee County, hard-hit by Hurricane Helene, many of the donated goods and supplies are coming through one local church. “I told my staff this morning that as far as I’m concerned, our church is a logistics hub for disaster relief until further notice,” said Douglas First Methodist Church Pastor Paul Elliott.
Oct. 8, 2024 11 Alive
Atlanta Motor Speedway opening campgrounds for Hurricane Milton evacuees | What to know
Meleah Lyden reports, Atlanta Motor Speedway is opening its campgrounds for Hurricane Milton evacuees, the facility announced Monday. According to a release, the speedway will collaborate with Henry County Emergency Management Agency to provide dry camping free of charge in its Legends Premium Campground for RVs and Legends Tent Campground for pop-up campers and tents.
Oct. 8, 2024 Saporta Report
Atlanta’s green infrastructure at work during Hurricane Helene provides an example of learning from the past
Mark Lannaman reports, Atlanta isn’t always known for its reliable infrastructure, one silver lining in the wake of the storm is seeing green infrastructure work as designed — specifically stormwater retention ponds — and serve as that reminder that green infrastructure is a worthwhile investment. Two of these ponds in particular, located at the Old Fourth Ward Park and Cook Park, double as parks at the center of neighborhoods and were created as a response to severe weather and flood waters regularly flooding homes in the neighborhoods.
Oct. 8, 2024 Capitol Beat News
GEORGIA MATCH direct college admissions program entering second year
Dave Williams reports, more than 137,000 Georgia high school seniors will receive a personalized direct college admissions letter this month, as the GEORGIA MATCH program begins its second year. Each letter will list the public colleges and universities in Georgia that are holding a spot for the recipient.
Oct. 8, 2024 Savannah Morning News
Savannah Mayor Johnson, football star Malcom Mitchell launch Georgia Reads campaign
Joseph Scwartzburt reports that the Georgia Reads campaign was launched to “unify and empower the fragmented literacy ecosystem, guiding it toward a new era of understanding.” The launch included the announcement of the Georgia Reads Community Awards, which, come February, will bestow 10 Georgia communities with $25,000 toward ongoing literacy improvement efforts.
Oct. 8, 2024 Clayton News-Daily
Office Of Digital Equity Celebrates Digital Inclusion Week
Staff reports that Clayton County Office of Digital Equity celebrates Digital Inclusion Week Oct. 7 to 11 — a nationwide campaign to raise awareness about digital equity and increasing community engagement. “Clayton County is one of the first municipalities in the state to have an office dedicated to addressing the digital divide for its resident,” said Digital Equity Administrator Takiyah Thomas.
Oct. 8, 2024 Marietta Daily Journal
DNR Announces $1,000 Grant for Top Conservation Teacher
Staff reports that the Georgia Department of Natural Resources is offering a $1,000 grant to a kindergarten through fifth-grade public or private school teacher in the state who demonstrates exceptional energy and innovation in teaching life sciences. Science specialists covering those grade levels can also apply.
Oct. 8, 2024 GPB
Taxpayer dollars at work: Continuing to help Georgia after Hurricane Helene
Ambria Burton reports, for the week ending Oct. 4, the senators continued to visit Georgia communities affected by Hurricane Helene and push Congress and federal government agencies to deliver support for those communities. On Sept. 29, after surveying the damage during a visit to South Georgia the previous day, Ossoff spoke with FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell about Georgia’s disaster response and recovery efforts.
Oct. 8, 2024 State Affairs
Georgia Supreme Court restores state’s 6-week abortion ban
Tammy Joyner reports that the Georgia Supreme Court reinstated the state’s six-week abortion ban Monday, a week after a lower court judge overturned the controversial measure. The court ordered the stay while it considers the state’s appeal of the lower court ruling.
Oct. 8, 2024 Rome News-Tribune
Greene Doubles Down On Weather And Helene Conspiracy Theories
Staff reports that 14th District U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has used her social media accounts recently to amplify false narratives concerning weather control and federal disaster support after massive damage in the South caused by Hurricane Helene. “Yes they can control the weather,” the House Committee on Homeland Security official tweeted Thursday night.
Oct. 8, 2024 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia congressman provokes crowd at memorial for victims of Hamas’ attack
Greg Bluestein, Tia Mitchell, Patricia Murphy and Adam Beam report, a somber ceremony marking the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel doubled as a bipartisan show of support for Atlanta’s Jewish community and other allies of Israel as state leaders put aside their misgivings — with one notable exception. The words of Republican U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde were drowned out by loud boos when he said President Joe Biden’s administration has “not done everything it could” to help Israel, primarily by not supplying it with more rifles and other firearms.
