Georgia Trend Daily – Nov. 19, 2024
Nov. 19, 2024 Savannah Morning News
Will the Okefenokee Swamp get bigger? U.S. Fish & Wildlife could expand acreage
Miguel Legoas reports, one of Georgia’s biggest natural spaces could get even bigger in the near future. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering a proposal that would expand the boundary of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, adding about 22,000 acres.
Nov. 19, 2024 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Gainesville Focus
Jeffrey Humphreys reports, Gainesville’s economy will continue to outperform the state and national economies. Gainesville’s comparatively good outlook reflects several factors, including the considerable number of expansion projects announced over the last decade; growth of the medical, educational and tourism industries; favorable demographics and strong economic prospects for neighboring counties, especially Forsyth, North Fulton and Gwinnett.
Nov. 19, 2024 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Trump’s company reportedly in talks to buy Alpharetta-based crypto business
Mirtha Donastorg reports, Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG), the company that operates Trump’s social media company, Truth Social, is reportedly in advanced talks to buy financially troubled crypto trading venue Bakkt, according to the Financial Times, citing two people with knowledge of the talks. Trump has a 53% stake in TMTG.
Nov. 19, 2024 Georgia.gov
Gov. Kemp Announces Superior Courts, District Attorney, and State Court Appointments
Staff reports that Gov. Kemp on Friday announced the following judicial appointments: Ralph W. Powell to the Superior Court of the Tifton Judicial Circuit to fill a vacancy created by HB 906; Amy E. Smith to the Superior Court of the Houston Judicial Circuit to fill a vacancy created by HB 992; Sarah Stimac Japour as the District Attorney for the newly created West Georgia Judicial Circuit established by SB 424; and Vasco “Terry” McRae to the Rockdale State Court, filling a vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Clarence Cuthpert.
Nov. 19, 2024 GlobalAtlanta.com
Brazil Chamber’s Signature Economic Outlook Event Returns in December
Trevor Williams reports, after a pandemic-era hiatus, an event that for many years offered Atlantans high-level analysis of trends in the Brazilian economy is set to return Dec. 4. Throughout the 2010s, the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce Southeast ran its signature Brazil Economic Outlook briefing in partnership with the Americas Center at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, providing updates during a tumultuous period in Brazilian politics.
Nov. 19, 2024 Athens Banner-Herald
State Election Board member proposes divulging voters’ personal information to EagleAI
Maya Homan reports, at a Georgia State Election Board meeting Monday, Board Member Janelle King floated the idea of divulging voters’ private information to the founder of software program EagleAI as a way of boosting voter confidence in the state’s election integrity. The third-party program was presented to the board as an alternative to Georgia’s current program for maintaining its voter rolls, a multi-state partnership known as the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC).
Nov. 19, 2024 Capitol Beat News
State medical cannabis registry reaches 25,000
Dave Williams reports, Georgia’s medical cannabis program has hit an important milestone. Enrollment in the registry of patients eligible to receive the drug hit 25,000 during the weekend.
Nov. 19, 2024 Georgia Recorder
In first meeting since Trump win, Georgia election board defers to Legislature to implement plans
Stanley Dunlap reports that Georgia’s State Election Board voted Monday to request state lawmakers pass legislation next year making voter lists readily available to the public before and after elections. Board members have decided to forward their recommendations to the state Legislature rather than launch their own rulemaking process, which has recently resulted in several of their initiatives successfully challenged in courts.
Nov. 19, 2024 Dalton Daily Citizen
Study committee chaired by Payne to hold final hearing
Staff reports, on Wednesday at 10 a.m. the state Senate Study Committee on Veterans’ Mental Health and Housing, chaired by Sen. Chuck Payne, R–Dalton, will hold its final hearing. The location is room 307 of the Paul D. Coverdell Legislative Office Building at 18 Capitol Square S.W. in Atlanta.
Nov. 19, 2024 Fox 5 Atlanta
What’s next for DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond?
Deidra Dukes reports, speculation is swirling around DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond’s future career plans as he prepares to leave office, including a possible run for governor in 2026. “I’m going to leave all options open,” Thurmond told FOX 5’s Deidra Dukes. “And if there are other opportunities to serve, I’ll examine it, and then if an opportunity presents itself, I’ll take it.”
Nov. 19, 2024 Georgia Recorder
Georgia lawmakers focused on vets hope Trump VA nominee Collins will improve agency’s support
Ross Williams reports that former Georgia GOP Congressman Doug Collins could be headed back to Washington to serve as head of the second-largest department in the federal government, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Collins will oversee a staff of nearly 371,000 tasked with providing health care, benefits and burial services for American veterans and their families.
Nov. 19, 2024 Capitol Beat News
State launches website for new school vouchers program
Dave Williams reports that the state is laying the groundwork for a private-school vouchers program by launching a website with details on the initiative. The new site, mygeorgiapromise.org, includes information on the Georgia Promise Scholarship, which the Republican-controlled General Assembly created this year to provide eligible K-12 students in lower-performing schools up to $6,500 in annual funding for private school tuition, tutoring services, and other qualified expenses.
Nov. 19, 2024 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Rep. David Scott getting treatment for back issues, misses two weeks of D.C. votes
Tia Mitchell reports that U.S. Rep. David Scott has not yet returned to Washington after the election season recess and will miss votes this week as he receives treatment for his ailing back in an Atlanta-area rehabilitation facility. “I had to go ahead and take care of myself so I can be very strong, and I am,” he told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Monday.
