Georgia Trend Daily – Oct. 22, 2025
Oct. 22, 2025 Macon Telegraph
Georgia Power begins Twiggs battery storage project, expands statewide plans
Margaret Walker reports that Georgia Power announced Monday that it has started construction on a new 200-megawatt battery energy storage system in Twiggs County. A battery energy storage system, often called BESS, is a large-scale setup that stores electricity for later use.
Oct. 22, 2025 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Atlanta Music Project
Candice Dyer reports, music education starts with hitting the right notes. It can lead to so much more, according to the Atlanta Music Project, which offers free, world-class instruction in classical instruments and choir.
Oct. 22, 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Coca-Cola strikes deal to sell majority stake in one of its biggest bottlers
Amy Wenk reports that Coca-Cola continues to exit the bottling business. Tuesday, the Atlanta beverage giant announced a deal with its South African partner, Gutsche Family Investments, to sell a majority stake in Africa’s largest Coca-Cola bottler.
Oct. 22, 2025 Valdosta Daily Times
Georgia Peanut Bank Week celebrates peanut harvest
Staff reports that the Georgia Peanut Commission and Georgia Bankers Association join forces this week to promote the 49th annual Georgia Peanut Bank Week. Financial institutions and local banks across the state will offer a tribute to Georgia’s 4,000 peanut farm families and the sustainability they provide to Georgia’s state and local economies.
Oct. 22, 2025 Marietta Daily Journal
Cobb OKs Galleria name change
Isabel Manders reports that the Cobb Board of Commissioners has approved a name change for the Cobb Galleria Centre, which is undergoing a $190 million renovation and expansion project. The board voted 4-1, with Commissioner Keli Gambrill opposed, to acknowledge and approve the Cobb-Marietta Coliseum & Exhibit Hall Authority’s decision to change the Galleria’s name to the Cobb Convention Center-Atlanta.
Oct. 22, 2025 WABE
Georgia’s health care system prepares for federal funding, job losses, as Kemp touts state workforce efforts
Jess Mador reports that Grady Memorial Hospital officials are preparing for financial losses as a result of the one-two punch of federal Medicaid funding cuts under H.R. 1, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and the proposed expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act marketplace tax credits later this year. “The ACA plans and the additional funding that was in place for people to be able to afford their plans, if that truly goes away, that is a $100 million impact to Grady next year,” said Grady CEO John Haupert.
Oct. 22, 2025 The Brunswick News
Airspace restrictions still concern officials
Gordon Jackson reports that the military’s request to expand the restricted airspace around Townsend Bombing Range has been rescinded by the Federal Aviation Administration. But that doesn’t mean the concerns have ended for airports from Jacksonville, Florida, and Savannah.
Oct. 22, 2025 Gainesville Times
Hall commissioners say they will postpone vote on $1.2B data center
Jeff Gill reports that the Hall County Board of Commissioners will likely postpone a final vote on a $1.2 billion data center. It was originally scheduled for a vote Thursday, Oct. 23, but three commissioners have told The Times that they will now vote on it at their Dec. 11 meeting, giving them more time to learn about the project and tour an existing data center.
Oct. 22, 2025 GPB, Healthbeat
‘Going down the drain’: Atlanta global health work imperiled by U.S. aid cuts
Rebecca Grapevine reports that sudden cuts to U.S. global health aid this year have hit Atlanta-based international nonprofits hard, spurring layoffs of close to 1,000 workers, and imperiling their mission to help millions of people access food and life-saving health services. A program that trained thousands of health and nutrition workers in Bangladesh is “going down the drain,” said Joyce Sepenoo, senior director of global health programs at CARE.
Oct. 22, 2025 The Current
Floridan aquifer shows recovery after International Paper ceases operations
Mary Landers reports that data from the United States Geological Survey shows that the level of the Floridan aquifer in Savannah shot up about 2 feet shortly after International Paper shut down production at its nearby mill. The paper giant is permitted to withdraw 12.2 million gallons a day of water from the aquifer in Savannah, one of the largest groundwater withdrawal permits on the coast.
Oct. 22, 2025 Gainesville Times
‘Taxes are eating our lunch’: Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, other lawmakers promise to eliminate income tax during stop at Longstreet Café
Ben Anderson reports that Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and other lawmakers stopped by Longstreet Cafe in Gainesville on Tuesday to discuss eliminating the state income tax and hear from residents. The cafe hosted the third hearing of the Senate Special Committee on Eliminating Georgia’s Income Tax, which Jones created in July.
Oct. 22, 2025 Capitol Beat News
Top Senate Republicans committed to cutting, even eliminating, state income tax
Ty Tagami reports, the Georgia Senate will vote on another income tax cut next year, and the only question is how big, the chamber’s budget-writing chief said Tuesday. “The plan is not to wait until after an election to put this bill on the floor of the Senate. The plan is to move this bill forward next year,” said Sen. Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia, at the close of a hearing on the topic Tuesday afternoon in Gainesville.
Oct. 22, 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia has lost $2.9B in clean energy projects amid fed pullback, report says
Zachary Hansen reports that number of clean energy projects that have been canceled across the country, including in Georgia, has starkly increased since President Donald Trump retook the White House, according to a new report. More than $24 billion worth of projects in the electric vehicle, battery and renewable energy sectors have fallen apart this year, according to data released Wednesday from nonpartisan group E2.
