Georgia Trend Daily – Dec. 12, 2025
Dec. 12, 2025 Georgia.gov
Brazilian company to bring 150 new jobs to Colquitt
Staff reports that Gov. Brian P. Kemp on Thursday announced that Grupo Vialume will invest $4.4 million in establishing its U.S. manufacturing operations in Colquitt-Miller County, creating 150 new jobs over approximately seven years. Based in the state of São Paulo, Grupo Vialume is a second-generation, family-owned enterprise founded in the 1980s that has grown into one of the largest global manufacturers of advanced visibility solutions for transportation safety.
Dec. 12, 2025 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Legal Elite – 2025
Staff reports, Shakespeare may not have written kindly about them, but the fact is, lawyers are a necessary part of life, whether you’re working out a prenuptial agreement, buying a house or adopting a child. They’re also crucial in difficult situations like criminal defense, filing and defending lawsuits or dealing with the death of a loved one.
Dec. 12, 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia lost jobs in September, says 1st report since federal shutdown
Amy Wenk reports that Georgia’s job market cooled some in September, but the unemployment rate remained steady, according to new data released Thursday by the state Department of Labor. Georgia lost 3,200 jobs over the month after posting job gains in August, according to the report, the first for Georgia since a federal government shutdown disrupted the publication of economic data.
Dec. 12, 2025 Georgia Ports Authority
Appalachian Regional Port achieves record November
Staff reports that the Appalachian Regional Port achieved its busiest November on record, moving 3,876 containers last month — a nearly 35 percent jump from a year earlier. “Our customers are experiencing a very strong, smooth running supply chain for their exports and imports using the Appalachian Regional Port. This enables them to compete and win more business in world markets,” said Georgia Ports Chief Commercial Officer Flavio Batista.
Dec. 12, 2025 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
Who leads combined company after Synovus-Pinnacle merger? Columbus links to board
Jordyn Paul-Slater reports, as Synovus Financial Corp. and Pinnacle Financial Partners move toward finalizing their merger, the companies have announced the combined board of directors. The companies announced the new board will have eight directors from Pinnacle and seven from Synovus.
Dec. 12, 2025 WABE
Long sought tech upgrade aims to improve courtroom communication across Georgia
Chamian Cruz reports that Georgia judges will soon have access to a new tool that they say will help them hand down more accurate, appropriate sentences to the defendants standing before them. Currently, every county in Georgia has its own platform that tracks, manages and moves documents for its court system, making it difficult for them to share information across districts, such as defendants’ criminal histories, previous mental health treatment and case dispositions.
Dec. 12, 2025 The Brunswick News
Ribbon cutting ceremony held for largest industrial facility in county
Gordon Jackson reports, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held Thursday for the largest industrial facility in Glynn County. The 500,000-square-foot distribution center for Hillpointe, a firm that develops and manages housing in the Southeast, is the first investment in the Tradewinds Technology Park, located off GA 99 about a half mile west of Interstate 95. The new distribution center will have 100 employees.
Dec. 12, 2025 Gainesville Times
Developer withdraws $1.2 billion data center application in Hall County
Danny McArthur reports, a proposed $1.2 billion data center is no longer going forward in Hall County. Gainesville-based Project Turbo LLC, the developer, requested the application for special use to allow for the data center be withdrawn during the Hall County Board of Commissioners meeting Thursday, Dec. 11.
Dec. 12, 2025 Macon Telegraph
National Park Service doesn’t want the Ocmulgee Mounds to become national park. Here’s why
Margaret Walker reports that the plan to designate Macon’s Ocmulgee Mounds as the state’s first national park has hit another bump in the road: The National Park Service doesn’t want to make it a national park, according to testimony in the Senate Tuesday. NPS opposes the plan because its focus is on maintaining current national parks instead of taking on expansions, which would need more resources, according to Mike Caldwell, an associate director with the National Park Service.
Dec. 12, 2025 GPB
State lawmakers plan for bipartisan legislation to regulate cellphone, technology use in schools
Sarah Kallis reports that state senators on the special committee studying the impacts of social media and artificial intelligence on children said they will file bipartisan legislation to regulate tech use in schools. Senators on the committee said they will recommend extending the state’s cellphone ban to high school students, limiting the use of AI in schools to administrative tasks only, and strengthening recess and learning through play recommendations.
Dec. 12, 2025 WSB Radio
Georgia lawmakers voice frustrations after Senate rejects healthcare proposals
Miles Montgomery reports, millions of Americans will see their healthcare premiums skyrocket after the Senate rejected a pair of dueling healthcare proposals. Democrats, including U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, voted in favor of the plan for a three-year extension of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits.
Dec. 12, 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia investigators ramp up probe into First Liberty collapse
Greg Bluestein and J. Scott Trubey report that the state investigation into the collapse of First Liberty Building & Loan is shifting into a new phase as insiders at the politically connected lender have been ordered to give depositions in the coming days. The Newnan lender, which touted its ability to say yes to borrowers when the big banks said no, shut its doors in late June.
