Georgia Trend Daily – Jan. 16, 2026
Jan. 16, 2026 Macon Telegraph
Snow chances in GA growing. Here’s where, how much of the white stuff may fall, new forecast shows
Sundi Rose reports that Georgia could see anything from a dusting of snow to several inches this weekend and the entire state is officially on snow-watch. However, exactly what area will get what is still highly uncertain, according to Dylan Lusk, senior meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Peachtree City.
Jan. 16, 2026 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Tommy Nobis Center
Candice Dyer reports, Atlanta Falcons defensive star Tommy Nobis was the first player ever drafted by the football franchise in late 1965 and was later known as “Mr. Falcon.” When he was not on the gridiron, Nobis volunteered his time with the Georgia Special Olympics.
Jan. 16, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Seeing more new Porsche cars around Atlanta? There’s a reason.
Zachary Hansen reports, in Porsche’s 75 years selling sports cars in America, it never sold more new vehicles than in 2025. The German luxury automaker, which has its North American headquarters in Atlanta, set a sales record by delivering 76,219 new vehicles last year, the company announced Friday.
Jan. 16, 2026 GPB
More than just moviemaking: Trilith announces entertainment complex grand opening, live show lineup
Amanda Andrews reports that Trilith is expanding its footprint in the South Atlanta metro with the completion of Trilith Live, a 530,000-square-foot entertainment complex. The development is part of a 235-acre planned community in Fayetteville that includes housing, shopping and recreation.
Jan. 16, 2026 Macon Melody
The quiet authority shaping the future of Robins Air Force Base
Laura Corley reports, two decades ago, Robins Air Force Base was facing several challenges that left community leaders on edge. The threat of Base Realignment and Closure, or BRAC, loomed large. Because it was hemmed in to the north by a swath of land where homes and businesses stood, the base was in danger of not being able to grow its mission.
Jan. 16, 2026 Valdosta Daily Times
Lowndes native named GFB Insurance general manager
Staff reports that Georgia Farm Bureau announced Jan. 9 that Gary Willis will be the insurance organization’s next general manager effective immediately. Willis, who has most recently served as GFB’s executive director of insurance operations, is assuming his new role since GFB Insurance General Manager George Monk retired Jan. 2.
Jan. 16, 2026 Gainesville Times
Why Hall County’s library system was just named Georgia’s best
Danny McArthur reports that the Hall County Library System was named the 2025 Library of the Year by the Georgia Public Library Service. “It’s just absolutely such a huge honor because all the libraries in Georgia are so amazing. It’s just a real honor to be singled out from any of them in any way,” said Hall County Library System Director Lisa MacKinney.
Jan. 16, 2026 The Brunswick News
Rep. Townsend takes another swing at banning kratom
Hank Rowland reports, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again, and that’s what state Rep. Rick Townsend is doing in this first week of the 2026 session of the Georgia General Assembly. He is trying to do what he fell short of doing three years ago: keep natural and synthetic kratom out of Georgia by banning it.
Jan. 16, 2026 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
Columbus area legislator outspoken on 2 controversial issues 1st week of GA assembly
Mark Rice reports that a state legislator from the Columbus area has been outspoken about two controversial issues during the first week of the 2026 Georgia General Assembly in Atlanta: Whether U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents should be allowed to wear masks while making arrests in Georgia. Whether Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger should be forced to comply with the Trump administration’s demand for voter information.
Jan. 16, 2026 State Affairs
Tax cuts, refunds slammed in Democratic rebuttal to Kemp
Beau Evans reports, tax cuts won’t help most people in Georgia. That’s the message from Democratic leaders who offered a rebuttal to Gov. Brian Kemp’s final State of the State address to the General Assembly on Thursday, which outlined plans for around $2 billion in income tax cuts and reductions.
Jan. 16, 2026 Georgia Recorder
The governor’s budget sets aside funding for long-awaited needs-based aid in Georgia
Ross Williams reports, nearly three-quarters of all state student aid money nationwide was based on financial need rather than merit in the 2022-2023 school year, according to the College Board. In Georgia, that number was around 1%.
Jan. 16, 2026 Capitol Beat News
Kemp budget about affordability, with tax cuts plus money for employees and college students
Ty Tagami reports that Gov. Brian Kemp’s last budget proposal would stockpile billions for any rough economy one of his successors might encounter while also asking lawmakers to return more than $1 billion to taxpayers. In his eighth and final State of the State address Thursday, Kemp said his budget proposal to the Georgia General Assembly will give average rebates of $250 per individual taxpayer plus a fifth of a percentage point reduction to the state income tax rate, lowering it to 4.99%.
Jan. 16, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Brian Kemp’s needs-based scholarship investment fulfills Democratic dreams
Greg Bluestein, Tia Mitchell, Patricia Murphy and Adam Beam report, Democratic state Rep. Stacey Evans cried tears of joy during Gov. Brian Kemp’s final State of the State address on Thursday, and it wasn’t because the Republican is in his final term of office. It was Kemp’s announcement of a $325 million investment in a needs-based college scholarship program that did it — a priority Democrats have chased for decades and a central plank of Evans’ own 2018 run for governor.
