Georgia Trend Daily – Jan. 30, 2026

Jan. 30, 2026 Fox 5 Atlanta

Georgia Power, GDOT gear up for second round of winter weather

Staff reports, for the second weekend in a row, another bout of winter weather is threatening to hit North Georgia and metro Atlanta, and state agencies are not taking any chances. As current projections predict snow hitting a significant portion of the state, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is mobilizing a massive effort to keep lanes clear.

Jan. 30, 2026 Georgia Trend Exclusive!

Cobb County: Knocking It Out of the Park

Amy Faeskorn reports that Cobb County had a winning year in 2025, and the state’s third largest county aims to build on that success. The key to Cobb’s steady economic growth? Collaboration and communication.

Jan. 30, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Buckhead’s largest office complex could get a major makeover. Take a look.

Zachary Hansen reports, after falling behind the times and succumbing to foreclosure, Buckhead’s largest office complex is about to undergo some major changes. Piedmont Center, a 14-building office campus that spans 46 acres along Piedmont and Lenox roads, will be repositioned to create mixed-use energy that modern tenants crave, owner CP Group announced Thursday.

Jan. 30, 2026 The Brunswick News

Port traffic down in 2025, but long-term growth expected

Michael Hall reports that a year ago the Georgia Ports Authority was touting the Port of Brunswick’s new place as the nation’s busiest for cargo that can roll-on and roll-off of a ship. That was early 2025 and the numbers for 2024 showed healthy growth.

Jan. 30, 2026 Albany Herald

2026 economic forecast comes with modest expectations, risk of recession

Alan Mauldin reports, an annual economic prediction for the nation, state and region is not grim, but it’s not exactly rosy either, with the national economy limping along at low growth and roughly 50-50 odds of a state recession. That is the prognosis put forward by economists at the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business.

Jan. 30, 2026 GlobalAtlanta.com

British Fintech Lands in Atlanta on Quest to Turn Transactions Into Action 

Trevor Williams reports, in many ways, Atlanta was a no-brainer for British fintech ekko, which officially launched its U.S. office here Thursday. Its solution is embedded into transactions processed by the same payments giants whose presence and prevalence have given Georgia the “Transaction Alley” moniker.

Jan. 30, 2026 Macon Telegraph

While development surges in Monroe County, this environmental review is overlooked

Margaret Walker reports that the surge of new development in Georgia over the past few years has reached beyond the state’s largest cities into smaller communities, including Monroe County. Monroe County has attracted two planned data center projects, a Buc-ee’s gas station and a new auto parts distribution center, among other projects.

Jan. 30, 2026 Gainesville Times

From autism care to infant loss: These 6 NGHS employees won grants to fill gaps in patient care

Danny McArthur reports that six Northeast Georgia Health System employees were awarded more than $55,000 to fund projects to address diverse needs across the health system. The funding comes from the NGHS Foundation as part of the Change Grants program to implement their ideas to improve experiences for patients, visitors and fellow employees.

Jan. 30, 2026 Capitol Beat News

Test-run of outdoor classrooms in Georgia schools clears General Assembly

Mark Niesse reports that students in Georgia schools could soon have more opportunities to study outdoors instead of inside a classroom. The state Senate gave final approval Wednesday to a bill that calls for a pilot program that incorporates outdoor learning spaces at K-8 schools chosen by the state Department of Education.

Jan. 30, 2026 Healthbeat Atlanta, Georgia Recorder

When suicidal calls come in, who answers? Georgia crisis line response rates reveal gaps

Andy Miller and Rebecca Grapevine report, Kaitlin Cooke of Cartersville, Georgia, was contemplating suicide when she started calling a statewide mental health crisis line in 2018. She said she would sneak outside and call the hotline behind her car, where her boyfriend would not hear her.

Jan. 30, 2026 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

Hundreds of Georgians press legislators about environmental impact of data centers

Kala Hunter reports, environmental advocacy groups flooded the Georgia Capitol Thursday to share their support for multiple bills that could alter data center tax incentives and energy regulations across the state. Hundreds of Georgians from Valdosta, Athens, metro Atlanta and more showed up to mark Environmental Justice Day, and said they were concerned about the large amounts of water and electricity, which can be sourced by fossil fuels, these facilities use.

Jan. 30, 2026 WSB Radio

Raffensperger blocked from raising unlimited campaign funds by federal judge

Staff reports that Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has been rejected by a federal judge in his effort to raise unlimited campaign money. Raffensperger argued that the restriction violates his First Amendment rights, noting that his opponent in the Georgia governor’s race, Lt. Governor Burt Jones, can raise unlimited funds through his leadership committee under a 2020–2021 law.

Jan. 30, 2026 State Affairs

House readies plan to overhaul Georgia’s election system

Beau Evans reports that House lawmakers are hustling to roll out plans for changing how votes are counted before a July 1 deadline to ditch electronic barcodes on ballots, marking a breakthrough in a major issue that has dogged the General Assembly for months. Leaders on an election-focused House committee are expected to unveil a solution to the ballot problem early next week.

Jan. 30, 2026 Capitol Beat News

Georgia House Republican property tax elimination plan to face opposition from Senate Democrats

Ty Tagami reports that a Republican House proposal to eliminate homeowner property taxes will face stiff opposition if it makes it to the state Senate, where Democratic leadership labeled it “draconian” and “unserious.” Georgia’s property tax is essential, Sen. Harold Jones II, D-Augusta, said Thursday.

Jan. 30, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution

How an FBI raid in Georgia became a campaign opportunity for Democrats

Greg Bluestein, Tia Mitchell, Patricia Murphy and Adam Beam reports, for a few hours on Wednesday, the site of a massive Fulton County election-records warehouse raided by FBI agents became an impromptu campaign stop for some of Georgia’s top Democrats. Party leaders trekked to Union City as federal authorities scoured the hangar-like facility, armed with a warrant seeking all of the county’s “physical ballots from the 2020 general election” and other records tied to President Donald Trump’s defeat.