Georgia Trend Daily – Feb. 6, 2026
Feb. 6, 2026 Marietta Daily Journal
KSU economist: 2025 economic growth beat expectations, slower pace ahead in 2026
Isabelle Manders reports, despite lingering concerns over inflation, trade policy and a cooling labor market, economic growth in 2025 exceeded expectations and is likely to continue in 2026, albeit at a slower pace, according to Kennesaw State University economist Roger Tutterow. “Despite the issues that we’ve wrestled with regard to consumer sentiment being low, despite the issues related to concerns about trade issues impacting the economy or rekindling inflation, economic growth in 2025 was actually pretty good,” Tutterow told nearly 500 business leaders at Synovus’ annual Economic Forecast at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre last week.
Feb. 6, 2026 Georgia Trend Exclusive!
Honoring our 2026 Most Influential Georgians
Julia Roberts reports, on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at the Georgia Aquarium, we celebrated the 2026 Georgia Trend Most Influential Georgians. Click above for a link to a video of candid photos and a gallery of individual pictures of each recipient with Ben Young, Editor & Publisher, Georgia Trend.
Feb. 6, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
How Atlanta helps Porsche train the next generation of its mechanics
Zachary Hansen reports, there are not many places where American gear heads get to go under the hood of cutting-edge European sports cars to learn what makes them tick. But in Atlanta, the North American division of Porsche on Thursday celebrated the graduation of its 100th technology apprenticeship class, including students in Atlanta.
Feb. 6, 2026 Georgia Ports Authority
Georgia Ports welcomes U.S.-India trade agreement
Staff reports that the Georgia Ports Authority welcomed the announcement of a new trade agreement between the U.S. and India, opening the way for increased business between the two countries. “This is excellent news for American exporters and consumers, for Georgia and for our customers,” said GPA President and CEO Griff Lynch.
Feb. 6, 2026 The Brunswick News
Authority reports $40 million in new projects
Gordon Jackson reports that a midyear review by the Golden Isles Development Authority at Tuesday’s meeting described accomplishments and progress made to support and grow businesses in Glynn County. Ryan Moore, authority president and CEO, said a lot of time is spent on new business attraction.
Feb. 6, 2026 Albany Herald
Economic development heavyweights gather in Albany for Georgia Quail Hunt
Alan Mauldin reports, as hunters checked out their shotguns for a day of quail hunting, state officials made their case of the success that the annual Georgia Quail Hunt has had over the past nearly four decades. The gathering at Wynfield Plantation here Wednesday, brought together economic prospects, developers, utility officials and other state and local leaders.
Feb. 6, 2026 WSB Radio
Metro Atlanta city may be close to attracting pro hockey team to area
Staff reports that a metro Atlanta city could be one step closer to attracting a pro hockey team to the region. Alpharetta Mayor Jim Gilvin told local leaders during his annual State of the City Address that the North Point Mall owner has “engaged” with a local partner.
Feb. 6, 2026 Rome News-Tribune
Granddaughter looks to revamp Northwest Ga Minority Business Association
Mo Burge reports, there’s a sturdy plaque at the juncture of Five Points in North Rome honoring an organization that celebrated the proliferation of minority-owned businesses in the area. Founded by Bishop Norris Allen, the Northwest Georgia Minority Business Association fizzled out over the years, with a couple of attempts to revive it within the last five years or so.
Feb. 6, 2026 Savannah Morning News
Inside the waste streams of Georgia’s potential new nickel refinery
Jillian Magtoto reports, on Feb. 2, three-year-old company Westwin Elements attempted to present a series of reassuring facts to a town hall audience of over 300 in Richmond Hill, where it hopes to establish the country’s first large-scale nickel refinery. Westin Elements founder and CEO KaLeigh Long repeated two statements in particular, to ease anticipated environmental and human health concerns.
Feb. 6, 2026 Athens Banner-Herald
Proposed ICE detention facility in Georgia could open as soon as April
Irene Wright reports that just more than a month after city officials in Social Circle, Georgia were alerted that the Department of Homeland Security was scouting their small town for an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center, the property is moving toward a final purchase and city officials say the center could be open by April. The City of Social Circle said in December they found out their town was a prospected site for an ICE detention center when The Washington Post reported the Trump Administration’s plan to convert warehouses to holding facilities.
Feb. 6, 2026 Capitol Beat News
Proposed change to law would expose librarians to jail risk for loaning ‘harmful’ materials to minors
Ty Tagami reports that legislation that seeks to expose librarians to criminal prosecution for loaning the wrong books to children has resurfaced at the Georgia Legislature. Senate Bill 74 passed the Senate last year, the first half of the biennial legislative session, and now it is advancing through the House.
Feb. 6, 2026 Georgia Recorder
Georgia House lawmakers go for property tax break instead of governor’s income tax rebate
Jill Nolin reports, Georgia House lawmakers have replaced the governor’s proposed income tax rebate with a one-time tax break for homeowners. The change was included in the chamber’s version of this year’s revised budget, which overwhelmingly cleared the House with a 167-to-5 vote Thursday.
Feb. 6, 2026 GPB
‘Lawmakers’ Day 12: State of the Judiciary; House Republicans introduce Families First initiative
Sarah Kallis and Tristan Smith reports, on Wednesday at the Capitol, the House and Senate heard from the new Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for the first time. The House also unveiled new bills aimed at helping Georgia’s families. The House and the Senate gathered in the House Chambers today to receive the State of the Judiciary from Georgia’s new Supreme Court chief justice, Nels S.D. Peterson.
Feb. 6, 2026 State Affairs
Literacy leaps to the top of Georgia leader’s session agenda
Beau Evans reports, on Thursday, General Assembly leaders rolled out a wide-ranging measure to sharply lower the number of kindergarten and elementary school students who fall behind in reading by the third grade. The plan involves placing hands-on literacy coaches in every elementary school to train teachers in the most effective ways to teach phonetics, spelling and reading comprehension, and to work directly with students who struggle to master those skills.
Feb. 6, 2026 Capitol Beat News
Overwhelming vote backs efforts to investigate campaign money pumped into Georgia
Mark Niesse reports that millions of dollars of out-of-state campaign money flowing into Georgia could soon be more strongly policed in the wake of mysterious political TV ads and big spending on recent elections. A bipartisan state Senate voted 50-1 to pass a bill Thursday that allows the Georgia Ethics Commission to seek subpoenas against groups or individuals located in other states who are suspected of breaking Georgia campaign finance laws, such as contribution limits or transparency requirements.
Feb. 6, 2026 Healthbeat Atlanta
Georgia Senate panel advances bill to ease path for foreign-trained doctors
Rebecca Grapevine reports, a bill to make it easier for foreign-trained doctors to practice in Georgia passed a Senate committee with a unanimous vote on Wednesday, opening the way for the measure to pass two years after it was first proposed. A similar bill last year failed to gain approval before the end of the session.
Feb. 6, 2026 Capitol Beat News
State House tweaks Kemp’s mid-year budget
Ty Tagami reports that the state House completed its proposed adjustments to the current year budget, sending the Senate its changes to Gov. Brian Kemp’s spending plan for the state through June. The $42.3 billion amended fiscal year budget approved overwhelmingly Thursday left the governor’s plan mostly intact, but there were a few significant changes.
Feb. 6, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Trump endorses candidate in crowded field to fill MTG’s House seat
Tia Mitchell reports, twenty-two candidates hope to succeed former Georgia U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress. But one of them, District Attorney Clayton “Clay” Fuller, now has the inside track. President Donald Trump on Wednesday endorsed Fuller and said he had the backing of other party leaders, too.
