Georgia Trend Daily – Sept. 24, 2026

Sept. 24, 2026 Georgia Historical Society

The Home Depot receives Georgia Business History Initiative Honor with New Historical Marker in Atlanta

Staff reports that Georgia Historical Society (GHS), through its Georgia Business History Initiative, dedicated a new historical marker in Atlanta recognizing The Home Depot. The marker shares the story of The Home Depot’s remarkable growth and its pioneering role in creating the one-stop shopping experience that transformed the home improvement industry.

Sept. 24, 2026 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!

Bloom – Georgia’s Leader in Foster Care

Candice Dyer reports, foster families face overwhelming challenges. Bloom strives to lend dignity, warmth and convenience to stressful scenarios involving foster children. “That first day with a new family can be the most difficult of a child’s life,” says Becky Davenport, president and CEO of the nonprofit that has donation facilities in Fayetteville and Rome.

Sept. 24, 2026 Georgia.gov

Gov. Kemp: Georgia Remains No. 1 for Business

Staff reports that Gov. Kemp, in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), on Wednesday announced that the state has again secured the No. 1 state for business ranking by Area Development magazine for an unprecedented 13th year in a row, demonstrating an unmatched consistency in creating a successful, business-friendly environment. Working closely with economic developers across the state and the General Assembly, Governor Kemp has maintained this coveted distinction for Georgia throughout his entire eight years in office.

Sept. 24, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta commercial real estate can be insular. Here’s how she broke in.

Zachary Hansen reports that Melanie Wolfe knew she had to overcome an obstacle many young people face early in their careers: Building relationships in an industry defined by who you know. She notes that women and people of color have historically not been afforded as much opportunity to build those bonds in her field, commercial real estate, which is predominantly white and male.

Sept. 24, 2026 Georgia Recorder

Most Georgians struggle with cost of living, researchers say

Maya Homan reports, as many as 70% of Georgia residents are struggling to afford basic necessities, such as food, housing, healthcare or childcare, according to new data from the Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality. The data was released as part of the center’s national family economic well-being index, which measures the economic pressures that families are facing and how severely they are being squeezed by the cost of living.

Sept. 24, 2026 Savannah Morning News

Savannah area economy continues muted growth | Exclusive

Evan Lasseter reports, the Savannah economy sputtered along in the second quarter of this year, coming in flat compared to the first quarter’s .03% growth, according to the latest Coastal Empire Economic Monitor by Georgia Southern University. “The big picture at this point is we have minimal growth in the regional economy,” said GSU’s Fuller E. Callaway Professor of Economics Michael Toma.

Sept. 24, 2026 GlobalAtlanta.com

Mexico-based Startup Joins Engage’s Latest Cohort 

Trevor Williams reports that Mexico City-based startup PartRunner is the sole internationally headquartered member of the latest cohort of Engage, the venture capital platform set up by Atlanta’s corporate community to invest in promising startups. The 17th cohort, which comes with mentorship and venture capital, gives Atlanta another touch point with promising young companies, including some with potentially world-changing technologies.

Sept. 24, 2026 Marietta Daily Journal

Cobb approves contracts for microtransit expansion

Lucinda Warnke reports that the Cobb County Board of Commissioners approved four agreements during their meeting Tuesday evening to expand the county’s on-demand microtransit service, although disagreement remains among the commissioners. The microtransit expansion got the greenlight in August when commissioners voted 3-2 to let the transportation department move forward with expanding the service to northwest Mableton and to create pilot zones in parts of Acworth and Kennesaw.

Sept. 24, 2026 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

Columbus landowner fights part of 291-mile, $3.2 billion Southern Company gas pipeline

Kala Hunter reports, in 1967, after graduating from Columbus College (now Columbus State University), John “Donnie” Peek bought 150 acres in northwest Muscogee County. He and his wife, Judy, decided it was worth buying the land despite a propane pipeline running through the property.

Sept. 24, 2026 Savannah Morning News

Developer eyes new 150-acre solar farm project in Effingham County

Latrice Williams reports, a proposed 150-acre solar farm could bring renewable energy to thousands of homes in Effingham County. According to a Development of Regional Impact (DRI) filing, the proposed site is currently a timber farm and could be under construction as early as 2027.

Sept. 24, 2026 Capitol Beat News

Handful of noncitizens accused of voting in Georgia

Ty Tagami reports that after federal prosecutors charged three noncitizens with voting illegally in Georgia, the man who oversees voting in the state pointed to an audit he ordered four years ago. Last week, the U.S. attorney’s office in Atlanta announced that three people from other countries had been charged with voting in federal elections in recent years despite not being U.S. citizens.

Sept. 24, 2026 Georgia Recorder

Georgia Democrats are bullish on chances of flipping state House this year, but it won’t be easy

Ross Williams reports that Georgia House Democrats say 2026 is the year they’re going to take control of the state House, ending more than two decades of Republican rule. “We are 10 winnable seats away from a majority for the first time since 2004.” said House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley of Columbus during a press conference Wednesday.

Sept. 24, 2026 State Affairs

A tale of 2 Medicaid plans in Georgia’s governor race

Beau Evans reports, one candidate wants this, the other wants that, but no matter who wins the race for Georgia’s next governor in November, it’s become clear that big changes are likely ahead for the state’s struggling Medicaid program. More than 1 million people in Georgia likely do not have health insurance, ranking the state among the worst in the U.S. for coverage, according to independent analysts and the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sept. 24, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution

As GOP weighs Senate map, Mike Collins fights to stay in the mix

Greg Bluestein reports that Gov. Brian Kemp and Senate Majority Leader John Thune headline a fundraiser Thursday for U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, the closed-door gathering will carry stakes well beyond whatever high-dollar checks are handed over that day. It comes as Republicans enter a critical stretch in the race against Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, weighing whether to keep pouring tens of millions of dollars into Georgia or shift resources to other more competitive Senate battlegrounds.