Georgia Trend Daily – Oct. 21, 2026
Oct. 21, 2026 Capitol Beat News
Georgia tax collections rise 2.3% to $3.34 billion in September
Ty Tagami reports, net Georgia tax collections in September rose 2.3% over the same month last year, continuing gains recorded in recent months. Net collections for the month totaled $3.34 billion, up $76.7 million.
Oct. 21, 2026 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Gainesville | Hall County: A Front Porch For All
Amy Faeskorn reports that Gainesville-Hall County is on a roll. In the past several years, it’s experienced rapid growth in almost every sector, established an international reputation as a place to do business, and garnered numerous accolades for its civic and economic achievements.
Oct. 21, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
How State Farm Arena will shift from Atlanta Dream to Hawks to concerts
Savannah Sicurella reports, seven events, six days, multiple floor configurations. State Farm Arena has its work cut out for itself throughout the rest of this week, as it prepares to play host to two WNBA Finals games between the Atlanta Dream and the Golden State Valkyries, the home opener for the Atlanta Hawks and concerts spliced in between.
Oct. 21, 2026 Saporta Report
$1 billion investment from Georgia Tech and Emory bets big on AI
Mark Lannaman reports that Georgia Tech and Emory, two of Atlanta and Georgia’s top research institutions, are seemingly all-in on artificial intelligence (AI). Last week, the two universities announced a joint investment of over $1.1 billion — $575 million from Georgia Tech and $600 million from Emory — into AI infrastructure, hoping to ensure Atlanta’s place as a top destination for AI talent and an incubation hub.
Oct. 21, 2026 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
Columbus’ new economic development strategy comes with $19.7 million price tag
Jordyn Paul-Slater reports that implementing the next phase of the Columbus Ahead plan comes with a new price tag: $19.7 million, according to economic development officials. The Regional Prosperity Initiative (RPI) hosted “Ahead Together: The Roadmap to 2030” on Oct. 16, when officials outlined the implementation stage of Columbus Ahead, a five-year economic development strategy.
Oct. 21, 2026 GPB
DOE okays construction of the next home for the nation’s largest supply of nuclear warhead triggers
Jillian Magtoto reports that only a small handful of the public will likely ever get to see the Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility (SRPPF) in Aiken, S.C. near Augusta. Here lies the future manufacturing site for most of the nation’s plutonium pits, or the triggers for nuclear weapons.
Oct. 21, 2026 Athens Banner-Herald
UGA lands $9 million award to lead research on the peanut
Wayne Ford reports, the University of Georgia announced this week that it will receive a $9 million award to lead an international lab focused on the breeding and production of the peanut. The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Peanut is a U.S. Department of State program that brings together international and U.S. scientists who study the peanut, according to UGA.
Oct. 21, 2026 WABE
McLaurin, Dolezal battle it out for influential Georgia lieutenant governor role
Marisa Mecke reports that the lieutenant governor is the second-highest office in the Georgia executive branch under the governor — they take over should anything happen to the governor. The lieutenant governor also serves as president of the Senate and is highly influential over the life cycle of bills and, thus, legislation.
Oct. 21, 2026 Macon Telegraph
Upcoming Trump rally moved from Macon to Perry
Casey Choung reports that a rally that was set to feature an appearance from President Donald Trump in Macon on Saturday was moved to Perry, the GOP announced Tuesday morning. The GOP announced the event Monday with a Macon location listed on its RSVP page, but a news release Tuesday morning confirmed the event would take place at Perry’s Guardian Centers.
Oct. 21, 2026 Georgia Recorder
Ballot amendment would pave the way for dedicated funding to upgrade Georgia’s 911 system
Maya Homan reports that Georgia is currently in the midst of transforming its 911 system to incorporate new technology in a world where most calls to emergency services are made from cell phones rather than landlines. But how quickly the state finishes that upgrade may depend on the outcome of one of this year’s three ballot questions.
Oct. 21, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tight race for Georgia attorney general becomes a debate over experience
David Wickert reports that Democrats and Republicans are sinking millions of dollars into a deadlocked Georgia attorney general’s race in a high-stakes competition be the state’s next top lawyer. A new Atlanta Journal-Constitution survey found the race between Democratic state Rep. Tanya Miller and Republican state Sen. Brian Strickland is neck and neck, with both candidates receiving about 44% of the vote.
