Georgia Trend Daily – Oct. 22, 2026

Oct. 22, 2026 Georgia.gov

Gov. Kemp: Blue Bird Invests $300 Million in Peach County

Staff reports that Gov. Kemp, on Wednesday announced that Blue Bird Corporation (Blue Bird), a technology leader and innovator of school buses, is expanding its existing footprint in Peach County. The company plans to invest an estimated $300 million in a new manufacturing facility in Fort Valley, creating 375 new jobs over the next three years.

Oct. 22, 2026 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!

2026 Higher Education Directory

Christy Simo reports, from new scholarships and record-breaking enrollment to expanded partnerships and an ambitious state career and workforce initiative, there’s lots happening in higher education in Georgia. The big news is the governor’s Top State for Talent initiative, which creates a single, coordinated statewide education and workforce plan in cooperation with the University System of Georgia, the Technical College System of Georgia, the Department of Education, the Department of Labor and the Georgia Student Finance Commission.

Oct. 22, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution

AJC poll: Georgians want government to regulate AI; most oppose data centers.

Mirtha Donastorg reports, in this heated political climate, it can feel like there are few things Republicans and Democrats can agree on. But there is at least one area where they find common ground: government regulation of artificial intelligence.

Oct. 22, 2026 GlobalAtlanta.com

From Chicken to Chips: Dutch Machinery Maker to Aid U.S. Semiconductor Boom With North Georgia Expansion

Trevor Williams reports, a Dutch provider of high-tech machinery is investing $77 million in hiring 120 new workers in Hall County as it builds out a new facility to support the breakneck growth of the semiconductor sector in the United States. VDL Groep’s landmark investment, which includes the purchase of the property where it has operated for about eight years in Flowery Branch, represents the evolution of the U.S. industrial profile — and how enabling foreign investors’ success in one sector can sometimes leads to expansion in another.

Oct. 22, 2026 WABE, KFF Health News

New arrivals in the ER? Georgia gears up to solve rural maternal health crisis

Briah Lumpkins reports, it had been a decade since Kara Holden last had a baby. But as the former obstetric nurse prepared for her fourth child, her head was swimming with contingency plans. She and her midwife mapped out emergency rooms along the more-than-50-mile trek to the hospital in Greenville, South Carolina, where she planned to give birth.

Oct. 22, 2026 Gainesville Times

NGHS receives ‘largest philanthropic gift’ in its history. Here are the details

Jeff Gill reports that Northeast Georgia Health System announced a $200 million fundraiser Wednesday, Oct. 21, kicked off by a donation declared as “the largest philanthropic gift in NGHS’ history.” “This campaign will help shape (NGHS’) next 75 years for the care of our patients and our community,” said Dr. Matt Hanley, NGHS president and CEO, referring to the hospital system’s 75th anniversary on Sept. 1.

Oct. 22, 2026 Valdosta Daily Times

Lowndes Longest Table aims to build community connections

Staff reports, Lowndes County residents are invited to pull up a chair, share a meal, and join meaningful conversations at the inaugural Lowndes Longest Table Sunday, Nov. 15, at 4 p.m., under the James Beck Overpass in Valdosta’s Historic Southside District. The Lowndes Longest Table, organized by One Valdosta-Lowndes (OVL), is a free event that brings together residents from different neighborhoods, backgrounds, generations, and experiences to build relationships, strengthen trust, and promote civic engagement.

Oct. 22, 2026 Newnan Times-Herald

Data center property reverts to rural conservation

Jeffrey Cullen-Dean reports, property zoned light industrial for the Project Peach data center reverted to rural conservation at Tuesday night’s Board of Commissioners meeting. Because the developers had not obtained a land disturbance permit or power purchase agreement in the time required by the original zoning conditions from April 2025, the board voted 3-2 to rezone the 323.9-acre property to rural conservation.

Oct. 22, 2026 Savannah Morning News

Effingham County votes to hire firm to oversee Phase 1 of data center

Latrice Williams reports that Effingham County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday selecting Charles Abbott Associates Inc. (CAA) to provide services including civil and site review, building and structural review, preconstruction coordination and construction inspections for the first phase of Project Camellia, the massive data center development planned for the Rincon area.

Oct. 22, 2026 Augusta Chronicle

Data center blasting set to begin in Columbia County

Joe Hotchkiss reports that blasting begins Thursday through Christmas Eve for one of Columbia County’s forthcoming data centers. The controlled explosions near the Greenpoint data center construction site, in the Pumpkin Center area north of Harlem, are expected to last between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. every other weekday from Oct. 22 to Dec. 30, the county government announced Monday.

Oct. 22, 2026 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

Group gives $2.5 million to support Georgia Public Service Commission candidate

Kala Hunter reports, the Georgia Public Service Commission election just entered a new era of political action committee and independent committee financial support. The campaign for mechanical engineer Josh Tolbert, the Republican nominee on the Nov. 3 ballot for the PSC’s District 5 seat, has received $2.5 million from an independent committee called Powering Georgia’s Future.

Oct. 22, 2026 Georgia Recorder

Fewer Georgians are planning to vote by mail, with one day left to request an absentee ballot

Maya Homan reports that Peach State residents who want to vote by mail in the midterm elections have one last day to file their absentee ballot request, and so far, Georgia is seeing less demand for that form of voting. About 154,000 absentee ballots have been requested as of Wednesday evening, according to data from the secretary of state’s office.

Oct. 22, 2026 GPB

How visits from presidents could impact voter turnout in Georgia

Sarah Kallis reports, President Donald Trump and former president Barack Obama are both making stops in Georgia ahead of Election Day. Dr. Amy Steigerwalt, a political science professor at Georgia State University, said having high-profile visits can signal to low-propensity voters that the race is important.

Oct. 22, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Voter Voices: Women historically outvote men. Here’s what they are voting for.

Sophia Eppley reports, across Georgia, likely women voters named the cost of living as the single most important issue facing the state heading into the midterm elections, according to a new poll from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Women outnumber and outvote men, making them a key group that could decide Georgia’s tightening midterm elections.