Georgia Trend Daily – Jan. 9, 2024
Jan. 9, 2024 Capitol Beat News
State awards second round of grants through new rural housing program
Dave Williams reports that the state awarded more than $9 million Monday to support more than 400 housing units in four Georgia communities, the second round of grants through a program Gov. Brian Kemp created last year. The Rural Workforce Housing Initiative, which Kemp announced during his annual State of the State address last January, includes $35.7 million to help spur the development of critically needed workforce housing across the state.
Jan. 9, 2024 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Flipping the script on town and gown
Julia Roberts reports, at the recent Town Center State of the District, the Town Center CID and Kennesaw State University (KSU) shared how they are embracing their Town and Gown distinction to create a community that serves students, businesses and residents. Historically, the concept of “town and gown” recognizes the inherent tensions between the needs of a university and its surrounding community.
Jan. 9, 2024 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Hyundai plans for hydrogen-powered trucks to supply Georgia factory
Kelly Yamanouchi reports that officials from Hyundai Motor Co. and the state of Georgia promoted plans on Monday for hydrogen-powered trucks to supply the automaker’s electric vehicle factory under construction near the Port of Savannah. The announcement at the international CES tech show in Las Vegas is another step in the state’s efforts toward cultivating a market for hydrogen fuel and encouraging businesses to see Georgia as a place to expand and innovate.
Jan. 9, 2024 Rome News-Tribune
Qcells’ Cartersville Campus to Power Microsoft Projects in 8-Year Deal
John Druckenmiller reports that two companies that are having a $3.5 billion impact on the future of Northwest Georgia have announced a massive deal involving Cartersville’s rising solar energy plant. Announced early Monday, Qcells says it has struck an eight-year “strategic alliance” with Microsoft Corp., “a global technology company that solidifies Microsoft as one of the world’s largest purchasers of renewable energy.”
Jan. 9, 2024 Saporta Report
Raphael Bostic paints fairly rosy economic picture at Atlanta Rotary
Maria Saporta reports, in his annual talk to the Rotary Club of Atlanta, Federal Reserve of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic compared the economic situation to last year’s forecast. “I was reflecting on last year when we were here – the whole message I wanted to impart was that inflation was too high,” said Bostic, remembering inflation was hovering at 7 percent at the beginning of 2023.
Jan. 9, 2024 Gainesville Times
Judge orders Hall Schools to pay Buford Schools $1.6 million in sales tax lawsuit. Here’s why
Ben Anderson reports that a judge has ordered Hall County Schools to pay Buford City Schools more than $1.64 million in damages a little more than a year after Buford filed a lawsuit against Hall for withholding its remaining share of education sales tax revenue.
Jan. 9, 2024 Marietta Daily Journal
Judge Rules Cobb Commissioners Drawing Their Own District Lines is Unconstitutional; County to Appeal
Hunter Riggall reports that the Cobb County Board of Commissioners’ attempt to draw its own districts was unconstitutional, a Cobb Superior Court judge ruled Monday. Judge Ann Harris sided with plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging the county’s late 2022 “home rule” resolution.
Jan. 9, 2024 WABE
Advocates raise concern about proposed change to Coastal Georgia marsh protections
Emily Jones reports that coastal Georgia regulators want to change a rule designed to protect the state’s marshes, which serve as a buffer against storms and rising sea levels and are a vital part of the coastal ecosystem. But advocates say the seemingly small change points to a need for a broader review of marsh protections.
Jan. 9, 2024 Georgia Recorder
Georgia lawmakers return to state Capitol with new security measures in place after threats
Jill Nolin and Stanley Dunlap report, state lawmakers returned Monday to the Gold Dome for what is expected to be a lively election-year legislative session. But for now, lawmakers are mostly tending to the usual housekeeping tasks that greet each session, like setting a calendar that will dictate the length of the session and which days lawmakers will meet.
Jan. 9, 2024 Valdosta Daily Times, CNHI News
Election board reviving push to end no-excuse absentee voting in Georgia
Asia Ashley reports that after an unsuccessful 2021 attempt by some Republican lawmakers to end no-excuse absentee voting, the Georgia Election Board is recommending limits for voting by mail. The proposal, submitted by board member and Republican Party appointee Janice Johnston, asks state lawmakers to consider legislation ending or amending no-excuse absentee voting.
Jan. 9, 2024 Capitol Beat News
General Assembly starts slowly but likely to pick up soon
Dave Williams reports, the 2024 General Assembly session got off to a slow start under the Gold Dome Monday. With Democratic and Republican leaders already have been chosen last year at the start of the two-year legislative term, there were no leadership elections.
Jan. 9, 2024 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
PG A.M.: Loeffler unveils campaign tech designed to boost GOP candidates
Greg Bluestein, Tia Mitchell, Patricia Murphy and Adam Van Brimmer report that when then-U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler ran against the Rev. Raphael Warnock in 2020, the one-time financial tech executive said she found a Republican campaign infrastructure underfunded and stuck in the past, particularly when it came to technology, fundraising and field operations. But instead of returning to her former business career after losing to Warnock, Loeffler has spent the last three years building the kind of support for GOP campaigns she said was missing.
