Georgia Trend Daily – July 19, 2024
July 19, 2024 Georgia.gov
Gov. Kemp Announces Details for $1.5B Transportation Infrastructure Investment
Staff reports, Gov. Kemp on Thursday announced new details for the historic $1.5 billion investment in transportation infrastructure around the state included in the Amended Fiscal Year 2024 budget. This funding will advance transportation projects reviewed by the State Transportation Board today during its monthly meeting while also serving as a down payment for future expansion as Georgia continues to experience record job and population growth.
July 19, 2024 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Succeeding Under the Radar
LeeAnn Dance reports, Community Improvement Districts (CIDs) in South Metro Atlanta are getting things done. The evidence is hiding in plain sight: ambassadors Downtown, a weekly food market at the West End MARTA station, transit improvements at MARTA stops in South Fulton, and a sculpture at the Fulton Industrial Boulevard/I-20 interchange.
July 19, 2024 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Microsoft outage grounds planes, upends businesses. Delta, United affected
J. Scott Trubey and Kelly Yamanouchi report, a massive outage is affecting Microsoft users around the globe, disrupting airlines, railways, banks, stock exchanges and other businesses. U.S. airlines including Delta, United and American have grounded flights, and airlines and airports across the globe are affected.
July 19, 2024 Capitol Beat News
Georgia sees slight rise in unemployment
Dave Williams reports that Georgia’s unemployment rate rose slightly last month to 3.3%, up from 3.2% in May, the state Department of Labor reported Thursday. Commissioner of Labor Bruce Thompson said joblessness typically rises during the summer when school is out.
July 19, 2024 Rome News-Tribune
Another Surge in Local Job Count: Up 4,300 in June vs. Same Month Last Year
John Druckenmiller reports that there’s another stunning surge in Rome-Floyd local jobs showcased in the June employment report from the state Department of Labor. An astounding 4,300 jobs were added in the 12 months between June of 2023 and last month, the latest update shows.
July 19, 2024 WSB Radio, WSB TV
Georgia ranked 6th most financially distressed state in the US
Staff reports, a new study on economic stress across the United States named Georgia as the sixth most financially distressed state in the country. The study by WalletHub said Georgia had the ninth most people with accounts in distress and the 10th highest average number of accounts in distress across the United States.
July 19, 2024 Georgia Recorder
Environmentalists press EPA to force Georgia Power to follow federal rules for coal ash cleanup
Stanley Dunlap reports, several Georgia environmental organizations are pressing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to enforce national standards that would prevent Georgia Power from disposing of coal ash waste in a way that pollutes groundwater. The Southern Environmental Law Center requested this week that the EPA revoke the Georgia Environmental Protection Division’s state coal ash residuals program that’s been used to approve Georgia Power’s cleanup plans for storing toxic waste left behind by power plants after decades of burning coal for energy.
July 19, 2024 Savannah Morning News
Group not satisfied with feds’ response to threatened lawsuit over Hyundai permits
John Deem reports, more than 30 days after threatening legal action to halt the largest economic development project in Georgia’s history, a lawyer on Thursday expressed impatience with federal officials for failing to address “substantial issues” raised by an environmental group. On June 3, the Ogeechee Riverkeeper organization informed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in writing that it intended to sue the agency over its approval of an environmental permit for Hyundai Motor Company’s $7.6 billion electric vehicle and battery manufacturing site in Bryan County.
July 19, 2024 The Current
As workers train, Hyundai Metaplant salary picture takes shape
Amira McKee reports that Georgia and southeast coastal counties are subsidizing Hyundai and its suppliers in the form of $2.1 billion in tax breaks, construction costs, discount land and other perks, a deal that Gov. Brian Kemp announced would produce good-paying jobs for hard-working Georgians. The largesse comes with conditions.
July 19, 2024 State Affairs
Professor Audrey Haynes connects Georgia’s political leaders to the next generation
Nava Rawls reports, some of the state’s most influential politicians and political kingmakers are clamoring to be guest speakers in University of Georgia Professor Audrey Haynes’ Introduction to Applied Politics class. Gov. Brian Kemp and DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond have already made appearances as guest speakers at one of the most-sought after classes on campus.
July 19, 2024 Marietta Daily Journal
Cobb School District Receives Positive Cognia Review
Isabelle Manders reports that Cobb County School District has been accredited for an additional six years following a comprehensive review by its accreditation firm, Cognia. This review is the first since the Alpharetta-based firm sparked controversy in 2021, when it conducted a special review of the school district due to complaints from the board’s three Democratic members amid partisan conflict.
July 19, 2024 Georgia Recorder
Federal lawsuit challenges constitutionality of blank check ‘leadership committees’
Jill Nolin reports that the Democratic Party of Georgia is challenging the constitutionality of a 2021 state law that allows Republican Gov. Brian Kemp and others to raise and spend unlimited campaign funds. The lawsuit was filed Thursday in federal court and names only Kemp in his official capacity as governor as a defendant.
July 19, 2024 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Kemp to lead weeklong economic development mission in Italy
Zachary Hansen reports, Gov. Brian Kemp announced Friday he will visit Italy for a weeklong trip to fortify business relationships with one of Europe’s largest economies. The Republican governor, first lady Marty Kemp and state economic development recruiters will meet with several Italian companies next week that operate facilities across Georgia, while also trying to seal the deal on potential new projects.
