Georgia Trend Daily – Aug. 1, 2024
Aug. 1, 2024 State Affairs
Georgia named No. 1 state for bridge quality
Nava Rawls reports that Georgia’s booming population and economy increase transportation across the state, the government’s recent investment in infrastructure has done the work to bear the weight. A new report from ConsumerAffairs found Georgia is the top state in the country for its quality of bridges.
Aug. 1, 2024 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Rolling in the Green
Mary Anne Dunkin reports, when Scottie Scheffler finished at 11-under 277 to win this year’s Masters Tournament, he received a record $3.6 million cash prize, a gold medal, a sterling silver replica of the Masters trophy, and, of course, the green jacket – his second in three years. But Scheffler wasn’t the only winner in the weeklong tournament, for which 2 million golf fans vied for a limited number of spots to witness the event firsthand.
Aug. 1, 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Three Coca-Cola directors stepping down Thursday
Michael E. Kanell reports that three longtime Coca-Cola board members are retiring Thursday, according to company officials. Barry Diller, Alexis Herman and Marc Bolland will step down as directors after serving a combined 48 years on the board of the Atlanta-based beverage giant, the company said in a press release.
Aug. 1, 2024 Covington News
Archer Aviation reaffirms expected 2024 completion date
Staff reports that on Wednesday, Archer Aviation Inc. provided an update on the construction progress of its high-volume manufacturing facility in Covington, reaffirming an expected October 2024 completion date. In preparation for this facility’s completion, last week Archer showcased its Midnight aircraft at Atlantic Aviation’s new terminal at DeKalb–Peachtree Municipal Airport.
Aug. 1, 2024 GPB
USPS unveils new Hank Aaron ‘Forever’ stamp at Truist Park
Peter Biello reports that stamp collectors and baseball fans converged at Truist Park in Atlanta on Wednesday morning to witness the unveiling of the new Hank Aaron stamp. The design of the “Forever” stamp — one with no visible price but equals the current value of mailing a standard letter — features the legendary slugger in his batting stance.
Aug. 1, 2024 GlobalAtlanta.com
Why Atlanta Is Poised to Become South Africa’s Gateway to the U.S.
Trevor Williams reports, if the U.S. envoy to South Africa has his way, Atlanta is poised to become the focal point of a bilateral relationship that is recalibrating amid seismic shifts in the rainbow nation’s political makeup and the broader global landscape. In March, Ambassador Reuben Brigety brought a delegation of government and industry leaders to the city of Martin Luther King Jr. to kickstart what his office is calling the Atlanta Phambili initiative — Atlanta Forward in Zulu.
Aug. 1, 2024 Rome News-Tribune
Portions of NWGA Could Reach Heat Index Values Of 108 Thursday
Staff reports that Northwest Georgia is under a heat advisory Thursday and the heat index could reach as high as 108 degrees because of the temperature coupled with high humidity. According to the National Weather Service, the heat advisory is in effect from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. Thursday.
Aug. 1, 2024 Albany Herald
Georgia Milestones data show improvement in core subjects throughout southwest Georgia
Lucy Lannigan reports that Georgia Department of Education released the 2023-24 Georgia Milestones Assessment scores recently, and the data show some statewide improvement in end-of-grade testing scores from third- through eighth-grade students. The Georgia Milestones Assessment System provides information about student performance in mastering state content standards in the core content areas of English language arts, math, science and social studies.
Aug. 1, 2024 The Current
Georgia voter cancellation portal requires second round of security fixes
Maggie Lee reports that the website launched this week by Georgia’s secretary of state intended to help individuals to cancel their voter status and to increase confidence in the state’s electoral rolls has instead exposed private personal data of voters, according to an investigation by The Current.
Aug. 1, 2024 WABE
Federal judge in Alabama lets Title IX rule protecting LGBTQ kids go forward in Georgia
Shauneen Miranda reports that a federal judge has struck down an attempt by Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina to halt enforcement of the Biden administration’s final rule for Title IX, shortly before the final rule takes effect nationwide on Thursday. The administration’s updated regulations — which seek to extend federal discrimination protections for LGBTQ students — have been met with a wave of GOP pushback since being announced by the Department of Education in April.
Aug. 1, 2024 The Brunswick News
New Cumberland Island, Fort Frederica superintendent on the job
Gordon Jackson reports, Melissa Trenchik has been busy the past three months getting up to speed as the new superintendent of Cumberland Island National Seashore and Fort Frederica National Monument. Her previous position was as superintendent of Buffalo River National Park in Arkansas.
Aug. 1, 2024 Georgia Recorder
Georgia schools chief says African American studies decision rooted in ‘divisive concepts’ law
Ross Williams reports that Georgia’s 2022 “divisive concepts” bill is to blame for the state’s sidelining of an Advanced Placement African American studies course, State School Superintendent Richard Woods said in a statement Wednesday. Last week, Woods said he would not recommend approval for the class but said districts that want to offer it can still do so through a workaround.
Aug. 1, 2024 Capitol Beat News
Georgia woman describes horrors of giving birth in prison
Dave Williams reports that a tearful Georgia woman told a U.S. Senate subcommittee a harrowing story Wednesday of giving birth while serving a five-year sentence in a state prison. Jessica Umberger, who now serves as a care navigator for the Policing Alternatives & Diversion Initiative in Atlanta, said she was forced to undergo a Cesarean section against her will because she had had one 18 years earlier.
Aug. 1, 2024 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Election Board decides to revisit contentious votes
Mark Niesse reports that a unanimous Georgia Election Board voted Tuesday to redo a heated meeting where three Republicans sought new voting rules amid “chaos and lawfare” over whether the meeting was legal. The State Election Board decided to reconsider the proposed rules, which would allow more poll watcher access to ballot counting and require counties to post daily ballot tallies on their websites during early voting.
