Georgia Trend Daily – Feb. 10, 2025
Feb. 10, 2025 Augusta Chronicle
Georgia town has received over a dozen rankings, including the cheapest Spring Break trip
Vanessa Countryman reports that Spring Break is generally a week in the month of March, depending on school calendars. Savannah has been ranked among the cheapest destinations for this trip, also recognized for its appeal to culture hounds, foodies and partygoers, according to U.S. News and World Reports.
Feb. 10, 2025 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
2025 Georgia Legislative Guide
Kathy Roberts reports that when 236 lawmakers commenced the 40-day session on January 13, they returned to a legislature that has a Republican majority in both houses led by a very popular Republican governor. In the 2023-24 session, 2,107 bills were introduced, and 1,167 were acted on.
Feb. 10, 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
NIH cuts target Georgia’s biomedical sector, risking research, jobs, experts say
Ariel Hart and J. Scott Trubey report that the Trump administration announced major cuts to federal biomedical research funding beginning Monday that experts say threaten the viability of life-saving research and put at risk coveted knowledge jobs in Georgia. The change is at the National Institutes of Health, the nation’s bedrock funder of research.
Feb. 10, 2025 GlobalAtlanta.com
Etihad Upgrading Atlanta Flight to Daily After Seeing Strong Demand
Trevor Williams reports that even before taking off to the world’s busiest airport in Atlanta, Etihad Airways has decided to upgrade its flight to a daily route. The Middle Eastern carrier announced in November it would fly from Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport to the Georgia capital four times per week starting on July 2.
Feb. 10, 2025 GPB
This Level 1 Trauma Center in northern Georgia has a new helipad atop an 11-story tower
Ellen Eldridge reports that Northeast Georgia Medical Center Gainesville can shave more than 10 minutes off the time it takes to get a trauma patient from helicopter to emergency room now that its Green Tower is open, president and CEO Carol Burrell said. The rooftop helipad connects to an elevator that goes directly to the cardiac floor or the emergency room, sometimes, in 30 seconds.
Feb. 10, 2025 Rough Draft – Atlanta
Atlanta Beltline Partnership appoints new board chair and members
Staff reports that Atlanta Beltline Partnership, a nonprofit that supports the Beltline through various fundraising and initiatives, recently announced new leadership and members for its board of directors. Beth Chandler, the chief legal officer at pest control company Rollins, Inc., is stepping into the board chair role.
Feb. 10, 2025 Newnan Times-Herald
Grantville’s downtown at a crossroads: Struggles persist, but growth sparks optimism
Laura Camper reports that Grantville’s downtown is in a flux. While some business owners and residents worry about economic struggles, city officials and investors see growth on the horizon, pointing to new businesses and infrastructure projects.
Feb. 10, 2025 Valdosta Daily Times
Stoner, Stein elected to State Transportation Board; Golden re-elected to another term
Staff reports that a caucus of Georgia state representatives and senators from Congressional Districts 6, 7, and 8 recently held elections for State Transportation Board at the Georgia State Capitol. Current Board representative Tim Golden of Valdosta was re-elected to represent his congressional district on the board, and Doug Stoner and Joseph P. Stein were newly elected.
Feb. 10, 2025 The Brunswick News
Public hearings planned for bed tax increase, commission pay raise
Gordon Jackson reports that a public hearing will be held Tuesday to receive comments about proposed local legislation at a Glynn County Commission workshop. The hearing will be held to consider a proposed 2% increase in the hotel, motel and lodging tax, a pay increase for county commissioners and for one member of the board of commissioners to serve on the Golden Isles Development Authority.
Feb. 10, 2025 Savannah Morning News
Savannah-Chatham Schools intends to opt out of new homestead option due to ‘uncertainties’
Joseph Scwartzburt reports, six o’clock last Thursday evening was quiet within the Jessie Collier DeLoach Boardroom at the Savannah-Chatham Public School System’s Eli Whitney Administrative Complex, 2 Laura Ave. In total, only three people spoke at the first two (of three) public hearings held by the SCCPSS school board.
Feb. 10, 2025 Rome News-Tribune
Dempsey Again Seeking Compensation for Exonerated Floyd County Men
Diane Wagner reports that State Rep. Katie Dempsey, R-Rome, has again filed legislation seeking compensation for two wrongfully imprisoned Floyd County men. Last year her resolutions seeking compensation for Joey Watkins and Lee Clark — who were exonerated after spending decades in prison — stalled in the Senate.
Feb. 10, 2025 Georgia Recorder
State senator pushes bill to protect Georgia Power customers from rate hikes fueled by data centers
Stanley Dunlap reports that Georgia Power, a national data center association, and clean energy groups are divided over the need for legislation that would prevent state-regulated utilities from raising electricity rates to cover the costs of energy-guzzling data centers. Sen. Chuck Hufstetler, a Rome Republican, said he filed Senate Bill 34 in order to protect residential and commercial ratepayers from getting hit with higher utility bills because of large-scale utility company investments to meet the energy demands of artificial intelligence.
Feb. 10, 2025 Capitol Beat News
Medicaid expansion in Georgia drawing interest from long-opposed Republicans
Ty Tagami reports that advocates seeking health insurance for more low-income Georgians are encouraged that Medicaid expansion is starting to draw support among what for years has been unified Republican opposition. Although just four GOP state senators joined 17 Democrats when Senate Bill 50 was introduced late last month, it was still a milestone for Laura Colbert.
Feb. 10, 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jason Esteves preparing for a potential run for governor in 2026
Greg Bluestein, Tia Mitchell, Patricia Murphy and Adam Beam report that State Sen. Jason Esteves might not yet be a household name in Georgia politics, but you could be hearing plenty more about him over the next year. The Atlanta Democrat is taking steps to prepare a campaign for governor in 2026.
