Georgia Trend Daily – Sept. 2, 2025

Sept. 2, 2025 Valdosta Daily Times

EnergyTek Corporation selects Colquitt County

Staff reports that  EnergyTek Corporation is planning to invest at least $275 million in establishing new manufacturing operations in Moultrie, according to an announcement released Friday by the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Following a multi-year ramp up, the company expects to create a total of 1,300 jobs at full operations.

Sept. 2, 2025 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!

Legacy Leaders

Ben Young reports, this month, Georgia Trend celebrates 40 years as the magazine that covers business, politics and economic development statewide. To mark those four decades, we reached out to some influential people throughout the state who have been around to witness all that has happened, both positive and negative, during that time.

Sept. 2, 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Georgia has recruited India for business. Some entrepreneurs fear new tariffs.

Mirtha Donastorg reports, Georgia may soon lose out on foreign businesses that want to establish a presence in the state because of President Donald Trump’s tariffs, officials and business owners tell The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Trump initially announced a 25% tariff rate on India earlier this year, but added an additional 25% in August because the country buys Russian oil, which the White House said “undermines U.S. efforts to counter Russia’s harmful activities.”

Sept. 2, 2025 GlobalAtlanta.com

Building Efficiency: Joulea Sees Opportunity in Tackling World’s Largest Source of Energy Usage

Trevor Williams reports that when Ramtin Motahar looks at commercial buildings, he can’t help but notice their inflated appetites for energy. “You can’t outrun a bad diet, and we have a bad diet right now,” says the Atlanta entrepreneur behind Joulea, a local startup that uses artificial intelligence, machine learning and proprietary hardware to help building owners get a handle on their assets’ energy data — and, more importantly, take action.

Sept. 2, 2025 Marietta Daily Journal

Cobb authority advances affordable housing deal

Jack Lindner reports that this week, the Development Authority of Cobb County took the first step toward approving $25 million in tax-exempt bonds for the construction of a multifamily affordable housing complex in Smyrna. At its monthly meeting Tuesday, the authority unanimously voted to approve an inducement resolution, which moves the authority closer to issuing the new bonds.

Sept. 2, 2025 Gainesville Times

Hall County to pause accepting high density housing applications. Here are the details

Danny McArthur reports that Hall County commissioners voted 3-1 Thursday for a 180-day moratorium on high density residential development applications. The proposed suspension on the acceptance of applications is effective Aug. 29 and ends at midnight on Feb. 25, 2026.

Sept. 2, 2025 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

Why GA’s senators announced $300,000 in funding for this Columbus organization

Kelby Hutchison reports that Georgia’s two senators have announced a Columbus organization will receive a $300,000 grant to help fight the opioid crisis. Sen. Jon Ossoff and Sen. Raphael Warnock announced Thursday $900,000 in federal funding through the Health Resources and Services Administration to three Georgia organizations, including the New Horizons Community Service Board in Columbus.

Sept. 2, 2025 GPB

Atlanta Dream announces partnership to eliminate debt for thousands of residents

Amanda Andrews reports that thousands of people in Atlanta will have their debt forgiven this week as part of a program by the Atlanta Dream to invest in the community. The Atlanta Dream got their name from Dr Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have A Dream” speech, which took place during the March on Washington DC 62 years ago on Aug. 28.

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Sept. 2, 2025 Capitol Beat News

Legalized gambling backers optimistic ahead of 2026 General Assembly session

Ross Williams reports, for more than a decade, supporters of legalizing gambling in Georgia have pitched casinos, pari-mutuel betting on horse racing, and – more recently – sports betting to the General Assembly but come up snake eyes. But gaming industry lobbyists and their legislative allies believe 2026 could be different because Georgia faces several daunting financial challenges that legalized gambling could help address.

 

Sept. 2, 2025 Marietta Daily Journal

Loudermilk confronts criticism from activists outside Marietta event

Jack Lindner reports, speaking to the Marietta Business Association this week, U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Cassville, said to prepare for a new “golden era” in American business. Loudermilk spoke as protesters from activist groups Indivisible Cobb and Indivisible Woodstock stood outside The Foxglove calling for more transparency from the congressman.

Sept. 2, 2025 Georgia Recorder

Baggage or badge of honor? Candidate’s post-2020 election record looms over Georgia governor’s race

Ross Williams reports, qhy should GOP primary voters vote for Lt. Gov. Burt Jones to be Georgia’s next governor over Attorney General Chris Carr or another candidate who may emerge between now and May’s party primary? For several speakers at Jones’ official campaign kick-off in Flovilla last week, Jones’ loyalty to President Donald Trump shows he is the right person for the job.

Sept. 2, 2025 Capitol Beat News

Kemp publicly backs Dooley for U.S. Senate

Ty Tagami reports, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp threw his full support behind football coach Derek Dooley on Saturday, saying he believes the son of legendary Bulldogs coach Vince Dooley can unseat Democrat Jon Ossoff from the U.S. Senate next year. “I am proud to endorse Derek Dooley, for United States Senate,” the two-term Republican governor said Saturday.

Sept. 2, 2025 Georgia Recorder

Georgia Democrats hope an anti-Trump mood could propel state Senate candidate to upset win in runoff

Maya Homan reports, Georgia Democrats’ hopes were lifted when Democrat Debra Shigley easily secured the top spot in a seven-way race Tuesday and advanced to a runoff in a district that overwhelmingly reelected a Republican senator last year and helped send President Donald Trump back to the White House. Shigley, who was the only Democrat in the first round of voting, is now preparing for a tougher challenge: a head-to-head race with a Republican.

Sept. 2, 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Donald Trump’s endorsement looms large over Georgia’s US Senate race

Greg Bluestein, Tia Mitchell, Patricia Murphy and Adam Beam report, Gov. Brian Kemp went public with his expected endorsement of Republican U.S. Senate candidate Derek Dooley, appearing with the former coach over the weekend before Georgia’s home football opener. Now the three-way race to take on incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff enters its next phase: the battle for President Donald Trump’s blessing.