Georgia Trend Daily – Dec. 19, 2025
Dec. 19, 2025 GPB
Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation grants $6.3 million to six Atlanta School Districts for sports access
Staff reports that the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation (AMBFF), in partnership with Atlanta United, the Atlanta Falcons, and PGA TOUR Superstore, announced it is granting $6.3 million in funding to six Metro Atlanta school districts over three years. The funding will increase access to sports at the middle school and high school levels. Data shows that the average family spends about $1,000 on the child’s primary sport, up 46% from 2019.
Dec. 19, 2025 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
The Donovan’s Venom
Candice Dyer reports, “Attach a melody, and your mind retains it,” says a classically trained concert pianist named The Donovan Vernon (who goes by “The Donovan”). He poses the question: “When was the last time you recited your ABCs? Even if it was a long time ago, you still remember the letters in sequence because of the jingle.”
Dec. 19, 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A new Georgia data center could be powered by RICE. It’s not the kind you eat.
Drew Kann reports, data centers use tons of electricity. VoltaGrid, a Houston-based energy solutions firm, wants to install 33 reciprocating internal combustion engines, or RICE units, at a data center site in Covington, about 35 miles east of Atlanta.
Dec. 19, 2025 Savannah Morning News
Board member says they will “stay the course’ amid airport opposition
Latrice Williams reports, during the Dec. 9 Bryan County commissioner meeting, local officials assured the community they heard their concerns when they passed a resolution to withdraw support from the airport authority. Established May 1 by Gov. Brian Kemp, the 11-member board was created to oversee funding sources and construction of an airport for small aircrafts to fly in and out of Bryan County and to house the planes for area pilots.
Dec. 19, 2025 Marietta Daily Journal
KSU Foundation requests $135M bond for refinancing, student housing
Isabelle Manders reports, with continued growth at Kennesaw State University, the Development Authority of Cobb County signaled its willingness to help the university refinance existing debt and renovate aging student housing through a proposed $135 million tax-exempt bond issue. This week, the authority unanimously approved an inducement resolution, marking the first formal step toward issuing the bonds.
Dec. 19, 2025 WABE
Georgia releases 2026 travel guide ahead of year of highly anticipated tourism
Kendall Murry reports that the Peach State is kicking off the release of its 2026 Georgia Travel Guide, a free 130-page booklet that helps visitors plan their trips, several months ahead of hosting eight matches for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Announced Thursday by Gov. Brian Kemp and the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s tourism division, the travel resource uses “imagery and immersive storytelling” to highlight the versatile regions across the state.
Dec. 19, 2025 The Brunswick News
Jekyll featured in Discovery, LEGO education initiative
Taylor Cooper reports that Jekyll Island and the Okefenokee Swamp recently appeared in an educational program about amphibians produced by Discovery Education and LEGO’s Build the Change initiative. Both programs are aimed at educating children about the environment and what they can do to help maintain it.
Dec. 19, 2025 Augusta Chronicle
Augusta reopens another portion of canal towpath damaged by Helene
Erica Van Buren reports that Augusta officials recently announced the reopening of the Augusta Canal Towpath between the water pump station and the I-20 bridge for public use starting Friday, after being closed for more than a year due to damage caused by Hurricane Helene. A popular destination for walking, running, and cycling, an initial section of the towpath, from the headgates at Savannah Rapids Pavilion to the I-20 bridge, reopened in November following repairs.
Dec. 19, 2025 Gainesville Times
After six-hour hearing, here’s where things stand for Hall planning commissioners accused of open meetings violations
Danny McArthur reports, after more than six hours of legal arguments and testimony on Wednesday, a county-appointed hearing officer is expected to make his recommendation by the end of the month on whether three Hall County planning commissioners should be removed from office. Last month, an independent investigator hired by the county concluded that planning commissioners Chris Braswell, Stan Hunt and Frank Sosebee violated the open meetings law at least five times “and likely more,” and “chose to ignore” multiple warnings from planning staff.
Dec. 19, 2025 Macon Telegraph
Trump administration sues Brad Raffensperger in Macon over election records. What we know
Alba Rosa reports that the Department of Justice is suing Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in Macon, in an effort to force him to provide detailed voter information after he allegedly refused to do so. Dhillon wrote in the lawsuit that she was filing it in the Macon Division of the federal court system because “a substantial part of the events or omissions giving rise to the United States’ claims occurred in this district ….“
Dec. 19, 2025 State Affairs
‘This is serious’: Foster care under fire in Georgia amid budget deficit
Beau Evans reports that Georgia’s foster care system is facing a severe budget deficit that risks deep cuts to programs meant for placing foster children in permanent homes and keeping them out of hotels, officials and advocates warned Thursday. An $85 million deficit at the Department of Family and Child Services, which oversees the state’s foster system, prompted officials to halt key services that local foster care groups provide to children and families such as mental health treatments, parental assistance and transportation, according to officials.
Dec. 19, 2025 Capitol Beat News
State regulator set to vote on Georgia Power expansion amid last-minute legal moves
Ty Tagami reports that advocates for the environment and renewable energy say in a formal filing with the state utilities regulator that Georgia Power’s pledge to hold down homeowners’ utility bills during a proposed expansion of capacity for data centers is an empty promise. The monopoly utility wants permission to increase its electricity generation by 10 gigawatts ahead of an anticipated surge in demand by tech companies that are developing power hungry artificial intelligence.
Dec. 19, 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ossoff finds firmer footing as 2026 race takes shape
Greg Bluestein reports, this time last year, U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff was considered to be the Democratic Party’s likeliest casualty on the 2026 Senate map. Now, Georgia Democrats increasingly are confident of the first-term lawmaker’s midterm chances, and Republicans are the ones sounding pessimistic.
