Georgia Trend Daily – Dec. 23, 2025
Dec. 23, 2025 Savannah Morning News
A pipeline will cut through Georgia. Whose land will be taken?
Jillian Magtoto reports, for 30 years, Perry Wells has overseen 200 acres of forested land in the rural community of Bolingbroke, Monroe County, Ga. Now, another challenge looms: another gas pipeline that may cut a mile through 10 acres of his land and uproot more trees holding the soil together.
Dec. 23, 2025 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Southwest Georgia: Brimming with Opportunities
Jennifer Hafer reports, in Southwest Georgia, new jobs, retail and housing are creating economic opportunities across the region. Improvements are visible in everyday life.n“There is a tremendous amount of activity going on, which is great,” says Rick McCaskill, executive director of the Bainbridge-Decatur County Development Authority.
Dec. 23, 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Lessons from the past pushed Steve Selig to shape Atlanta’s future
Zachary Hansen reports that Steve Selig said the wisdom taught through life experiences — both good and bad — has played an invaluable role in molding his career. Through politics, music, volunteer work and his family’s business, Selig has used what he learned to help shape Atlanta.
Dec. 23, 2025 The Brunswick News
State shrimp fishing season extended as effort in Congress aims to aid national industry
Michael Hall reports that the state’s shrimp fishing season will last a couple more weeks after a congresswoman from South Carolina reintroduced a bill aimed at aiding a national shrimp industry reeling from a flood of imported, farm-raised shrimp. Following an administrative order by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Walter Rabon, the state’s commercial and recreational food shrimp season will be extended through 6:15 p.m. Jan. 15, 2026.
Dec. 23, 2025 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
How this Columbus native became Mercer University’s first female president
Mark Rice reports, last month, when the Mercer University Board of Trustees unanimously voted to approve Penny Elkins as the 19th — and first female — president in the institution’s 192-year history, they did more than make history. They selected someone whose life story and career path personify Mercer’s commitment to servant leadership.
Dec. 23, 2025 Marietta Daily Journal
Salleigh Grubbs appointed to State Election Board
Jack Lindner reports, former Cobb GOP Chair Salleigh Grubbs has been appointed to the State Election Board, the Georgia Republican Party announced Monday. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones appointed Grubbs to the seat formerly held by Rick Jeffares.
Dec. 23, 2025 The Current
McIntosh to begin second vote on Sapelo zoning referendum
Mary Landers reports that early voting in the McIntosh County Special Election begins Monday, Dec. 29. This will be the second go-round for this referendum, which was challenged by the county but ultimately upheld by the Georgia Supreme Court.
Dec. 23, 2025 WABE
Georgia Republican lawmakers want to eliminate the state personal income tax. Here’s what to know
Meimei Xu reports that ahead of the 2026 legislative session starting in January, Georgia state Republican lawmakers are planning to introduce a measure to eliminate the state’s personal income tax. Georgia currently has a 5.19% flat individual income tax rate, and it is set to decrease by 0.10% every year until the rate is 4.99%.
Dec. 23, 2025 State Affairs
Will Georgia lawmakers gamble on sports betting in 2026?
Beau Evans reports, it’s an open question whether lawmakers will finally push sports betting through the General Assembly once the legislative session starts on Jan. 12. Georgia remains on the sidelines after 39 states have legalized sports betting in recent years, drumming up hundreds of millions for public education, road and water infrastructure and general government spending.
Dec. 23, 2025 Georgia Recorder
Six candidates sign up to run for middle Georgia Senate seat after prominent Republican steps down
Ross Williams reports, a major figure in the Georgia Senate is out, and six candidates are hoping to earn their way in. Former state Sen. John Kennedy, a Macon Republican who served as president pro tempore, the Senate’s second-in-command, stepped down this month to focus on a run for lieutenant governor.
Dec. 23, 2025 Capitol Beat News
Rising costs for insurance, with reports of refusals to pay claims, could spur legislation
Ty Tagami reports that like just about everything, the cost of insurance has been rising, fueling frustration that state leaders say they want to address. Policy holders complain of expensive insurance that does not pay out as promised. At the same time, insurers see an unattractive market in Georgia.
Dec. 23, 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Raffensperger says Fulton County’s ‘clerical error’ does not nullify votes
Greg Bluestein, Tia Mitchell, Patricia Murphy and Adam Beam report, a story ricocheting across the internet wrongly claims that Fulton County officials illegally certified more than 300,000 votes during the 2020 presidential election — or more than enough to overturn the results that sent Joe Biden to the White House and eventually gave Democrats control of the U.S. Senate. A closer look at the flurry of all-caps X posts peppered with screaming red siren emojis shows the conclusions from multiple investigations and at least three recounts have not changed: Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential election.
