Georgia Trend Daily – Feb. 3, 2026
Feb. 3, 2026 GlobalAtlanta.com
Dutch Firm Acquired by Atlanta Airport Services Company
Trevor Williams reports, a growing Atlanta airport services firm that grew out of a Delta Air Lines Inc. joint venture has acquired a Dutch firm to deepen its access to the European market. Unifi Aviation, which emerged in 2018 after purchasing 51 percent of its former partnership with Atlanta’s hometown airline, has grown to the largest ground handling services company in North America, with $1.8 billion in revenues, 45,000 employees and operations at 240 airports, including stations in Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Feb. 3, 2026 Georgia Trend Exclusive!
Power Plays | 2026 Legislative Guide
Patty Rasmussen reports, when Georgia’s 40-day 2026 legislative session started on January 12, it was clear that economic issues, ranging from tax policy to changes in federally funded nutrition programs, were at the top of most lawmakers’ minds. But a close second was likely the distractions of a session during an off-year election.
Feb. 3, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
More than 200 people will be laid off as plant closes south of Atlanta
Mirtha Donastorg reports that a textile plant in Barnesville, about 60 miles south of Atlanta, is laying off 235 people and closing by the end of the year — marking the end of a nearly 40-year chapter at a historic mill. Continental Tire The Americas said it would lay off all its employees at Aldora Mills, its Lamar County facility, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification it filed with the state at the end of January.
Feb. 3, 2026 Macon Telegraph
Forsyth council approves 12-million-square-foot data center despite public outcry
Lucinda Warnke reports that Forsyth is one step closer to being home to Georgia’s largest data center after the city council voted 5-1 Monday evening to approve a 12-million-square-foot project. The project — which is being developed by Atlanta-based Trammel Crow Co. — is slated to be constructed on about 1,600 acres currently owned by H&H Timberlands, LLC.
Feb. 3, 2026 Griffin Daily News
Fourth data center in seven months proposed for Tomochichi Road
Larry Stanford reports, the ink has barely dried on the Spalding County Board of Commissioners approving a variance, rezoning and special exception for a third data center campus on Jan. 22, and a fourth data center proposal is already on the county’s calendar.nDeveloper Industrial VI Enterprises, LLC, has proposed to build the 75 South Data Center Campus on 292.41 acres at 1221 Tomochichi Road and adjacent parcel, north of S.R. 16.
Feb. 3, 2026 Gainesville Times
South Hall warehouse named as possible ICE detention site
Jeff Gill and Ben Anderson report, a warehouse in South Hall has been named as one of 23 locations in the nation where ICE plans to open a jail, according to reports by Bloomberg. Bloomberg reports that a 1,500-bed facility is planned in Flowery Branch, though it adds the following caveat: “Owners of the facilities ICE identified in these cities say they have no plans to sell to the agency. This list is based on ICE’s plans and may change. Some of the cities are approximate locations, based on the nearest municipality.”
Feb. 3, 2026 Marietta Daily Journal
Leadership change announced at Georgia Ballet
Staff reports that the Georgia Ballet announces that executive director Alexa DeStefano has concluded her tenure after 12 years of service. The Georgia Ballet Board of Trustees has named Ashleyanne Hensley, current director of The School of The Georgia Ballet, as interim executive director.
Feb. 3, 2026 WSB Radio
Georgia Department of Education expands fine arts instruction in schools
Staff reports that the Georgia Department of Education is expanding fine arts instruction in the state’s schools, adding staffing at the elementary level, and creating new fine arts pathways for high school students. State officials say Georgia’s creative industries are thriving and they need students prepared for careers in these fields.
Feb. 3, 2026 Georgia Recorder
Atlanta airport fuel spill draws criticism over lack of information
Alander Rocha reports, state officials and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport are facing criticism for a lack of information following a Friday jet fuel spill that contaminated the Flint River, which provides drinking water to 400,000 people south of Atlanta and in central Georgia. Cleanup continues, authorities said, but neither the Georgia Environmental Protection Division nor the airport has released information on the volume or duration of the leak that led Gov. Brian Kemp to declare a state of emergency Friday.
Feb. 3, 2026 Rome News-Tribune
Four candidates qualify for Ga Senate District 53 special election
Staff reports that candidates will be on the ballot for the Georgia State Senate District 53 special election March 10. Qualifying for the race ended Monday, Feb. 2, at 1 p.m., and the candidates who qualified are three Republicans — Blake Elsberry of Walker County, Denise Pierce Burns of Catoosa County and Lanny Thomas of Chattooga County — and one Democrat, John Bentley Zibluk of Walker County.
Feb. 3, 2026 The Brunswick News
Attorney general candidate Strickland campaigns in the Isles
Buddy Hughes reports that Georgia Attorney General candidate Brian Strickland and his family are no strangers to the Golden Isles. State Sen. Strickland, R-McDonough, along with his wife Lindsay and two children, have spent plenty of time in the area — usually when the temperatures aren’t below freezing.
Feb. 3, 2026 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
Video of GA legislator from Columbus speaking about ICE controversy goes viral
Mark Rice reports, a video showing a Georgia legislator from the Columbus area speaking about the ICE controversy has gone viral on social media. By Monday, the video of State Sen. Randy Robertson (R-Cataula) generated more than 42,000 views, 860 likes or loves, 200 shares and 170 comments since it was posted Jan. 27 on his Facebook page.
Feb. 3, 2026 Capitol Beat News
Legislation to ban cellphones in high schools gets enthusiastic reception at Georgia Capitol
Ty Tagami reports that legislation to ban cellphones in Georgia public high schools is advancing quickly, with a unanimous vote in favor at a first hearing Monday. The school day ban outlined in House Bill 1009 would take effect in fall 2027, a year after a similar ban for kindergarten through middle school that lawmakers passed last year.
Feb. 3, 2026 GPB
Proposed bill would better protect nurses with substance use disorder so they ask for help
Ellen Eldridge reports that nurses struggle with workplace violence, burnout and all the things that contribute toward driving people to substance misuse — and that worsens the ongoing shortage of health care providers, Senior Director of Government Affairs at the Georgia Nurses Association Tim Davis said Wednesday during the 2026 Addiction Recovery Awareness Day at the Georgia state Capitol.
Feb. 3, 2026 State Affairs
House takes first steps to ban cellphones in high schools
Beau Evans reports, a device ban for Georgia high schools is on the move. Lawmakers on a House subcommittee gave the first votes of approval for a bell-to-bell prohibition on cellphones and other smart devices that was filed earlier in the 2026 legislative session.
Feb. 3, 2026 Capitol Beat News
Georgia Senate passes resolution seeking to hand over voter information to the DOJ
Mark Niesse reports that the Republican-controlled Georgia Senate voted along party lines Monday to urge Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to turn over the state’s unredacted voter list — which includes 8 million voters’ personal information — to the Trump administration. The vote came five days after the FBI seized ballots from the 2020 presidential election in Fulton County, which Democrats called another example of federal interference.
Feb. 3, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
‘Blood in the water.’ Why Republicans fear an upset in MTG’s backyard.
Greg Bluestein reports, Jackie Harling didn’t mince words at the most recent Floyd County GOP meeting. “Let this sink in: When there’s so many Republican candidates on the ballot with a few Democrats, we could end up with a Democrat as our congressman.”
