Georgia Trend Daily – Feb. 13, 2026
Feb. 13, 2026 GlobalAtlanta.com
Atlanta Airport to Address Hurdle for International Travelers Accessing Transit During World Cup
Trevor Williams reports that Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is working on a temporary fix to ensure the transfer shuttle between its international and domestic terminals doesn’t impede transit usage during this summer’s FIFA World Cup, General Manager Ricky Smith said Thursday. As Atlanta prepares to host eight matches, MARTA’s direct train service from the airport to the stadium and nearby FIFA Fan Fest at Centennial Olympic Park is a significant competitive advantage over many other host cities, some of which feature venues a hour or more outside their city limits.
Feb. 13, 2026 Georgia Trend Exclusive!
Quiet Architects of Progress
Tharon Johnson writes, when we talk about Black history in Georgia, the conversation naturally gravitates to figures like John Lewis and Martin Luther King Jr. Their stories anchor our collective memory and inspire us to do good. But if there’s one thing you learn growing up in Georgia, it’s that progress is never the work of one person.
Feb. 13, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Power, environmental groups clash over challenge to data center expansion
Drew Kann reports that environmental groups argued Thursday state regulators erred by voting late last year to let Georgia Power add historic amounts of electricity capacity to serve data centers, arguing the company didn’t prove all of the power supplies were needed. Thursday’s hearing was the last chance for parties to make their case to the Georgia Public Service Commission before a final vote next week on whether to revisit the decision.
Feb. 13, 2026 Valdosta Daily Times
MasterCraft Boat Holdings, Marine Products to merge
Staff reports that MasterCraft Boat Holdings, Inc., a leading innovator, designer, and manufacturer of premium performance and leisure powerboats, and Marine Products Corporation, a leading manufacturer of recreation and sport fishing powerboats, announced last week that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which MasterCraft will acquire Marine Products in a cash and stock transaction valued at approximately $232.2 million, net of acquired cash. The combined company will be headquartered in Vonore, Tennessee, and will maintain the Chaparral and Robalo operating facilities in Nashville, Georgia, the press release said.
Feb. 13, 2026 Savannah Morning News
A cross-country Delta luxury route is making a comeback. When it returns
Vanessa Countryman reports, a popular cross-country flight known for its upgraded comforts is making a comeback. Southern Living reports Delta Air Lines will once again offer nonstop service between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California.
Feb. 13, 2026 The Brunswick News
Army corps begins harbor dredging
Staff reports that dredging is underway in the Brunswick Harbor to return the channel approaching the Port of Brunswick to its authorized depth, the Georgia Ports Authority announced Thursday. “This is terrific news for our customers, who rely on the Port of Brunswick to serve the fast-growing Southeast market,” GPA President and CEO Griff Lynch said. “Deeper water will mean increased vessel transit efficiency at America’s premier auto port.”
Feb. 13, 2026 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
Developers take ‘first step’ to bring $5.18 billion data center to Columbus
Jordyn Paul-Slater reports that during the Development Authority of Columbus meeting Thursday, Choose Columbus president and CEO Missy Kendrick announced a new project to attract an artificial intelligence data center to Columbus. Kendrick said the Development Authority has partnered with Habitat Partners, a New York City-based natural conservation firm, to secure a site.
Feb. 13, 2026 WABE
Georgia lags behind on energy efficiency
Emily Jones reports that Georgia and other states in the Southeast continue to lag far behind the rest of the country on efficiency measures that can cut people’s energy use — and their bills. Energy efficiency is anything that decreases electricity use, from better insulation in a home to more efficient equipment in a factory or data center.
Feb. 13, 2026 Macon Melody
Casino company gets $20M option to buy J.C. Penney at Macon Mall
Liz Fabian reports that Macon-Bibb County’s Urban Development Authority laid the foundation for a potential casino on the site of the old J.C. Penney store at Macon Mall. Gaming and Leisure Properties, or GLPI, secured a $20 million purchase option over 10 years at Thursday’s UDA meeting, which allows time for the Georgia General Assembly to approve casino gambling in the state.
Feb. 13, 2026 Gainesville Times
Where 9th District congressional candidates stand on the proposed Oakwood ICE detention center
Danny McArthur reports that candidates for the 9th Congressional District weighed in on plans to convert a warehouse in Oakwood into a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center. The district is currently represented by U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Jackson County, who said he is “confident” the detention center “will be a safe and prosperous addition to the Ninth District.”
Feb. 13, 2026 Marietta Daily Journal
Early voting to fill Marjorie Taylor Greene’s seat starts Monday
Jack Lindner reports that early voting for the March 10 special election to fill the congressional seat vacated by Marjorie Taylor Greene begins Monday. The special-called election will fill the empty seat of Georgia’s 14th Congressional District, which includes portions of northwest Cobb, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Murray, Paulding, Polk, Walker and Whitfield counties.
Feb. 13, 2026 GPB
Can Social Circle handle housing for 10,000 ICE detainees? One expert talks logistics
Peter Biello reports that residents of the small city of Social Circle, about 45 miles east of Atlanta learned last week that the Department of Homeland Security is buying a warehouse in the city to be used as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility. What will it take to transform a warehouse like the one that was just purchased into something that can house human beings?
Feb. 13, 2026 Macon Telegraph
In Macon, Kamala Harris talks food, FBI election raid, what’s next
Jesse Fraga reports, former Vice President Kamala Harris bonded over food and Georgia politics with a Savannah Michelin star chef in front of hundreds of supporters Wednesday night in downtown Macon. Harris sat down for a raw, unrehearsed interview with Mashama Bailey, owner of The Grey in Savannah and L’Arrêt by The Grey in Paris, France, on her book tour stop at Macon City Auditorium.
Feb. 13, 2026 Georgia Recorder
Bill allowing Georgia pharmacists to prescribe HIV prevention drugs clears Georgia House
Maya Homan reports that Georgia residents may soon be able to access HIV prevention medicine at their local pharmacy if a bipartisan push from state lawmakers to make the drugs faster and easier to access is successful. Senate Bill 195, which was introduced by Rome Republican Sen. Chuck Hufstetler, would allow pharmacists to both prescribe and administer medication, known as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), that can help reduce the likelihood of acquiring HIV.
Feb. 13, 2026 Newnan Times-Herald
Proposed bill would give counties veto power over city annexations
Clay Neely reports that a Georgia Senate bill introduced this week would dramatically reshape how cities expand their boundaries, requiring county governments to approve most annexations before they can move forward. Senate Bill 496, sponsored by Matt Brass and four other Republican senators, would make annexations contingent on a resolution of consent from the county commission where the property is located.
Feb. 13, 2026 Georgia Recorder
Senate Republicans sign off on cuts to Georgia’s income tax rate while ending some corporate perks
Alander Rocha reports that Senate Republicans passed a proposal Thursday to reduce the state’s income tax while cutting some of the state’s tax credits for corporations despite Democratic pushback in a hours-long debate. Vidalia Republican Sen. Blake Tillery, who is running for lieutenant governor and who is sponsoring the proposal, said that the legislation is “tailored to address the affordability crisis for the middle class” by putting “people over corporations.”
Feb. 13, 2026 Capitol Beat News
Minimum speed limit on Georgia highways could rise by 10 mph
Mark Niesse reports that Georgia lawmakers are considering raising the speedy minimum speed limit from 40 mph as a safety measure to reduce crashes caused by disparities in speed. The maximum speed limit on some highways is 70 mph.
Feb. 13, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
McBath recalls her son’s death while pressing Bondi on immigration shootings
Greg Bluestein, Tia Mitchell, Patricia Murphy and Adam Beam report, Attorney General Pam Bondi battled with congressional Democrats on Wednesday, offering aggressive rebuttals during hours of tense testimony. But there was one line of questioning that appeared to disarm her. U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, D-Marietta, shares a unique connection with Bondi, who was the attorney general of Florida when McBath’s son was fatally shot in 2012.
