Georgia Trend Daily – March 18, 2026
March 18, 2026 GlobalAtlanta.com
Mexican Ambassador in Atlanta: Not All Trading Partners Are Created Equal
Trevor Williams reports, as the U.S. approaches a review of its longstanding trade deal with Mexico, it would be helpful to remember the uniquely collaborative and constructive aspects of their commercial relationship, the country’s ambassador to the U.S. said in Atlanta March 10. Not all trading partners are the same,” Esteban Moctezuma Barragán told a Latin American Chamber of Commerce Georgia breakfast audience at Gwinnett‘s 1818 Club.
March 18, 2026 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
A Colossus in the Gold Dome
Brian Robinson writes, in December, donors lined up to get photos with Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns and his wife, universally known as Mrs. Dayle. The event’s attendees got a sneak peak of the extensive renovations of the House chamber and the satisfaction of knowing their donations were going to a good cause: financial support for literacy teachers through the Georgia Foundation for Public Education.
March 18, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Instead of waiting for an Atlanta office rebound, this firm is gearing up
Zachary Hansen reports, real estate is known for its cycles, so it’s natural to want to hunker down during difficult times and invest once it’s clear the tribulations are over. But one of the largest players in Atlanta commercial real estate isn’t doing that. It’s gearing up to dominate a rebound that hasn’t happened yet.
March 18, 2026 WABE
From isolation to connection: Atlanta VA offers extra support to high-risk women veterans
Jess Mador reports, Georgia has one of the largest populations of women military veterans nationwide. Data show women veterans face higher risks for mental health conditions often associated with worse maternal health, including PTSD. To combat this, the Atlanta VA is ramping up efforts to connect women veterans to health care and community support that considers their unique needs — even as national funding continues to be cut.
March 18, 2026 Savannah Morning News
Tybee Island council rejects historic district protections
Destini Ambus reports that Tybee Island has about 300 historic structures remaining, but on average, about four are demolished each year, according to Tybee Island Historical Society Director Sarah Jones. That’s why finding avenues to protect them is important, and why she encouraged Tybee City Council to vote to approve an ordinance establishing a local historic district for the Fort Screven and North Campbell areas.
March 18, 2026 Augusta Chronicle
Augusta charter committee meeting again; city pushes for November vote
Joe Hotchkiss reports, the committee that’s spent the past year debating changes to Augusta’s city charter isn’t done yet. A meeting set for March 19 is expected to revisit several motions that the Augusta Charter Review Committee tabled after its previous meeting.
March 18, 2026 Gainesville Times
Warnock secures $1M federal grant for Hall schools’ Meat Science Center. Here are the details
Danny McArthur reports that U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, a longstanding supporter of agriculture and the Meat Science Center, was instrumental in securing this federal funding. It will allow the program to expand its capacity and further highlight the opportunities the model can provide for students and communities.
March 18, 2026 Capitol Beat News
In a rare compromise, Georgia senators make a deal on fentanyl prison sentences
Mark Niesse reports that something unusual happened to an anti-fentanyl bill in the Georgia Senate on Monday. Republicans and Democrats listened to each other, amended the bill to target fentanyl traffickers instead of addicts, and then voted unanimously to pass it.
March 18, 2026 Albany Herald
Engine ready, government not; shutdown idles Dawson fire truck
Kathryn Crockett reports, a brand-new fire truck purchased to strengthen emergency response in Dawson is sitting unused — not because of mechanical problems or training delays, but because a partial federal government shutdown has stalled the final steps of the FEMA grant that paid for it.The truck was purchased through an Assistance to Firefighters Grant, part of FEMA’s Preparedness Grant Program, which helps communities mitigate high-consequence disasters and emergencies.
March 18, 2026 Newnan Times-Herald
Georgia student speech bill advances amid Coweta walkout controversy
Clay Neely reports, a bill that would expand student political speech rights in Georgia public schools is moving toward a final house vote. Senate Bill 552, backed by Sen. Ben Watson, R-Savannah, would require schools to allow student political expression on the same terms as non-political activity, including clubs, protests and clothing with political messages.
March 18, 2026 State Affairs
Big election changes revealed in House, key deadlines scrapped
Beau Evans reports that top lawmakers want to hit the pause button on plans to overhaul Georgia’s voting system before the 2026 midterm elections. The looming July 1 deadline to scrap electronic vote counting in favor of hand-marked paper ballots has dogged General Assembly leaders for months, with proposals for a fix shelved several times during the current legislative session.
March 18, 2026 Georgia Recorder
Lawmakers unveil proposal to replace Georgia’s voting machines before 2028 presidential election
Maya Homan reports that Republicans have unveiled a sweeping proposal aimed at overhauling Georgia’s election system ahead of the 2028 presidential election, dealing a blow to conservative activists who had hoped to implement hand-marked paper ballots ahead of this year’s midterm elections. Senate Bill 214, introduced by Sylvania Republican Sen. Max Burns, would begin the process of switching from ballots that are counted using QR codes to ones that voters can mark by hand. It would also give the State Election Board, rather than the secretary of state’s office, new authority over election audits and direct the state to begin the process of procuring a new election system in February.
March 18, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia activists working with Trump administration to influence elections
Caleb Groves reports, on a recent Zoom call, conservative activists eagerly shared what they learned at a February summit in Washington with several Trump administration officials. Participants at the summit included Kurt Olsen, President Donald Trump’s director of election security and integrity, who played a key role in the FBI’s January raid on an election warehouse in Fulton County.
