Georgia Trend Daily – March 30, 2026
March 30, 2025 Georgia Ports Authority
GPA welcomes new President of Gateway Terminals Savannah
Staff reports, Gateway Terminals Savannah has announced the appointment of Bryan Blalock as President effective April 13, 2026. Mr. Blalock will succeed the current President of Gateway Terminals Savannah, Kevin Price – who will transition to the Georgia Ports Authority leadership team as the newly announced President on July 1, 2026.
March 30, 2026 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Road Trip Ready in Georgia: Weekend Escapes from Mountain Chic to Coastal Mystique
Gary Daughters reports, is there any better way to reset the soul than to blow off work Friday and hit the road for the weekend? No airports to conquer, no heavy packing, no exhaustive planning required.
March 30, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Former Turner executive finds inspiration at Atlanta Braves front office
Kelly Yamanouchi reports, every time the Atlanta Braves take the field for a home game, there are thousands of workers who help keep Truist Park running. Leading the Braves’ workforce strategy is Chief People & Culture Officer DeRetta Rhodes, who called the Braves’ 2,600-strong game day staff “the heart of what we do.”
March 30, 2026 GlobalAtlanta.com
A Chance to Engage 300 Colombian Exporters
Trevor Williams reports that Georgia companies looking to expand their sourcing in the Western Hemisphere are being invited on a subsidized journey to meet with some 300 Colombian exporters in May. Amcham Colombia is inviting companies to visit the capital, Bogota, May 13-14 for the Rueda de Negocios, a matchmaking event conducted in partnership with the Bogota Chamber of Commerce.
March 30, 2026 Decaturish
DeKalb considers removing definition of data center campus
Zoe Seiler reports, the DeKalb County Commission is considering a resolution that asks the county staff to remove the definition of data center campus from the draft zoning regulations. The county commission, at its March 24 meeting, deferred this resolution and a couple of other data center items until April 28, with a stop in committee on April 14.
March 30, 2026 Gainesville Times
How the Army Corps of Engineers is responding to low water levels on Lake Lanier
Kelly Whitmire reports, as of Friday, March 27, Lake Lanier’s water level was at 1,066 feet above sea level. That’s five feet short of the lake’s full pool of 1,071 feet.
March 30, 2026 Valdosta Daily Times
4th Annual Bluesberry Festival in Downtown Valdosta scheduled April 10-11
Staff reports, the City of Valdosta has announced the return of the 4th Annual Bluesberry Festival, a vibrant, community-centered celebration bringing together live music, local vendors, and family-friendly fun in the heart of downtown Valdosta. Set against the backdrop of the Unity Park Amphitheater and surrounding downtown streets, this year’s festival promises an unforgettable experience for residents and visitors alike, the City said.
March 30, 2026 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
Columbus mayoral candidate Jaketra Bryant — what she says about top issues in election
Sundi Rose reports, Jaketra Bryant has a doctorate in leadership and runs a consulting practice that has trained city executives in Savannah and is contracted to train fire and rescue personnel in Indianapolis this spring. She is a mom, wife, educator and licensed professional counselor with over 15 years of experience.
March 30, 2026 The Brunswick News
Crowded field vying for 1st district congressional seat
Hank Rowland reports, when voters on Georgia’s coast go to the polls in May, they will have a large crop of candidates to choose from to fill the 1st District seat in Congress. Eight Democrats and six Republicans are competing to replace U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter. The five-term Republican is vacating the seat for a run for the U.S. Senate.
March 30, 2026 Albany Herald
Chris Carr makes his case in Albany to be state’s next governor
Alan Mauldin reports, the vicious personal attacks and high-cost ad campaigns of two top Republican gubernatorial candidates is being described by many as intense and unprecedented as candidates get into the heart of the battle for the May 19 GOP primary. With the seat for the top position in the state government open for the first time in eight years, a number of candidates are vying to be the Republican candidate, including businessman Rick Jackson and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, whose feud has caught the attention of other candidates.
March 30, 2026 Georgia Recorder
Georgia Senate passes budget with funding boost for services for people with disabilities
Alander Rocha reports, the Georgia Senate has passed its version of a $38.5 billion state budget for next fiscal year, although the spending plan is destined to now be hashed out behind the scenes by leaders of both chambers. Senate Appropriations Chair Blake Tillery, a Vidalia Republican running for lieutenant governor, presented the budget on the Senate floor Friday, where it passed unanimously.
March 30, 2026 Capitol Beat News
Georgia Senate puts its stamp on 2026-27 budget
Ty Tagami reports, the Georgia Senate approved its version of the $38.5 billion fiscal year 2027 budget Friday, sending it to the state House for negotiations over the disagreements. The House started the budget process, passing its version earlier this month.
March 30, 2026 State Affairs
The Gold Leaf: Week 11 of the 2026 legislative session
Beau Evans reports, what began as a calm spell after Crossover Day has erupted into a final frenzy. The sprint to Sine Die is underway as lawmakers spent the second-to-last-week of the legislative session battling over major bills to change elections, cut taxes, improve childhood reading, lower insurance costs, regulate data centers and set the state’s budget.
March 30, 2026 Georgia Recorder
Rising tensions, farewell speeches and spirited debates usher in final week of the 2026 session
Ross Williams, Alander Rocha, Maya Homan and Jill Nolin report, at the state Capitol, lawmakers are running around like crazy as the annual lawmaking session winds down. That means trickery can often be afoot as legislators become desperate to get their bills passed before the buzzer, such as a bill that passed Friday that would make district attorneys nonpartisan, but only in five metro Atlanta counties.
March 30, 2026 Capitol Beat News
Georgia Senate votes for rapid move to hand-marked paper ballots before elections this fall
Mark Niesse reports, a proposal for a quick switch to hand-marked paper ballots cleared the Georgia Senate on Friday, an idea that election officials say would disrupt this year’s elections. The Senate’s 32-21 party-line vote sets up a showdown over competing bills that would change Georgia’s voting system.
March 30, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Senate pushes paper ballots, setting up a clash with House
Greg Bluestein and Caleb Groves report, the Georgia Senate is pushing to require hand-marked paper ballots by the midterms, racing to meet a self-imposed deadline while setting up a clash with House lawmakers who want to delay the switch. Senate Republicans doubled down on their plan Friday in the final days of the legislative session, sparking confusion as competing elections proposals advance during the frenetic closing days of the 40-day session.
