Georgia Trend Daily – May 15, 2026
May 15, 2026 Georgia.gov
Gov. Kemp: Heckler & Koch Expands US Operations in Columbus
Staff reports that Gov. Kemp on Thursday announced that HK USA is investing $13 million to expand its Columbus-Muscogee County facility and will create an additional 35 jobs. “HK USA has been supporting quality jobs for Georgians for more than two decades, and we are grateful to see this relationship continue to benefit the Columbus community,” he said.
Dance Class: Zumba/Hip Hop Cardio is one of many free classes offered through the Atlanta Beltline’s fitness program. Photo credit: Atlanta Beltline
May 15, 2026 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Getting Buff on the Beltline
Kathleen Conway reports, getting in shape without spending a lot of money just got a little easier in Atlanta. The Beltline recently expanded its fitness program with hundreds of free classes and other fitness options along the trail.
May 15, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
One of Atlanta’s tallest towers snags tenant after being empty for years
Zachary Hansen reports, clad in concrete and dotted with rectangular windows, the building now known as Tower Square has been empty since 2020, leaving the 45-story behemoth as the city’s largest vacant office building at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic was wreaking havoc on the office market. This week medical imaging technology company Oxos announced it signed a 40,000-square-foot lease to move its headquarters to Tower Square in Midtown.
May 15, 2026 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
Why an international company is investing $13 million to expand in Columbus
Jordyn Paul-Slater reports that a German firearms manufacturer operating in Columbus plans to expand its local footprint with a $13 million investment expected to create 35 jobs, Columbus economic development officials announced Thursday. Heckler & Koch, which operates locally as HK USA, manufactures firearms for military, law enforcement and civilian clients.
May 15, 2026 The Brunswick News
Data centers are a hot topic in Coastal Georgia
Gordon Jackson reports that Brunswick’s Planning and Appeals Commission opened the can of worms on Wednesday afternoon. It was a discussion only. The city had no plans at the time to pass new regulations on data centers.
May 15, 2026 WABE
Atlanta’s Beltline delivers $23 billion in economic output
Marlon Hyde reports that Atlanta’s Beltline has created almost 100,000 jobs, attracting more than $14 billion in private investments, according to a new analysis on the urban trail system’s economic impact. The report estimates that the Beltline generated $23 billion in economic output for Atlanta, with $31 million in tax revenue for the city and over $100 million to the state of Georgia last year.
May 15, 2026 Valdosta Daily Times
Dr. Donald J. Green named finalist for Valdosta State University presidency
Staff reports, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG) has voted to name Dr. Donald J. Green as the sole finalist for president of Valdosta State University. Green currently serves as the fifth president of USG’s Gordon State College, a position he’s held since Nov. 15, 2023.
May 15, 2026 Marietta Daily Journal
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area names new superintendent
Lucinda Warnke reports, the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area announced Thursday that it’s named K. Lynn Berry as its new superintendent. Berry has worked with the National Park Service for 16 years in various roles.
May 15, 2026 Macon Melody
Bibb schools weigh tough choices as $23M deficit looms
Casey Choung reports, after last year’s contentious budget process and a $5 million budget error, the Bibb County School District is heading into fiscal year 2027 facing a potential $23 million deficit — and taxpayers could be asked to help cover it. According to state law, the school board must adopt, after at least two public hearings, a budget by June 30 for the new fiscal year, which begins July 1.
May 15, 2026 Macon Telegraph
New GA law cracks down on puppy mill problem. Here are the details
Sundi Rose reports that Georgia passed a law last year banning roadside animal sales over concerns of inhumane breeding and overpopulation. Supporters hope to reduce the pipeline feeding Georgia’s over population problem.
May 15, 2026 Georgia Recorder
Georgia Supreme Court candidates are running in a nonpartisan race. But it doesn’t feel like it.
Maya Homan reports, nonpartisan elections like those held for the state Supreme Court race don’t usually attract much attention in Georgia. But this year, with three sitting justices on the state’s highest court up for re-election, two attorneys backed by a slew of progressive organizations have launched high-profile campaigns, with the hope of shifting the balance of the court.
May 15, 2026 State Affairs
Redistricting sparks backlash from Georgia’s Black Congress members
Beau Evans reports, next month’s special session on redistricting has prompted pushback from Georgia’s Congressional Black Caucus members already wary of racially motivated map changes. The state’s five caucus delegates including U.S. Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock spent weeks warning against local moves to redraw political borders after the U.S. Supreme Court’s April 29 decision to strike down district maps in Louisiana, citing unconstitutional gerrymandering.
May 15, 2026 Capitol Beat News
Black lawmakers warn Kemp’s redistricting fight will put ‘old South’ on World Cup stage
Ty Tagami reports, alleging racism, Black Georgia lawmakers assailed Gov. Brian Kemp’s call for a special session to redraw election maps, saying Republicans want to drag the state back to the era before the Civil Rights movement. “It’s despicable that Georgia is following this racist playbook and taking us back to Jim Crow,” said Sen. Nikki Merritt, D-Grayson, chair of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus.
May 15, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sports betting industry pours $10M into Georgia campaigns
Greg Bluestein reports, Georgia’s long-stalled fight over sports betting has spilled into the 2026 campaign. Just weeks after House lawmakers resoundingly rejected a sports betting bill, the industry is making clear it isn’t folding.
