Georgia Trend Daily – May 18, 2026
May 18, 2026 Capitol Beat News
Kemp extends gas tax break just in time for Memorial Day travelers amid Iran-fueled price spike
Ty Tagami reports that Georgians and people visiting or just passing through the state will get a 33-cent per gallon break at the gas pump while traveling for Memorial Day. Gov. Brian Kemp on Friday used his authority under state law to declare a state of emergency due to spiraling fuel prices.
May 18, 2026 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Learning to Heal Healthcare: Specialized MBAs
Patty Rasmussen after a decade of education and training – typically four years of undergraduate college, four years of medical school and three to seven years of residency and training – most physicians are happy to leave the university behind. So why would a surgeon with a busy, successful practice take two years out of her schedule to pursue a master’s in business administration?
May 18, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
These jet engines made in metro Atlanta can propel cruise missiles
Zachary Hanson reports, there’s a building in Roswell that looks like any other brick warehouse, except for two things: It features a couple of metal cooling towers that don’t match the rest of the building, and there’s an odd lingering odor nearby — the smell of jet fuel. Inside the Roswell warehouse is the headquarters, manufacturing floor and testing area for PBS Aerospace, a subsidiary of a Czech Republic-based aerospace company.
May 18, 2026 Macon Telegraph
Federal officials tout Middle GA gas plants as part of Trump’s ‘energy dominance’
Margaret Walker reports, three federal energy officials visited Georgia this month to celebrate projects they said prove President Donald Trump’s energy agenda is working. However, environmental groups say the same agenda is stripping away important air quality and public health protections.
May 18, 2026 GlobalAtlanta.com
Korea-Georgia Conference to Highlight Fruits of Columbus’s Investment Push
Trevor Williams reports that nearly 20 years have passed since a fateful back-of-the-napkin negotiation put Georgia’s first foreign car maker 45 minutes up the road from Columbus. Kia Motors announced its intent to locate in West Point, Ga., in 2006, cobbled together 2,200 acres and started churning out 300,000 cars a year by 2009.
May 18, 2026 Savannah Morning News
12 Georgia destinations ranked as ‘storybook towns’ by World Atlas
Vanessa Johns reports, a new feature from World Atlas is putting a spotlight on some of Georgia’s most picturesque destinations, naming 12 “storybook towns” across the state, from mountain getaways to quiet coastal escapes. The list highlights places that “feel like they belong in another world,” pointing to Georgia towns known for historic downtowns, scenic views, preserved architecture and small-town charm.
May 18, 2026 The Brunswick News
Data centers are a hot topic in Coastal Georgia
Gordon Jackson and Taylor Cooper report, local governments in the southern Coastal Georgia area have been talking about it both publicly and behind the scenes. Brunswick’s Planning and Appeals Commission opened the can of worms on Wednesday afternoon.
May 18, 2026 Gainesville Times
Hall County to hold public meetings on growth plan, data center rules. Here are the details
Danny McArthur reports that Hall County government will host a series of meetings to go over proposed changes to the Unified Development Code. “Community input is vital to the successful planning of future growth in Hall County,” Planning and Zoning Director Katie Ahmed said in a news release.
May 18, 2026 Newnan Times-Herald
Developers plan 1M-square-foot logistics center near Grantville
Laura Camper reports that the city of Grantville is making preparations for a trucking logistics warehouse planned for U.S. 29 near interstate 85. At its work session Monday, the Grantville City Council discussed an agreement with Atlanta-based Robinson Weeks to provide connections to city utilities including water, sewer and gas with the developer covering the cost of the connections.
May 18, 2026 State Affairs
2026 Golden Fork Awards: Big session for lawmakers means big spending for lobbyists
Beau Evans reports, the relationships between lawmakers and lobbyists were more important than ever in this year’s legislative session. Major initiatives were at stake, including tax cuts, utility regulations, election reform and childhood reading comprehension — not to mention key moments to connect with top candidates for governor, lieutenant governor and other elected offices.
May 18, 2026 Augusta Chronicle
Georgia’s school superintendent election. See the 2026 candidates
Miguel Legoas reports that elections are underway in Georgia, and while more political seats like governor and house representatives are on the ballot, voters will also be deciding who leads the state’s public schools. Richard Woods of Tifton, GA was first elected as Georgia’s State School Superintendent in 2014 and has been re-elected twice since then.
May 18, 2026 Georgia Recorder
Affordability is more than a political buzzword for many Georgia voters
Ross Williams, Maya Homan and Alander Rocha report, everything is more expensive these days, and Georgia voters across the state say the cost of living is shaping how they vote. Overall, the Consumer Price Index, a measure for the cost of consumer goods, has increased nearly 30% since April 2020.
May 18, 2026 Georgia Recorder
Democratic challengers say Georgia commissioner should do more to hold insurers accountable
Ariel Hart reports that no Georgia official is more directly tied to affordability than the state’s commissioner of insurance. And that job is on the ballot this year, starting with Tuesday’s primary.
May 18, 2026 WABE
Georgia’s 14th District race heads into May primary after high-profile special election
Christopher Alston reports, the fight for Georgia’s 14th Congressional District is heading into another round of voting just weeks after a closely watched special election to replace former Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Republican U.S. Rep. Clay Fuller and Democrat Shawn Harris are now back on their respective party ballots for the regularly scheduled May primary election, after facing each other in the April special election runoff to fill the remainder of Greene’s term.
May 18, 2026 Capitol Beat News
To cover tax cuts, Kemp nixes new funds for forests, historic sites, arts and short-line rail
Ty Tagami reports, among Gov. Brian Kemp’s $300 million worth of vetoes this week were money for reforestation, land conservation, historic building restoration, the arts and live performances and short-line railroads. The reason he gave in most instances: “The General Assembly failed to account for this loss of revenue in the appropriations process, instead prioritizing general taxpayer relief.”
May 18, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Bottoms bets statewide appeal will outweigh skepticism on her home turf
Riley Bunch reports that former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms may be the front-runner in the Democratic race for governor, but many of her former colleagues at City Hall have yet to line up behind her. Most City Hall politicians have so far decided to stay out of the battle for the governor’s seat, at least until after the primary election.
