Georgia Trend Daily – June 9, 2026
June 9, 2026 Capitol Beat News
Georgia tallies cost of gas tax suspension
Ty Tagami reports that drivers are paying the 33-cent-per-gallon excise tax at Georgia gas pumps again, but the suspension that ended Tuesday saved them nearly $200 million in May. Motor fuel tax collections fell by $199.6 million, or 99.5%, compared to May 2025, according to the Georgia Department of Revenue.
Photo credit: Kevin Garrett
June 9, 2026 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Creative Solutions: The ACCG Presents County Excellence Awards
Allison Shirreffs reports, every county, no matter its size or location, faces challenges – from dealing with staffing and supply shortages in emergencies to repaving damaged roads and helping inmates as they leave the prison system. Some county leaders find solutions that are not only relatively easy to implement, they’re lasting.
June 9, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Nonprofit serving health systems emerges as potential Northlake Mall buyer
Amy Wenk, Zachary Hansen and Savannah Sicurella report that a potential buyer has emerged for Northlake Mall, where in recent days several retail tenants were given notice to vacate, raising questions about what may be ahead for the Tucker property. The Centurion Foundation, an Atlanta-based nonprofit, said it has initiated a process to potentially acquire the mall, a spokesperson said Monday evening in a statement to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
June 9, 2026 WABE
Spelman College names 12th president in HBCU’s 145-year history
Kendall Murry reports that the Spelman College Board of Trustees announced Friday that Dr. Ayanna Howard has been appointed the 12th president in the HBCU’s history. The higher education leader joins Spelman from Ohio State University, where she served as the dean of the College of Engineering and held the Monte Ahuja Endowed Dean’s Chair.
June 9, 2026 Capitol Beat News
Georgia’s university system announces new campus presidents
Ty Tagami reports that thousands of students at Georgia’s public colleges will have new leadership when they return this fall after the University System of Georgia named new campus leaders. On Monday, the system named three new presidents: Greg Tanner at South Georgia State College, Russell Crutchfield at Gordon State College and Kerry J. Palmer at Georgia Southwestern State University.
June 9, 2026 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
Columbus Airport to begin trial period with larger Delta jets
Madeline Shapiro reports that bigger planes are about to touch down and take off in Columbus. Starting June 12 and running through September, one of three Delta Airlines CRJ-900 flights offered at Columbus Airport to and from Atlanta on Fridays and Saturdays will be replaced by a bigger jet, the Boeing 717.
June 9, 2026 GlobalAtlanta.com
Dutch Chamber Announces New President
Trevor Williams reports that the Netherlands-American Chamber of Commerce Southeast has named a new president to replace its outgoing leader after a three-year term. Sebastian van der Vegt, a communications expert and former Coca-Cola executive whose achievements include establishing an annual awards program this year, ceremonially passed on the “wooden clomp,” a Dutch clog signed by past presidents, to current board member and presidential successor Thomas de Vries.
June 9, 2026 Augusta Chronicle
Augusta-area bank breaks ground on new Columbia County location
Joe Hotchkiss reports that an Augusta-area community bank has broken ground on a new branch in Columbia County. Queensborough National Bank & Trust will erect its new location at 4317 Washington Road, at the corner of Evans Town Center Boulevard and Washington Road, the bank recently announced.
June 9, 2026 WABE
Georgia to update protected species list for first time in two decades
Marisa Mecke reports that Georgia is updating its state-protected species list for the first time in 20 years and is seeking public input. This list has been around since the 1970s, after the Endangered Wildlife Act and the Wildflower Preservation Act were passed federally.
June 9, 2026 GPB
Early voting kicks off in the primary runoff
Sarah Kallis reports, if you cast a partisan ballot during the first primary voting, you can only vote in that party’s runoff, because the runoff is a continuation of the primary that started in May. However, if you haven’t cast a primary vote yet or if you selected the nonpartisan ballot back in May, you can vote in either party’s runoff.
June 9, 2026 Access North GA
Clyde Armory gets weapons deal with Savannah, “I have nothing to do with it”
Will Daughtry reports that Georgia’s 9th Congressional District Representative Andrew Clyde’s gun store has had a statewide contract since 2024. Clyde Armory in Athens got awarded the contract in 2023, and has a pool of money that local municipalities can pull from for guns and ammunition.
June 9, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In Gwinnett, Democrats try to turn a Supreme Court setback into momentum
Greg Bluestein reports, in a Gwinnett County state Senate runoff between two liberals, the battle over Georgia’s impending redistricting is no sideshow. It’s a front-and-center fight that shows how Democrats aim to turn a potentially devastating U.S. Supreme Court ruling into a rallying cry.
