Georgia Trend Daily – June 10, 2026
June 10, 2026 Georgia Ports Authority
U.S. Customs to open new chilled cargo inspection site
Staff reports that Georgia Ports customers will have a new option for chilled cargo inspections starting July 1, 2026, when operations begin at U.S. Customs’ 4,000 square-foot refrigerated space at the Port of Savannah. Refrigerated cargo inspections will be performed in a temperature-controlled environment, without breaking the cold chain.
June 10, 2026 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
A Controversial Possibility
Brian Robinson writes, in normal circumstances, Gov. Brian Kemp’s legislative career should be over now that this 2026 session and bill-signing period has come to an end. If Georgians elect a Republican to succeed him, we can assume he’s signed his last piece of legislation. But if we have a Democratic governor-elect in November, Kemp might get called into action one more time.
June 10, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Solar panel maker Qcells ramps up production at Cartersville plant
Kristi Swarz reports that when Qcells announced its second North Georgia solar panel manufacturing operation in 2023, U.S.-based solar cell and wafer manufacturing was virtually non-existent. As of this week, the company’s panels will include solar cells made on site, making South Korea-based Qcells the only company in the U.S. to produce those panels and all their components in house.
June 10, 2026 GlobalAtlanta.com
Cape Verde President to Meet With Business Leaders, Diaspora on Eve of Atlanta World Cup Match
Trevor Williams reports that Cape Verde’s president is set to meet with local business leaders and his country’s diaspora community on the eve of his underdog team’s face-off with world No. 1 Spain June 15 in Atlanta. President José Maria Pereira Neves is among the many dignitaries that will touch down in Atlanta across more than a month, during which the city will host eight FIFA World Cup matches, including a semifinal.
June 10, 2026 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
River watchdog weighs in on proposed Columbus data center.
Kala Hunter reports that the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper gave 10-pages of recommendations and information about data centers to the Columbus Council ahead of Tuesday’s first reading of the proposed technology overlay district ordinance for data centers. CRK has had its eyes and ears on the rapid influx of hyperscale data centers in Georgia for the past several years, as the scale and speed of development have drawn criticism for their unprecedented water demand required to cool equipment inside the facilities.
June 10, 2026 WABE
Facing another contract dispute, Atlanta’s PAD halts operations at Diversion Center
Chamian Cruz reports, amid growing questions over whether local cities are adequately addressing mental illness following a series of apparently random knife attacks, another contract dispute involving Atlanta’s Policing Alternatives and Diversion Initiative has once again hampered its response. For nearly a decade, PAD has offered an alternative to arrest in cases where police officers determine that a law violation is related to mental health, substance use, homelessness or extreme poverty.
June 10, 2026 Savannah Morning News
Tybee Island launches new daily parking passes
Destini Ambus reports that the City of Tybee Island is now offering parking day passes, according to an announcement made on their Facebook page Monday. Each pass is $25 per day, and may be purchased for up to seven consecutive days for a total of $175, and is good for a 24-hour period.
June 10, 2026 The Brunswick News
Comment period for potential roll back of whale-protecting speed rule closes
Michael Hall reports that a public comment period closed last week that marked the end of the first step in a process that could potentially roll back a ship speed rule meant to protect critically endangered North Atlantic right whales. The Trump Administration announced earlier this year that it was considering deregulating and modifying seasonal and geographically specific speed limits for large ships like the massive car-carrying cargo vessels that call on the Port of Brunswick.
June 10, 2026 The Current
Cumberland Island land swaps allow large houses, consolidate private parcels
Mary Landers reports that under agreements with the National Park Service, two families of private land owners on Cumberland Island would be allowed to build single-family homes with footprints up to 15,000-square-feet. That’s larger than Greyfield Inn, the Gilded Age mansion that serves as the island’s only hotel.
June 10, 2026 Newnan Times-Herald
Newnan’s Crutchfield named president of Gordon State College
Clay Neely reports that Newnan resident Dr. Russell Crutchfield has been named the next president of Gordon State College, the University System of Georgia announced Sunday. Crutchfield, who serves as chief operating officer in the administration of Gov. Brian Kemp, will assume the presidency Aug. 1.
June 10, 2026 Macon Telegraph
GA has one of 50 most livable places to retire in US, new ranking shows. Here’s why it’s great
Sundi Rose reports that when Georgia residents are ready to retire, one coastal town is at the top of the list. Saint Simons Island has been named one of America’s most livable retirement towns.
June 10, 2026 State Affairs
Georgia’s drone experiment: 5 schools get active shooter defense
Jack Rutherford reports that pepper spray-armed drones will be on call at five Georgia high schools this fall to combat active shooters. The system, made by Texas-based Campus Guardian Angel, works by placing drones equipped with nonlethal measures such as pepper spray on charging pads around a school.
June 10, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This Georgia county couldn’t pick a side in the GOP governor’s race
Greg Bluestein reports, in Georgia’s Republican runoff for governor, few places capture the divide between Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and billionaire healthcare executive Rick Jackson quite like Habersham County. The northeast Georgia county delivered one of the most remarkable results of the May primary: Jackson and Jones finished in a dead-even tie, each earning exactly 2,640 votes.
