Georgia Trend Daily – July 21, 2026
July 21, 2026 Macon Telegraph
Georgia is among the most affordable states for college, reports U.S. News & World
Sundi Rose reports, Georgia has been named one of the top five most affordable states to earn a college degree, and based on a few factors, can make it substantially more attainable than in many other parts of the country. As part of the U.S. News & World Report’s “Best States” rankings, the higher education analysis ranks Georgia no. 4 in the nation for in‑state public tuition and fees.
July 21, 2026 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
A Revolutionary Book From Georgia Trend’s Former Publisher
Kathleen Conway reports, longtime readers of Georgia Trend may remember Neely Young as the magazine’s owner and publisher from 1999 to 2017, and father of current publisher Ben Young. Since retiring, he has written a few books – the most recent of which is In Their Footsteps: Georgia’s Heroes of the Revolutionary War.
July 21, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The scavenger hunt begins to find Atlanta office buildings worth saving
Zachary Hansen reports, office buildings can’t speak, but they can tell stories. Shiny new towers make a statement through their sheer opulence, panoramic views and desirable locations, enticing companies to pay top dollar. Other buildings sell themselves as a good value, vying to compete by offering solid workplace digs for the right price.
July 21, 2026 Rome News-Tribune
How one Georgia company is destroying PFAS in a process to eradicate ‘forever chemicals’
Tom Mayer reports, for more than a decade, “forever chemicals” have been part of an ongoing conversation in Northwest Georgia, where concerns over PFAS contamination have prompted changes in area water treatment, multimillion-dollar investments and litigation against chemical manufacturers. Now, a Georgia company says it has developed a technology designed to do something many existing treatment methods do not: destroy the chemicals instead of simply separating them from water.
July 21, 2026 Savannah Morning News
Parker’s Kitchen hits $1 million donation mark to Wounded Warriors
Evan Lasseter reports, Parker’s Kitchen held its first round-up campaign for the Wounded Warrior Project in 2023. Wounded Warriors was the chosen partner for one of Parker’s philanthropy pillars: heroes.
July 21, 2026 Savannah Morning News
Georgia to receive more than $452K from 23andMe settlement
Vanessa Johns reports, the state of Georgia is set to receive more than $452,000 as part of a nationwide settlement tied to the 2023 23andMe data breach, which exposed the personal information of millions of customers. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr joined attorneys general from 41 other states and territories in reaching the agreement with the bankrupt genetic testing company’s estate.
July 21, 2026 WABE
Atlanta named as top 10 fittest US city, according to 2026 ACSM report
Kendall Murray reports, a new report released by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the Elevance Health Foundation ranked Atlanta among the top 10 fittest cities in the nation. The 2026 ACSM American Fitness Index analyzed 100 of the largest U.S. cities using 35 evidence-based indicators relating to factors such as personal health, community infrastructure and environmental conditions.
July 21, 2026 GPB
Cuts to federal agencies like FEMA will put Georgians at risk when extreme weather hits, experts say
Ellen Eldridge reports, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration now predicts a more than 80% likelihood of very strong El Niño conditions taking hold by the end of the year, increasing the likelihood of heatwaves, droughts, heavy rainfall and other extreme weather events in many parts of the world. El Niño and La Niña are opposite phases of one of the most powerful climate patterns on Earth, the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO).
July 21, 2026 Albany Herald
From cotton to cloud: In the data center debate, is rural Georgia once again being asked to carry the cost?
Kathryn Crockett reports that for generations, the story of the American South was written in cotton. The crop transformed the region into an agricultural powerhouse, supplying textile mills across the United States and Europe.
July 21, 2026 Union-Recorder
Commissioners hire attorneys to represent them
Billy Hobbs reports that the Baldwin County Board of Commissioners is now in a defensive posture following the recent filing of a lawsuit against them by Baldwin County Assistant Manager and Finance Director Dawn Hudson. The Union-Recorder has learned that commissioners have hired Timothy J. Buckley III and Eric J. O’Brien of Buckley, Christopher & Hensel, P.C. of Atlanta to represent them in the civil action.
July 21, 2026 Capitol Beat News
Trump’s speech, declassified documents offer scant support for Georgia election fraud claims
Ty Tagami reports, when President Donald Trump delivered his primetime address about election fraud Thursday, Dana Barrett was watching and ready to take notes. But Barrett, a Fulton County commissioner, did not hear much worth writing down.
July 21, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Donald Trump’s visit spotlights GOP’s last major foothold in Cobb County
Greg Bluestein reports, President Donald Trump’s visit to Wheeler High School on Wednesday packs a political punch far beyond the rollout of his new savings program for children. His trip to the Cobb County school district alongside Georgia’s marquee GOP nominees comes at one of the last Republican-controlled institutions in a county that has become a pillar of Democrats’ statewide strategy.
