Georgia Trend Daily – July 30, 2026
July 30, 2026 Savannah Morning News
Port of Savannah closes fiscal year nearly flat after strong June
Evan Lasseter reports, the Port of Savannah finished its 2026 fiscal year modestly behind the previous year’s volumes, rounding the year out strong with an 18% increase in June’s volumes over last year, the Georgia Ports Authority announced at its Tuesday board meeting.
July 30, 2026 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Only We Can Stop Forest Fires
Tharon Johnson writes, when most of us think of wildfires, Georgia probably isn’t the first state that comes to mind. I personally think of the January 2025 wildfires in Southern California which directly killed 31 people and indirectly killed hundreds more.
July 30, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
South Downtown’s $140M building boom on pause after Atlanta’s World Cup frenzy
Zachary Hansen reports that South Downtown has been a whirlwind of construction in recent months to get ready for the World Cup, but it’s about to switch from offense to defense. The owners of dozens of historical buildings in the 10-block neighborhood say they’ve pumped $140 million into renovating many of them, turning some into new restaurants, shops, startup offices, residential lofts and other gathering spaces.
July 30, 2026 State Affairs
Lottery sends $1.54B to state education, ends recent revenue dips
Beau Evans reports that lottery revenues for Georgia preschools and the HOPE Scholarship rebounded this past fiscal year after recent dips sparked some alarms over possible future shortfalls for key state-funded education programs. Ticket sales for the fiscal year that ended July 1 netted roughly $1.54 billion in proceeds for preschools and scholarships, topping last year’s collections by 5% and trailing only 2021 for the highest revenue haul since the Lottery’s creation in 1992.
July 30, 2026 Atlanta News First
Georgia Power breaks ground on Plant Bowen gas, battery expansion
Abby Kousouris reports that Federal energy officials and Georgia Power broke ground Tuesday on an expansion at Plant Bowen that will add natural gas generation and battery storage, a project supporters say will help meet growing electricity demand while maintaining reliability and affordability. The project is expected to add about 1,482 megawatts of natural gas generation and a 500-megawatt battery energy storage system, according to DOE.
July 30, 2026 The Brunswick News
Trade at the Port of Brunswick dips in FY 2026
Staff reports that the Port of Brunswick handled 763,122 units of autos and heavy machinery in the fiscal year 2026, a dip of about 12.4% compared to the prior fiscal year. In roll-on, roll-off cargo, autos accounted for 713,179 units and heavy machinery 49,943 in FY26, which started on July 1, 2025, and ended June 30 this year.
July 30, 2026 GlobalAtlanta.com
Foreign Automakers Cut 300-Plus Jobs Across Georgia
Trevor Williams reports, in a succession of body blows to what is usually a reliably humming automotive sector, at least five international investors have adjusted their outlook in Georgia, affecting hundreds of production-line workers. All told, the moves from companies based in Europe and Asia have resulted in the loss of more than 300 jobs in Bartow, Hall and Warren counties.
July 30, 2026 Walton Tribune
Social Circle reallocates money from ICE warehouse
Sharon Swanepoel reports, a nearly $1.6 million contribution to the city of Social Circle from the former owners of the 1-million square-foot Social Circle warehouse purchased earlier this year by the federal government for conversion and use as an immigrant detention center was reallocated by the city council at its July meeting.
July 30, 2026 The Current
Who’ll pay for the Tradeport East Wastewater Treatment Facility?
Robin Kemp reports, the Liberty County Development Authority says taxpayers will not have to pay for its proposed wastewater treatment facility because developers and tenants will foot the bill. But the LCDA may ask the county Board of Commissioners to provide financial backup for a worst-case scenario.
July 30, 2026 Newnan Times-Herald
Environmental groups say airport pollution threatens Coweta water
Clay Neely reports that the Flint Riverkeeper and Southern Environmental Law Center have notified the City of Atlanta that they intend to sue over what the group describes as years of illegal pollution from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport into the Flint River and its tributaries. In a notice of intent to sue sent Wednesday, the organizations allege the airport has repeatedly released jet fuel, sewage, deicing fluid and other pollutants through its stormwater and sewage systems into the Flint River, Sullivan Creek and Mud Creek in violation of federal clean water and solid waste laws.
July 30, 2026 Georgia Recorder
Trump admin’s endangered species rule change could leave Georgia’s wild places unprotected
Ross Williams reports, a federal rule change set to go into effect this fall could cause big changes to Georgia’s landscape, and environmental groups are sounding the alarm. “It’s probably the worst action that’s ever been taken in the history of the Endangered Species Act,” said Will Harlan, southeast director of the Center for Biological Diversity in Asheville, North Carolina.
July 30, 2026 Athens Banner-Herald
Is Mike Collins still under House ethics investigation? Where he stands
Irene Wright reports, Representative Mike Collins is locked in a crucial race for a U.S. Senate seat in Georgia, and it won’t be easy to win. The Trump-backed candidate faces an uphill battle against incumbent Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff who leads early in polling and who has garnered national attention in recent weeks as a possible 2028 presidential candidate (despite Ossoff repeatedly saying he won’t run).
July 30, 2026 Capitol Beat News
Jackson launches ad blitz amid fight with Bottoms over economy
Ty Tagami reports, starting Saturday, Georgians who watch television or go online will likely encounter campaign ads from Rick Jackson, the Republican candidate for governor. The wealthy entrepreneur announced this week that he will spend $87 million on an initial ad buy to promote his campaign against former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, the Democrat.
July 30, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
5 defining tests from Keisha Lance Bottoms’ years as Atlanta mayor
Greg Bluestein reports that Rick Jackson isn’t just running against Democratic nominee for governor Keisha Lance Bottoms. The Republican is running against her record as Atlanta’s mayor. Rather than center his campaign on President Donald Trump or the national GOP agenda, Jackson is betting voters will judge Bottoms on a record marked by civil unrest, a pandemic and her stunning decision not to seek a second term.
