Author: Linda M. Erbele

Aug. 11, 2025 Capitol Beat News Georgia Milestones: students improve in math and other subjects but struggle in English Ty Tagami reports that Georgia students posted modest academic gains in most of the tested grades and subjects last school year…

Aug. 7, 2025 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer Surf’s up, GA! Permanent surfing wave coming to Columbus on the Chattahoochee. Here are the details Sundi Rose reports that Uptown Columbus has announced its boldest riverfront project yet: a permanent surfing wave on the…

Aug. 6, 2025 Capitol Beat News Federal loan to help finance Georgia 400 toll lanes Dave Williams reports that a plan to add toll lanes along Georgia 400 in Fulton and Forsyth counties is getting a big boost from the…

Aug. 5, 2025 WABE No-cost Georgia BRIGHT solar program launches in Georgia Emily Jones reports that hundreds of Georgia households can get free rooftop solar energy through a program that launched Monday. Georgia BRIGHT, a statewide initiative to deliver communities…

Aug. 4, 2025 Rome News-Tribune, News & Record New Pinnacle-Synovus bank to be based in Atlanta Richard Craver reports that Pinnacle Financial Partners is acquiring Synovus Financial Corp. to form one of the largest super-regional banks in the Southeast at…

Aug. 1, 2025 Capitol Beat News Georgia Power seeking certification of new energy projects Dave Williams reports that Georgia Power asked state energy regulators Thursday to certify 9,900 megawatts of new energy resources that would come from a variety of…

July 31, 2025 The Brunswick News Ro/ro traffic at Brunswick port remains strong Staff reports that cargo traffic at the Port of Brunswick continues to prove strong despite market volatility, with the last fiscal year matching, but not exceeding, the…

July 30, 2025 Georgia Ports Authority Georgia Ports container trade up 8.6 percent in fiscal year 2025 Staff reports that the Georgia Ports Authority moved 5.7 million twenty-foot equivalent container units in fiscal year 2025 (July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025),…

July 29, 2025 Augusta Chronicle Cool factor: Trump thinks SRS has what it takes to strengthen artificial intelligence Joe Hotchkiss reports that Savannah River Site is one of four federal sites tapped to take part in the Trump administration's plan…

July 28, 2025 The Brunswick News Okefenokee nomination unaffected by UNESCO withdrawal Gordon Jackson reports that U.S. Department of State's withdrawal from UNESCO this week has raised questions by some about the status of the Okenokee National Wildlife Refuge’s nomination…

July 25, 2025 GlobalAtlanta.com Brazilian-Owned Food Giant Is Investing $400M in Northwest Georgia Trevor Williams reports that a Brazilian-owned chicken giant is set to build its latest facility in the northwest corner of Georgia, investing $400 million and creating 630 jobs…

July 24, 2025 Savannah Morning News Georgia's peach farmers experiment with new varieties designed to adapt to warmer winters Jillian Magtoto reports that farmers like Lawton Pearson in Fort Valley are now covering their bases with new varieties of peaches…

July 23, 2025 Macon Telegraph Coca-Cola to sell classic Coke with cane sugar in US following Trump request. Here’s when Sundi Rose reports that Coca-Cola, one of Georgia’s oldest and most significant companies, has made national headlines with an announcement…

July 22, 2025 WSB Radio Chamber of Commerce Chief Economist not worried about Atlanta’s population decrease Staff reports that slightly more people from within the US left metro Atlanta than moved to it during a 12-month period. But Atlanta Chamber…

July 21, 2025 GlobalAtlanta.com Trump’s 50 Percent Tariff Threat: A Chance to Bolster Brazil’s Brand in Georgia? Trevor Williams reports, since he emerged on the scene in 2016, President Donald Trump has largely kept Brazil out of the U.S. trade…

July 18, 2025 Gainesville Times King’s Hawaiian expansion to create 135 jobs Jeff Gill reports that a $54 million planned expansion of the King’s Hawaiian bakery in Oakwood is expected to create 135 jobs, Gov. Brian Kemp announced Thursday, July…

July 17, 2025 Capitol Beat News Georgia maintains highest bond ratings Dave Williams reports that the “Big Three” bond rating companies again have given Georgia the highest rating of AAA, praising the state’s commitment to fiscal responsibility and record of…

July 16, 2025 Macon Telegraph Polls are closed in Georgia’s Public Service Commission runoff. Results here. Jeremy Chisenhall and Margaret Walker report that Peter Hubbard, an energy consultant and expert, has won the Democratic nomination for District 3 of the…

July 15, 2025 Georgia Council for the Arts Georgia Council for the Arts: More Than $1.3 Million in Grants Announced Across 49 Counties Staff reports that the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) team specialized in supporting arts and culture,…

July 14, 2025 WJBF Club Car delivers electric cars to Pope Leo XIV Rakiyah Lenon reports, Club Car delivered two custom-built electric vehicles to Pope Leo XIV in Vatican City this week. According to the company with its headquarters in…

July 11, 2025 Marietta Daily Journal KSU economist sees slowing growth but no looming recession Megan Jackson reports, though economic growth is slowing, a recession is not the most likely scenario, according to Roger Tutterow, an economist with Kennesaw State…

July 10, 2025 Georgia.gov Gov. Kemp: Ti Cold and Karis Cold Building $60 Million Facility in McIntosh County Staff reports that Gov. Kemp on Wednesday announced that Ti Cold and Karis Cold have officially broken ground on a new $60…

July 9, 2025 Capitol Beat News Georgia ends fiscal year with slight increase in tax revenues Dave Williams reports, the state closed out fiscal 2025 at the end of last month with a slight increase in net tax collections compared…

July 8, 2025 Athens Banner-Herald The Hi-Lo Trail from Athens to Savannah remains a vision, but much still to be done Wayne Ford reports, recently, the Georgia Hi-Lo Trail organization gained the land it needs for a 4-mile section in…

July 7, 2025 GlobalAtlanta.com Pullback on Korean Battery Recycling Plant Could Portend More Trouble for Georgia’s Clean Energy Sector Trevor Williams reports that a South Korean electric battery recycler is the latest clean-energy firm pulling back on investment plans for Georgia amid flagging…

July 3, 2025 Capitol Beat News Atlanta to get Shriners children’s medical research facility Ty Tagami reports that Shriners Children’s will establish a new pediatric medical research facility near Georgia Tech, bringing jobs and significant investment, the health-care nonprofit announced…

July 2, 2025 Capitol Beat News PSC approves Georgia Power rate freeze Dave Williams reports that state energy regulators Tuesday unanimously approved Georgia Power’s plan to freeze customer rates for the next three years. Under an agreement the Atlanta-based utility…

July 1, 2025 Macon Telegraph Train derails in Fort Valley area amid a flash flood. What we know Carly Lenhardt reports, a Norfolk Southern train traveling through the Fort Valley area was derailed Saturday during a flash flood, officials say.…

June 30, 2025 WABE Hearings over Georgia Power energy plan, rate freeze get contentious Emily Jones reports that the Georgia Public Service Commission will make two major decisions next month, on a proposal to temporarily freeze Georgia Power’s rates and on the…

June 27, 2025 Capitol Beat News PSC hears Georgia Power rate freeze plan Dave Williams reports that executives representing Georgia Power and the state’s energy regulating agency Thursday defended the utility’s plan to freeze rates against accusations that the temporary…

une 26, 2025 The Brunswick News New rail capacity at Brunswick port to come online this month Staff reports that the first phase of a new rail facility at the Port of Brunswick is slated to begin operations by the…

June 25, 2025 Georgia.gov Gov. Kemp Announces $26.5M for Local Transportation Projects Staff reports, Gov. Kemp and the State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA) Board of Directors on Tuesday announced the approval of a record $26.5 million in Georgia Transportation…

June 24, 2025 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer Georgia Power merges hydrogen, natural gas for cleaner energy. Why it matters Kala Hunter reports, the energy research community is cheering after Georgia Power completed the largest ever test of blending hydrogen and natural gas…

June 23, 2025 WABE Conservation land deal stops Okefenokee mining plan Marisa Mecke reports, after six years, the controversial plan to mine next to Georgia’s beloved Okefenokee Swamp has been halted. The Conservation Fund, a nonprofit organization specializing in the acquisition…

June 19, 2025 Capitol Beat News Georgia unemployment rate declines slightly Dave Williams reports that Georgia’s unemployment rate fell slightly in April to 3.5%, seven-tenths below the national jobless rate, the state Department of Labor reported Thursday. “After holding steady…

June 19, 2025 Georgia.gov Gov. Kemp Announces Latest Workforce Housing Grant Awards Staff reports that Gov. Kemp announced on Wednesday the latest round of grant awards for the Rural Workforce Housing Initiative, totaling $6.5 million in infrastructure development and supporting…

June 18, 2025 Macon Telegraph, Columbus Ledger-Enquirer Election Day in Georgia: See results for Public Service Commission primary races Margaret Walker reports that incumbent Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols convincingly won his primary election Tuesday night, setting himself up to…

June 17, 2025 WSB Radio Georgia joins new nationwide effort to fight against human trafficking Bill Caiaccio reports that Georgia has joined other states around the nation in a new effort to fight against human trafficking. The Georgia Businesses Against Trafficking…

June 16, 2025 GlobalAtlanta.com Belgian Pharma Giant With Atlanta Base to Invest Billions in U.S. Factory Trevor Williams reports that a Belgian pharmaceutical company with its American base in Atlanta is teasing a transformative factory for biologics in the United States. UCB, which unveiled a jazzed-up…

June 13, 2025 Georgia Recorder Hundreds of CDC workers are reinstated but majority of fired public health staffers left in limbo Jill Nolin reports that fired workers of the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and their supporters are…

June 12, 2025 Capitol Beat News Regents confirm new leader for University of West Georgia Ty Tagami reports that the University System of Georgia Board of Regents held a final vote Wednesday to confirm Christopher “Mike” Johnson as president of…

June 11, 2025 Capitol Beat News New area code coming to southeastern Georgia Dave Williams reports that Georgia will be getting an 11th area code soon, with the new 565 area code being added as an overlay to the existing…

June 10,  2025 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer 1,700 people urge regulators to prevent powering Georgia data centers with coal Kala Hunter reports, over the past 18 years, coal power in Georgia has seen a precipitous decline. Between 2007 and 2013, coal power…

June 9,  2025 Capitol Beat News Kemp visiting Canada to discuss future of trade relations amid tariff uncertainties Dave Williams reports that Gov. Brian Kemp will lead a three-day trade mission to Canada amid an atmosphere of uncertainty prompted by…

June 6, 2025 Newnan Times-Herald Severe storms possible across Georgia this weekend Staff reports that a multi-day threat of severe weather is forecast across Georgia beginning late Friday and continuing through Sunday, with the greatest risk expected Saturay afternoon and…

June 5, 2025 Augusta Chronicle Saharan dust will collide with Canada wildfire smoke this week over Georgia. What to expect Vanessa Countryman reports that a mix of smoke and dust is blanketing parts of Georgia this week, as wildfire smoke in Canada and a…

June 4, 2025 Augusta Chronicle Fortune 500's biggest corporations in US includes 17 in Georgia. How much are they worth? Miguel Legoas reports that Georgia is home to some major companies, and according to Fortune, that includes some of the…

June 3, 2025 Marietta Daily Journal Cupid Highlights Economic Growth, Transit and Stormwater Needs in State of the County Address Isabelle Manders reports that Lisa Cupid, chair of the Cobb Board of Commissioners, touched on healthcare access, education, transportation and…

June 2, 2025 Saporta Report Lights, camera, taxes: Georgia looks to maintain production powerhouse status as Kemp signs new tax break into law Mark Lannaman reports that Gov. Brian Kemp signed House Bill 475 (HB 475) earlier this month, ushering in…