Author: Linda M. Erbele

Sept. 14, 2021 WABE 90.1 As Georgia’s Airports Age, State Funding For Repairs Lags Behind Neighbors Emil Moffat reports, with its status as one of the world’s busiest airports, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport gets a lot of attention. But there…

Sept 13, 2021 Valdosta Daily News, GaFlNews Georgia surpasses 10 million vaccinated Bryce Ethridge reports that Georgia's vaccinated population surpassed 10 million on Sept. 10 — which includes people with at least one dose and fully administered — approximately  counting…

Sept. 10, 2021 WABE 90.1 Environmentalists Still Concerned As Golden Ray Cargo Ship Wreck Hits 2-Year Anniversary Jim Burress and Molly Samuel report, two years ago the Golden Ray cargo ship capsized off Georgia’s coast. The car carrier had thousands…

Sept. 9, 2021 Capitol Beat News Georgia tax collections robust in August Dave Williams reports that the economic impact of the surging delta variant of COVID-19 has yet to be felt in Georgia. Tax collections in the Peach State rose…

Sept. 8, 2021 The Center Square Report: Atlanta among top U.S. cities to retire Nyamekye Daniel reports that Atlanta is one of the best places to retire, a new report by personal finance website WalletHub shows. The report, which was…

Sept. 7, 2021 Georgia Health News ‘Grim milestone’: State’s confirmed pandemic deaths reach 20,000 Andy Miller reports that the number of confirmed Covid deaths in Georgia has now surpassed 20,000, state officials said Friday. In addition, there are more than…

Sept. 3, 2021 Georgia.org Governor Kemp Directs $5.8 Million to Aid Georgia’s Tourism Industry Staff reports that Governor Brian P. Kemp announced the allocation of $5.8 million in federal coronavirus relief funds to Explore Georgia, the tourism division of the…

Sept. 2, 2021 Georgia Health News State Shatters Record For COVID-19 Hospitalizations Andy Miller reports that state has broken its record for COVID patient hospitalizations, and has reached 5,880, a Public Health spokeswoman said Tuesday. The previous mark was set…

Sept. 1, 2021 GPB AAA Warns Georgians To Not Panic-Buy Gasoline In Aftermath Of Hurricane Ida Sarah Rose reports that Hurricane Ida came ashore in Louisiana as a Category 4 hurricane, making it one of the most powerful in the…

Aug. 31, 2021 Georgia Recorder Kemp sends more National Guard troops to COVID fight as cases and divisions surge Ross Williams reports that Georgia Public Health Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey shared a frank and disturbing snapshot of the spread of…

Aug. 30, 2021 Newnan Times-Herald Aircraft maintenance company to bring 25 jobs to Coweta Staff reports that Hale Aircraft, Inc. has announced plans to move its operation to Coweta County, committing to a $5 million investment and the creation of…

Aug. 27, 2021 Georgia Recorder End of federal eviction ban looms again as Georgians struggle to secure rent aid Stanley Dunlap reports that a nationwide eviction moratorium is again hanging on a U.S. Supreme Court ruling as the Biden administration…

Aug. 26, 2021 Marietta Daily Journal Lockheed secures contract to support Indian Air Force’s C-130s, worth $329M Staff reports that Lockheed Martin Corporation announced it has secured a new five-year, $329 million contract with the Indian Air Force (IAF) to…

Aug. 25, 2021 Georgia.gov Gov. Kemp Announces Deployment of Over 100 National Guard Personnel to Hospitals Staff reports that Governor Brian P. Kemp yesterday announced the Georgia National Guard, in coordination with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and the Department…

Aug. 24, 2021 The Center Square Georgia's electric vehicle industry vision predates Biden's order Nyamekye Daniel reports that Georgia officials say the state is geared up for the accelerated timeline to boost electric vehicle sales recently ordered by President Joe…

Aug. 23, 2021 Georgia.gov Georgia Unemployment Rate Drops for 15th Straight Month to 3.7% as Jobs Increase Staff reports that Governor Brian P. Kemp applauded Georgia's unemployment rate dropping for the fifteenth straight month to 3.7 percent for July 2021, down from…

Aug. 20, 2021 Georgia.gov Gov. Kemp Announces Advanced Modular Structures LLC. to Create 200 Jobs, Invest $14 Million in Atlanta Staff reports that Governor Brian P. Kemp announced on Thursday that Advanced Modular Structures LLC., a modular building enterprise affiliated…

Aug. 19, 2021 GPB State Appoints Bipartisan Panel To Review Fulton Election Board's Actions Stephen Fowler reports that the Georgia State Election Board has appointed a bipartisan three-member panel to initiate a performance review of Fulton County's elections board, the…

Aug. 18, 2021 The Center Square Georgia Public Service Commission to loosen grip on Vogtle cost monitoring Nyamekye Daniel reports that the Georgia Public Service Commission and its public interest advocacy staff have approved Georgia Power’s latest round of spending…

Aug. 17, 2021 New York Times Georgia will increase hospital funding amid a Covid surge. Tariro Mzezewa reports that with coronavirus cases surging across Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp on Monday announced plans to spend more than $125 million to add…

Aug. 16, 2021 GlobalAtlanta.com Randstad Revamps U.S. Headquarters as Pandemic Shifts Work Patterns Trevor Williams reports that Dutch human resources solutions provider Randstad, accustomed to helping clients with their staffing needs, has revamped its own U.S. headquarters in Cobb County to…

Aug. 13, 2021 Georgia.org Gov. Kemp Announces Vanderlande Industries Expanding in Cobb County, Creating 500 Jobs Staff reports that Governor Brian P. Kemp announced that global material handling and logistics company Vanderlande Industries Inc. ("Vanderlande") will invest $59 million in…

Aug. 12, 2021 Rome News-Tribune ‘Setting a dangerous precedent’: Georgians overwhelmingly ask that Hammond coal ash be excavated and relocated Doug Walker reports that Georgians from Valdosta to Rome voiced concerns that if an unlined ash pond at Plant Hammond…

Aug. 11, 2021 Capitol Beat News Kemp looking to Georgia businesses to aid fight against crime Dave Williams reports that Gov. Brian Kemp called on Georgia businesses Tuesday to join him in the fight against violent crime. The recent rise…

Aug. 10, 2021 GPB Oil Leak On Ga. Coast Slowed As Crews Find Source On Wrecked Cargo Ship Molly Samuel reports that crews removing the overturned cargo ship on the Georgia coast have found the likely source of the oil…

Aug. 9, 2021 Georgia.org Governor Kemp, Georgia Department of Economic Development Announce Leadership of Electric Mobility and Innovation Initiative Staff reports that Governor Brian P. Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp, in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Economic Development…

Aug. 6, 2021 Capitol Beat News Georgia Supreme Court going back to remote oral arguments Dave Williams reports that this month’s oral arguments before the Georgia Supreme Court will be held remotely, Chief Justice David Nahmias announced Thursday. Word that…

Aug. 5, 2021 Georgia.org Gov. Kemp Announces Medical Technology Company Intuitive Expanding in Gwinnett County, Adding Approximately 1,200 Jobs Staff reports that Governor Brian P. Kemp announced plans by Intuitive, a pioneer in robotic-assisted surgery and a global leader in…

Aug. 4, 2021 The Center Square Kemp to state agencies: No spending increases Nyamekye Daniel reports that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has instructed state agencies to maintain current spending levels over the next two years. State agencies must submit their…

Aug. 3, 2021 Gainesville Times Northeast Georgia Health System seeking 510 nurses amid COVID-19 spike Nick Watson reports that Northeast Georgia Health System officials said they were looking for 510 registered nurses amid a spike in COVID-positive patients not seen…

Aug. 2, 2021 GPB Federal Loan Program To Help Farmers Reclaim Generational Land Enriched By $67M Jill Nolin reports that the federal government is at last rolling out a loan program meant to help farmers reclaim portions of property lost…

July 30, 2021 Capitol Beat News Plant Vogtle project encounters new delays, higher costs Dave Williams reports that Georgia Power’s nuclear expansion at Plant Vogtle is being delayed again due to “productivity challenges” and additional time needing for testing and…

July 29, 2021 The Center Square Georgia ranked 37th in nationwide prosperity index Nyamekye Daniel reports that Georgia is the 37th most prosperous state in the country, according to the 2021 United States Prosperity Index. The index created by London-based think-tank…

July 28, 2021 The Center Square Delta Airlines announces the hiring of more than 2K employees in Georgia Nyamekye Daniel reports that Georgia's largest private employer has announced the hiring of more than 2,000 employees since January, bolstering the state's…

July 27, 2021 The Center Square Georgia's bond obligations amount to $2,027 per person Nyamekye Daniel reports that Georgia has the 16th-lowest bonded obligations per capita at $2,027 per person, according to a recent report from the American Legislative Exchange…

July 26, 2021 University of Georgia Grass in the Olympic Stadium developed by UGA-Tifton Leigh Beeson reports that the Summer Olympics may be in Japan this year, but Team USA was on home turf when they took the field for…

July 23, 2021 GPB ‘I Need To Be Able To Vote’: Probation Law Opens New Pool Of Voters Riley Bunch reports that after more than a decade of being barred from the ballot box, Macon resident Frances Jones can finally…

July 22, 2021 Georgia.org Georgia Film Records Blockbuster Year Staff reports that the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) announced today that the film industry recorded a blockbuster year in Georgia. During fiscal year 2021, the film and television industry…

July 21, 2021 Georgia Recorder Kemp names Verda Colvin to fill Georgia Supreme Court seat Stanley Dunlap reports that Gov. Brian Kemp picked a Georgia Court of Appeals judge to become his newest appointee to the state Supreme Court, making…

July 20, 2021 Saporta Report Chattahoochee RiverLands’ pilot project in Cobb receives Woodruff gift Maria Saporta reports that the Chattahoochee Riverlands initiative is moving forward with a pilot project in Cobb County thanks to a $9 million gift from the…

July 19, 2021 GlobalAtlanta.com Trade Leads: Brazil, China Seek Georgia Defense, Food Products  Trevor Williams reports that the Georgia Department of Economic Development is fielding inquiries from Brazil and China that could provide an easy entree into the markets for…

July 16, 2021 Georgia Dept. of Labor Unemployment Rate Drops to 4 Percent in June Staff reports that the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) announced that Georgia's unemployment rate dropped another 0.1 percentage point to reach 4 percent in June,…

July 15, 2021 GPB Georgia Leaders Share Vision For Transforming Mental Health, Substance Use Care Ellen Eldridge reports, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Georgians struggled with access to mental health care and substance use disorder treatment. The state ranks 51st…

July 14, 2021 Capitol Beat News Transportation agencies pick route for Atlanta-to-Charlotte high-speed rail line Dave Williams reports that Federal and Georgia transportation planners are looking to run a high-speed rail line connecting Atlanta and Charlotte, N.C., via Athens. The…

July 13, 2021 Georgia.gov June Net Tax Revenues Up 29.1 Percent, FY 2021 Up 13.5 Percent Staff reports, the State of Georgia’s June net tax collections totaled $2.5 billion for an increase of $563.1 million, or 29.1 percent, compared to…

July 12, 2021 The Center Square Lumber demand drives Georgia home prices higher Nyamekye Daniel reports that a spike in lumber prices has compounded the state's housing crisis, Georgia housing advocates said. The price of lumber increased by 300% this…

July 8, 2021 Georgia.gov Gov. Kemp Announces Purple Innovation to More Than Double Company Workforce in McDonough, Creating 500 Jobs Staff reports that on Wednesday, Governor Brian P. Kemp announced Purple Innovation, Inc. (“Purple”), a comfort technology company known for…

July 7, 2021 Valdosta Daily Times S.Ga. counties under state of emergency; Elsa now a hurricane Amanda M. Usher reports that several South Georgia counties are under a state of emergency as the region prepares for possible impact from Elsa…

July 6, 2021 Brunswick News Sea turtle nesting numbers indicate continued population recovery Lauren McDonald reports that nesting season for loggerhead sea turtles is in full swing, and the number of nests on Georgia’s beaches this summer indicate a continued…