Author: Addison Basurto

Brian Kemp Accuses Stacey Abrams of Flip-Flopping on Key Issues

Addison Basurto

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R) took his opponent, Stacey Abrams(D), to task, when he called her out for her inability to stick to a stance on political issues in a statement released on Tuesday. 

“Stacey Abrams opposed suspending the gas tax and returning $1 billion to taxpayers, but now she’s on my record. She can’t have it both ways. Abrams has embraced the policies of Joe Biden that have led to disaster at the border, high gas prices, and empty grocery shelves,” Governor Kemp said. 

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Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King Lambastes Price Hike by Allstate Insurance

Addison Basurto

Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King (R) publicly chastised the AllState insurance company for drastic insurance price hikes in a statement on Thursday.

“AllState raised rates by 14 percent earlier this year. Now, it’s trying to fleece working Georgians again with a 25% rate hike next month. AllState is exploiting a loophole in Georgia law to do this –  and it’s the only major provider doing so. The first step is calling them out,” Commissioner King said. 

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PolitiFact Fact-Checks Stacey Abrams’ ‘Gross Lie’ About Brian Kemp

Addison Basurto

Liberal “fact-checker” PolitiFact denounced a claim made in a Saturday statement by Stacey Abrams (D) that Governor Brian Kemp (R) and Georgia’s House Bill 481 stipulates a warrant for the arrest of women who suffer a miscarriage.

“Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has not said he wants women investigated or punished for pregnancies that end in miscarriage. A six-week abortion law he signed said miscarriages are legal,” PolitiFact said.

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GA-7 Nominee Mark Gonsalves Rejects Expansion of IRS, Calls for More Border Patrol Agents

Addison Basurto

Republican nominee Mark Gonsalves (R-GA-07) called the proposition for IRS expansion made by the Biden administration “the definition of runaway democracy” and criticized his opponent, Lucy McBath, for her support of the incumbent president.

“Tuesday Trivia fact that’s real, believe it or not. Under Joe Biden, the IRS staff will be larger than the combined totals of the FBI, the Pentagon, the Border Patrol, and the State Department. That is the definition of runaway democracy,” Gonsalves said in reference the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

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Georgia Governor Kemp to Headline Cherokee County Breakfast on Saturday

Addison Basurto

Governor Brian Kemp (R) will be the featured speaker at Cherokee County GOP’s August breakfast on Saturday, an event which will also include State Senator Kay Kirkpatrick (R-Marietta) and Georgia State School Superintendent Richard Woods.

“I am excited to join hardworking Georgians in Cherokee County this weekend! Every day, Georgians and Americans are witnessing the failure of the Biden Administration and Democrats in Washington, but make no mistake: their failed policies are Stacey Abrams’ agenda for Georgia,” Kemp told The Georgia Star News on Tuesday.

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Congressional Hopefuls Tyler Harper and Chris West Host Agriculture Roundtable in Dawson

Addison Basurto

Republican Agricultural Commissioner Nominee Tyler Harper and GOP nominee Chris West (R-GA-02) hosted an agricultural roundtable in Dawson on Wednesday.

“Great time in Dawson today meeting with [agricultural] leaders supporting my friend Tyler Harper for Agriculture Commissioner. Southwest Georgia is ready to elect strong leaders who will fight for our state’s #1 industry!” West said on Wednesday.

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Governor Kemp Announces Certified Nurse Program Grant as Healthcare Staffing Shortages Linger

Addison Basurto

Governor Brian Porter Kemp announced in a Monday press release that a grant that will award some $800,000 to 500 Georgian high school students through the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Pilot Program.

“Here in Georgia, we are committed to meeting the needs of our young people as they prepare to enter our world-class workforce following years of pandemic disruptions, and we are excited to see how this program will make a difference in their lives as it also helps us fulfill a critical workforce need,” the Republican governor said.

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Mark Gonsalves Says Lucy McBath Should Return GA-06 Constituent Donations After District Switch

Addison Basurto

Republican nominee Mark Gonsalves (R-GA-07) criticized Lucy McBath (D-GA-06) for her decision to change from the 6th District to the 7th District in the middle of a congressional cycle when he spoke with The Georgia Star News on Monday.

“In essence it provides a person a credential that they do not deserve or warrant, and there a lot of people that vote and think, ‘oh, well she must have been my Congressperson.’ Well, that’s not true for 86% of constituents. So, I think it’s very deceptive. That’s how I would describe it,” Gonsalves said. 

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Mark Gonsalves Questions Lucy McBath on Atlanta Host City Flip-Flop

Addison Basurto

GA-07 Republican nominee Mark Gonsalves challenged his opponent, Lucy McBath, on her change in position with respect to the viability of Atlanta as a host city for large public events.

“Lucy McBath and her fellow DC Democrats don’t take the people they represent seriously. Atlanta wasn’t good enough to host the MLB All-Star game, but it’s suddenly good enough to host the DNC? Lucy advocates for her state only when it’s convenient to Democrat causes,” Gonsalves said.

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Kemp Leads GOP Gubernatorial Group in Response Against Tax Proposals

Addison Basurto

Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp and South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster led Republican governors in a response today in opposition to the $740 billion spending proposal to fix inflation.

“The Democrats’ solution to a 40-year high inflation is passing another reckless tax and spending spree to the tune of $74 billion, affecting Americans in every tax bracket,” the Republican gubernatorial coalition said in a statement Thursday.

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Chris Carr Calls Out George Soros for Installing Partisan District Attorneys

Addison Basurto

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr (R) called out billionaire and Open Society founder George Soros for his financial support of progressive district attorneys, a move that has resulted in crime spikes across the nation.

“George Soros has spent tens of millions to elect prosecutors who care more about coddling criminals than about protecting families. Now the Soros family is funding my Democrat opponent because they know I’ll stand up for YOU, not criminals,” Carr wrote on Twitter Tuesday.

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Herschel Walker Challenges Raphael Warnock to October Debate in Savannah

Addison Basurto

Georgia Republican Senate nominee Herschel Walker publicly challenged incumbent Senator Raphael Warnock to a debate in Savannah on Tuesday.

“Senator Warnock, I’m ready to debate. In fact, I just accepted a debate in your backyard, Savannah, where you’ve got home-field advantage, and it’s going to be broadcast statewide. I’m not a politician, I don’t look like a politician, I don’t sound like a politician, and frankly, I’m tired of politicians,” Walker said.

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Governor Kemp Extends Gas Tax Suspension, Supply Chain State of Emergency

Addison Basurto

Governor Brian Kemp (R) signed two executive orders on Wednesday that extended the gas tax suspension and renewed the state of emergency for supply chain disruptions. These executive orders will be effective through September 12th.

“I have extended the temporary suspension of the state’s motor fuel tax to alleviate the financial burden placed on Georgians due to the federal government’s gross mishandling of inflation,” Gov. Kemp said. 

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Burt Jones Challenges Stacey Abrams on Music Midtown Cancellation

Addison Basurto

Burt Jones, Republican nominee for lieutenant governor of Georgia, took exception to the assertion by Stacey Abrams that Governor Kemp is more concerned with “protecting dangerous people” than the economy of the state by affirming the right for Peach State citizens to bear arms with the signing of the constitutional carry law.

“Music Midtown is the new All Star Game. It’s still illegal for criminals to carry guns, and Georgia continues to see record voter turnout. Notice a trend? Her name is Stacey Abrams–and she’s still being dishonest with Georgia voters,” Jones tweeted on Tuesday.

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Atlanta Mayor Courts Democrats for 2024 DNC Convention

Addison Basurto

City of Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and other Georgia Democrats welcomed DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison in a tour of State Farm Arena on Friday as part of their attempt to win the bid for Georgia’s capital to host the 2024 DNC National Convention.

“This week, Atlanta welcomed Democratic National Convention officials to promote its bid to host the 2024 convention. Our city is clearly the place to be!” The City of Atlanta Government said in a Facebook post on Friday.

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Former Augusta Commissioner Faces Up to 20 Years in Prison After Conviction for Falsifying Records

Addison Basurto

The former Augusta District 4 Commissioner, Sammie Lee Sias, 67, of Hephzibah, faces up to 20 years in federal prison after he was found guilty by a U.S. District Court jury of record falsification and making a false statement to a U.S. agency by the Southern District of Georgia on Friday.

“Former Commissioner Sias knew his handling of sales tax funds was under investigation, and he deleted thousands of electronic files within hours of a federal order requiring him to provide those files,” U.S. Attorney David H. Estes said. 

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Spalding County Sheriff Presents Herschel Walker with a Sheriff’s Office Badge as a Token of Thanks

Addison Basurto

Spalding County Sheriff Darrell Dix, presented Georgia GOP Senatorial nominee Herschel Walker, with an official Sheriff’s office badge as a token of thanks for the candidate’s support of law enforcement.

“Spalding County Sheriff Darrell Dix made @HerschelWalker an honorary deputy to thank him for his commitment to backing the blue. #gapol” Walker campaign spokeswoman Mallory Blount said on Friday.

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Brian Kemp Extends Lead Over Abrams to Eight Points in Latest Poll

Addison Basurto

A poll published Friday by Beacon Research, found that Governor Brian Kemp (R) has extended his lead over Democrat nominee for Governor, Stacey Abrams, by eight points.

“I’m not surprised about his lead over Abrams. I know for a fact a lot of people are disgusted about the Democrat policies,” Barrow County GOP Executive Committee Rep. Laura Petcu (04) told The Georgia Star News on Friday.

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Bipartisan Senate Bill Passes to Rename Georgia VA Office in Honor of Late Senator Johnny Isakson

Addison Basurto

The U.S. Senate passed Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff’s bipartisan bill to rename the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Atlanta Regional Office in honor of the late Georgia U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson on Thursday.

“The bill designates the Department of Veterans Affairs Atlanta Regional Office in Georgia as the Senator Johnny Isakson Department of Veterans Affairs Atlanta Regional Office, or the Isakson VA Atlanta Regional Office,” the Senate Periodicals account said in a Tuesday tweet.

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GA-7 Candidate Mark Gonsalves Discusses Growing Hispanic Influence on GOP

Addison Basurto

Republican GA-07 nominee Mark Gonsalves spoke with The Georgia Star News at length on Thursday about the ever-increasing influence the Spanish-speaking populace has on the Republican Party.

“What the Hispanic communities have come to realize is that what they work so hard for here is really being squandered in Washington D.C., that their hard work is not being treated with a level of respect,” Gonsalves said.

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Herschel Walker Goes After Warnock Before Law Enforcement Press Conference with Newt Gingrich

Addison Basurto

Georgia Senate Nominee for the Republican Party, Herschel Walker, released several statements on Thursday where he criticized his opponent, incumbent Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock (D), on law enforcement support, crime rates, and his history of support for Joe Biden in the days that lead up to Friday’s press conference with U.S. Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich.

“Raphael Warnock has consistently worked to support criminals instead of keeping our communities safe,” spokeswoman Mallory Blount said. “Crime is rising across the country and Georgia is no exception Atlanta has one of the highest crime rates in the country and Georgians are sick and tired of it. Warnock has done more for Joe Biden than law-abiding Georgians and it is time Georgia had a Senator who takes public safety seriously.”

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Kay Kirkpatrick Assesses State-Run Veteran Nursing Homes for Improvements

Addison Basurto

The Georgia State Senate’s office announced that State Senator Kay Kirkpatrick (R-Marietta), chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans, Military, and Homeland Security, has been appointed to the new Subcommittee on Veteran Nursing Facilities.

“I am honored to serve as chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans, Military, and Homeland Security as we work to ensure our service members get the best quality of life possible,” Congresswoman Kirkpatrick said.

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Andrew Clyde Confronts NPR About Its ‘Disinformation Reporting Team’

Addison Basurto

U.S. Representative Andrew Clyde (R-GA-09) led a group fellow congress members in a letter to National Public Radio (NPR) that questioned their newly minted ‘disinformation reporting team.’

“NPR has absolutely no authority to be arbiters of truth, which is why I led 13 colleagues in a letter raising concerns about NPR’s track record of spreading disinformation and demanding answers about the media organization’s new Disinformation Reporting team,” Congressman Clyde said.

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Georgia State Senate Majority Leader Chairs Committee to Revise Education Funding

Addison Basurto

The Georgia State Senate Majority Leader, Mike Dugan (R-Carrollton), announced the meeting schedule for the Senate Study Committee to Revise Education Funding Mechanisms, on which he is the chairman.

“Over the next few months, I will be chairing a committee to review Georgia’s education funding formula (QBE). We’re going to make Georgia the #1 state for education!” Georgia District 30 State Senator Mike Dugan said.

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Congressional Hopeful Rich McCormick Pushes Back Against Biden’s Idea of a ‘Recession’

Addison Basurto

Georgia 6th Congressional District Republican Nominee Rich McCormick challenged Bidenomics and President Biden’s definition of the word ‘recession’ in a statement on Monday.

“‘Two quarters of declining GDP doesn’t mean we are in a recession’ is the new ‘Inflation is transitory.’ The Biden Administration should try to spend as much time trying to fix the economy as they do making excuses for it,” McCormick said.

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Herschel Walker Questions Senator Warnock’s History of Support for Joe Biden

Addison Basurto

Republican Georgia Senate Candidate Herschel Walker challenged his opponent, Senator Raphael Warnock (D), on his track record of supporting President Joe Biden in a statement on Monday. 

“Reverend Warnock, since we’re asking questions today: Why do you vote with Biden 96% of the time? Why do you support abortion up until the time of birth? Why do you believe our law enforcement officers are thugs? Why do you believe men should compete against women in sports?” Walker said to Warnock.

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Barry Loudermilk Calls for Biden to Resume Keystone XL Pipeline Construction

Addison Basurto

After recent criticism of President Biden’s ‘war on American energy,’ Georgia 11th Congressional District Representative Barry Loudermilk has called for Biden to resume the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.

Congressman Loudermilk relayed his thoughts to The Georgia Star News.

“For the U.S. to have a robust energy sector, it would first require having a President who believes in the oil and gas industry, not one who vilifies it at every turn. But if President Biden were to embrace returning America to energy independence, one of the first things he would do would be resume construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline,” Congressman Loudermilk said.

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Rep. Austin Scott Meets with Taiwanese Ambassador as Rep. Drew Ferguson Lambasts Biden for Oil Relations with Communist China

Addison Basurto

U.S. Representatives Austin Scott (R-GA-08) and Drew Ferguson (GA-03) were among the delegation of American officials that met the Taiwanese Ambassador to the United States Hsiao Bi-khim at a China Task Force roundtable on Thursday.

Rep. Scott took the opportunity to express his frustration at the Biden administration for its stance on energy and the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

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Georgia Court Appointees Andrew Pinson and Ben Land Promoted, Sworn onto State Bench

Addison Basurto

Georgia Judiciary Appointees Andrew Pinson and Benjamin Land were sworn onto the state bench in promotional appointments made by Governor Brian Kemp (R) on Wednesday.

“Today, I had the honor of swearing in Andrew Pinson to the #SupremeCourtGA and Ben Land to the @AppealsCourtGA, its first judge from Columbus. They both have upheld wisdom and integrity on the bench, and they will continue to do so in the important cases that come before them,” Governor Kemp said. 

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Atlanta Filmmaker Guilty of $2.5 Million Cryptocurrency Fraud

Addison Basurto

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia announced on Thursday that Atlanta-based filmmaker Ryan Felton, 48, pleaded guilty to 12 counts of wire fraud, 10 counts of money laundering, and 2 counts of securities fraud that stemmed from two cryptocurrency-based investment scams.

“The defendant used 21st century technology to perpetrate an age-old fraud: lying to investors to steal their money and fund his own lavish lifestyle,” United States Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan said.

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GA-05 Candidate Christian Zimm Cites Atlanta Veteran Affairs Hospital As Example That Veterans Need Better Healthcare

Addison Basurto

In a Facebook post on Friday, Georgia 5th Congressional District Republican candidate Christian Zimm criticized the quality of healthcare veterans receive in the metro Atlanta area.

“Veterans in Atlanta are receiving some of the worst care in the country! This is awful, and must be addressed immediately. Our veterans deserve better!” Georgia 5th Congressional District Candidate Christian Zimm said.

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Mark Gonsalves Challenges Opponent Lucy McBath on Bidenomics

Addison Basurto

Georgia 7th Congressional District Republican Nominee, Mark Gonsalves, recently confronted his general election opponent, former 6th Congressional District Representative Lucy McBath, on Twitter for her history of supporting Bidenomics.

Georgia 7th Congressional District Candidate Mark Gonsalves spoke with The Georgia Star News on Thursday.

“I understand economics and business and this inflationary environment we’re in is because the government has turned its back on good fiscal governance. They think that they can return our nation to Energy Dependance and tax and spend their way to prosperity. In the process because of their limitless spending, it’s created an incredible level of inflation we haven’t seen for 40 years,” Gonsalves said.

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Copper Foil Manufacturer to Invest $430 Million in Richmond County Facility

Addison Basurto

A high-quality electrodeposited (ED) copper foil manufacturer Denkai America announced Wednesday in a joint statement with Governor Brian Kemp that it will invest $430 million in a Richmond County-based facility that will create 250 jobs over the next five years.

“As Georgia continues to lead in the emerging electric vehicle market & next-gen jobs, I’m proud to announce that Denkai America will invest $430M & create 250 new jobs over the next five years in Richmond County through its new manufacturing facility and North American Headquarters!” Kemp said. 

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Barry Loudermilk Attacks Biden’s ‘War on American Energy’

Addison Basurto

Georgia’s 11th Congressional District (GA11) Representative, Barry Loudermilk, criticized President Joe Biden and the EPA’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Budget on Tuesday.

“Biden’s war on American energy production is getting an assist from the Democrat-led Congress in the FY23 Interior and EPA appropriations package. [It] restricts offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and restricts new projects in designated areas of the continental shelf,” Loudermilk said.

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Kemp Targets Abrams as David Ralston Calls on MLB Commissioner to Award Future All-Star Game to Atlanta

Addison Basurto
Braves baseball stadium

As Governor Brian Kemp (R) called out Stacey Abrams on Tuesday for her role in the removal of the 2021 MLB All-Star Game from Atlanta, the state’s speaker of the house pressed the commissioner of baseball for answers.

“Last year, Stacey Abrams pressured MLB to move the All-Star Game out of Georgia. After costing Georgia businesses $100 MILLION in lost revenue, imagine the damage Abrams would cause to our economy if she’s elected governor,” Governor Kemp said on Tuesday.

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Atlanta Regional Commission Appoints Executive Team

Addison Basurto

The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), the official planning agency for the 11-county Atlanta region, announced the appointment of its new executive team.

“ARC is already one of Atlanta region’s most impactful organizations, and these changes will only strengthen our ability to build a better future for all metro Atlanta residents,” ARC Executive Director Anna Roach said on Monday.

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Georgia Cities Push Back Against Fulton County’s Move to Increase Its Share of Sales Tax Revenues by 600 Percent

Addison Basurto

Mayor Andre Dickens released a joint statement on Friday about the opposition the Fulton County Board of Commissioners faces from the 15 cities in the county who oppose the 600 percent increase in the Local Option Sales Tax (L.O.S.T.) proposed by the county. 

“We were pleased to have many of our #GACities leaders in the building for a @FultonInfo Commission meeting regarding LOST (Local Option Sales Tax) funding,” The Georgia Municipal Association said on Friday.

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Burt Jones Challenges Charlie Bailey on Atlanta Crime Spike

Addison Basurto

Republican Lieutenant Gubernatorial Candidate, Burt Jones, challenged his Democrat counterpart, Charlie Bailey, on the rise in crime that Atlanta has seen over the past year. 

“There have been a record 87 homicides so far this year in Atlanta alone. Charlie Bailey would be a rubber stamp for the same policies that caused this. As Lieutenant Governor I’ll FULLY fund our police & help restore law and order to our streets,” the Trump-endorsed Jones said. 

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Buckhead City Movement Opposition Peter Aman Named Chief Administrative Police Officer

Addison Basurto

Atlanta Police Interim Chief Darin Schierbaum and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens announced on Thursday that former City of Atlanta Chief Operating Officer Peter Aman would be the first ever chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the Atlanta Police Department (APD).

“I created the Chief Administrative Officer position to ensure that the personnel of the Atlanta Police Department have the best tools and support as they fight crime and serve our community,” Mayor Dickens said.

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Georgia Unemployment Rate at Record Low

Addison Basurto

Georgia Department of Labor Commissioner Mark Butler announced on Thursday that the unemployment rate for the Peach State in May dipped to an all-time low of three percent as the number of jobs peaked at 4,782,400.

“As the state continues to experience a very tight labor market, as evidenced by our low unemployment rate, our focus has been on encouraging more individuals to re-enter the workforce,” Butler said. “Unless those who have chosen not work decide they want to re-enter the workforce or more people move into the state, additional workers will be scarce.”

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Early Voting Concludes as Voters Head to the Polls for Primary Runoff Election Day

Addison Basurto

Early voting has concluded as Georgia voters make their way to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in the midterm primary election runoff. Republicans in the 2nd, 6th, 7th and 10th House Congressional Districts, including two Trump endorsees, are all facing off.   

“These runoffs are very interesting races. Very low turnout. So far, there have been only 14,000 people that voted in all of Georgia’s Sixth District,” the Trump-endorsed Jake Evans said on the John Fredericks Radio show on Monday. “This is 100% a turnout game. We feel very strong about the position we’re in.”

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Kemp Touts 1,100-Acre Development of ‘The Middle Georgia Megasite’

Addison Basurto

Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp announced on Wednesday the purchase of a 1,100-acre economic development site that will be the location of the “Middle Georgia Megasite.”

“Even after announcing the two largest projects in the State’s history back-to-back, we remain focused on attracting key industries and investment by providing the project sites companies need,” said Governor Brian Kemp in a press release.

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Atlanta Wins Bid as Host City for 2026 FIFA World Cup

Addison Basurto

City of Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens announced on Wednesday that Atlanta, Georgia is one of 16 cities across North America that have a won bid to be a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“We have the pleasure of celebrating Atlanta’s selection as a host city of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, because of our strong, bipartisan public-private partnerships and many who have been working for years to put Georgia on the map since we hosted the 1996 Olympics,” Governor Brian P. Kemp said.

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