Category: Georgia

Georgia Attorney General Asks FCC to Let Jails and Prisons Use Cell Phone Jammers

The Center Square
Chris Carr

Georgia’s attorney general wants a federal agency to lift its ban on cell phone jammers that bars state officials from using the devices to block contraband cell phones in jails and prisons.

The Federal Communications Commission currently bars cell phone “jammers” within prisons and jails, a prohibition Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr’s office said extends to state and local governments. Carr made his request to reconsider the prohibition in a Tuesday letter to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.

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Georgia Airports Secure Federal Funding Boost

The Center Square

The federal government announced a pair of airport grants for Georgia, including money for an airport in middle Georgia and a statewide grant program.

The funding is part of nearly $187 million in taxpayer-backed grants for 90 airport-related projects in 34 states that the Federal Aviation Administration announced on Friday. The funding was included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which some call the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

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Group: Georgia Could See a $1.1 Billion Cut in SNAP Benefits

The Center Square
Grocery Shopping

Georgia could see a more than $1 billion reduction in how much federal money it receives for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

According to the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 includes a $30 billion reduction in SNAP funding. The group pointed to a Center on Budget and Policy Priorities finding that Georgia would see a nearly $1.1 billion reduction over a decade.

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Illegal Immigrant Accused of Murdering Laken Riley Pleads Not Guilty

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Jose Antonio Ibarra

The man accused of killing Georgia nursing student Laken Riley pled not guilty during an arraignment hearing on Friday.

Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan national living unlawfully in the United States, pled not guilty to charges that he killed Riley during his arraignment hearing in a Clarke County courtroom, according to local reporters on the scene. The not guilty plea now means the case will head to trial.

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Democrats Tipped Hand in Court Case on Desire to Unleash Noncitizen Voting in Georgia

Just the News
Voting Stations

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger says Democrats have tipped their hand to their desire to unleash noncitizen voting by opposing his state’s citizenship verification in court and he is urging elections chiefs in other states to fight such lawsuits.

Georgia’s citizenship verification system has prevented noncitizens from getting on state voter rolls, but the state had to defend it in court against a group founded by former Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.

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Whistleblower Says Fulton DA Misspent Federal Grant

The Center Square
Fani Willis Money

A whistleblower who worked in the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office says she was fired after raising concerns about the misuse of federal grant funds.

Amanda Timpson worked with the office from 2018 until 2022 and served as the director of gang prevention and intervention under previous District Attorney Paul Howard. Timpson told the Senate Special Committee on Investigations she faced retaliation under District Attorney Fani Willis after raising concerns about how the office planned to spend a federal grant.

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Georgia Senate Committees to Probe Safe Firearm Storage, Artificial Intelligence

The Center Square
Gun Storage

A series of Georgia Senate study committees will probe hot-button issues, ranging from safe firearm storage to preserving Georgia’s farmlands to artificial intelligence.

Lt. Governor Burt Jones appointed members to seven 2024 Senate Study Committees. The committees will make recommendations that could guide lawmakers’ actions during next year’s legislative session.

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Secretaries of State from Arizona, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Georgia Claim AI ‘Disinformation’ Top Threat in 2024

Tom Pappert
Arizona Sec State Adrian Fontes

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes on Sunday joined a number of his counterparts from other states for a Meet the Press panel discussion, and the top state election official claimed that artificial intelligence (AI) will pose new “mis- and disinformation” threats during the 2024 elections.

Fontes told Meet the Press host Kristen Walker, “AI is not a new weapon. It’s an amplifier and a magnifier of mis- and disinformation,” and revealed that his office held a “tabletop exercise” that apparently involved both election officials and members of the media.

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Whistleblower in Georgia Senate Committee Investigation: D.A. Fani Willis ‘Abused Her Authority’

Debra McClure
Amanda Timpson

Whistleblower Amanda Timpson, who recently disclosed Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis potential misconduct allegations, told The Georgia Star News on Friday that DA Willis “abused her authority.”

“I am glad that the hearing gave me an opportunity to tell the truth about my experiences with DA Willis,” Timpson told The Star News. “She abused her authority and once anyone hears the actual fact, that allegation becomes an unmistakable truth.”

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Feds Send $75 Million for Georgia Semiconductor Manufacturing Plant

The Center Square
Semi Conductor Chip

Federal authorities are giving up to $75 million in federal tax dollars to a private company to help Georgia semiconductor manufacturing.

The money, part of the roughly $54 billion CHIPS Act of 2022, will go to Absolics, a subsidiary of South Korea’s SKC, to support the construction of a 120,000-square-foot facility in Covington. Officials said the project should create roughly 1,200 manufacturing and construction jobs.

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Law Enforcement Advocate Says Protesters Push ‘False Narrative’ About Atlanta Public Safety Training Center

Debra McClure
Gabriel Nadales

Promoting the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center as a way of militarizing the police is a “false narrative,” Gabriel Nadales, national director of Our America, told The Georgia Star News on Tuesday.

The “safety center is about improving all first respondents. This means having better trained firefighters, EMTs, and yes that includes police officers,” Nadales said.

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MARTA Opens Updated Airport Station, Advances $1 Billion Rehabilitation Initiative

The Center Square
Metro Atlanta Regional Transport

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority re-opened its Airport Station on Monday following a six-week closure as part of a multi-million-dollar station update.

The $55 million upgrade to the station connected to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is part of a systemwide, roughly $1 billion multi-year Station Rehabilitation Program initiative to overhaul all 38 stations. The transit agency is paying for the upgrades using State of Good Repair Funds from its capital budget.

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Cobb County Schools Hit with Civil Rights Complaint Alleging ‘Wave of Censorship’ After Removing Explicit Books from School Libraries

Debra McClure

A Cobb County School District (CCSD) spokesperson told The Georgia Star News on Friday that a complaint from the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) to the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) repeats  “made-up narratives espoused and circulated by a small community group which includes candidates for local office.”

NWLC’s complaint accused the school district of violating students’ civil rights by removing inappropriate books from school libraries. The complaint was filed on Monday against CCSD for creating a “hostile environment” for students by allegedly “censoring” books written by or about LBGTQIA people and people of color (POC).

The spokesperson said, “Local political candidates, including those running for Board, repeating a made-up narrative doesn’t make it true and community groups who want to promote access to sexually explicit content for minors, doesn’t make it right.”

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DA Fani Willis Boasts Fulton County Safer than Four Years Ago Despite Increasing Crime Statistics

Debra McClure
Fani Willis

A new campaign ad for District Attorney Fani Willis says that Fulton County is safer now than it was four years ago. However, year-end data from the Atlanta Police Department shows that crime rates have increased in southwest Atlanta and that car theft continues to skyrocket. Willis released the campaign ad on Monday. 

In a post on the X platform, the campaign ad for Willis, currently running for re-election, states, “The last four years, we’ve made Fulton County safer for everyone — and we’re just getting started.”

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Georgia Committee Poised to Deliver Fulton Jail Recommendations

The Center Square

As Fulton County officials reportedly consider a sales tax to fund a $1.7 billion Fulton County Jail replacement, some groups have an idea to save taxpayers money: keeping people out of jail.

The Georgia Senate Public Safety Subcommittee on Fulton County Jail is preparing to file a report with recommendations that could guide legislative action when lawmakers return to Atlanta next year. WSB-TV reported county officials plan on asking state lawmakers to allow a new sales tax to pay for a jail replacement.

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MARTA Considering $654.5 Million Operating Budget for Fiscal 2025

The Center Square
MARTA

Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority officials are weighing a proposed $654.5 million operating budget for fiscal 2025.

The budget anticipates roughly $386.5 million in sales tax revenue, nearly $82 million in passenger revenue and $80 million in federal operating assistance. The $654.5 million operating expenses are roughly $23 million more than the agency’s fiscal 2024 budget.

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Countdown to Georgia’s May 21 Primary Election: High Stakes Races Heat Up

Debra McClure

Voters will go to the polls for Georgia’s general primary election on May 21 to choose the candidates representing them in the November election for U.S. House of Representatives, State Senate, State House of Representatives, district attorney, and court justices.

Some congressional races are already set for November, but many are still to be determined based on primary election results.

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State Officials Appoint Committee to Probe Georgia Licensing Issues

The Center Square
Burns Raffensperger

A new “blue ribbon” committee will probe reported issues with the Secretary of State’s Professional Licensing Boards Division, with backers saying the office is failing Georgians and the agency’s head saying it needs more of the money it takes in for the state.

House Speaker Jon Burns, R-Newington, and Republican Lt. Governor Burt Jones announced the committee and sent a letter to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

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Georgia Again Sees Decreased Tax Collections

The Center Square
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp

Georgia tax officials collected more than $3.9 billion in April, a decrease of 5.4 percent or $225.7 million from last year.

So far this fiscal year, net tax revenue of more than $27.4 billion is down about 1.2 percent or $341.3 million from last year. While fiscal 2024 collections have decreased from fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2022 numbers, they remain higher than they were at the same time in fiscal 2019, fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021, according to unaudited numbers released at the time.

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Review: Georgia Hospitals Rank 23rd Nationally

The Center Square

Georgia’s hospitals ranked 23rd nationally, according to a new review.

According to the spring 2024 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, which graded 80 Georgia hospitals, 21 received an “A,” 22 achieved a “B,” 31 attained a “C,” and 6 earned a “D.” The grades are based on preventable medical errors, accidents, injuries and infections that together kill more than 500 people a day in the United States.

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Georgia Voters to Decide Tangible Personal Property Tax Exemption Increase

The Center Square
Brian Kemp

Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a measure to allow Georgia voters to decide whether to increase the threshold for paying the state’s tangible personal property tax.

House Bill 808 sets a Nov. 5 referendum, the same day as this year’s presidential election, for Georgia voters to decide whether to increase the tangible personal property tax exemption from $7,000 to $20,000. If approved, it would apply to all tangible personal property except motor vehicles, trailers and mobile homes.

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Georgia Supreme Court Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging Cobb County’s Authority to Draw Electoral Map

Debra McClure
Georgia Supreme Court

The Georgia Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit on Thursday that challenged the constitutionality of the Cobb County Commission’s authority to draw its own electoral map, overturning the boundaries previously created by the State Legislature.

Cobb County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Lisa Cupid said she was “pleased” with the case outcome.

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‘Unacceptable:’ Georgia State Election Board Votes to Reprimand Fulton County for Violations During 2020 Election and Recount, Establish Monitor for 2024

Debra McClure
Georgia Election board

The Georgia State Election Board voted 2-1 on Tuesday to send a Letter of Reprimand to Fulton County for numerous violations of state law during the 2020 election and recount and direct the establishment of a monitor for the November 2024 general election, which, if not completed by July, would require referral to the Georgia Attorney General.

State Election Board (SEB) Member Edward Lindsey proposed the Letter of Reprimand due to the “clear evidence that in 2020 there were numerous violations of regulations and statutes” in Fulton County.

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Georgia Court of Appeals Agrees to Hear Trump’s Case to Disqualify Fulton County D.A. Fani Willis

Debra McClure
Fani Willis and Donald Trump

The Georgia Court of Appeals granted former President Donald J. Trump’s request for an interlocutory appeal in the disqualification case against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis on Wednesday.

The official document from the Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia states, “Upon consideration of the Application for Interlocutory Appeal, it is ordered that it be hereby GRANTED.”

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Laken Riley’s Alleged Killer Indicted, Also Accused of Being ‘Peeping Tom’

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Jose Ibarra, Laken Riley

A Georgia grand jury has formally indicted the man accused of killing 22-year-old student Laken Riley on ten charges, including murder, kidnapping and being a peeping Tom.

Jose Ibarra is charged with malice murder, three counts of felony murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, tampering with evidence and interfering with a 911 call for help, Superior Court of Clarke County records show. The 26-year-old Venezuelan national was also handed down a “peeping Tom” charge related to his activities the day of Riley’s murder.

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Gov. Kemp Signs Georgia’s Fiscal 2025 Budget

The Center Square
Brian Kemp

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed off on the state’s fiscal 2025 budget, a spending plan that includes pay raises for public school teachers and state law enforcement officers.

“This budget in particular will help us further promote economic prosperity in communities all across the state, provide Georgia students a quality education, care for the health and wellbeing of our families, and ensure the safety of our neighborhoods,” Kemp, a Republican, said during a Tuesday signing ceremony, according to his prepared remarks. “And because we’ve budgeted conservatively and refused to spend beyond our means, we’re able to invest in these core areas while cutting taxes at the same time.”

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Georgia Special Committee Turns Focus on Fani Willis’ Spending

The Center Square
Fani Willis

A Republican-led Senate Special Committee on Investigations focused on Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ use of county tax dollars to investigate former President Donald Trump.

The work of the Senate Special Committee on Investigations, created with the passage of Senate Resolution 465, could rank among the most-watched state committees of the year, especially considering its potential impact on this November’s presidential election. The committee’s focus includes allegations that Willis had an affair with Nathan Wade, a special prosecutor formerly on the case.

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Augusta Lands $184 Million Manufacturing Deal Bringing 350 New E-Mobility Jobs to Richmond County

Debra McClure
GF Casting Solutions Factory

GF Casting Solutions, a producer of lightweight components for the mobility and energy sectors, will invest over $184 million in a new manufacturing facility in Augusta Corporate Park. The facility, which is anticipated to start operations in 2027, will bring 350 additional jobs to Richmond County.

“Georgia is proud to carry the title of the No. 1 state for business to companies across the globe, bringing opportunities to communities in every corner of the state,” said Governor Brian Kemp in a press release last week.

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Emory University Moves Commencement to Duluth, Georgia amid Anti-Israel Protests

Tom Pappert
Emory College

Emory University declared on Monday it will not hold its 2024 commencement ceremony on the university’s campus, instead relocating all events to the Gas South District in Duluth, Georgia amid the anti-Israel protests at the school.

University President Gregory Fenves confirmed the move in a Monday announcement to the university’s website, confirming Emory would hold its commencement despite protests, but nonetheless acknowledging “concerns about safety and security” prompted a total relocation of all commencement events.

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Taxpayers in Georgia Are at Risk of Being Latest Victims of Electric Vehicle Gambles

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Rivian showroom in Atlanta

Taxpayers could be on the hook if electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Rivian fails to resume progress on its multi-billion dollar Georgia plant.

Rivian announced on March 7 that it would be pausing construction on its $5 billion manufacturing plant that is supposed to be built just east of Atlanta, Georgia, worrying lawmakers and taxpayers in the state that the plant may never be built. However, local authorities had given the company up to $1.5 billion in subsidies and tax incentives with the expectation that Rivian would bring in jobs and tax revenue.

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School Library Journal Promotes Summer Book List Recommending Gender-Identity Picture Books for Georgia Children Three to Five Years Old

Debra McClure
Grade schoolers reading

School Library Journal (SLJ) promoted We Are Kid Lit Collective’s 2024 summer reading list, which includes recommendations for books about gender identity for children as young as three to five years old.

SLJ, a professional resource for school librarians and educators, shared the release of We Are Kid Lit Collective’s recommendations for their yearly summer reading book list in a post on the Facebook platform on Thursday.

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Georgia Attorney General Declares Savannah Gun Ordinance ‘Void’ Due to Conflicts with State Law

Tom Pappert
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr sent a letter to the City of Savannah on Friday which declared their new gun ordinance “void” due to its failure to adhere to state laws precluding local governments from establishing their own firearm regulations.

The Savannah firearms ordinance in question, which reportedly had the support of Moms Demand Action, legally mandated firearm owners to report stolen or missing firearms within 24 hours, keep guns under lock and key while when they are transported in generals and required guns be kept out of sight and locked up if left in an unattended vehicle.

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Georgia Lawmaker Says Fulton County DA Fani Willis Spends Taxpayer Dollars ‘Like the Wild West’

Just the News
Fani Willis

A Georgia lawmaker alleged during a hearing that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis spends taxpayer dollars “like the Wild West” and has misused public funds.

“This is sounding to me kind of like the Wild West, very little control from Fulton County over a $36 million budget,” State Sen. Bill Cowsert said after questioning Fulton County Commissioner Robb Pitts and Fulton County Chief Financial Officer Sharon Whittmore about how Willis’ office receives and spends its funds.

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Attorney General Chris Carr Files Suit to Defend Women’s Sports and Freedom of Speech Against Biden Administration’s Changes to Title IX

Debra McClure

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr filed a lawsuit on Monday to safeguard women athletes from competing against biological males and to protect freedom of speech in schools against the Biden administration’s changes to the Title IX rule.

“Today we have taken action to defend women’s rights to fair competition,” Carr said in a press release on Monday, “and we will keep fighting until we end this absurdity once and for all.”

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Georgia Governor Signs Workforce Development Bills

The Center Square
Brian Kemp

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a series of bills aimed at growing the state’s workforce, including measures aimed at making it easier for Georgians to get occupational licenses and job training.

“As our state continues to grow, measures like this will help us stay ahead of the curve and cut red tape,” Kemp said during a bill signing at the Jordan Vocational High School in Columbus.

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Georgia Gov Signs Bill into Law Requiring Sheriffs Cooperate with ICE After Laken Riley Murder

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Laken Riley

Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a new immigration enforcement bill Wednesday, months after a Georgia college student was allegedly murdered at the hands of an illegal immigrant.

Kemp signed into law House Bill 1105, which requires sheriffs in the state to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The legislation mandates local jailers hold any foreign national in their custody who is suspected of being in the U.S. illegally and wanted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

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Biden Administration Investigates Alleged Anti-Muslim Discrimination at Emory University Following Complaint by CAIR-Georgia

Tom Pappert
Emory University Campus and Students

A federal civil rights investigation into Emory University was confirmed on Thursday, with Biden administration officials asked to determine whether the university discriminated against Muslim students following the devastating October 7 surprise attack by Hamas fighters against civilians in Israel.

The Department of Education is now investigating Emory University to determine whether it violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act in its treatment of Muslim students following the October 7 attack.

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Atlanta Socialist Group Calls for Weekend Demonstrations in Snellville and Alpharetta to ‘Free Palestine’

Debra McClure
Socialist Students from Georgia Protest in Support of Palestine

A Pro-Palestine rally and march are scheduled in Snellville on Saturday, and a car caravan is planned for Sunday in Alpharetta, Atlanta’s Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL Atlanta) announced on social media.

PSL Atlanta wrote in a Facebook post that Saturday’s “Stand with Gaza – Solidarity with the Nationwide Student Movement Rally and March” event for Georgia students will be held at 2:00 p.m. at Snellville Towne Greene.

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Georgia State Ethics Commission Claims Fani Willis Ally Spent Campaign Funds at Dollar Tree, Title Max, and Georgia Power

Tom Pappert
Khadijah Abdur-Rahman

The Georgia State Ethics Commission referred Fulton County Commissioner Khadijah Abdur-Rahman to Attorney General Chris Carr after the commission determined she likely used campaign money for personal expenses, a Tuesday report exposed.

Abdur-Rahman, who is an ally of District Attorney Fani Willis, allegedly made purchases or payments with campaign funding to Dollar Tree, Title Max, Georgia Power, and a chiropractor, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.

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Midtown Atlanta QuikTrip Closing Partially Due to Customer and Employee Safety Concerns

Debra McClure
QuikTrip

The first non-gas QuikTrip store on Peachtree Street in Midtown Atlanta is closing in May partially due to concerns about the safety of customers and employees, the company said.

QuikTrip (QT) Corporate Communications Manager Aisha Jefferson told The Georgia Star News last week, “It’s critically important to us that every location across our 1,000 [plus] store footprint nationwide delivers the in-store experience that QT customers have come to know, love, and expect.”

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Kemp Signs Bill to Increase State Employees, Teachers’ Paid Parental Leave

The Center Square
Brian Kemp Teacher pay

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed legislation doubling annual paid parental leave for state employees and school personnel, including teachers.

Previously, state employees could take three weeks or 120 hours of paid parental leave during a 12-month “rolling” period following a child’s birth, adoption or foster care placement. However, House Bill 1010 increases the paid leave to six weeks — or 240 hours.

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Emory University President Admits Anti-Israel Encampment Remarks ‘Not Entirely Accurate’ amid No Confidence Vote

Tom Pappert
President Gregory Fenves

The president of Emory University on Monday acknowledged he was “not entirely accurate” in his reporting of the number of university “community” members who participated in an anti-Israel encampment last week.

Emory University President Gregory Fenves made the new remarks about the Thursday protest after Emory faculty members arranged a no confidence vote against him that will conclude on Friday.

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Georgia State Rep. Mesha Mainor Launches RICO Lawsuit Against Fani Willis, Fulton County Officials

Tom Pappert
Georgia State Rep. Mesha Mainor

Georgia State Representative Mesha Mainor (R-Atlanta) confirmed on Friday she filed a lawsuit against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and other officials over an alleged failure to correctly prosecute a man she claims stalked and violently assaulted her.

In addition to Willis, the lawsuit by Mainor names the district attorney’s office, Fulton County, the Fulton County Ethics Board and Fulton County Commissioner Marvin Arrington as defendants.

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Fani Willis No-Shows Debate to Host ‘Self Care Fair’ Amid Legal, Ethical Scrutiny

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Fani Willis at Self Care event

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis opted to skip her first debate Sunday ahead of early voting in the Democratic primary to instead host a “self-care fair” for crime victims, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.

Willis’ absence left her Democratic challenger, Christian Wise Smith, debating an empty podium, Fox 5 Atlanta reported. Willis, who appointed her romantic partner Nathan Wade to work on the case against former President Donald Trump and allowed him to pay for vacations they took together, was sharply criticized by Judge Scott McAfee in a March decision that did not grant defendants’ request to disqualify Willis but did require Wade to step down.

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Georgia Governor Signs Bill to Crack Down on Squatting

The Center Square
Georgia Gov Brian Kemp

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a measure to create a new offense of unlawful squatting following widespread reports in Georgia and beyond of squatters taking over people’s properties

House Bill 1017, the “Georgia Squatter Reform Act,” defines the crime as entering and residing on a property without an owner’s consent. Anyone cited for squatting has three business days to provide proof of their authorization to be on a property, such as a “properly executed lease or rental agreement or proof of rental payments.”

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