32 years after hosting its own summer Olympics, Atlanta will serve as the first American stop for the iconic Olympic Torch Relay in 2028 as the flame makes its way out west to Los Angeles. The torch will pass through all 50 states, a symbol of the unity and community that the Olympics represent – and a reminder that Atlanta’s legacy is a host city is still RISING…
According to a study from the Independent Voter Project, more than 2 million Georgia voters – 28% of the voting bloc – identify as independents or nonpartisan. But outside of the two party system, independent and third-party candidates have a very difficult time getting onto ballots. For non-statewide races candidates must collect signatures from 5% of registered voters in their districts, and for statewide races they must collect 1%. Numerous lawsuits have challenged those rigorous restrictions, but they’ve found few footholds, leaving independent and third-party ballot access SINKING…
Thomas Fanning, the former CEO of Southern Company, will be the next chancellor of the University System of Georgia, which oversees the state’s public colleges and universities. He succeeds former Georgia Governor and U.S. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue, who is retiring after a wildly successful four year stint. Fanning was the top choice by the Board of Regents primarily for his business background, which he will be expected to lean on as the university system prepares graduates for a rapidly changing workforce. RISING…
The dramatic Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger finally came to its conclusion, with the resulting entity, Skydance, becoming one of the largest media companies in the world. Its reach will stretch deep into Georgia, where some of its most valuable properties in CNN, TNT and TBS are headquartered. Mergers often spell bad news when it comes to job losses and real estate – leaving Atlanta’s television industry DRIFTING…
For 25 years Zoo Atlanta served as home to at least two giant pandas, part of a wildly successful breeding program. That run came to an end in 2024 as part of a poltiical tiff that saw all pandas in the U.S. returned to China. Fortunately, that rift has been smoothed over, with pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang returning to the Peach State as part of what China President Xi Jingping calls “an envoy of friendship.” The pandas will live in the newly-renovated Arthur M. Blank Panda Grove, once again serving as the zoo’s most popular attraction and as ambassadors between two rival nations. RISING…
Georgia’s Promise Scholarship – its version of school vouchers – saw a major uptick in participation in its second year, with 13,500 students entering into the program this fall, up from 8,700 last year. Students who have spent at least a year in the state’s lowest-performing quarter of schools are eligible to apply for the $6,500 voucher, used to subsidize private or home school. With a review of the program coming up at the end of the year, the jump in participation from has the Promise Scholarship RISING…
Pines:
DeKalb Co.
A recidivism study by the U.S. Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics found that 81% of prisoners 24 or younger at release are arrested again within five years. DeKalb County officials, led by District Attorney Sherry Boston, are taking steps to address those troubling numbers head on through their STRIDE (“Stopping Trends of Repeat Incarceration with Diversion and Education”) program, which looks to help individuals between 17-24 years of age convicted of serious but nonviolent felonies. Participants must work or go to school full time, engage in monthly meetings, undergo cognitive behavioral therapy and partake in community service. STRIDE has had 75 graduates so far, seeing their charges dismissed and records cleaned, giving them a straight shot back into society and away from prison.
Harris Co.
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Kelly Loeffler and U.S. Rep. Brian Jack took the trip down to visit a pair of Harris Co. businesses made possible by the power of SBA business loans. Lee Starling’s Breaking Bread and Hamilton Ice Cream Co. were both purchased with the help of an SBA 7(a) loan, one of the SBA’s most useful tools for small businesses. Loeffler and Jack both said they hope to raise awareness of SBA financing options to help small businesses right here in Georgia. “I hope to inspire Georgians across our district, across our state and Americans across our country to pursue these many loans that the administrator mentioned,” Jack said. “And, if today’s visit results in people going online, learning how to apply, reaching out to my office, we’re happy to help point you in the right direction. I think that’ll certainly be a job well done.”
