Peach Tree Times

Senator Jason Anavitarte and Representative Joseph Gullett have announced a legislative initiative to honor the late Deputy Brandon Cunningham by dedicating an intersection in his name. The proposal seeks to designate the intersection of State Route 92 and State Route 120 in Paulding County as the "Deputy Brandon Cunningham Memorial Intersection." This dedication aims to pay tribute to Deputy Cunningham, who lost his life while serving his community.

Hurricane Helene inflicts $6.46B damage on Georgia agriculture

Governor Brian Kemp, alongside federal and state leaders, has provided an update on the agricultural damage caused by Hurricane Helene. The hurricane's impact on Georgia's agriculture is significant, with preliminary estimates indicating a loss of at least $6.46 billion to the state's economy. This figure encompasses direct crop losses, business disruptions in agriculture and forestry sectors, worker-related losses, and recovery costs.

Senate committee to hold second hearing on protection of women’s sports

The Senate Special Committee on the Protection of Women’s Sports is scheduled to hold its second hearing on Tuesday, October 15, at 8:00 a.m. The session will take place at the State Capitol in Atlanta and is open to the public. The committee meeting will also be available for live streaming on the Senate website.

Georgia Senate committees to discuss educator recruitment and retention

The Senate Committees on Education and Youth & Higher Education are scheduled to hold a joint meeting on Tuesday, October 15, at 9:30 a.m. The meeting will take place at the Coverdell Legislative Office Building in Atlanta and is open to the public. Additionally, it will be live-streamed on the Senate website.

NFIB honors Sen. John Albers with Guardian of Small Business Award

The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) has awarded state Senator John Albers with the Guardian of Small Business Award. The award ceremony took place at The Fickle Pickle, a business in Roswell that is part of the NFIB network. Andy Badgett, the owner of the establishment, presented the award to Sen. Albers.

Georgia leaders discuss civil litigation impact at final roundtable

Governor Brian P. Kemp convened a roundtable discussion in Atlanta, Georgia, focusing on civil litigation and its effects on the state's economy. This event marked the last of three sessions planned for this fall, taking place at Waffle House's headquarters. Representatives from 12 businesses across various industries participated.

Burchett and Corbett collaborate with Israeli consul general for hurricane relief

House Majority Caucus Whip James Burchett and State Representative John Corbett are set to host the Consul General of Israel to the Southeastern United States, Anat Sultan-Dadon, in a meeting aimed at aiding Hurricane Helene relief efforts. The event is scheduled for Thursday, October 10, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. in Waycross, Georgia.

Henderson to address BioLab Chemical fire in upcoming press conference

State Representative Sharon Henderson, a Democrat from Covington, will address the public regarding the BioLab Chemical fire. The press conference is scheduled for Wednesday, October 16, 2024. It will take place at 10 a.m. on the South Wing Steps of the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta.

Airline Trade Group: Policymakers should ‘ensure unnecessary regulation doesn’t eliminate’ credit card reward programs for Georgians

Marli Collier, managing director of Airlines 4 America (A4A), said policymakers should protect credit card travel reward programs from “unnecessary regulations,” as the U.S. Senate now considers two bills that could impact such programs for Georgia residents.

Georgia committees hold joint meeting to discuss veteran benefits

The House Defense and Veterans Affairs Committee, led by State Representative Josh Bonner, and the Senate Veterans, Military and Homeland Security Committee, chaired by State Senator Chuck Payne, are scheduled to conduct a joint meeting. This meeting will take place on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, at 10 a.m. at the Museum of Aviation located in Warner Robins, Georgia.

Senate study committee discusses safe firearm storage

The Senate Study Committee on Safe Firearm Storage is set to convene for its fourth meeting on Thursday, October 10, at 11:00 a.m. The session will be held at the State Capitol in Atlanta and will be chaired by Senator Emanuel Jones of Decatur.

Georgia explores innovative solutions for its evolving forestry industry

We have made progress in strengthening Georgia's forestry industry with the second meeting of the Senate Advancing Forest Innovation in Georgia Study Committee at the Georgia State Capitol. This meeting focused on exploring solutions and emerging markets to revitalize the state's forestry landscape, building on challenges identified in the initial meeting.

VA’s Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loans in Georgia average $350,764 for Q3

The VA’s Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loans in Georgia for the third quarter of the fiscal year 2024 averaged $350,764, according to the Veterans Affairs Home Loans Index.

Senate study committee discusses farmland preservation at Sunbelt Agriculture Expo Center

On September 25, Senator Billy Hickman led the third meeting of the Senate Study Committee on the Preservation of Georgia’s Farmlands at the Sunbelt Agriculture Expo Center in Moultrie, Georgia. The committee gathered to discuss key issues affecting Georgia's farming sectors.

Senator Chuck Payne promotes literacy with school visits across North Georgia

Senator Chuck Payne will be visiting eight pre-kindergarten classes across the 54th Senate District this week. The visits are part of his ongoing efforts to support early childhood education in Georgia. During these visits, Sen. Payne will read children's books to Pre-K and elementary students, highlighting the importance of literacy and learning from a young age.

House study committee schedules meeting on educational calendar systems

The House Study Committee on Assessing the Semester and Quarter Systems at USG and TCSG Institutions is scheduled to convene its next meeting in Milledgeville. The session, led by State Representative Shaw Blackmon from Bonaire, will take place on Monday, October 21, 2024, starting at 10 a.m. The venue for this gathering is Georgia Military College.

Meeting scheduled for Biolab chemical fire impact discussion

Members of the House and Senate Rockdale County Legislative Delegations, along with the House Minority Caucus and DeKalb County Legislative Delegation, are set to convene a meeting on Tuesday, October 8, 2024. The gathering will take place at 10 a.m. in room 606 of the Coverdell Legislative Office Building in Atlanta.

Georgia Supreme Court reinstates LIFE Act amid praise from Rep. Lauren Daniel

State Representative Lauren Daniel has expressed her support for the Georgia Supreme Court's decision to reinstate the LIFE Act, commonly referred to as the "heartbeat bill." The representative from Locust Grove released a statement commending Attorney General Chris Carr for his efforts in appealing the decision to overturn the act.

Environmental injustice impacts Atlanta's Black communities through historic highway development