Author

Jill Nolin

Jill Nolin

Jill Nolin has spent nearly 15 years reporting on state and local government in four states, focusing on policy and political stories and tracking public spending. She has spent the last five years chasing stories in the halls of Georgia’s Gold Dome, earning recognition for her work showing the impact of rising opioid addiction on the state’s rural communities. She is a graduate of Troy University.

Lone Georgia state lawmaker who faces Fulton charges claims federal role precludes county prosecution

By: - August 25, 2023

This story was updated at 8:40 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023.  State Sen. Shawn Still, who was one of the false electors in 2020, is trying to have his case moved to federal court. The Norcross Republican faces seven counts, including racketeering, impersonating a public officer, forgery, and making false statements and writings. He was […]

Trump supporters, detractors face off outside jail as he’s booked on Georgia racketeering charges

By: , and - August 24, 2023

This story was updated at 1 p.m. Monday, Aug. 28, 2023.  Former President Donald Trump was booked and quickly released at the Fulton County Jail Thursday evening during a trip from New Jersey to Atlanta that played out on primetime TV and capped a drama-filled day outside the facility.  Trump’s sprawling motorcade arrived at the […]

Governor taps long-time Georgia Department of Natural Resources employee to head agency

By: - August 22, 2023

The governor has appointed a long-time staffer of the state Department of Natural Resources to lead the sprawling agency that oversees state parks, industrial pollution, hunting and fishing regulations and more. Gov. Brian Kemp announced Tuesday morning – just as a Board of Natural Resources meeting was underway – that Walter Rabon was his pick […]

First of state’s three new shovel-ready crisis centers gets bipartisan groundbreaking in Fulton County

By: - August 22, 2023

State and local officials from both sides of the aisle took turns shoveling ceremonial dirt Monday to celebrate the groundbreaking of Fulton County’s first publicly funded behavioral health crisis center. The Fulton County project is one of three new crisis centers funded in this year’s state budget. Two others, planned for Dublin and Augusta, are […]

Georgia Republicans’ mixed reaction to Trump indictment reflects rift in party’s politics

By: and - August 16, 2023

This story was updated at 8:45 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, with additional comment.  The Republican state officials who were favorite targets of former President Donald Trump in the wake of the 2020 presidential election are not among those coming to the embattled GOP frontrunner’s defense.  Trump and 18 others were named as defendants in […]

Fulton grand jury indicts Trump, members of his inner circle

By: and - August 14, 2023

This story was updated at 12:00 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023.  Former President Donald Trump and several members of his inner circle were indicted Monday in Fulton County’s sweeping investigation into 2020 election interference.  Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis held a press conference late Monday night to briefly discuss the grand jury’s felony conspiracy […]

Sluggish start to Georgia’s modest expansion of Medicaid reignites debate over health coverage policies

By: - August 10, 2023

Fewer than 300 people have been approved for Georgia’s new Medicaid program for some low-income adults who rack up enough hours of work, or other qualifying activity, each month. The program, which launched July 1, is being closely watched nationally as Georgia becomes the only state to require work or the equivalent for low-income adults […]

Georgia environmental agency names longtime staffer to lead efforts to regulate coal ash, Okefenokee mining

By: - August 2, 2023

The governor has tapped a longtime state regulator to lead Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division. Jeff Cown, who now oversees the state’s parks and historic sites, was nominated by Gov. Brian Kemp to replace Richard Dunn, who is now the director of the governor’s Office of Planning and Budget. The Board of Natural Resources met briefly […]

‘Everything is on the table’ as Georgia lawmakers consider lifting hospital construction limits

By: - August 2, 2023

AUGUSTA – Georgia lawmakers from the House and Senate are putting the state’s system to restrict hospital and other health care services under a microscope this summer. Both chambers have set up study committees to examine Georgia’s certificate of need program during the legislative off-season after Lt. Gov. Burt Jones came up short in his […]

Fulton judge again bats away Trump bid to derail expected grand jury indictments

By: - August 1, 2023

A Fulton County judge has rejected former President Donald Trump’s attempt to head off any potential indictments that may soon be announced in the closely watched investigation into the attempts to interfere in the 2020 presidential election. Trump’s attorneys have filed wide-ranging motions in a push to disqualify District Attorney Fani Willis from the probe, […]

More than 63,000 Georgia kids lost Medicaid access to doctor last month snared in red tape

By: - July 31, 2023

Children accounted for about two-thirds of the nearly 96,000 Georgians who lost their Medicaid coverage last month as part of the nationwide unwinding of a pandemic-era federal policy. And most of the children – 63,481 of them – had their health insurance terminated for procedural reasons, according to information provided by the state Department of […]

Court challenges to Georgia’s political maps set for federal court trial 

By: - July 18, 2023

A trio of redistricting challenges in Georgia are set to advance to a trial this fall in the wake of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that Alabama’s 2022 congressional maps violated the Voting Rights Act. The potential effect of last month’s Supreme Court decision on Georgia’s maps remains to be seen, but if the still-pending […]