News
Ga. opioid abuse treatment improves, but more can be done, audit says
Georgia’s made progress since a state report spotted significant barriers for those trying to access medical treatment for opioid abuse in 2017, just as the crisis killed a little more than 1,000 people in the state, according to an update. But the new report also found that more remains to be done. The pair of […]
State carbon emissions down, renewable sources rising
Carbon emissions are down across the southeastern United States, including Georgia, driven by a declining appetite among consumers to use electricity amid a growing demand for more renewable sources like solar power, according to a report by the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. However, the decreasing trend in electricity consumption may not translate to power […]
New South Georgia medical school expected to boost rural health care
South Georgia’s first four-year medical school is set to start classes next week, marking a new institute that school staff and state officials hope will boost health care services in rural parts of the state. The new medical school, run by the nonprofit Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, is in Moultrie, an agricultural center of […]
Weekend shootings in Ohio and Texas prompt call for tighter gun laws
State Democrats renewed calls for tighter gun laws in Georgia in the wake of the back-to-back mass shootings that left 31 people dead and dozens injured this weekend in Texas and Ohio. “Because of how our gun laws are in this nation and in this state, either one of those tragedies could have taken place right […]
Perdue wavers on supporting ‘red flag’ legislation
Georgia U.S. Sen. David Perdue stopped short of saying he would support “red flag” gun legislation, citing concerns that such a law could threaten a person’s due process rights. Bipartisan support appears to be growing for a federal law that would authorize law enforcement to take weapons away from a person the courts have found […]
Georgia DIYers stymied by big tech
A combination of experience, leaked technical documents and internet-powered crowd-sourcing has helped Nate Minor find his way around the inside of an iPad Pro and other high-tech devices without the aid of an official manufacturer’s guide. But the owner of the East Atlanta Village Screenfixing.com repair shop, says he hopes tech companies like Apple will […]
Democrats, Abrams’ PAC aim to take control of Georgia’s House in 2020
The Democratic Party of Georgia and the Fair Fight Pac announced Wednesday an effort to raise millions of dollars in an uphill effort to take control of the Georgia House next year. The new fundraising effort, Legislative Victory Fund, is connected to Fair Fight Action, a voting rights group founded by former House Minority Leader Stacey […]
Public pressure killed Okefenokee mining plans once. Will it again?
A company’s push to mine minerals near the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is drawing parallels to a proposal 20 years ago near the southeast Georgia sanctuary that generated national attention. Twin Pines Minerals is hosting two public hearings in south Georgia next week, Aug. 13 in Folkston and Aug. 14 in St. George, about its […]
State senator breaks with his crowd on immigration
Amid a tense political climate surrounding immigration, a conservative north Georgia lawmaker offered glowing words about his Latino constituents during an event Tuesday in Atlanta celebrating an immigrant-rights and prison reform lobbying group. Speaking at a lunch at Atlanta’s High Museum of Art, state Sen. Chuck Payne (R-Dalton) touted the diverse makeup of the 54th […]
Gang violence, maternal mortality among topics lawmakers will study
Georgia lawmakers are gearing up for another busy study committee season that will tackle topics as varied as the state’s high death rate for new and expectant mothers, combating gang violence and the prospects of legalizing horse race gambling. Some of these legislative panels, such as one focused on preventing gang and youth violence, are […]
Public Service Commission targets ‘human error’ after cyber attacks
A string of recent cyber attacks on public entities has a state agency honing in on what it sees as its biggest cyber security weakness: click-happy employees. The Georgia Public Service Commission sent its own employees fake phishing emails as a way to pinpoint its less discerning staffers. The first test email, sent under the […]
Storm-ravaged forests add fuel to biomass energy push
Within these thickets are a slew of trees that remain keeled over or snapped in two, just as Hurricane Michael left them nearly 10 months ago. In many cases, the high cost to remove the damaged trees and replant them — even with the state offering a tax incentive to do so — is leaving […]