Georgia Trend Daily – May 14, 2026

May 14, 2026 Augusta Chronicle

Erica Van Buren reports that Georgia is in an extended period of drought, a major consequence of climate change, say experts, noting that rising temperatures increase evaporation, drying out soil and vegetation, and making droughts more frequent and intense.

May 14, 2026 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!

Sucheta Rawal reports that Atlanta is a city known for its busy brunch spots and lively cocktail bars, but it also offers a diverse range of quaint afternoon tea spots that change the pace. I love the ritual of drinking tea because it makes me feel indulgent with my time, money and delectable small bites.

May 14, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Emma Hurt reports that Gulfstream Aerospace, the secretive company making some of the most elite planes in the world, has been on a journey, billions of dollars and nearly three-decades in the making. The business jet brand — long considered the industry’s gold standard — dates to the dawn of the jet age, and has been based along the Georgia coast since the late 1960s.

May 14, 2026 The Brunswick News

Michael Hall reports that Golden Isles residents can expect to see Georgia Power at work in the next year or so on and around St. Simons Island doing work that the company says will strengthen its resilience during storms. Georgia Power announced recently that it is making upgrades across its grid to make it “smarter and stronger.”

May 14, 2026 GlobalAtlanta.com

Trevor Williams reports that GF Health Products Inc. is no stranger to export awards.  GF, short for Graham-Field, a purveyor of hospital beds, exam tables and some 50,000 catalog items in business since 1946, has taken home just about every honor in the book when it comes to international sales expansion.

May 14, 2026 Savannah Morning News

Vanessa Johns reports, a South Georgia olive farm was recently featured by Southern Living for producing award-winning olive oil in a part of the state more commonly associated with peaches and Vidalia onions. Woodpecker Trail Olive Farm, located near Glennville and Savannah, was highlighted in a feature focusing on the family farm’s olive-growing operation and its connection to Georgia agricultural history.

May 14, 2026 Marietta Daily Journal

Hunter Riggall reports that a bill signed into law Monday aims to preclude Cobb County from holding another transit referendum until 2032. The legislation, authored by Republicans from Cobb and Gwinnett counties, states that if voters of a metro Atlanta county reject a transit tax, a new referendum cannot be held for eight years.

May 14, 2026 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

Kala Hunter reports that Wednesday morning, all three Democratic candidates running for the District 5 seat on the Georgia Public Service Commission publicly pledged not to accept donations from the entities they regulate, such as Georgia Power. During a news conference held just outside the doors leading to the Public Service Commission, Atlanta People’s Campaign member Neil Sardana announced the Pledge for Public Trust which is backed by a collective of over 20 organizations.

May 14, 2026 Marietta Daily Journal

Lucinda Warnke reports, Cobb County lawmakers and officials are speaking out after Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill Tuesday that would make some local races nonpartisan in metro Atlanta counties, including Cobb County. House Bill 369 shifts races for district attorneys, county commissioners, tax commissioners, school board members and other local offices in Cobb, Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett and Clayton counties to be nonpartisan starting in 2028.

May 14, 2026 Decaturish

Dan Whisenhunt reports that Gov. Brian Kemp has signed a bill that significantly expands access to medical cannabis and the types of products dispensaries can offer. Currently, dispensaries can offer cannabis products in pill, tincture and some edible forms. The new law allows the sale of vape products to patients.

May 14, 2026 Georgia Recorder

Ross Williams reports that Gov. Brian Kemp has vetoed a bill that would have blocked local governments from punishing motorists for keeping firearms unsecured in parked cars. Senate Bill 204 targeted ordinances like one passed in Savannah that makes motorists liable for up to a $1,000 fine and 30 days in jail for leaving a gun in an unlocked vehicle.

May 14, 2026 State Affairs

Beau Evans reports that state lawmakers are heading back to the Capitol next month. Gov. Brian Kemp issued orders Wednesday for the General Assembly to tackle two major issues in a special session starting June 17 — one day after expected runoffs in the 2026 primary.

May 14, 2026 Capitol Beat News

Ty Tagami reports that Democrats reacted angrily to Gov. Brian Kemp’s call Wednesday to rewrite electoral district lines after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in April. Kemp, a Republican, ordered a special legislative session for July 17 to redraw election maps after the high court ruled last month in Louisiana v. Callais that a new majority-Black legislative district in Louisiana was unconstitutional.

May 14, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Greg Bluestein reports that Gov. Brian Kemp set the stage for a courtroom battle when he signed a sweeping elections measure that could reshape local politics across metro Atlanta by making it harder for Democrats to hold onto power in the state’s most populous region. Critics call it a direct attack on Democratic power in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties and an effort to punish Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who became a favorite GOP target after she sought election interference charges against President Donald Trump and his allies.