Georgia Trend Daily – Jan. 2, 2026

Jan. 2, 2026 WABE

Molly Samuel reports that the non-profit Georgia Humanities is distributing small grants to communities across Georgia for events, exhibits and more to mark the 250th birthday of the United States in 2026. The funding is going to groups as varied as the Chattahoochee Valley Libraries in Columbus for a series of events exploring American identity through food, the University of West Georgia in Carrollton for a program on how Muscogee people maintain ties with their ancestral homelands in Georgia and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for pre-performance talks putting the music in historical and cultural context.

Jan. 2, 2026 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!

Jerry Grillo reports that John Haupert has one of the easiest commutes in Atlanta. While almost everyone else idles in the city’s perpetual conga line of traffic, Haupert is rocking and rolling for 10 minutes from his home near Peachtree Street and 15th Street, down Juniper Street to Courtland Street to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he is the boss.

Jan. 2, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Alia Pharr reports that the U.S. Department of the Treasury recently awarded $75 million to the city of Atlanta for development projects in historically underserved communities, a record for the city. In awarding the New Markets Tax Credit program funding, the Treasury Department said it would modify the funds’ permitted uses and monitor spending to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive orders combating diversity, equity and inclusion, and environmental, social and governance initiatives.

Jan. 2, 2026 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

Kala Hunter reports, for the last three months, the majority of Georgia has been under abnormally dry conditions, and that was set to carry on through New Year’s Eve. “Over a 16-week period, Sept. 9 to December 30, drought expanded to cover nearly the entire state of Georgia,” Rocky Bilotta, a scientist with the National Center for Environmental Information, said in an email.

Jan. 2, 2026 Savannah Morning News

Destini Ambus reports, as 2025 winds to a close, municipalities in Chatham County are gearing up for upgrades and improvements for the new year. For Port Wentworth, the city hopes to start or conclude several projects, including the Ice Cove and Amphitheater.

Jan. 2, 2026 Valdosta Daily Times

Lowndes County officially reached its 200th birthday on Dec. 23, and to celebrate, the United States House of Representatives presented the county with two flags that were flown over the U.S. Capitol.  The celebration was hosted at the Historic Lowndes Courthouse lawn, where county officials and members of the community gathered to celebrate.

Jan. 2, 2026 Macon Telegraph

Margaret Walker reports, those looking to catch and eat fish in the lakes and rivers in Middle Georgia may want to be aware of state advisories that warn of the dangers of eating too many from several water bodies — because those fish may have mercury in them. These advisories stretch across Middle Georgia’s major river basins, with 14 fish species carrying mercury-related consumption advisories across three Middle Georgia river basins: the Oconee, Ocmulgee and Altamaha, according to the State of Georgia Fish Consumption Guidelines

Jan. 2, 2026 Fox 5 Atlanta

Staff reports that Social Circle officials are saying a reported plan to build a federal detention center that could triple the city’s population is infeasible. The mayor and city council announced they “unequivocally” do not support an ICE facility in the city or surrounding areas, according to a statement released by the municipal government.

 

Jan. 2, 2026 Bainbridge Post-Searchlight

City of Bainbridge failed to report, investigate gas leak: PSC

Ethan Benn reports that the City of Bainbridge could face a $10,000 penalty after allegedly failing to report and investigate a flash fire and gas leak at the Landmark Apartments in April, according to a Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) report.  According to the report, between April 28-29, the city failed to provide immediate notice of the incident and did not perform a failure investigation into the incident, violating federal safety standards.

Jan. 2, 2026 Georgia Recorder

Maya Homan reports that a key program aimed at helping individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities gain access to home care may be getting a refresh in 2026. Officials at Georgia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities unveiled a series of proposals during a December board meeting aimed at restructuring the waiting list for a state-run Medicaid program that provides waivers to people with disabilities designed to keep them out of institutional settings.

Jan. 2, 2026 The Brunswick News

Hank Rowland reports that meaningful tax relief for Georgia families will be state Rep. Steven Sainz’s top priority when the 40-day lawmaking session opens on Jan. 12. “Our neighbors to the south of us have long enjoyed no state income tax, and this is a reality we live with daily as we try to recruit industry and a skilled workforce to Georgia,” Sainz said.

Jan. 2, 2026 Georgia Recorder

Ross Williams reports, most legislative races are pretty anti-climatic by the time general election voters cast a ballot in the fall, and that is by design. But when a state gets closer to 50-50, like Georgia is getting, districts that were mostly safe become less safe.

Jan. 2, 2026 Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Greg Bluestein reports that the shadowy group battering Lt. Gov. Burt Jones on Georgia’s airwaves doesn’t have a public face, a known donor list or a clear ideological identity. It does have a Delaware corporate registration, an East Atlanta mail-drop address and a Utah media buyer who has already helped steer roughly $8 million in attack ads into one of the nation’s most watched governor’s races.