Features
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Wayfair to Create 500+ Jobs in Athens-Clarke County
June 20, 2019
Governor Brian P. Kemp announced that Wayfair, one of the world's largest online destinations for the home, will create 500 jobs and invest more than $8 million in a customer support facility in Athens.
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Congressman Tom Graves Introduces Active Cyber Defense Certainty Act
June 20, 2019
Congressman Tom Graves (R-GA-14) is concerned about criminal hackers in cyberspace. The Republican Congressman from Ranger, GA teamed with Democrat Congressman Josh Gottheimer (N.J.-05), to introduce a bipartisan bill that gives American businesses and consumers more tools to defend themselves online.
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GMA Convention Guest Speakers Share Unique Roads to Success
June 18, 2019
The GMA 2019 Annual Convention themed: “Cities United: Lead to Succeed.” will take place this week at the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center.
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Georgia Awarded Gold Shovel for Jobs and Investment
June 18, 2019
Governor Brian P. Kemp announced Georgia was awarded a Gold Shovel by Area Development Magazine for generating the most jobs and investment in the United States for the eight to twelve million population category.
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Georgia Small Business Leaders Profit from Speakers' Expertise/Experience at U.S. Chamber of Commerce Event
June 17, 2019
This past Wednesday nearly two hundred small business leaders from across Georgia had the opportunity to benefit from attending the U.S. Chamber of Commerce “Small Business Series” held in Atlanta: a notable list of fifteen, experienced peers and experts in the small business market segment shared practical advice, anecdotal narratives, and statistical information to help inspire owners, who might want to incorporate them in their business models and plans.
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Janice Dunn Named St. Mary's CFO
June 14, 2019
Janice Dunn, a highly experienced healthcare finance executive from Georgia's Golden Isles, has been named the new Chief Financial Officer for St. Mary's Health Care System, including its hospitals in Athens, Lavonia and Greensboro, medical group, multi-county home health care/hospice agency, and retirement community.
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Governor Kemp Makes Historic Appointment for Insurance Commissioner
June 13, 2019
Governor Brian P. Kemp made history by appointing Doraville Police Chief and Brigadier General John King to serve as Georgia’s Insurance Commissioner and Safety Fire Commissioner. King is the first Hispanic Insurance Commissioner and statewide constitutional officer.
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Freight and Logistics Commission will Look at All Options
June 12, 2019
Democrat and Republican lawmakers in Georgia agree that logistics and moving freight across the state will be a key issue when they meet under the Gold Dome again in January 2020. To prepare for those discussions, a Joint Commission of the state House and Senate has been appointed to study and consider different options.
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UGA Teams up with Georgia Chamber for High Potentials Leadership Program
June 12, 2019
UGA led 19 business and organization members of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce through a leadership program in May designed for employees with the potential to help address challenges in their communities. It was the second annual High Potentials Leadership program, led by faculty from the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development.
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AT&T Expands Ultra-Fast Internet Speeds in Athens-Clarke and Oconee Counties
June 11, 2019
To continue to improve how our customers connect, AT&T is investing to expand and enhance its 100% fiber network powered by AT&T Fiber and deliver our fastest internet speeds to more customers. Ultra-fast internet speeds are now available to more than 1 million locations across the state of Georgia, including thousands of locations in parts of Athens-Clarke and Oconee Counties.
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Alumnus Grant Thomas Named UGA State Government Relations Director
June 10, 2019
Grant Thomas will join the Office of Government Relations June 17th as director of state relations. Based in Atlanta, he will be UGA’s primary liaison to the Georgia General Assembly, the Office of the Governor, state agencies and related groups.
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Athens Law Firm Raises More Than $3K and 500 lbs. of Food for Food Bank of NE Georgia
June 07, 2019
Athens law firm Blasingame, Burch, Garrard & Ashley, P.C. (BBGA) participated again this year in the Legal Food Frenzy, a two-week food and fund drive competition held in partnership with the Georgia Attorney General, the State Bar and Young Lawyers Division, and the Georgia Food Bank Association.
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Athens-Clarke County Assistant Manager Jestin Johnson Named Deputy COO with City of Atlanta
June 07, 2019
Athens-Clarke County Unified Government Assistant Manager Jestin Johnson has resigned effective June 12, 2019 to accept a position as the Deputy Chief Operating Officer with the City of Atlanta. In this position, Johnson will assist the City of Atlanta's Chief Operating Officer in planning and directing City operations and functions as assigned by Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
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Matt Arthur: Improve Horizons for Millions of Georgians Outside Metro Atlanta
June 07, 2019
Metro Atlanta continues to be the hub of economic activity in Georgia and the Southeast, with no sign of slowing down any time soon. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Atlanta has had a 43% growth in jobs since 1991, more than 20 percentage points higher than the national average. It has the fourth fastest population growth in the nation—nearly six million people live in the metro region.
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Judd Drake Named Sole Finalist for Athens-Clarke County Attorney Position
June 06, 2019
Mayor Kelly Girtz announces that Judd Drake is the sole finalist for the position of Attorney for the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government. Current Attorney Bill Berryman is retiring as of June 30, 2019 after serving in the position since 2003.
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Small Business Hiring and Wage Growth Hold Steady in May
June 06, 2019
The Paychex | IHS Markit Small Business Employment Watch for May shows job and wage growth were essentially unchanged from the previous month. The national jobs index stands at 98.76 and has been relatively stable throughout 2019. Hourly earnings have increased 2.53 percent ($0.67) over the past 12 months, remaining slightly ahead of the 2018 average growth rate (2.49 percent).
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Georgia Chamber Partners With U.S. Chamber To Host Small Business Series June 12th
June 05, 2019
The Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will be partnering to host the Small Business Series on June 12, 2019 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mason Fine Art and Events in Atlanta.
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Georgia Power Customers to See Credit on June Bills
June 05, 2019
The second of three credits associated with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 will be applied directly to Georgia Power customers’ bills in June. These credits are a result of the reduction in Georgia Power’s federal corporate tax rate from 35% down to 21%.
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Congress Passes Disaster Relief Bill
June 04, 2019
Help is on the way. Nearly nine months after farmers in South Georgia were devastated by Hurricane Michael, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a $19.1 billion disaster relief bill Monday, sending the measure to President Donald Trump. The legislation was approved 354-58 by Congress.
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10 Most Expensive Places to Retire in the U.S.
June 04, 2019
Retirement might be a financial struggle for many retirees, but there is a segment for whom money is not a problem. To help those who like to dream big, Topretirements.com has developed a list of the 10 most luxurious places to retire. Communities where the hardest task is to choose whether it will be the beach club, marina, golf course, or take the plane out for a flight.
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Conservative Writer Talks Free Speech at Georgia Public Policy Foundation
June 03, 2019
The Georgia Public Policy Foundation hosted longtime National Review writer and free speech expert David French last week. Besides being his writing duties, French is a veteran of the Iraq War and has spent much of his career as an attorney fighting for free speech rights.
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Small Businesses Gain Big Wins from Community Involvement
May 31, 2019
Strapped and under-resourced small businesses might have the very most to gain from community involvement. Authentic outreach can be a powerful way to expand the company’s relationship network, raise business awareness and build loyalty among customers and employees. goBeyondProfit’s Corporate Generosity Research Report cites that 71 percent of Georgia’s employed adults prefer to buy products from companies who are generous to the community.
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2021 MLB All-Star Game Awarded to Atlanta & SunTrust Park
May 31, 2019
Major League Baseball announced Atlanta as host to the 2021 MLB All-Star Game. The annual matchup between the American League and National League’s top athletes will be played at SunTrust Park. This marks the third time Atlanta welcomes the Midsummer Classic, the first since 2000.
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Invesco to Expand Atlanta Global HQ with 500 Jobs and $70M Investment
May 31, 2019
Governor Brian Kemp announced that Invesco, one of the world’s leading investment managers, plans to significantly expand its global headquarters in Atlanta, adding 500 jobs and investing $70 million as part of a major expansion of its business.
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Georgia Public Policy Foundation Releases Study on Healthcare Waivers for Georgia
May 30, 2019
The Georgia Public Policy Foundation has long advocated for market-oriented solutions to Georgia’s healthcare challenges. As one way of accomplishing this goal, the Foundation supports the use of a Section 1332 State Innovation Waiver under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Georgia General Assembly has authorized Gov. Brian Kemp to use this tool to pursue more flexibility in how Georgia administers certain aspects of the ACA.