As population growth, industrial expansion, and increased electricity usage continue across the Southeast, the Tennessee Valley Authority is making major investments in power generation and grid infrastructure to meet rising demand throughout its seven-state service region.
Georgia Senate Republicans have approved legislation that would delay a state law banning the use of QR codes to count votes, keeping the state’s touchscreen voting system in place through the 2026 midterm elections. The measure passed the Senate by a 33-19 vote and now heads to the Georgia House for consideration.
The legislation would postpone the QR code ban until January 2028 and create a committee to recommend specifications for Georgia’s next voting system. Lawmakers say the move is necessary to avoid confusion and potential legal challenges because the state has not yet developed or implemented a replacement system.
Gov. Brian Kemp called lawmakers into a special session in part to address the looming July 1 deadline established by a 2024 law that would prohibit counting votes through QR codes. Election officials have warned that making a major change before this fall’s elections could create logistical problems for counties and voters.
Georgia’s current voting system uses touchscreen machines that print paper ballots containing both a human-readable summary and a QR code that is scanned to tabulate votes. Critics have argued for years that voters cannot independently verify the information contained in the QR code, while supporters say changing systems too close to an election could create significant disruptions.
The Senate proposal would also require full hand recounts of the top two races on the ballot, a provision that has generated debate among lawmakers over the time and resources required to conduct such counts.
Democrats generally support delaying the QR code ban but criticized the bill’s process, arguing that the committee tasked with designing a future voting system lacks adequate bipartisan representation.
If approved by the House and signed into law, the measure would keep Georgia’s touchscreen voting system in place through at least the 2026 election cycle while state leaders work toward selecting a long-term replacement.
The U.S. Energy Department has offered a record $26.54 billion loan package to subsidiaries of Southern Company to strengthen and expand the electric grid in Georgia and Alabama.
A new report from USAFacts, using data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, shows that hundreds of Chattooga County residents rely on federally subsidized housing programs.
Georgia lawmakers have taken the first major step toward resolving a voting system issue that threatened to complicate the state’s upcoming elections.
Georgia wildlife officials are asking residents to be on the lookout for a large invasive lizard that poses a threat to native wildlife.
Methodist churches in North Georgia and South Georgia have taken a major step toward forming one statewide conference.
The North Georgia Annual Conference approved a proposal this week to merge with the South Georgia Annual Conference, voting 96 percent to 4 percent in favor of the plan during its annual meeting in Athens. Earlier this month, the South Georgia Annual Conference also approved the same Unification Plan, with 96.6 percent voting in favor.
The proposal would create the Georgia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, bringing both conferences together under one statewide structure.
Church leaders say the vote marks an important step, but the merger is not yet final. The Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference must still decide whether to hold a special virtual session in August 2026 to consider the proposal.
If approved, Bishop Robin Dease would call a joint special session of both annual conferences in September to help prepare for the transition. Under the current proposal, the new Georgia Annual Conference would officially begin on January 1, 2027.
A worship and celebration service is planned for January 2027, with the first session of the newly unified Georgia Annual Conference scheduled for June 2027 in Athens.
Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Saturday, June 20, 2026:
Georgia’s Office of the Commissioner of Insurance has opened an investigation into the Georgia State Patrol’s so-called “PIT for Pay” scandal involving former troopers who allegedly profited from insurance claims tied to crashes they caused during vehicle pursuits.
The investigation follows the firing of four Georgia State Patrol troopers who were found to have pursued personal injury settlements after performing PIT maneuvers, a law enforcement tactic used to stop fleeing vehicles by intentionally causing them to spin out.
According to records released during the investigation, three former troopers received nearly $100,000 in combined insurance settlements. A fourth trooper was fired for failing to report the practice and attempting to participate himself.
One case involved former Trooper Hunter Waters, who reportedly received a $25,000 insurance settlement following a pursuit-related crash involving a vehicle owned by Latesha Banks. Banks was not driving the vehicle and was not present when the crash occurred.
Banks says she later learned of the insurance claim and has since faced higher insurance premiums despite not being responsible for the incident. She is seeking to have the settlement money returned and her insurance costs reduced.
Internal investigations found that multiple former troopers referred pursuit-related crashes to an attorney and obtained settlements through insurance claims.
The four troopers involved were terminated for violating department policy and ethical standards. No criminal charges have been filed.
The Office of the Commissioner of Insurance continues to investigate the matter, while some insurance companies involved are reportedly reviewing their legal options.
Drivers in Chattooga County continue to face car insurance rates that closely mirror Georgia’s already high statewide averages.
