#statenews | AM 1180 Radio

July 5, 2026

Historic Homes of Georgia’s First Black Female State Representative to Be Preserved in Atlanta

Local News, Local News Items #AtlantaGA, #BlackHistory, #ChattoogaInfo, #CivilRights, #FultonCounty, #georgiageneralassembly, #GeorgiaHistory, #georgianews, #GraceTownsHamilton, #HistoricPreservation, #NationalParkService, #PreserveBlackAtlanta, #statenews, #VineCity, #WZQZ, #wzqznews, NAACP 0

The homes of Grace Towns Hamilton, the first Black woman elected to the Georgia House of Representatives, and her father, George Towns, will be preserved as historic landmarks through a new multi-million-dollar restoration project in Atlanta’s Vine City neighborhood.

Preserve Black Atlanta is leading the effort with approximately $2.3 million in funding from a National Park Service grant and Atlanta’s Westside Tax Allocation District. Fulton County commissioners approved a portion of the local funding in June, allowing the project to move forward.

Grace Towns Hamilton made history in 1965 when she became the first Black woman elected to the Georgia General Assembly. She served in the Georgia House for nearly 20 years and is credited with helping expand political opportunities for Black Georgians during the Civil Rights era. Historians also recognize her as the first Black woman elected to state office anywhere in the South.

Her father, George Towns, was a professor at Atlanta University and helped found the Niagara Movement in 1905, an organization that laid the groundwork for the creation of the NAACP.

Project leaders say the restored homes will become public historic sites while also contributing to neighborhood revitalization. Restoration work is expected to take about two years once permitting is complete.

WABE

July 5, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

New Georgia Law Expands Medical Cannabis Access for Patients

Local News, Local News Items #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaInfo, #GeorgiaLaw, #GeorgiaMedicalCannabis, #georgianews, #GeorgiaPatients, #healthcare, #healthnews, #MedicalCannabis, #MedicalMarijuana, #northwestgeorgia, #PatientAccess, #SB220, #statenews, #WZQZ, #wzqznews 0

Thousands of Georgians may now have easier access to medical cannabis under a new state law that took effect July 1, marking the largest expansion of Georgia’s medical cannabis program since it was created.

July 5, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Georgia Lottery Players Win Millions in June, Including Two $1 Million Scratch-Off Prizes

Local News, Local News Items #AdairsvilleGA, #ChattoogaInfo, #DaltonGA, #DiggiGames, #Fantasy5, #georgialottery, #georgianews, #LotteryWinners, #LuckyWinner, #MegaMillions, #northwestgeorgia, #Powerball, #QuickWin, #RossvilleGA, #ScratchOff, #statenews, #WZQZ, #wzqznews 0

Georgia Lottery players enjoyed a lucky month in June, claiming millions of dollars in prizes across the state, including two $1 million scratch-off tickets and nearly $1.9 million in Fantasy 5 jackpots.

June 20, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Georgia Insurance Commissioner Opens Investigation Into State Patrol ‘PIT for Pay’ Scandal

Local News, Local News Items #EthicsInvestigation, #GeorgiaInsuranceCommissioner, #georgianews, #GeorgiaStatePatrol, #GovernmentAccountability, #GSP, #InsuranceClaims, #InsuranceInvestigation, #June202026, #LawEnforcement, #LawEnforcementNews, #PITForPay, #PublicIntegrity, #PublicRecords, #statenews, #wzqznews 0

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.

June 19, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Georgia Surpasses 5 Million Jobs As Unemployment Rate Falls To 3.4 Percent

Local News, Local News Items #BusinessNews, #EconomicDevelopment, #Employment, #GeorgiaBusiness, #GeorgiaDepartmentOfLabor, #GeorgiaEconomy, #GeorgiaJobs, #JobsReport, #June2026, #LaborForce, #northwestgeorgia, #statenews, #UnemploymentRate, #WorkforceDevelopment, #wzqznews 0

The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that the state has reached a major economic milestone, surpassing 5 million jobs for the first time in state history.

According to the latest labor report, Georgia recorded 5,002,400 jobs in May, an all-time high. The state’s labor force also reached a record 5,470,704, while total employment climbed to a new high of 5,283,862.

Georgia’s unemployment rate fell to 3.4 percent in May, down from a revised 3.5 percent in April and well below the national unemployment rate.

“Five million jobs, an all-time high labor force, and record employment in a single month: This is what a modern, adaptable economy looks like when it works for all Georgians,” said Georgia Labor Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes.

The state added 6,900 jobs during May and has now experienced job growth for three consecutive months. Employment increased by more than 56,000 jobs over the past year.

Among the industries posting the largest gains in May were accommodation and food services, administrative and support services, transportation and warehousing, local government and state government.

Over the past year, health care and social assistance led all sectors with nearly 25,000 new jobs added statewide.

The labor department also reported that initial unemployment claims declined in May, another sign of continued strength in Georgia’s workforce and economy.

May 22, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Georgia Labor Force, Employment Reach All-Time Highs in April

Local News, Local News Items #BusinessNews, #chattoogacounty, #EconomicDevelopment, #EconomicNews, #Employment, #EmploymentNews, #GeorgiaDepartmentOfLabor, #GeorgiaEconomy, #GeorgiaJobs, #georgianews, #GeorgiaWorkforce, #HealthcareJobs, #Hiring, #JobsReport, #LaborForce, #LaborMarket, #northwestgeorgia, #RomeGA, #statenews, #summervillega, #UnemploymentRate, #Workforce, #WorkforceDevelopment, #WZQZ, #wzqznews, georgia 0

The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that the state reached new all-time highs in both labor force participation and total employment during April, while Georgia’s unemployment rate remained well below the national average.

May 2, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Georgia Power Breaks Ground on New Plant to Support Data Centers

Local News, Local News Items #DataCenters, #EconomicDevelopment, #Energy, #georgianews, #georgiapower, #Infrastructure, #northwestgeorgia, #PowerPlant, #statenews, #UtilityNews, #wzqznews 0

Georgia Power has broken ground on a new power plant project aimed at supporting the growing demand from data centers across the state.

The expansion is part of a much larger plan to increase energy production as Georgia continues to attract major technology companies and large-scale data operations. Officials say the new facility will help ensure reliable power as demand continues to rise.

State regulators have already approved a major increase in power generation capacity—nearly 10,000 megawatts—to meet that demand, much of it driven by the rapid growth of data centers.

Georgia Power says the investment is critical to maintaining economic growth and keeping up with the needs of businesses moving into the state. However, some critics have raised concerns about long-term costs and the environmental impact, especially with plans that include new natural gas-powered facilities.

The project is one of several underway as utilities work to balance reliability, affordability, and future energy needs in a rapidly growing region.

May 2, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Georgia Lawmakers Consider New Voting Maps After Supreme Court Ruling

Local News, Local News Items #ElectionNews, #georgianews, #georgiapolitics, #northwestgeorgia, #PoliticalNews, #Redistricting, #statenews, #SupremeCourt, #VotingMaps, #VotingRightsAct, #wzqznews 0

Georgia lawmakers are weighing the possibility of drawing new voting district maps following a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that could reshape how election lines are created.

The ruling weakens a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, making it more difficult to challenge political maps unless intentional discrimination can be proven.

In response, some Republican leaders in Georgia are calling for the state to revisit and potentially redraw its congressional and legislative districts.

The issue comes as Georgia has already faced legal challenges over its district maps in recent years, including court-ordered changes ahead of upcoming elections.

Democratic leaders and voting rights advocates have raised concerns that the ruling could impact minority representation, while supporters say it could lead to what they describe as constitutionally drawn districts.

No final decision has been made, but the debate could have significant implications for future elections across Georgia.

April 18, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Four Georgia State Troopers Fired Following Misconduct Investigation

Local News, Local News Items #Accountability, #Ethics, #GeorgiaDPS, #georgianews, #GeorgiaStatePatrol, #LawEnforcement, #MisconductInvestigation, #PublicSafety, #statenews, #TroopersFired, #wzqznews 0

Four Georgia State Troopers have been terminated following an internal investigation into misconduct involving personal injury claims, according to the Georgia Department of Public Safety.

In a statement released by the agency, officials said the investigation began after information surfaced in January 2026 indicating that several troopers were filing personal injury claims tied to incidents stemming from vehicle pursuits.

The Department’s Office of Professional Standards conducted a review and found that the troopers had submitted numerous crash and incident reports to an attorney. That attorney then sought monetary settlements on their behalf from individuals involved in pursuits that had been initiated by the troopers.

Officials determined that the manner in which the claims were made violated department policy and ethical standards. As a result, all four troopers involved were dismissed.

The Georgia Department of Public Safety emphasized that the actions of those individuals do not reflect the agency as a whole, noting its commitment to professionalism, accountability, and maintaining public trust.

The investigation has concluded, and no additional details about the individuals involved have been released.

April 17, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Sonny Perdue Announces Retirement As Head Of Georgia University System

Local News, Local News Items #BoardOfRegents, #CollegeSystem, #EducationNews, #GeorgiaColleges, #georgiapolitics, #highereducation, #PublicService, #SonnyPerdue, #statenews, #UniversitySystemOfGeorgia, #wzqznews, georgia 0

University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue has announced he will retire from his role leading the state’s public colleges and universities.