A North Georgia Lottery player is celebrating a life-changing win after claiming a $3 million top prize from a Georgia Lottery scratch-off ticket, one of several major payouts announced across the state in a single week. The win was part of a broader surge in lottery prizes, with players statewide collecting tens of millions of dollars from scratch-off and draw games.
The Georgia Department of Labor released new employment numbers Thursday showing continued improvement in Northwest Georgia’s job market. Georgia Labor Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes said December saw more Georgians working and unemployment declining across every region of the state, adding that the focus in 2026 will remain on connecting workers to in-demand careers and helping businesses find the talent they need.
In Northwest Georgia, the unemployment rate fell eight-tenths of a percent over the month to 3.1 percent, down from 3.6 percent one year ago. The labor force increased by 885 over the month and by 3,180 over the year, reaching an all-time high of 459,957. Employment also reached a record high, rising by 4,207 over the month and 5,363 over the year to 445,548. Initial unemployment claims increased to 7,613, up 5,227 from the previous month and 568 higher than one year ago.
The Commercial Vehicle Enforcement (CVE) Division of the Georgia Department of Public Safety (DPS) marked a major milestone Friday with the graduation of its 14th Commercial Vehicle Officer (CVO) School at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Wildlife Resources Division has received notification of a preliminary positive Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) test result for a deer in Atkinson County. (For reference, Atkinson County is roughly 260 miles from Chattooga County.)
After months of emotional debate and negotiation, Georgia lawmakers have given final approval to House Bill 268, a comprehensive school safety bill prompted by the tragic shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4th. The bill now heads to Governor Brian Kemp for his signature or veto. The legislation aims to improve communication and mental health support within school districts, while also implementing stricter safety protocols. It mandates police reporting to schools when a child threatens violence, facilitates quicker student record transfers, establishes a statewide anonymous reporting system, requires staff to wear panic buttons, and mandates the annual submission of electronic campus maps to relevant agencies. A contentious student-tracking database was scaled back, but the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA) will create a statewide alert system for students who have threatened or committed violence at school after an investigation. The bill also toughens legal consequences for students aged 13 to 16 charged with violent crimes at school. While lawmakers express relief and necessity for the bill, concerns remain about potential misuse and the lack of guaranteed funding for the alert system’s implementation. Discussions about funding, with the House proposing $25 million and the Senate yet to agree, will continue in the coming days.
