Georgia NOW!

Georgia officials are ramping up preparations for a winter storm expected to bring snow, sleet and freezing rain across much of the state. Gov. Brian Kemp has declared a statewide emergency, activated the State Operations Center and authorized up to 500 National Guard members if needed, urging residents to prepare and stay off the roads as conditions shift.
Meanwhile, an Atlanta fashion show is spotlighting survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking through art and leadership-building, and voters in coastal Georgia have repealed a zoning change on Sapelo Island, siding with the Gullah Geechee community in a fight to protect land, culture and heritage. Advocates are also sounding alarms over an $85 million funding gap in Georgia’s foster care system, while food banks warn winter weather disruptions could leave families without meals. Protests against federal immigration raids continued across metro Atlanta as new concerns emerged over medical care inside ICE detention facilities. And state lawmakers are being asked to boost support for dementia caregivers with expanded respite services.
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Georgia officials are ramping up preparations for a winter storm expected to bring snow, sleet and freezing rain across parts of the state. Gov. Brian Kemp has declared a statewide emergency, authorized up to 500 National Guard members if needed, and urged residents to prepare and stay off the roads as conditions worsen. Lawmakers are also weighing lighter fare under the Gold Dome, with a bipartisan proposal to name lemon pepper wings Georgia’s official state chicken wing flavor.
Meanwhile, veteran groups gathered at the Capitol for the first “Hats on the Hill,” pushing back against legislation they say could allow lawyers to charge veterans for benefits assistance already provided for free. Morris Brown College has resumed normal operations after a reported threat prompted a temporary move to virtual learning, part of a broader pattern of threats targeting HBCUs nationwide. And in Fulton County, questions remain about long-term funding for supportive housing beyond 2027, even as new units move forward.
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Atlanta and Fulton County leaders are clashing over how to pay for homelessness services, with Mayor Andre Dickens accusing the county of backing away from a long-term funding commitment. At the same time, a winter storm watch is in effect across much of Georgia, with state officials urging residents to prepare for freezing rain, snow and possible power outages.
Federal immigration enforcement is also driving concern statewide. Reports show ICE stopped paying outside medical providers for detainees even as a Senate investigation led by Sen. Jon Ossoff documents cases of medical neglect. Students across metro Atlanta walked out this week to protest recent immigration raids. Voters are also preparing for a crowded March special election to replace former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, while McIntosh County voters have sided with the Gullah Geechee community by overturning a zoning change on Sapelo Island.
Meanwhile, advocates are asking lawmakers to expand dementia caregiver support and are warning that potential Medicaid cuts could leave thousands of Georgians without coverage.
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An Atlanta fashion show is turning art into advocacy, spotlighting survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking while helping rebuild confidence and leadership through fashion. At the Capitol, Gov. Brian Kemp is backing a major push for needs-based college aid, proposing $325 million for the DREAM Scholarship to help students who don’t qualify for HOPE afford higher education.
Voters on Sapelo Island are also weighing a referendum that could reshape the future of the historic Hog Hammock community, as residents warn larger homes could drive families off ancestral land. Elsewhere, a former College Park police chief is calling for an investigation into alleged political interference, advocates warn Georgia’s foster care system faces an $85 million funding gap, and food banks say winter weather disruptions could leave families without meals. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has delayed plans to garnish wages from defaulted student loan borrowers as lawsuits challenge how repayment restarts were handled.
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As communities marked Martin Luther King Jr. Day, health advocates used the moment as a call to action. The Truth Initiative promoted its free X Program, an evidence-based tool to help people quit nicotine, framing cessation as an act of liberation and community care. Advocates say the effort is especially urgent as tobacco companies have long targeted Black communities while access to quitting resources remains uneven.
Meanwhile, Georgia politics and policy debates continue to intensify. U.S. Rep. Mike Collins is standing by a longtime aide facing allegations of misconduct, even as strategists warn the controversy could affect his Senate bid. The race for Georgia secretary of state is also taking shape, with new candidates pledging reforms to restore trust in elections. Immigration advocates across the state say ICE enforcement tactics are creating fear in communities, while conservation groups push back against proposed expansions on Cumberland Island that could threaten its protected character. Georgia’s film industry is also adapting post-strike, with studios diversifying as signs point to major productions possibly returning to metro Atlanta.
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Georgia advocates and lawmakers are pushing urgent health and policy conversations under the Gold Dome. Triana Arnold-James, founder of the Susan Jolly Foundation, says her work is about turning grief into action by expanding education and early access to the HPV vaccine to prevent cervical and other cancers. She is also calling on state leaders to expand Medicaid, arguing access to care is critical to prevention. At the Capitol, Gov. Brian Kemp outlined his final budget priorities, including tax rebates and cuts, as the state’s reserves climb into the billions.
At the same time, housing costs remain a strain for many Georgians despite slight rent easing in parts of metro Atlanta, and Democrats have introduced new legislation aimed at limiting federal immigration enforcement in the state. The proposals would require ICE agents to display identification and restrict enforcement actions in certain locations without a warrant, as supporters argue transparency and accountability are necessary for public safety.
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Georgia lawmakers are weighing major policy shifts after Gov. Brian Kemp used his final State of the State address to propose a historic $325 million investment in needs-based college aid. The DREAM scholarship would help students who do not qualify for HOPE afford public colleges and technical schools, while Kemp also called for a new round of tax rebates, a state employee bonus and an income tax cut. At the same time, many Georgians are facing sharply higher health insurance costs after enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies expired, hitting early retirees and small business owners especially hard.
At the Capitol, Democrats are pushing legislation that would require ICE agents to display identification during arrests, as debates over immigration enforcement continue. Conservation advocates and lawmakers gathered for Keeping Georgia Wild Day, spotlighting efforts to expand outdoor and environmental learning in Georgia schools and amplify student voices through statewide art initiatives. In coastal Georgia, nonprofits will receive nearly $1 million to expand preventive health care services funded by the sale of Savannah’s former nonprofit hospital. Looking ahead to the 2026 session, Atlanta leaders outlined legislative priorities ranging from airport governance to AI-related crimes, while a second Democrat has entered the race for lieutenant governor.
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Georgia lawmakers are weighing major education and budget proposals after Gov. Brian Kemp used his final State of the State address to call for a historic $325 million investment in needs-based college aid. The proposed Dream Scholarship would help students who do not qualify for HOPE afford public colleges and technical schools, alongside a new round of tax rebates, a state employee bonus and an income tax cut. Kemp also outlined infrastructure priorities for the 2026 legislative session, including major highway upgrades, funding to address homelessness and new investments in workforce development.
At the Capitol, advocates and lawmakers gathered for Keeping Georgia Wild Day, highlighting the connection between conservation, outdoor recreation and education. Legislators showcased efforts to expand outdoor learning in schools, while students from across Georgia shared artwork inspired by state parks and historic sites. The event also underscored how preserving natural and historic spaces helps shape Georgia’s identity for future generations.
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Georgia voters and communities are navigating a wave of policy changes and local fallout across the state. Voting advocates are raising concerns about a new U.S. Postal Service postmark policy that could affect absentee ballots in Georgia, where ballots must arrive by Election Day to count. In northwest Georgia, the town of Dalton is still reeling after ICE raids at the end of 2025 led to dozens of arrests, sparking fear among immigrant families and sharply divided reactions from political candidates.
At the same time, many early retirees are facing sticker shock as enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies expire, with some seeing health insurance premiums double overnight. Under the Gold Dome, lawmakers have sent their first bill of the 2026 session to Gov. Brian Kemp, banning cities from requiring guns left in vehicles to be locked. In middle Georgia, Dublin City Schools is grappling with a deep financial crisis now under investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. And at the Capitol, a major restoration of the Georgia House chamber is complete, revealing historic craftsmanship while adding modern upgrades and accessibility.
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Georgia’s political landscape is shifting as a second Democrat enters the race for lieutenant governor. Former Macon mayor pro tempore Seth Clark has launched his campaign, joining state Sen. Josh McLaurin in a Democratic primary to succeed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who is running for governor. Ahead of the 2026 legislative session, Atlanta leaders have also outlined priorities under the Gold Dome, opposing changes to control of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and the city detention center while backing measures to boost small-business tax credits, expand in-state tuition for DACA students and penalize crimes involving artificial intelligence.
Immigration enforcement and public safety are also driving debate. Georgia Democrats are pushing legislation that would require ICE agents to display identification and allow civil lawsuits, while local officials in DeKalb County are calling for the withdrawal of tactical ICE operations following the killing of Renee Good. Gun safety advocates are pressing lawmakers to adopt a statewide public awareness program promoting safe firearm storage, even as Republican leaders push back on proposed limits on ICE operations. Elsewhere, a Democrat has entered the race for House District 142, and a deadly fight at Washington State Prison left three incarcerated people dead and more than a dozen others injured, renewing scrutiny of safety inside Georgia’s prisons.
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