Georgia NOW!

Georgia politics are shifting after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene resigned from Congress just before midnight Jan. 5, triggering a special election to fill her seat. As lawmakers look ahead to the 2026 legislative session, health care is expected to be a major focus, with proposals tied to Medicaid expansion, rural hospital funding and maternal health. Across metro Atlanta, a Fulton County judge ruled that a landmark oak tree in Johns Creek can be removed, ending a years-long preservation effort, while voters in House District 23 head to the polls for a runoff following the death of Rep. Mandy Ballinger.
Environmental and policy concerns are also drawing attention statewide. Ash samples from last year’s Conyers bio lab fire showed traces of chromium, raising health questions as experts warn about potential carcinogens. Lawmakers are pushing to expand student loan forgiveness for doctors and boost mobile cancer screening in rural areas, where access remains limited. At the Capitol, rising insurance costs are under scrutiny ahead of the session, while local leaders in a small Georgia town say they were blindsided by plans for a proposed federal immigration detention facility they believe their infrastructure cannot support.
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Georgia leaders are reacting to major developments at home and abroad after the U.S. launched military strikes in Venezuela, an operation the Trump administration says led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. Georgia’s congressional delegation is split, with Sen. Raphael Warnock and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene condemning the action, while Rep. Mike Collins praised it. Back in South Georgia, the Georgia Peanut Commission has named Taylor Arnold its new executive director as the state continues to lead the nation in peanut production.
At the start of 2026, federal student loan wage garnishment is resuming for borrowers in default, with experts urging Georgians to pursue rehabilitation options to avoid losing wages, tax refunds or benefits. In Atlanta, the Citizen Review Board enters the new year with a significant backlog of police misconduct cases, even as funding and staffing increase. An Atlanta journalist deported to El Salvador says he continues reporting remotely, while lawmakers prepare to revisit 9-1-1 system upgrades and major criminal justice bills in the upcoming legislative session.
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Georgia is spotlighting resilience, policy shifts and community action across the state. A formerly homeless Atlanta veteran says stable housing has given her a sense of safety for the first time, as Atlanta Veterans Village works to provide same-day support for veterans on the brink of homelessness. U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff and a bipartisan group of senators are also pushing back against a Department of Defense decision to delay PFAS cleanup at military bases, warning of long-term health risks. Meanwhile, there were no executions in Georgia in 2025, and death penalty opponents are pressing to turn the current pause into permanent policy.
Across metro Atlanta, a group of Buddhist monks is drawing crowds as they walk thousands of miles for peace, stopping in local communities along the way. Georgians are also adjusting to a slate of new laws taking effect Jan. 1, including tax cuts, new insurance notice requirements and expanded access to health savings accounts. And in Savannah, preservationists are marking the Historic Savannah Foundation’s 70th anniversary with a lecture highlighting Gullah Geechee history and heritage.
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Georgia is responding to dropping temperatures as DeKalb County opens warming centers across metro Atlanta, offering shelter, meals and support for people experiencing homelessness. The state is also marking major preservation milestones, with three new sites added to the National Register of Historic Places, including a rare Rosenwald School built in 1927 to expand educational opportunities for Black students. At the same time, organizations like Kate’s Club are helping children and families cope with grief, a reality that affects one in 10 Georgia children before age 18.
Looking ahead, lawmakers are preparing for the 2026 legislative session, where proposals to eliminate the state income tax and expand tax credits for families, veterans and first responders are expected to take center stage. Educators continue searching for ways to address low literacy rates, as a free book initiative works to make reading a more positive first experience for vulnerable students. And Georgia-made science is making waves, with Georgia State University telescopes capturing unprecedented images of exploding stars and challenging long-held beliefs about how novae develop.
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Southeast Georgia and the Lowcountry are starting 2026 with sunshine and near-average temperatures, though forecasters say rain could return this weekend after a dry stretch. The newscast also highlights Atlanta’s Wind Phone, a public art installation that offers a space for intentional grieving and is set to move from Woodruff Park to Oakland Cemetery later this year.
In state politics, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is facing a federal lawsuit over access to unredacted voter registration data, a case that has drawn opposition from voting-rights and privacy advocates concerned about exposing sensitive personal information. Meanwhile, Georgia Southern University is rolling out new 24-hour care station kiosks in Statesboro to help rural residents access essential health and hygiene products discreetly.
The broadcast also notes new additions to the Georgia Register of Historic Places, a judge’s decision tossing racketeering charges tied to protests over Atlanta’s police training center, and a packed 2026 concert lineup that will bring major artists to venues across the state.
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A Macon County community is mourning the death of Raphael Wulfork after a fatal dog attack earlier this month, as his family and state lawmakers push for tougher laws aimed at preventing dangerous dog incidents across Georgia. At the Capitol, Rep. Patty Stinson says the focus is public safety and accountability, not punishment, as legislation is considered to strengthen the state’s vicious dog laws.
Across metro Atlanta, residents gathered to support a group of Buddhist monks walking 2,300 miles for peace, while new Georgia laws take effect Jan. 1, including a lower state income tax rate, expanded insurance cancellation notice requirements and changes to political ethics rules. The state also received $218 million in the first year of a federal program to help transform rural health care, though the award falls short of what Georgia requested.
Ahead of New Year’s Eve, officials are warning that gusty winds and low humidity could make fireworks more dangerous, and shoppers are being urged to check grocery store hours before heading out on the holiday. The newscast also marks a historic moment at the Georgia Public Service Commission, where Alicia Johnson will become the first Black woman elected to a statewide partisan office when she takes her seat Jan. 1.
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Georgia is set to receive millions of dollars in defense infrastructure funding under the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, with new projects planned at military installations across the state, including Kings Bay, Moody Air Force Base and Robins Air Force Base. The newscast also highlights the heightened health risks women veterans face during pregnancy, as one Georgia Air Force veteran shares her experience to encourage others to seek specialized maternity care through the VA.
Executions remain on hold in Georgia, and bipartisan opposition to the death penalty continues to grow, driven by concerns over wrongful convictions and how the state evaluates intellectual disability in capital cases. At the same time, Gov. Brian Kemp’s administration is seeking $1.4 billion in federal funding to overhaul rural health care, proposing investments in telehealth, workforce recruitment and transportation networks.
The broadcast also looks at expanded access to health savings accounts starting Jan. 1, a cultural event celebrating Gullah Geechee heritage in Savannah, and a warning from researchers as avian influenza cases rise among migratory birds arriving in Georgia this winter.
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Kwanzaa celebrations began in Atlanta with a focus on umoja, or unity, as community members reflected on heritage, belonging and the meaning of the first fruits of the harvest. Artists and educators say the holiday remains a powerful way to pass cultural values to younger generations.
In Washington, U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff joined other senators pushing back against a Department of Defense decision to delay cleanup of PFAS contamination at military bases, including several in Georgia, warning of long-term health risks tied to the chemicals.
Georgia’s recent warm streak is also coming to an end, with colder temperatures expected to settle in as the new year begins. Meanwhile, authorities are investigating hateful graffiti discovered along a National Park Service trail in metro Atlanta, where new state laws allow enhanced charges for antisemitic crimes.
The newscast also highlights resilience and recovery, from a monk honored after being injured during a cross-country peace walk to a formerly homeless Atlanta veteran finding stability through supportive housing. And a federal jury has handed down two life sentences in a case involving a foiled terrorist plot tied to Atlanta.
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Schools in Georgia are seeing noticeable academic gains after banning cell phones during the school day, with educators reporting improved focus, fewer bullying incidents and higher test scores. Findings from Marietta City Schools are now being shared with lawmakers ahead of the upcoming legislative session.
Meanwhile, changes to federal housing policy could reshape how Georgia organizations serve people experiencing homelessness, shifting away from the supportive housing model many providers rely on. Voters in McIntosh County are also preparing for a second referendum on zoning changes affecting Hog Hummock, the state’s last Gullah Geechee community on Sapelo Island, after the Georgia Supreme Court upheld residents’ right to hold the vote.
Health advocates warn rural Georgia could be hit especially hard if federal health policy changes move forward, with tens of thousands at risk of losing coverage as enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits expire. And as Georgia looks to improve literacy outcomes, state leaders are studying Mississippi’s long-term approach to reading instruction, which has helped propel that state from near the bottom to the top 10 nationally.
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As the holiday season winds down, Metro Atlanta and North Georgia are packed with events, from concerts and theater performances to hockey games and festive light displays.
For those carrying grief through the holidays, the WinPhone installation at Woodruff Park is offering a quiet space for remembrance as part of The Space Within exhibit led by The Grief House. Visitors are invited to speak openly to loved ones they’ve lost, giving voice to emotions often left unspoken during a season centered on togetherness.
Meanwhile, a mystery buyer has emerged behind what appears to be Georgia’s most expensive home sale, a $30 million oceanfront estate reportedly purchased by former U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler and Intercontinental Exchange CEO Jeffrey Sprecher.
At the Capitol, lawmakers are grappling with an $85 million projected deficit in Georgia’s foster care system as demand rises and federal funding lags, while South Georgia leaders are pushing to restore USDA funding for a program that supports food access, health care and child care in underserved communities.
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