Georgia Heads Toward QR Code Deadline With No Clear Replacement in Place
Aiman Tariq – Regional News Editor Atlanta, GA – Georgia election officials are warning that the state is running out of time to resolve a problem lawmakers created themselves: beginning July 1, ballots can no longer be tabulated using QR codes, even though the state has not fully settled on a replacement system. That has […]
Operation Safe Streets Leads to 22 Arrests as Muscogee Authorities Report Fentanyl, Meth and Gun Seizures
Aiman Tariq – Regional News EditorColumbus, GA – According to the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office, a multi-agency operation targeting fugitives and narcotics activity in Muscogee County and neighboring Russell County led to 22 arrests, 55 cleared warrants, and the seizure of fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, firearms, and cash. Authorities say the effort, called Operation Safe […]
SE Georgia Water Project Moves Ahead as Region Tries to Shift Pressure Off the Aquifer
Aiman Tariq – Regional News EditorRincon, GA – A major southeast Georgia water project is moving forward, with local officials saying it could reshape how some of the region’s fastest-growing communities secure drinking water and industrial supply in the years ahead. The project centers on a new surface-water system tied to the Savannah River, along […]
Ex-Richland County Teacher Faces Additional Charges as South Carolina Case Expands
Aiman Tariq – Regional News EditorColumbia, SC – According to local reporting and state education records, a former teacher with ties to Richland county schools is now facing additional charges in a South Carolina criminal case that already involved allegations of child sex crimes. The case centers on Eric Marshall Favor Jr., 29, who was […]
Higher Gas Prices Are Cutting Into Delivery Pay in South Carolina — and Drivers Say the Math Is Getting Harder
Aiman Tariq – Regional News Editor Columbia, SC – Higher fuel costs are easy to describe in statewide averages. They are harder to absorb when your paycheck depends on how many miles you can drive before the tank runs low. That is the pressure point for rideshare and delivery drivers across South Carolina, where recent […]
Georgia Republicans Move to Strip Party Labels From Key Metro Races
Aiman Tariq – Regional News Editor Atlanta, GA – Georgia Republicans have advanced a bill that would remove party labels from a wide swath of local races in the five biggest metro Atlanta counties, a move that supporters describe as a public-safety measure and critics describe as an attempt to reshape elections where Democrats have […]
Georgia Special Education Disputes Are Rising — And the Numbers Suggest a Broader Strain on School Systems
Aiman Tariq – Regional News Editor Atlanta, GA – Parents have always fought with school systems over special education services. What appears to be changing in Georgia is the volume — and the level at which those fights are now playing out. According to state data cited by Atlanta News First, due process hearing requests […]
Georgia Lawmakers Back Major Medical Cannabis Rewrite — But the Real Shift Is About Access, Not Legalization
Aiman Tariq – Regional News Editor Atlanta, GA – Georgia lawmakers have approved a bill that would significantly change how the state describes and regulates its medical cannabis program. But readers should be careful not to confuse that with a broader legalization move. According to CBS Atlanta, the Georgia House voted 144 to 21 to […]
Georgia Senate Advances Fast Switch to Paper Ballots — But Timing Raises Questions
Aiman Tariq – Regional News Editor Atlanta, GA – Georgia lawmakers are again moving to reshape how elections are run in the state. This time, the debate is less about whether to use paper ballots and more about how quickly that change should happen. According to reporting from WABE, a proposal requiring a rapid transition […]
Georgia Senate Puts Its Stamp on Next Year’s Budget — but the Final Shape Still Depends on the Last Negotiation
Aiman Tariq – Regional News Editor Atlanta, GA – A state budget is one of the clearest statements lawmakers make about priorities. It is also one of the easiest places to hide tradeoffs in plain sight. That is why Georgia’s latest senate budget proposal is worth reading as more than a collection of line items. […]