TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

Good morning! On this day in 1994, "Ma" Rainey was honored as the "Mother of the Blues" with a special postage stamp issued by the U.S. Postal Service. Born in Columbus, she recorded over 100 records in the 1920s.

Today, we celebrate the return of the Atlanta Greek Festival in our Et Cetera section and send a friendly "OPA!" to all our Greek friends.

Today's sponsor is NativePath, offering advice to help you with joint pain.

Georgians React to Florida Assassination Attempt on Trump

Governor Brian Kemp and other Georgia leaders reacted to the second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, expressing relief for his safety and calling for unity.

The FBI uncovered the attempt when an agent noticed a rifle barrel protruding through the fence at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. The suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, was apprehended after fleeing the scene.

Governor Brian Kemp stated, "We are thankful that law enforcement acted quickly to ensure the safety of the former president, and we pray for continued protection for him and his family."

Senator Ralph Warnock added, "Violence has no place in our political discourse. We must come together as a nation to reject extremism, no matter our differences."

Lawmakers Consider Additional School Safety Measures

House Speaker Jon Burns and other Georgia Republicans are proposing new policies for 2025 to improve student mental health, detect guns, and promote safe gun storage in response to the Apalachee High School shooting.

Burns emphasized the need for better information sharing between schools, law enforcement, and mental health professionals, citing a prior threat from the shooter that was not adequately addressed.

Georgia has already approved allocating more than $100 million in ongoing funding for school safety in the budget that began on July 1.

House Republicans are revisiting gun safety initiatives, including a tax credit for purchasing gun safes, while Democrats continue to push for universal background checks, mandatory safe storage, and a "red flag" law.

Uber Bringing Robotaxis to Atlanta in 2025

Uber announced on Friday that it will begin dispatching Waymo's robotaxis in Austin, Texas, and Atlanta starting next year as part of a growing partnership between the two companies.

This alliance builds on a collaboration they began in Phoenix last year, after resolving a legal dispute over allegations that Uber had stolen Waymo’s trade secrets.

Waymo’s robotaxis, which currently operate in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, will begin responding to requests through Uber's app in these new markets next year as the company seeks to expand its driverless services and offset financial losses for its parent company, Alphabet Inc.

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➤ Georgia college enrollment is up 9% at technical colleges and 6% at state universities, which Gov. Kemp credited to a program that sends letters to high school seniors urging them to apply for admission. (Details)

➤ Georgia’s foreign-born population reached 11.6%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Nationally, the percentage stands at 14.3%, the highest figure since 1910. (More)

➤ Macon: Vice-Presidential candidate Tim Walz will speak at a campaign event at 10 a.m. today before appearing at afternoon events in Atlanta. (See Details)

➤ Lagrange: Rep. Debbie Buckner, a longtime advocate of city revitalization, received the 2024 Champion of Georgia's Cities Award from the Georgia Municipal Association. (Details)

➤ Savannah: The city plans to increase its drinking water capacity by more than 72% over the next two decades to keep up with growth, at a projected cost of $500 million, according to the City Manager. (More)

➤ Brooks County: Residents protested noisy and unsightly solar farms taking over the area’s peanut and cotton fields. (See Details)

➤ Former President Trump plans to attend the Alabama-Georgia football game in Tuscaloosa on Sept. 28. This high-profile SEC matchup between the undefeated No. 4 Crimson Tide and No. 2 Bulldogs comes shortly after a recent security incident involving Trump. (More)

➤ Georgia slipped to No. 2 in the AP Top 25 college football poll after narrowly avoiding an upset against unranked Kentucky this weekend. (See Rankings)

➤ Charlie Morton pitched well for the Atlanta Braves on Sunday, striking out six batters from the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the game took a turn when Braves relievers gave up seven runs in the ninth inning, leading to a tough loss. (Watch Strikeouts)

➤ Yesterday's Results: NFL | MLB

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➤ AT&T says it has reached two tentative agreements with the Communication Workers of America, the union representing its striking workers. The company employs approximately 17,000 people in Georgia. (See Details)

➤ Mark George, the new CEO of Norfolk Southern, will see his salary increase to $1 million and be eligible for a $2.25 million bonus, according to the company. (More)

➤ Title lenders in Georgia can charge up to 300% APR because they are considered pawn brokers under state law. (See Details)

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➤ Tina McElroy Ansa, the first Black journalist at The Atlanta Constitution, has died at 74. She was a celebrated author whose storytelling captured Black Southern life. (More)

➤ The Atlanta Greek Festival returns Sept. 19-22, featuring food favorites, traditional dancing, and music by Oneiro and DJ Laki. (See Details)

➤ Athens native Sam Hennings will star in M. Night Shyamalan's new thriller, Caddo Lake, which will be available on Max starting Oct. 10. (More)

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