TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2024

Good morning! On this day in 1901, the first finished cotton product was shipped from Unity Cotton Mill in LaGrange, marking a new chapter in Georgia's economic development.

Athens opened the doors on its new 8,500-seat arena. Read on for details. What concerts or shows would you like to see brought to an arena near you in 2025? Let us know by replying to this email.

Do you love Georgia? So do our 80,000+ readers. Advertise in The Georgia Flyover and connect your business with passionate locals. Learn more.

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2 Georgia Death Row Inmates Spared

Two convicted murderers from Georgia were among the 37 prisoners whose federal death sentences were commuted to life in prison terms Monday by President Joe Biden.

Anthony George Battle sexually assaulted and killed his wife in North Carolina in 1987 and beat a guard to death with a hammer at the U.S. Penitentiary in Atlanta in 1994.

Meier Jason Brown killed a female postal worker during a 2002 robbery attempt in Liberty County, located between Savannah and Brunswick on the Georgia coast.

Biden cited his opposition to the federal death penalty except in cases of terrorism and mass murder. His decision drew strong reactions, including from victims' families.

Athens Concert, Hockey Arena Opens

A new 8,500-seat indoor arena in Athens celebrated its delayed opening with minor league hockey and a concert from hometown band The B-52s.

Akins Ford Arena's opening date was pushed back after an inspection found its fire alarms weren't working properly. The building was OK'd for use starting Dec. 11.

The arena will feature not only music concerts but also large-scale events like "Disney on Ice," as well as hockey games featuring the new Rock Lobsters minor league team and the University of Georgia Ice Dawgs.

A two-night performance by Georgia native and rising country star Megan Moroney in April is already sold out. Click here for a schedule of all coming events.

Falcons Regain Playoff Lead

The Atlanta Falcons are back on top of the NFC South with two games left in the regular season, running neck-and-neck with Tampa Bay for the division title and a playoff spot.

Atlanta faces Washington on the road next week and Carolina at home in its final regular season game. Tampa Bay will play at home against Carolina and New Orleans.

If the teams finish tied at the end of the regular season, the Falcons own the head-to-head tiebreaker over Tampa Bay and will advance to the playoffs.

Optimism is on the upswing among fans as rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr., playing for a benched Kirk Cousins, led the team to its widest margin of victory of the season on Sunday.

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➤ Statewide: Retired public employees in Georgia and elsewhere are set to get higher Social Security payouts on top of their government pensions. (More)

➤ Region: Georgia is among the states with a high level of flu cases as the seasonal illness picks up across the Southeast. (See Map)

➤ Warner Robbins: The new police chief cited less crime, more town halls, increased staffing, and the coming of a real-time crime center in a positive year-end report. (More)

➤ Clayton County: A homeowner says a squatter received better treatment than she did after being arrested for illegal eviction—from her own home—despite a court order to the contrary. (More)

➤ Bulloch County: A federal support center will stay open at the local fairgrounds until Jan. 4 to aid Tropical Storm Debby and Hurricane Helene victims. (More)

➤ Atlanta: The Little Five Points community is coming together to redecorate after someone stole the lights and ornaments from the neighborhood's Christmas tree display. (Watch)

➤ Georgia is preparing for backup quarterback Gunner Stockton to start against Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl. (More)

➤ Georgia Tech faces Vanderbilt in the Birmingham Bowl on Friday, the first time in 11 years the Yellow Jackets have qualified for a bowl game in consecutive seasons. (More)

➤ Atlanta Hawks center Onyeka Okongwu was named November's NBA Bob Lanier Community Assist Award for his volunteer work with grieving families. (More)

➤ Yesterday's results: NFL | NCAAF | NBA | NHL | NCAAM

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➤ Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faces pushback from PepsiCo and Atlanta-based Coca-Cola after calling for sugary drinks to be ineligible for food stamp spending. (More)

➤ Shake Shack cheeseburgers will soon be on the menu for first-class and long-haul passengers on Atlanta-based Delta flights. (More)

➤ Hawkinsville will use a $2.2 million state grant to help fund a 58-home subdivision, part of the city's efforts to expand workforce housing. (More)

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➤ A new Girl Scouts "DreamLab" club inside a Walmart store in Albany is attracting girls to sign up for day camps, science labs, and arts-and-craft classes. (More)

➤ The Fifth Street Marina holiday market in Augusta drew a crowd over its final weekend, including vendors who donate part of their sales to charity. (Watch)

➤ Southeast Bulloch's flag football state champions received a shoutout from one of the hosts of ESPN's NFL Countdown. (Watch)

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