March 2018 Features

• General Assembly Adjourns After Delivering Historic Victories for Georgia Families

  March 30, 2018

  Governor Nathan Deal, Lt. Governor Casey Cagle and Speaker David Ralston led the General Assembly to adjourn Sine Die for the 154th legislative session. This marks the end of a legislative year in which the General Assembly advanced reforms and investments that will benefit every Georgia family, and concludes the final session of an administration that has consistently delivered for Georgians by leading on the most important issues facing our citizens, creating nearly 700,000 jobs as the nation’s best state to do business, and generating a rising economic tide that has left our entire state better off than we were eight-years-ago.

• Memorial Health Files with State to Renovate Heart Tower

  March 29, 2018

  Memorial Health recently submitted a Letter of Intent to the Georgia Department of Community Health for a $30 million renovation to its Heart and Vascular Institute tower.

• United Way of the Coastal Empire Highlights 2017 Accomplishments, Honors Volunteers at Annual Meeting

  March 29, 2018

  United Way of the Coastal Empire thanked individuals who volunteered their time to make 2017 a success, celebrated the community giving that the organization relies so much upon, and welcomed new board members and officers who will lead the charge for this year’s campaign and community investment process.

• Savannah Student's Campaign Raises Over $152,000 in Seven Weeks for the The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

  March 28, 2018

  The second annual Students of the Year campaign exceeded all expectations, with 12 candidate teams, comprised of 18 area high school students, raising $152,457 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s mission. Taylor Hammerstein, of Savannah Christian Preparatory School, was named Savannah’s 2018 Students of the Year Winner.

• Georgia Port's Mason Mega Rail Terminal Breaks Ground

  March 28, 2018

  The Georgia Ports Authority broke ground on its $126.7 million Mason Mega Rail Terminal Monday. The expansion will increase the Port of Savannah's rail lift capacity to 1 million containers per year, and open new markets spanning an arc of cities from Memphis to St. Louis, Chicago to Cincinnati.

• Delta Biometrics Launches across All 50 Domestic Delta Sky Clubs with Check-in Option

  March 28, 2018

  Delta Sky Club members with CLEAR can use their fingerprints to enter all 50 U.S. Delta Sky Club locations beginning this week, making Delta the only U.S.-based global airline to offer customers a secure biometric check-in option at a single touch point across its domestic network.

• UGA Study: Georgia Ports Support More Than 439,000 Jobs

  March 27, 2018

  Georgia's ports support 439,220 full-and part-time jobs across the state, according to a study released by the Selig Center for Economic Growth at UGA's Terry College of Business.

• Governor Deal Proclaims “Georgia Technology and Innovation Day” at Annual Technology Summit

  March 26, 2018

  Governor Nathan Deal, referencing the 13,000 technology-related companies in Georgia, proclaimed a resolution marking March 21st as Georgia Technology and Innovation Day. The Governor included the special announcement during his speech at the annual Technology Summit held this past week in Atlanta at the Cobb Galleria.

• First New Crane Begins Work at Port of Savannah

  March 23, 2018

  The first of Georgia Ports Authority's four new Neo-Panamax cranes came online this week, bringing GPA's operating fleet to 27 - more than any other single terminal in the nation.

• Georgia Sets Employment Records in February

  March 22, 2018

  State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said today that February was another record-setting month for Georgia, as the state reached new highs for jobs, employed residents and labor force. At the same time, unemployment claims fell and the unemployment rate remained unchanged.

• Four Georgia Small Businesses Named Rock Stars

  March 21, 2018

  The Georgia Department of Economic Development, along with the Georgia Economic Developers Association, announced Georgia’s 2018 Small Business Rock Stars. GDEcD and GEDA hosted a luncheon where four Georgia companies were honored for being an outstanding, unique and impactful small business.

• Georgia Aquarium Reveals Plans for New Expansion to Open in 2020

  March 21, 2018

  The largest aquarium in the United States is getting bigger. Georgia Aquarium revealed expansion plans for a new gallery featuring sharks—one of the most misunderstood species in the ocean—to open in late fall of 2020. An extension of the Aquarium’s conservation and education efforts, the new experience will help guests have a deeper appreciation for the important role sharks serve in the oceans and inspire them to join conservation efforts to protect our oceans.

• Mercedes-Benz USA Celebrates Grand Opening of New Headquarters in Atlanta

  March 16, 2018

  Mercedes-Benz USA held the official grand opening of its new headquarters in Sandy Springs, 14 miles outside of the heart of Atlanta. Among the distinguished guests joining Dietmar Exler, MBUSA president and CEO, were Nathan Deal, Governor of Georgia; Keisha Lance Bottoms, Mayor of Atlanta; Axel Harries, Daimler vice president sales Mercedes-Benz Cars and product management Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars; and Rusty Paul, Mayor of Sandy Springs.

• Georgia Congressional Delegation Pushes Georgia as Home to U.S. Army Futures Command

  March 16, 2018

  U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and David Perdue, R-Ga., joined the entire Georgia congressional delegation in urging the Pentagon to consider Georgia as home to the new Futures Command of the U.S. Army.

• Women's Leadership Conference Returns to Savannah State

  March 15, 2018

  Savannah State University will present the annual Women’s Leadership Conference on Thursday, March 22, and Friday, March 23. Entitled "SSU Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead: Women Leading the Way," it will recognize, honor and promote the outstanding contributions women make in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts and math (S.T.E.A.M.) and encourage involvement in S.T.E.A.M. disciplines.

• Georgia’s Chief Turnaround Office and the Synergy Around Rural Georgia

  March 15, 2018

  The schools and districts that make-up Cohort I of the turnaround focus (as outlined in HB 338) are primarily focused in rural, Southwest Georgia. While the turnaround team would love to take credit for the synergy of this rural focus, it was a force brewing well before the establishment of the Turnaround Office.

• Savannah Development and Renewal Authority Announces "Downtown Savannah 2033"

  March 14, 2018

  Savannah Development and Renewal Authority announces its intention to update the Downtown Savannah Master Plan under the leadership of Executive Director Kevin Klinkenberg and Board of Directors Chairman, John Bennett.

• Georgia House Speaker David Ralston: A Call to Action for “Building a Stronger America”

  March 14, 2018

  From the world’s busiest airport to the fastest growing container port in America, Georgia leads the nation in moving people and goods. That didn’t happen by accident. On the contrary, for generations, Georgians have invested in the infrastructure necessary to facilitate our forward momentum.

• Governor Signs $25.4B Amended FY 2018 Budget

  March 12, 2018

  Gov. Nathan Deal signed the Amended FY 2018 budget at a signing ceremony in Polk County, authorizing $25.4 billion in spending for the current fiscal year. The state appropriations within HB 683 are based upon a 2.7 percent growth in general fund revenues over FY 2017 collections. This additional funding will address growth needs in education and human services, provide additional funding to local governments and school systems, and support statewide economic development efforts.

• TAG Announces Top 10 Innovative Technology Companies in Georgia

  March 09, 2018

  The Technology Association of Georgia announced the Top 10 Innovative Technology Companies in Georgia. These companies were selected from the Top 40 Innovative Technology Companies for showing the highest degree of innovation, the broadest scope and financial impact of their innovations, and the greatest effect of such innovation in promoting Georgia's technology industry throughout the U.S. and globally.

• Mayor Eddie DeLoach Delivers Kicking-off Local SCI “March for Meals”

  March 08, 2018

  Savannah Mayor, Eddie DeLoach, and Senior Citizens Inc. President, Patti Lyons, staff, and volunteers, kicked off the local “March for Meals” on March 6th, at SCI’s Bull Street location in Savannah.

• Facebook to Invest $750M in Stanton Springs Data Center

  March 08, 2018

  Gov. Nathan Deal announced that Facebook will create at least 100 full-time jobs and invest $750 million in a new data center in Stanton Springs over the next five years. New jobs will include positions in engineering and management, as well as opportunities for data center technicians.

• AG Chris Carr Kicks Off 7th Annual Georgia Legal Food Frenzy

  March 06, 2018

  Attorney General Chris Carr announced that registration is open for the 7th Annual Legal Food Frenzy, a statewide food and fund drive competition among Georgia’s lawyers to help end hunger. The 2018 competition will take place April 16 – April 27, 2018 and is done in partnership with the Office of the Attorney General, the State Bar of Georgia, the Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar of Georgia and the Georgia Food Bank Association.

• U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO: Can the Government Nationalize a Business?

  March 05, 2018

  Is the federal government allowed to take over and run a private business in an emergency? That is the fundamental question at the heart of a case brought by Starr International Company against the federal government.

• Experts Think Amazon Will Choose Atlanta or Northern Virginia as its Second Headquarters

  March 02, 2018

  Experts expect Amazon to choose either Northern Virginia or Atlanta for its new headquarters, according to the 2018 Zillow Home Price Expectations Survey. Austin and Denver were also commonly cited by experts as strong contenders.