In a rare bipartisan act to protect children, Georgia legislators adopted a law last year that regulated social media companies. But the industry sued and, for now, has sidelined the prohibition on advertising to children. The law also required platforms to obtain parental consent when minors signup for service. The age verification mandate forces everyone […]
Posted inIn The News
Judge Orders Jailed Georgia Journalist to be Deported
An immigration judge ordered Spanish-language journalist Mario Guevara to be deported on Friday despite a pending First Amendment case in federal court, setting off a frenzied attempt by his attorneys to stop the deportation from happening. Guevara was arrested earlier this summer while covering an anti-ICE protest in DeKalb County. His arrest has alarmed free […]
Posted inContext
Free Speech is in The News: What You Need to Know
Some Georgia workers are learning the limits of free speech as they face discipline for social media comments in the wake of the fatal shooting of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk. Cobb County schools, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Delta Air Lines and a piano bar, Savannah Smiles, are among Georgia employers that have either fired or […]
Posted inTalk of The Town
Joro Spiders Surge Across Georgia: What You Need to Know
The bright yellow and blue Joro spiders are now a part of everyday life in Georgia. From Atlanta porches to North Georgia trails, their wide golden webs are hard to miss this fall. What’s Happening: Researchers say Joro numbers have exploded over the last three years. A University of Georgia study found that in metro […]
Posted inCrime
Augusta Raid Finds Drugs and Guns After Gang Probe
A sheriff’s gang unit executed a search warrant at a Brookshire Road home on Sept. 18 and found hundreds of grams of marijuana, pills and nine firearms, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office said. Two men face drug and weapons charges tied to the search. What It Means For You: The raid reflects local law enforcement […]
Posted inCrime
Former Georgia Poll Worker Gets 20 Months in Jail For Bomb Threat
A man who threatened to bomb a Macon area polling place will serve 20 months in prison. Nicholas Wimbish, 26, of Milledgeville, must also serve a year of supervised release and pay a $2,000 fine under the sentence issued by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell Thursday. The former poll worker pleaded guilty in February to […]
Posted inEconomy
Georgia’s Credit Card Habits Cost Residents More Money
If your wallet feels a little lighter each month, you’re not imagining it. A new study finds Georgia is the third-least disciplined state when it comes to credit card use — and that could mean higher interest bills for many Peach State residents. What It Means For You: More Georgians are carrying bigger balances and […]
Posted inEducation
Cobb Schools Chief Calls Fired Teachers ‘Evil’ Over Charlie Kirk Posts
Cobb County’s school chief is labeling teachers who posted about Charlie Kirk’s death as “evil,” using unusually harsh political rhetoric rarely heard from education administrators. Why It Matters: Conservative Parents in Cobb County are buying the rhetoric and, according to Superintendent Chris Ragsdale, are questioning whether their children are safe in classrooms with teachers who […]
Posted inYour Family
Do Today’s Teens Really Choose Their Phones Over Hanging Out?
It’s a narrative that has persisted for years. Teenagers are glued to their phones, isolating themselves from the real world, interacting with friends only through texts, Instagram posts, or TikTok comments. But firsthand accounts from today’s teens suggest that this stereotype couldn’t be further from the truth. Teens are social creatures who absolutely value in […]
Posted inCrime
Hit-And-Run Suspect Caught After Deadly Crash That Killed Elderly Pedestrian in Peach County
A 23-year-old Fort Valley man is in custody for the hit-and-run death of a local 65-year-old pedestrian on Highway 96. What’s Happening: Javeus Montgomery was arrested in South Carolina after allegedly striking James Oates, who was walking with a shopping cart along Georgia Highway 96 around 2 a.m. on July 23. Between the Lines: Investigators […]
