Rural Health Grants Detailed

The Trump administration detailed its $50 billion program to strengthen rural healthcare in Georgia and other states, saying that the competitive application process will lead to needed reforms.

“Right now, only 7% of Medicaid hospital spending reaches rural hospitals. That’s got to change,” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said.

Last week, St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital in Lavonia announced plans to shut down its labor and delivery unit in October, citing changing demographics, challenges in recruiting doctors, and government funding limits.

  Others Join Governor’s Race

The 2026 race for Georgia governor is getting more crowded, with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger joining the Republican primary field on Wednesday.

Another newly declared Republican candidate, Clark Dean, an Atlanta businessman, bills himself as an outsider who will focus on the needs of Georgia’s families.

Dean and Raffensperger join a GOP field that includes state Attorney General Chris Carr, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, and Army National Guard Sgt. Ken Yasger.

The Democratic field includes former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, retired Atlanta pastor Olu Brown, former lieutenant governor Geoff Duncan, state Sen. Jason Esteves, state Rep. Derrick Jackson, and former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond.

Online Learning in Focus

Georgia Connections Academy teacher Shea Wilkinson marked National Online Learning Day on Monday by discussing the growing popularity of online schools, noting her own children are graduates.

The schools offer an alternative to traditional K-12 schools, flexible course schedules, and teachers regularly meet online to collaborate, she said.

Interest in remote learning extends to college coursework, with Georgia Tech among the schools now touting their online offerings, including free courses.

In April, the University System of Georgia reported 19% of undergraduates now study fully online, up from 16% in 2022.

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➤ Atlanta: The Atlanta Dream, the only WNBA team without a mascot, invited fans to submit their replacement ideas for the retired bird-human hybrid Star. (More)

➤ Douglasville will build a new City Hall at the site of its current, aged City Hall, offering more space for city departments now in leased offices. Demolition of the existing building is set for early 2026. (More)

➤ Duluth: White House border czar Tom Homan canceled his scheduled appearance at the Georgia Faith and Freedom Coalition event on Monday, returning to Washington, D.C., after the Charlie Kirk assassination. (More)

➤ Bibb County: The Georgia Supreme Court disbarred attorney Melvin Raines II for misusing client funds, missing court, and failing to communicate with a client for more than two years. (More)

➤ Hall County: A tax audit flagged $2.3 million in questionable school tax exemptions, citing outdated records and prompting calls for back tax collection. (More)

➤ Cobb County: A 17-year-old Pebblebrook High School student was fatally stabbed on a porch, with a 16-year-old suspect facing felony murder charges. (More)

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➤ The Georgia Court of Appeals reversed a Cobb County judge’s decision to dismiss a lawsuit because of a rule that shields baseball teams from liability when fans get hit by a ball. The lawsuit was filed by a woman struck by a baseball thrown into the stands by then-Atlanta Braves player Jorge Soler during the 2021 World Series. (More)

➤ Memphis football coach Ryan Silverfield, speaking on his weekly radio show, cited off-field incidents by players at the University of Georgia as examples he does not want his players to follow. (More)

➤ The Atlanta Falcons signed cornerback Keith Taylor to the practice squad after A.J. Terrell suffered a hamstring injury in Sunday’s game. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | Soccer | WNBA

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➤ Rivian hosted a ground-breaking ceremony on its $5 billion electric vehicle factory in Social Circle, with company leaders saying the quality of the vehicles will draw buyers in the absence of electric vehicle tax credits. (More)

➤ Hyundai will host a job fair Sept. 30 in Savannah, seeking maintenance, assembly, and office workers for its Metaplant America complex in Ellabell. It is the company’s first hiring event since an immigration raid on Sept. 4 at a construction site for a new battery plant at the complex. (Details)

➤ The city of Augusta made design changes to add back about 200 downtown parking spaces in the Broad Street redevelopment plan, following business owners’ complaints. (More)

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➤ The community of Redan, south of Stone Mountain, posted the state’s steepest population decline since 2020, down 11.4% to 30,904 residents, while Port Wentworth grew the fastest, up 54.2% to 16,836 people, based on estimates. (More)

➤ Georgia ranks as the seventh best state for teachers, according to a WalletHub study, scoring high for salaries and digital learning and lower for student-to-teacher ratios. (More)

➤ Georgia recognizes three Native American tribes—two Cherokee and one Muskogee Creek—representing 3,000 members. None are federally recognized. (More)

Do you have any teachers in your family?

1. Yes
2. No

Yesterday’s Results:

Are you eating less beef given the cost?

1. Yes: 37%
2. No: 48%
3. Don’t eat beef: 15%

Where does Georgia rank in student-to-teacher ratio in the U.S.?

Show me the answer