Kemp Signs State Budget

Gov. Brian Kemp signed the state’s amended midyear budget, which includes more than $2 billion in tax relief for Georgia taxpayers and homeowners, including another year of state income tax rebates totaling $1.2 billion.

The budget also allocates bonuses for public school employees, with all K-12 teachers, bus drivers, custodians, and other school staff receiving a $2,000 one-time bonus. State employees will also receive bonuses.

Other approved spending includes $2 billion for transportation and a $409 million allocation for a new state mental health hospital. You can see a full list of the approved budget changes and additional spending here.

  Appeal Expected in Father’s Case

Emory University associate law professor John Acevedo said defense attorneys for Colin Gray are likely to appeal the verdict, with the case possibly destined for the state Supreme Court.

A Barrow County jury on Tuesday found Gray guilty of second-degree murder and other charges for allowing his son—the student accused in the Apalachee High School shooting—access to a gun.

“It’s a novel theory of liability,” Acevedo said. “What makes this case unusual is that the father didn’t know what the son was doing, so really wasn’t a co-conspirator and was instead found guilty of disregard for human life.”

Gray’s conviction before his son’s trial could also face review, current and former prosecutors said.

“It’s the reverse order of what you would expect (but) it’s because everybody expects the young person will admit that he actually committed these murders,” former DeKalb County District Attorney Robert James said.

Spring Break Security in Focus 

Panama City Beach, Florida, is again bracing for a wave of spring breakers from Georgia over the coming weeks, vowing to avoid a repeat of recent years’ troubles involving mostly unaccompanied minors.

Panama City Beach Police Department officials met Feb. 24 with law enforcement leaders from Georgia, Florida, and Alabama to discuss enforcement strategies and crime trends.

Meanwhile, the city has adopted stricter rules for this spring season, including a curfew for unaccompanied minors, a ban on alcohol on the beach in March, and a 2 a.m. cutoff for other alcohol sales.

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➤ Suwanee: U.S. Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Suwanee, said he would want President Trump to seek congressional approval before committing U.S. ground troops in Iran. (More)

➤ Warren County: All westbound lanes of Interstate 20 near Camak were closed after a crash involving a truck carrying liquid nitrogen on Wednesday afternoon. (More)

➤ Dalton: Three people were airlifted to burn centers after a large bonfire last week, the Whitfield County sheriff’s office reported. An investigation continues. (More)

➤ Atlanta: MARTA will launch its on-demand MARTA Reach van service on Saturday, offering curb-to-curb rides within 30 minutes in 12 zones for the same $2.50 fare as a bus or train. (More)

➤ Fulton County: A county commissioner called for an outside investigation after her office was burglarized last month, raising questions about building security at county government facilities. (More)

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➤ Georgia men’s basketball knocked off No. 16 Alabama 98-88, likely securing a spot in the NCAA tournament. (More)

➤ Major League Baseball suspended Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar for 162 games after he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, his second PED violation. (More)

➤ The state Senate advanced the proposed Every Day Counts Act, which would ban high school students from participating in sports if they accumulate too many unexcused absences. The measure now goes to the state House. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer

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➤ The city of Avondale Estates received an anonymous $1 million donation last week, with the donor writing a note saying the contribution was made possible “thanks to Waffle House—serving Avondale since 1955.” That year, local restaurateurs Joe Rogers Sr. and Tom Forkner opened the city’s first Waffle House, now the site of a Waffle House museum. (More)

➤ Delta Air Lines will offer its largest-ever number of flights to Augusta for Masters week, adding temporary nonstop routes from Los Angeles, Nashville, Newark, and other cities to increase peak-day seat capacity from 1,200 to nearly 4,000. (More)

➤ Wrens-based Stuckey’s voluntarily recalled select Pecan Log Rolls after cherry-flavored rolls were mistakenly packaged in original wrappers that failed to list cherry as an ingredient. (More)

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➤ WSB-TV will air a 30-minute special called Severe Weather Season at 7 p.m. Sunday, dedicated to helping north Georgia families prepare for dangerous spring storms. (More)

➤ Pollen counts reached 862 on Tuesday—the year’s highest—as doctors warned allergy season is arriving earlier and lasting longer across the state. (More)

➤ A growing number of black vulture deaths from bird flu is raising concern among University of Georgia researchers, who say the scavenger birds may be spreading the virus to poultry flocks. (More)

Will you travel anywhere for spring break?

1. Beach
2. Mountains
3. Staycation
4. Overseas trip
5. Other

Yesterday’s Results:

When was the last time you rode a motorcycle?

1. Years ago: 41%
2. Never have: 24%
3. Frequent rider: 18%
4. Other: 17%

What flowering tree is the focus of a major spring festival in Macon?

Show me the answer