Next Year’s State Budget Taking Shape

The state Senate appropriations committee approved its version of the state’s budget for the next fiscal year, adding $100 million for state employee pensions in a departure from the state House plan.

To free money for the pension increases, senators cut $125 million from funding for online programs at public colleges and universities, arguing that virtual instruction costs less to deliver.

Elsewhere, senators propose paying for about 1,300 literacy coaches in elementary schools with a grant, instead of the House’s approach of building those costs into the K-12 funding formula.

The budget plan now goes to the full Senate for consideration before returning to the House.

  UCB Details Plans

Gov. Brian Kemp called Belgian drugmaker UCB’s planned $2 billion project to build its first U.S. biologics manufacturing facility in Gwinnett County one of the largest investments in state history.

UCB expects the project to create more than 1,000 construction jobs and about 330 permanent jobs.

The 460,000-square-foot plant will anchor the 2,000-acre Rowen innovation campus on Highway 316. The site is about 40 miles from UCB’s U.S. headquarters in Smyrna, northwest of Atlanta.

Growing demand for UCB’s psoriasis drug Bimzelx is driving the expansion.

Gwinnett County committed $174 million in incentives to secure the project, which officials expect to generate $5 billion in economic impact.

Cherry Blossoms Bring the Green

Macon’s 44th annual Cherry Blossom Festival continues to provide downtown restaurants and small businesses with a critical economic boost.

This year’s festival runs through Sunday, with businesses rolling out cherry-themed menu items ranging from specialty milkshakes at The Rookery and pink chips at La Bella Morelia.

Visit Macon reported last year’s festival generated $6.5 million in total economic impact, with more than 41,000 visitors traveling from over 50 miles away.

Chrissy Lee Brown, owner of Parish on Cherry Street, said she spent nights hand-tying flowers and stringing lanterns for diners drawn to the city’s more than 300,000 blooming Yoshino cherry trees.

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➤ Kingsland: A judge granted a $1 bond for a woman arrested and jailed under the state’s LIFE Act, which outlaws abortions after a detectable heartbeat except for medical emergencies and in cases of rape or incest. (More)

➤ Augusta: The local YMCA completed its 2026 annual campaign, raising $1.72 million to fund financial assistance programs for children, families, and seniors. (More)

➤ Pearson: A former police chief and his wife face dozens of theft charges after investigators say they drained more than $30,000 from a charitable Christmas fund for children. (More)

➤ Rome: A middle school teacher was arrested after a vape sensor alerted administrators to THC use in a school restroom, and the teacher cited testing week anxiety, deputies say. (More)

➤ Valdosta: Georgia Southern freshman Taylor Nelson launched The Giving Grace Foundation while in high school, focused on helping cover families’ unexpected expenses. (More)

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➤ The state legislature honored Douglasville native Elana Meyers Taylor for winning a gold medal in bobsledding at this year’s Winter Olympics in Italy. (More)

➤ Girls’ flag football is rapidly becoming one of the state’s most popular youth sports, with more than 300 schools fielding a team. (More)

➤ The Atlanta Falcons hired University of Georgia athletics administrator Steven Drummond as senior vice president for communications. (More)

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

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➤ The Atlanta Braves reached a deal with Spectrum to carry BravesVision, the team’s new broadcast platform, starting with Friday’s home opener against the Kansas City Royals. (More)

➤ Columbus residents packed a public forum to question developers about Project Ruby, a proposed $5 billion hyperscale data center in northeast Muscogee County. (More)

➤ Alpharetta ranked No. 1 in the country for small cities with big career opportunities, topping Silicon Valley metros in a national study. (More)

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➤ A Bainbridge man and three-time cancer survivor is taking his advocacy for organ and bone marrow donation worldwide. (More)

➤ The Savannah Music Festival began Wednesday and runs through April 5, featuring a lineup spanning jazz, classical, and roots music. (Schedule)

➤ Truist Park unveiled new food options, upgraded seating areas, and expanded craft beer selections at its media day ahead of the Atlanta Braves’ 2026 season. (Details)

Have you watched a high school girls’ flag football game in person?

1. Yes
2. Planning to go
3. No

Yesterday’s Results:

Should Georgia change time zones?

1. No: 41%
2. Yes: 40%
3. I don’t care either way: 19%

When was flag football first introduced?

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