Kemp Calls Special Session on Maps

Gov. Brian Kemp has called a June 17 special legislative session to redraw Georgia’s congressional maps ahead of the 2028 elections.

Georgia joins a growing list of Southern states racing to lock in new maps under the weakened legal landscape. Democrats and civil rights organizations are expected to file legal challenges quickly, arguing the session is designed to entrench Republican advantages well into the next decade.

The move follows a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gutted Voting Rights Act protections against racial gerrymandering, freeing states to redraw district boundaries with far less federal oversight. 

Kemp declined to redistrict for the current cycle, instead targeting 2028, giving the GOP time to craft maps with minimal legal constraints before the next presidential election year.

Town Sues to Halt ICE Mega Center

The City of Social Circle filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and ICE to block the conversion of a Walton County warehouse into a 10,000-bed immigration detention “mega center.”

City attorneys filed the complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, arguing the facility would effectively triple the town’s 5,000-person population and overwhelm water and sewer systems already operating near capacity.

The lawsuit alleges federal officials skipped required environmental reviews before purchasing the East Hightower Trail site.

DHS told Social Circle the facility would have “no adverse effect on the community,” but the city says it was never consulted before the purchase. The project is part of a $38.3 billion federal detention strategy that has drawn similar pushback in Oakwood.

Empty Waymos Swarm Atlanta Cul-de-Sac

Residents on Battleview Drive in northwest Atlanta say empty Waymo robotaxis are circling their dead-end street at all hours, with one neighbor counting 50 in a single hour and eight getting stuck after a child-safety sign blocked them. Watch the report here.

Parents say the constant traffic at the bus stop feels unsafe for kids, the latest in a string of viral Waymo hiccups in Atlanta.

Weeks ago, three Waymos froze at a broken traffic light elsewhere in the city, forcing other drivers to walk through the intersection.

Waymo and Uber rolled out the partnership last June, with a 65-square-mile zone stretching from Buckhead to Capitol View.

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➤ Waycross: Former Smith State Prison warden Brian Adams was indicted on racketeering and corruption charges for allegedly accepting bribes from a gang and burying prison shanks and contraband cell phones in his backyard. (More)

➤ Atlanta: DeKalb and Fulton County district attorneys threatened legal action against House Bill 369, calling the nonpartisan election mandate for five metro counties “clearly unconstitutional,” and arguing it singles out the five counties that elected African American women Democrats as district attorneys. (More)

➤ Stephens County: Operation Southern Forest Trident resulted in 32 arrests, including one confirmed cartel member, as multi-agency teams targeted criminal activities on national forest lands throughout north Georgia. (More)

➤ Statewide: Gov. Kemp signed legislation doubling the foreclosure threshold for homeowners associations from $2,000 to $4,000 in unpaid dues while requiring HOAs to register with the Secretary of State. (More)

➤ Brantley County: Two massive wildfires covering nearly 55,000 acres reached 90% containment, but crews continue monitoring hot spots amid extreme drought conditions threatening renewed flare-ups. (More)

➤ The Atlanta Braves beat the Cubs 4-1 to become the first team in baseball to 30 wins this season. They’re 30-13 overall and lead the NL East by nine games. (More)

➤ WNBA guard Holly Winterburn says the Atlanta Dream waived her while she was boarding the team bus for Tuesday’s game against the Dallas Wings. (More)

➤ Mercer beat No. 3 Georgia Tech 12-9 on Tuesday night, their first win over the Yellow Jackets at Russ Chandler Stadium since 2018. (More)

➤ Athens Rock Lobsters are moving up to the Southern Professional Hockey League for 2026-27, leaving the lower-tier Federal Prospects Hockey League after two sold-out seasons at Akins Ford Arena. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NHL | MLB | WNBA | NCAAB | Soccer | Golf

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➤ A new study found that Georgia renters must earn $29.46 hourly to afford a two-bedroom apartment at fair market rent, requiring nearly four times the state’s $7.25 minimum wage. (More)

➤ Georgia’s film industry is pivoting toward homegrown content creators as studios weigh the state’s generous tax credits against growing competition from other states. (More)

➤ Columbus firearms manufacturer, HK USA, announced a $13 million expansion of its facility, creating 35 new jobs at the German-owned company that currently employs 115 workers. (More)

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➤ The fourth annual RealSweet Vidalia Onions Restaurant Week is underway, with Georgia restaurants putting the state’s iconic sweet onion on menus statewide. (More)

➤ Foodtopia 3 is coming to downtown LaGrange on June 6, featuring local farmers, fresh produce, cooking demos, kids’ activities, and a strawberry-and-peach bake-off. (More)

➤ The Atlanta Film Festival wrapped its 50th-anniversary edition this month, spotlighting Georgia filmmakers who helped build the state’s film industry. (More)

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What is your preferred writing tool?

1. Ballpoint pen
2. Gel pen
3. Felt-tip pen
4. Pencil
5. Whatever’s closest

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you ever had ramen noodles?

1. Yes: 57%
2. No: 23%
3. Too many times: 12%
4. They are my favorite: 8%

What Georgia town was once known as the Buggy Capital of the South?

Show me the answer