Friday, August 14, 2026

Good morning! On this day in 1945, Atlantans poured into the streets to celebrate Japan’s announced surrender in World War II. The U.S. commemorates V-J Day (Victory over Japan Day) on Sept. 2, the day of Japan’s formal surrender.

Hannah Oellerich of Augusta Prep and Jackson Brooks of Clarke Central High in Athens represented Georgia in the first-ever Patriot Games scholarship competition this week in Geneva, Ohio. You can see images from the America 250 event here.

What if the hours you already spend on your phone could actually earn you money? Today’s sponsor, Mode Mobile, is building technology to do just that, and more than 66,000 investors have already backed its vision. Learn more below, and watch for a special message later today about the technology behind its “EarnPhone” and the opportunity to invest.

Panel Backs Suspending School Board

The Georgia State Board of Education voted Wednesday to recommend that Gov. Brian Kemp suspend all members of the Dublin City school board with pay.

The state board will send its written decision to Kemp, who will make the final call and could appoint temporary replacements.

The vote followed nearly nine hours of testimony in which state attorneys argued the board was responsible for the district’s financial mismanagement. The school district’s lawyers said a former finance director hid the district’s true condition from board members.

The district faced a projected cash shortfall of more than $13.4 million by June and a downgrade that left it one step from losing accreditation, triggering the suspension process.

Trio Indicted in Chinese Labor Scheme

A federal grand jury indicted three men on forced labor charges tied to Wellmade Industries, a flooring manufacturer in Cartersville.

Prosecutors say owner Zhu Chen, his nephew Jiayi Chen, and Jianjun Lu recruited Chinese nationals, then kept their immigration documents and made them work 12-hour shifts, six days a week, in unsafe conditions.

The workers were allegedly paid less than promised, denied overtime and benefits, and threatened with violence, deportation, and crippling debt. Zhu Chen also faces an alien harboring charge for housing workers in company-owned residences.

The defendants face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Press Club Sets Fall Debates

The Atlanta Press Club will host general election debates on Oct. 12 and 13 at Georgia Public Broadcasting.

Eleven races are on the two-day debate schedule. The debates will be livestreamed and broadcast across the state. You can find a full schedule here.

The series will open Oct. 12 with the lieutenant governor debate at 1:30 p.m., followed by the attorney general debate at 2:45 p.m. and the governor’s debate at 8 p.m.

The next day, the debate between U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff and challenger U.S. Rep. Mike Collins will take place at 8 p.m.

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Over 4 trillion hours are spent on smartphones each year. Mode is building ways to turn that screen time into income.

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➤ Hartsfield-Jackson Airport: Delta Flight 1334 to Fort Lauderdale returned safely to the airport Thursday morning after those on board reported a smoky odor. It was the second Delta flight to turn back to Atlanta in five days due to fumes. (More)

➤ Fulton County: Inmate Demetrius Burkes escaped from the county jail around 5 a.m. Thursday and was captured about two hours later after a search. Officials have not said how he got out. (More)

➤ Augusta: A state House committee met at Augusta University to explore ways to expand health care access, focusing on physician recruitment and strengthening emergency services. (More)

➤ Marietta: The city council approved zoning for a data center at an 11-acre site on Powers Ferry Place, the second data center approved by the city in a year. (More)

➤ Columbus: Columbus State University cut the ribbon on its renovated Davidson Student Center after a $4.8 million state-funded overhaul of the 1963 building, one of the first on campus. (More)

➤ Warner Robins: A fire Monday night damaged eight apartments at Village North Apartments, displacing 15 people. No one was injured. (More)

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➤ Trade deadline pickup Tyler Mahle has allowed one run over two starts for the Atlanta Braves, who sat atop the NL East at 73-48 with a 9.5-game lead entering Thursday. (More)

➤ Tua Tagovailoa will start at quarterback in the Atlanta Falcons’ preseason opener tonight against the Denver Broncos. Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski has yet to name a regular-season starter. (More)

➤ Nelson Tellames of Richmond Hill was inducted into the Georgia State Bowling Hall of Fame, and Jeffrey Eastlake of Hinesville received the State Local Association Meritorious Service Award. (More)

➤ Georgia Tech will induct former baseball star Matt Gonzalez into its Sports Hall of Fame this fall. Gonzalez was a three-time All-ACC selection who finished with the third-most hits in program history and was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 2016. (More)

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➤ Hypepotamus spotlights Atlanta’s fintech startups to watch, including Agentix, which builds checkout technology for AI chat platforms, and HotSaus, a cashback rewards app for Zelle, Venmo, and Cash App users. (More)

➤ The 11-county metro Atlanta region added about 53,000 residents over the past year to reach a population of 5.2 million, with its growth rate slowing amid a cooler housing market. (More)

➤ Experts addressed fraud prevention and cybersecurity threats facing businesses at a Macon & Eggs breakfast hosted by the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce. The state attorney general’s consumer protection division said it recovered $50 million for consumers last year. (More)

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Palantir grew 1,540% This company did 32,481%

Palantir just rocketed to $420 billion by helping companies turn vast amounts of data into value.

There’s just one group that missed out on the data boom: the people producing it.

Mode Mobile wants to change that.

By allowing users to share in the value of everyday smartphone activity, they’ve facilitated over $1 billion in earnings and savings.

With 32,481% 3-year revenue growth, they ranked #1 in software on Deloitte’s fastest-growing companies list, and investors have until August 14 to invest at $0.52/share.

Like Uber turned cars into taxis and Airbnb turned homes into hotels, Mode is transforming smartphones into EarnPhones.

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This is a paid advertisement for Mode Mobile Regulation A+ offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.modemobile.com/ *Mode Mobile recently received their ticker reservation with Nasdaq ($MODE), indicating an intent to IPO in the next 24 months. An intent to IPO is no guarantee that an actual IPO will occur. *Mode cumulative revenue includes full year revenue of businesses acquired in 2025.

➤ Leopold’s Ice Cream will celebrate its 107th birthday Saturday with a free block party from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at its flagship shop in Savannah. Children 12 and under who recite the Pledge of Allegiance at 2:45 p.m. will get a free scoop. (More)

➤ Burt’s Pumpkin Farm in Dawsonville will open what it bills as the world’s largest drive-thru pumpkin, with a ribbon-cutting Aug. 26 and opening day Sept. 1. Hayrides will transport visitors through the attraction. (See Photo)

➤ A stray cat survived more than 11 hours and nearly 800 miles wedged under a University of Georgia student’s car on a drive from New Jersey to Athens. A tire shop had to dismantle part of the car to free him. He’s been named Jersey and will soon be up for adoption. (More)

➤ Chatham County’s marine patrol officers, recently featured on A&E’s Swamp Patrol, are bracing for Labor Day boat traffic on local waterways. (More)

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➤ Johns Hopkins researchers identified a “silent epidemic” that may increase frailty risk by 230% in Americans over 50. The surprising solution isn’t another medication, but a forgotten superfood linked to Nobel Prize-winning research. This nutrient-dense food may support memory, muscle strength, and bone health, yet most Americans rarely eat it. Learn More

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ Hawaii’s Big Island is under a hurricane watch as a strengthening Pacific storm threatens heavy rain and flooding. (Hear Details)

➤ Luigi Mangione is reportedly weighing a courtroom move that could upend his murder trial in New York. (Hear Episode)

➤ Tech executives are cloning themselves with artificial intelligence, and some of the digital doubles are already going rogue. (Listen Now)