Judge Cited for 28 Ethics Violations 

The state Supreme Court ruled that former Fulton County Judge Shermela J. Williams committed 28 judicial ethics violations that would have warranted removal, but dismissed the case because she resigned.

The case was dismissed without prejudice, allowing the Judicial Qualifications Commission to reopen proceedings if Williams ever seeks judicial office in Georgia again.

A commission panel recommended Williams’ removal last October, citing misconduct that included illegal jailing of a witness, improperly trying to influence a case involving a family member, and chronic delays.

Williams stepped down in February and was hired by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ office as a prosecutor.

  Augusta Eyes Chicago Flights

Augusta Regional Airport won an $800,000 federal grant to pursue nonstop service to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

The U.S. DOT award would fund a revenue guarantee and marketing program for the route. American Airlines and United Airlines both backed the application, but no carrier or start date has been locked in.

The award extends a growth run for the airport, which added a second daily American Airlines flight to Dallas-Fort Worth last fall.

Augusta also landed $4 million in federal money in 2024 to expand its passenger security checkpoint.

Colleges Among Nation’s Best

The state’s universities held or improved their positions in U.S. News & World Report’s 2027 Best Colleges rankings, released Tuesday.

Emory University remained the state’s highest-ranked school at No. 23 nationally, with top-20 marks for undergraduate teaching and best value.

Georgia Tech ranked No. 29 overall and No. 6 among public schools, jumping to No. 39 on the Best Value list. Its undergraduate engineering program rose to No. 2, tied with Stanford and Berkeley.

UGA tied for No. 52 overall and No. 19 among public universities, while Spelman College was named the nation’s No. 1 historically black college and university for the 20th year running.

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➤ Roswell: The city council trimmed its proposed property tax hike after public pushback, with a final vote set for next week. (More)

➤ Augusta: U.S. Sens. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., and Tim Scott, R-S.C., filed a bipartisan amendment to keep inpatient care and the ER open at Fort Gordon’s Eisenhower Army Medical Center. (More)

➤ Statewide: Republican governor nominee Rick Jackson formally declined an invitation to the Atlanta Press Club’s Loudermilk-Young debate on Oct. 12. (More)

➤ Stockbridge: The city’s youngest-ever mayor, Jayden Williams, broke his silence after his removal, criticizing city officials for the ouster. (More)

➤ Waycross: Gov. Brian Kemp appointed Waycross District Attorney Marilyn Bennett to the Waycross Superior Court, filling the vacancy left by Judge Dwayne H. Gillis’ resignation. (More)

➤ Albany: A group of residents opposes rezoning for a proposed 24/7 truck stop and maintenance shop, citing traffic hazards and risks to nearby children. Planning officials said the location sits along a major trucking corridor and is zoned for heavy commercial use. (More)

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➤ Georgia and Clemson agreed to call off four future nonconference football games due to scheduling demands, dropping four games scheduled from 2029 through 2033. (More)

➤ The Atlanta Braves entered the season’s final week as the likely No. 3 seed in the National League playoffs, in line to host a best-of-three Wild Card series at Truist Park starting Tuesday. (More)

➤ The Atlanta Falcons are the fourth team since 1978 to begin a season with no drives in the red zone through two games, joining the 2008 Rams, 1997 Lions, and 1992 Patriots. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | NHL | WNBA

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➤ Georgia Power asked regulators to approve a deal under which Google would help fund upgrades at Plants Vogtle and Hatch, adding about 96 megawatts of nuclear capacity and an estimated $900 million in benefits to customers. (More)

➤ A Douglas County home seller said the $2,650 in earnest money she’s owed vanished from an escrow account after the deal fell through. (More)

➤ Gwinnett County’s population grew 6% between 2020 and 2025 as jobs surged, cementing its status as one of the state’s fastest-growing economic centers. (More)

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The Pentagon’s Got Its Eye on This Tech

One of the biggest indicators for forward-thinking investors is where the U.S. government puts its money.

First, they bet big on jet engines. Then drones. Now? Flying cars. The U.S. Air Force just signed a $142M deal for a company building five-seater air taxis. But our nation’s most covert operations need smaller, personal aircraft. And Doroni, the company positioned to lead the $100B personal eVTOL category, aims to capture this opportunity.

Their flying car, the H1-X, opens the skies to all military members. Their SOULAI platform is so intuitive that you can pilot their aircraft after 25 hours of training. And its patented ducted fan system is designed to be safer than competitors. 

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➤ A lottery player in Athens scratched off a $4 million top prize on a ticket sold at a Kwik Stop Food Mart, opting to take the $2.03 million lump sum. (More)

➤ Metro Atlanta native Ryan Seacrest said American Idol’s planned production move to Georgia is “very cool,” adding that, “The most excited person is my mother.” (More)

➤ Peter Egede, a graduate of Marietta schools and Georgia Southern, where he learned to cook for his fraternity, finished as a runner-up on MasterChef. (More)

➤ The Smyrna Jonquil Lions Club held its annual car show, with sponsors’ support helping fund the club’s programs for the visually impaired. (More)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. 

➤ What are the 10 most popular at-home headache remedies, and do they actually work? (Hear Remedies)

➤ Tesla has reopened reservations for its long-delayed Roadster, nearly nine years after the car was promised. (Listen Now)

➤ Demand for wine is falling, forcing California grape growers to tear out vineyards their families tended for generations. (Hear Story)

In case you missed it, this week on Flyover Focus, we dug into the cost of living and how it affects you. Why does your paycheck buy less, and do Social Security raises keep retirees afloat? Tune in here for all of those answers and more.

Will you miss the Georgia-Clemson football rivalry?

1. Big loss
2. New era/new schedules
3. Other

Yesterday’s Results:

Planning to visit a fair or festival this fall?

1. Not this year: 52% 
2. Maybe: 35%
3. Definitely: 13%

What is Georgia’s official state fish, which residents can catch license-free on Saturday?

Show me the answer