Monday, April 13, 2026

Good morning! On this day in 1854, pioneering educator Lucy Craft Laney was born in Macon. She founded the first school for black children in Augusta.

If you’re a Flyover Podcast listener who wrote in to say you missed Ayla Brown last week, be sure to tune in today. She’s back after a lovely family vacation in the Caribbean and sounds refreshed.

Mother’s Day is coming up fast, so we pulled together our 2026 Mother’s Day Gift Guide to help you find something she’ll actually love. From thoughtful to practical to a little indulgent, there’s something for every kind of mom. And yes, a few picks are perfect for treating yourself, too. Don’t wait until the last minute; take a look now, and get ahead of it.

Today’s sponsor, Qnetic, is tackling the looming AI energy crisis with breakthrough storage technology that delivers reliable, degradation-free power for decades.

Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

McIlroy Repeats; Henley Ties for Third

Rory McIlroy rallied on the back nine to win the Masters on Sunday at Augusta National, becoming the tournament’s fourth back-to-back champion.

Among golfers from Georgia, Russell Henley tied for third at 10-under, Harris English and Brian Harman finished further back, and amateur Mason Howell missed the cut.

McIlroy survived late trouble on the 18th to edge Scottie Scheffler by one stroke. McIlroy joined Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo, and Jack Nicklaus as back-to-back champions.

Drop from Balcony Saves Kids

Two children were rescued from an apartment building fire early Sunday in Chatham County after their mother dropped them from an upper-floor balcony to police officers.

The children were later treated for smoke inhalation along with several other residents as flames spread through the building. The Red Cross assisted displaced families.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The rescue took place about 4 a.m. Upon arrival, two police officers spotted the mother and children on an upper-floor balcony. The mother signaled to the officers to catch the children. The officers caught them safely.

Study: Rural Health Woes Vary

A study estimates that about 663,000 Georgians in rural areas face barriers to health care beyond long travel distances, including chronic illness, poverty, and limited access.

Researchers with the Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation said the study also found that rural America’s health care challenges are varied and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution.

“Our data shows, in Georgia, the biggest drivers aren’t just distances alone. It’s very high chronic disease and economic pressure stacking up and actually piling up all at once at an already fragile health care infrastructure,” Parkland Center CEO Steve Miff said.

The report points to hospital closures, lack of specialists, and insurance gaps. Some cite state rules limiting nurse practitioners’ authority as another barrier to quality care.

Flying together with our sponsor

AI Is About to Break the Grid. Here’s the Fix.

Behind every AI breakthrough is a data center requiring massive amounts of always-on power. By 2030, these data centers will need more energy than Germany and France combined.

That need for always-on power is straining the grid. Today, they depend on lithium batteries that degrade over time and need expensive replacement.

Qnetic solves this. Their breakthrough energy storage tech works like new for 30 years without degradation. Always reliable. Always ready.

Eight major energy players have already committed $110M in letters of intent to Qnetic. With global AI spend hitting $2 trillion this year alone, the infrastructure race is on.

Become an early-stage Qnetic investor today and share in the potential of this energy innovation.

➤ Wrightsville: The state Department of Corrections agreed to pay a $4 million settlement after guards at Johnson State Prison allegedly failed to respond to a fatal attack on an inmate by his cellmate. (More)

➤ Americus: A fresh produce giveaway helped fight food insecurity in Sumter County, providing fruits and vegetables to families in need across the community. (More)

➤ Atlanta: Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear spoke at the annual Carter-Lewis dinner, urging fellow Democrats to expand rural outreach. (More)

➤ Appling: A dive team found a suspected drowning victim at Wildwood Park after personal belongings were found near the water. (More)

➤ Savannah: A televised debate featuring Democrats running for governor will air at 7 p.m. Wednesday on WSAV. (More)

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➤ No. 3 Georgia Tech baseball improved to 30-5 (15-3 ACC) by sweeping No. 5 Florida State, matching the best 35-game start in program history. (More)

➤ No. 4 Georgia baseball beat Florida 5-1, breaking a late tie with a four-run eighth inning. Dylan Vigue struck out seven over six innings. (More)

➤ The Atlanta Falcons exercised the fifth-year option on running back Bijan Robinson, keeping him under contract through 2027. (More)

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➤ Your Cutting Board is a Major Health Risk. Your cutting board could be harboring harmful bacteria like E. coli—and even shedding microplastics into your food. Grooves and cracks trap germs, putting your family at risk. Discover a safer, smarter solution with Tivano and keep your kitchen truly clean. (LEARN MORE)

➤ The Masters Tournament drove a surge in private jet traffic to Augusta, with operators reporting record bookings as golf fans opted for luxury travel to this year’s event. (More)

➤ Middle Georgia is seeing a wave of commercial growth, with AutoZone, Buc-ee’s, and Chipotle among the brands expanding their footprint across the region. (More)

➤ Dozens of youth-run craft and food booths opened for shoppers on Saturday afternoon at Fort Hawkins in Macon. (More)

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➤ Discover simple ways seniors are saving hundreds each year. Unlock hidden discounts, cut everyday expenses, and stretch retirement income further with easy, practical tips. From groceries to insurance and utilities, these strategies can help you keep more of your money without sacrificing your lifestyle. (LEARN MORE)

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Forget 2026. This Tech Is Straight From 2226.

Picture a capsule the size of a person, buried silently underground. Inside, a rotor spins at 12,000 rotations per minute in a perfect vacuum. No friction, no heat, no noise.

Why’s it spinning? It’s storing energy. Enough to power 30-40 homes a day. To release it, the rotor slows down and sends power back to the grid. And it does this, day after day, for 30 years without losing a single percent of performance.

It sounds like science fiction, but it’s not. It’s Qnetic. And they’re already generating serious interest.

Eight major energy players have committed $110M+ in letters of intent, and with the global energy storage market projected to exceed $3 trillion, demand isn’t slowing down.

Individual investors can get in before Qnetic scales to 3,500 deployments worldwide by 2030.

➤ The state agriculture department released the Spring 2026 Georgia Grown U-Pick Agritourism Map, highlighting more than 30 farms where visitors can shop for farm goods. (More)

➤ The Atlanta Film Festival will celebrate its 50th anniversary April 23 through May 3, featuring 47 Georgia-made films across documentaries, narrative shorts, and music videos. (More)

➤ A new Glen Powell film directed by Judd Apatow, Comeback King, is hiring extras in southeast Georgia for April 20 and 21, with a pay rate of $120 to $182 a day.(More)

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➤ 6 “Healthy” Foods Secretly Raising Your Blood Pressure. 70% of Americans will face blood pressure concerns—most without knowing it. Common foods like cottage cheese and frozen fish make it worse. Experts now point to one unique Antarctic fatty acid that relaxes blood vessels and soothes inflammation naturally. Learn More