Sunday, August 23, 2026

Good morning! On this day in 1849, William Stanley West, a Mercer University graduate who became a U.S. senator, was born near Buena Vista.

A special celebration was held in Savannah for a military veteran’s 103rd birthday. Learn more in Et Cetera.

In case you missed it, this week on The Flyover Podcast, Ayla counted down the 10 renovations homeowners regret most. Seventy-four percent of homeowners who renovated in the last five years wish they’d done something differently, and the most regretted upgrades aren’t what you’d expect. Ayla broke down where these projects go wrong and shared simple tricks that could save you from making the same mistakes. So before you pick up a paintbrush or a sledgehammer, find out whether your dream upgrade is one homeowners wish they could undo. And if you’ve already survived a remodel, see if your biggest regret made the list. Tune in here!

Today’s edition is brought to you by Cacao Bliss. Try their delicious heart-healthy hot cocoa superfood drink.

SNAP Enrollment Falls

Georgia’s SNAP enrollment fell more than 20% over the past year, one of the steepest drops in the country.

Nationally, the food aid program fell from 42.2 million people in May 2025 to 36.6 million this May, a decline of more than 13%. That decrease roughly matched the level the Congressional Budget Office had projected for 2030.

The decline follows changes made in the federal government’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, whose expanded work requirements took effect on Feb. 1. Rachel Sheffield of the Heritage Foundation, which called for the stricter rules, said people are leaving because they’re working “would be a step forward.”

Advocates counter that much of the drop is paperwork, not paychecks. Since July 2025, over 500,000 Georgia residents are no longer receiving SNAP benefits, says the Food Research & Action Center.

Plane Crash Shuts Down Airport

Thomaston-Upson County Airport closed on Friday after a small plane skidded off the runway and struck an antenna.

The incident occurred on the runway’s north end. Both people on board were unhurt, and the propeller took the damage.

The 1977 Piper Lance PA-32R had flown from Cherokee County and stopped to refuel at the airport before continuing to Sebastian, Florida. The pilot said he retracted the landing gear after takeoff, then attempted to lower it after determining that the plane would not clear the runway, but it did not deploy in time.

The crash is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Trees Topple in Twiggs County Storm

A severe storm knocked down multiple trees in Jeffersonville on Friday, blocking roads and damaging homes.

Around 3:30 p.m., officials asked the public to use extreme caution after reporting downed trees on Highway 96 from Highway 80 to Watson Drive, as well as on Bullard Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The sheriff’s office said Highway 96 was passable again nearly an hour after the announcement.

The fallen trees temporarily blocked three school buses on Highway 96. The storm also caused trees to come down on two residences along Main and Matthew streets.

Within hours, crews were able to clear debris off the roads and start removing trees from the affected homes.

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Longevity breakfast dessert enjoyed by Blue Zone Costa Ricans helps them live to 100?

Most Americans think eating sweets for breakfast is unhealthy…

But according to Stanford researchers, there’s one delicious “dessert” food that Costa Ricans in the famous “blue zone” there eat each morning that…

✅ Keeps them lean even into their 70s, 80s, and 90s…
✅ Slows blood sugar spikes, and maintains healthy insulin sensitivity…
✅ Keeps their blood pressure at normal healthy levels…
✅ Keeps their hearts and arteries strong and clean well into old age, with a striking lack of heart disease in their population…
✅ Even helps them have 7x more Centenarians than Japanese people…

So what’s the #1 “dessert” food that helps Costa Ricans live healthy, lean, and energetic past 100?

Click below to discover Costa Rica’s Blue Zone secret:

>> Eat this Costa Rican longevity “dessert” for breakfast.

P.S. Here’s the crazy part – while Costa Ricans are living longer with this morning ritual, Americans trying it are losing 7 lbs in a couple weeks as a “side effect.” Not a bad bonus, right?

➤ Columbia County: $1.57 million in FEMA disaster funding has been announced for the county as part of a nearly $10 million package that includes Bryan County, Springfield, and Pooler. (More)

➤ Savannah: The Georgia Association of Broadcasters named Savannah Bananas owner Jesse Cole its 2026 Georgian of the Year. (More)

➤ Dougherty County: Seven new firetrucks equipped with upgraded safety features and 1,000-gallon tanks entered service on Friday. (More)

➤ Canton: A ruptured refrigerant line from the Cherokee County Justice Center’s air-conditioning system prompted an evacuation before hazmat crews contained the leak. Nobody was hurt. (More)

➤ Columbus: The YMCA of Metropolitan Columbus has finished a five-year renovation project that added upgraded facilities and other improvements for the community. (More)

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➤ Nick Chubb, a Cedartown native who rushed for 4,769 yards and 48 touchdowns at Georgia, announced his retirement from the NFL on Friday. “Health is the real wealth,” he wrote on Instagram. (More)

➤ Sandy Creek upset No. 19 Grayson 21-13 on Friday night, dropping the Loganville program to 0-2 under new head coach Greg Carswell. (More)

➤ Baltimore Ravens receiver Rashod Bateman, a Tifton native, was arrested in June in Walton County on charges of battery, reckless conduct, and criminal damage to property. The NFL is reviewing the case. (More)

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➤ Could Chocolate Help Support Your GLP-1 Levels? One particular form of chocolate is getting attention for its potential effect on GLP-1, a hormone involved in appetite and metabolism. While some people turn to expensive injections, others are exploring this surprisingly simple approach. Could your favorite treat hold the key? Discover the #1 chocolate for supporting metabolism and GLP-1 >>

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3 foods that are loading your body with microplastics

According to Dr. Rick Cohen – a renowned Duke University MD – these 3 “micro-plastic foods” are secretly poisoning Americans…

Because they’re packed with tiny pieces of plastic that can raise your risk of a heart attack, build up inside your brain and damage organs in your body. These “3 foods” are some of America’s favorite seafood, a common vegetable and something you sprinkle EVERY day on your meals.

Avoid these 3 “micro-plastic foods at all costs

➤ Georgia’s loggerhead sea turtles set a nesting record this season, with 4,138 nests counted, topping the old mark of 4,071 from 2022. (More)

➤ A celebration at a Savannah barbecue restaurant marked the 103rd birthday of Marine Corps veteran Cpl. Leonard B. Turner. (More)

➤ Atlanta’s 30346 ZIP code drew more new residents than any other ZIP code in the state during the first half of 2026, according to a report by MovingPlace. (More)

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➤ Most Americans think eating sweets for breakfast is unhealthy. But according to Stanford researchers, there’s one delicious “dessert” that Costa Ricans in the famous “blue zone” there eat each morning. So, what’s the #1 “dessert” food that helps Costa Ricans live healthy, lean, and energetic past 100?

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

➤ A brief tariff pause ended with the U.S. and Canada locked in a new trade fight. (Hear More)

➤ A father’s decision left his young son stranded thousands of feet up Mount Fuji. (Listen Now)

➤ The night sky is set to deliver a lunar show that will not be matched until 2028. (Podcast Available)

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➤ Most of us could use a few more healthy habits, but they don’t have to be complicated. Quince has a wellness product that’s become part of many of our daily routines. We think it’s worth checking out if you’re looking to make small improvements that add up over time. (More)