Thursday, February 6, 2025

Good morning! On this day in 1736, Church of England priest and missionary John Wesley, who would later found the Methodist Church, delivered his first sermon on American soil near Savannah. Wesleyan College in Macon is named after him.

Chicken wings are big for Super Bowl fans and Georgia’s economy. Find out how big in our Top Stories. Want to make your own? Click here for recipes.

We’re sponsored today by the nonprofit World Concern, offering an opportunity to help needy Christian children in Somalia.

Former DA Cleared in Ahmaud Arbery Case

The Brunswick trial of former District Attorney Jackie Johnson ended with her acquittal Wednesday. The judge dismissed the last remaining charge that she meddled in the Ahmaud Arbery murder case.

Senior Judge John R. Turner’s decision came two days after he dismissed a misdemeanor charge against Johnson, saying prosecutors failed to show “one scintilla of evidence” that Johnson directed police investigators not to arrest the man who shot Arbery.

Johnson served as Glynn County’s top prosecutor when Arbery was fatally shot in 2020. On Tuesday, she took the stand, testifying that none of her actions in the case were improper.

Lawmakers Propose Riley Gaines Act

A group of state GOP lawmakers released its proposal for prohibiting males from participating in girls’ and women’s sports in Georgia.

“This issue is simple; men don’t belong in women’s sports,” said Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns, R-Newington. The measure is expected to be a top priority for the GOP-controlled legislature in 2025.

Critics of the bill, including state Sen. Kim Jackson, D-DeKalb County, said the measure addresses a non-issue in Georgia. “We’re not having girls pushed out, not able to play, not getting the scholarships they want because of trans girls,” Jackson said.

Riley Gaines, a former All-American swimmer at the University of Kentucky, gained national attention after speaking out about competing against a man in a competition.

‘Winging It’ for the Super Bowl

Even without the Atlanta Falcons playing in the Super Bowl, Georgians can cheer for another of the state’s winged favorites: chicken wings. Perdue is set to feature them in an online gameday promotion.

Georgia is the nation’s top producer of chicken for meat production in the U.S., and Perdue Farms is one of the state’s major producers.

Perdue’s live-stream Instagram show, Winging It, will air during the game’s commercial timeouts. Improv comic Wayne Brady will provide commentary on the game and other topics.

In a recent survey, Buffalo wings and hot wings ranked as the No. 1 Super Bowl party snack. Chicken tenders and nuggets ranked No. 5. Barbecue, seven-layer dip, and pizza came in at No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4, respectively.

Flying together with our sponsor

Somalia is facing a devastating combination of natural disasters, global conflicts, widespread poverty, and disease outbreaks. East Africa has just endured its worst drought in 40 years, leaving tens of millions without access to clean water, wiping out millions of livestock, and destroying crops. With domestic food production crippled, Somalia has relied heavily on imports—90% of its wheat coming from Russia and Ukraine—until those shipments stopped.

Now, two in five children in Somalia suffer from acute malnutrition, and cholera is spreading in some regions. The food crisis, compounded by global humanitarian aid being redirected to Europe and the Middle East, has created a perfect storm, leading to a sharp rise in child malnutrition.

Be Doers

We’re asking the Flyover Community to join us in partnering with World Concern to help get emergency nutrition packs (a peanut paste fortified with nutrients), water, and hygiene products to those with the most need.

Every $12 feeds a child for a month. We’re matching the first $750; just give through this link.

➤ Carrollton: Police found more than 1,700 pills, including Oxycodone, at the home of a 70-year-old man arrested for allegedly running a “pill mill.” (More)

➤ Loganville: A 19-year-old healthcare worker was arrested for allegedly posting videos of herself dancing provocatively over disabled patients. Police Chief M.D. Lowry said her actions left him “appalled and disgusted.” (More)

➤ North Georgia: An oversight panel blasted the U.S. Postal Service, saying its reform plan “depends on defective modeling and does not appear ready for implementation.” (More)

➤ Statewide: Officials report that Georgia’s switch to a state-run health insurance marketplace went well, with rural areas seeing lower rates due to the absence of federal fees. (More)

➤ Camilla: A grand jury indicted 21 residents for allegedly obtaining a combined $604,000 in fraudulent loans from the pandemic-era Paycheck Protection Program. (More)

➤ State: Wildlife officers warned of the presence of two invasive snail species found in the state’s lakes. The snails are harmful if eaten. (More)

➤ Georgia men’s basketball can still secure a March Madness bid but must finish strong after a season of ups and downs. (More)

➤ The Atlanta Falcons might have an interest in 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year winner Myles Garrett, who recently requested a trade from Cleveland. (More)

➤ A group of state senators introduced a bill to exempt NIL money given to college athletes from the state’s income taxes. (More)

➤ Want to stay up to date on everything related to name, image, and likeness in sports? NIL-Wire is just the place for you. Sign up here with one click!

➤ Yesterday’s results: NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | Soccer

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➤ The PhotoStick® OMNI automatically finds, sorts, and saves up to 60,000 photos and videos across all your devices with just ONE click. Over 1.5 Million People Use ThePhotoStick® OMNI!

➤ Georgia farmers are keeping close tabs on possible tariffs on Mexico and Canada, with one pecan grower noting that 2017 tariffs on China ended “a very lucrative market” for us. (More)

➤ Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic said he supports keeping interest rates unchanged until more is known about the direction of the U.S. economy. (More)

➤ A developer has announced plans for a 2,800-home community with business lots at Aubrey Village in Bartow County, anticipating the addition of thousands of jobs from new data centers and other industries. (More)

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➤ Kailo’s Flex™ is an all-natural pain patch, designed to quickly relieve pain anywhere on your body. It is the most flexible, comfortable, and affordable pain patch device we have ever made! (See It Here)

Flying together with our sponsor

Somalia faces a crisis from natural disasters, conflict, poverty, and disease. The worst drought in 40 years devastated crops and livestock, while food imports from Russia and Ukraine halted. Two in five Somali children now suffer from acute malnutrition. Join us in partnering with World Concern to get emergency nutrition packs & clean water to children. $12 feeds a child for a month.

➤ Paws Humane Society has assumed management of Columbus’ troubled animal shelter. The hiring and training of 31 staff are set to begin soon. (More)

➤ Lake Lanier ranked No. 7 on Field and Stream’s list of “The 8 Best Winter Bass Lakes” in the country, recognized for “big spotted bass that bite all winter long.” (More)

➤ The Atlanta Zoo welcomed Titan, a 16-year-old male African elephant born near Mozambique and now weighing 8,000 pounds, following his transfer from a Wichita zoo. (See Photo)

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➤ Check out CozyCharge, the rechargeable hand warmer that provides eight hours of warmth whenever you need it. (See It Here)