Federal School Grants Remain on Pause

More than $200 million in federal education grants for Georgia remain on hold, part of the nationwide $7 billion in grants temporarily frozen under President Trump’s administration.

The U.S. Department of Education said it wants to ensure taxpayer dollars “are spent in accordance with the president’s priorities and the department’s statutory responsibilities.”

A spokesman for the White House Office of Management and Budget said the freeze is also tied to concerns that some grants may have been misused to subsidize a “radical left-wing agenda” in some states, including New York and Washington.

In Georgia, a group of educators, parents, and lawmakers called for the release of the funding. Georgia is not among the 24 states where officials have filed a lawsuit in an attempt to force the release of the money.

  Hubbard Wins Dem PSC Runoff

Clean energy advocate Peter Hubbard defeated former state Rep. Keisha Waites in the Democratic runoff for the District 3 seat on the state Public Service Commission.

Hubbard won with 58% of the vote in an election with low turnout. He will face Republican incumbent Fitz Johnson in the November general election.

In the District 2 race, a runoff was not necessary as Republicans in June chose incumbent Tim Echols and Democrats picked Alicia Johnson of Augusta to meet in the November election.

The five-member commission oversees and sets rates for utilities, including Georgia Power.

Smart Previews Season; Georgia No. 2 in SEC Poll 

Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart addressed SEC Media Days on Tuesday in Atlanta, praising his team’s young leaders and stressing the value of “relationships over transactions” in the NIL era.

Entering his 10th season as the Bulldogs coach, Smart said 54% of the team’s 2025 roster is made up of first- and second-year players, a sharp contrast to last year’s veteran squad. Elsewhere, Smart downplayed rumors of Nick Saban’s return to coaching.

A USA Today pre-season ranking of SEC teams put Texas at No. 1, followed by Georgia, Alabama, and LSU. Georgia will host Texas for a game on Nov. 15. You can see the Bulldogs’ 2025 schedule here.

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➤ Lee County: A Georgia Southwestern freight train partially derailed near Smithville, with two of 15 cars leaving the tracks. (More)

➤ Towns County: A 5-year-old from Cumming drowned in Lake Chatuge after wandering from his nearby home. (More)

➤ Gwinnett County: Two Venezuelan nationals were arrested after agents seized meth, cocaine, and cash in a multi-agency drug raid following a months-long investigation. (More)

➤ Dade County: A K9 officer named Georgia died in a hot patrol car after the failure of the car’s air conditioning and heat alarm. Her handler was fired for negligence. (More)

➤ Chatham County: Residents can begin applying for low-income energy assistance, with the first sign-up session Sunday night at the EOA Cuyler Building. (More)

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➤ If the Atlanta Braves fail to qualify for the postseason, the team will become the 12th consecutive MLB team to miss the playoffs in the same year it hosted the All-Star Game. (More)

➤ Texas football beat out the Georgia Bulldogs in landing a commitment from linebacker Tyler Atkinson, considered the No.1 recruit in the state of Georgia. (More)

➤ The Atlanta Dream announced Rhyne Howard will miss this weekend’s WNBA All-Star festivities and the rest of July as she rehabs from a knee injury. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: Soccer | WNBA

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➤ State utility regulators approved a plan for Georgia Power to meet growing energy demand by delaying the closures of its coal plants while expanding its renewable energy generation. (More)

➤ AT&T donated $25,000 to Georgia’s Technical College System to boost digital access and literacy training for underserved youth. (More)

➤ Fort Stewart hosted an employer seminar to connect transitioning soldiers with regional employers for successful civilian workforce integration. (More)

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➤ Truist Park in Atlanta glammed up its All-Star Week menu, offering peach cobbler nachos and a deep-fried hot dog rolled in Cheetos and Fruity Pebbles. (More)

➤ WorldAtlas released its choices for the 13 most eccentric towns in Georgia, from Alto’s school bus art graveyard to Helen’s Bavarian charm. (More)

➤ Georgia Tech received $20 million from the National Science Foundation to build Nexus, a powerful artificial intelligence-aided supercomputer aimed at advancing medicine, technology, and manufacturing. (More)

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Would you eat Truist Park’s deep-fried hot dog rolled in Cheetos and Fruity Pebbles? 

1. Yes
2. No

Yesterday’s Results:

Do you use bug spray when you go outside in the summer?

1. Sometimes: 39%
2. No: 34%
3. Yes: 27%

What is the official state vegetable of Georgia?

Show me the answer