State’s Midyear Budget Heads to Conference

Proposed mid-year changes to Georgia’s $42.3 billion budget are heading to a conference committee after the state Senate and House disagreed on several spending items.

Both chambers back $1.2 billion in proposed income tax rebates, and the state Senate also embraced the House’s $850 million property tax refund for homeowners. The property tax rebate would return an average of $300 to $500 to homeowners, said state Sen. Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia.

Among the differences, the Senate’s budget plan would reduce House-supported state employee bonuses from $2,000 to $1,250, restore $88 million for an aerospace building at Georgia Tech, and add $409 million to build a regional mental health hospital.

The Senate plan also trims a proposed college scholarship endowment from $325 million to $100 million.

  Trump Honors Illegal Immigration Crime Victims

President Trump signed a proclamation Monday designating Feb. 22 as National Angel Family Day in a White House ceremony honoring the families of Laken Riley and others who lost loved ones to crimes by illegal immigrants.

The date marks the second anniversary of the Augusta University nursing student’s murder while jogging on the University of Georgia campus. An illegal immigrant from Venezuela was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

Riley’s mother, Allyson Phillips, thanked the president for honoring her daughter. The event preceded Trump’s State of the Union address, where immigration is expected to be a central theme.

U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, R-Jackson, thanked Trump on Monday “for honoring Laken’s life and giving Angel Families a voice.” Last year, the Collins-sponsored Laken Riley Act became the first bill signed into law in Trump’s second term.

Woods Hints at Possible Masters Return

Tiger Woods told CBS during a broadcast Saturday that it is possible he could play in the 2026 Masters in early April at Augusta National.

The 50-year-old golf icon and five-time Masters champion has not competed since the 2024 Open Championship. He ruptured his Achilles tendon in March 2025 and underwent his seventh back surgery in October.

Woods said he has progressed to hitting full shots but acknowledged his age and injuries make a return challenging. He also mentioned the Champions Tour as an option, noting he would consider using a cart on that circuit.

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Cold Weather Drives Surge in Demand for Winter Must-Haves

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➤ Savannah: A Delta flight bound for Atlanta returned to Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport after engine trouble sparked a large grass fire near the runway on Sunday. (More)

➤ Pembroke: The state Department of Public Health confirmed a measles case in an unvaccinated Bryan County resident who had recently traveled out of state, the state’s second case this year. (More)

➤ Atlanta: California Gov. Gavin Newsom faced blowback over a viral clip that critics say portrays him talking down to black voters at a book tour event Sunday at the Rialto Center for the Arts. (More)

➤ Leslie: Mayor Corey Michael Capone was arrested Sunday night and charged with aggravated battery, criminal interference with government property, and two counts of terroristic threats. (More)

➤ Dacula: A national developer announced plans to build a 300-unit apartment community near Harbins Road and Highway 316, set to open in April 2028. (More)

➤ Statewide: The state House unanimously passed a stripped-down bill to create a study committee on moving 17-year-olds from adult to juvenile courts, a measure named for late state Rep. Mandi Ballinger, R-Canton. (More)

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➤ Former Georgia Southern runner Tim Willis—the first blind cross-country athlete to compete at the Division I level—was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame this weekend. (More)

➤ Former Georgia women’s basketball player and two-time WNBA champion Kara Braxton died this past weekend in a single-car crash in Cobb County. She was 43. Braxton was named SEC Freshman of the Year during her time with the Bulldogs in the early 2000s. (More)

➤ No. 12 Georgia softball lost to No. 20 Virginia Tech 9-3 this past weekend, moving the team to 13-4 on the season. The team’s next test comes on Wednesday against No. 24 Clemson. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NBA | NCAAM | NCAAW | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer

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➤ A Lawrenceville sign spinner and two-time world champion will compete in the 2026 World Sign-Spinning Championships on March 7 in Las Vegas, where judges score on style, technique, and execution. (More)

➤ Tariffs have boosted demand for one Atlanta woodworker while forcing an Italian market in the city’s Buckhead neighborhood to scramble for product substitutes. (More)

➤ The state Senate’s budget proposal earmarks $55 million for expanding natural gas infrastructure as part of the state’s strategy to spur rural economic development. (More)

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Cold weather doesn’t stand a chance. 

Discover the smartest winter gadgets of the season: from heated gloves and car essentials to snow-ready tools that make icy mornings easier. These practical finds are designed to keep you warm, safe, and comfortable all winter long. Upgrade your cold-weather routine before the next freeze hits.

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➤ Georgia singers Philmon Lee of LaGrange and Brianna Yancey of Alpharetta are competing during American Idol Hollywood Week, taking place this year in Nashville, Tennessee. (More)

➤ The University of Georgia ranked No. 10 among public universities nationally by Niche, which also placed the school second in the nation for best student life. (More)

➤ The deputy director of Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention resigned after two months on the job, citing unforeseen family obligations. (More)

Do you think Tiger Woods will play in the Masters?

1. Yes
2. No
3. No opinion

Yesterday’s Results:

Did you watch more of the Olympics than you expected?

1. Less: 28%
2. What I expected: 27%
3. More: 24%
4. Other: 21%

Which late Georgia political icon was born on this day in the tiny mountain town of Young Harris?

Show me the answer