Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Good morning! On this day in 1889, Conrad Aiken was born in Savannah. Haunted by a childhood tragedy, he won the Pulitzer Prize, shaped modern poetry, and was named Georgia’s poet laureate in 1973.

Here’s a debate you don’t want to miss. Warren Buffett, the man behind one of history’s greatest fortunes, has an investing rule for everyday people, and it’s simple. He calls it the 90/10 rule, and it’s the same plan he wrote into his own will for his wife’s inheritance. But critics say it’s far too aggressive for retirees, and maybe for anyone who can’t stomach a downturn. So which side is right? Today on The Flyover Podcast, Ayla takes you inside both sides of the fight, plus what happened when one researcher put the rule through a 30-year stress test. Tune in here!

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State’s Best Hospitals Ranked

U.S. News & World Report named Emory University Hospital the top hospital among 13 ranked in metro Atlanta in its 2026-2027 Best Hospitals edition.

The 37th annual study recognized 505 regional hospitals across 49 states and Washington, D.C., and placed 20 hospitals on its national Honor Roll. You can search hospitals here.

New this year, U.S. News introduced regional specialty rankings in cancer, cardiology, orthopedics, and rehabilitation, letting patients compare nearby options for complex care rather than only national programs.

This year’s methodology gave heavier weight to risk-adjusted survival and complication rates, drawn from more than 800 million patient care records.

Robinson Hits Pay Dirt

The Atlanta Falcons agreed to terms on a three-year extension with Bijan Robinson reportedly worth up to $75 million, the richest running back deal in NFL history.

Robinson receives $51 million guaranteed, including $37 million at signing, and his $22.25 million average annual value passes Saquon Barkley’s $20.6 million.

The deal ends a week-long training camp hold-in and returns Robinson to the practice field at Flowery Branch.

Atlanta reached longer-term deals with three other young offensive starters this offseason: wide receiver Drake London, tight end Kyle Pitts, and guard Matthew Bergeron.

Towns Among Nation’s Least Costly

Three Georgia towns landed on Kiplinger’s ranking of the 25 cheapest U.S. small towns, with Dublin, Dalton, and Statesboro all falling below the national cost-of-living average.

Statesboro, home to Georgia Southern University, ranked No. 15, with housing 23.5% under the national figure. Dalton placed No. 20 at 12.5% below average, highlighted for its carpet-industry strength and housing nearly 30% below average.

Dublin ranked 23rd at 11.6% below average, including housing that runs 24% cheaper. Three college campuses and a VA medical center anchor the town of about 16,000.

Kiplinger defined small towns as places with populations of approximately 10,000 to 50,000 people, and based the rankings on the Council for Community and Economic Research’s cost-of-living index.

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➤ Marietta: Charlie Duncan, Georgia’s oldest World War II veteran, died Friday at 107. Services are Wednesday. (More)

➤ Clayton County: Local, state and federal authorities are investigating whether unauthorized cyber activity caused the pump station failure behind last week’s boil advisory. (More)

➤ Savannah: More than 34,400 students returned to Savannah-Chatham County classrooms as the district opened 61 locations, including the new REACH charter school. (More)

➤ Columbus: Columbus Technical College opened a $12 million, 13,000-square-foot workforce training center named for Medal of Honor recipient Col. Ralph Puckett Jr. (More)

➤ Fulton County: Schools are using Linewize monitoring software this year that can flag what students type on school devices, including text they delete before sending. (More)

➤ Talbot County: Residents urged county commissioners to hold open meetings and refuse nondisclosure agreements before signing any deal for proposed data centers or battery storage projects. (More)

➤ Marion County: A ban on personal electronic devices in all grades takes effect with the new school year, going beyond the state’s new kindergarten-through-eighth-grade requirement. (More)

➤ Waynesboro: Plant Vogtle’s four reactors make it the nation’s largest nuclear plant by generating capacity, and the site supports nearly 2,000 permanent jobs around the clock. (More)

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➤ State basketball championships will move from Macon to the Georgia State Convocation Center in Atlanta for the next two seasons while Macon builds a new arena. (More)

➤ The Atlanta Braves acquired left-handed reliever Brent Suter from the Angels at the trade deadline in exchange for infielder Nacho Alvarez Jr. He’s the third addition of the week after they picked up outfielder Lane Thomas and pitcher Tyler Mahle over the weekend. (More)

➤ Georgia Gwinnett College will add men’s cross country, women’s cross country, and women’s volleyball to its athletics program. (More)

➤ USA TODAY Sports released its preseason girls flag football rankings for Georgia, with Greenbrier at No. 1 after going 22-3 last year. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | Soccer | WNBA | Tennis | Little League Softball World Series

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➤ Yamaha will stop building side-by-side vehicles at its Newnan plant after the 2026 model year, part of a global realignment the company says affects about 300 positions. (More)

➤ The former International Paper mill site in Savannah hit the real estate market as a 735-acre heavy industrial parcel with rail, riverfront, and Port of Savannah access. (More)

➤ Terrapin Beer Co.’s brewery in Athens is slated for closure under a restructuring plan by parent company Tilray Brands. (More)

➤ A 25-year-old former intern of the Monticello News bought the newspaper from its longtime owner. (More)

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➤ Marietta High School seniors blanketed their campus in an estimated 1,000 rolls of toilet paper, keeping a first-day-of-school tradition that dates back roughly 60 years. (More)

➤ Kimberly and Matthew Gabriel of Bainbridge sit third nationally in the America’s Favorite Couple contest, where the winning pair gets $20,000 and a Hollywood Hills dinner with Jeff Goldblum. (More)

➤ Identical twins Dev and Jay Shetty have done nearly everything together their whole lives until this summer, when the 17-year-olds from the Augusta area each flew solo to earn a private pilot license. (More)

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

➤ One of the world’s richest investors swears by a rule critics call dangerously aggressive for retirees. (Hear Details)

➤ Rising costs are forcing a record number of young professionals back into their parents’ homes. (Hear Episode)

➤ The death of a young woman at a New York med spa is exposing a booming and largely unregulated industry. (Listen Now)