Helene Ag Aid Arrives

The state Department of Agriculture began accepting applications for a $531 million federal block grant aimed at helping farmers, ranchers, and foresters recover from Hurricane Helene’s 2024 devastation.

Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper said more than 150 producers applied on the first day.

The program targets losses typically not covered by standard USDA disaster programs, including damage to timber, citrus, poultry houses, pecans, blueberries, and cattle operations.

Timber producers face unusual hardship because no insurance program covers losses from storms. Hurricane Helene damaged or destroyed an estimated 1.5 million acres of timber statewide.

The application window closes April 27.

  Tax Rebates Draw Unanimous Support 

The state Senate voted 53-0 to rebate state income taxes of $250 to individuals and $500 to married couples, mirroring the unanimous vote in the state House earlier in the month.

“It’s the taxpayers’ money. Give it back to them,” state Sen. Bo Hatchett, R-Cornelia, said of a vote that finalized a budget agreement reached last month.

“It’s good, common-sense legislation. We were proud to vote for it,” said Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones, D-Augusta.

The rebates also include $375 for heads of household.

Everyone who filed income tax returns for the 2024 and 2025 tax years and paid taxes in those years is eligible for a refund, the fourth in the last five years.

Paradegoers Revel in Sea of Green

Thousands lined the streets of Savannah for the city’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade on Tuesday, despite cold conditions replacing the usual Southern warmth. You can watch the parade here.

The parade was one of many in the state in recent days, including Dublin’s 61st annual parade this past weekend. Dublin, incorporated in 1812, was named by a town founder to honor his late wife’s Dublin, Ireland heritage.

In Savannah, Irish dancers from the local Legacy Irish Dance Academy performed traditional sets along the route. The group travels around the world, including to Ireland, and the studio’s owner called the Savannah celebration “like the perfect place to match Ireland.”

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➤ Statewide: Gas prices across the state jumped again to an average of $3.65 a gallon as of Tuesday, rising 11 cents overnight and up from $2.71 a month ago, according to AAA. (More)

➤ Pickens County: Police responding to a shots-fired call killed a male suspect outside the Veterans Affairs Clinic in Jasper on Tuesday. The clinic will remain closed for the rest of the week. (More)

➤ Statewide: A poll found broad support among Georgia voters for voter ID and other parts of the Save America Act under debate in the U.S. Senate. (More)

➤ Clarkesville: The city began its search for a permanent city manager after the retirement of Keith Dickerson in February. City Clerk Julie Poole is serving as the interim leader. (More)

➤ Dahlonega: The community opened an overnight warming shelter at Georgia Mountains Unitarian Universalist Church ahead of cold temperatures Monday night. (More)

➤ Albany: The city opened its transit center as a warming shelter through today as temperatures dropped below freezing. (More)

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➤ The Atlanta Hawks won their 10th straight game, the team’s longest streak in over a decade. They play the Dallas Mavericks tonight. (More)

➤ Bleacher Report named Georgia men’s basketball a potential bracket buster in this year’s March Madness tournament. (More)

➤ Former Atlanta Falcon offensive tackle Elijah Wilkinson called his former team a “clown show” in since-deleted posts on social media. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer | World Baseball Classic | Tennis

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➤ Dycom Industries will build a 49-acre telecommunications training campus in Monroe featuring a mock town for hands-on fiber deployment practice, set to break ground next month. (More)

➤ Georgia resumed poultry exports after last week’s announcement that the state regained its bird flu-free status, reopening markets restricted after outbreaks in Hart and Walker counties. (More)

➤ Tilray Brands Inc. announced its purchase plans for the Ohio-based U.S. operations of BrewDog, retaining only select sites around the country. BrewDog Atlanta closed last week. (More)

➤ Three years ago, The Flyover launched with 47 readers and a simple idea: deliver the news straight, without the spin. If that mission matters to you, would you make a contribution today to help us keep building it?  

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➤ The Atlanta Braves will host a free open house from 1-4 p.m. Sunday at Truist Park, giving fans access to run the bases, visit the dugout, and explore the ballpark. (More)

➤ The free Statesboro Festival of the Arts will take place Saturday and Sunday at The Market at Visit Statesboro, featuring more than 70 artists, live demonstrations, and food trucks. (More)

➤ Job fairs are taking place this month for the Element by Westin, a new riverfront hotel coming to Bainbridge. (More)

Have you ever toured Truist Park?

1. Yes
2. Only during a game
3. No

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you ever kayaked?

1. Yes: 51%
2. No: 49%

When and where did Georgia’s first post office open?

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