On April 8, 1917, U.S. President William Howard Taft (R-Ohio) spoke in Augusta, Georgia, according to the Augusta Chronicle.
Former President William Howard Taft spoke on the precarious world situation for more than an hour to an Easter Sunday crowd at Augusta’s Tabernacle Baptist Church.
Taft, who had lost the White House four years earlier to Woodrow Wilson, defended the actions of his former rival.
“Our national conscience is entirely void of offense in this war. We have been forced to vindicate our rights,” Taft told an enthusiastic audience.
Hank Aaron hit home run number 715 on April 8, 1974 to become the all-time home run champion, a title he arguably holds to this day.
Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig wrote about what Aaron meant to baseball and America.
As the last major league player who was a part of the Negro leagues, he was one of the game’s most prominent bridges to integration. For 23 years on the field, this humble native of Mobile, Ala., represented the game with unfailing grace, overcoming obstacles that most of us could not even imagine. In the years since then, Hank has remained one of the most distinguished and revered figures in American public life.
Aaron himself spoke to the Associated Press about the 40th anniversary of his record-breaking home run.
Aaron’s record-breaking homer will be celebrated tonight before the Atlanta Braves’ home opener against the New York Mets.
Hate mail and threats made it impossible for him to savor the chase of Ruth’s revered record, but on Monday he said he’ll enjoy the anniversary because such old friends as former teammate Dusty Baker will return for the pregame ceremony.
Aaron, 80, said he has a greater appreciation for fans who still celebrate his career.
“It does. It means an awful lot to me,” Aaron said.
“I’m not one to go around bragging about certain things. I played the game because I loved the game. … I am quite thrilled that people say that he, whatever he did, should be appreciated. That makes me feel good.”
The Braves will wear an Aaron 40th anniversary patch on their uniform sleeves this season. An outfield sign at Turner Field also will mark the anniversary.
Before hitting the homer into the Braves’ bullpen beyond the left-field wall, Aaron told [Dusty] Baker what was about to happen.
“That I can remember like it was yesterday,” Baker said. “It was a cold, cold night in April. Hank told me, ‘I’m going to get this over with now.’ He knew every pitch that was coming. He had total recall of pitch sequences. He was as smart as they came.”
Aaron confirmed Baker’s tale on Monday: “I think that was right. I think I made that remark and made it to Dusty maybe three or four times. I just felt within myself that eventually before the night was over I was going to hit a home run.”
From the Associated Press via the Valdosta Daily Times on the 50th Anniversary:
Aaron’s teammates, including Dusty Baker, worried on his behalf even as the future Hall of Famer circled the bases following his record-breaking 715th homer on April 8, 1974. Baker, who was on deck, and Tom House, who caught the homer in the Atlanta bullpen behind the left-field wall, will return Monday for the 50-year anniversary of the homer.
After sprinting from the bullpen to deliver the ball to Aaron at home plate, House found Aaron’s mother giving the slugger a big hug.
“You could see both of them with tears in their eyes,” House told The Associated Press. “… It was a mother and son. Obviously, that was cool. It was also mom protecting her boy from at that time everybody thought somebody would actually try to shoot him at home plate.
“So there were all kind of things. I gave him the ball. I said, ‘Here it is, Hank.’ He said ‘Thanks, kid.’”
Bob Hope, then the Braves media relations director, said Aaron would not be deterred by the threats issued late in the 1973 season as he approached Ruth’s record of 714 career homers.
“One time the FBI wanted to come meet with him on a Sunday and asked him not to play because they felt they had legitimate death threats on him,” Hope said.
“We went down to the clubhouse and sat down with him and Hank just said: ‘What kind of statement would that be? I am a baseball player. You guys do what you need to do to keep things secure, but I’m playing baseball.’ And I thought that was very reflective of his personality all the way through.”
To mark the 50-year anniversary of Aaron’s 715th homer, the Atlanta History Center will open a new exhibit to the public, through the Henry Louis Aaron Fund, celebrating Aaron on Tuesday that will remain open through the 2025 All-Star Game in Atlanta. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is expected to attend a preview of the exhibit on Monday.
Aaron’s bat and the ball he hit for the record homer, owned by the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York and normally not open to public viewing, will be on display at Truist Park’s monument garden on Monday.
Kurt Cobain was found dead by his own hand on April 8, 1994.
Governor Zell Miller signed legislation proclaiming Gainesville, Georgia the Poultry Capital of the World on April 8, 1995.
The Square Dance became the official state folk dance on April 8, 1996, when Gov. Zell Miller signed legislation recognizing it.
On April 8, 2005, Eric Rudolph agreed to plead guilty to the fatal 1996 bombing at Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
United States Secretary of Health & Human Service Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he will order to CDC to stop recommending fluoridation of water, according to the Associated Press via WRDW.
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday said he plans to tell the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stop recommending fluoridation in communities nationwide. Kennedy said he’s assembling a task force of health experts to study the issue and make new recommendations.
Also on Monday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it is reviewing “new scientific information” on potential health risks of fluoride in drinking water. The EPA sets the maximum level allowed in public water systems.
Kennedy told The Associated Press of his plans after a news conference with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin in Salt Lake City.
Kennedy cannot order communities to stop fluoridation, but he can direct the CDC to stop recommending it and work with the EPA to change the allowed amount.
Utah last month became the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water, pushing past opposition from dentists and national health organizations who warned the move would disproportionately hurt low-income residents who can’t afford regular dentist visits.
Republican Gov. Spencer Cox signed legislation barring cities and communities from deciding whether to add the cavity-preventing mineral to their drinking water. Water systems across the state must stop fluoridation by May 7.
Kennedy praised Utah for emerging as “the leader in making America healthy again.” He was flanked by Utah legislative leaders and the sponsor of the state’s fluoride law.
“I’m very, very proud of this state for being the first state to ban it, and I hope many more will,” he said.
Kennedy, a former environmental lawyer, has called fluoride a “dangerous neurotoxin” and said it has been associated with arthritis, bone breaks and thyroid disease. Some studies have suggested such links might exist, usually at higher-than-recommended fluoride levels, though some reviewers have questioned the quality of available evidence and said no definitive conclusions can be drawn.
In November, just days before the presidential election, Kennedy declared Donald Trump would push to remove fluoride from drinking water on his first day as president. That didn’t happen, but Trump later picked Kennedy to run the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where he has been expected to take some kind of action. Meanwhile, some localities have gone ahead with deciding whether to keep adding fluoride.
Fluoride can come from a number of sources, but drinking water is the main one for Americans, researchers say. Nearly two-thirds of the U.S. population gets fluoridated drinking water, according to CDC data. The addition of low levels of fluoride to drinking water was long considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century.
Georgia voters will nominate candidates for Public Service Commission on June 17, 2025, according to the AJC.
Two commissioners on Georgia’s all-Republican utility regulatory board are up for reelection after five years without elections because of a redistricting court battle.
The Public Service Commission, which oversees electricity and utility rates for much of the state, last had a seat up for election in 2020. Elections were delayed as the courts weighed a lawsuit that was ultimately unsuccessful, claiming the board’s at-large elections illegally diluted the votes of Black Georgians.
The legal battle delayed elections for commissioners representing Districts 2 and 3. The six-year terms for those districts were supposed to expire in 2022.
Last year, state lawmakers passed a bill requiring elections for those two commission seats in 2025. It also temporarily extended the terms for every commissioner on the board to reorder the staggered elections for members.Under Georgia law, commissioners must live in their districts to be eligible to run, but elections for each seat on the board are conducted statewide. It’s why the entire five-person board has remained Republican even for commission seats in districts with Democratic majorities.
This year voters will cast ballots for District 2, which spans from the east Atlanta suburbs to Athens, Augusta and Savannah; and District 3, which represents Clayton, DeKalb and Fulton counties. Qualifying for the Public Service Commission races ended last week.
Tim Echols, the District 2 incumbent running for a third term on the board, will face Lee Muns, a former member of the Columbia County Board of Education, in a June 17 Republican primary. The winner of that primary will face Democrat Alicia Johnson of Augusta, in November.
In District 3, Republican incumbent Fitz Johnson, whom Gov. Brian Kemp appointed in 2021, will be challenged for the first time in November by one of the four Democrats vying for the party nomination in June.
Those include Keisha Sean Waites, former state representative and former Atlanta City Council member; Peter Hubbard, chief executive of Georgia Center for Energy Solutions; Robert Jones, who has worked in energy and tech for the government and private companies; and Daniel Blackman, who served as the southern region administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Biden administration.
Alicia Johnson, running for District 2, and many of the Democrats vying for the party nomination in District 3, have framed their campaigns around investments in renewable energy and advocating for consumers who’ve experienced a series of utility rate hikes in recent years.
Echols told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the consumer rate hikes are necessary to improve Georgia’s utility infrastructure.
Early in-person voting for the June primaries will begin May 27. Elections for the two commission districts and municipal elections will be held on Nov. 4.
Albany voters will elect a new Ward VI Commissioner on April 15, 2025, according to the Albany Herald.
Candidates and Their Platforms
Diane Brown, a community activist and local business owner, is a prominent contender. Johnson’s platform centers around economic revitalization, affordable housing and community engagement. She envisions a Ward VI where local businesses thrive, residents have access to affordable and quality housing, and community members actively participate in decision-making processes. Brown emphasizes the importance of small business support, equitable development, and fostering a sense of community through inclusive policies and initiatives.
Samuel Gaines, a political newcomer with a background in ministry and sales, brings a fresh perspective to the race. His campaign focuses on partnerships, established relationships, and a collaborative approach to enhancing education, involving both law enforcement and community organizations.
Early voting, which is being conducted at the Candy Room at the Riverfront Resource Center in downtown Albany, will end April 11. Election Day is April 15th.
Bárbara Rivera Holmes was sworn in as Georgia Commissioner of Labor, according to Georgia Recorder.
During Friday’s swearing-in ceremony, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp trumpeted Holmes’ groundbreaking accomplishment becoming Georgia’s first Hispanic woman to become a constitutional officer. The former news reporter resigned as president and CEO of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce after being selected by Kemp to fill the remaining term of former Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson, who died in November following an eight-month battle with pancreatic cancer.
“Like I said last month when we announced the appointment of Bárbara Rivera Holmes to this position, I said that she was smart, accomplished and dedicated to growing opportunities for hard working Georgians,” Kemp said. “She also brings unique experience in economic development, especially in rural parts of our state, and education at the highest levels in our state will benefit all those who are looking for work.”
Holmes will begin leading the Georgia Department of Labor amid rising fears of a recession as President Donald Trump’s administration levies historic tariffs that critics argue could raise the price of U.S. goods while disrupting the global economy.
Holmes said Friday that she plans to run for a four-year term as labor commissioner when her current term ends in the 2026 election year.
“The Department of Labor is vital to our state’s economy for supporting workforce development, job attainment, safe working conditions and the prosperity of our communities,” she said.
Georgia State Senator Brandon Beach (R-Alpharetta), the Trump Administration’s Treasurer-designate, spoke about the new tariffs, according to Atlanta News First via WRDW.
On Monday, President Donald Trump threatened to impose a 50% tariff on Chinese goods. Trump shared the bold warning via social media.
State Sen. Brandon Beach, a longtime public servant and a close ally of the president, was recently selected to be Trump’s pick for U.S. treasurer.
On Friday, after fellow senators bid him farewell, he assured Georgians that the tariffs would ultimately lead to the return of manufacturing jobs to the U.S., a move that he believes would benefit the state.
“We want American manufacturing jobs,” Beach said. “The president just announced that a steel manufacturing company is relocating to Louisiana. We’ve got other manufacturers. Hyundai just opened a plant in Brunswick, South Georgia,” Beach said. “I’m going to help President Trump carry out his economic agenda. We want to make this economy roll again. President Trump is going to do that with an energy policy, not just an energy independent policy, but an energy dominant policy.”
“When we get energy costs down, the cost of eggs will go down, the cost of groceries, the cost of goods — everything will go down. I think we’re going to do a great job. I know we’re getting a little pain on the tariffs right now, but it’s short-term,” said Beach.
Emory University finance professor Tucker Balch shared his concerns about the immediate effects of the tariffs, predicting a rise in inflation by as much as 5% this year.
“The last time the country tried this was in 1930, and we quickly realized it wasn’t a good idea,” Balch said. “Tariffs add friction to the mechanics of free trade and manufacturing.”
He also noted that businesses are already seeing price hikes, with some companies reporting losses of up to 20% due to the trade war. Balch cautioned that retirement accounts like IRAs and 401(k)s could take a hit, urging investors to consider their risk tolerance.
“I’ve moved my funds from stocks to cash because I’m close to retirement and I don’t want to take the risk,” said one investor. “I’m willing to miss an upturn, but I’m just playing it safe.”
Despite the immediate concerns, Balch remains optimistic about the long-term effects of the tariffs. He predicts that the impact will likely be temporary, lasting only a year or two, and he doesn’t foresee a downturn like the 2008 recession.
Gov. Brian Kemp sidestepped a direct answer on the fallout [from tariff announcements]. Rather than weighing in on the economic turbulence on Wall Street, he said in a statement through his spokesman that he’s focusing on bringing “good-paying jobs and investment to all corners of our state.”
The most full-throated endorsement came from Insurance Commissioner John King, who backed the tariffs without hesitation.
“President Trump is keeping his promise to put America first and negotiating better deals with countries that have taken advantage of us — and were allowed to do so by weak politicians,” he said. “We have to give the president and his team room to negotiate.”
Former Governor Sonny Perdue, now serving as Chancellor of the University System of Georgia, discussed how new federal rules will affect Georgia, according to the Macon Telegraph.
Sonny Perdue, chancellor of the University System of Georgia, confirmed that cuts to federal spending are impacting Georgia’s public colleges and universities during a visit to Macon on Monday.
Speaking at a Rotary Club meeting at First Presbyterian Church in downtown Macon, Perdue confirmed that universities part of the USG have had research funding withheld due to President Donald Trump’s promise to slash spending through the Department of Government Efficiency.
“We’ve gotten some notices that some funding for research is being recused, I wouldn’t say being cut out,” Perdue said.
He did not elaborate on how much funding is at risk. USG had a budget of $11 billion last year, Perdue said, with about $4 billion of that coming from state money. The remaining money that wasn’t covered by philanthropic gifts came primarily from the federal government, though officials didn’t immediately clarify how much that is.
Perdue emphasized his belief that the federal government is looking to cut the country’s deficit. He also quoted the common refrain of DOGE’s stated mission to reduce “fraud, waste and abuse.”
“I just hope they recognize that, while education is the responsibility of the states, you can’t starve them,” Perdue said.
Despite the threats, Perdue said he is confident that USG will retain most of its resources.
“We’re going to be fine, we’re going to make it,” Perdue said.
The Trump Administration cut most of a $30 million dollar grant to the City of Savannah, according to WTOC.
The City was set to receive the money to address drainage and flooding issues around the Springfield Canal in the Carver Village and Cloverdale neighborhoods. The grant was awarded through FEMA in 2023 as part of the agency’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. The grant was announced in a public ceremony near the Springfield Canal last April.
“We’re not going to change the storms from coming, but we can affect how they impact communities and how we can make sure we are protecting people, saving lives and keeping them in their homes,” FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said at the time.
FEMA announced Friday it will be cutting the BRIC program altogether, calling it “wasteful” and “politicized.” The agency said in a press release that ending the program will ensure grant funding aligns with “the President’s Executive Orders and Secretary [Kristi] Noem’s direction.”
“When the next flood comes, we’re not going to be able to throw a couple of paper towel rolls out there and call it a day. You know, we need hard infrastructure that’s going to be in the ground to protect our neighborhoods and our communities,” says Savannah Alderman Nick Palumbo.
Palumbo says the grant was going to help fund improvements that are desperately needed in the city, pointing to flooding during not just hurricanes, but average rainstorms, as well. Now, he says with that grant money just gone, the City will have to find a new way to pay.
“We’ve got to decide between police, and fire, and water, and stormwater to protect our residents. So now that this is underway, we’re reassessing what we can do with what we have,” says Palumbo.
$2.9 million of the grant has already been spent by the City of Savannah on the design and surveying phase of the project. After that, FEMA was supposed to give the rest of the money to the City to go towards the construction phase.
According to the City of Savannah, it has set up meetings with Congressman Buddy Carter, and Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock to discuss the impacts of FEMA’s decision.
“City of Savannah staff received an official advisory on April 4 indicating the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) intent to cancel previously appropriated funding for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Grant Program. This includes $30 million awarded to the City in 2023 to address improvements to the Springfield Canal. The BRIC Grant was allocated in phases. The City is currently in Phase 1 Design/Surveying and has been obligated $2,878,405 with a local match of $1,079,420. The total cost for Springfield Canal improvements is estimated at $42 million. Staff is reviewing the implications of this notice and have arranged meetings with Congressman Carter, Senator Warnock, and Senator Ossoff to update them on the grant status, share the impacts related to FEMA’s decision, and the community benefits of this project. The City will continue to work with our federal partners to protect this important and necessary infrastructure investment.” – The City of Savannah
Palumbo says he wants those that made the decision to reassess.
“$30 million is a ton of money to the City of Savannah. It may not be to the federal government, but to have these blind accusations take place without seeing it on the ground for yourself is just truly awful,” says Palumbo. “They’ve got to come and see it and reconnect with the people that are here. We’re asking them to please come on down and see it for yourself. And if there’s not a flooding issue, please tell us. Enlighten us[.]”
At the time of the grant being awarded in 2023, improvements to the drainage in Carver Village and Cloverdale were projected to take about five years. The City of Savannah was set to put $12 million of its own money into the project.
Palumbo says now, other capital improvement projects may have to be put on hold to make up for the loss of federal funding for this one.
Savannah isn’t the only city affected. There were 449 other applicants for the grant that now will not receive a combined total of $4.4 billion dollars.
In Savannah, more than 1000 protesters demonstrated against federal budget cuts by the Trump Administration, according to The Current GA.
At least a thousand anti-Trump demonstrators thronged downtown Savannah on Saturday to demand that the Trump administration cease cutbacks in federal programs and stop what they say are assaults on their rights under the U.S. Constitution.
Chanting “Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, Trump and Musk got to go,” the gathering of protesters, which was made up of at least as many people over the age of 40 as under it, snaked from the bandshell at Forsyth Park up Bull Street to City Hall.
The protesters’ agenda was strictly domestic. Their main message was “hands off” democracy — an apparent reference to President Trump’s efforts to circumvent the courts in pursuit of cost-cutting, agency-slashing agenda — and “hands off” libraries, personal data, veteran services, and LGBTQ+ rights, as well as federal programs such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid.
“Hands off” was also the main theme for some 100 protesters who gathered Saturday in Brunswick at the corner of U.S. 17 and the F.J. Torras Causeway. They, too, chanted “Hands off public health,” “Hands off our democracy” and “No kings.”
Saturday’s protests in Coastal Georgia were part of a nationwide day of protest organized by Indivisible, which claims more than 1,300 local chapters nationwide. It has encouraged members to protest at the offices of their members of Congress, regardless of political party.
FOX 5 Atlanta cameras captured demonstrators lining Main Street in Woodstock Saturday afternoon.
“I am here today to try to protect our democracy, our social security. Our country has become unrecognizable, and it’s really unfortuante,” a supporter who came from Canton told FOX 5 Atlanta. “We need to wake up before we are Russia. Unfortunately, Trump is a liar, and people are falling under his spell. He is not a king. We the people, we must speak out for our democracy and for our country.”
Hundreds of people took over a street in Midtown during a protest that started at Oak Hill in Piedmont Park at 12:30 p.m., according to organizers.
Participants demanded Trump and Musk take their “hands off” healthcare, social security, civil rights and education.
The plan was to march to the Georgia State Capitol for a second rally that kicked off at 2:30 p.m.
FOX 5 Atlanta viewers have also sent in images of a demonstration in Rome and Marietta.
Thousands of protesters condemning the Trump administration’s sweeping tariffs and purge of the U.S. government marched Saturday through Midtown Atlanta and gathered at the Georgia Capitol.
The protest was part of a national day of action that included about 14 other demonstrations across Georgia and more than 1,200 planned nationwide. They called on President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency, to take their “hands off democracy.”
Organizers of the Atlanta event estimated about 20,000 people turned out.
By 2:30 p.m., protesters packed into Liberty Plaza at Georgia’s Gold Dome to hear from a slate of speakers including lawmakers, former federal employees and civil rights activists. The plaza reached its maximum capacity as officials directed the overflow to the Memorial Drive Greenway across the Downtown Connector.
Lawmakers including U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Lithonia, and State Rep. Gabriel Sanchez, D-Smyrna, were in attendance. Johnson marched with the crowd, lauding Atlanta for the “tremendous turnout,” while Sanchez urged the Democratic Party to unite and stand up for democracy as the future of the country sits at a crossroads.
“We have to decide if we are going to be a party for the people or a party for the people at the top,” he said in Liberty Plaza as the crowd broke out in cheers.
Hundreds of people gathered on the Downtown Gainesville Square Saturday as a part of a nationwide protest against President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
The “Hands Off” protest in the city was one of 18 held in Georgia in tandem with a number of organizations, including the Hall County chapter for Indivisible and MoveOn and local Democratic groups. One protestor, Reverend Dallas Thompson, explained the protest aimed to speak out against government involvement in a variety of social issues.
Columbus residents gathered downtown Saturday to join the nationwide ”Hands Off!” movement, a series of protests across the country.
Across Georgia, people gathered to make their voices heard about job layoffs, potential cuts to vital government programs, and America’s role in the world. On Facebook, events were spotted outside of Atlanta, Savannah, Macon and Athens: Organizers in Augusta, Carrollton, Fayetteville, Rome, Statesboro, Gainesville, Woodstock, Columbus, Madison, Griffin, Jonesboro, Marietta, Valdosta and other locations held events.
Saturday afternoon, around 500 people came together in a park running down the middle of Poplar Street in downtown Macon.
Public libraries may also see federal funding cuts, according to WABE.
Public library officials in Georgia are bracing for how federal cuts could impact local libraries after President Donald Trump signed an executive order seeking to eliminate the Institute of Museum and Library Services in March.
The loss of funding from the federal agency would affect programs that serve public libraries across Georgia, including the statewide summer reading program; the GALILEO system that provides online access to journals, books and other publications; the PINES network that gives library users access to material at other Georgia library systems; and the Georgia Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled.
“No matter where you live in Georgia, the IMLS grants impact your library service, but especially in the rural and underserved parts of the state,” said Alan Harkness, library director of Chattahoochee Valley Libraries in and around Columbus, Georgia.
In this state, that money — a little over $5 million in 2024 — goes to the Georgia Public Library Service, which is a division of the Board of Regents. The state agency does not have all that money in hand at this point; the program works by distributing reimbursements.
Now the future of the grant funding is unclear. Some other states have received notices that their 2024 grants have been terminated.
Trump moved to make cuts to the IMLS in mid-March in an executive order that also identified several other agencies deemed unnecessary by the president.
Since the IMLS was created by Congress, the president can’t completely shut the agency down on his own; Trump’s order specified it was eliminating “non-statutory components and functions” of the agencies.
The president named U.S. Deputy Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling the acting secretary of IMLS. According to NPR, the IMLS staff was put on administrative leave.
Emails to IMLS from WABE bounced or went without response.
“A dismantling of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) would have negative implications for every American and the library services they rely upon,” the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies wrote in a statement in response to the executive order. “It will be difficult for our nation’s state libraries to successfully advance their missions should Federal funding be eliminated.”
Georgia shrimpers hailed Trump’s tariffs, according to GPB News.
Shrimp farmers in Coastal Georgia are welcoming new tariffs announced last week by the Trump administration on imported shrimp, seeing them as a lifeline for an industry struggling to compete with foreign producers.
Imported shrimp, which account for roughly 95% of all shrimp eaten in the U.S., will be subject to tariffs ranging from 10% on imports from Ecuador and Argentina to as high as 46% on shrimp from Vietnam.
John Wallace, a third-generation fisherman in McIntosh County and owner of the Brunswick-based harvester and supplier Anchored Shrimp Co., views the tariffs as a chance to restore competitive balance.
“We would just like to see a level playing field to where we can feel we can compete, make a living, do the things that we’ve always done for the last 100 years, and be a small family-owned business,” Wallace said. “That’s what most of the shrimp industry is — is just family-owned businesses that are just trying to survive.”
The Southern Shrimp Alliance, a trade group representing the U.S. shrimp industry across eight states including Georgia, praised the administration’s decision as a necessary protection for American jobs.
“We’ve watched as multigenerational family businesses tie up their boats, unable to compete with foreign producers who play by a completely different set of rules,” Southern Shrimp Alliance executive director John Williams said in a statement.
According to the group, the U.S. shrimp industry has lost nearly 50% of its market value — exceeding $1.5 billion — since 2021, when prices of imported shrimp began to drop significantly.
Wallace, who sits on the Southern Shrimp Alliance’s volunteer board of directors, acknowledged that consumer prices for shrimp may rise as a result of the tariffs, as approximately 95% of shrimp eaten in the U.S. is imported.
However, he argued that foreign competitors have long benefited from artificially low prices driven by the exploitation of workers and the use of banned antibiotics.
“If we can get a level playing field, we can compete on the market, but you can’t compete against forced labor and extremely cheap labor,” Wallace said.
While the tariffs may help domestic producers, Wallace voiced worries about the economic challenges still facing the industry.
“It’s a concern for us because inflation has hit the shrimp industry just as hard as it has anyone else,” he said. “Whereas inflation has worked on other products, the price of our shrimp has gone down in the last two years by almost 50%. So we’re working on less money, [but] everything else is costing us more.”
A local grocery store in central Georgia is being hit by tariffs, according to 13WMAZ.
Tariffs aimed at foreign governments are hitting much closer to home in Central Georgia, where rising prices are now stretching wallets and stressing small businesses.
At La Preferida, a Hispanic grocery store in Central Georgia, imported staples from countries like Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras are getting more expensive.
Store employees told us the impact has been swift and significant. For example, a pack of tamales that used to cost $7 is now nearly $10.
These changes follow a new round of tariffs enacted by the Trump administration, meant to challenge what officials call unfair trade practices by other nations.
“In Trump’s defense, a lot of other countries do have unfair trade policies against us,” Economist Greg George noted. “It hurts them, it hurts us—but we want them to stop doing it. And that’s a legitimate complaint.”
But according to economists, it’s not foreign countries footing the bill.
“The foreign countries don’t pay that tax. Our consumers pay that tax when we import things,” said Dr. Greg George, an economics professor. “And that’s going to go up on April 9th, depending on what you import from where.”
If store owners report a decline in product sales, they might have to consider difficult staffing decisions.
“If they’re not selling as frequently, they may have to lay off workers,” George said. “And that can cause recessionary pressures.”
Experts also caution that the effectiveness of tariffs depends on strategy and clarity, something they say is missing in this case.
With additional tariff hikes scheduled to go into effect Wednesday, local economists say consumers should prepare for more price increases—especially on imported goods.
Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones’s office will hold office hours in Colquitt County and Cook County, according to the Moultrie Observer.
T.J. Hudson, South Georgia field director for Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, will be at the Colquitt County Courthouse, 9 S. Main St. in Moultrie, 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesday to listen to constituents’ concerns.
He will leave Colquitt County to hold a similar session 1-3 p.m. the same day at the Cook County Courthouse, 212 N. Hutchinson Ave. in Adel.
Georgia will outsource Medicaid services for foster children to United Healthcare, according to Georgia Recorder via the Dalton Daily Citizen.
Georgia is set to hand over control of Medicaid services for foster children to United Healthcare, leading some foster parents and advocates to express concerns.
John DeGarmo, a foster parent to more than 60 children and founder of the Foster Care Institute advocacy group, said one of his major concerns is with mental health treatment.
“There’s a 70% increase in teenage suicide since the lockdowns, children are facing more and more depression issues, anxiety issues, all this surrounding mental health,” he said. “It’s so important they get the support services they need, and they may not if they have that switch. And that, to me, is very alarming because we will lose foster parents as a result. And that is so important. Right now we are struggling. Agencies in Georgia and throughout the country are struggling to recruit foster parents and retain foster parents, and if they don’t get the support services they need, we’re going to have a hard time retaining the ones we have.”
The Georgia Department of Community Health announced United as a provisional winner in December, the same month ProPublica released a report that found the company has a policy to cut costs by denying effective and necessary treatments for children with autism.
United States Senator Jon Ossoff (D-Atlanta) banked more than $11 million in campaign funds, according to the AJC.
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., is off to a fast start in fundraising for his 2026 reelection, garnering more than $11 million during the first quarter.
To put that number in perspective, GOP Attorney General Chris Carr impressed Georgia politicos last year when he announced that he had raised $2 million in the first 40 days of his campaign in the race for governor in 2026.
Ossoff’s campaign has not released details, but said in a news release the haul set a record at this stage of the race for an incumbent senator.
The freshman Democrat is a prolific fundraiser. He shattered records during his 2017 special election bid for a U.S. House seat and amassed $153.6 million during the 2020 Senate race.
State Senator Brian Strickland (R-McDonough) filed to run for Attorney General in 2026, according to the AJC.
State Sen. Brian Strickland, R-McDonough, has already filed the paperwork to run. And state Sen. Bill Cowsert, R-Athens, is also a potential candidate. That’s why politicos were watching closely when the two went toe-to-toe Friday on the Senate floor.
In the end, Strickland won. The Senate backed his amendment to make it easier for film production companies to pay taxes on vehicles. And lawmakers rejected Cowsert’s proposal that sought to limit the disclosure of insurance coverage in some lawsuits.
That’s just a taste of what’s to come during next year’s election-year session.
Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is running seriously considering running for Governor in the 2026 Democratic Primary, according to 11Alive.
Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms confirmed to 11Alive News on Friday that she’s running for the top seat in Georgia. She stated that a formal announcement would come soon.
Bottoms clarified her decision to run for governor after releasing a statement earlier in the day, stating that she was “seriously considering a run.”
“Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. reminded us that there is a ‘fierce urgency of now.’ For the people of Georgia, that includes having leaders who aren’t blindly following Trump off of a moral and economic cliff but are focused on the pressing needs in our communities. I have previously publicly shared that I was seriously considering a run for governor and expect to make a formal announcement soon.”
Bottoms served as Atlanta’s mayor from 2018 to 2022 before joining the Biden administration in a senior advisory role. She later served on President Biden’s Export Council and has remained active in Democratic Party leadership.
Her entry into the race — first reported by BET, citing former editor-in-chief of HuffPost Danielle Belton — follows Rep. Lucy McBath’s decision to suspend her own potential campaign. McBath cited her husband’s ongoing cancer recovery as the reason for stepping back, saying, “I cannot make the decision to run for governor or not at this time.”
With Bottoms entering, the field of potential Democratic candidates narrows. Other names that have been floated include former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond and current state Sen. Jason Estevez (D-Atlanta).
11Alive spoke to Dr. Andra Gillespie, a political science professor at Emory University and political analyst, Bottoms’ decisions.
“I want to see who else wants to run and we can see how Bottoms [fares] against them,” Gillespie said.“She certainly has the type of experience that somebody looking to get the Democratic nomination. She’s well connected within the national Democratic party circles and with Lucy McBath’s decision to not run for governor, the field is wide open,” said Gillespie.
On the Republican side, Attorney General Chris Carr has already filed paperwork to raise money for a gubernatorial run, and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, an early supporter of Donald Trump, is widely expected to join the race.
“The stars have to align perfectly for Democratic candidates to be able to win and I think what they’re hoping is the dissatisfaction of Republicans nationally is going to increase to where they might be able to get in shooting distance of being able to seek out a victory here,” Gillespie said.
In Gwinnett County, Al Taylor is now serving as interim Superindent of Gwinnett public schools, according to the Gwinnett Daily Post.
Taylor, who has worked in GCPS for years, replaced former Superintendent Calvin Watts on Wednesday. The Gwinnett County Board of Education voted in late January to terminate Watts’ employment contract more than a year early.
“GCPS is my home and I’m fully committed to our students, families and staff,” Taylor said in a video on the GCPS TV Vimeo page.
The Forsyth County Board of Voter Registrations & Elections will hold a meeting to discuss election changes, according to AccessWDUN.
The Forsyth County Board of Voter Registrations & Elections will hold a special called meeting on Monday, April 14, 2025 at 9 a.m. in the Voter Registrations & Elections Office, 1201 Sawnee Drive, in Cumming.
The morning meeting will go over their agenda, including the Board’s approval of Sharon Forks Library as the new Election Day polling location for precinct 21-South Forsyth for the 2025 election cycle. They are also expected to talk in depth about Advance Voting for the 2025 election cycle.
In his introductory video, he said he will be making school visits, participating in community meetings and engaging in one-on-one conversations with community stakeholders.
Taylor has been GCPS’ chief of schools since 2022, but his career in the district has spanned more than 20 years.
As Taylor takes over on an interim basis, the district has unveiled a transition plan that focuses on five priority areas.
“Every decision we make will continue to prioritize student learning, school safety and family engagement,” Taylor said. “We will work together to ensure every child has the opportunity to succeed.”The priorities outlined in the transition plan include: engaging stakeholders and building trust; accelerating academic achievement; enhancing student and staff safety and well-being; community and family engagement; and strengthening financial and operational efficiency.
As for whether Taylor will put his name in the ring for consideration as GCPS’ permanent superintendent, he’s remaining a bit tight-lipped. He was a bit coy when the Daily Post asked him on Thursday night if he planned to apply for the job.
“My focus right now is making sure that we work to create the conditions for the incoming person to be successful,” Taylor said.
Fort Benning will host another renaming ceremony, according to the Ledger-Enquirer.
Fort Benning announced details Friday regarding the base’s renaming ceremony after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reverted the name from Fort Moore.
The base, long named Fort Benning after Confederate General Henry L. Benning, was renamed Fort Moore in 2023. That name honored Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and his wife Julia.
Hegseth changed it back earlier this year, but announced it would be named after U.S. Army Cpl. Fred G. Benning, who the release says, “served with heroism during World War I,” defense officials said in a news release.
The renaming ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. on April 16 at McGinnis-Wickam Hall on Karker Street, Building 4, at Fort Benning, according to a news release.
The Port of Savannah notched a second-consecutive record month of container movements, according to the Savannah Morning News.
The Port of Savannah has logged back-to-back months with record container volume this year, marking a continued run of growth after it was announced as the East Coast’s fastest growing earlier this year.
The Georgia Ports Authority announced last week its busiest March ever, handling 534,000 twenty-foot-equivalent container units. That volume is up 22.5% from the Port of Savannah’s March 2024 volume.
The announcement came on the heels of a record February for GPA, where Savannah’s port handled 479,850 TEUs. March’s boom was influenced by two major developments within global trade.
“The rate of growth was due in large part to two factors: cargo coming back from the U.S. West Coast after the completion of labor contract negotiations, and second, customers front-loading orders to avoid new tariffs,” said GPA President and CEO Griff Lynch in a press release.
Lynch predicted a strong March at GPA’s board meeting last month, where he said growth was expected through the month and will begin to “moderate” in April. At the time of the previous board meeting, the specifics of looming tariffs were unclear.
New “reciprocal tariffs” were announced by President Donald Trump on April 2, which include new import taxes on China, Germany and South Korea. Each of those countries are three of the Top 5 import partners for the entire state of Georgia, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development.
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