Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for August 25, 2026

On August 25, 1864, Union troops stopped artillery bombardment of Atlanta and withdrew from fortifications around the city. On the same day, in Virginia, Confederate forces attacked Federals under Gen. Grant at Ream’s Station.

On August 25, 1877, delegates to the state Constitutional Convention approved a new post-Reconstruction state Constitution, the seventh in state history, to be submitted to the voters on December 5, 1877.

The all-time highest score in a professional baseball game was recorded on August 25, 1922, as the Chicago Cubs beat the Philadelphia Phillies by 26-23.

Paris was liberated from German army control on August 25, 1944.

On August 25, 1950, President Harry S. Truman ordered the seizure of the nation’s private railroads by executive order.

On August 25, 1973, the Allman Brothers of Macon, Georgia released “Ramblin’ Man” as the first single from the album “Brothers and Sisters.” From the Wall Street Journal,

Dickey Betts: In 1969, I was playing guitar in several rock bands that toured central Florida. Whenever I’d have trouble finding a place to stay, my friend Kenny Harwick would let me crash at his garage apartment for a few days in Sarasota. One day he asked me how I was doing with my music and said, “I bet you’re just tryin’ to make a livin’ and doin’ the best you can.”

Then one day in 1972, I was sitting in the kitchen of what we called the Big House in Macon, Ga.—where everyone in the band lived—and decided to finish the lyrics.

My inspiration was Hank Williams’s “Ramblin’ Man,” from 1951. His song and mine are completely different but I liked his mournful, minor-chord feel.

Except for Kenny’s line, the rest of the lyrics were autobiographical.

The WSJ article is worth reading in its entirety if you’re a fan of the Allmans.

Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections

Voters in the 13th Congressional District go to the polls today in a Special Runoff Election, according to the Augusta Chronicle.

Four months after the longtime Georgia lawmaker David Scott died just a day after voting in the U.S. House, someone will finally fill his seat.

A special election runoff is being held in Georgia’s 13th congressional district on Tuesday to determine who will represent a large section of metro Atlanta through the end of Scott’s term. The election to fill Scott’s seat for another term will be held during the midterm cycle in November, with two different candidates.

Two candidates qualified for a runoff following the first special election held on July 28. Across all parties, five people were vying for Scott’s spot.

Georgia’s 13th congressional district includes six counties on the east side of the Atlanta metro area.

Gwinnett, DeKalb, Clayton, Rockdale, Henry and Newton Counties will be voting on Tuesday, Aug. 25.

There were five candidates in the special election in July: Democrat Everton Blair, Republican Caesar Gonzales, Democrat Carlos Moore, Republican Fayth Park and Democrat Marcye Scott.

Scott, who is David Scott’s daughter, received the most votes with 46% support. Blair came in second with 37.45% of the vote. Since neither candidate reached a 50% majority to win the race, they both are now in the special election runoff.

The winner will complete the last few months of Scott’s term, but will not be up for his seat in November to win a full term.

Republican Rick Jackson said Governor Kemp will call out the National Guard to monitor November’s elections, according to the AJC.

Republican Rick Jackson assured a nervous attendee at a recent rally that Gov. Brian Kemp will call up the Georgia National Guard to monitor the midterm elections in November.

In audio obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, an attendee of Jackson’s Aug. 13 rally in Columbus told him he feared Democrats would “cheat.”

“I know, we’re going to have people watching out for us,” Jackson responded.

The supporter then urged Jackson to seek help from President Donald Trump, who hasn’t ruled out deploying troops or federal agents to polling sites in November.

“Trump’s got federal troops. Can you call up and get some federal troops from Trump?” he asked.

“Well, we’ll get National Guard — Gov. Kemp is going to watch it for us,” Jackson replied.

“Is that right?” the supporter asked.

“Yes, he’s going to get the National Guard,” Jackson responded.

Jackson’s campaign told the AJC that he never “suggested deploying troops at polling places” and that he trusts Kemp to run safe and secure elections.

The Georgia Supreme Court will no longer accept murder conviction appeals, according to the AJC.

In a move that has the state’s top judges butting heads, the Georgia Supreme Court has decided it will no longer take most murder appeals, transferring that work to the lower Georgia Court of Appeals.

The change, happening next July, will require the state to pump millions of dollars more into the Court of Appeals, which is already operating beyond capacity, its chief judge says.

“I am not for this transfer, especially under our present circumstances,” Chief Judge Trenton Brown told state legislators in a recent meeting. “Most of the judges on the Court of Appeals share this view.”

The decision, announced Aug. 13, divided the nine justices of the state Supreme Court, which has exclusively handled murder appeals since it was established in 1845.

Under the change, the state’s highest court will take murder cases involving the death penalty and constitutional questions, but relatively few others will make it to that level of review. Most murder cases will be decided instead by a trio of Court of Appeals judges.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Nels Peterson explained why he thinks the change makes sense in a written opinion, saying a key reason is that the lower appeals court can handle cases more efficiently because it has more judges and they predominantly decide cases in panels. His view was supported by all but one of the other justices.

In her own written opinion, Justice Shawn LaGrua disagreed with the workload transfer. She said, among other things, that it is the state Supreme Court’s constitutional responsibility to review murder cases, adding its caseload will be cut by more than half.

Brown told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution he’s worried the state Supreme Court’s decision is already affecting his court’s staff.

“It’s my understanding there’s already been further discussion amongst the employees of the Court of Appeals that if they were looking at possible retirement in five to 10 years, this is only going to move up their intentions to retire,” he said.

Governor Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp will lead a trade delegation to Chile and Peru, according to a press release.

Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced that he and First Lady Marty Kemp will lead an international economic development mission this week to Chile and Peru. In addition to direct talks with job creators who have operations in Georgia, they will meet with high-ranking government officials in both countries.

“Chile and Peru are important partners in securing reliable supply chains between the Americas, especially when it comes to our forestry and agriculture industries,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “Strong connectivity on both land and sea supports a healthy economy for Georgia and growth in export markets for Georgia-made products. That’s where our focus will be on this mission as we work every single day to bring more jobs and opportunity back home.”

The Governor and First Lady, joined by representatives from the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), will conduct meetings with companies that already have a presence in the state during their trip. The mission will also include Georgia exporters through a trade-focused itinerary designed to facilitate B2B, in-market meetings with prospective partners.

“Chile and Peru offer opportunities in top industries such as agribusiness, technology, and manufacturing – areas well represented by the Georgia-based small businesses that are joining us this week,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “Companies of all sizes moved nearly $1 billion in products through Georgia to Chile and Peru last year, with the ports serving as a key gateway. These missions are important because we not only learn more about the plans of corporate job creators already in Georgia, but where we can continue to build on decades-long relationships that support entire industries.”

Chile and Peru Connections at a Glance

Chile maintains an Honorary Consulate in Atlanta, and Georgia has held continuous representation in Chile since 2005. In 2025, Georgia exports to Chile totaled $761 million. Chile is a top-20 trading partner for Georgia.

Peru has maintained a consular presence in Georgia since 1995, and the state has maintained representation in Peru since 2018. In 2025, Georgia exports to Peru totaled $203 million.

Current Itinerary:

Arauco: One of the world’s leading forestry and wood products companies, this Santiago-based company has maintained its North American headquarters in DeKalb County since 2016.

CMPC: A leading forestry and paper products company, CMPC USA, the company’s North American commercial subsidiary, has been based in DeKalb County for over 20 years.

Delta Air Lines and LATAM: Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines and Chile-based LATAM are working together to enhance connectivity between the United States/Canada, South America (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay), and the world, supporting access to more than 300 destinations.

SQM: Based in Santiago, the company’s Georgia footprint includes the Ajay-SQM Group manufacturing facility, which has been in operations for more than 30 years, and a SQM commercial office in Cobb County.

Former Towns County Sheriff Ken Henderson pled no contest and has resigned, according to AccessNorthGA.

Former Sheriff Ken Henderson pleaded no contest to the charges related to the physical altercation with Officer José Carvajal in December of 2024, using the state’s First Offender Act.

Monday’s sentencing included 10-years probation, a $1,000 fine, and an agreement not to run for any elected office during the probation according to one of Henderson’s defense attorneys.

The physical altercation, which started when former Towns County Deputy Austin Bradburn allegedly falsely reported a shooting, led to a 60-day suspension in October of 2025 by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and an indictment by a grand jury that same month.

In December of 2025, Kemp appointed a review commission to examine the indictment  which led to another suspension.

In May of 2026, a new indictment was handed down against Henderson and he was suspended by Kemp again in June.

That suspension was due to another arrest on thefts and ethics charges following a Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) investigation.

One of those charges, which was a result of Henderson selling one of his side-by-sides to the sheriff’s office, is one that Henderson pleaded guilty to on Monday.

That charge is for the sale of real or personal property to a political subdivision by a local officer or employee.

Henderson was re-elected in November of 2024, meaning his term would have expired in early 2029.

Anthony Coleman has been the interim sheriff since 2025. It is unclear if he will serve the remainder of Henderson’s term or if a special election will be called.

A second Habersham County Sheriff’s Deputy has been fired for misuse of Flock surveillance cameras, according to AccessNorthGA.

According to the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, former deputy Jonathan Thomas was terminated Monday amid an ongoing audit of access to license plate data.

The audit showed he retained the data for a personal relationship he had at the time.

This is the second deputy fired by Habersham County following a late July incident.

Additionally a Gwinnett County officer and a former Braselton Police Chief have been found to misuse the controversial system.

Thomas has been charged with a violation of oath of office and misuse of license plate data. He had been with the agency since Dec. 2, 2024.

The investigation remains active and ongoing.

Habersham County Sheriff Robin Krockum released a statement regarding the incident.

“We will continue to audit our system and hold those accountable who have abused this system. Our current policy has been strengthened to include a two-person approval process before any license plate data can be entered into the system,” Krockum said. “If a deputy wants to search for a specific license plate, they must first have supervisor approval, who will document and approve the reason and enter in the search. They must have a documented case number, as well as contacting our dispatch center via radio to log the search. This will lower the number of approved users from 39 to only 23 supervisors who have access to enter and search for a specific license plate. We will continue to be transparent to the public in the way we conduct ourselves and hold those responsible who violate their trust.”

The Georgia Chamber of Commerce is trying to enlighten the ignorant who oppose data centers. From the Capitol Beat News Service via the Valdosta Daily Times:

Data centers are a financial boon to communities, according to the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, which is pushing back on concerns about their impact on the environment, on utility bills and on their neighbors.

The pro-business organization is launching a messaging campaign that extols the jobs and property tax revenue that data centers provide while asserting that their impacts through water and energy use are not as significant as many believe. The Chamber’s new Georgia Digital Infrastructure Alliance includes industry leaders, utility representatives, policymakers and community members.

Chris Clark, the Chamber president and CEO, said the group will begin briefing policymakers statewide in September. The goal, he said, is “to be transparent, to make sure that we have responsible development and that we show the benefits to communities because obviously there’s a lot of backlash and a lot of negative PR right now.”

Polling suggests the public is souring on data centers.

The Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania found 61% of Americans opposed the construction of new data centers in their area this summer, up 12 percentage points from the spring. The summer survey found opposition across party lines, with 69% of Democrats and 54% of Republicans opposing new local data centers.

The rising negative sentiment comes less than three months ahead of an election that will determine control over the state and Congress.

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, the Democratic nominee for Georgia governor, said at a Georgia Chamber event in early August that “we need a pause” on new data centers.

Rick Jackson, her Republican opponent, said at that same event that data centers produce so much property tax revenue that they can eliminate property tax bills for everyone else in at least 70 counties. Communities should get to choose whether to let one be built, he said.

In early April, Macon news station 13WMAZ reported that Jackson said he understands data centers because he invested in one in Texas.

Elsewhere, Republicans who once championed data centers are beginning to see them as a political liability.

Late last year, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, was touting data center investments. Then, in early August, he halted approvals for new data centers pending audits of their power and water use and their impact on neighbors.

His Democratic opponent had been rising in the polls while attacking him on the issue, The Wall Street Journal reported last week.

President Donald Trump has argued that more data centers are necessary to win an artificial intelligence race against China. But he also suggested recently that data centers need “a little public relations help,” according to multiple news reports.

Clark said the Georgia Chamber is pushing back with facts. Data centers use less water than a decade ago, he said, adding that in Georgia they are paying to build the energy infrastructure that will deliver power to them.

He challenged a central premise about the data center boom: that it is driven by AI.

“A lot of what we’re building out right now is to handle your Facebook posts, your medical records, your bank transactions,” he said.

Yet “AI” is in the name of the company behind the largest data center announced for Georgia so far. Project Camellia near Savannah, which is expected to need 3.2 gigawatts from Georgia Power, is for OpenAI.

The tech industry has been responding to concerns about water use.

OpenAI says its new data center will use a closed-loop cooling system, which reduces water consumption by reducing or eliminating discharge and evaporation. Other companies have announced similar systems.

However, closed-loop systems require more energy, and energy generation involves water.

Chris Manganiello, the water policy director for the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, said state records show significant water lost to evaporation at power plants.

In 2023, for instance, Plant McDonough, a 2.5 gigawatt facility in Cobb County fueled primarily by natural gas, withdrew an average of 10 million gallons of water a day from the Chattahoochee River, he said. It returned a quarter of that water.

Research indicates data centers are consuming a lot of water.

“The exponential growth of artificial intelligence (AI) has driven the rapid global expansion of data centers, raising serious concerns about their environmental impact — particularly water use,” said an academic article published earlier this year.

Trade-secret protections and security concerns restrict what the public can know about data center water consumption, said the paper in AGU Advances, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Geophysical Union. But the paper added that available information suggests data centers rank among the top 10 water-consuming industrial or commercial sectors in the country.

Many Georgians are concerned about more than water.

Amy Sharma has been traveling around the state to attend town halls about proposed data centers.

The executive director of Science for Georgia said she and others are concerned the AI boom will turn into a bust, leaving communities on the hook for half-built or abandoned data centers.

Local leaders should require developers to post a surety bond to pay for redevelopment should a project go bankrupt, she said.

She disagreed with Clark’s sanguine outlook on protections for residential electricity ratepayers, pointing to a lack of legislation.

Last year, the state Public Service Commission, which regulates Georgia Power, did agree to the utility’s plan for a rate freeze, but the plan excludes “reasonable and prudent” costs related to storm damage and will be in effect for only three years. Then, during Georgia’s legislative session earlier this year, Georgia Power opposed a bill that would have made it illegal for the company to pass on costs for expanding the power grid to serve data centers for the long term. The bill was then weakened by amendments and did not pass.

And Sharma noted that a lawyer with the Southern Environmental Law Center told the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer in May that data centers are paying nothing toward the cost of new natural gas pipelines. Much of the additional generating capacity that Georgia Power is building to meet data center demand will be fueled by natural gas.

Public opinion will likely influence how big a welcome mat Georgia lays out for data centers, especially this November when voters head to the polls.

Sharma said she has witnessed growing opposition across ideological lines.

At one town hall, she listened as a man complained that the government first wanted to force everyone to take a COVID-19 vaccine and now was pushing data centers. She said she also heard someone wearing Bernie Sanders apparel complain about data centers.

Clark said many people are simply misinformed. When communities have questions, they should get transparent and responsible responses, he said. “I think a lot of what we’re seeing right now is both misinformation, disinformation, old information, and just the fear of the unknown.”

Manganiello said the industry and local leaders have brought this on themselves.

“Some data center developers and local leaders have not been entirely transparent about proposed projects,” he said. “When residents can’t get their basic questions answered, they go out looking to fill the holes.”

Manganiello welcomed an initiative by the Chamber to share more information before a project is approved.

“The question will be whether or not that is actually what happens,” he said.

Sharma predicted that Clark’s initiative would ignite more opposition.

“We’re advocating for a community’s right to choose the best path forward for themselves,” she said, sounding like Clark.

“But the best path forward must provide transparency, an open and democratic decision-making process, sufficient power and water, and a surety bond,” she said. “So I guess we’re also advocating against data center misinformation.”

Richmond Hill says that data centers are not currently allowed, according to the Savannah Morning News.

Richmond Hill officials say the city’s current development ordinance already prohibits such facilities, making it unlikely that developers seeking to locate such an operation there could move forward without a significant zoning change.

“Data centers are still a very new concept and there are different elements to consider regarding them,” said Bryan Crooks, director of planning and zoning. “Data centers would be considered prohibited uses and staff is not recommending any changes related to data centers at this time. Under Appendix A of the unified development ordinance, data centers are not considered as a use. An amendment to the UDO would be required for the development to be considered. The City does not have special use permits that allow for uses not within the land use table or similar to an existing use within the land use table.”

But when asked what additional measures could be added, Crooks said that data centers are a prohibited use. City Clerk Dawnne Greene expanded upon that.

“Nothing was under review specific to data centers,” said Greene. “Data centers, as a land use, were noted only as an example. Data centers are already prohibited.”

City Council could amend the ordinance to allow data centers in the future.

“Any amendment would have to go through the text amendment process,” said Greene. “This requires advertising for and holding a public hearing, and two readings with City Council, where they ultimately decide to approve or deny the text amendment.”

Bulloch County Commissioners are considering regulating data centers, according to the Statesboro Herald.

The Bulloch County Board of Commissioners and staff recently started taking another look at the possibility of having a county ordinance regulating data centers that would be something other than an outright ban.

To be clear, the county government’s moratorium prohibiting zoning for data centers anywhere in county’s unincorporated area, previously extended to Dec. 31, remains in effect. As indicated with the item on their Aug. 18 agenda, the elected commissioners took no action on data centers that day. But they did hear and discuss a presentation, led by county Planning & Development Director James Pope, about a potential zoning ordinance amendment on data centers.

Aug. 18 was the same day that Statesboro’s mayor and City Council, by a 3-2 vote that evening, approved rezoning a 26-acre site in the edge of the city limits for a data center proposed by developers. As may need emphasizing during the ongoing controversy about this topic, the city and county governments are separate, especially in regard to their zoning and development rules.

“The intent is just to continue this ongoing discussion that we’ve had about data centers,” announced county commissioners Chairman David Bennett. “When we started our moratorium almost six months ago, one of the things that we asked Mr. Pope and the planning and zoning staff to do was start looking into some zoning regulations that we could put in place to make sure that we are protecting the people of the county, but we’re making a clear rulebook for folks that are looking at putting something like this in the county as far as what they could be allowed to do.”

The Chatham County Tax Commissioner’s Office encourages property owners to check their tax bills online, according to the Savannah Morning News.

The 2026 second-installment property tax bills are now available online to print and pay as of Aug. 19. Paper bills will be mailed on Sept. 15 and are expected to arrive in the middle of the month, according to a press release from the tax commissioner’s office.

Chatham County Tax Commissioner Sonya Jackson is encouraging residents to review their bills and new homestead exemptions ahead of the Nov. 15 payment deadline.

“We want homeowners to understand exactly what they are seeing on their 2026 tax bills,” Jackson said in the press release.  “This year’s bills include important tax relief provisions, including additions to Chatham County’s school homestead exemptions and the state’s Homeowner Tax Relief Grant (HTRG). Most homestead properties will notice a reduction in property taxes. We encourage everyone to review their bill and make sure they understand their exemptions, credits and payment amount.”

Jackson also reminds residents of new items on their tax bills, primarily the one-time state HTRG credit and the new homestead exemption for school property taxes.

Residents who already receive the longstanding Stephens-Day homestead exemption will automatically be enrolled into the new school tax exemption. Residents can receive both exemptions and may see a double exemption on their 2026 bill, according to the press release.

The HTRG credit is a state-funded program that will reduce the amount of property taxes owed when applied. The program is backed by $850 million from the Georgia General Assembly and does not require a separate application by property owners with existing homestead exemptions, according to the press release.

Effingham County is working on lowering their property tax millage rate, according to the Savannah Morning News.

Effingham County property owners could see up to six mills of tax relief under a proposal that combines a county millage rate reduction with the suspension of the Effingham County Industrial Authority’s 2-mill property tax levy.

According to the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority, property owners could receive as much as six mills in combined tax relief if county commissioners approve the proposal Sept. 1.

“The funds received from this land sale represent thoughtful planning, targeted investment and disciplined economic development,” said Matt Saxon, Chair of the ECIDA board. “It provides our team an extraordinary opportunity to strengthen the economic foundation that will support Effingham County for decades to come.”

The press release also states that the industrial authority will provide the board of commissioners with $30 million for three years annually for additional property tax relief.

“At its Sept. 1 meeting, the Board will consider using a portion of these funds to provide approximately 2 mills ofCounty-wide property tax relief this year. If approved, this reduction would produce immediate savings for property owners. The funding will also support approximately 2 mills of relief for the Effingham County School District, generating additional savings for local taxpayers,” states the press release.

Officials say this is the next step in the process toward Project Zero, a plan they say could eliminate county homestead property taxes for homeowners by 2028 if voters approve two ballot measures. According to Bill Tracker, House Bill 439 would give counties the authority to create grant programs to provide tax relief for qualifying homesteads. Gov. Brian Kemp signed the piece of legislation May 12 and it will go into effect Jan. 1, 2027.

“This proposed reduction marks an important step toward Project Zero, with the next phaseplanned for 2027,” reads a press release from the IDA. “If voters approve the Local Homeowners Incentive Adjustment Grant (LHIAG) referendum in November, approximately $13 million of the ECIDA payment would beused to eliminate County homestead property taxes beginning in 2027.”

Senate Bill 33, as described by Bill Tracker, establishes Local Homestead Option Sales Tax (LHOST), which creates a 1% sales tax for counties and municipalities for property tax relief.

“Project Zero is our commitment to finding a responsible path toward eliminating county property taxes for homeowners, and today we are significantly closer to that goal,” said District 3 Commissioner Jamie DeLoach. “Project Camellia gives us an opportunity to begin providing meaningful tax relief now, while building the bridge to permanent County homestead property tax relief measures. This is exactly how we envisioned Project Zero working—using the strength of our economy and responsible financial planning to put money back into the pockets of Effingham County residents.”

Rincon City Council voted to adopt a higher property tax millage rate, according to WSAV.

Monday night, Rincon city council unanimously voted to approve a mileage rate increase for the first time in 28 years.

The mileage rate increased from 0.00 mills to 2.323 mills. This is considered a 100% property tax increase.

City leaders said the increase is needed to keep up with continued growth. Also, if Rincon doesn’t have a mileage rate, they won’t be able to participate in Local Homestead Option Sales Tax (LHOST).

“We will not benefit from LHOST and next year you will be mad because LHOST passed,” Council member Mona Underwood said. “It would be paying property taxes all over the county but not Rincon, because we didn’t have a mileage rate.”

Previously all property owners, including big box businesses paid a flat fee of $240 a year.

However, moving forward residents whose property values are less than $300,000 could pay less. Meanwhle those who pay more than $300,000 could see an increase in their bill.

“All these businesses, Ace Hardware, Tractor supply, they pay $240 a year,” Council Member Jesse “Ben” Blackwell Jr. said. “Well, this coming tax year and in the years following, theirs is going to go quite significant because their values are tremendously higher.”

Before council voted, residents had a chance to address their concerns. A main topic was how the mileage rate will hurt homeowners’ wallets.

“The difference between the fee and the new tax amount, is still a sustainable increase for many homes,” a Rincon resident said.

The City of Dalton public schools hit their lowest opening day enrollment in a decade, according to the Dalton Daily Citizen.

Dalton Public Schools began the 2026-27 school year with its lowest first-day enrollment in at least a decade, recording 460 fewer students than at the beginning of the previous school year.

Superintendent Steven Craft told the Dalton Board of Education during its Aug. 10 meeting that 6,999 students attended on the first day of school, Aug. 4, compared with 7,459 on the first day of the 2025-26 school year.

Enrollment had increased to 7,033 students by Aug. 10 as some students who did not attend on the first day subsequently reported to school. Craft said the district expects enrollment to remain between 7,000 and 7,100 students throughout the year.

“We’re down just a little bit from where we thought we were going to be, but we’re really right at 7,000,” Craft said.

The Federal Aviation Administration awarded more than $3 million in federal funding to the Augusta Regional Airport, according to the Augusta Chronicle.

The Augusta Commission last week formally accepted a pair of grants under the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program.

The $2.207 million grant is funding construction of the Northwest Development Roadway and Utilities Extension, which will connect Cargo Road directly to Doug Barnard Parkway.

Cargo Road, just a few hundred feet long, connects a vehicle rental facility with Aviation Way, the airport’s main road. The extended utility lines would support future commercial growth at the airport.

The $1,040,576 grant is intended to help fund the purchase of heavy-duty aircraft rescue and firefighting equipment capable of controlling high-volume, rapid-release fire suppression systems.

The airport and Augusta’s city government received the grants on July 13 and 15. Mayor Garnett Johnson formally executed the grants on July 16.