AGP Executive Report

World Cup Watch: Atlanta is gearing up for FIFA World Cup 2026 with eight matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, organizers projecting $500M+ in regional economic impact and a full schedule from June 15 through the July 15 semifinal. City Finance & Oversight: Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens defended a controversial $5.5B neighborhood reinvestment plan at a marathon City Council committee meeting, as critics pressed for audits and oversight of tax allocation districts. Real Estate & Development: Colliers says Georgia’s office market is stable with steady growth signals in its 2025 overview, while Milton begins a $2.9M bridge replacement that will trigger detours for up to five months. Public Health & Water: Elevated E. coli in the Chattahoochee River is forcing temporary closures across parts of metro Atlanta after days of heavy rain. Business & Permitting: Georgia DNR is seeking public comment on a draft Title V air permit for Anheuser-Busch’s Cartersville brewery. Consumer Pressure: Primerica’s Household Budget Index points to affordability strain for middle-income families, with gas prices driving the April decline. Local Crime: Police are searching for a woman who robbed a Buckhead Wells Fargo, taking about $4,000.

Georgia Power Rate Fight: A consumer group says Georgia Power’s looming rate plan could effectively raise bills about 4.6% starting June 1, arguing the utility is shifting gas pipeline costs onto average customers while shielding data centers. Transit Readiness: MARTA’s new railcars still haven’t passed key safety tests, adding pressure to a $707M upgrade as the World Cup approaches. Online Child Safety Policy: U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff’s REPORT Act is credited with a sharp jump in big-tech reports of child sex trafficking, and Georgia’s attorney general is backing stronger online protections that preserve state authority. Local Education Leadership: Bryan County BOE names Richmond Hill High principal Bivens Miller as sole finalist to replace retiring superintendent Dr. Paul Brooksher. Agriculture Under Drought: Southeastern cattle producers are making hard choices as extreme drought stretches from Georgia into neighboring states, forcing hay purchases and tighter grazing plans. Business & Real Estate: A new independent land brokerage launches in the region, while a self-storage sale in the Southeast highlights continued investor appetite for industrial assets. Labor Spotlight: Atlanta Waffle House workers rally for higher pay and safer shifts, pushing back on wage and tipping practices.

World Cup Arrival: The U.S. men’s national team touched down in metro Atlanta ahead of the 2026 World Cup, with fans lining the route and local businesses pitching the tournament as a commerce boost. Power & Data Centers: Georgia Power is moving fast on Project Wansley, using eminent domain to seize homes and easements for a 35-mile, 500-kilovolt line feeding AI data centers—sparking a growing fight from residents and lawmakers. Housing & Cost Pressure: New reporting says condo prices in bigger markets have already fallen as much as 33% from peaks, adding to affordability worries. Public Safety & Services: CBP is running a Global Entry enrollment event in Jacksonville for conditionally approved applicants from northeast Florida and southeast Georgia. Local Government Watch: Newnan is approving a plan to self-perform much of a costly police firearms training facility renovation to save nearly $1.5 million.

Local Government Pay Talks: Dunwoody’s City Council will consider May 26 updates to city staff salaries and a new Police Officer II pay level aimed at retention, after a salary/benefits benchmark study recommended a 3.9% range adjustment. Housing & Environment: A Columbus-area apartment project, Aspire at Old Guard, is facing a Clean Water Act lawsuit from the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper over alleged stormwater pollution during construction. Tech & Kids Online: Georgia’s neighbors are moving on child-safety enforcement—Connecticut’s AG announced an investigation into Roblox, part of a broader push for stronger online protections. Business & Funding: Atlanta logistics tech firm Stord raised nearly $250M at a $3B valuation to expand fulfillment and AI services for independent brands. Health & Public Safety: Georgia DOT awarded new road contracts, including roundabout and resurfacing projects scheduled through 2027. Sports: ASU baseball landed the Lincoln Regional in Nebraska and opens against Ole Miss May 29.

Public Safety: A Jefferson-area traffic stop turned into a major drug bust after a K-9 alerted officers to suspected meth inside a vehicle; troopers later seized about 988 grams. Property Crime: Jackson County deputies are investigating a $20,000 copper wire theft from a construction site, with investigators recovering wire and tools left behind near tracks. Legal Spotlight: Lindsie Chrisley was arrested in Georgia on DUI and attempting to elude charges, according to jail records, and says she plans to fight. Business & Consumer: Gas Dash is rolling out on-demand fuel delivery in metro Atlanta, aiming to bring premium, unleaded and diesel to parked cars 24/7. Environment: The Chattahoochee Riverkeeper says last week’s stormwater overflow—linked to drought, pollution and sewage runoff—helped trigger a massive fish kill across about 20 miles. Community/Local Economy: Euharlee’s library funding talks remain deadlocked after residents split on whether to keep services as-is or move to a hybrid model. Lottery: Georgia Lottery results for May 25 include Powerball 17-32-48-60-64 (Powerball 10, Power Play 2) and Cash 3 midday 3-6-2.

Education & Workforce: University of North Georgia handed out more than 1,700 degrees and certificates at spring 2026 commencement ceremonies in Dahlonega. Community Support: The Georgian Triangle Humane Society’s Pet Pantry is part of a broader push that includes adoptions, veterinary care, youth programs, and emergency help for families. Local Business & Cost Pressure: A Metro Atlanta lawn care company says high gas prices are forcing daily spending of about $200 on fuel, with pressure to stay lean rather than hire. Public Safety & Policy: Tyrone approved a June 12 night market test that would allow alcohol in a public park—despite a council vote split over safety, legality, and “family friendly” concerns. Health & Consumer Alerts: UGA Extension’s VITA program helped northeast Georgia residents secure nearly $50,000 in combined refunds, while the FDA issued a Whole Foods minestrone soup recall in multiple states, including Georgia. Energy & Environment: Georgia Power is urging summer energy-saving steps, and investigators are looking into a massive fish kill along the Chattahoochee River.

Cross-Border Drug Crackdown: Georgia detained a married couple wanted by Kazakhstan over an alleged synthetic-drug operation, including a Kazakh man accused of running a mephedrone lab in Almaty and his wife accused of funding activity across Kazakhstan regions. Public Health & Consumer Alerts: A specialty drink recall tied to possible salmonella contamination hit 25 states, including Georgia, while Allprovide Pet Foods recalled nearly 700kg of dog food over potential plastic contamination. Local Environment Watch: The Chattahoochee Riverkeeper says a massive fish kill—linked to low oxygen after flooding and stormwater runoff—has affected at least 20 miles of the river, prompting investigations. Business & Tech Pressure: Georgia’s data-center debate keeps growing as officials and communities weigh power demand and local impacts. Everyday Georgia: Georgia Lottery Cash 3 and Cash 4 results for May 24 were released, and GasBuddy reports show some of the lowest local gas prices in the state for the week ending May 16.

Nursing Home Ownership Watch: CMS data shows Pruitthealth – Eastside in Macon has been owned by United Health Services of Georgia since 2014, with a Q1 2026 overall rating of 3 (above Georgia’s 2.7 average) and no fines or penalties reported. Public Safety Tech Debate: A new map highlights nearly 97,000 automated license plate reader cameras nationwide, with Atlanta-based Flock Safety supplying most of them—fueling fresh pushback over surveillance and policing. Fuel Prices, Georgia-Style: GasBuddy reports the week ending May 16 saw standout low prices in multiple counties, including diesel at $4.65 in Glynn County and premium at $4.69 in Franklin County, as statewide averages remain higher. Healthcare Policy: Georgia lawmakers are pushing the “Blood Pressure Matters Act” to help curb dangerous pregnancy/postpartum complications, including by requiring home blood pressure cuffs for insured mothers. Sports & Business Crossovers: Portman Hospitality Fund I bought the Westin Peachtree Plaza from Marriott, setting up a major renovation ahead of Super Bowl LXII in 2028.

AI in the field: QuoteIQ just rolled out AI AutoReply inside its ClientHub business phone system, letting home service contractors have texts answered and actions taken—like confirming bookings, drafting estimates, creating invoices, and escalating to a human—without staff being online. Public health: The CDC expanded enhanced Ebola entry screening to Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson, adding a second checkpoint for travelers returning from the DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan as the outbreak intensifies. Lottery: Georgia Lottery results for May 23 are in: Powerball 04-16-41-48-66 (PB 26, Power Play 2) and Cash 3 midday 4-9-5, evening 7-6-9, night 7-8-7. College sports scheduling: UNC–South Carolina’s home-and-home was canceled amid wider nonconference reshuffling tied to conference schedule changes. Energy costs: GasBuddy reports show diesel and gas prices remain choppy heading into Memorial Day, with some counties still seeing sub-$5 diesel deals.

Veterans Partnership: Kumho Tire USA and two Georgia veterans groups (including the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation) have signed a formal MOU to expand long-term support for roughly 680,000 Georgia veterans and their families, with new initiatives expected to be announced as the partnership ramps up. Public Health Update: Atlanta lifted a downtown boil-water advisory after an internal power failure at the Hemphill Electric Pumping Station dropped water pressure; testing cleared the system and officials say standards were met. Ebola Screening Expansion: The U.S. added a second airport—Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta—for mandatory Ebola screening as cases surge in the Congo outbreak. Education & Community: The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation reported early milestones of its $50M, 10-year HBCU scholarship effort, distributing $4.2M to about 600 students at Atlanta-area HBCUs. Local Business/Real Estate: Agnes Scott College will begin renting three restored historic homes for short-term stays starting June 1, placing visitors just steps from Decatur Square.

Food Access: Piedmont Oconee Health Camps is hosting a free mobile food pantry on Wednesday, June 3, 9–11 a.m., with drive-thru pickup and no pre-registration. Fraud & Accountability: A former CDC supervisor, Gwendolyn Brandon of Cumming, pleaded guilty to stealing $190,461.50 through fake invoices and is set to be sentenced Sept. 3. Memorial Day Logistics: Metro Atlanta travelers are leaning on rail over roads for the holiday, with MARTA expecting up to 10,000 riders per day and Amtrak passengers citing cost and convenience. Local Government Moves: Roswell is moving its Memorial Day ceremony indoors and will also hold a May 26 work session and council meeting on sidewalk grants and right-of-way acquisitions. Public Safety/Weather: Waymo paused its Atlanta robotaxi service after a driverless vehicle got trapped in standing water during sudden flooding. Lottery: Georgia Lottery results for May 22 include Mega Millions (03-22-34-54-61, Mega Ball 08) and Cash 3 midday 7-3-4.

Memorial Day Watch: Atlanta’s downtown area is under a boil water advisory after an internal power failure at the Hemphill Water Treatment Plant, with officials urging residents to use bottled/boiled water until sampling is cleared. Public Safety: Cobb County police are investigating after a body was found inside a shuttered Kroger in the county; foul play is suspected. Weather + Tech: Waymo has paused robotaxi service in Atlanta (and now parts of Texas) after a vehicle got stuck in Midtown floodwaters, with no restart date yet. Sports Business: Georgia and Clemson are in talks about changing the 2029/2030 home-and-home to neutral-site games. Environment + Fishing: A federal judge froze Florida’s red snapper exempted permits just before the holiday weekend, affecting Georgia and other states. Local Economy: A new no-listing-fee brokerage (Showings) is launching in Atlanta and other test markets.

Road Safety Push: Georgia DDS’ Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program is urging drivers to “share the road” during Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, warning that motorcycles are harder to spot and asking motorists to check blind spots and keep safe following distances. Flood Fallout in Atlanta: Heavy storms left some Atlanta restaurants and businesses flooded, with residents saying clogged drainage trapped people and that the problem isn’t new. Privacy + Health Tech: Massive Bio and BeeKeeperAI say they’re expanding access to oncology trials in Atlanta’s underserved communities using privacy-preserving clinical data collaboration. Food Safety Alert: Whole Foods Kitchen Minestrone Soup is under recall in multiple states, including Georgia, due to a possible undeclared shrimp allergen. Georgia Economy Snapshot: New stats show Georgia’s unemployment rate fell to 14.7% in Q1, while passenger traffic rose sharply and cargo volumes shifted across air, rail, and ports. Business + Compliance Watch: Georgia’s competition agency is building an information portal for “family basket” basic products, and regulators flagged a liquid multivitamin recall over black particulate contamination.

Public Safety Push: Glynn County police are stepping up enforcement of Georgia’s rules for high-speed electric bikes and dirt bikes, warning parents they can be held financially responsible if kids ride unregistered vehicles on public property. Health & Business: Serenity Mental Health Centers released 2024 outcomes data for Mental Health Awareness Month, highlighting symptoms patients often miss—especially anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Retail Expansion Watch: Costco filed a rezoning request in Macon-Bibb for a new Bass Road location, including a large footprint and hundreds of parking spaces—now headed to a June 22 planning vote. Tech in Legal Work: Alpharetta-based LezDo TechMed says it’s now offering nationwide medical record review services using AI automation plus clinician oversight. Politics: Keisha Lance Bottoms won Georgia’s Democratic governor primary and heads to November, while Republicans set up a June 16 runoff between Burt Jones and Rick Jackson.

Waymo vs. Atlanta Floods: Driverless Waymo service was paused after an unoccupied car got stuck in midtown floodwaters near North Ave/Argonne Ave, with the vehicle later recovered; Waymo says safety comes first and service resumes once conditions are safe. Housing & Growth: Newnan’s Alta Newnan Crossing broke ground—274 apartments plus townhomes and retail near the LINC trail, targeting a fall 2027 finish. Retail Expansion: Trader Joe’s announced 25 new stores across 14 states, with opening dates still to come. Local Government Watch: Statesboro advanced a tighter data center ordinance, moving hyperscale projects out of consideration and routing future proposals through a special use permit. Business & Community: Georgia’s rebate checks are still rolling out, and officials point to filing timing, extensions, and ITIN use as common reasons for delays. Sports: FPD Baseball hosts Athens Christian in Friday’s state semifinal, chasing a third straight trip to the championship series.

AI Governance & Security: QuantumScape’s GS Jha says AI will reshape civilization—but only if companies treat security and governance as core, not afterthoughts. Payments & Retail Tech: Newland NPT says its PayExplorer cleared Fiserv Level 3 certification, aiming to speed U.S. deployments for Android terminals. Fraud Crackdown: A metro Atlanta man, Robert Reyes, was arrested in a multi-state “You have a warrant” phone scam, with charges including organized fraud and RICO. Local AI Data Center Scrutiny: Jackson County officials are questioning a proposal that started as “solar and battery storage” but may involve an AI data processing center—residents want specifics on water, power, and impacts. DeKalb School Taxes: DeKalb County School District set a 2026 millage rate of 22.78 mills; state rules require it to advertise as a tax increase, with public hearings scheduled in June. Business Operations: Starbucks confirmed it’s closing regional support offices tied to Atlanta and cutting about 300 U.S. support roles.