Struggling Georgia timber industry could receive big tax break
A proposed amendment to the Georgia Constitution would end sales taxes on timber, a major industry battered by mill closings and storms. House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration…
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After back-to-back hurricanes, Georgia’s pecan farmers brace for the future
After back-to-back hurricanes in 2023 and 2024, Georgia’s pecan farmers are still recovering. But with the help of organizations like Georgia Organics and the UGA…
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Georgia farmers set to receive $531M in federal disaster aid, though no details yet on how to apply
It’s been just over a year since Hurricane Helene ripped across the Southeast, killing 250 people and causing billions of dollars in damage to homes…
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Volunteer organizations aid in Hurricane Helene recovery
The United Methodist Committee on Relief and other volunteer organizations are still helping victims of Hurricane Helene a year later, providing assistance with home and…
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Georgia’s mid-year budget allocates $40.5 billion for hurricane relief and school safety
Gov. Brian Kemp signed a record $40.5 billion mid-year budget Thursday that prioritizes hurricane relief and invests heavily in school safety and Georgia’s prison system…
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Georgia lawmakers adopt record mid-year budget
The General Assembly gave final passage Monday to a record $40.5 billion mid-year budget that prioritizes hurricane relief and prisons. The mid-year budget, which covers…
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State Senate panel approves $40.5B mid-year budget
The state Senate is upping the ante on funding to help victims of Hurricane Helene recover from the massive storm that marched through South Georgia…
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Georgia lawmakers step up for Hurricane Helene victims
Tax relief bills targeting victims of Hurricane Helene cleared both chambers of the General Assembly Tuesday. The Georgia House unanimously passed legislation exempting from taxation…
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Mid-year state budget sails though Georgia House
The Georgia House overwhelmingly passed a $40.5 billion mid-year state budget Thursday containing hundreds of millions of dollars in new spending aimed largely at helping…
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Georgia lawmakers ready to take up mix of old and new business
The General Assembly will convene under the Gold Dome on Monday with the usual mix of old and new business on its plate. Supporters of…
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Deadline extended for Helene victims to apply for federal benefits
The filing deadline for federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) for victims of Hurricane Helene has been extended to Feb. 7, the Georgia Department of Labor…
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Rough Draft’s Top 10 stories of 2024
As we say goodbye to 2024, we look back at the Top 10 most-read stories on the Rough Draft website over the last year. 1.…
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State tax revenues up slightly in November
Georgia tax collections rose by 2.3% last month compared with November of last year, the state Department of Revenue reported Wednesday. The revenue agency brought…
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Kemp declares Helene relief top priority for General Assembly
Gov. Brian Kemp announced Tuesday that he will unveil a disaster relief package for Georgia victims of Hurricane Helene next month during the first week…
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Asheville artists to showcase their work at Ponce City Market to support hurricane relief efforts
“Love Asheville from Afar” will bring works by Asheville area artists to Ponce City Market for a pop-up exhibition
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Nonprofit diaper supplier delivered moms desperately needed aid after Hurricane Helene
Helping Mamas, a Norcross-based nonprofit, delivered over 254,000 diapers, 61,000 period products, and 800 hygiene kits to residents in nine counties affected by Hurricane Helene,…
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State-run hurricane damage relief program taking applications
The Georgia Department of Agriculture has launched a low-interest emergency loan program to help farmers who suffered losses from Hurricane Helene. The application period for…
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Report: Kemp asks for $12.2 billion in federal aid after Hurricane Helene
Gov. Brian Kemp has asked Congress for nearly $12.2 billion in disaster relief aid for damage caused by Hurricane Helene. According to a report from the…
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Giving Kitchen activates emergency financial disaster relief program
In the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, Giving Kitchen (GK), the nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance and a network of community resources to food service workers in times of…
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Food truck owner makes it his mission to help daughter’s Asheville restaurant
Tim Fitzgerald, owner of Fitzgerald Smoked Meats, is raising funds for his daughter’s restaurant, Regina’s, which is struggling to stay in business due to the…
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Hurricane Helene: Georgia Power’s largest restoration project in company history
Georgia Power responded to Hurricane Helene with a world-class team of over 20,000 personnel, restoring power to over 1.5 million customers and rebuilding sections of…
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Kemp announces another $1B tax rebate
For the second time in three years, Gov. Brian Kemp is giving Georgians a tax rebate worth more than $1 billion. Kemp said Tuesday he…
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Atlanta restaurants raising funds for hurricane-damaged pecan farms in Georgia
Pecan farmers in Georgia are assessing the damage to their crops following Hurricane Helene, with estimates suggesting that 75% of the 2024 pecan crop in…
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Quick Bites Oct. 17: Puttshack’s Dunwoody debut, classic cocktail class, and cookbook signing at Nádair
Farm Burger is offering a Burger Give Back Day to assist those impacted by Hurricane Helene, while Amalfi Cucina & Mercato is offering a “Pay…
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Sandy Springs restaurant serves BBQ to Asheville residents after storm
Glenn McDaniel and his family partnered with the Archetype Brewing team to serve 200 meals to Asheville residents recovering from Hurricane Helene, while Archetype Brewing…
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Federal judge to consider more evidence whether to extend Georgia’s voter registration deadline
A federal judge has denied a request for the court to immediately intervene and extend Georgia’s deadline to register to vote after Hurricane Helene devastated…
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Kemp, Trump appear together near Augusta to pledge support for Georgia storm victims
Former President Donald Trump and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp appeared together for the first time since 2020 to brief members of the press on Hurricane…
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Georgia facing numerous crises, but Board of Public Health hasn’t met since May
As a plume of smoke from a chemical fire hangs over metro Atlanta, amid a state of emergency after deadly Hurricane Helene, and in the…
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Biden to South Georgia: ‘We’ve got your back’
President Joe Biden called on Congress to pass a supplemental spending bill to aid victims of Hurricane Helene in Georgia and other Southeastern states, while…
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