September 2024 Features

• Sowega Council on Aging Celebrates Active Aging Week with Free Events

  September 30, 2024

  The Sowega Council on Aging is excited to announce a week of fun, free activities in celebration of Active Aging Week, Monday, September 30 through Friday, October 4. Active Aging Week is an annual event that promotes the benefits of leading an active, healthy lifestyle regardless of age.

• AG Chris Carr Warns of Storm-Related Scams in Anticipation of Hurricane Helene

  September 30, 2024

  Attorney General Chris Carr is warning Georgians to be on the lookout for possible storm-related scams in anticipation of Hurricane Helene.

• Helene Leaves 11 Dead in Georgia, Fallen Trees, Flooded Roads

  September 30, 2024

  Hurricane Helene moved out of Georgia Friday morning, leaving in its wake 11 dead, toppled trees that caused widespread power outages and massive flooding.

• Georgia Power Releases Key Estimated Damage Statistics from Hurricane Helene as Restoration Progress Continues

  September 30, 2024

  Georgia Power's restoration efforts following Hurricane Helene continued Sunday, with the company having restored service to approximately 690,000 customers since the start of the storm. This rapid response has been possible through the implementation of new "smart grid" technologies and the quick work of pre-positioned teams.

• Georgia Chamber Cancels Rural Prosperity Summit

  September 30, 2024

  Following the tremendous damage caused by Hurricane Helene throughout Georgia and the necessity to prioritize resources for frontline emergency workers, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce announced the cancellation of the 2024 Rural Prosperity Summit in Tifton.

• Governor Kemp Declares State of Emergency as Helene Approaches

  September 26, 2024

  Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency in Georgia Tuesday with Tropical Storm Helene expected to make landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 3 hurricane Thursday night.

• Women-Driven Leadership in South Georgia Expands Impact

  September 25, 2024

  Women-driven leadership took center stage this week in Thomasville as the second cohort of the South Georgia Women’s Leadership Initiative (SGWLI) began their journey together with 16 women from eight different communities across the region engaged in a powerful Opening Retreat.

• Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia Announces Grand Opening of Its New Girl Scout DreamLab, the First in the Country to Open Inside a Walmart

  September 24, 2024

  Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia is proud to announce the grand opening of its latest Girl Scout DreamLab, located inside the Walmart Supercenter at 2825 Ledo Road in Albany. This marks the first time a Girl Scout DreamLab has been integrated within a retail environment, bringing the Girl Scout experience to a new, centralized location that is open and welcoming to all.

• Upcoming Statewide Day of Giving Showcases How Nonprofits Impact Communities and Drives Support for Them in the Giving Season

  September 24, 2024

  Fall is in the air, marking the kickoff to the end-of-the-year giving season for nonprofits. Nonprofits generally raise 15% or more of their total annual budgets during November and December – and almost entirely from individual donors – so this is a make-or-break time for charities supporting local needs.

• Georgia Power Foundation Invests in Waters for Georgia with Grants

  September 23, 2024

  The Georgia Power Foundation has announced the recipients of its Waters for Georgia grant program – The Trust for Public Land and the Seabrook Village Foundation.

• Work & Politics: Randstad US Reveals How Political Talks Shape Psychological Safety at Work

  September 23, 2024

  Randstad US, a global partner for talent, today revealed insights from its nationwide survey on psychological safety in the workplace within the context of political conversations.

• Today’s Employees Value Quality of Life More Than Compensation

  September 20, 2024

  A new study by goBeyondProfit and Georgia CEO finds that 51% of employees left a job due to a lack of generosity to employees, in large part to seek out a better quality of life. So, we asked employees about their pursuit of quality of life, including what, if any, sacrifices they were willing to make regarding compensation to achieve it.

• Georgia Maintains Top Business Ranking - Jobs for Georgians Remain a Top Priority

  September 20, 2024

  Georgia Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson announced today that Georgia's August unemployment rate was 3.6 percent, up two-tenths from a revised 3.4 percent in July. The unemployment rate was six-tenths lower than the national unemployment rate.

• Inaugural Georgia AIM Week to Showcase AI Technology in Manufacturing

  September 19, 2024

  A series of events across Georgia will highlight the use of artificial intelligence in manufacturing and how it can transform communities and jobs.

• Chambers’ Inaugural "Hush Puppies & Politics" Strengthens Regional Ties

  September 18, 2024

  The Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Lee County Chamber of Commerce, the Sylvester-Worth County Chamber of Commerce, and the Terrell County Chamber of Commerce, hosted the inaugural “Hush Puppies & Politics” regional fish fry on Wednesday, bringing together elected officials, business leaders and community members to foster connections and promote regional collaboration and economic development.

• Georgia Breaks Tourism Records for Second Straight Year

  September 18, 2024

  Governor Brian Kemp joined the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) in announcing that the state broke tourism records for the second year in a row and maintained its No. 5 market share ranking among all 50 states and Washington, D.C., for the fourth consecutive year.

• USG Foundation Raises $1.85M, Honors Chick-fil-A’s Dan Cathy & Reveals $10M Partnership for Foster Youth

  September 17, 2024

  The 20th annual Regents’ Scholarship Gala has raised $1.85 million from generous sponsors to support and provide need-based scholarships for University System of Georgia students across the state. The USG Foundation also announced a $10 million partnership with Fostering Success Act, Inc., to establish a first-of-its-kind scholarship fund within the system for foster youth in Georgia.

• Gov. Kemp Celebrates Top State for Business Ranking at Workforce Summit

  September 16, 2024

  Governor Brian Kemp delivered the keynote address at the second annual Governor's Workforce Summit, during which he announced that Georgia has been named the No. 1 state for business for the 11th consecutive year by Area Development magazine.

• Albany Area Chamber to Host Inaugural Chamber Clay Classic at Wynfield on October 17th

  September 13, 2024

  The Albany Area Chamber of Commerce will host its inaugural Chamber Clay Classic on October 17, providing a unique opportunity for community leaders, business professionals and outdoor enthusiasts to come together for a day of competitive sport, networking and fun

• Unlocking the Power of Employee Assistance Programs

  September 13, 2024

  Nearly two-out-of-three Americans are uncomfortable with the level of emergency savings in their bank accounts according to a recent report, with 27% of adults not having any emergency savings at all.

• Gov. Kemp Hosts Roundtable on Healthcare Civil Litigation Issues

  September 13, 2024

  Joined by other state leaders, Governor Brian P. Kemp hosted leaders from Georgia's healthcare industry today for a roundtable discussion on civil litigation policies impacting the state's healthcare providers and affordability for hardworking Georgians.

• Congressman Bishop Announces Nearly $4M For Albany State university to Support Research & Promote Stem Education

  September 12, 2024

  Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr., (GA-02) is pleased to announce that, last month, Albany State University has received three National Science Foundation awards totaling $3,763,838.

• 2024's Georgia Grown Conference Highlights Networking & Collaboration Among Georgia's Ag Community

  September 12, 2024

  On August 28-29, 2024, the Georgia Grown program held the "Growing Together: A Georgia Grown Conference" at the Columbus Convention Center. The event brought together Georgia Grown members from across the state.

• Dougherty County Board of Commissioners Announces Appointment of Deron King as New County Administrator

  September 11, 2024

  The Dougherty County Board of Commissioners is pleased to announce that Deron King has accepted the offer to become the next County Administrator of Dougherty County, Georgia. The decision came after a 4-2 vote, with one abstention, during the Board’s Regular Meeting.

• Consultants Rank the “Top States for Doing Business” — Georgia Ranks #1

  September 11, 2024

  Area Development, the leading site selection and facility planning publication, announces the results of its 2024 Top States for Doing Business survey of location consultants. Georgia retains the #1 spot overall, dominating several key categories, including business incentives programs, logistics and infrastructure, and workforce training programs.