AUDIO OF THE WEEK: Georgia Sen. John Albers, R-Roswell, speaks about the Georgia Senate Study Committee on Artificial Intelligence during its Oct. 2 meeting:
NO MORE TAXES: A group of elected officials and community leaders gathered to oppose a proposed Mobility SPLOST voters will decide when they head to the polls in November. Click here to read more.
LOEFFLER DONATION: Former Republican U.S. Sen.Kelly Loeffler and Jeff Sprecher announced a $500,000 contribution to President Donald Trump’s GoFundMe campaign to support Hurricane Helene victims. The fundraiser has raised more than $3.4 million from more than 20,000 donors. Trump after he joined Georgia officials, including Loeffler, in Valdosta, where he distributed supplies, comforted victims, and supported the community.
SCHOOL RANKING: Besides ranking as the most innovative college for the seventh consecutive year, Agnes Scott College ranked third among colleges and universities in the country for first-year experiences in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings.
MAN SENTENCED: U.S District Judge Victoria M. Calvert sentenced Jeremiah Carbon, 36, of Lithonia, Georgia, to three years and five months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for depositing nearly $1.5 million in fraudulent money orders into accounts at several metro Atlanta banks and for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, according to the feds.
MAN SENTENCED: U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash Jr. sentenced Sourivahn Ed Phonthepsone, 24, of Ontario, Canada, to seven years and three months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after Phonthepsone pleaded guilty to a firearms trafficking conspiracy charge on April 29.
MORE ELIGIBILITY: Georgia Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson said Friday that workers in 30 additional Georgia counties may now be eligible for federal disaster unemployment assistance to compensate for income lost directly resulting from Hurricane Helene. The additional counties are Effingham, Elbert, Rabun, and Tift. The complete list is Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brooks, Bulloch, Burke, Candler, Chatham, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Columbia, Cook, Echols, Effingham, Elbert, Emanuel, Evans, Glascock, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Lanier, Laurens, Liberty, Lincoln, Lowndes, McDuffie, Montgomery, Pierce, Rabun, Richmond, Screven, Tattnall, Telfair, Tift, Toombs, Treutlen, Ware, Washington, and Wheeler.
