December 2024 Features

• Atlanta Hawks and Georgia Power Launch 'True To You Workforce Empowerment' Program

  December 20, 2024

  The Atlanta Hawks and Georgia Power announced the launch of a new workforce development program. ‘True to You Workforce Empowerment’ is designed to support career development for emerging leaders, including college students, early-career professionals, and individuals re-entering the workforce after a traditional career break, such as veterans.

• City of Atlanta Partners with Invest Atlanta to Establish Two Grocery Stores in Food Deserts

  December 20, 2024

  Mayor Andre Dickens announced that the City of Atlanta, in partnership with Invest Atlanta and Savi Provisions, will establish two new grocery stores in low food access neighborhoods aimed at providing fresh food options to residents near Campbellton Plaza and in Downtown.

• Smyrna First Baptist Church Closes $15.8M Sale of Church Street Property to the City

  December 20, 2024

  Smyrna First Baptist Church has closed on a deal to sell its nine-acre property on Church Street to the City of Smyrna, with plans to develop a new campus on 5.5 acres along Atlanta Road. The $15.8 million transaction is part of a sale-leaseback agreement, and Smyrna First Baptist Church will continue to minister in its existing space for two years as construction begins at its new location.

• Georgia Creates Nearly 46k Job Opportunities Over Past Year, Unemployment at 3.7%

  December 20, 2024

  The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Georgia's November unemployment rate was 3.7 percent, up one tenth from a revised 3.6 percent in October. The unemployment rate was five-tenths lower than the national unemployment rate.

• Atlanta's Reveille Software Drives Strong 2024 Momentum: Growth, Strategic Hires & Expanded Platform Capabilities

  December 20, 2024

  Reveille Software, a leader in management and monitoring solutions for ECM and Intelligent Process Automation-based applications, underscores its standout 2024 momentum—marked by rapid growth, significant platform innovations, and strategic leadership additions.

• Lawmakers Gather for 2024 Biennial Institute at UGA

  December 20, 2024

  Members of the Georgia General Assembly convened at the University of Georgia Dec. 8­-10 for the Biennial Institute for Georgia Legislators. Coordinated by UGA’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government to help lawmakers prepare for the next legislative cycle, this year marked the 34th Biennial Institute.

• Georgia EPD Makes Historic Updates to Water Withdrawal Permit Suspension

  December 19, 2024

  Governor Brian Kemp announced that the Georgia Environmental Protection Division has modified the 2012 suspension of agricultural water withdrawal permits in portions of the Lower Flint and Chattahoochee River Basins, allowing for the issuance of the first new agricultural water withdrawal permits in this area in over a decade.

• Greater Atlanta Real Estate Predictions for 2025

  December 18, 2024

  Home buyers in the Greater Atlanta area have a variety of new home construction options, and the market is expected to be strong again in 2025, according to Realtor Chad Davis with Shirley Gary Group/Ansley Real Estate. Davis works with builders in and around Atlanta, as well as both nearby suburbs and north Georgia municipalities.

• Governor Announces Unified High Demand Career List to Strengthen Georgia Workforce Development

  December 18, 2024

  Governor Brian Kemp announced the State Workforce Development Board has officially approved Georgia's High Demand Career List, a tool designed to align education, training, and workforce development efforts with the needs of employers across the state.

• WGU Announces New Year Scholarship Available to Georgians

  December 18, 2024

  According to YouGov.com, about 34% U.S. adult citizens made at least one New Year’s resolution at the start of 2024. For those resolving to jump start their education in 2025, nonprofit online Western Governors University has announced New Year Scholarships.

• MARTA Advances Nextgen Bus Network: Smarter, Faster, Better

  December 17, 2024

  The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority is advancing its NextGen Bus Network, a strategic redesign of MARTA bus routes to create a smarter, faster, and better system to serve the evolving needs of the region.

• 2025 Georgia Travel Guide Inspires Endless Exploration Across the Peach State

  December 17, 2024

  The 2025 Georgia Travel Guide is now available, offering 130 pages of inspiration for travelers of all interests. From cover to cover, the guide is a gateway to endless exploration across the Peach State, featuring a detailed state map, local tips, and insights into everything from iconic landmarks to hidden gems. It is the ultimate invitation to start planning a visit to the State of Georgia for 2025.

• CE+T America Powers Growth with New North American Headquarters

  December 16, 2024

  CE+T America is celebrating a major milestone with the opening of its new 35,000 sq. ft. North American headquarters in Duluth. While this expansion strengthens CE+T's presence in North America, it's more than just a new address—it's a vision for the future.

• Georgia’s Manufacturing Industry Offers Advanced, High-Growth Opportunities Across the State

  December 16, 2024

  Georgia’s manufacturing industry is redefining career opportunities across the state. Careers in manufacturing offer clean, safe, advanced-skills development and high-growth opportunities, with increasing talent needs.

• Honoring Kenny Blank: A Visionary Leader Elevating Atlanta’s Cultural Landscape

  December 13, 2024

  Since its founding in 2000, the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival has become a cornerstone of Atlanta’s vibrant cultural scene, celebrated for fostering diversity, sparking dialogue, and connecting communities through the power of film.

• Georgia Creative Champion of the Year Awarded to Chris Escobar

  December 13, 2024

  Chris Escobar has been awarded Georgia's Creative Champion of 2024/2025. The honor was bestowed last night at Georgia Entertainment's Signature 100 held on Stage 5 of Assembly Studios. Over 600 producers, directors, and entertainment executives in Georgia and beyond were in attendance.

• Mayor Andre Dickens Strengthens U.S.-South Africa Ties During Groundbreaking Official Visit

  December 12, 2024

  Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens concluded a landmark official visit to South Africa, accompanied by a delegation of 35 Atlantan political, business and community leaders.

• SBA Administrator Guzman Hosts Inaugural Artificial Intelligence Small Business Summit at Georgia Tech

  December 12, 2024

  On Tuesday, Dec. 10, Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration and the voice in President Biden’s Cabinet for America’s more than 34 million small businesses, traveled to Atlanta to host the inaugural SBA AI Small Business Summit and officially launch SBA’s AI for Small Businesses Resource Hub.

• Shaq-a-Claus Brings A-Game to Score a Winning Holiday Season for Schoolchildren in the Atlanta Area

  December 12, 2024

  Shaquille O’Neal, the larger-than-life personality and not-so-secret Santa, lands a slam dunk of holiday cheer for 600 students from Pre-Kindergarten to 5th grade at the annual Shaq-A-Claus event at Wesley Lakes Elementary School on Friday, Dec. 13.

• CEO Optimism Surges Post-Election, According to Recent Fortune/Deloitte CEO Survey

  December 12, 2024

  The Fall 2024 Fortune/Deloitte CEO survey reveals a sharp rise in optimism among CEOs, with confidence in the global economy increasing significantly as compared to the summer survey. This heightened optimism is likely influenced by a combination of potentially favorable tax environment, deregulation and support for M&A activity.

• 16th Annual GRACE Awards Winners Announced

  December 11, 2024

  The 2024 Georgia Restaurant Association Crystal of Excellence Awards winners were announced Monday, Dec. 9 at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. The GRACE Awards Gala is the Georgia Restaurant Association’s (GRA) annual black-tie event honoring Georgia’s restaurant industry.

• Meet Mely: A Story of Resilience and Hope

  December 10, 2024

  Mely, a sophomore at Georgia Gwinnett College majoring in psychology, is a true example of resilience and transformation. Entering foster care at 11, she faced the challenges of living in multiple group homes and foster placements, all while grappling with the uncertainty of life without a permanent family.

• Georgia DOT Awards 23 Construction Contracts for Statewide Transportation Projects

  December 10, 2024

  The Georgia Department of Transportation awarded 23 projects across the state in October, encompassing bridge rehabilitation, resurfacing, construction, safety improvements, and new bridge construction.

• Georgia’s Economy will Grow in 2025, but More Slowly

  December 09, 2024

  Georgia’s economy is projected to grow by 2.4% in 2025, a slowdown from the 3.1% the state saw in 2024. However, the state’s GDP is projected to grow faster than the nation’s, which forecasters project to grow by 1.6% in 2025.

• The Broe Group Acquires Former Kellogg’s Manufacturing Facility, Plans Largest Shovel Ready Rail Real Estate Site in Fulton County

  December 09, 2024

  The Broe Group has acquired 5601 Bucknell in Georgia’s dynamic Fulton County Industrial District. The 14-acre acquisition provides a rare infill redevelopment opportunity within Atlanta’s premier I-20W submarket that houses industry giants including UPS, Amazon, Lowes, Google, and Walmart.