March 2018 Features

  • Sementha Mathews Named Executive Director for the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts

    March 30, 2018

    Lowndes/Valdosta Arts Commission Board President Bob Goddard announced on Tuesday that a new Executive Director for the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts has been named. Sementha Mathews, currently serving as Public Information Officer for the City of Valdosta, will take the helm as art center director in mid-April.

  • General Assembly Adjourns After Delivering Historic Victories for Georgia Families

    March 30, 2018

    Governor Nathan Deal, Lt. Governor Casey Cagle and Speaker David Ralston led the General Assembly to adjourn Sine Die for the 154th legislative session. This marks the end of a legislative year in which the General Assembly advanced reforms and investments that will benefit every Georgia family, and concludes the final session of an administration that has consistently delivered for Georgians by leading on the most important issues facing our citizens, creating nearly 700,000 jobs as the nation’s best state to do business, and generating a rising economic tide that has left our entire state better off than we were eight-years-ago.

  • Cancer Coalition Hosts Fourth Annual Valdosta Night for Hope April 26th

    March 29, 2018

    The Cancer Coalition of South Georgia will host its fourth annual Night for Hope fundraising gala on Thursday, April 26th in the Valdosta State University Student Union Ballroom. The Cancer Coalition continues its local fight against cancer, now under the new name of Horizons Community Solutions.

  • SGMC Promotes Members of Leadership Team

    March 28, 2018

    The South Georgia Health System d.b.a. South Georgia Medical Center, recently announced a series of promotions affecting the organizational structure of the health system. C. Ross Berry, CEO, announced the changes following last month's Hospital Authority meeting.

  • Delta Biometrics Launches across All 50 Domestic Delta Sky Clubs with Check-in Option

    March 28, 2018

    Delta Sky Club members with CLEAR can use their fingerprints to enter all 50 U.S. Delta Sky Club locations beginning this week, making Delta the only U.S.-based global airline to offer customers a secure biometric check-in option at a single touch point across its domestic network.

  • UGA Study: Georgia Ports Support More Than 439,000 Jobs

    March 27, 2018

    Georgia's ports support 439,220 full-and part-time jobs across the state, according to a study released by the Selig Center for Economic Growth at UGA's Terry College of Business.

  • Governor Deal Proclaims “Georgia Technology and Innovation Day” at Annual Technology Summit

    March 26, 2018

    Governor Nathan Deal, referencing the 13,000 technology-related companies in Georgia, proclaimed a resolution marking March 21st as Georgia Technology and Innovation Day. The Governor included the special announcement during his speech at the annual Technology Summit held this past week in Atlanta at the Cobb Galleria.

  • SGMC Renews Annual Support of Partnership Health Center

    March 23, 2018

    In a presentation to the Hospital Authority of Valdosta and Lowndes County on March 21st, Partnership for Health CEO John Sparks and SGMC’s Chief Operating Officer Dr. David Schott reported on the significant impact of the local Partnership Health Center and the difference the center is making in the lives of the uninsured in our community.

  • Georgia Sets Employment Records in February

    March 22, 2018

    State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said today that February was another record-setting month for Georgia, as the state reached new highs for jobs, employed residents and labor force. At the same time, unemployment claims fell and the unemployment rate remained unchanged.

  • SBDC, Valdosta Chamber of Commerce Present M-3 Conference April 18th

    March 21, 2018

    The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center at Valdosta State University and the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce SEEDS Business Resource Center are teaming up to present the M-3: Micros, Makers, and Mentors Conference from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, April 18.

  • Four Georgia Small Businesses Named Rock Stars

    March 21, 2018

    The Georgia Department of Economic Development, along with the Georgia Economic Developers Association, announced Georgia’s 2018 Small Business Rock Stars. GDEcD and GEDA hosted a luncheon where four Georgia companies were honored for being an outstanding, unique and impactful small business.

  • Georgia Aquarium Reveals Plans for New Expansion to Open in 2020

    March 21, 2018

    The largest aquarium in the United States is getting bigger. Georgia Aquarium revealed expansion plans for a new gallery featuring sharks—one of the most misunderstood species in the ocean—to open in late fall of 2020. An extension of the Aquarium’s conservation and education efforts, the new experience will help guests have a deeper appreciation for the important role sharks serve in the oceans and inspire them to join conservation efforts to protect our oceans.

  • Mercedes-Benz USA Celebrates Grand Opening of New Headquarters in Atlanta

    March 16, 2018

    Mercedes-Benz USA held the official grand opening of its new headquarters in Sandy Springs, 14 miles outside of the heart of Atlanta. Among the distinguished guests joining Dietmar Exler, MBUSA president and CEO, were Nathan Deal, Governor of Georgia; Keisha Lance Bottoms, Mayor of Atlanta; Axel Harries, Daimler vice president sales Mercedes-Benz Cars and product management Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars; and Rusty Paul, Mayor of Sandy Springs.

  • Georgia Congressional Delegation Pushes Georgia as Home to U.S. Army Futures Command

    March 16, 2018

    U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and David Perdue, R-Ga., joined the entire Georgia congressional delegation in urging the Pentagon to consider Georgia as home to the new Futures Command of the U.S. Army.

  • Leadership Moody Builds Leaders

    March 15, 2018

    Leadership Moody strives to diversify and grow the skill sets of its students by integrating them with civic leaders in the community to discuss leadership, lessons learned and best practices.

  • Georgia’s Chief Turnaround Office and the Synergy Around Rural Georgia

    March 15, 2018

    The schools and districts that make-up Cohort I of the turnaround focus (as outlined in HB 338) are primarily focused in rural, Southwest Georgia. While the turnaround team would love to take credit for the synergy of this rural focus, it was a force brewing well before the establishment of the Turnaround Office.

  • Georgia House Speaker David Ralston: A Call to Action for “Building a Stronger America”

    March 14, 2018

    From the world’s busiest airport to the fastest growing container port in America, Georgia leads the nation in moving people and goods. That didn’t happen by accident. On the contrary, for generations, Georgians have invested in the infrastructure necessary to facilitate our forward momentum.

  • Governor Signs $25.4B Amended FY 2018 Budget

    March 12, 2018

    Gov. Nathan Deal signed the Amended FY 2018 budget at a signing ceremony in Polk County, authorizing $25.4 billion in spending for the current fiscal year. The state appropriations within HB 683 are based upon a 2.7 percent growth in general fund revenues over FY 2017 collections. This additional funding will address growth needs in education and human services, provide additional funding to local governments and school systems, and support statewide economic development efforts.

  • TAG Announces Top 10 Innovative Technology Companies in Georgia

    March 09, 2018

    The Technology Association of Georgia announced the Top 10 Innovative Technology Companies in Georgia. These companies were selected from the Top 40 Innovative Technology Companies for showing the highest degree of innovation, the broadest scope and financial impact of their innovations, and the greatest effect of such innovation in promoting Georgia's technology industry throughout the U.S. and globally.

  • Georgia Beer Company Breaks Ground on Brewery

    March 08, 2018

    Georgia Beer Company, the first brewery in Valdosta-Lowndes County, Georgia broke ground on their facility Tuesday, March 6th. The groundbreaking, which was hosted by the Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority and Valdosta Main Street, was held at the brewery’s future home in Downtown Valdosta.

  • Facebook to Invest $750M in Stanton Springs Data Center

    March 08, 2018

    Gov. Nathan Deal announced that Facebook will create at least 100 full-time jobs and invest $750 million in a new data center in Stanton Springs over the next five years. New jobs will include positions in engineering and management, as well as opportunities for data center technicians.

  • Cox Industries Announces Acquisition of Langdale Forest Products Assets

    March 06, 2018

    Cox Industries announced that it has formally completed the acquisition of certain assets of Langdale Forest Products, one of the Southeast's largest wood utility pole manufacturers.

  • AG Chris Carr Kicks Off 7th Annual Georgia Legal Food Frenzy

    March 06, 2018

    Attorney General Chris Carr announced that registration is open for the 7th Annual Legal Food Frenzy, a statewide food and fund drive competition among Georgia’s lawyers to help end hunger. The 2018 competition will take place April 16 – April 27, 2018 and is done in partnership with the Office of the Attorney General, the State Bar of Georgia, the Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar of Georgia and the Georgia Food Bank Association.

  • U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO: Can the Government Nationalize a Business?

    March 05, 2018

    Is the federal government allowed to take over and run a private business in an emergency? That is the fundamental question at the heart of a case brought by Starr International Company against the federal government.

  • Experts Think Amazon Will Choose Atlanta or Northern Virginia as its Second Headquarters

    March 02, 2018

    Experts expect Amazon to choose either Northern Virginia or Atlanta for its new headquarters, according to the 2018 Zillow Home Price Expectations Survey. Austin and Denver were also commonly cited by experts as strong contenders.