(GA. NEWS NETWORK)
*Georgia’s educators want lawmakers to consider a few changes they believe will benefit students. Georgia Association of Educators President Lisa Morgan says they want to prioritize reducing class sizes, hiring more social workers and counselors, and increasing teacher salaries for the 2026 legislative session. She tells WJBF they are also concerned about the Georgia Promise Scholarship program withholding money after far fewer students enrolled than was originally budgeted. Morgan says the need for improved retirement benefits for school employees should also be addressed by lawmakers.
*A popular destination travel center on Georgia’s coast could be having a negative affect on the sea turtles there. Reports say the new Buc-ee’s along I-95 in Brunswick uses high-mast lights operated by the county to aid travelers. The AJC says those intense lights have been criticized for their impact on sea turtle nesting season, as they can disorient hatchlings who rely on natural light to reach the ocean. Despite requests to turn off the lights during the nesting season, Glynn County officials have yet to take action. The debate continues as state officials provide evidence of the lights’ effects on turtle hatchlings.
*A $50million dollar stadium will be built in west Georgia for a sport you might not expect. Selig Enterprises plans to build a professional-grade cricket stadium in LaGrange, becoming the first privately owned cricket stadium in the U.S. DAS Cricket Academy founder Siddharth Das says the stadium, along with a FIFA-regulated soccer field and a hotel, is planned to be completed by the first quarter of 2027. Atlanta News First reports the site is part of a larger mixed-use development called Sora, which includes office, apartments, homes, and retail space.