(GA. NEWS NETWORK)
*Area Development magazine has ranked Georgia the number one state in the country across 15 categories, including skilled labor, government responsiveness, and speed to market — evaluated by nearly 50 leading site consultants. The magazine said the achievement highlights the state’s consistent success in fostering a business-friendly environment.
*A new Georgia Historical Society marker now commemorates The Home Depot’s Atlanta roots and its role in transforming the home improvement industry. The company was founded in 1978 and opened its first stores in Atlanta the following year and is the 29th company recognized through the society’s Georgia Business History Initiative.
*Social Circle has been stripped of its Qualified Local Government status for one year following a dispute with Newton County over land proposed for a large data center. Officials say the designation loss will block access to certain state grants and loans but won’t affect daily services. ANF News reports the dispute stems from a 2025 annexation of hundreds of acres for a planned technology campus. Social Circle plans to appeal, while the future of the proposed data center remains uncertain.
*A man wanted on several charges in two counties was found hiding under a bed by Floyd County sheriff’s deputies. According to WSB-TV, Jeremiah Stanley was arrested for false imprisonment, first-degree burglary, sexual battery, and battery in Floyd County, as well as family violence battery, cruelty to children, and probation violation in Bartow County.