(GEORGIA NEWS NETWORK/SRN NEWS)
*Legislation working its way through the state legislature aims to pressure local governments to enforce laws around homeless encampments and panhandling by allowing property owners to claim a tax refund if they suffer losses due to non-enforcement. But WABE reports critics argue that the focus should be on addressing the root causes of homelessness rather than penalizing local governments. Supporters say property owners shouldn’t face negative effects because elected officials don’t act. (File photo: Gainesville homeless camp.)
*Former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler has been confirmed to serve as administrator of the Small Business Administration. By a vote of 52-46 Wednesday the Senate confirmed Loeffler, who served a brief stint representing Georgia in the upper chamber before losing in a special election in 2021. She’s been described as having a “strong” background in business. Majority Leader Joh Thune told colleagues entrepreneurs are one of the country’s greatest assets and that Loeffler will “be their champion”.
*The CDC has experienced significant losses in its Laboratory Leadership Service, or LLS, program due to federal layoffs that impact the recruitment and training of lab scientists. The LLS program was established in response to past lab safety failures at the CDC. Former CDC officials and experts warn that these layoffs could weaken the nation’s ability to detect and respond to disease outbreaks, raising concerns about the long-term consequences for public health.
*A Savannah woman filed a lawsuit against a fertility clinic after an embryo mix-up. The woman realized the mistake when the baby boy did not match the appearance of the sperm donor she had chosen. After months of anxiety, CBS News reports she confirmed the mix-up with a DNA test and reached out to Coastal Fertility Specialists, to report the error. The woman voluntarily gave custody of the baby back to his biological parents. Coastal Fertility acknowledged the mistake and apologized for the distress that was caused. “This was an isolated event with no further patients affected,” a statement says.