James July-August 2025 web - Flipbook - Page 49
Macon The Macon Coliseum was a state-of-the-art
arena when it was completed in 1968, but nearly 60
years later it is starting to show its age. And with
Georgia cities like Athens, Augusta and Savannah all
pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into their own
new facilities, city lawmakers want to join the arms
race. Macon-Bibb officials have signed a contract with
a project management company to begin the process
of planning a new arena to keep pace with demand
for pro sports, work conferences and high school state
championships. The process is in the early stages, but
local leaders say the project is needed to keep Macon’s
momentum rolling when it comes to tourism and
hospitality, where it has made major strides in recent
years.
Augusta The Trump Administration restored the
names of military bases changed under former President Joe Biden, and a major installation near Augusta
is among them. Fort Eisenhower reverts to its original
name of Fort Gordon, though it won’t be named after
the same “Gordon” as before. The base’s original namesake, John Gordon, was a Confederate general, U.S.
senator and Georgia governor in the 19th century. Its
new one, Master Sgt. Gary Gordon, was a Delta Force
soldier posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for
heroism in the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, depicted in
the film “Black Hawk Down.”
Cobb County Community leaders including U.S. Rep.
Lucy McBath gathered for the ribbon cutting for phase
one of the New Day Palisades project at Paces Mill, a
sprawling $15.8 million project backed by One Cumberland, the Cumberland Community Improvement
District and the National Park Service. Paces Mill is a
22-acre greenspace along the Chattahoochee River in
the Cumberland area, which welcomes over 270,000
visitors each year. That kind of volume necessitated
the revitalization project, which in its first phase will
include parking lot upgrades, erosion control measures
and increased river access. Phase two is scheduled to
begin in 2026.
Griffin U.S. Rep. Brian Jack has only been in office
since January, but he has already delivered a big win
for his constituents by helping to preserve hundreds
of jobs at the Rinnai America Corporation factory in
Griffin. The Japanese-owned plant is the only facility
in America making gas-powered water heaters, which
the Biden Administration sought to ban. Rinnai execs
lamented that the Biden overregulation would likely
force them to shutter the factory and eliminate 300
jobs. But Jack pushed legislation overturning the rule,
and President Donald Trump celebrated its passage
during an Oval Office bill-signing ceremony.
Moreland Famed Georgia journalist and author Lewis
Grizzard has been honored in his hometown of Moreland in Coweta County with a historical marker from
the Georgia Historical Society. Grizzard rose to fame as
a columnist for the Atlanta Journal, becoming one of
the most recognizable and influential voices in Southern culture during the 1980s and 1990s. His humor,
social commentary and reflections on the “‘New” and
“Old” South in his many books and collections of columns are memorialized by the marker at the Moreland
Hometown Heritage Museum in his beloved hometown. The museum is a tribute to Grizzard, hosting
memorabilia and personal items of the iconic humorist, who passed away in 1994 at just 47 years old.
Savannah The trade dispute between the U.S. and Communist China has ports nationwide concerned but the
Port of Savannah is a step ahead. While China remains
the port’s biggest importer, it has looked to diversify
its operations in recent years. China’s share of Savannah’s container volume has dropped from 48 percent
in 2018 to 33 percent today, while port trade with India
is up 50 percent over the last five years. And once the
Suez Canal opens back up its shipping lanes (most
companies have avoided it since Yemen-based militants based started firing missiles at passing container
ships in 2023) the news will get even better: countries
like India, Vietnam and Thailand will have a more direct route to U.S. markets— and the Port of Savannah
will be their closest stop.
If you’ve got news from your local community
to share with our readers, please email us.
phickey@insideradvantage.com
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