Thursday, January 1, 2026

Good morning! On this day in 1981, running back Herschel Walker led Georgia to a 17-10 win over Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, capping a 12-0 season for the Bulldogs.

Happy New Year! As 2026 kicks off, we thank you for helping The Georgia Flyover grow to more than 145,000 daily readers over the past year.

Today, we're looking back at the biggest stories of 2025—first, the headlines that helped define the year (in chronological order), then a selection of editors' picks.

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Jan. 29: Laken Riley Act Becomes Law

On Jan. 29, President Trump signed into law the Laken Riley Act, named after a Georgia nursing student killed by an illegal immigrant who had been freed from jail pending a hearing.

The law—the first of Trump's second term—was written by U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, R-Jackson, who posted a photo of the signing event with the message, "Signed, sealed, delivered."

The law mandates the detention of illegal immigrants accused of crimes, and gives states more power to sue the federal government over immigration enforcement failures.

Allyson Phillips, the mother of the late Laken Riley, thanked backers of the law, adding a special note of appreciation to Trump for not forgetting about her daughter.

March 26: Hyundai Celebrates Grand Opening

Georgia's manufacturing sector received a major boost with the March 26 grand opening of Hyundai's $12.6 billion electric and hybrid vehicle assembly and battery plant near Savannah.

The plant—considered the largest economic development project in Georgia's history—expects to grow to 8,500 workers by 2031 and produce up to 500,000 electric and hybrid vehicles a year, along with electric vehicle batteries.

In September, federal immigration agents raided the battery plant's construction site over suspected illegal hiring practices, resulting in the detention of nearly 500 workers, most of them from South Korea. Construction on the battery plant resumed soon after.

In other automaker news, Rivian hosted a ceremony in September to mark the restart of site preparation work on its long-planned 7,500-worker electric vehicle factory near Atlanta, with construction set to begin this year and production to start in 2028.

July 29: School Vouchers Draw 15,000+ Applicants

The state reported on July 29 that nearly 15,300 Georgia families had applied for the new Promise Scholarship school vouchers, with about 8,600 meeting the eligibility requirements.

The program offers up to $6,500 in private tuition or homeschool funding for students assigned to public schools that rank in the bottom 25% academically.

The program was signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp in 2024, following a multiyear battle between school choice proponents and voucher critics.

State lawmakers agreed to fund as many as 21,000 scholarships in the program's first year. A final application period for the current school year closed in December. Updated application numbers were not immediately reported on the program's website.

Dec. 6: SEC Title Among College Football Highs

On Dec. 6, Georgia thumped nemesis Alabama 28-7 in the SEC Championship, adding another highlight to a notable 2025 for the state's college football teams.

Today, the Bulldogs face Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl, a College Football Playoff quarterfinal game and a rematch of their regular-season clash that Georgia won 43-35.

Georgia Tech reached as high as No. 7 in this season's weekly AP polls, its best ranking since 2009. Senior quarterback Haynes King broke multiple school records.

King and Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton finished in the top 10 in Heisman Trophy voting for the nation's best player.

Other college programs in the state also enjoyed success, including Georgia Southern winning its bowl game against rival Appalachian State.

Dec. 19: PSC Approves $16B Power Plan

The state Public Service Commission voted 5-0 on Dec. 19 to approve Georgia Power's $16 billion plan to add nearly 10 gigawatts of energy capacity through 2031.

The utility said the average residential customer will save about $8.50 a month between 2029 and 2031, as data centers and other large users pick up more costs.

The vote came amid ongoing political debate over rising residential rates, the growth of energy-intensive data centers, and traditional vs. renewable energy resources.

On Nov. 4, a special election for two PSC seats saw two current Republican commission members defeated by Democratic challengers, the party's first statewide win in two decades. Democrats called the wins a sign of consumer unease. Republicans cited voter turnout of only about 20% as a factor in the outcome.

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➤ A 28-year-old Jeffersonville woman said her survival skills were put to the test as she endured repeated snowstorms, injuries to her legs, and hunger when stranded for 24 days while camping this past spring in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. Tiffany Slaton joked about the experience, "I may never do a vacation longer than three days ever again." She was found dehydrated but in otherwise good condition in a snowed-in cabin near Fresno, California. What began as a planned three-day solo camping trip turned into a three-week quest for survival. She dealt with leg injuries from a fall, 13 snowstorms, difficult hikes, and living off wild leeks and melted snow before finding the unlocked cabin.

➤ A rare daylight meteorite streaked across the midday sky on June 26, startling people from Georgia to Tennessee. Witnesses reported loud booms, shaking homes, and a visible flash, with some mistaking the event for an earthquake. A fragment crashed through the roof of a Henry County home, leaving a hole in the floor "about the size of a large cherry tomato." Scientists said the meteorite entered Earth's atmosphere at speeds topping 50,000 mph.

➤ An April 2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers capped an 0-7 road trip to start the season for the Atlanta Braves, raising the question of whether the playoffs were out of reach even before the team's 2025 home opener. The team showed periodic spurts of stellar play, but ultimately finished with a 76-86 record and failed to make the playoffs for the first time in seven years. Offseason changes began quickly as manager Brian Snitker moved to an advisory role, replaced by coach Walt Weiss, who voiced confidence in his expanded role, saying, "I know this team like the back of my hand." The changes continued through year's end with the team active in player signings, including the addition of All-Star relief pitcher Robert Suarez.

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