Saturday, June 13, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1955, Leah Ward Sears, who served as chief justice of the Georgia Supreme Court from 2005 to 2009, was born in Heidelberg, Germany.

An iconic Olympic structure in Atlanta will be heading to a new home within the city. Learn more in Top Stories.

The Pentagon just dropped its third batch of UFO files, and this time, we’re not just going to report what was in the folder, but instead move to the real question: Is there intelligent life out there? We’ll give you the strongest arguments on both sides, and then reveal what your fellow Americans actually believe. Tune in to The Flyover Podcast as Amy breaks down where the debate stands on intelligent life beyond earth. Tune in here!

Today's sponsor, EnergyX, is helping meet surging lithium demand from AI, EVs, and battery technology with patented extraction tech, major industry backing, and an early-stage investment opportunity before its July 16 deadline.

Don’t feel like reading the national edition of The Flyover? Tune in to The Flyover Podcast! New episodes drop daily—watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, all in under 15 minutes.

South Georgia Wildfires 100% Contained

The Georgia Forestry Commission says the Pineland Road and Highway 82 wildfires in South Georgia are now fully contained.

The two wildfires, which destroyed a record number of homes, burned more than 50,000 acres combined and cost Georgia over $35 million in containment and response efforts.

A disaster relief program is offering housing-related financial assistance to residents of 91 designated counties who were affected by the wildfires, with applications due by midnight July 15.

With the containment of the wildfires, forestry officials are warning residents to remain alert as 30 wildfires across the state burned more than 281 acres between June 3 and June 10.

Atlanta’s Olympic Cauldron To Be Moved

Atlanta’s 1996 Olympic Cauldron is set to be relocated from its current site in Summerhill to Centennial Olympic Park.

Georgia State University is partnering with Olympic leaders Billy Payne and former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young to move the structure.

The move will only rehome the cauldron, while the 120-foot flame tower and the Olympic rings bridge will remain in place and eventually be enhanced.

No timeline for the relocation has been announced.

Student Awarded Over $17 Million in Scholarships

Patrick Pruitt, a recent graduate from Woodland High School in Henry County, has been accepted to 264 colleges and offered more than $17 million in scholarships, an amount officials believe could be a national record.

Even though Pruitt’s 1200 SAT score made him qualified for free tuition at any public college or university in the state, he decided to attend Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, where he received a scholarship package worth about $260,000.

Pruitt applied to 270 colleges and universities; he was rejected from only six.

“He’s very self-driven, self-motivated, resilient,” said Pruitt’s mother, Alicia Brantley. “After all this is said and done, he can see the fruits of his labor, and that’s a beautiful experience to witness.”

Flying together with our sponsor

AI's 80,000-Ton Battery Problem

As AI infrastructure explodes, so does lithium demand. Google's AI data centers currently use 100M+ lithium-ion cells for reliable, always-on power.

The problem? Big Tech’s race to build massive new data center capacity has Morgan Stanley forecasting an 80k-ton lithium shortage this year.

Few companies are better positioned to benefit than EnergyX. Their patented tech produces up to 3X more lithium than traditional methods at speeds 500X faster than evaporation ponds.

Beyond the tech, they have rights to ~150,000 acres of lithium-rich land across North and South America, and they’ve just announced plans for their second lithium production plant in America. Now, they hold rights to up to 13M tons of lithium across North and South America.

Industry leaders like General Motors and POSCO have already invested. Join them as an early-stage EnergyX shareholder before the 7/16 deadline.

➤ Tybee Island: The island has recorded 27 sea turtle nests this season as of Wednesday, already surpassing last year's total of 19. (More)

➤ Baldwin County: The school district broke ground on a new Oak Hill Middle School athletic complex earlier this week that will include upgraded fields, facilities, seating, and parking, with completion expected this fall. (More)

➤ Johns Creek: The city’s first Trader Joe’s opened on Thursday at Medley Boulevard. Over 30 new employees were hired at the 9,240-square-foot location. (More)

➤ Lavonia: Downtown is set to receive $500,000 for streetscape enhancements, including intersection realignments, extended sidewalks, and upgraded crosswalks. (More)

➤ Crisp County: Nine people were displaced due to a late-night house fire on US Highway 280 East; no injuries were reported, and the cause is being investigated. (More)

Enjoy reading The Georgia Flyover? Click here to share with your friends and family. ✈️

➤ Georgia baseball opens College World Series play tonight against Texas in Omaha. The Bulldogs are making their first trip to the CWS since 2008 and bring a lineup led by Golden Spikes Award finalist Daniel Jackson, who’s hitting .396 with 31 home runs and 26 stolen bases. (More)

➤ Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said this week the city is "ready to welcome the world" ahead of the FIFA World Cup, which brings its first match to Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Monday. The city plans to deploy its entire police force for the monthlong event. (More)

➤ The Falcons acquired offensive tackle Wanya Morris from the Kansas City Chiefs for a swap of late-round 2027 draft picks. Morris, a 2023 third-round pick, adds tackle depth after the retirement of starter Kaleb McGary. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: World Cup | MLB | NCAA World Series | WNBA | Golf

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ The Protein That Stops Hair Loss In Its Tracks. Watching your hair get thinner each year? Scientists have identified a unique protein that rebuilds hair follicles from within. Users report visibly thicker hair in just weeks with a reduction in shedding. This natural solution works where other treatments fail, strengthening each strand from root to tip. No expensive treatments, no side effects—just results. (Learn more)

Flying together with our sponsor

Exxon Has an Unlikely New Competitor

Energy giants like Exxon have been buying land in America’s lithium hotspot. Now they’ve got a new neighbor.

EnergyX acquired the rights to 35k gross acres of lithium-rich land right next door. It’s not just the acres turning heads, either. Their tech can recover up to 3X more lithium than usual methods.

Now they’re preparing to drill and unlock America’s next major lithium supply. General Motors and 50k+ everyday people already invested. Invest in EnergyX before their July 16 investment deadline.

➤ Atlanta is the cheapest U.S. host city for attending a 2026 FIFA World Cup group-stage match, with an estimated average cost of $1,642 per fan, according to an analysis by LendingTree. (More)

➤ The Georgia Safari Conservation Park in Madison has welcomed Frannie, an 18-month-old, 1,000-pound reticulated giraffe from the Global Wildlife Center in Louisiana. (More)

➤ A 25-foot century plant blooming for the first time in over two decades is drawing crowds to a Savannah woman's rose garden. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Carrying credit card debt? A balance transfer offer could help you take a break from high interest charges and give you more time to pay down what you owe. FinanceBuzz is highlighting a popular card option that combines valuable rewards with an introductory balance transfer offer, helping eligible cardholders save money while working toward their financial goals. See if this offer is right for you.