Wednesday, July 22, 2026

Good morning! On this date in 1864, Union and Confederate forces clashed in the Battle of Atlanta, the bloodiest fight of Union Gen. William Sherman’s campaign to take the city during the Civil War.

When the Pacific Ocean flexes, Georgia feels it 2,000 miles away. Forecasters now put the odds at 81% that El Niño reaches "very strong" status by winter, potentially ranking among the strongest on record and affecting the Southeast U.S. In today's episode of The Flyover Podcast, Ayla breaks down the five ways forecasters say this El Niño will shape the months ahead. So what does a historic El Niño hold for Georgia? Tune in here!

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Georgia Soldier Killed in Strike

A U.S. Army officer who primarily lived in Georgia was among the American soldiers killed in recent days while defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks.

1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, enlisted in Hawaii but primarily lived in Georgia. He was assigned to an air defense artillery regiment based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Feehan's family said he was set to be married after his deployment and planned to attend law school. They are establishing a scholarship in his name, pledging his death gratuity to launch the fund.

The Pentagon said Feehan and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, died in attacks on Friday and Saturday. Another soldier, Sgt. Angel S. Rampersad, 28, of New York, is believed to have also been killed, bringing the number of U.S. troops killed since the Middle East conflict began to 18.

Epps Named Appeals Judge

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp appointed Augusta-area U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian K. Epps to the Georgia Court of Appeals, filling a vacancy left by the resignation of Judge Brian M. Rickman.

Epps has served as a magistrate judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia for 13 years. Before joining the federal bench, he was a partner at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, representing commercial policyholders in insurance disputes.

Epps has long been active in the Augusta community, chairing the Shepeard Community Blood Center and helping found Prodigal Ministries. He will join a 15-judge court whose members serve six-year terms.

He earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Georgia, where he teaches a mediation course as an adjunct professor at the law school.

Farmers' Financial Health Studied

University of Georgia researchers are studying the financial health of the state's farmers, who anchor Georgia's largest economic sector.

The Farm Profitability Survey, a joint effort involving the UGA College of Public Health, the Georgia Farm Bureau, and the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture, asks farmers about operating margins, cash flow, and debt. Survey participants remain anonymous.

Whitney Sangster of the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture, the charitable arm of the Georgia Farm Bureau, said the survey seeks "hard data because we can sit here and say farmers are struggling, they're suffering, but we don't have the hard data to back that up.”

Christina Proctor of the UGA College of Public Health is leading the research alongside Dr. Stephanie Basey of The Hive Research Collective, a consultant on the project.

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➤ Marietta: GOP gubernatorial nominee Rick Jackson said he will speak alongside President Trump at Wheeler High School today. (More)

➤ Grovetown: Construction is nearing completion on Columbia County's first hospital, Wellstar Medical Center, ahead of its scheduled late-August opening. (More)

➤ Garden City: Leaders voted 4-2 to raise the property tax rate from 4 to 7.851 mills, a nearly 90% increase, despite opposition from some residents. (More)

➤ Albany: Dougherty County commissioners approved a 45-day moratorium on data centers, pausing acceptance and approval of new applications while leaders weigh the centers' impacts. (More)

➤ Savannah: Ongoing construction near Wright Square is reshaping the historic district, with several projects drawing mixed responses from residents and tourists. One resident said, "Downtown is just Disneyland now," while another called the projects "progress" and a welcome boost for the economy. (More)

➤ Rincon: The city paid $2 million for about 15 acres on Fort Howard Road as a site for a new Effingham County library and a planned walkable downtown district. (More)

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➤ Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin was named National League Player of the Week after going 10-for-14 with three home runs and eight RBIs in a three-game series against the Texas Rangers. He also hasn't struck out in 34 consecutive plate appearances, the longest active streak in the majors. (More)

➤ Georgia Tech opened as a 6.5-point favorite over Colorado for the teams' season opener on Sept. 3 at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta. (More)

➤ Georgia Southern invited fans and supporters to its 2026 Football Kickoff Dinner on Aug. 28, which former NFL head coach Jon Gruden will headline. (More)

➤ The Warner Robins American Little League softball team plated two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to complete a thrilling 7-6 comeback over South Carolina. (More)

➤ The YMCA of Metro Atlanta reported a 32% increase in fall youth soccer sign-ups since last year, attributed to World Cup excitement. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | WNBA

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➤ Georgia reached all-time highs in both its labor force and total employment in June, with its jobless rate holding at 3.4%, the state labor department said. (More)

➤ A Forsyth County lettuce farm reported an increase in customers following the multistate outbreak of the parasite linked to imported iceberg lettuce. (More)

➤ Georgia Power officials reiterated their pledge that residential customers will not see higher bills as more data centers move into the state, saying large companies rather than consumers will bear expansion costs. (More)

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➤ A UNESCO vote on whether to make the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge the state's first UNESCO World Heritage Site is expected before the group's Busan, South Korea, session ends July 29. (More)

➤ Nicole Jones-Harper, a film and broadcasting teacher at Kendrick High School in Columbus, earned her first strongwoman championship title. (More)

➤ The Savannah Bananas' mascot, Split, is among this year's nominees for enshrinement in the Mascot Hall of Fame. (More)

➤ Country band Lonestar will perform at the 2026 Georgia National Fair in Perry this October as part of the fair's free concert lineup included with gate admission. (More)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ Forecasters warn a record-strength El Niño could decide whether your state floods or dries out. (Hear Details)

➤ Mass shootings swept through eight states last weekend, leaving dozens of victims as investigators continue to search for suspects. (Hear Episode)

➤ The Secret Service officer who took a bullet stopping a gunman at the White House Correspondents' Dinner is being honored. (Listen Now)