James Nov-Dec 2023 web - Flipbook - Page 41
to the Stripers in 2017. Rome officials say they want a
name that will resonate with the northwest Georgia
community it has called home since 2003.
Valdosta Who needs electric car batteries or solar
Augusta While the Atlanta sporting scene is abuzz
over the possibility that the National Hockey League
could return to the city for a record third time, could
another Georgia city be getting back into the ice
hockey mix? Augusta voters will decide whether to
approve a sales tax hike that would go towards building a new James Brown Arena. If passed, part of
that construction could include installing the necessary piping to be able to ice over the floor, opening
the door for ice skating and hockey. That could potentially lure minor league hockey back to the Garden
City. The Augusta Lynx and River Hawks were an
attraction but the latter team left in 2010.
Dahlonega If you’re fond of tossing back the occasional glass of wine or beer then you should consider
going to Dahlonega, in North Georgia. The city was
named “America’s Best Small Wine, Beer, & Spirits
Town” by a new ranking from Travel & Leisure, lauded for its local wineries, breweries and bars. Nestled
in the foothills of the Appalachians, the picturesque
mountain town is only about an hour north of Atlanta,
making it an easy weekend getaway— and even better
if you’re into imbibing.
Rome The Rome Braves are no more. Well, the name
“Braves,” that is. The minor league team will adopt an
all-new name and logo for the 2024 season. Rebrands
have become common around minor league baseball
in recent years as executives have found unique names
and designs tend to move more merchandise and give
the team more of a “local” feel. The Atlanta Braves’
AAA affiliate, formerly the Gwinnett Braves, rebranded
panels? Valdosta, in South Georgia, is getting a $350
million investment in an industry nearly as old as
civilization itself— milk. Retail giant Walmart has
announced plans to open a milk processing plant that
will employ more than 400 workers and provide milk
directly to some 750 Walmart and Sam’s Club stores
in Georgia and neighboring states. Gov. Brian Kemp
and Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper praise
the move, saying it will create new opportunities
for Georgia dairy farmers and help keep agricultural
income in the state.
Savannah One of Savannah’s historic town squares
now boasts a new name: that of Susie King Taylor,
a black woman who taught slaves to read and write
and opened schools for black students. For more than
170 years the square was named after former Vice
President John C. Calhoun, a South Carolina politician
who was an avowed supporter of slavery. Taylor, born
a slave in Liberty County, Georgia, becomes the first
black woman to have a square named after her in the
state’s oldest city. The newly renamed square will include signage memorializing Taylor’s accomplishments
as well as information on Calhoun’s history and why
the change was made.
Smyrna This Cobb County city celebrated its 151st
birthday with a Culture and Spirit Festival that
drew over 30,000 guests and included a free concert featuring three of the biggest bands of the ‘90s.
Smyrna was incorporated by the state as an official
municipality in 1872, but the then-frontier town had
been going by the name since the 1840s. Today it is
one of Atlanta’s most vibrant and thriving suburbs, as
evidenced by the huge turnout to celebrate the past
century-and-a-half of cityhood.
If you’ve got news from your local community and want
to share it with our readers, please email:
phickey@insideradvantage.com
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