The Brief from WABE

Wealthy Georgians would pay significantly less in state taxes--and low earners could pay more--under a proposed change to current tax law; Another bill stipulates all that saved cash must be accepted at any outlet doing business in Georgia, AND be able to make exact change; And temperance and temprement are what keep former UN Ambassador Andy Young sharp, he says. The Civil Rights icon turns 90 on Saturday.

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Coca-Cola's relationship with Russia falls flat; Georgia lawmakers try to uphold free speech by telling social media companies they can't censor posts from politicians, even those with a propensity for lying; and a former aide to Atlanta Mayor Emeritus Kasim Reed takes her corruption charges before a federal jury. She's the first to go to trial.

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Efforts to ban 'divisive concepts' from Georgia classrooms narrows a bit as it goes through the Gold Dome; The US has a lot more control over the near-term future of oil than you might think, says one local expert; and a 19-year-old from Talking Rock, Ga. is tearing up the Nascar Truck Series Championship.

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COVID cases drop dramatically across (most of) the state, prompting municipalities to drop their mask mandates; Divisive concepts is an awful way to promote democracy one state lawmaker argues as bills move forward to ban certain conversations about race in Georgia's classrooms [Divisive Concepts would be a great name for a mediocre cover band though, wouldn't it?]; And because Ms. Gloria Jenkins says so. At age 80, she's among the first to volunteer for a joint Fulton County/AmeriCorps partnership matching seniors in need with folks who can help.

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Georgia joins other states trying to figure out whether and how TikTok is having a negative influence on our childrens' mentail wellbeing; DeKalb County has a truckin' school that might be the perfect fit for a future long-hauler who just doesn't know it yet; and EV-manufacturer Rivian has to do something to pay for that $5-billion new facility in the works for the east Metro. Adding $12k to the sticker price for all the trucks folks have already put deposits on? Proabably not the best way to do it.

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Metro Atlanta's COVID infection rates get the CDC's green light; Billion-dollar income tax cut, anyone?; and a high-profile Georgia lawmaker bets on beagles [and no, we're not talking about dog fighting].

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A federal judge in Atlanta finds Georgia might have voilated the Voting Rights Act in the way it redrew voting districts, but he let them stand anyway; Starting April 1st, Dr. Secretary Governor Chancellor Sonny Perdue is officially the head of Georgia's public institutions of higher education; and "Say it ain't so, Joe!" Opening day for the Braves (and all of Major League Baseball) is canceled after players and owners failed to come to a labor agreement today.

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In addition to moving forward on legislation that relaxes Georgia's current gun laws, state lawmakers took multiple opportunities to denounce Russia's invasion of Ukraine; Many Georgia GOP members are angry that Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Green (R-Rome) spoke at an event hosted by a known white nationalist, but not so angry they'll publically denounce the congresswoman; And why the reporting on Reality Winner--the former NSA contractor who spent four years in a federal prison for leaking a five-page document to the media--might not paint a full picture of the person or of the crime.

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"People are ready to die," says a metro Atlanta Ukrainian pastor about his peoples' resistance to Russia's invasion; Under a bill Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA 6) has introduced, out-of-pocket costs for insulin will cap at $35; and Atlanta needs more hotels. Again.

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"More than anything" the people of Ukraine need from us, according to one state Republican Senator, is prayer; Speaking of the Georgia Senate, it voted today to ban transgender girls from playing on public or private school sports teams to maintain 'fairness'; And on this episode of, "Housing Used to be Affordable in Atlanta," prices... (wait for it).... spike again! Compared to two years ago, the average selling price for a chunk of the American Dream is up a full $100k. [Side note: in January of 2011, the average selling price was just a smidge shy of $145,000. Now, it's $438,500.]

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