Georgia NOW News for Monday March 9, 2026

Georgia ranked among the nation’s top exporting states in 2025. Gov. Brian Kemp and the Georgia Department of Economic Development say the state placed seventh in total trade value and ninth in exports, surpassing $60 billion in exported goods with a 12.7% year-over-year increase, more than double the national average. Civilian aircraft parts led the state’s export categories. A federal judge has dismissed the $1 billion lawsuit filed by the parents of Kendrick Johnson, the Georgia teen found dead inside a rolled wrestling mat at Lowndes High School in 2013. The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation also released its 2026 “Places in Peril” list, with the Boggs Rural Life Center, a historic African American boarding school founded in 1906, topping the list after years of neglect and damage from Hurricane Helene. Meanwhile, the latest federal jobs report shows the U.S. economy lost about 92,000 jobs in January, with Georgia companies cutting more than 1,700 jobs among firms with at least 100 employees — the worst January for large layoffs in a decade. Rising fuel costs may add pressure as oil prices climb past $100 per barrel, pushing the national average for gas to about $3.45 a gallon. Georgia lawmakers are also pressing immigration officials to release Rodney Taylor, a Gwinnett County barber detained for more than a year at Stewart Detention Center despite serious medical concerns. Internationally, Mojtaba Khamenei has reportedly taken power in Iran following the death of his father, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. President Donald Trump has criticized the development while the conflict with Iran continues to escalate. And with qualifying now closed, the ballots are set for Georgia’s midterm primaries. In the race for U.S. House District 1, eight Democrats and six Republicans are competing for the open seat once held by Buddy Carter. Tune in 24/7 to Georgia NOW. Grab the app or listen online at georgianow.com. #HearGeorgiaNow #GeorgiaNow #GeorgiaNews #GaPol