IJR News

Five States Report Mixed Holiday Airport TrafficTravel — 3hU.S. holiday air travel hit record levels in 2025, averaging more than 2.53 million passengers daily—8.2% above pre-pandemic levels—with the sharpest surges at small regional airports. State trends varied, including increases in South Dakota, Georgia and Massachusetts and declines in Mississippi and Tennessee, as federal infrastructure funding supports airport upgrades.

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Priya Raman Mississippi and Tennessee dropping while others rise suggests their airports might be missing out on needed improvements.

Census data ranks counties by veteran share in five statesPolitics — 2hCensus-based rankings identify the counties with the highest veteran shares of residents in Florida, North Carolina, Mississippi, Maine and Georgia. The lists use the Census Bureau’s 2024 five-year estimates; nationally, the VA projects the number of living veterans will decline 29% by 2046.

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Maya Lindstrom The 29 percent national decline by 2046 will hit hardest in places like those Georgia counties already showing high veteran shares.

Reports: Georgia-South Carolina Port Plan AbandonedLifestyle — 3dA planned mega-port terminal on the Savannah River has been abandoned after two decades, with insiders saying the Georgia-South Carolina project was flawed from the outset. Other Georgia-focused coverage highlights Democratic gains in the state’s House races and Andrew Young’s civil-rights and public-service legacy.

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Texas, Iowa, Georgia brace for new education fights under Democratic governors1 source — 2d

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Chris Dalton Democratic governors could finally shift focus to school funding instead of curriculum battles in those states.

Georgia beats Presbyterian 91-77 behind Cain’s 20 — 3dBlue Cain scored 20 points to lead Georgia to a 91-77 win over Presbyterian, as the Bulldogs improved to 2-0 with a wire-to-wire performance. Georgia hosts Florida Gulf Coast next.

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Most Influential Women in World HistoryYourlist — RankingFrom ancient queens who ruled empires to modern activists who changed laws, these women left indelible marks on politics, science, and culture. Vote for who you think shaped history most profoundly.

Four Charged in Georgia Teen’s MurderWorld — 2dFour people, including three teenagers, have been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Austin Payne in Albany, Georgia. His mother tracked his cellphone to an abandoned home after he failed to return from Halloween activities; investigators are examining whether the shooting stemmed from an attempted robbery.

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Georgia, Virginia Enact Driver License ChangesPolitics — 4dGeorgia is allowing drivers to present digital licenses during traffic stops, though the IDs are optional and currently accepted only in Georgia. Starting Jan. 1, 2027, first-time Virginia applicants ages 18 to 20 must complete driver education and hold a learner’s permit for at least 90 days before getting licensed.

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Democrats Win Georgia Utility Board Majority Amid Rising Power Bills — 3dFrustration with rising electricity bills and data centers helped Democrats win control of Georgia's utility regulator on Tuesday, and make gains on Arizona's.

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School Alerts Issued in Pennsylvania and Georgia After Suspected Swatting CallsPolitics — 4dAuthorities said threatening calls that triggered school safety measures in Pennsylvania and Georgia were not credible and are believed to be swatting incidents. In Georgia, investigators traced the call to Europe, but no one has been identified; Pennsylvania police also said their investigation points to a hoax.

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Bottoms names King to lead Georgia transition team with Perry, Blank — 4dGeorgia Gov.-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms named John King to lead her Georgia’s Promise transition team, with business, political and civic figures including Tyler Perry, Arthur Blank and Rosalind Brewer serving as co-chairs. Bottoms said Gov. Brian Kemp offered support for an orderly handoff, and her team will prepare for January while focusing on affordability, health care and public education.

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Audi weighs $3 billion Georgia plant expansion — 4dAudi is weighing a $3 billion second phase for its planned $4 billion Georgia assembly plant, potentially adding 3,000 jobs by 2033 to the 4,500 expected in the initial phase. Georgia is offering substantial incentives, while the Trump administration has promised tariff relief to encourage Audi’s U.S. investment.

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Maya Lindstrom The tariff relief angle makes sense but Audi should commit fully before any more taxpayer money flows in.

Jim Carrey vs Adam SandlerYourlist — VS BattleRubber-faced mania versus deadpan slob comedy — two 90s comedy titans, two entirely different engines.

Midweek Rain and Colder Air Forecast for Illinois, Pittsburgh AreasWeather — 1dGeorgia is enjoying pleasant fall weather, though temperatures are turning cooler. In central Illinois and the Pittsburgh region, forecasts call for rain and a sharp late-week cooldown, with a chance of snow in parts of western Pennsylvania.

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Illinois New York and Georgia Counties Report Recent Home Sales AveragesBusiness — 3dRecent property reports highlight home sales in Illinois’ Kendall and McHenry counties, where the leading deals in their respective price ranges sold for $285,000 and $244,000. Separate reports list October’s most expensive home sales across six Central New York counties and recent property transactions in Georgia’s Lowndes County.

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Governors Pick Judges in Georgia, Rhode IslandPolitics — 4dRhode Island Gov. Dan McKee nominated Carly Beauvais Iafrate and Denise Cassisi Finkelman for Superior Court seats and selected Judge Debra Sanders to lead the District Court. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp appointed David Ranieri and Alex Shalishali to Muscogee County State Court and Judge Paul K. Cook to the Superior Court of the Middle Judicial Circuit.

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Georgia Midwife Convicted on Nine Counts After Near-Fatal Home BirthHealth — 4dA Georgia jury convicted Woodstock midwife Cynthia Morrow on all nine counts related to practicing without proper licenses and performing unauthorized procedures during home births. The case centered on a 2022 birth in which a mother suffered a near-fatal hemorrhage; prosecutors said Morrow delayed calling 911, and the woman required emergency surgery and blood transfusions.

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Sam Okafor Home births can work with trained professionals but ignoring license rules invites these exact risks.

Introvert, extrovert, or secret third thing?Quizie — QuizThe internet's favorite binary is a lie. Twelve questions and the AI names your actual social battery type.

Reynolds Wins Georgia Secretary of State RacePolitics — 6dDemocrat Penny Brown Reynolds defeated Republican Tim Fleming to become Georgia’s secretary of state, making her the first woman of color elected to lead the state’s elections. Her victory ends nearly two decades of Republican control of the office and comes as Georgia prepares to replace its vote-counting system; Reynolds has advocated expanding voting access and opposed changes she says could restrict it.

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Juries convict three men of child sex crimesHealth — Nov 2, 2026Juries in Georgia, Louisiana and Missouri convicted three men of sexual offenses involving children. In the Missouri case, jurors recommended a 215-year sentence; the Georgia and Louisiana defendants face potentially lengthy prison terms, including life sentences in the Georgia case.

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Publix Plans November Stores in Georgia, South CarolinaBusiness — 5dPublix is expanding across the Southeast, with new stores recently opened in North Carolina and Englewood, Florida, and additional locations planned for Georgia and South Carolina later in November. A Marion Oaks, Florida, store is nearing completion and is expected to open early next year.

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College teams record mixed results across five matchupsSports — 6dFlorida State’s women’s soccer team lost 2-1 to Virginia Tech despite outshooting the Hokies, while the Seminoles’ volleyball team rallied to beat Georgia Tech in five sets. Elsewhere, Georgia beat Florida for its sixth straight rivalry win, Snead State won an overtime basketball comeback, and Georgia Tech swimming and diving swept Boston College and beat East Carolina’s women.

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Ossoff Wins Reelection, Democrats Retain Georgia Seat — Nov 3, 2026Ossoff won Georgia reelection Nov. 3 over Trump-backed Collins, per NBC and DDHQ, holding a seat Democrats need after raising $126 million more.

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Bowling Green Tops Georgia Southern 82-59 in Women’s Basketball OpenerSports — Nov 1, 2026Bowling Green opened its women’s basketball season with an 82-59 win over Georgia Southern in the teams’ first meeting. Georgia Southern cut the deficit to eight in the third quarter, but Bowling Green pulled away; Carol Silva scored 25 points for the Falcons.

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Ole Miss beats North Alabama 72-51Sports — 6dNorth Alabama led No. 19 Ole Miss 27-25 at halftime before the Rebels surged in the second half for a 72-51 women’s basketball win. In football, No. 10 Ole Miss is set to host No. 2 Georgia in a pivotal SEC matchup, with the Rebels seeking another major win after beating Georgia in last season’s Sugar Bowl.

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Cider Destinations Span Five U.S. StatesLifestyle — 2dAcross the Midwest and Georgia, orchards, cider mills and urban taprooms offer visitors local cider alongside distinctive seasonal and community-centered experiences. The destinations range from farm-made cider and orchard treats to Chicago’s craft cidery scene.

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Players Across Four Programs Qualify for NCAA ChampionshipsSports — 2dSouth Carolina, Auburn and Virginia men’s tennis players, along with three North Carolina women, qualified for the NCAA individual championships through ITA sectionals. The qualifiers earned berths in singles and doubles, with the championships set for Nov. 17-22 in Athens, Georgia.

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