Fall Campaigns Crank Up, SCAD Pay

Sunday Solutions — June 28, 2026

Good morning! We’re moving along toward our nation’s semiquincentennial, and we’re ready for it! In our usual quest to give you plenty to discuss at the holiday picnic, we have an All-American cobbler of politics, voting, civil rights, cannabis, blueberries and junk drawers. Let’s dig in.

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NEWS: POLITICS

The road to November

Democratic candidates U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff and Keisha Lance Bottoms opened their ‘United for Georgia’ tour Saturday in Savannah. They brought a made-for-social-media roadshow and a pledge to work together as they ushered in the final phase of the statewide election. Both brought prepared barbs for their newly minted opponents, U.S. Rep. Mike Collins and businessman Rick Jackson, and a need to wrangle every supporter for a turnout bonanza in November. The Current‘s Craig Nelson was there to report on the teamwork.

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NEWS: LEGISLATURE

Sine Die again: the special session

The Georgia General Assembly wrapped up the special called session this week. Here’s the gist: No redistricting, no new taxes, and no new voting machines — yet. On Thursday, Gov. Brian Kemp signed the necessary bill to change the deadline for abandoning QR code counts for ballots. The new law fixes the earlier mess created in the regular session when it didn’t reset the July 1, 2026, deadline. It adds some hand-counts in close elections for a few top races and puts the legislature firmly in charge of choosing systems or processes to be used after Jan. 1, 2028. There is, however, a clerical error in the new law that could nullify those specific hand-count races if the winning margin was greater than 0.5%.

Speaking of legislative messes, let’s look north for a second. Late last week, the South Carolina legislature couldn’t agree on a bill to regulate THC-infused products, so now all hemp products are for sale to all ages in a state where marijuana is illegal. You can read about that mess here.

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SCAD president’s income doubles to $5.7 million

Paula Wallace earned $5.7 million including bonuses and other compensation as president of SCAD in 2025, more than double her previous year’s income at the top of the private arts college, according to a new IRS filing. The school’s revenue rose from $883 million to $953 million in the same year and executive compensation remained about 1% of its total expenses.

Wallace’s $9.6 million pay package in 2014 made her the top-paid college leader in the country at the time, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Most nonprofits that claim federal tax-exempt status must disclose some information annually to the IRS on a 990 form that becomes public. (Check the nonprofit newsroom ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer for a more user-friendly experience than the IRS website). Years of The Current GA’s 990s are public, too, but nobody’s individual pay is high enough to be reportable.

— Maggie Lee

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NEWS: UPDATES

Schools, farms, medical bills & more

Political moves aren’t the only things we’re watching. Here are a few updates from the week’s news.

• More than half of Georgia teachers now use artificial intelligence to prepare for class: Teachers tell Georgia Recorder that AI helps and they see students thrive in the right environment despite other concerns.
• Blueberry growers tackle busy season after irregular weather: The Current’s Daneen Khan visited Coastal Georgia farmers to find out how the drought has affected their crops.
• Liberty County Development Authority to seek more data on local rivers: After public discussions about wastewater planning, The Current‘s Robin Kemp reports the Liberty County Development Authority will look at more data to determine possible outfall locations.
• New legislation targets out-of-pocket costs for traditional Medicare enrollees: A new movement in Congress could cap expenses under Medicare. From The Associated Press.
• Nurses warn that new interpretation of Georgia law will mean less care for rural communities: Georgia Recorder reports that guidelines for medical spas could create problems for small clinics in underserved parts of the state.
• Atlanta ready to handle diseases during crowded World Cup season: Whatever the risks from large crowds full of people from all over the world, Georgia health experts are ready, reports Capitol Beat.
• Nearly 50% of Georgia families struggle to cover essentials, study reports: In a new survey for United Way, experts find finances tighter for the state’s families. From WABE.
• The frontline for voting rights is the rural South: The Daily Yonder gives a primer on the effects of the Voting Rights Act over the years and looks at the potential for the next elections. If you need a quick refresher on this topic, this is for you.

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EDITORS CHOICE: ENVIRONMENT

☕ Your second cup: That junk drawer

If you’re looking to organize a bit over the upcoming three-day weekend, here’s a place to start: your junk drawer. We’re betting it’s full of old electronics. Researchers say most of us just store old, outdated smartwatches and phones for two reasons: 1) data anxiety and 2) we have no idea what to do with them. It’s better for us, the environment and the world if we’ll just recycle or resell. What’s the worst thing? The trash can. Here’s a look at your options and links to show you how to safely wipe the data and move them on to a new life.

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🇺🇸 We’ll be taking next Sunday off, and we’ll meet you back here on Monday, July 6. Enjoy! 🇺🇸

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