PR for Data Center, Buddy’s Job Hunt

Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026

Good Morning! Your Soundings editor is away but we’re keeping calm and carrying on. He’ll be sad he missed the week’s news, but he can catch up soon. In the meantime, you’ll get info on U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter’s job hunt and a look at the PSC candidates’ “promises.” And, there’s more …

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NEWS: GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT

Corraling communications

When news broke of the OpenAI data center deal in Effingham County, it was a surprise to nearly everyone in the area. In the wake of the widespread public angst, the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority and their Alabama-based public relations firm, Direct Communications, tried to catch up with the growing mountain of questions. The Current‘s Maggie Lee took a look at the PR contract for “issue management” and the fees. Here’s her story and the work agreement.

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NEWS: GOVERNING

Buddy flirts with FDA position

If you blinked early last week, you might’ve missed seeing Coastal Georgia’s U.S. Rep. Earl “Buddy” Carter‘s name among candidates for the open position of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration commissioner. Careful readers may remember that Carter, a licensed pharmacist, said recently in his weekly newsletter that he visited President Donald Trump to talk about jobs after the congressman’s term ends in January. Carter has been a staunch defender of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.‘s vaccine policies and was a participant in a clinical trial for the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine. He later made a video public service announcement encouraging people to get a shot to slow the pandemic. On Wednesday, Trump chose White House insider Dr. Heidi Overton to head the FDA.

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NEWS: BUSINESS

Georgia: Growing industry but not crops

Those speeches you hear from state officials cheering along Georgia’s farmers and ensuring business for pine, peach, poultry, pecan and other agribusiness endeavors often contain the well-worn talking point: Agriculture is Georgia’s No. 1 industry. The Current‘s data reporter Maggie Lee decided to check that out. Turns out it’s not a thing, but the consideration the industry gets is real. Read her story here.

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NEWS: ELECTIONS

The campaign finance dance

When any candidate makes a promise, you might want to check it out. Here’s one example: Georgia Public Service Commission candidates are forbidden by law from accepting contributions from the utilities they regulate. But many have gladly accepted large sums from Georgia Power executives or attorneys who represent the monopoly utility at regulatory proceedings.

Earlier this month, Republican PSC candidate Josh Tolbert publicly pledged not to accept campaign contributions from “the utilities I would regulate or from those who represent their interests before the Commission.” He has, however, accepted $13,200 from Christopher L. Drummond, a member of family that owns Birmingham-based Drummond Company, a privately held Birmingham coal producer that has provided coal to Georgia Power as recently as 2023, as Daniel Tait of the nonprofit Energy & Policy Institute reports. Tolbert said he had known Drummond since college and his support was personal. Coastal Georgians may remember that several former Drummond executives headed up Twin Pines Minerals, which proposed a controversial strip mining venture near the Okefenokee Swamp.

Tait’s analysis, which looked at contributions of $500 or more, found that Georgia Power’s lawyers, contractors, and trade associations have contributed almost $200,000 to the other Republican running for a spot on the PSC, Fitz Johnson.

Democratic candidates Shelia Edwards and Peter Hubbard, an incumbent, have pledged not to accept money from utility-associated sources. Edwards shows no such contributions. Tait found that Hubbard’s regulated-entity associated total was $6,500 from three donors, including $5,000 from the founder of the engineering consultancy that works with utilities throughout the Southeast.

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NEWS: POLITICS

Notes & news

• State Sen. Billy Hickman (R–Statesboro) has been appointed to the Audit and Financial Management Advisory Committee of the U.S. Small Business Administration by Administrator Kelly Loeffler. Hickman represents part of Chatham County, plus Bulloch, Candler, Effingham and Evans counties. The panel provides recommendations to the SBA on financial management, internal controls, audit findings, risk management and related oversight matters. He’s well-positioned to do that as a certified public accountant with a certificate in financial forensics.

• The reactions continue from U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff’s campaign rally where he mentioned President Trump’s exec assistant, Natalie Harp. While some GOP and Democrats said Ossoff shouldn’t have named her, others have remained quiet. Some of that reaction can be found in a story from The Atlantic that quotes two Coastal Georgians about it all: Chatham County commissioner and Chatham Democratic party chair Aaron “Adot” Whitely and Camden County chair Wanda Townes. You can read that story here. Spoiler alert: They weren’t offended.

• Last week, more than 100 Georgia county sheriffs endorsed Rick Jackson including Camden, Glynn, Bryan, Long, Bulloch, Effingham, Ware and Wayne. Not listed: sheriffs in McIntosh and Chatham.

And a few stories have risen to our attention:

• After years of federal oversight, Georgia’s disability care system faces a new test: The U.S. Justice Department says federal disability laws do not require states to provide community-based care to people with disabilities that limit their ability to do what the Americans with Disabilities Act considers “major life activities,” such as eating. It leaves the door open for more people to be institutionalized. From Georgia Recorder.

• Both candidates for Georgia governor emphasize character in weekend events: Keisha Lance Bottoms and Rick Jackson invoked personal stories to talk ethics. From GPB News.

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