Sunday Solutions — Sept. 14, 2025
Good morning! Today we’ve got updates on disappearing timber jobs, a court-stalling budget spat, how Georgians are still living with damage from Hurricane Helene, different perspectives on visas and a look at data regarding government benefits for immigrants. We also learn that maybe Martians were real. Let’s roll.
NEWS: AGRICULTURE, JOBS
Timber industry looks to future
As the final days of work pass at International Paper facilities in Chatham and Liberty counties, crowds visited job fairs last week in Riceboro and Savannah. The direct jobs toll from the mills is 1,100 workers, but the ripple effects will continue throughout the state as 4.5 million tons of local timber looks for a new market. The state’s timber industry and agriculture officials are trying to understand the toll from the closures and what it means to farmers, loggers, and the support systems for them. Dave Williams of Capitol Beat reports on the gathering of officials and others to sort out what’s next.
DATA: FILM INDUSTRY
Tracking the film industry
This week’s spotlight document summarizes the rise and fall of the film industry around the Hostess City. In 2020, productions spent $21 million in the Savannah area. Two years later in boom times, productions spent almost 10 times that. In 2024, productions spent less than $7 million, according to the Savannah Regional Film Commission.
That table of numbers appears in a slide presented to the board of the Savannah Economic Development Authority, the parent agency of the film commission. The Current GA‘s staffers routinely read the documents that agencies create for their board members so we can get a better understanding of public spending, the local economy and more.
NEWS: COURTS
Glynn, Higgins told to work it out
A judge has ordered Glynn County and District Attorney Keith Higgins to go to mediation to resolve a legal and political tiff over department funding and a debt the county believes it’s owed. The mess has left the prosecutor’s office with few prosecutors to serve the 5-county circuit and a burgeoning case load. The Current GA‘s Jabari Gibbs wraps up where it all stands.
🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Bob Beard for knowing that last week’s Spyglass was the monument to Sgt. Ebbe Paxton in Paxton Park on Isle of Hope near Savannah. Paxton was killed in World War II. We had 4 correct answers last week — let’s see how you do this week.
Test how well you spy details in Coastal Georgia. Give us the location of the item in the photo above. Some spots may be easier to identify than others; some will be tougher. We’ll collect correct answers each week and draw for a weekly winner.
CLICK HERE TO GIVE YOUR ANSWER
NEWS
Stories you may have missed
In a busy national news week, it’s easy for local and regional stories to get submerged. We’ve rescued a few timely ones from the fray for you to consider.
- Indictment charges Georgia-based church leaders with swindling millions in military benefits: The House of Prayer Christian Churches of America, based in Hinesville, is under scrutiny after its leaders were charged with swindling millions of dollars in veterans benefits from parishioners. In a far-reaching indictment opened last week, the leaders are accused of targeting military families and towns. The Associated Press (via WABE) has a detailed breakdown of the federal case.
- In parts of Georgia, residents brace for new hurricanes. They haven’t recovered from the last ones: Central Georgia felt the brunt of Hurricane Helene and this look at one man’s wait and what’s next for future emergencies is a worthy read for coastal residents from Grant Blankenship at GPB News.
- The H-2A Visa Trap: With the raid at the Bryan County Hyundai Metaplant site, visa reform has been a common conversation. The nexus of Georgia workers and problematic immigrant visas isn’t new for this part of the state. ProPublica‘s Max Blau, based in Georgia, has a story about the common H-2A visa for needed farm workers and how it has been used to abuse workers and to deceive farmers by profiteering illegal labor recruiting networks.
- And — always timely — an update on the search for intelligent life among the stars: Scientists detected a potential biosignature on Mars – an astrobiologist explains what these traces of life are, and how researchers figure out their source: Last week, scientists told us about a discovery that could change all we know about Mars. This Q&A from a researcher at the University of Florida and The Conversation explains the findings.
Join us at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17, at Savannah’s Ships of the Sea Museum for a moderated town-hall style event with three retired federal judges. We’ll explore the judiciary’s role in upholding the Constitution and answer questions about the court’s place as one of the three coequal branches of government.
This nonpartisan program will highlight the judiciary’s responsibility in protecting our democratic principles and the importance of safeguarding our nation’s judges.
EXPLAINER: IMMIGRATION
☕ Your second cup: Getting the facts
This primer from USAFacts is one of the best and easiest-to-digest explainers for this type of data on federal and state benefits for immigrants: percentage of participation, eligibility rules and more. It’s updated to show changes made Aug. 15, and it clearly shows who can vote or receive food benefits, medical care and education. Here’s the thing: It allows you to compare what you are hearing or reading vs. the reality. The grid also lets you consider what you’d consider appropriate in each situation. What do you want your money to support or strengthen or should it be used elsewhere? Weigh the pros and cons: It’s your money.
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Brunswick DA, Glynn County ordered to mediation over deficit dispute
By Jabari Gibbs
A Glynn County Superior Court judge has ordered mediation between Brunswick-area District Attorney Keith Higgins and Glynn County to resolve a yearlong conflict over budget shortfalls and alleged financial mismanagement.
Georgia timber industry faces struggle as large mills close
By Dave Williams/Capitol Beat
International Paper’s decision to close two pulp and paper mills in Coastal Georgia will have a far-reaching impact on the local economy, affecting more than 1,100 jobs and leaving 4.5 million tons of timber without a buyer.
Measles case reported in Fulton County, possible exposure near Georgia State University
By Ellen Eldridge/GPB
An unvaccinated resident of Fulton County, Georgia was diagnosed with measles, and potential exposures occurred at various locations between Sept. 2 and 11, 2025.
Judge: Georgia can prohibit groups from sending unsolicited absentee ballot applications to voters
By Maya Homan/Georgia Recorder
U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee upheld the absentee ballot application provisions of Georgia’s Senate Bill 202, ruling that the use of pre-filled absentee ballot applications increased confusion among voters and that the secretary of state’s office had demonstrated “interrelated compelling governmental interests” in curtailing their use.
Federal court reverses decision supporting Georgia trans deputy’s medical care
By Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a lower court’s decision in favor of a transgender sheriff’s deputy seeking gender-affirming medical care through a county-operated health plan, citing the Supreme Court’s reasoning in a 2025 case upholding a Tennessee ban on gender-affirming care for minors.
Explainer: What Hyundai companies are part of the Savannah-area car plant?
By Margaret Coker
Federal officials detained 475 foreign workers at Hyundai’s electric vehicle plant near Savannah last week, as part of an ongoing investigation into illegal labor practices.
Scientists detected a potential biosignature on Mars – an astrobiologist explains what these traces of life are, and how researchers figure out their source
By Amy Williams/University of Florida
The Perseverance rover has found a potential biosignature in a Martian rock sample, which could suggest the red planet once hosted microbial life, although further research is needed to determine the source of the minerals.
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