Primary Content
On the July 3 edition: Augusta is seeking feedback on its new data center ordinance; Plans for a boutique hotel in downtown Blue Ridge have sparked debate over the character of the city; And are Joro spiders competing with native insects for their meals?
Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today’s episode, Augusta is seeking feedback on its new data center ordinance, plans for a boutique hotel in downtown Blue Ridge have sparked debate over the character of the city, and are Joro spiders competing with native insects for their meals?
Marcie Ferris: So Joro spiders eat a lot of flies. Across species, we find so many flies in their diet.
Peter Biello: Today is Friday, July 3. I’m Peter Biello, and this is Georgia Today.
Story 1
Peter Biello: The city of Augusta is asking residents to comment on a draft ordinance that would regulate data centers. The draft regulates where future data centers can be built and sets up requirements for noise, cooling systems, coordination with local utilities, and erosion control. Among the requirements is the mandated use of closed-loop cooling systems that would not require continuous withdrawal or discharge of water under normal operations. The draft ordinance is scheduled to be presented to the Augusta Planning Commission on Monday at 3 p.m. Residents can submit feedback on the draft ordinance through the city’s website, AugustaGA.gov.
Story 2
Peter Biello: The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a religious discrimination lawsuit against the parent company of a Georgia Piggly Wiggly for firing a woman in southeast Georgia who asked not to work on Sundays. Tanya Watts of Hazelhurst is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The lawsuit says she requested Sundays off to observe her Sabbath, but was scheduled to work on Sunday anyway, and when she insisted on the accommodation, she was fired. The lawsuit demands several forms of relief, including back pay with interest and unspecified punitive damages. Piggly Wiggly’s parent company, Reynolds IGA Foodliner, did not respond to GPB’s request for comment.
Story 3
Peter Biello: The North Georgia City of Blue Ridge is bracing for the construction of a new downtown hotel that some say will change the character of the city. The Blue Ridge City Council recently approved a request to build an 84-unit boutique hotel to a maximum height of 51 feet. The city’s usual limit is 35 feet. Residents expressed concerns about impacts to traffic, pedestrian safety, and the character of community, but some support the project. Troy Shirbroun is president of the Blue Ridge Business Association. He says many visitors in Blue Ridge are day trippers who rely on their cars to navigate downtown, often circling blocks several times looking for parking…