1. Shooting of 4 near Georgia State campus has students shaken, yet again.
Few details were released Thursday in the shooting of four near Georgia State. Atlanta police said a dispute inside a restaurant moved outside to the street. It was the latest in a string of violent crimes in the area, including a robbery by intimidation report late Monday. Since December, several students have been robbed at gunpoint of their phones and laptops while in the university's library. A $2,000 reward is being offered to help find the person responsible. Even though Wednesday night's shootings were off-campus, student Michael said he hopes security will be tightened. Walking around with the laptop he needs for class and a backpack makes him a vulnerable target, he said. Read more.
2. Falcons' revamped scouting department on the spot at combine.
The Falcons' revamped scouting department is attempting to pass its first test at the NFL scouting combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. The players take to the field Friday to start competing in the various, strength, speed and agility drills. With the recent addition of director of pro personnel Joel Collier and the departure of scout Billy Devaney, the Falcons' new hierarchy is in place. In addition to Collier, the Falcons added Ruston Webster and Phil Emery, both former general managers, this offseason. Lionel Vital, Mark Olson and Devaney, who accepted a personnel position with Nebraska, have left the team. The Falcons still have some lower level scouting positions to fill. Read more.
3. It's an election year — tax-cut proposals advance in Georgia.
It's an election year, and that means lawmakers probably can't end the 2016 session without some kind of tax cut, or at least a last-minute debate on one. The Senate could vote as early as Monday on proposals from Hill. One,Senate Resolution 756, is a proposed constitutional amendment that would make a small reduction in the state's 6 percent maximum income tax rate if the state has relatively full reserves and revenue collections continue to rise. The other, a reworked House Bill 238, would cut the maximum state income tax from 6 percent to 5.4 percent, reduce the number of itemized deductions, raise personal exemptions and eliminate the state's corporate net worth tax that companies pay. Read more.
4. Grocery chains buck retail tide with wave of new stores.
Times may be tough for brick-and-mortar stores in the rest of the retail industry, but not for those selling food. After a slowdown during the Great Recession, grocery stores have seemingly raced to grow. Close to 50 new stores went up in the last five years, according to store opening announcements and representatives of various chains. The boomlet has included both established giants and new entrants. ants. Phoenix-based Sprouts Farmers Market, for instance, has built 10 stores in the two years since it entered the market in 2014. Publix, which duels with Kroger and Walmart for market leadership, has added about seven stores since 2010, while chains like Costco, Trader Joe's and organic giant Whole Foods Market have contributed at least a dozen others. Read more.
5. Police pay raises and new facilities approved in DeKalb.
Dekalb County commissioners voted to give police officers and firefighters a raise Thursday in an effort to prvent the loss of more public safety employees to higher-paying departments. In fact, about 2,800 DeKalb government employees — nearly half the county's workforce — will receive raises of at least 4 percent starting in May. The raises will cost the county $5 million this year. The pay increases will go to police, fire, 911, sanitation and watershed employees. Read more.
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