The scoop on Wednesday, Feb. 10: 5 things to know this morning
1. Falcons owner Arthur Blank vows to fight cancer, move on to Super Bowl bid
Blank said Tuesday he plans to beat prostate cancer and that the prognosis is good. "I have chosen an aggressive approach that will include surgery, and the overall prognosis is good," Blank said. "I'm looking forward to getting this behind me and continuing a very active lifestyle, my upcoming wedding, as well as continued active involvement in our businesses and philanthropic efforts for years to come." He didn't say how far his cancer had progressed or how it was diagnosed. Read more.
2. Trump, Sanders notch victories in New Hampshire
Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Bernie Sanders upended the political establishment Tuesday in decisive victories in the New Hampshire primaries over mainstream adversaries. But both face challenges in continuing their momentum when the race shifts to terain in the South that is more hospitable to their top rivals. The state was a must-win for both Trump and Sanders as the race enters a new phase in the more diverse and populous South. Read more.
3. Savannah port expansion backers say Obama budget short changes project
Political boosters of the Port of Savannah dredging were angry when the Obama administration proposed $42.7 million in new construction funding for fiscal 2017. They have pushed for roughly twice as many federal dollars in the president's budget. Top officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said the spending level in their proposal for the budget year that begins Oct. 1 is reflective of what is doable given current funding conditions. Read more.
4. Legislation would (mostly) free teachers from test results
A new senate bill filed Tuesday would ensure that test scores informed "no more than 10 percent" of a teachers job review. Test scores currently inform about half of each teacher's review. The bill would also reduce or eliminate the penalties for schools and students when students are absent on testing day. The chief co-sponsor, Sen. William T. Ligon, Jr., R-Brunswick, said he's not sure what would replace test results in teacher job reviews, but said teachers should be consulted on whatever it is. Read more.
5. Garnishment law passes Georgia Senate
The Senate overwhelmingly approved an update of Georgia's garnishment law Tuesday. The law is designed to fix flaws that have halted some garnishments for five months. If passed by the House and signed into law, Senate Bill 225 would allow garnishments to begin again, but would give people more information about what money was exempt and allow them to get it back faster if it was improperly taken. Read more.
