Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Good morning! On this day in 1833, Mercer University opened with 39 students in Penfield. The school moved to Macon in 1871.

Did you carry a lunchbox as a kid? In Top Stories, learn about a Columbus museum that showcases thousands of them. Reply to share the character on your lunchbox!

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Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

Tax Cuts Top GOP Priorities

Georgia's 40-day legislative session kicked off Monday with Republicans prioritizing tax relief and other affordability issues.

House Speaker Jon Burns wants to scrap homestead property taxes, while Senate GOP leaders are pushing to phase out state income taxes by 2032.

Heightened security and large crowds marked the session's opening day. Advocacy groups pressed lawmakers on education funding, marijuana reform, and government accountability.

The session could also see lawmakers revisit proposals from last year, such as school zone cameras and legalized gambling. On cannabis, a bill would hike THC limits for medical use and loosen restrictions, though full legalization remains off the table for now.

GameStop Closing 16 Georgia Stores

GameStop will shutter 16 stores across Georgia as part of its plan to close 400 stores nationwide this month.

The move is part of a larger cost-cutting push by the video game retailer, which is trying to stay afloat as more gamers buy online.

In Georgia, stores in large and small cities are set to close. You can find a list here.

For cities losing their only video game shop, it's the end of an era. The stores were notified in recent days, with most closures expected to be final by the end of January.

Vintage Lunchboxes Anchor Museum Hub

At age 91, Allen Woodall Jr. continues to tend to The Lunchbox Museum in Columbus and its 5,000-plus pieces that include a Toppie the Elephant lunchbox valued at about $10,000.

Today, his wife Bonnie, granddaughter Kaitlynn Etheridge, and grandson Ryn Welch help continue the work as part of the expanded Columbus Collective Museums.

The eight-museum complex operates in a former warehouse and spotlights everything from pop culture to local history. "You can take 20 minutes, or we have people that spend 4 to 5 hours. And, you know, there's just so much to see," Etheridge said. Admission is $12.

Woodall bought his first themed lunchboxes—a Green Hornet and a Dick Tracy—around 1985. They "took me back to when I was probably 10 or 11 years old, lying on the floor in my grandparents' home listening to the Green Hornet and Dick Tracy on the radio," he said.

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➤ Cobb County: Addison Elementary School Principal Jill Spiva faces DUI charges after she crashed Thursday with a half-empty vodka bottle in her vehicle, police said. (More)

➤ Savannah: Health officials confirmed the state's first 2026 measles case in a baby who contracted the virus while traveling internationally. (More)

➤ St. Marys: An elementary school canceled classes Monday and Tuesday after bats were discovered in the building. A licensed pest control team is removing the bats and inspecting the facility before students return. (More)

➤ Rome: High school football coach John Reid announced his retirement after compiling a 116-27 record and back-to-back state championships in 2016-2017. Reid, the state's second-highest paid high school coach at $192,000, will remain as athletic director. (More)

➤ Hartwell: Hart County Middle School evacuated Tuesday morning after authorities received a bomb threat. Students were relocated to a church for parent pickup. (More)

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➤ The Atlanta Braves traded pitcher Ken Waldichuk and infielder Brett Wisely to the Tampa Bay Rays for cash considerations or a player to be named in the future. (More)

➤ The Atlanta Falcons interviewed former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh for their vacancy. (More)

➤ Georgia State defensive lineman Bishop Thomas will transfer to the Oklahoma Sooners. (More)

➤ Atlanta United re-signed defender Ronald Hernandez this week to a deal that will keep him with the team through the 2026 MLS season. (More)

➤ Yesterday's results: NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | Soccer

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➤ Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers opened its first Columbus location, celebrating with festivities and giveaways that included free food for a year. (More)

➤ Delta Air Lines forecasts 20% earnings growth in 2026. The Atlanta-based carrier reported $63.4 billion in operating revenue and a record $4.6 billion in free cash flow for 2025. (More)

➤ Forbes named Sandy Springs-based Asbury Automotive Group to its America's Most Successful Small-Cap Companies list for 2026. (More)

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➤ Lambert High School students developed a rapid Lyme disease diagnostic test using gene editing technology. (More)

➤ The reopened Love's Seafood and Steaks will be featured on America's Best Restaurants Road Show this spring, after completing $300,000 in Tropical Storm Debby repairs. (More)

➤ Southern Living named Atlanta a top 2026 travel destination as a FIFA World Cup host city, featuring luxury accommodations and Michelin dining. (More)

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➤ Scientists recently uncovered a surprising solution to one of astronauts' biggest health risks: toenail fungus. Long stretches without changing socks create the perfect breeding ground, making infections dangerous—even in space. That same "deep-space" antifungal breakthrough is now available on Earth, helping eliminate fungus and restore clear, healthy nails. You can watch this short video to find out all about it!