Georgia

Georgia seaports handled a record number of automobiles in 2023 while container trade dropped 16%

Published

2 years ago

January 30, 2024

Georgia seaports handled a record number of automobiles in 2023 while container trade dropped 16%

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — The Georgia Ports Authority said Tuesday that it moved a record number of automobiles across its docks in Brunswick last year, while goods shipped to Savannah in cargo containers declined 16%.

How to find a new job and make more money | Your Wallet

The Port of Brunswick rolled more than 775,000 autos and heavy machinery units on and off ships in the 2023 calendar year, when U.S. auto sales saw their biggest increase in more than a decade. That is the port’s highest ever auto and machinery total and an increase of more than 15% over the previous year.

The news comes as port authority CEO Griff Lynch has set a goal of Brunswick surpassing the Port of Baltimore as the No. 1 U.S. port for automobile imports and exports. The Georgia agency is investing $262 million in upgrades and expansions to make room for growth at the Brunswick port, located about 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of Savannah.

“We have been investing in Brunswick. We’ve been creating capacity in Brunswick,” Lynch said in an interview, adding that more growth is possible in 2024. “Autos are strong. I mean, the economy will drive the autos, so we’ll have to see how that plays out. But right now, they’re strong.”

Auto shipments into Georgia boomed last year as sales surged amid pent-up demand following a computer chip shortage that slowed assembly lines.

Georgia’s push to become a Southern hub for electric vehicle production is expected to send more autos across Brunswick’s docks in the coming years. Hyundai is building its first U.S. plant dedicated to EVs west of Savannah, while electric truck maker Rivian is constructing a factory east of Atlanta. Kia last summer announced an expansion of its plant in West Point to manufacture electric SUVs.

Meanwhile, the Port of Savannah saw a notable dip in cargo shipped in containers, the giant metal boxes used to pack retail goods from consumer electronics to frozen chickens. Savannah is the fourth-busiest U.S. seaport for containerized cargo, behind only New York, Los Angeles and Long Beach, California.

Savannah handled 4.9 million container units of imports and exports last year, down 16% compared with calendar 2022. Lynch said retailers ordered less inventory as inflation and higher interest rates cooled consumer spending.

That could be changing. Savannah’s container numbers for January are on track to outpace the same month last year, and Lynch said he anticipates that trend will continue in the coming months.

“I fully believe that when we look at February and March and April, we should see some positive numbers year-over-year,” Lynch said. “The numbers are stronger than we anticipated.”

Source link

Georgia

Georgia Southern student-athletes recognized for community service and excellence through partnership with Downtown Statesboro Rotary

Published

4 hours ago

May 23, 2026

Press Room

Georgia Southern student-athletes recognized for community service and excellence through partnership with Downtown Statesboro Rotary

Georgia Southern University student-athletes were celebrated for their dedication to community service, academic excellence, and athletic ability at the annual Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) banquet. The event highlighted a strengthening partnership between the Downtown Statesboro Rotary Club and Georgia Southern Athletics.

Georgia Southern University student-athletes were recognized for outstanding achievements in community service, academics, and athletics during the annual Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) banquet, highlighting a growing partnership between the Downtown Statesboro Rotary Club and Georgia Southern Athletics.

The Georgia Southern Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the Georgia Southern Athletics celebrated the accomplishments of student-athletes whose collective efforts demonstrated the impact of teamwork both on and off the field.

The Georgia Southern Track and Field/Cross Country team received the inaugural Rotary SAAC Service Leadership Award, which includes a $1,000 team award sponsored by the Downtown Statesboro Rotary Club. The team earned the honor by completing 42 volunteer hours in less than two months at the Statesboro Food Bank, setting a strong example of service and civic engagement.

Together with the volleyball, softball, soccer, and rifle teams, Georgia Southern student-athletes contributed a total of 142 volunteer hours to the Statesboro Food Bank during the program’s first service cycle.

The Rotary SAAC Service Leadership Award was established through a collaboration between Ken Wang, a faculty member in Georgia Southern University’s Parker College of Business and a member of the Downtown Statesboro Rotary Club, and Reagan, vice president and head of community service for SAAC. The initiative invites all 15 Georgia Southern athletic teams to compete annually by logging volunteer hours at the Statesboro Food Bank during February through April.

“I am proud to work with Reagan and Georgia Southern SAAC to create an award that recognizes student-athletes for serving the community,” said Ken Wang. “These young men and women are demonstrating leadership by giving their time and energy to support neighbors in need.”

In addition to community service honors, the Georgia Southern Women’s Basketball and Georgia Southern Men’s Basketball teams received the inaugural GATA Excellence Awards in recognition of significant progress in both athletic performance and academic achievement.

The collaboration between the Downtown Statesboro Rotary Club and Georgia Southern Athletics reflects a shared commitment to leadership, service, and student development. By connecting student-athletes with local organizations such as the Statesboro Food Bank, the initiative reinforces the important role athletics can play in building stronger communities.

Source link

Georgia

Georgia softball coach wants the outcomes, it’s just not why he does this

Published

16 hours ago

May 22, 2026

Press Room

Georgia softball coach wants the outcomes, it’s just not why he does this

Georgia softball’s season has come to an end in the second game of the NCAA Super Regionals on the road to the Women’s College World Series. The 10-seeded team fell to Tennessee in a best-of-three series, 2-0, Friday, May 22 in Knoxville.

“As I said last night, the thing that’s hard about this time is that you don’t get another week with this group,” head coach Tony Baldwin said. “And this group is everything I could ask for as a coach. What they did to represent our university, our program and our fanbase, that’s what makes it hurt. But it’s a ballgame, and they keep score and we just didn’t do enough to come out on top. Tennessee deserves all the credit for that.”

Baldwin got emotional at the mention of what Team 30 has done for the Classic City in this long haul of a season.

This was the final game in the red and black for seniors Jaydyn Goodwin, Sarah Gordon, Tyler Ellison, Destin Howard and Marisa Miller, who have spent most, if not all, of their collegiate careers wearing the G.

It’s also the final game for players like Natalie Ray and Keirstin Roose, who though they transferred in last summer, have become impact players and people for the Dawgs.

“As I said to the team at the end, I wish I had time to punch into Chat GPT, ‘What’s the right thing to say?’ I don’t know that I have all of that right now,” Baldwin said with Goodwin and Gordon seated beside him at the press table.

“Shorty (Jaydyn Goodwin) has been part of my life since she was 12 years old. My family loves her, the kids love her, she’s like part of my family, and to watch her grow into the strong, confident woman that she is today, who I have coached. I had coaches who did that for me, long time ago, so for 30 years I’ve just been trying to have an impact on people. To be a part of watching her go from little Shorty at 12 years old, to the person who’s a boss on the softball field, and she’s interviewing for jobs, and she’s leaving here a strong, confident woman — she’s been a pain in my ass for a long time, but I’m going to miss that part of it.

“For Gordy (Sarah Gordon), who didn’t start in our program, to watch her growth and belief in herself, to lean on her faith through the hard times and grow into the woman she is today, again, that’s what it’s all about.”

The Bulldogs finish 41-20 overall, narrowly above .500 but off one heck of a run to end the season. They clinched a regular-season series win over a higher-ranked Florida, dominated LSU and Oklahoma in the SEC Tournament and swept the Athens Regional for the first time since 2023.

“I’m remembering that not everyone gets to do this, and although I’ve done it every year, I’m remembering to be grateful to be in this position,” Goodwin said when asked about how proud she is of her time at Georgia. “I committed to being a Bulldog when I was like, 13. It’s going to be weird moving forward, but I’m a Bulldog for life. Forever.

“I’m so thankful the Lord led me to Georgia,” Gordon continued, turning to thank Baldwin personally. “I feel like this is where I was supposed to be. I immediately stepped on campus for my visit, and when I got back in the car with my mom, I told her that.”

While Georgia hasn’t made it past the Super Regionals since 2021 under Lu Harris-Champer, they aren’t allowing themselves to be defined by the outcomes. Baldwin has emphasized that after every win and loss for the last month.

“I know that we get judged by our outcomes, and you play the game for the outcome,” Baldwin said after Thursday’s loss, “but at the end of the day, the thing that I preach all the time is that this is a vehicle for our players to grow … and don’t let outcomes affect how you feel about yourselves.

“I told them before the game that I love them regardless of what happens, and I told them after the game that I love them, not for their outcome, but for their behavior, how they go about doing what they do and how they represent this university.”

Source link

Georgia

Where to watch Tennessee-Georgia softball Game 2: TV, channel, stream

Published

1 day ago

May 22, 2026

Press Room

Where to watch Tennessee-Georgia softball Game 2: TV, channel, stream

The NCAA Tournament Knoxville Super Regional will continue Friday at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium, hosted by No. 7 national seed Tennessee (46-10). The Lady Vols will face No. 10 national seed Georgia (41-19) in Game 2 of the best-of-three series. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. EDT.

Tennessee won Game 1 on Thursday, 3-1. An if necessary Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday at 11 a.m. EDT.

Tennessee leads the all-time softball series versus Georgia, 49-41, dating to March 15, 1997. The first game in the series contested in Knoxville was on March 13, 1998.

Below is how to watch information for Tennessee versus Georgia and a softball game schedule for the best-of-three Knoxville Super Regional.

What channel is Tennessee versus Georgia softball on today?

Watch Tennessee live

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.