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Gwinnett County lands UCB deal to anchor Rowen mini-city project

UCB plans a major research hub near Dacula, marking a milestone for the 2,000-acre project.

Development

A proposed mini-city taking shape in Gwinnett County took a major step toward becoming reality after successfully wooing a global <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="biopharmaceutical" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/01/12/biotech-dealmaking-boom" data-vars-content-id="bc70fb43-cbd8-4054-aa2b-25b961903ca6" data-vars-headline="Gwinnett County lands UCB deal to anchor Rowen mini-city project" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/01/12/biotech-dealmaking-boom" target="_self">biopharmaceutical</a> giant.Why it matters: UCB&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="investment" data-vars-click-url="https://www.ucb.com/about-ucb/magazine/detail/article/growing-our-us-roots-with-a-new-facility-in-georgia" data-vars-content-id="bc70fb43-cbd8-4054-aa2b-25b961903ca6" data-vars-headline="Gwinnett County lands UCB deal to anchor Rowen mini-city project" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.ucb.com/about-ucb/magazine/detail/article/growing-our-us-roots-with-a-new-facility-in-georgia" target="_blank">investment</a> is the largest in county history and accelerates plans for <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Rowen" data-vars-click-url="https://rowenlife.com/" data-vars-content-id="bc70fb43-cbd8-4054-aa2b-25b961903ca6" data-vars-headline="Gwinnett County lands UCB deal to anchor Rowen mini-city project" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://rowenlife.com/" target="_blank">Rowen</a>, a 2,000-acre research-focused &quot;knowledge community&quot; halfway between Atlanta and Athens.

Bill would move Georgia to new time zone, end biannual clock change

The Georgia Senate passed legislation that, if approved by the U.S. transportation secretary, would move the state into the Atlantic time zone.

Culture

Twice a year, we dread adjusting our internal and external clocks to reflect whether we&#x27;re in standard or daylight saving time.<ul><li>One Georgia legislator&#x27;s solution: place the state into a completely different time zone and leave the clocks alone for good.</li></ul>The latest: The state Senate on Monday passed <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="legislation" data-vars-click-url="https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69591" data-vars-content-id="28cd767f-569d-48b6-b302-7a154702d0db" data-vars-headline="Bill would move Georgia to new time zone, end biannual clock change" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69591" target="_blank">legislation</a> that would ask the U.S. transportation secretary to move Georgia from the Eastern time zone to the Atlantic time zone, which is one hour ahead.

Atlanta joins thousands of No Kings protests set for Saturday

Organizers are planning more than 3,000 protests across the U.S.

Politics

Organizers across the U.S. are planning more than 3,000 local events Saturday for <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="No Kings" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/10/17/trump-no-kings-protest-safety-tips" data-vars-content-id="3af917df-0e66-425d-a3db-e62e4efce339" data-vars-headline="Atlanta joins thousands of No Kings protests set for Saturday" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/10/17/trump-no-kings-protest-safety-tips" target="_self">No Kings</a> Day of Nonviolent Action, including several in metro Atlanta.The big picture: Progressive political groups, labor unions and human and civil rights organizations expect Saturday&#x27;s nationwide demonstrations to surpass last year&#x27;s No Kings rallies in <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="June" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2025/06/14/photos-no-kings-protests-downtown-chicago-trump" data-vars-content-id="3af917df-0e66-425d-a3db-e62e4efce339" data-vars-headline="Atlanta joins thousands of No Kings protests set for Saturday" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2025/06/14/photos-no-kings-protests-downtown-chicago-trump" target="_self">June</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="October" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/10/18/no-kings-protests-october-18-turnout" data-vars-content-id="3af917df-0e66-425d-a3db-e62e4efce339" data-vars-headline="Atlanta joins thousands of No Kings protests set for Saturday" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/10/18/no-kings-protests-october-18-turnout" target="_self">October</a>.

New ad blitz shows how tariffs hurt small businesses

The campaign is targeting Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Nashville and Newark because they are located in states hit hardest by tariffs.

Business

A new month-long ad campaign is hitting Atlanta and other cities Monday to try to bring attention to small businesses who have been affected by tariffs.Why it matters: According to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="surveys by the Council on Foreign Relations" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cfr.org/articles/what-americans-really-think-about-trade-and-tariffs" data-vars-content-id="2813c8e9-99ea-480c-89b8-db8300a649a1" data-vars-headline="New ad blitz shows how tariffs hurt small businesses" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cfr.org/articles/what-americans-really-think-about-trade-and-tariffs" target="_blank">surveys by the Council on Foreign Relations</a>, two-in-five Americans mistakenly believe a tariff is paid by a foreign country. <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Research from the New York Fed " data-vars-click-url="https://libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org/2026/02/who-is-paying-for-the-2025-u-s-tariffs/" data-vars-content-id="2813c8e9-99ea-480c-89b8-db8300a649a1" data-vars-headline="New ad blitz shows how tariffs hurt small businesses" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org/2026/02/who-is-paying-for-the-2025-u-s-tariffs/" target="_blank">Research from the New York Fed </a>and Columbia University shows nearly 90% of the tariffs President Trump enacted in 2025 were paid by U.S. firms and consumers.

Georgia nears medical cannabis expansion, hemp limits

A bill on Gov. Kemp's desk would widen access, while lawmakers debate limits on hemp products.

News

Georgia lawmakers want to expand the state&#x27;s medical cannabis program and could clamp down on synthetic hemp products before the legislative session ends.Why it matters: The potential changes come while cannabis companies lobby for relief from <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="a federal law" data-vars-click-url="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IN12620" data-vars-content-id="71ba8348-1f1c-4706-9bb1-76b3743a0e8d" data-vars-headline="Georgia nears medical cannabis expansion, hemp limits" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IN12620" target="_blank">a federal law</a> which could upend the billion-dollar cannabis industry, business leaders say.

Metro Atlanta growth defies U.S. immigration-driven slowdown

Population increases in the region and in some Georgia counties are defying national trends.

Metro Atlanta is continuing to grow as most counties nationwide see an <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="immigration-driven slowdown" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/26/county-population-growth-immigration" data-vars-content-id="65e27264-5442-43d7-9a81-4c26d636d3c3" data-vars-headline="Metro Atlanta growth defies U.S. immigration-driven slowdown" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/26/county-population-growth-immigration" target="_self">immigration-driven slowdown</a>, new U.S. Census data shows.Why it matters: The new data offers the best look yet at how tighter immigration enforcement is affecting America&#x27;s demographic makeup.

Decatur shop keeps rare accordions alive and playing

A basement shop on a residential street in Decatur restores decades-old accordions.

In the downstairs workshop of a Decatur bungalow, Jack Brantley and Kyle Turner keep accordions from across the country bellowing and droning.Why it matters: Brantley and Turner run <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Accordionology" data-vars-click-url="https://www.accordionology.com/" data-vars-content-id="296b311a-1a66-470d-9950-2a28e9fdf5fc" data-vars-headline="Decatur shop keeps rare accordions alive and playing" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.accordionology.com/" target="_blank">Accordionology</a>, a two-person, appointment-only business with decades of combined experience repairing and restoring the niche instruments.<ul><li>&quot;We are the only full-service accordion shop in the entire Southeast,&quot; Brantley, who lives upstairs with his wife and dogs, told Axios.</li></ul>

Atlanta airport TSA lines stretch for hours amid shutdown

With nearly 40% of TSA staff out, ATL travelers were told to arrive four to five hours early.

Travel

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will assist short-staffed TSA officers starting today at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Mayor Andre Dickens said.Why it matters: The deployment by President Trump thrusts the very agency that sparked the shutdown with its conduct in Minnesota into the nation&#x27;s airports to deal with the consequences, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Axios&#x27; Andrew Pantazi reports" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/22/trump-ice-agents-airports-tsa-dhs-shutdown" data-vars-content-id="e45ad5fe-4d1e-4d03-bcf0-baa713b47834" data-vars-headline="Atlanta airport TSA lines stretch for hours amid shutdown" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/22/trump-ice-agents-airports-tsa-dhs-shutdown" target="_self">Axios&#x27; Andrew Pantazi reports</a>.

Drivers tell us why they do — or don't — back into parking spaces

Dozens of people responded to our question about why drivers in Atlanta tend to back into parking spaces.

👋🏽 Kristal here.We recently <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="asked" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2026/03/09/atlanta-drivers-parking" data-vars-content-id="88d3eac2-0121-4aef-a9d1-4f102547e62b" data-vars-headline="Drivers tell us why they do — or don&#x27;t — back into parking spaces" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2026/03/09/atlanta-drivers-parking" target="_self">asked</a> Axios Atlanta readers why drivers here insist on backing into parking spaces.<ul><li>And apparently, we touched a nerve because dozens responded — with strong feelings about it.</li></ul>

Georgia Latino advocacy groups respond to Chávez abuse allegations

Labor and civil rights leader Dolores Huerta said César Chávez sexually abused her, and the New York Times published a story Wednesday documenting several allegations of abuse by Chávez.

New allegations that United Farm Workers co-founder and civil rights activist César Chávez sexually abused women and girls are reverberating in Latino communities in Georgia and across the country. Why it matters: Chávez, one of the nation&#x27;s most celebrated Latino union activists, was a central figure in the fight for farmworker rights — a legacy that&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="now in question" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-antonio/2026/03/18/cesar-chavez-sexual-abuse-allegations" data-vars-content-id="71f1dc41-a9db-4ac4-8d2f-4611eebbaad2" data-vars-headline="Georgia Latino advocacy groups respond to Chávez abuse allegations" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-antonio/2026/03/18/cesar-chavez-sexual-abuse-allegations" target="_self">now in question</a> after accusations from several minors and women, including civil rights icon <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Dolores Huerta" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2024/07/25/kamala-harris-dolores-huerta-latino-voters" data-vars-content-id="71f1dc41-a9db-4ac4-8d2f-4611eebbaad2" data-vars-headline="Georgia Latino advocacy groups respond to Chávez abuse allegations" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/07/25/kamala-harris-dolores-huerta-latino-voters" target="_self">Dolores Huerta</a>, Axios&#x27; Nadia Lopez <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="reports" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2026/03/18/san-francisco-cesar-chavez-renaming-dolores-huerta-allegations" data-vars-content-id="71f1dc41-a9db-4ac4-8d2f-4611eebbaad2" data-vars-headline="Georgia Latino advocacy groups respond to Chávez abuse allegations" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2026/03/18/san-francisco-cesar-chavez-renaming-dolores-huerta-allegations" target="_self">reports</a>.

New AJC podcast resurfaces Georgia Guidestones mystery

A new podcast explores the Guidestones' origins, destruction and why the quirky monument remains fascinating.

A new AJC podcast probes the origins and 2022 destruction of the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Georgia Guidestones" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2022/07/07/investigation-underway-after-georgia-guidestones-bombed" data-vars-content-id="2e44b84a-b33d-44fc-9bf2-0d2369c2239f" data-vars-headline="New AJC podcast resurfaces Georgia Guidestones mystery" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2022/07/07/investigation-underway-after-georgia-guidestones-bombed" target="_self">Georgia Guidestones</a>, reviving questions about one of the state&#x27;s most enigmatic landmarks.Why it matters: Before their mysterious destruction in 2022, the Georgia Guidestones were simultaneously a roadside attraction and magnet for conspiracy theories, from New World Order fears to claims it was satanic.<ul><li>In &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Who Blew Up the Guidestones?" data-vars-click-url="https://www.ajc.com/about-us/2026/03/new-ajc-podcast-investigates-who-blew-up-the-georgia-guidestones/" data-vars-content-id="2e44b84a-b33d-44fc-9bf2-0d2369c2239f" data-vars-headline="New AJC podcast resurfaces Georgia Guidestones mystery" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.ajc.com/about-us/2026/03/new-ajc-podcast-investigates-who-blew-up-the-georgia-guidestones/" target="_blank">Who Blew Up the Guidestones?</a>,&quot; journalist Tyler McBrien investigates who may be behind the monument&#x27;s creation and 2022 bombing — and why we care so much about the mini-Stonehenge to this day.</li></ul>

Stat du jour: Atlanta airport traffic snarled

Storms, a checkpoint closure and TSA shortages have slowed Atlanta's airport to a crawl this week.

<h2 class="text-h6 !font-sans !font-normal !leading-[1.2em]">3,053</h2>Total number of canceled and delayed flights flying in and out of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport since Monday morning, according to Flight Aware.Zoom in: Awful weather, a security checkpoint closure and TSA <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="staffing shortages" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/12/tsa-dhs-shutdown-airports-donations" data-vars-content-id="eb025ab3-9bee-476b-89b3-cfcd7160e650" data-vars-headline="Stat du jour: Atlanta airport traffic snarled" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/12/tsa-dhs-shutdown-airports-donations" target="_self">staffing shortages</a> related to the partial government shutdown have slowed the world&#x27;s busiest airport to a crawl.Of note: On Tuesday, airport officials asked travelers who are taking a domestic flight to use the domestic terminals.<ul><li>Word has <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="apparently gotten out" data-vars-click-url="https://x.com/jisaacraymond/status/2033920464632811697?s=20" data-vars-content-id="eb025ab3-9bee-476b-89b3-cfcd7160e650" data-vars-headline="Stat du jour: Atlanta airport traffic snarled" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://x.com/jisaacraymond/status/2033920464632811697?s=20" target="_blank">apparently gotten out</a> about Hartsfield-Jackson&#x27;s best kept secret: passing through TSA in the international terminal and riding the Plane Train is a great way to skip gridlock in the domestic terminal.</li></ul>State of play: Airline CEOs including Delta Air Lines&#x27; Ed Bastain have called on Congress to end the shutdown.

Atlanta's James Beard finalists

Atlanta's James Beard Awards finalists

Pic du jour: Our first Vietnam War memorial

Atlanta unveils Vietnam memorial for local heroes

Skol! A new gaming lounge

Downtown Atlanta Nordic-themed bar opening new gaming lounge

Axios What's Next

AA choropleth map of U.S. counties showing estimated population change from July 2024 to 2025. The U.S. overall grew by +0.5%. Kaufman County, Texas, grew the most of any county with a population over 100,000: +5.7%. Pinellas County, Florida shrank the most of any county with a population over 100,000: -1.2%. 

News 🗞

Atlanta's James Beard Awards finalists

Georgia nears medical cannabis expansion, hemp limits

Atlanta unveils Vietnam memorial for local heroes

Downtown Atlanta Nordic-themed bar opening new gaming lounge

Metro Atlanta growth defies U.S. immigration-driven slowdown