SUMMARY: A violent EF-1 tornado struck Warrenville, S.C. around 3:30 a.m. Monday, causing significant damage. The storm destroyed cars, snapped trees, and tore off roofs in the tight-knit community, leaving residents like Alicia Mason distraught over lost vehicles and limited insurance coverage. Several homes, including an 1861 house, sustained minor damage while a nearby fire station was hit hard. Neighbors were caught off guard but quickly rallied to check on each other. Dominion Energy worked to restore power as emergency responders and Red Cross provided support. Residents, still wary after last year’s Helene storm, face emotional and physical recovery challenges.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-05-12 15:42:00
Georgia’s state revenue for April 2025 dropped by \$230.4 million, a 5.8% decrease compared to April 2024. The extension of the income tax filing deadline, which was moved from April 15 to May 1 due to Hurricane Helene, contributed to the decline. Corporate tax collections saw the largest drop, down 27.8%, while individual income taxes fell slightly by 2.8%. Other taxes, such as sales and use, motor fuel, and vehicle tag fees, increased. Year-to-date tax collections total \$27.7 billion, showing a \$312 million increase, although adjustments for the motor fuel excise tax make the underlying change a slight decrease of 0.6%.
(The Center Square) – The extension of the income tax deadline for Georgia taxpayers drove down state revenues for April, according to the latest numbers released by Gov. Brian Kemp’s office on Monday.
Net tax collections dropped by $230.4 million, a 5.8% decrease from April of last year. The state collected $3.73 billion in April 2025 compared to $3.96 billion in April of 2024, according to the Georgia Department of Revenue.
The governor extended the income tax filing deadline from April 15 to May 1 to help businesses and individuals affected by Hurricane Helene, which swept through the state last September. The deadline was the same even for Georgians not affected by the hurricane.
Corporate tax collections took the most significant hit, down 27.8% when compared to fiscal year 2024. Individual income tax collections were only down slightly from $1.97 billion in FY2024 to $1.91 billion in FY2025, a 2.8% reduction.
Other tax collections were up in April with sales and use tax collections up 4.5%, motor fuel taxes increasing 3.4% and motor vehicle tag and title fees rising by 7.4%, according to the report.
Year-to-date tax collections are $27.7 billion, an increase of $312 million. A moratorium on motor fuel excise tax in fiscal year 2024 accounted for the higher numbers, according to the revenue department. Without the motor fuel tax changes, year-to-date collections are down 0.6%, a $154.2 million decrease.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
The article presents a straightforward, fact-based report on Georgia’s tax revenue figures following an extension of the income tax deadline due to a hurricane. It refrains from using loaded or emotive language, maintaining a neutral tone throughout. The piece simply conveys data and context provided by the governor’s office and the revenue department without advocating for any political viewpoint or policy stance. This adherence to factual reporting without promotion of ideological perspectives indicates a centrist and neutral approach.
www.youtube.com – FOX 5 Atlanta – 2025-05-12 13:24:34
SUMMARY: Feduma Muhammad, accused of killing 19-year-old Cooper Shanki in a high-speed police chase crash in Atlanta’s Little Five Points, was denied bond in a DeKalb County courtroom. Prosecutors presented dashcam footage showing Muhammad weaving through traffic while fleeing Georgia State Troopers, crashing into Shanki’s vehicle. Believed to be on drugs and already out on bond for other felonies, the judge deemed her a flight risk and a danger to the public. Shanki’s mother, Kate, urged the judge to keep Muhammad detained, expressing ongoing grief and commitment to attending all court hearings for justice.
The woman accused of killing a teen in Little Five Points while trying to flee from a Georgia state trooper will remain behind bars. Faduma Mohamed, 23, appeared in a DeKalb County courtroom on Monday morning as her attorney made a bid for her to be released on bond.
FOX 5 Atlanta delivers breaking news, live events, investigations, politics, entertainment, business news and local stories from metro Atlanta, north Georgia and across the nation.
www.wsav.com – Sarah Fortinsky – 2025-05-12 12:27:00
SUMMARY: Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that the U.S. is halting livestock imports at southern border ports due to the “New World screwworm” (NWS) spreading in Mexico, detected as far north as Oaxaca and Veracruz. Rollins emphasized the move prioritizes food and animal safety, not politics, and involves close collaboration with Mexican officials. The suspension will continue monthly until containment is confirmed, applying to livestock originating from or transported through Mexico. NWS was eradicated previously but re-emerged in Mexico in November 2024, leading to a border closure and later resumption with strict inspection protocols. The U.S. remains committed to cooperation for eradication.
