SUMMARY: Tybee Island, GA, is facing recurring sewage spills, with the third incident in three months occurring after heavy rainfall caused 40,000 gallons of stormwater mixed with wastewater to overflow into Horse Pen Creek. The city is grappling with aging and damaged sewer infrastructure, exacerbated by frequent storms. City crews have made temporary repairs, but a long-term solution is underway, including a $12.5 million upgrade plan and a $2.5 million sewer project launch. Mayor Brian West emphasized ongoing efforts over the past eight years, set to continue for 15 more. An update on the sewer system overhaul will be shared tonight at 6:30 PM at the Tybee Island Public Safety Building.

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by Shauneen Miranda, Georgia Recorder
August 28, 2025

WASHINGTON — The updated form to apply for federal student aid will launch for all students by Oct. 1, U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon told congressional leaders in a letter this week. 

The department began testing in early August for the 2026-27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid — better known as FAFSA — to address any bugs or technical issues before opening it up to everyone in the fall. 

The agency signaled earlier this year that the form would open up to the general public by Oct. 1, the typical opening date for the annual form that’s now congressionally mandated. 

The department noted that for the 2026-27 FAFSA, 2,435 forms were started, 1,372 were submitted and 1,347 had been processed, as of Monday. 

McMahon’s letter to lawmakers on Tuesday followed the botched rollout of the 2024-25 FAFSA, which faced several highly publicized hiccups during then-President Joe Biden’s administration’s attempts to implement a makeover after Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act in 2020.

The rollout of the following 2025-26 form, still under the Biden administration, took a staggered approach that included several rounds of testing and gradually increased the number of people able to complete the form. 

Though that form debuted earlier than the 2024-25 application, the full rollout still came nearly two months later than the usual Oct. 1 date. 

“Under President Trump’s leadership, our team has prioritized technical competence and expertise, which has led to the earliest testing launch of the FAFSA form in history,” McMahon said in a statement Wednesday. 

“The Biden Administration failed the FAFSA rollout two years ago, leaving millions of American students and families without clear answers or a path forward in their educational journey,” she said. “Congress gave us a mandate to improve the form and deliver it on time for students, families, and institutions of higher education — and I am proud to certify that the form will launch on time this fall.” 

McMahon’s letter to the chairs and ranking members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and the House Committee on Education and Workforce follows a law signed by Biden last December that ensures the FAFSA rolls out by Oct. 1 each year. 

The law also requires the Education secretary to notify Congress by Sept. 1 annually on whether the department will meet that Oct. 1 deadline.

Georgia Recorder is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Georgia Recorder maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jill Nolin for questions: info@georgiarecorder.com.

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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: Center-Right

The content highlights the improvements and punctuality brought to the FAFSA rollout under U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon, framing it positively while contrasting it with criticisms of the prior Biden administration’s handling of FAFSA updates. It emphasizes technical competence and timely delivery attributed to leadership associated with a conservative administration, presenting a perspective that leans slightly in favor of Republican-led management in education policy execution. The tone and selected quotes reflect a center-right viewpoint without extreme partisan language.

SUMMARY: Ahead of Labor Day, law enforcement agencies from Georgia, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee are collaborating on the Hands Across the Border campaign to reduce impaired driving. Georgia law prohibits driving with a BAC of .08 or higher. Officers emphasize enforcing highway safety by targeting DUI, speeding, distracted driving, and seatbelt violations. Officials aim to send a strong message of zero tolerance for impaired driving to protect communities. Georgia has seen a 17% decrease in fatalities this year, with 800 deaths reported. The campaign urges drivers to buckle up, avoid distractions, and drive sober to prevent tragic crashes and save lives.

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