Georgia NOW News for Wednesday Fed. 18, 2026

Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson has died at 84, passing away surrounded by family. Former Atlanta mayor and U.N. ambassador Andrew Young reflected on their decades of shared work, describing Jackson as a brother in the movement who served alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. without hierarchy, but with a shared calling.

At the Capitol, State Rep. Gabriel Sanchez is advancing three bills aimed at lowering housing costs and protecting renters. The proposals would ban hidden rental fees, prohibit the use of A.I. software to inflate rents, and potentially restrict corporate ownership of single-family homes. All three measures are now in committee.

A national investigation is also raising concerns about chemical hair relaxers marketed to Black women. Consumer advocates warn formaldehyde — used to keep hair straight — is a known carcinogen and say they have pushed the FDA for years to ban it.

Meanwhile, Georgia Republicans have introduced House Bill 1076 to make it a felony to use a vehicle to block law enforcement, carrying penalties of up to $100,000 and at least a year in jail. A similar Senate proposal would increase punishments for obstructing roadways.

Republican Public Service Commissioner Tricia Pridemore will not seek reelection, opening a seat on the five-member board amid debate over rising Georgia Power bills. In Bryan County, residents are pushing back against a proposed nickel refinery in Richmond Hill, even as the company says it plans to move forward without local development incentives.

And the 2026 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival kicks off today, featuring films from 20 countries over more than two weeks.

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