Georgia NOW News for Monday Feb. 23, 2026

A new report titled The Crimson Record documents more than 70 suspected modern-day lynchings across seven Southern states since 2000, arguing that some cases ruled suicides show troubling patterns. The findings come as 21-year-old Kyle Basinga of Atlanta, reported missing on Valentine’s Day, was found dead by hanging Feb. 19 at Fair Oaks Park in Cobb County. A recorded altercation with Atlanta police that Basinga posted to Instagram has resurfaced, fueling community concern. Authorities say there is no evidence of foul play, but some residents dispute that conclusion.

At the Capitol, State Rep. Eric Bell has introduced the Pollution Prevention and Producer Responsibility Act, which would create a framework requiring producers to reduce packaging and beverage container waste. On the campaign trail, President Donald Trump visited Georgia’s 14th Congressional District ahead of the race to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene, touting affordability gains, while critics argue middle-income families continue to feel economic strain. Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms warned rural communities face even steeper health and financial challenges.

Democratic lawmakers are also backing the Henry McNeil-Turner Georgia Voting Rights Act, saying it would stabilize election rules and expand ballot access following federal court decisions that narrowed the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

And new research from Emory University, in partnership with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, suggests music therapy can improve mood and daily functioning for people living with dementia. The effort recently received $200,000 from the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America to expand the work.

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