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Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced the following appointments: Sarah Griffie to the Superior Court of the Piedmont Judicial Circuit, filling a vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Wayne D. McLocklin; Robert Lane as the District Attorney of the Paulding Judicial Circuit to fill the vacancy created by the appointment of Matt Rollins to the Superior Court of the Paulding Judicial Circuit; and Bradley L. Collins as the Solicitor of Charlton County to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Patrick Brooks.

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Sarah Griffie currently serves as the Chief Assistant District Attorney of the Piedmont Judicial Circuit. She has spent her entire legal career devoted to law enforcement and prosecution in Barrow, Jackson, and Banks counties. During her time as a prosecutor, she has handled thousands of cases, but primarily focused her trial work on violent and sexual crimes against women and children. She started in the Barrow County District Attorney’s Office as a UGA Prosecution Clinic intern in 2006. In 2007, she was hired as an assistant district attorney in Barrow County. She has been the Chief Assistant District Attorney since 2016. Prior to attending law school, she was a commercial banker. She is active in her community, currently serving on the board of the Crawford Long Museum in Jefferson, Georgia. She is a recent graduate of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce Leadership program, member of the Barrow Area Rotary Club, member of the Barrow County Chamber of Commerce, ex-officio board member of Treehouse Child Advocacy Center, member of the Barrow County School System Law and Public Safety Advisory Committee, mock trial coach at Jefferson High School, and a yearly speaker for the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office choices program. Griffie graduated magna cum laude from High Point University with a degree in International Business and a minor in French. She earned her law degree from the University of Georgia where she graduated cum laude. She and her husband, Andrew, live in Jefferson with their two daughters.

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Robert S. Lane currently serves as a Senior Assistant District Attorney in the Paulding Judicial Circuit. Before his service with the District Attorney’s Office, Lane was the Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel for the Georgia State Ethics Commission. Lane began his legal career in Paulding County, where he served as the staff attorney for Paulding Superior Court Judges Kenneth G. Vinson and James R. Osborne. He also spent three years as an associate attorney with the firm of Henrickson & Sereebutra in Dallas, Georgia. Lane has successfully argued numerous cases before the Georgia Supreme Court and Georgia Court of Appeals. He has also served as a Special Master for the Paulding County Superior Court. A native of Georgia, Lane graduated cum laude from the University of Georgia and earned his law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law. He and his wife, Erin, and their daughter reside in Dallas, Georgia and are active members of St. James Episcopal Church.

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Bradley L. Collins is the owner and founder of The Collins Law Group, P.C. in Waycross, Georgia. His legal practice is comprised predominantly of trial work and focuses on general civil litigation, domestic relations, criminal defense, and personal injury. Collins is also a registered general civil and domestic mediator. Prior to his appointment as solicitor general in Charlton County, Collins served as a municipal court judge in Nahunta and Hoboken, Georgia. He is also the county attorney for Brantley County, Georgia, and previously served as the District Attorney for the six counties which comprise the Waycross Judicial Circuit. Collins earned his associate’s degree in wildlife management from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, his bachelors of arts in political science from Valdosta State University, and his law degree from Florida Coastal School of Law. Collins resides in Waycross, Georgia with his wife, Danielle, who is a Nurse Practitioner and Assistant Professor at South Georgia State College, and their two sons.

President/CEO of BCM Georgia Greg Cole talks about the history of the organization and their mission to keep people from becoming homeless.

Consumer Edge (“CE” or the “Company”), the leading provider of global consumer data-driven insights, today shared findings from its Q2 2024 U.S. Home Furnishings Digest, revealing a modest rebound in consumer purchases of home furnishings, likely the result of easing inflation putting less pressure on consumer wallets. The primary drivers of this recovery include a notable rise in spending among renters and overall moderating declines across key home furnishings subcategories.

After a challenging 2023 for the overall home and garden industry, the home furnishings sector has experienced moderating declines since Q4 2023. This shift suggests a stabilization in consumer behavior, with increased consumer confidence to make discretionary purchases, particularly in categories that enhance everyday living.

Key insights from the report include:

• Renter spending surges: Average spending per renter significantly outpaced that of homeowners, as renters focus on maximizing space and personalizing their living environments. Increasing strength in the renter segment, coupled with easing inflation, has the potential to lead to continued growth in home furnishings. Brands such as IKEA, West Elm and The Container Store are well-positioned to benefit from these trends given their dependence on this consumer group.

• Moderate growth in appliances and electronics: While still a smaller portion of the overall direct-to-consumer home furnishings market, this category posted more than a 5 percent year-over-year growth in Q2, with consumers investing in cost-effective, accessory home improvements like air fryers and blenders. Among retailers, P.C. Richard & Son, the largest chain of private, family-owned appliance and electronic stores in the U.S., exhibited particular strength in the second quarter. Additionally, SharkNinja and AJ Madison were among the top-performing smaller brands benefiting from consumer spending in this category.

• Kitchen and diversified companies struggle: Kitchen-focused and diversified home furnishings companies faced the largest declines, driven by cautious consumer spending on non-essential items.

“While the overall home furnishings market remains in recovery mode, the resilience in consumer spending, particularly among renters, is a promising sign,” said Michael Gunther, Vice President, Head of Insights, at Consumer Edge. “These trends reveal a shift in consumer priorities, highlighting a growing demand for functional, yet personalized living spaces.”

To read the full Q2 U.S. Home Furnishings Digest, please click here.

Anticipating higher prices for their shopping list than a year ago, consumers expect to spend 14% more on average on back-to-school shopping per child this year, according to a new KPMG survey conducted in July. Broadly, consumers are also preparing to spend more this fall on not only essential goods and services but also on apparel, personal care and restaurants, among other discretionary categories.

Underlying the spending outlook are the findings that consumers are spending a higher percentage of their income on monthly living expenses and placing a lower percentage of their income in savings and investments. 

“Despite the financial strains many families are facing and the reshaping of consumer spending patterns due to inflation, the anticipated increase in back-to-school spending highlights a resilience and adaptability among consumers,” said Duleep Rodrigo, KPMG US Consumer and Retail Sector Leader. “As we approach Fall 2024, understanding these shifting priorities and spending patterns for discretionary items will be crucial for both retailers and consumers as they navigate a challenging economic environment. Consumers are prioritizing value and adjusting their spending, both in-store and online, in response to economic pressures. Businesses must navigate these changing dynamics to effectively connect with their customers.”

The survey of 1,000 US adult consumers nationwide, including more than 400 back-to-school shoppers, provides valuable insights into spending behaviors and consumer sentiments now and looking ahead to fall.

The KPMG survey reveals that 42% of back-to-school shoppers anticipate spending more per student, as three-fourths of them expect higher prices. Mass merchants remain the top choice for back-to-school shopping, expected to capture a 34% share of the wallet. Lower-income families are moving their spending from online-only retailers, dollar stores and apparel retailers to mass merchants.

Looking ahead at fall spending overall, consumers on average expect to spend more each month on 11 of 14 essential and discretionary goods and services. More than 80% of all consumers surveyed plan to spend more on groceries. Over half of consumers expect to spend more on discretionary items such as apparel, restaurants, travel, personal services, and entertainment this fall. For example, consumers anticipate spending 8% more each month on apparel and 6% more on restaurants and personal care products.

Additional Key Findings

• Financial Security: The survey indicates that today, 62% of consumers feel the same (32%) or better off (30%) financially compared to a year ago, while 38% feel worse off. Yet, the survey found a continuing decline in the estimated amount of monthly household income placed in savings and investments since 2022. At the same time, the percentage of monthly income spent on monthly living expenses has increased to an estimated 42% compared to 40% last year.

• Inflation Impact: Inflation continues to affect consumer behavior, with 94% feeling the impact and 76% reporting their cost of living has risen by over 5%. Consumers are particularly concerned about price hikes in groceries and automotive.

• Consumer Online Behavior: Compared to their expectations a year ago, in the 2024 survey most  consumers expect to purchase either more or the same amount online this fall across all 14 essential and discretionary categories.

Boston Real Estate Market

Boston Real Estate Market Is it a good time to buy a house or condo in Boston? The data is somewhat conflicting depending on the source. Redfin, GBAR and Zillow are showing prices trending down fast so it seems the market will need some support or this could get grim in September. The market was…

Toll Brothers, Inc. (NYSE:TOL), the nation’s leading builder of luxury homes, today announced the final opportunity to purchase a new home at its Easley luxury single-family home community in Woodstock, Georgia. Only three homes remain available for sale in this sought-after community of 84 homes, including one move-in ready home and two quick move-in homes available for delivery in early 2025. The final homes at Easley, which is located off Highway 92 and Cherokee Lane in Woodstock, are now being shown by open appointment only.

Easley offers home buyers a charming enclave in a secluded and wooded setting. Home buyers can choose from home designs featuring 5 bedrooms, 4 to 5.5 baths, 2 or 3 stories, and 2-car garages with 3,239 to 3,392+ square feet of luxury living space. Homes are priced starting in the upper $800,000s.

“We invite home buyers to visit Easley to tour the final few remaining homes available before it is too late,” said Eric White, Division President of Toll Brothers in Atlanta. “Easley is an exciting community in a vibrant area that offers secluded home sites, stunning home designs, resort-style amenities, and easy access to top-rated schools.”

Toll Brothers residents in Easley enjoy a variety of resort-style amenities including a swimming pool, cabana, and a picturesque pond. The community is located within the highly rated River Ridge High School District. Home buyers will experience proximity to major roadways and downtown Woodstock’s boutique shops, restaurants, and lively entertainment.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact the Toll Brothers Sales Center at 888-686-5542 or visit TollBrothers.com/GA.

Capitol Beat is a nonprofit news service operated by the Georgia Press Educational Foundation that provides coverage of state government to newspapers throughout Georgia. For more information visit capitol-beat.org.

Private contractors working for government agencies are subject to Georgia’s Open Records Act, the state Supreme Court ruled this week.

The high court’s unanimous decision overturned a lower court’s dismissal last August of an open records lawsuit filed against a Georgia Tech professor for failing to respond to an open-records request for information concerning his service to the university as a private contractor.

The professor had argued that the legal obligation to produce public records lies solely with a public agency, not with an individual employee or private contractor.

The Georgia First Amendment Foundation filed a friend-of-the-court brief urging the court to overturn rulings of both the Georgia Court of Appeals and, before that, a Fulton County trial court.

“The Georgia Supreme Court is a welcome confirmation of Georgia’s commitment to open access to public records,” said Sarah Brewerton-Palmer, vice president of the foundation’s board of directors.

“Government contractors are often the only ones who have copies of the records they create during their work. Forcing the public to go through a government agency to get those records would in many cases mean that the records are never actually provided.”

The Georgia Supreme Court sent the case back to the trial court for further proceedings.

Jamie Boswell, Georgia’s 10th Congressional District representative, was elected vice chair of the State Transportation Board (STB) of Georgia at its monthly board meeting on Thursday, August 15. Joining him as newly elected leaders are Ann R. Purcell as chairwoman and Dennis McEntire as secretary. The new positions are effective immediately. Board elections are held annually to ensure all regions of the state are represented at the executive leadership level. 

“I have been on the State Transportation Board of Georgia since 2013,” said Vice Chair Boswell. “I am extremely proud of the work my colleagues and I have done to help grow Georgia’s infrastructure but there is more work to do, and my position as vice chair will allow me to better serve and meet the transportation needs of the people of Georgia.”

Secretary Boswell is a graduate of the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business with a major in real estate. He also attended Georgia Tech and is president and owner of the Boswell Group, which includes insurance, real estate and appraisal companies. Boswell has previously held the roles of chair, vice chair and secretary.