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Holiday retail sales are likely to increase between 2.3% and 3.3% in 2024, according to Deloitte’s annual holiday retail forecast.

Overall, Deloitte’s retail and consumer products practice projects holiday sales will total $1.58 trillion to $1.59 trillion during the November to January timeframe. In 2023, holiday sales grew by 4.3% in the same period.

A key driver of overall retail sales growth in the upcoming season is expected to be e-commerce. Deloitte forecasts e-commerce will likely grow between 7% and 9%, year-over-year, during the 2024-2025 holiday season to between $289 billion and $294 billion this season.

“Although the pace of increase in holiday sales will be slower than last year, we expect that healthy growth in disposable personal income (DPI), combined with a steady labor market, will support a solid holiday sales season,” said Akrur Barua, economist, Deloitte Insights. “Meanwhile, inflation is both a headwind and tailwind to holiday sales. While declining inflation aids consumers’ purchasing power, it also is expected to negatively impact the nominal rise in the dollar value of sales. In addition, rising credit card debt and the possibility that many consumers have exhausted their pandemic-era savings will likely weigh on sales growth this season compared to the previous one.”

“Following a sharp rise in spending post-pandemic, this season’s retail sales are expected to moderately increase in line with trends over the past decade,” said Michael Jeschke, principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP, and Retail & Consumer Products leader. “Our forecast indicates that e-commerce sales will remain strong as consumers continue to take advantage of online deals to maximize their spending. While this holiday season reflects a return to trend levels of growth, retailers who focus on building loyalty and trust with consumers could be well positioned for success.”

Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation announces they will provide comprehensive eye health care to address the growing need for vision care services for children in some of the most populated counties in Georgia, made possible through the Sight For Kids program, co-founded by Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) and Johnson & Johnson.

In coordination with the current Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation's school-based screening programming, the Sight For Kids program will expand into Fulton, Chatham, Clayton, Cobb, and Gwinnett counties aiming to provide vision screenings to 10,000 students in more than 50 schools over two years. “We are committed to closing the gap of vision care in our state, so every child is empowered to live their best life. We look forward to increasing access to comprehensive eye care and seeing the local impact of Sight For Kids as we work to reach even more students across Georgia,” said Beth Ehrhardt, Executive Director, Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation.

Sight For Kids in Georgia

•  Eye Screenings: Program aims to conduct eye screening for 10,000 children to identify students with a potential
  vision problem, conducted by Georgia Lions Club members trained by Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation.
• Follow-up care: An anticipated average of 40% (or 4,000) of the children screened will be referred to local
  ophthalmologists and optometrists for comprehensive exams and appropriate treatment, as needed (such as free
  eyeglasses or otherwise, such as eye drops or referrals for surgery). Training: Teachers and staff trained about the importance of eye health.

Eye Health in Georgia

There will be a 220% increase in vision impairment in Georgia by 2050, and a 52% increase in conditions such as diabetic retinopathy. Yet, research by Emory Eye Center* identified 52 counties in Georgia where there are few, if any, vision care providers. This equates to 33% of Georgia counties, essentially vision deserts, which lack eye care services.

Early onset of vision impairment in children can cause developmental delays in motor skills, language acquisition, emotional development, and social interactions, among others. 3  Additionally, school-age children facing vision impairment may struggle to attain academic success, resulting in lower educational outcomes, 3  and impacting their future earnings. 4  

“Lions Clubs International Foundation is immensely proud of our collaboration with Johnson & Johnson through Sight For Kids that is helping bring comprehensive eye health care to millions of children across the globe,” said Dr. Patti Hill, LCIF chairperson. “Thank you to the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation, Atlanta Public Schools and the Atlanta Lions for implementing Sight For Kids programming in your communities. You are all an integral part of empowering these children to reach their fullest potential.”

Gray Media (NYSE: GTN) today announced that Local News Live, its 24/7 streaming news network, launched standalone apps for connected TVs and smartphones.   These new apps are now available to download for free by searching “LNL” on Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, iOS, and Android streaming devices.

“Local News Live delivers a local perspective on national stories by tapping into the expertise of Gray journalists in 113 markets,” Gray’s Chief Operating Officer Sandy Breland said.   “With this new streaming presence, our reach will expand to deliver that unmatched breaking news coverage and impactful information to a national audience.”

Local News Live launched in February 2021 as a national news network to provide live streaming coverage on more than 500 Gray station websites, connected TV apps, and mobile apps.   Local News Live will remain available on Gray’s local apps and continue to provide audiences non-stop access to local and national news feeds.

“We are excited to grow our footprint to the rest of the US to serve even more viewers with our unique blend of national coverage through a local lens,” said General Manager of Gray’s Washington Operations Lisa Allen.

Local News Live is based out of Gray’s Washington DC News Bureau.

CEO & Executive Director of Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement (GLISI) Leslie Hazle Bussey talks about the different ways GLISI is helping support educators across Georgia.

We’ve moved forward in our efforts to strengthen Georgia’s forestry industry with our second meeting of the Senate Advancing Forest Innovation in Georgia Study Committee at the Georgia State Capitol. Building on the groundwork established in our initial meeting, where we identified key challenges facing the sector, we are now focused on exploring solutions and emerging markets that have the potential to revitalize our state’s forestry landscape 

Unfortunately, the timing of our meeting coincided with the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, which brought significant hardship to many regions of our state, including those heavily reliant on the forestry industry. Our thoughts remain with all those affected, and we will continue to support our impacted communities and first responders in the days ahead.

At this meeting, we shifted our focus from problems to possibilities. The shrinking markets for traditional forestry products that we discussed in our first meeting are not the whole story—there are emerging markets and new technologies that could represent the future of Georgia’s forestry industry. As chair of this committee, I’ve had the privilege of working with a wide range of experts to explore these opportunities, and the insights they shared during our meeting were nothing short of inspiring.

We first heard from Dr. Andreas Bommarius and Dr. Carson Meredith from the Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI) at Georgia Tech, who introduced us to their groundbreaking ReWOOD initiative. This project focuses on “Xylochemistry,” a rapidly growing field that uses sustainable wood-based materials to develop products ranging from industrial solvents to jet fuel. What’s particularly exciting about ReWOOD is its potential to create new demand for Georgia’s vast forestry resources in environmentally sustainable and economically viable ways.

Next, we welcomed Troy Harris of Jamestown LLP, a real estate investment firm with a strong track record in sustainable timberland management. He spoke about Jamestown’s use of innovative practices to boost timberland productivity while ensuring sustainable growth. These practices not only increase the value of timber but also ensure the long-term health and resilience of our forests—an important consideration given the growing threat of natural disasters like Hurricane Helene.

Finally, Smitha Hariharan, Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer of Gulfstream, shared the company’s cutting-edge work in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Gulfstream recently made history with the first-ever trans-Atlantic flight powered by 100% SAF, a major breakthrough that could have significant implications for Georgia’s forestry industry. As demand for SAF grows worldwide, Georgia’s timber could become a key resource in meeting that demand, creating jobs and driving investment in rural communities across the state.

Our meeting made it clear that the future of forestry in Georgia lies in traditional markets and these emerging fields. Exciting opportunities are on the horizon, whether it’s sustainable aviation fuel, wood-based construction materials or innovative new uses for timber byproducts. With Georgia being the #1 state to do business and the #1 forestry producing state in the country, I believe our state is uniquely positioned to lead on this emerging market. 

As we continue to work through the challenges and opportunities ahead, I am grateful for the valuable contributions of the experts and industry leaders helping us explore these new possibilities. I’m confident that by embracing innovation and working together, we can create a more sustainable and prosperous future for Georgia’s forestry industry. I look forward to sharing more updates as our committee’s work progresses.

You can find more information about the committee’s work and upcoming meetings here.

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is ranked among the nation’s top pediatric hospitals for 2024-2025 on the U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospitals list. Children’s has eight specialties ranked in the top 20 and one specialty ranked in the top 10.

The Orthopedics Program (No. 8), the Cancer Program (No. 12), the Cardiology and Heart Surgery Program (No. 12), the Gastroenterology and GI Surgery Program (No. 13), the Nephrology Program (No. 13), the Neurology and Neurosurgery Program (No. 14), the Urology Program (No. 14), and the Neonatology Program (No. 19) all ranked in the top 20 for their individual specialties. For the 5th year in a row, Children’s was also ranked the No. 1 pediatric hospital in Georgia.

The report ranks hospitals for excellence in outcomes, program structure and national reputation in 11 pediatric specialty areas—with the survey questions created and refined by content experts in each field. Children’s ranked in 10 of the 11 specialty areas.

“We are honored to again be named among the nation’s top children’s hospitals by U.S. News and World Report,” said Donna Hyland, CEO of Children’s. “This is a testament to our physicians, nurses and clinical teams advancing novel breakthroughs and treatment approaches propelling their fields, all with the purpose of making kids better today and healthier tomorrow.”

These rankings are featured on usnews.com/childrenshospitals and will be published in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Hospitals 2025” guidebook, which will be available later this fall.

FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc., parent company of Great American Cookies, Marble Slab Creamery and 16 other restaurant concepts, announces the opening of four new Great American Cookies and Marble Slab Creamery locations in Georgia. The latest growth is a testament to customer desire for the two brands’ complementary treats and FAT Brands’ commitment to growth in the state, which is also home to its proprietary cookie dough and pretzel mix facility. Adding to over 50 existing locations in the state, Great American Cookies and Marble Slab Creamery are now open in Cartersville, GA, Athens, GA, Bethlehem, GA, and Snellville, GA.

“Since Great American Cookies’ founding in Georgia in 1977, the community has truly embraced the brand and we are so pleased to continue to expand in the state with sister brand, Marble Slab Creamery,” said Allison Lauenstein, President of Great American Cookies and Marble Slab Creamery. “The synergistic nature of the two brands paired together has proved to be quite successful and these recent openings underscore both the strategic and bottom-line value they deliver together.”

Since 1977, Great American Cookies has baked up a reputation for not only being the creator of the Original Cookie Cake, but also for its famous chocolate chip cookie recipe. Other craveable menu items include brownies and Double Doozies^™, made with delectable icing sandwiched between two cookies.

For over 40 years, Marble Slab Creamery has been an innovator in the ice cream space, dreaming up the frozen slab technique and offering homemade, small-batch Ice Cream with free unlimited Mix-ins, Shakes in a variety of flavors, and Ice Cream Cakes.

For more information on Great American Cookies, visit www.greatamericancookies.com. For more information on Marble Slab Creamery, visit www.marbleslab.com.

 As consumer reliance on technology deepens—through the convenience of digital payments, QR codes, eCommerce, and other online interactions—they are rightfully alarmed by the escalating threats of cybercrime, particularly identity theft and AI-assisted attacks.

Despite these concerns, a new survey from Nationwide reveals a troubling disconnect between consumer awareness and action: While 80% of respondents express concern about identity theft, only 16% report having identity theft insurance, as many continue to neglect essential cybersecurity precautions that could protect them.

Cybercrime is becoming more personal for many U.S. consumers.

The survey found that 52% of consumers encounter threats through spam phone calls, while 47% report facing risks via personal email. Alarmingly, 41% of respondents have either been victims of identity theft or know someone who has, and 33% have been notified that their personal data was involved in a company’s data breach within the past year.

“Cybercrime poses a profound threat to U.S. consumers, as criminals’ methods and the technology available to them evolves and improves,” says Sarah Jacobs, Nationwide Vice President of Personal Lines Product Development. “Identity no theft can devastate individuals financially and emotionally, leading to long-lasting repercussions that can hinder personal and professional opportunities. Consumers must take these threats seriously and work to safeguard their personal information and finances or insure against the possibility that their information is stolen.”

Complacency and misconceptions could be leaving consumers vulnerable to cyber threats

Despite being highly concerned, the survey found a disturbing trend—complacency and misconceptions are leaving consumers vulnerable. The overwhelming majority of respondents – 77% – have accepted the risk of identity theft as a normal part of life. Unfortunately, only 28% admitted that they have never sought more information about cyber protection, due to misconceptions surrounding the cost and effectiveness of identity theft coverage. The most common misconceptions are:

• 55% believe they need a separate policy for each family member.

• 49% are unaware of the potential damage identity theft can inflict on their credit score.

• 48% think hiring a lawyer is essential to recover their identity.

• 35% do not understand how long it takes for their credit score to recover after an incident.

• 33% are unsure about the duration required to recover from identity theft.

Of the of survey respondents without identity theft coverage, 43% perceive the service as too expensive. Although cost is the top reason cited for forgoing coverage, almost half (45%) claim they would be willing to spend up to $24 a month. Closing this knowledge gap is critical to protecting digital footprints as robust protection can be secured for much less.

“As examples of data breaches and identify theft become common, it’s understandable to see why consumers are becoming numb to this threat and accepting identity theft as a part of life,” says Rachel Bush, Vice President of Technology Business Risk at Nationwide. “Given the increased risk, we need to break through the misconceptions surrounding identity theft coverage and emphasize that acting today is vital for protecting your financial future. Ignoring these risks can leave you vulnerable when you least expect it.”

Deepfakes and AI-Assisted Attacks—A Widespread Concern

The rise and misuse of generative AI and deepfakes has only intensified consumer fears. A staggering 86% of consumers are worried about AI-assisted identity theft, with 73% specifically concerned about the implications of AI-generated deepfakes. Notably, 92% of Baby Boomers and 86% of Gen X express anxiety over these emerging technological threats. However, these concerns are not just limited to older groups, as Millennials (81%) and Gen Z (76%) also report being concerned about the new threats associated with this technology.

Their concerns are valid as 18% of respondents report they have been targeted by AI-generated deepfakes or know someone who has, highlighting the evolving nature of modern cybercrime.

“With the rapid evolution of AI-driven cybercrimes, now more than ever, consumers must take their security seriously,” said Jacobs. “I urge everyone to connect with their insurance agents to explore the protection options available to them. These professionals are here to help you navigate this complex landscape and ensure you have the safeguards in place. Once a cyberattack occurs, it will already be too late. Don’t wait to act.”

Consumers often invest in protecting valuable physical assets like cars and homes. However, as life becomes more digitally integrated, it is equally crucial to consider digital protections like identity theft insurance. Cybercrime and AI-assisted attacks will only become more sophisticated, so it is critical for consumers to stay informed and take proactive measures to protect themselves. Identity theft coverage is not just an option—it is now essential.

With effective coverage available at low costs, and continuous education, the time for consumers to take control of their digital lives and protect themselves from the inevitable risks that lie ahead is now.

But in the Atlanta area, they’re easy to see. You just have to look at construction sites.

Read More at The Atlanta Journal Constitution.