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Moratorium, Monitoring, and Modernization: DeKalb’s Careful Approach to Data Centers

DeKalb residents packed the Porter Sanford Center to learn how data centers impact energy, water, and community life—and what new policies could mean for local neighborhoods.

By Milton Kirby | Decatur, GA | October 17, 2025 (Updated October 21, 2025)

On Wednesday evening, a packed house at the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts & Community Center bore witness to an important community discussion: the town hall event titled “Helping Residents Understand Data Centers”, hosted by DeKalb County Government in collaboration with County CEO Lorraine Cochran Johnson, Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson and Commissioner Dr. LaDena Bolton. The goal — to shed light on data-center development across metro Atlanta and engage residents directly in shaping policy and zoning.

In her opening remarks, CEO Cochran Johnson emphasized the event’s purpose: “Our goal is to ensure residents have access to accurate information and can engage in meaningful discussion before decisions are made,” she said, stressing that the conversation was “about education, transparency, and community understanding.” With the meeting also live-streamed on DCTV to reach broader audiences, it underscored the County’s intention to leave no stone unturned.

The timing is telling. In July the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners approved a temporary moratorium on new data-center approvals, citing the need for deeper research, policy development and public engagement — extended recently through December 2025. The town hall forms part of that process: a chance for residents to hear from experts directly, ask questions, weigh the potential benefits and pitfalls of data-center development in their communities, and help shape the regulatory framework that will guide what comes next.

Photo by Milton Kirby – DeKalb CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson

What is a data center—and why does it matter?

It may sound technical, but the concept is clearer when you break it down. A data center is fundamentally a physical facility where computing equipment, storage systems, networking gear and infrastructure are housed to store, process and manage data and applications. According to Cisco Systems, “at its simplest, a data center is a physical facility that organizations use to house their critical applications and data.”
This includes the servers, storage drives, routers and switches, firewalls, as well as the power, cooling and backup infrastructure that keeps everything running — often 24/7.

In practice, the modern facility is an industrial-scale enterprise. It might host cloud-computing platforms, serve as the backbone for AI and machine-learning workloads, support massive “hyperscale” operations (for companies like Google, Amazon, Microsoft) or even serve as regional hubs, connecting telecommunications infrastructure.

Because nearly every service you use—online banking, streaming video, storing and sharing images, remote work, emergency services—runs through some portion of this infrastructure, data centers are essential to our digital lives. They are the silent—but massive—buildings behind the scenes.

As the panel at the Porter Sanford meeting made clear, the reason data centers are increasingly under scrutiny is that, while they provide digital backbone benefits, they also raise real questions about land use, infrastructure stress, environmental impact, community equity and local benefits.

The Town Hall Discussion: Experts, Residents & Real Questions

To assist residents and officials in considering these questions, the County brought together an array of specialists:

Demond Mason of Newton County
Shane Short of the Walton County Development Authority
Ahmed Saeed of Georgia Tech
Céline Benoît of the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
Danny Johnson of the Atlanta Regional Commission
Juliana Njoku of DeKalb’s Department of Planning and Sustainability

Under the guidance of CEO Cochran Johnson, the panel addressed core topics such as: energy and water use; required infrastructure (power grid, water, cooling, fiber and roads); economic impact and job creation; community benefit and quality-of-life concerns; and the evolving role of data centers in a world of AI, cloud computing and remote everything.

Residents asked pointed questions: how many jobs will actually be created? Will their electricity bills go up? What about the noise, the land-use conversion, the water demand? Many admitted they came to the event unsure of how a data center operates yet left with a clearer understanding of the mechanics and implications.

The Upsides: Why Data Centers Can Be Good for Local Communities

During the discussions, several clear benefits emerged.

Economic development and tax revenue
Data-center construction can bring substantial investment into a region. Some counties have seen increased property values, boosted infrastructure spending, and attraction of technology-sector ecosystem growth. The panel cited examples such as Loudoun County in Virginia, where data-centers supported these spill-over benefits.

Infrastructure-upgrade spillover
Because data centers require robust utilities—electricity grids, fiber-optic networks, road access—they can serve as catalysts for broader infrastructure improvements that benefit whole communities: better broadband, improved roads, enhanced power reliability.

Foundational digital backbone
As noted above, data centers are critical for cloud computing, artificial intelligence, digital entertainment, remote work, telehealth and emergency services. Local proximity to such infrastructure can help position a region for the future economy.

Community partnership opportunities
Some operators are increasingly conscious of their role as community partners: training programs, community benefit agreements, technological access, local hiring efforts. When these partnerships are handled proactively, the hosting community sees more than just a facility in its backyard.

In short: with the right planning, regulation and transparency, a data-center project can be more than an industrial site—it can become an asset for a community.

The Concerns: Real Risks that Need Guarding Against

However, the discussion also surfaced multiple legitimate concerns—several of which resonated with many residents.

Massive energy consumption
Data centers are extremely energy intensive. Analysts project that U.S. data-center power demand could triple by 2030 if current trends continue, driven in large part by AI workloads. That means pressure on local grids, higher utility infrastructure costs, potential for increased electricity costs for residents, and stronger reliance on fossil-fuel generation in some cases.

High water usage and cooling demands
In many facilities, water is used for cooling (evaporative systems, cooling towers). One study found that a single 100-megawatt data center could use up to two million liters (more than half a million gallons) per day in water-stressed regions. In drought-prone areas this becomes a key local water-resource risk.

At the town hall, panelists explained that not all data centers cool the same way. Some rely on open, or free-flowing, water systems—in which water continuously cycles through equipment and then exits the facility, often as warm discharge into municipal systems. While cheaper to build, these systems consume far more water and can increase strain on local supplies.

By contrast, closed-loop cooling systems recirculate water within sealed pipes or tanks, losing only small amounts through evaporation. Though more expensive upfront, they dramatically reduce total water consumption and are now considered a best practice in water-sensitive areas.
Experts noted that some advanced centers are moving toward hybrid or air-cooled designs that reduce or eliminate water use entirely.

Understanding which system is being proposed for any new facility, several panelists said, should be one of the first questions local residents and zoning boards ask. “The type of cooling system tells you a lot about the facility’s environmental footprint,” one expert explained. “A closed-loop system signals a commitment to sustainability.” These distinctions matter deeply for regions like metro Atlanta, where droughts and high summer demand already put pressure on shared water resources.

Pollution, noise and land-use impacts

Backup diesel generators, used for power outages and often regularly tested, release pollutants (particulate matter, nitrogen oxides) that affect air quality and health, particularly in nearby communities. (businessinsider.com)
Noise from cooling fans, servers, power infrastructure and HVAC systems can disturb neighborhoods. One source put it this way: “It’s like being on a tarmac with an airplane engine running constantly … Except that the airplane keeps idling and never leaves.” (en.wikipedia.org)
Large data-center campuses require significant land—sometimes in competition with housing, agriculture or conservation. Zoning change and land-use conversion may alter neighborhood character and environmental justice concerns.

Job and benefit-share questions
While data-center construction may bring many temporary jobs, once operational the facility often requires relatively few permanent employees (security, maintenance, facility management). Critics argue that the number of long-term, well-paid jobs may be low compared with the scale of incentives offered and the local infrastructure costs borne.

Infrastructure and regulatory burdens
Upgrading the local power grid, improving transmission lines, reinforcing water systems, may require large investments—sometimes partially funded by local utility customers. Without strong policy frameworks, the host community may bear disproportionate share of cost or risk. There is also concern that data centers are sometimes located in communities that already face higher pollution burdens—raising environmental-justice flags.

Unequal distribution of benefits and burdens
Some research suggests that while benefits concentrate (large corporations, landowners, utility companies), many of the burdens (environmental impact, utility cost increases, land conversion) fall on less-advantaged communities. (businessinsider.com)

What the Experts Emphasised: Keys for DeKalb County to Watch

From the town-hall panel, several watch-points and recommendations stood out.

Promised local benefits must be specific and enforceable. What are the actual jobs, training programs, property-tax contributions, community-benefit agreements?
Who bears the costs? Not just jobs and tax revenue, but what about added strain on the grid, water usage, infrastructure upgrades, noise mitigation, environmental monitoring?
Transparency, community engagement and ongoing monitoring. Projects must not just be approved and forgotten; ongoing oversight, community liaison and impact measurement matter.
Strong regulatory framework. Zoning, environmental review, utility oversight, noise/air-quality mitigation—all must be in place before large-scale approval.
Local context matters. The impact varies depending on water-stress region, grid capacity, land-use pressures, community vulnerability, equity considerations. A data center in one region can be far more challenging than in another.
Balance of economic opportunity and sustainability. It’s not simply “data centers good = jobs”; the full spectrum of benefits, burdens and trade-offs must be weighed.

Back to DeKalb: What Happens Next

For DeKalb County, the town hall was a milestone in a broader process. With the moratorium in place through December 2025, county staff, planners and officials will be synthesizing resident input, expert findings, fiscal and infrastructure impact studies, and crafting zoning and operational standards tailored for data-centers. Residents were encouraged to stay engaged: future meetings, updates and resources will be posted through official County channels.

Many attendees left the event expressing appreciation. One resident noted that she had arrived “not sure how a data center worked or why we should care” but departed with “a much clearer understanding of the issues, the trade-offs, and what questions I now want to ask.” Another stressed the importance of “making sure our neighborhood doesn’t get the downsides while someone else reaps the benefits.”

In the coming months the County will need to reconcile competing priorities: attracting investment and economic opportunity, preserving infrastructure capacity, protecting environmental and community health, ensuring fairness and equity, and shaping land use in a way that serves residents’ interests.

Final Thoughts: A Balanced Outlook

Data centers are undeniably a critical part of the 21st-century digital economy. They support cloud services, remote work, streaming, AI, healthcare, financial systems — indeed, much of modern life. If well-located, well-regulated and community-integrated, they can bring growth, infrastructure upgrades and strategic advantage to a region.

But the side-effects are non-trivial. Massive power draw, high water usage, potential air-quality and noise impacts, infrastructure cost burdens, limited long-term job gains, and land-use conversion all demand thoughtful planning and hard questions. The research is clear: impacts vary greatly depending on region, regulatory strength, benefit-sharing and community engagement. For example, while global studies show data centers may account for over 1 % of global electricity use currently and could double in the next few years, localized effects on utility grids, water systems and neighborhoods can be acute.

For DeKalb County, the next phase is crucial. The conversation has begun; now comes the work of translating dialogue into policy. The County will need to ensure that the benefits of any data-center project genuinely accrue to residents, that the costs are clearly allocated, and that long-term quality of life—environmental, infrastructural, social—is protected.

As CEO Cochran Johnson said in her opening remarks: this is about education, transparency, and community understanding. The residents of DeKalb have signalled they intend to be part of the process — and the success of future data-center development will depend on that engagement being genuine, sustained and meaningful.

In the end, the question isn’t simply whether to approve data centers—it’s how, under what terms and with what safeguards such a facility sits in a community. If DeKalb County can insist on rigorous criteria, clear community benefits, and strong oversight, it may capture the promise of 21st-century digital infrastructure while avoiding its pitfalls. The town hall was a strong first step in that direction.

Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Commits $50 Million to Atlanta’s HBCUs

Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation will invest $50 million over 10 years to help nearly 10,000 Atlanta HBCU students complete degrees through need-based “gap scholarships.”

By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | October 13, 2025

(AMBFF) will invest $50 million over the next decade to provide scholarships for students at Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morris Brown College, and Spelman College — all members of the Atlanta University Center Consortium.

The initiative, beginning in 2026, aims to close financial gaps that often prevent students from completing their degrees. The foundation estimates the funding will help nearly 10,000 students earn their diplomas over the next ten years.

Photo by Milton Kirby Morris Brown College

“These grants are a material investment in hope,” said Fay Twersky, president of the foundation. “Our goal is to help more students earn their degrees, launch successful careers, and become alumni who give back — creating a cycle of opportunity that benefits young people and communities across the nation.”

Closing the Financial Gap

Each of the four institutions will distribute the funds independently. Clark Atlanta, Morehouse, and Spelman are expected to receive about $16 million each, while Morris Brown, which currently enrolls about 350 students, will receive a smaller share.

Scholarship awards will range from $500 to $10,000, depending on financial need. The funds will primarily support juniors and seniors in good academic standing who have exhausted all other sources of aid, including federal Pell Grants, state programs, and loans.

A Legacy of Giving

Founded in 1995 by Arthur M. Blank, co-founder of The Home Depot and owner of the Atlanta FalconsandAtlanta United, the foundation has donated more than $1.5 billion to date. Blank, who has signed The Giving Pledge and holds a net worth of more than $11 billion, has long focused his philanthropy on education, health, and community development.

Past contributions to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) include$10 million for the Arthur M. Blank Innovation Lab at Spelman College; $6 million to improve athletic fields at Clark Atlanta, Albany State University, Miles College, and Savannah State University; $3 million to help Morris Brown digitize a hospitality credential; and $400,000 for Morehouse College’s golf program and new football helmets at both Clark Atlanta and Morehouse.

Broad Economic and Social Impact

According to the foundation, Atlanta’s HBCUs collectively contribute more than $1 billion annually to the region’s economy and outperform other institutions in helping students from lower-income families move into higher-income brackets.

“This monumental investment will empower our students to remain focused on their academic studies and ensure that their talent, ambition, hard work, and integrity — not financial hardship — will determine their futures,” said Dr. F. DuBois Bowman, president of Morehouse College.

Rooted in Values

Blank traces his philanthropic philosophy to his mother, Molly Blank, who taught him the Jewish principle of tikkun olam — repairing the world through kindness. “You only pass through life once, so make it count,” she often told him — words that continue to shape the foundation’s mission.

The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, headquartered in Atlanta, supports initiatives across Georgia and Montana, as well as programs for veterans, mental health, democracy, youth development, and environmental sustainability. Its leadership reaffirmed in 2023 a commitment to accelerate philanthropy over the next decade to address urgent social challenges.

Through strategic giving and community engagement, the foundation continues to embody its founder’s guiding principle: repair the world, one opportunity at a time.

Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation donating $50M to Black Atlanta colleges

Morehouse Picks Alumnus and National Scholar to Write Its Next Chapter

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National Black Farmers Association Sets Course for 2025 Birmingham Conference

By Milton Kirby | Birmingham, AL | October 12, 2025

The National Black Farmers Association (NBFA) will convene its 2025 Annual Conference in Birmingham, Alabama, from October 31 to November 1, uniting farmers, policymakers, and civil rights advocates from across the country for two days of education, empowerment, and strategy.

This year’s theme focuses on building capacity and identifying resources for small-scale, limited-resource, and socially disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, and landowners. The conference’s hands-on training sessions and educational workshops are designed to provide practical tools, proven techniques, and access to vital programs that strengthen the economic resilience of Black farmers and rural communities.

Prominent Voices in Attendance

Among the confirmed attendees are civil rights attorney Ben Crump, NBFA President John Wesley Boyd Jr., and Kara Brewer Boyd, the organization’s First Lady and national outreach coordinator.

John Boyd Jr., a fourth-generation farmer, civil rights activist, and founder of the NBFA, lives in Boydton, Virginia, with his wife Kara. He operates a 1,500-acre family farm cultivating soybeans, corn, wheat, and produce, while raising beef cattle, American Guinea Hogs, Nigerian Dwarf goats, and chickens.

A lifelong farmer and advocate, Boyd spent 14 years as a Perdue Farms breeder and many more as a tobacco farmer before forming the NBFA in the early 1990s. His leadership has brought him to the table with national and international agricultural leaders, working to eliminate discrimination in federal farm programs and expand opportunities for underserved farmers. Boyd’s story has been featured in the History Channel docuseries The American Farm, chronicling his fight to sustain his family’s land against the odds.

Conference Highlights

Hosted at the Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex, the 2025 event celebrates the 35th anniversary of the NBFA’s founding. Over two days, attendees will participate in sessions focused on climate resilience, federal lending access, rural broadband expansion, hemp and specialty crops, and youth engagement in agriculture.

Workshops will be paired with a Farm Expo, women’s leadership roundtables, and networking receptions designed to connect attendees directly with USDA officials, lenders, and private sponsors.

“The NBFA has been the voice of our community for 35 years,” said Boyd. “This conference is about more than policy—it’s about passing on the tools and land that sustain us.”

Opportunities and Deadlines

The Annual NBFA Conference offers marketing, exhibitor, and sponsorship opportunities for partners who share its mission to build an equitable agricultural future.

For sponsorship, exhibitor, or advertiser information, contact Kara Boyd at nbfa.kara@gmail.com.
Reservation deadline: Tuesday, September 30, 2025.

Farming Justice: John Boyd’s 35-Year Fight for Land, Legacy and Equality

The National Black Farmers Association Sets Course for 2025 Birmingham Conference

“Our Soul Is Not for Sale” – Big Bethel Rally Draws Atlanta Together

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Uncle Nearest: A Billion-Dollar Brand, a $25 Million Question & The Unanswered Future

Uncle Nearest’s receiver plans to sell its Cognac, France château amid questions over asset value, investor stakes, and whether creditors aim to recover—or acquire—the brand itself.

By Milton Kirby | Shelbyville, TN | October 11, 2025

A French Estate on the Market

The court-appointed receiver overseeing Uncle Nearest, Inc. says the company’s French estate—known as Domaine Saint Martin—will be sold to satisfy debt, calling the Cognac property “non-income-producing” and estimating that it would require $15 million to $25 million in new investment to launch a viable product line.

Domaine Saint Martin Signature – Beverage Journal

In a 19-page quarterly report filed October 1, Receiver Phillip G. Young Jr. described the château, vineyards, and related intellectual property as “non-core assets” and confirmed he has already received one offer and two additional inquiries for the French holdings. The report also identified real estate in Martha’s Vineyard and Bedford County, Tennessee among other non-income-producing assets now under review for possible liquidation.

Young’s team has begun domesticating the U.S. receivership order in France, a legal step required before any sale or transfer of the Cognac property. Until a French court recognizes that order, control of the local bank accounts and property remains limited.

The Numbers Behind a Billion-Dollar Brand

Public filings confirm that Uncle Nearest raised more than $220 million from roughly 163 individual investors, with founder Fawn Weaver retaining about 40 percent ownership and 80 percent of voting rights.

Pre-receivership valuations placed the company between $900 million and $1.1 billion—figures drawn from investor briefings and industry profiles that underscore why the brand’s fate now carries implications well beyond a simple debt workout.

The receiver’s report portrays a company that remains operational and cooperative, with employees and management assisting in stabilization efforts. Payroll has been restored, distribution channels reopened, and new product releases are expected this quarter.

Still, the report makes clear that cash flow remains tight, and that lender Farm Credit Mid-America has advanced $2.5 million in emergency funding under a forbearance agreement.

Photo by Milton Kirby Uncle Nearest Trio

Receivership and Race: What the Data Show

Receivership is a court-ordered process in which a neutral third party assumes control of a company to preserve its value for creditors. It differs from bankruptcy in that operations often continue and the goal—at least in principle—is rehabilitation or an orderly sale, not liquidation.

While direct, specific statistics detailing the comparative success rates of minority-owned versus white-owned companies emerging from formal receivership are difficult to find in public reports from universities, banking regulators, or the SBA, there is extensive research highlighting disparities in business outcomes, access to capital, and failure rates that contribute to such financial distress.

General Business Outcome Disparities
Research indicates that minority-owned businesses generally start smaller, have lower revenues and profits, and have lower survival rates compared to white-owned businesses—conditions that make financial distress or receivership more likely.

• Closure/Survival Rate: A 1992–1996 study found that the average probability of closure was 26.9% for Black-owned firms, compared to 22.6% for white-owned firms.
• Revenue Disparity: Over half of Black-owned businesses have annual revenue below $100,000, compared to only 13% of white-owned firms.
• Financial Distress: In 2019, 58% of Black-owned and 49% of Hispanic-owned firms were categorized as financially at risk or distressed, compared to 29% of all small businesses.
• COVID-19 Impact: During the pandemic, Black-owned businesses closed at more than twice the rate of white-owned firms.

Disparities in Access to Capital

• Loan Approval Rates: Black-owned firms apply for new funding more often but are approved 19 percentage points less frequently than white-owned firms.
• Full Financing Received: Among low-credit-risk applicants, 48% of white-owned, 25% of Latino-owned, and only 46% of Black-owned firms received none of the financing they sought.
• Credit Risk Perception: Black-owned businesses are 3–5 times more likely to be labeled “high credit risk.” Only 33% of Black-owned businesses had low credit risk, compared to 72% of white-owned firms.

These statistics were compiled from publicly available research by the Federal Reserve, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and multiple peer-reviewed academic studies. They have been independently reviewed and summarized by The Truth Seekers Journal for inclusion in this publication.

General Outcomes in Receivership and Bankruptcy

Restructuring and receivership processes tend to lead to one of three outcomes:
1. Successful Emergence/Reorganization (Going Concern)
2. Sale as a Going Concern
3. Liquidation

While specific comparative data are limited, the broader research on capital access and survival rates strongly suggests that minority-owned companies face greater barriers to achieving the more favorable outcomes—successful reorganization or sale as a going concern—due to longstanding inequities in lending, collateral valuation, and investment access.

Assets Under Scrutiny

The Receiver’s First Quarterly Report states plainly that Uncle Nearest’s non-income-producing assets “should be liquidated.” That includes Domaine Saint Martin in France—acquired in 2023 as part of the company’s planned Cognac expansion—and property in Martha’s Vineyard reportedly purchased for $2.25 million through UN House MV LLC.

Industry observers note that the Cognac estate’s sale would unwind the company’s most ambitious international venture—an African-American-owned whiskey label expanding into the ancestral home of cognac production.

What the Receiver Did Not Investigate

In his 19-page report, the Receiver concluded that Uncle Nearest “lacks the ability to make that investment at this time,” referring to the $15–$25 million required to bring the Cognac operation to market.

However, the report does not analyze alternative scenarios—such as whether a strategic capital infusion, investor partnership, or lender-backed financing package could preserve the asset and enhance the company’s value over time.

The Receiver did not address whether a coordinated plan between Uncle Nearest’s ownership and its primary lender, Farm Credit Mid-America, could fund the launch of the Cognac line within a 36-month horizon, potentially transforming a dormant holding into a global revenue stream. Nor does the report estimate the annual cost of maintaining the French estate, or compare that expense against the projected value of an operating Cognac division. These omissions raise a key question: is the sale of the French property a necessary financial remedy—or a missed opportunity to strengthen a billion-dollar brand’s international expansion?

Who We’re Asking Next

As part of The Truth Seekers Journal’s continuing coverage of the Uncle Nearest receivership, we first reached out to Receiver Phillip G. Young Jr. at Thompson Burton PLLC for comment and clarification regarding several key findings in his October 1 report.

Our questions—emailed on October 10, 2025—included requests for information about asset valuations, operating benchmarks, professional fees, and any offers for the company as a whole. As of publication, no response or acknowledgment has been received.

In the coming days, we plan to reach out to additional individuals and organizations connected to the receivership and company operations, including Justin T. Campbell, Counsel for the Receiver, Thompson Burton PLLC; Newpoint Advisors Corporation, financial advisors to the Receiver; Thoroughbred Spirits Group, LLC, operational consultants; Farm Credit Mid-America, PCA, the senior secured lender; Fawn and Keith Weaver, company founders and principal stakeholders; and Tennessee Distilling Group (TDG), Uncle Nearest’s contract distiller and warehousing partner.

These inquiries will focus on valuation methodology, asset strategy, and possible restructuring options—particularly whether viable paths exist for the company to emerge stronger from receivership without selling the French Cognac estate.

If responses are received, The Truth Seekers Journal will publish a dedicated follow-up feature and reader update, continuing our commitment to factual, transparent coverage of this developing case.

This article was originally published on The Truth Seekers Journal.

Uncle Nearest at Legal Crossroads

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Council for Quality Growth to Honor Tommy Holder with 2025 Four Pillar Tribute

By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | October 10, 2025

Atlanta to Celebrate a Legacy of Leadership

More than 1,400 business and civic leaders will gather Thursday, October 16, 2025, to honor Tommy Holder—Chairman and former CEO of Holder Construction—at the Council for Quality Growth’s 36th Annual Four Pillar Tribute.
The black-tie-optional gala begins at 6 p.m. with a cocktail reception, followed by dinner and a formal program in the Georgia Ballroom of the Georgia World Congress Center.

The tribute, presented by the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Delta Air Lines, Georgia Power, and Norfolk Southern, recognizes Holder’s lifetime of leadership and civic engagement that has shaped Atlanta’s skyline and business community.

Program Highlights

Governor Brian P. Kemp will share remarks via video, with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens delivering the evening’s welcome. The invocation will be offered by the Very Reverend Sam Candler of the Cathedral of St. Philip.
Doug Hertz, Chairman and CEO of United Distributors and a 2020 Four Pillar honoree, will serve as master of ceremonies.

Tribute speakers will highlight the event’s guiding values—Quality, Responsibility, Vision, and Integrity—through reflections from:

Beth Lowry, President & CEO, Holder Construction
Donna Hyland, CEO, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
Dr. Ángel Cabrera, President, Georgia Institute of Technology
The Very Reverend Sam Candler, Dean, Cathedral of St. Philip

Musical performances will feature a 60-piece Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket Marching Band ensemble and Atlanta-native Slater Nalley, a 2025 American Idol finalist.
Other featured speakers include Clyde Higgs, President and CEO of Atlanta BeltLine Inc. and current Council Chairman, and Michael E. Paris, President and CEO of the Council for Quality Growth.

Continuing a 36-Year Tradition

The Four Pillar Tribute has become one of Atlanta’s most prestigious honors, celebrating leaders who embody the Council’s mission of balanced and responsible growth.
Each year’s honoree is recognized for upholding the Four Pillars of Leadership—Quality, Responsibility, Vision, and Integrity—principles that mirror Holder’s career and community impact.

Founded in 1985, the tribute event provides a platform for the region to celebrate the individuals whose work advances economic development and quality of life across Georgia.

Event Details

Date: Thursday, October 16, 2025
Time: 6 p.m. Cocktail Reception | 7:15 p.m. Dinner & Tribute
Location: Georgia World Congress Center, Georgia Ballroom
Attire: Black-tie optional
Tickets: Available at www.FourPillarTribute.com
Parking: $10 in Red and Orange Decks (gwcc.parkingguide.com)
Press RSVP: Anna Frances Gardner | ag@councilforqualitygrowth.org | 770-813-3388

About the Council for Quality Growth

For four decades, the Council for Quality Growth has championed policies that support responsible development, infrastructure investment, and economic vitality throughout metro Atlanta and Georgia. Its members include leaders from construction, engineering, real estate, and public service who work together to promote balanced growth for future generations.
Learn more at www.councilforqualitygrowth.org.

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Five Points MARTA Station to Close Peachtree Entrance Oct. 13 as Transformation Project Advances

By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | October 7, 2025

MARTA’s $230 million transformation of Five Points Station enters a major new phase next week. Beginning Monday, October 13, the Peachtree Street entrance and the federal employee tunnel will close to the public as crews begin the safe demolition and removal of the aging concrete canopy.

The Forsyth Street entrance will be the only way in and out of the station during this period. MARTA says the closure is essential to keep workers and passengers safe while the structure above the station is dismantled.

What Stays the Same

Rail service, transfers, and elevators will remain open. All buses will continue boarding on Forsyth Street. However, customers should plan for temporary escalator and stair closures in the coming weeks as scaffolding and overhead protection are installed. Clear signage will be in place to guide riders through the changes.

Ongoing Impacts

Other service adjustments will remain in effect:

The Alabama Street and Broad Street Plaza entrances are still closed.
Restrooms remain closed.
Customer service offices have been temporarily relocated and will move permanently to Ashby Station at a later date.

A Reimagined Downtown Hub

Once complete, the reimagined Five Points Station will serve as a modernized urban centerpiece — designed to improve safety, connectivity, and the rider experience. Plans include a new open-air canopy, redesigned bus hub, a pedestrian link to Broad Street, and new community spaces featuring public art and even urban agriculture.

The project is being funded primarily through the More MARTA Atlanta half-penny sales tax, with contributions of $13.8 million from the State of Georgia, a $25 million Federal RAISE Grant, and additional support from MARTA’s core penny fund.

For more details and project updates, visit itsmarta.com.

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Receiver’s Report Says Uncle Nearest Can Be Reorganized Non-Core Assets May Be Sold

Court filings show payroll now stabilized under Genesis Global as Receiver Phillip G. Young Jr. manages costs, consultants, and $2.5 million in immediate receivership expenses at Uncle Nearest.

By Milton Kirby | Shelbyville, TN | October 5, 2025

Uncle Nearest can be reorganized as a going concern and does not need a fire-sale liquidation, according to the first quarterly report from court-appointed receiver Phillip G. Young Jr.

The receiver says the whiskey company has “significant value” and a realistic path to refinance debt, sell select assets, or be sold as a going concern in an orderly process.

Why This Matters

The report is the first public, court-filed snapshot since the receivership began on August 22. It outlines what was stabilized, what remains at risk, and what comes next for a high-visibility brand now under tight cash controls and lender oversight.

Path Forward: Stabilize, Cut, Sell What’s Non-Core

The receiver laid out a short timeline. He aims to sell non-income-producing assets in the next quarter and finish the overall process by the end of the first quarter of 2026 through either a debt refinancing, a new investment, or a going-concern sale.

Key asset moves include:

Cognac Project Assets (France): A château, vineyards, and intellectual property related to a planned cognac line. The receiver estimates a $15–$25 million investment would be needed to launch the line. The estate lacks that capacity now, so he intends to sell these assets. One offer is in hand, with additional interest reported.
Other Properties: Non-income real estate in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, and several parcels in Bedford County, Tennessee, are under review for potential sale to reduce debt.

Payroll and the Role of Genesis Global

One of Young’s first priorities was payroll. When he arrived, the company’s employee pay system faced a shortfall. Payroll has since been stabilized under Genesis Global, a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) that handles payroll, benefits, tax filings, and HR services for the company.

A PEO works as a partner — sharing employer responsibilities so that small and midsize firms can focus on operations while the PEO manages human resources and compliance. Genesis Global had already been engaged before the receivership and continued under the Receiver’s supervision, ensuring consistent payroll operations. Its support allowed Uncle Nearest to meet payroll deadlines and rebuild employee confidence after weeks of uncertainty.

Cash, Controls, and a 13-Week Budget

The receiver and his advisors built a rolling 13-week budget and reached a forbearance deal with Farm Credit Mid America, the senior lender, to fund immediate needs. The plan included about $2.5 million in one-time cash: roughly $1.0 million to clear urgent payables and $1.5 million for professional fees. Excluding those extraordinary items, the budget was balanced.

Collections and Spending in the Period

Category	Amount (USD)	% of Total
Collections
Operating Receipts	$1,451,747	46 %
Farm Credit Support	$1,700,000	54 %
Total Collections	$3,151,747	100 %
Expenditures
Operating Disbursements	$2,081,796	84 %
Professional Services	$405,370	16 %
Total Expenditures	$2,487,166	100 %
Budget for Period	$3,206,546	—
Variance (Under Budget)	$719,380	—

All bank balances were moved into receiver-controlled accounts. Weekly reconciliations and pre-approval for major disbursements were instituted to preserve liquidity.

Breakdown of Professional Fees

Vendor / Service Category	Amount (USD)	% of Total Fees
Legal Counsel (Bass, Berry & Sims PLC)**	$210,000	52 %
Financial Consultants (Crowe LLP)**	$105,000	26 %
Operational Advisory and HR Support (Genesis Global)**	$55,000	14 %
Receiver Administrative and Compliance Costs	$35,370	8 %
Total Professional Fees	$405,370	100 %

Figures based on allocations detailed in the Receiver’s First Quarterly Report and estimated vendor summaries.

Operations: Trims, Product Flow, and Distributors

To cut costs, the receiver reduced headcount by 12 positions (13%), with further efficiency reviews underway. The team also reset expectations with distributors and vendors. Tennessee Distilling Group partially lifted a credit hold, allowing some product to ship while talks continue toward full release. New product releases are anticipated next quarter.

Records, Cap Table, and Internal Reviews

The report flags gaps in historical records and internal controls:

Lost Data: Many pre-2024 financial records were allegedly erased by a former employee. Recovery efforts are underway.
Financials: Some statements are incomplete; the team is recreating reliable reports from source data.
Capitalization Table: The shareholder list is “incomplete and inaccurate,” with unrecorded secondary sales noted. Shares linked to Fawn Weaver were reportedly transferred by a former employee, possibly without authority. The receiver is contacting shareholders to reconcile the cap table.
Misconduct Checks: No evidence of misappropriation by the founder, current management, or employees. Allegations against a former employee remain under investigation.

Taxes and Compliance

Payroll has stabilized under Genesis Global after the initial shortfall. The receiver is assessing income, excise, sales, and property-tax exposures, with Tennessee and New Jersey flagged for possible issues. Future motions may seek court approval to prioritize tax and warehouseman’s-lien payments where needed.

International Steps

French counsel is translating and domesticating the U.S. receivership order to assert control over a French bank account and clear the path to sell the Cognac-region assets.

Timeline

The receiver aims to close the process by late Q1 2026 through refinancing, new equity, or a going-concern sale.

This article was originally published on The Truth Seekers Journal.

Related stories:

Uncle Nearest: A Billion-Dollar Brand

Uncle Nearest at Legal Crossroads

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FraserNet PowerNetworking Experience & Expo Returns to Atlanta

By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | September 30, 2025

The PowerNetworking Experience & Expo, one of the world’s leading conferences for Black entrepreneurs. The event in its 24th year, will return to Atlanta this November. The four-day event, hosted by FraserNet, Inc., will take place from November 5- 8, 2025, at the Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center.

Recognized by Forbes as one of the top five entrepreneurial conferences worldwide, the gathering attracts thousands of business leaders focused on building intergenerational wealth. Founded by renowned networking leader Dr. George C. Fraser, the event now enters a new chapter under the leadership of recently appointed President Delano A. Johnson.

“This isn’t just another networking event,” said Dr. Fraser. “The PowerNetworking Conference has established itself as the place where ambitious entrepreneurs come ready to take immediate action and build legacies that will benefit their grandchildren and beyond.”

The 2025 conference will feature more than 50 global Black overachievers sharing their success strategies. Organizers say participants will be guided through a shift in mindset—away from instant gratification toward long-term wealth planning. Sessions will highlight four pillars of legacy-building: wealth management, real estate, business development, and strategic insurance planning.

Organizers stress that the conference offers value whether someone is launching a first venture or scaling a thriving enterprise. Attendees will gain access to high-level connections, proven strategies, and mentorship from leaders who have built million-dollar businesses.

The PowerNetworking Experience has grown steadily since its founding more than two decades ago, becoming a welcoming hub for those who want more than inspiration—they want execution. As FraserNet emphasizes, the goal is to turn ideas into enterprises and networking into a source of generational wealth for all.

Event Details

Dates: November 5–8, 2025
Location: Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center, Atlanta, GA
Registration: bit.ly/428T5KX

About FraserNet, Inc.

FraserNet, Inc. develops world-class networking experiences, educational programs, and wealth-building resources through its brands, including the PowerNetworking Experience & Expo and The Fraser Foundation.

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Hartsfield-Jackson Loses $37M FAA Funding Over Refusal to Abandon Minority Contracting Program

Atlanta forfeited $37.5M in FAA funding after refusing to abandon DEI programs, raising questions about airport projects, federal policy, and Mayor Dickens’ reelection-year decisions.

By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | September 28, 2025

ATLANTA — Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has forfeited more than $37 million in federal funding after refusing to disavow diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, a condition imposed by the Trump administration through a January executive order.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Atlanta lost $37.5 million from a $57 million allocation for infrastructure upgrades, including taxiway pavement replacement, restroom renovations, and sustainability projects aimed at lowering emissions. About $19 million of that total may still be available in the next federal budget cycle if the city agrees to new grant language, the AJC reported.

At the center of the dispute is Executive Order 14151, signed by President Donald Trump in January, directing agencies to terminate DEI offices, equity-related action plans, and environmental justice initiatives, and requiring federal grantees to certify that they do not operate such programs.

Photo by Milton Kirby – Hartsfield Jackson International Airport

Atlanta leaders declined to sign the FAA’s new conditions by a July 29 deadline, according to AJC reporting, citing the city’s longstanding commitment to minority and women-owned business participation at the airport. That program, requiring that 25% of airport business go to minority-owned firms and 10% to women-owned firms, was pioneered by former Mayor Maynard Jackson during a $400 million expansion in the 1970s.

“Federal funding for the airport, while important, represents less than 10%—approximately $1 billion over the next six years—of the airport’s total capital program over the same period,” Michael Smith, a spokesperson for Mayor Andre Dickens, said in a City of Atlanta statement. “We are confident that the airport will be able to pursue alternative funding to advance these projects without impacting customers or airport service providers.”

The lost FAA money comes as the airport manages nearly $1 billion in ongoing construction. According to a City of Atlanta financial report for fiscal 2024, Hartsfield-Jackson generated $989 million in revenue against $845 million in expenses, supported entirely by airport-generated income.

Still, federal funds remain critical for certain large-scale projects. For example, the expansion of Concourse D has leveraged $40 million in U.S. Department of Transportation grants, according to city filings.

Photo by Milton Kirby – Hartsfield Jackson International Terminal

FAA records also underscore what is at stake. In a newsroom release dated August 13, 2024, the agency announced $20.1 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for Hartsfield-Jackson to rehabilitate taxiways and taxilanes. The airport has historically put such grants to work on targeted infrastructure upgrades, ensuring safety and efficiency across its vast operations. The newly lost $37.5 million is nearly double that amount.

Atlanta officials unsuccessfully lobbied the FAA to alter the new grant conditions, according to the AJC. Meanwhile, several other major cities—including New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, and Minneapolis—have sued the Trump administration, arguing the DEI ban exceeds presidential authority and interferes with congressionally approved grant programs. A federal judge has temporarily blocked enforcement of the new rules for those plaintiffs, but not for Atlanta.

Mayor Dickens, who faces reelection this fall, has signaled he may reconsider aspects of the city’s DEI programs to preserve access to federal funds across city departments. But by the time deliberations began, tens of millions in aviation money had already slipped away, according to FAA and AJC accounts.

The City of Atlanta emphasized in its official statement that the airport remains financially secure and committed to balancing compliance with federal law while upholding “our long-held values, local policy, and federal law.”

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Uncle Nearest at Legal Crossroads: Debt, Receivership, and What Comes Next

Uncle Nearest faces receivership and $108M debt, but CEO Fawn Weaver rallies support with faith, leadership, and booming sales in Illinois, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, and Alaska.

By Milton Kirby | Shelbyville, TN | September 21, 2025

Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, a thriving brand valued at $1.1 billion in 2024 by Forbes and other sources and recognized as the fastest-growing Black-owned spirits brand in the nation, is now embroiled in a federal court battle. A receivership order, linked to a staggering $108 million debt, has handed over the reins of the company’s finances and operations to external parties. This pivotal moment could potentially reshape one of the most celebrated American whiskey stories in recent history.

How the Case Started

On July 28, 2025, Farm Credit Mid-America filed suit, alleging that Uncle Nearest, Nearest Green Distillery, and founders Fawn and Keith Weaver defaulted on over $100 million in loans. The lender accused the company of:

Overstating the value of whiskey barrels used as collateral by $21–24 million.
Failing to keep a $1.5 million cash balance required under loan agreements.
Falling behind on payments and breaching covenants on net worth and net income.
Selling or discounting future revenues without proper notice.

Farm Credit also claimed “insufficient internal financial controls” and said defaults date back to 2023. Still, the lender extended additional credit at the time, “in reliance upon Uncle Nearest’s representations as to its success and strategic growth.”

Uncle Nearest Pushes Back

The Weavers argue the picture is more complicated. In sworn filings, Fawn Weaver declared that former CFO Mike Senzaki “was the sole point of contact responsible for inventory reporting and for signing off on all funding requests tied to those barrels.” She maintains that discrepancies surfaced in early 2024, months before Farm Credit sued.

On the Martha’s Vineyard home purchased through UN House MV LLC, Uncle Nearest submitted internal emails showing that Farm Credit executives “were not only aware of the property but also attended an inaugural Gospel Brunch event at the home.” The filing added, “These were not covert maneuvers.”

Weaver has also spoken directly to supporters. In a widely shared Instagram video, she declared:

“Don’t believe the fake news. Some reports claim I no longer own Uncle Nearest and that I’m not running it. Let me be clear. I built this company. I run this company. And my leadership team, who have all been with me for 6 to 8 years, are right here building alongside me. Our team remains unshaken and unmoved.”

Growth & Market Momentum

On August 16, 2025—two days after the court appointed a receiver—Fawn Weaver took to Instagram to rally customers and partners. She emphasized that, despite legal pressures, Uncle Nearest continues to expand in key markets “in a year where spirits are down.” This continued growth and market momentum is a testament to the company’s resilience and a reason for optimism about Uncle Nearest’s future

Photo by Milton Kirby – Uncle Nearest Flight

She pointed to sales surges across the country, noting:

Illinois: +216% this month, +21% year-to-date.
Florida: +92% this month, +24% year-to-date.
Georgia: +31% this month, +53% year-to-date..
Maryland: +30% this month, +49% year-to-date.
Alaska: +423% this month, +44% year-to-date.
South Carolina: +48% this month, +53% year-to-date.
Texas: +44% this month, +34% year-to-date.
New Mexico: +32% this month, +22% year-to-date.

Her message was pointed:

“Don’t forget, keep clearing them out, leave no doubt, send a loud message that you are behind this brand and the team that built it.”

The Court’s Decision

On August 14, 2025, U.S. District Judge Charles E. Atchley Jr. appointed Phillip G. Young Jr. as receiver, finding that receivership was “necessary under the circumstances” due to questions of solvency, inadequate collateral, and ongoing defaults.

Young, a bankruptcy and business attorney, has hired turnaround specialists Newpoint Advisors Corp. to assess the company’s financial health, with Thoroughbred Spirits Group managing operations. Belcher, Sykes & Harrington has been engaged as counsel for alcohol and beverages, while Young’s firm, Thompson Burton, serves as receivership counsel

The order effectively shifts day-to-day financial and operational control to the receiver, while leaving branding and public-facing work partially in the hands of Uncle Nearest leadership.

Money In and Money Out

Records show that Uncle Nearest made large payments before the lawsuit: $9 million in 2024 and $7.5 million earlier this year. Yet Farm Credit says those payments did not cure defaults or fix repeated covenant breaches.

The dispute over barrel values is especially critical. Farm Credit claims the inventory overstatement inflated its lending exposure. Uncle Nearest insists the problems trace back to one former executive.

Assets in Question

The receivership may extend beyond the distillery and barrels. The receiver has asked the court to clarify whether other Weaver-connected entities should be pulled in, including:

Uncle Nearest Real Estate Holdings LLC
Shelbyville Barrel House BBQ LLC
Humble Baron Inc.
Grant Sidney Inc.
Uncle Nearest Spurs VI
Quill and Cask Owner

Additional law firms are also reviewing potential assets in Massachusetts and France.

Photo by Milton Kirby – Uncle Nearest Horse Barn

Costs of Receivership

The Financial Impact of Receivership oversight comes at a cost. Young has already hired multiple consulting and legal teams to stabilize operations. These include financial consultants, operational managers, and attorneys specializing in alcohol law.

While the exact fees have not been disclosed in public filings, industry observers note that receivership and professional services can be expensive. For a company already under heavy debt, these additional expenses could create new pressure on cash flow and raise the risk of bankruptcy if revenue cannot keep pace.

Local Impact

The distillery in Shelbyville has become a destination in its own right. Reports show that the site attracted 5,000 to 8,000 visitors every weekend in 2023. The company claims it ranked as the seventh-most visited distillery in the world among its peers. This local economic impact is a testament to Uncle Nearest’s importance to its community and the connections it fosters.

Tourism tied to whiskey is a growing sector in Tennessee, part of the Tennessee Whiskey Trail that draws travelers from across the U.S. and abroad. For Shelbyville, the ripple effects include job opportunities, tourism, and spending at local hotels and restaurants.

How the receivership affects visitor traffic and local suppliers remains unclear, but the stakes are high.

A “People’s CEO” Message

Weaver has leaned into her identity as what she calls the “People’s CEO.” She told followers:

“Keep clearing the shelves. Every bottle you move tells our distributors and partners the same thing. We’ve built one of the strongest and most resilient brands in American history.”

“From the start, I’ve shared the ups and downs of building Uncle Nearest, that transparency is a part of my calling. That is what built one of the strongest brand communities in American history.

That’s why they call me the People’s CEO — because I don’t just show the gloss, I show the grind, the grit, and the gunk.”

She also reminded entrepreneurs of the long road:

“Entrepreneurialism will give you a hundred reasons a day to quit, but strong leadership doesn’t panic. It keeps a steady hand and moves forward.”

What to Watch

The receiver’s first quarterly report, due October 1, 2025, which should reveal cash flow, solvency, and collateral status.
Whether additional Weaver-linked LLCs will be pulled into the receivership.
Possible legal action against the former CFO, or counterclaims from Uncle Nearest.
The impact of consultant and legal fees on the company’s ability to restructure debt.
Continued sales growth in markets like Illinois, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, and Alaska.

A Story Still Unfolding

“What the enemy meant for evil? God meant for good,” Weaver told her audience. That note of faith and defiance now hangs over the courtroom battles and boardroom decisions.

Uncle Nearest’s future is tied to the courts, consultants, and creditors as much as to its whiskey barrels and brand story. The next reports, hearings, and filings will determine whether this is a path toward restructuring or toward deeper financial trouble.

For Shelbyville, for whiskey fans, and for those invested in the legacy of Nearest Green, this is a story to keep watching.

City of Atlanta Launches ATL BIZ: New Platform Set to Simplify Permits, Taxes, and Payments Services

Atlanta launches ATL BIZ, a user-friendly online platform replacing ATL CORE, streamlining business licensing, taxes, permits, and payments with faster processing and a centralized dashboard.

By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | September 17, 2025

The City of Atlanta has launched ATL BIZ, a modern, user-friendly online platform that replaces ATL CORE as the city’s primary portal for business services. With its intuitive design and easy navigation, ATL BIZ is designed to streamline processes and better support the city’s business community. It will serve as a one-stop hub for managing occupational tax certificates, permits, taxes, and payments, making it easier and more convenient for our users.

“We are proud to provide this new way of doing business with the City of Atlanta for our business community. ATL BIZ offers Atlanta businesses a modern, more user-friendly and intuitive way to meet their finance needs,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.

“This furthers our Administration’s mission of making it easier to connect with our business community, both large and small, ensuring we are a city built for the future.”

Managed by the Department of Finance’s Office of Revenue, the platform includes several upgrades:

A streamlined interface that is easier to navigate
Faster processing times for applications and payments
Enhanced features to support business needs
A centralized dashboard to view balances, credits, and messages
The ability to manage multiple revenue types in one place
Options to renew occupational tax certificates, pay via ACH, and track status in real time

To ensure a smooth transition, all existing records from ATL CORE are being automatically transferred to ATL BIZ. This convenient feature eliminates the need for manual data migration, providing reassurance and comfort to our users. Step-by-step login instructions are available online, and the system is live at atlbiz.atlantaga.gov.

Background and Context

Atlanta remains one of the nation’s top hubs for entrepreneurship. Over the past five years, the city has averaged 28.5 new business applications per 1,000 residents — nearly double the national city average. Metro Atlanta is home to more than 150,000 businesses, and across Georgia, business formation filings have surged in recent years, with 323,669 new filings in 2021, a record high. The state now has more than 1.5 million active business entities, from small LLCs to Fortune 500 corporations.

While no public data is available on the number of users who relied on the former ATL CORE platform, city officials emphasized that ATL BIZ is designed to handle the growing demand for online business services more efficiently.

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Presidency Boosts Trump’s Net Worth By $3 Billion In A Year

Donald Trump lost money during his first term. Out of office, he found a formula for profiting off politics—now he’s piling up billions.

By Dan Alexander | Forbes | September 15, 2025

Donald Trump just had the most lucrative year of his life. The president is now worth a record $7.3 billion, up from $4.3 billion in 2024, when he was still running for office. The $3 billion gain vaulted him 118 spots on The Forbes 400, where he lands at No. 201 this year.

No president in U.S. history has used his position of power to profit as immensely as Trump. His primary vehicle for enrichment: cryptocurrency, an asset class full of hype and vulnerable to regulators. Teaming up with his three sons, Trump announced a crypto venture in September 2024 named World Liberty Financial, which initially struggled to gain traction. Then he won the White House.

Crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun, whom the Securities and Exchange Commission had accused of fraud, invested $75 million, routing an estimated $40 million to the president-elect and millions more to his family members, kickstarting a bonanza that has since snowballed. In January, days before reentering the White House, Trump launched a memecoin, adding hundreds of millions to his pile of cash.

In office, Trump rolled back regulatory enforcement of crypto and signed legislation favorable to the industry, ensuring he would personally benefit from conflicts of interest. His memecoins, initially tied up for three months, now unlock daily, freeing tens of millions per week. World Liberty Financial, meanwhile, has continued selling tokens, including to opaque buyers, generating an estimated $1.4 billion so far. A Trump family entity receives a roughly 75% cut of those sales, amounting to more than $1 billion.

The president apparently made plans to sell part of that entity, according to a letter that a court-appointed monitor overseeing the Trump Organization wrote to a New York judge in May. It remains unclear what percentage the president sold or whether the transaction even happened. The identity of the supposed buyer also remains unknown. The Trump Organization did not respond to questions about the deal. (Shortly after a Forbes reporter first exposed it, the president ranted about the journalist on Truth Social.)

With supporters piling into risky assets, Trump deployed his cash conservatively. He paid off $114 million of debt against 40 Wall Street, a troubled New York skyscraper, at the start of the summer. In July, he knocked out a couple of smaller loans, totaling an estimated $15 million, against mansions in New York and Florida. He also loaded up on municipal and corporate bonds. Trump’s balance sheet is now stronger than it has ever been, with an estimated $1.1 billion of liabilities and $8.4 billion of assets, $1.1 billion of which are in liquid holdings.

Cashing in on Crypto

Most of Trump’s jump in net worth comes from his move into cryptocurrency, which provided him with a pile of cash. He still has plenty of coins leftover, set to jump in value as they unlock over the course of his presidency. Below, Forbes highlights which parts of the Trump fortune improved the most over the last year.

Memecoin: +$710 million

Liquid assets: +$660 million

Licensing and management business: +$410 million

Legal victory: +$470 million

World Liberty Financial tokens: +$340 million

Stablecoin business: +$240 million

Almost everything in his portfolio is doing well. Appellate judges in New York threw out a roughly $500 million fraud penalty in August. Trump’s real-estate licensing business, stalled out for years, has come roaring back to life, with new deals in Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Romania, India, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Revenues jumped an estimated 580% in 2024 to $45 million, boosting the value of the business by $400 million. In the United States, the president’s golf-and-club portfolio continues to thrive, as profits jumped an estimated 30% in 2024, adding roughly $325 million to Trump’s net worth.

With so much money coming in, the president may soon get back to his first love, building. He and his family have been making noise for years about constructing small villages at golf resorts in Scotland and Florida. Projects like that require a lot of liquidity, something that has not always been available to Trump. But now, after reclaiming the White House—and cashing in on the power that comes with it—he can pretty much do anything he wants.

—With additional reporting by Kyle-Khan Mullins, Zach Everson and Thomas Gallagher.

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Too Pricey to Protect

Tips for dealing with rising home insurance premiums

By Kerri Anne Renzulli | August 31, 2025

Living in an oceanfront condo on Florida’s Space Coast was Jim McGuigan’s retirement dream, so 12 years ago, he and his wife, Debbie, sold their family home in Orlando and moved to Cocoa Beach. But earlier this year, the couple packed up and moved back inland.

Behind that was insurance. Premiums for the high-rise where they owned a unit had tripled in recent years; that increase, along with repairs necessary to maintain coverage, drove their condo association fees up 141 percent over the same period. The prospect of even higher insurance-related costs prompted the McGuigans’ return to Central Florida, where they’ll spend $4,760 a year less in insurance and fees. “When we bought the condo, I didn’t think I was ever going to move again,” says Jim 66. “But insurance and other things have made the cost of living there too much.”

The McGuigans joined millions of Americans who, in recent years, have been forced to deal with home insurance premium increases and fewer choices as more carriers exit high-risk areas and decline to renew policies.

From 2021 to 2024, premiums rose an average of 24 percent in the U.S. and were higher in 95 percent of ZIP codes, reports the Consumer Federation of America (CFA). While Floridians pay the highest average annual premiums, at $9,462, non-coastal states like Arizona, Illinois, and Pennsylvania saw premiums grow by 44 percent or more. Thanks largely to these increases, nearly 1 in 7 owner-occupied U.S. homes are uninsured, estimates LendingTree. And other homeowners are likely struggling: A Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas study found that mortgage delinquencies increase 8 percent in the year following a typical price hike.

Because mortgage and home equity lenders require insurance, paying these premiums is nonnegotiable for most homeowners. But the following strategies can help reduce how much of your money insurance consumes.

REVIEW COVERAGE

Along with raising your deductible — a standard way to lower premiums — check that your various coverage amounts don’t leave you overinsured. You may be able to tailor your policy’s default limits to reflect just what you have, says Alyssa Bourgeoris, an indedpendent broker with the Marsh McLennan Agency in Metairie, Louisiana. You can try this with other structures coverage, which protects things like fences and detached garages, or with your contents coverage. Before making the change, however, weigh the consequences. “Dropping personal property coverage from 75 percent of your dwelling limit to 25 percent might only save $100 a year,” says Peter O’Keefe, an independent broker with Connor, Alexander and Sullivan in San Francisco. “Do you really want to give up that much coverage to save less than $10 a month?

CHECK THE MARKET

“If you feel like you’re getting a bad deal, shop around,” says Michael DeLong, a research and advocacy associate with CFA. Annual rates from different insurers can vary by $1,000 or more for identical coverage, NerdWallet found. Many insurers make it easy to get a quick quote: Visit their website and plug in some basic information. You can use sites like Insure.com, Policygenius or The Zebra to see offers from multiple carriers simultaneously. Also, your state insurance department may provide rate comparison tools.

If you get a nonrenewal notice from your carrier, start shopping around at once since many states require only 30 days’ notice. “Ask the insurer the reason for the nonrenewal and see if you can make any improvements or changes to keep your insurance,” says Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders, a consumer advocacy organization.

GET PROFESSIONAL HELP

Independent insurance agents and brokers can do the legwork of finding better coverage for you; they have access to policies and pricing information from multiple insurance companies, unlike captive agents who represent a single firm. “They can vouch for an insurance company that you may have never heard of,” Bach says. Ask how the broker or agent is compensated so you understand up front any potential biases. Visit trustedchoice.com to find more than 250,000 U.S. independent agents.

WIDEN YOUR SEARCH

If you can’t find good options through regular channels, consider state-created insurers of last resort, like California’s FAIR Plan (for fire insurance) or Louisiana Citizens.

Should one of those not be available, you might even consider non-admitted carriers, which don’t have state insurance licensing and lack guarantees that claims will be paid if they go belly-up. Non-admitted carriers may be riskier, but they must meet state requirements, and many are affiliated with traditional insurers. Mortgage lenders will OK them if they meet their financial standards, typically based on ratings—which are publicly available—from companies such as A.M. Best, De-motech or Standard & Poor’s. Don’t go with a non-admitted carrier unless you research its finances and work with a reputable broker, advises United Policyholders.

LOOK FOR DISCOUNTS

Ask your insurer about any price breaks it offers. Retirees can get up to 10 percent off with some insurers, since they spend more time at home, making them likelier to spot issues quickly. Other insurers offer lower rates to people in specific occupations, like the military or members of certain credit unions or professional associations. Opting for paperless statements and setting up automatic payments may also shave a bit off your premium, as can living in a gated community.

STRENGTHEN YOUR HOME

Improvements that make your home more resistant to risk, like storm shutters, a fire-resistant roof or a reinforced roof, could reduce your premium and give you more insurance carrier options, DeLong says. In some states, insurers are even required to offer discounts to homeowners who show proof they’ve added such features. Homeowners with security systems save between 2 and 15 percent—$100 less on average, according to Policygenius. Before making any upgrades, check that your insurer will reward the change and that it meets the carrier’s requirements.

Your state insurance department may provide grants or other assistance to help offset certain improvement costs, DeLong says. Alabama, for instance, offers homeowners grants of up to $10,000 for roof fortification in select counties.

IMPROVE YOUR CREDIT SCORE

In most states, insurers can set your rates and decline to renew your policy based on your credit history and scores, DeLong says. Rightly or wrongly, homeowners with poor credit scores are viewed as less reliable and so pay higher premiums than those with good scores—as much as 102 percent more, based on data from Policygenius. To help boost your score, make on-time payments, chip away at credit card balances and review your credit report for errors.

SELF-INSURE

Dropping supplemental coverage—like flood or earthquake insurance—or ditching home insurance altogether could save you thousands in the short run but puts your biggest asset at risk. “Without insurance, it’s entirely on you if something goes wrong,” says Dale Porfilio, chief insurance officer for the Insurance Information Institute. Anyone considering this option should have a financial plan for replacing possessions and obtaining housing in the event of a total loss. This may mean setting up a large emergency fund, deciding which assets to sell in a worst-case scenario or sacrificing retirement money. For most, even 20 years of investing saved premiums won’t equal the six-figure fund needed to rebuild entirely. If you have a mortgage on your property and drop coverage, your lender will make you pay for force-placed insurance, which is usually more expensive and protects only the lender’s financial interest, not yours.

CHANGE YOUR SITUATION

If home insurance squeezes your budget so tightly that you’re cutting or charging necessary purchases and constantly dipping into savings, you may no longer be able to afford to live where you do, says Sheryl Hanshaw, who heads the county-run Greenville Financial Empowerment Center in South Carolina. Contact your lender, advises Bruce McClary of the nonprofit National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC). The lender may be able to lower your monthly payments—at least temporarily—though you’ll typically pay more interest and fees over time.

If that isn’t possible, consider selling your home and moving to a place with lower insurance costs, Hanshaw says. But also assess whether, after the change, you’d be better off financially and whether you’d lose what’s important to you, like proximity to your support network. For free advice about your mortgage, find a nonprofit financial counselor via NFCC’s website at nfcc.org, or go to answers.hud.gov/housingcounseling to connect with a local HUD housing counseling agency.

Kerri Anne Renzullihas worked at CNBC and News-week, Money and Financial Planning magazines.

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From Costa Rica to Krog Street: The Journey of Xocolatl

Atlanta’s Xocolatl crafts award-winning bean-to-bar chocolate, ethically sourced from small farms, blending bold flavors with social justice, sustainability, and community impact in every handmade bar.

By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | August 21, 2025

Elaine Read and Matt Weyandt’s backpacking trip to the jungles of Costa Rica led them to build one of Atlanta’s most unique food businesses.

Their passion for ethically sourced, small-batch chocolate has grown into Xocolatl (pronounced chock-oh-LAH-tul), a nationally recognized bean-to-bar chocolate company with roots deeply planted in community and sustainability. Xocolatl became carbon-neutral certified by The Change Climate Project in October 2023.

The couple’s journey began in 2012, when they moved with their toddler and newborn to a sleepy Costa Rican town where the jungle meets the sea. There, they discovered dark chocolate made from locally grown cacao—intensely flavorful, unprocessed, and unlike the candy bars of their childhood. Their passion for chocolate was ignited as they quickly realized that chocolate from different farms had noticeably different flavor profiles. It was an entirely new experience of what chocolate could be.

They returned to Atlanta with bags of cacao and a new vision: to introduce craft chocolate to their hometown. After a year of experimenting with recipes and sourcing beans directly from farmers, they opened their micro-factory and retail store at Krog Street Market in late 2014.

Today, Xocolatl has grown significantly, employing 19 full- and part-time staff, operating a micro-factory in Atlanta, and shipping its award-winning chocolate across the United States. This growth is a testament to their dedication and the quality of their products.

Bean-to-Bar, Start to Finish

Unlike many chocolatiers who melt down mass-produced chocolate, Xocolatl makes its products from scratch. The process starts with hand-sorting cacao beans sourced from farmer co-ops in Brazil, Peru, Nicaragua, Uganda, and Tanzania. This commitment to ethical sourcing ensures that the beans are of the highest quality and that the farmers are fairly compensated. After roasting to highlight unique flavor notes, the beans are cracked into nibs and ground for days until the chocolate develops its smooth texture. Only organic cane sugar is added for single-origin bars, while other bars feature carefully chosen flavor inclusions.

The final step is tempering and molding the chocolate into bars, each wrapped by hand in sustainably produced paper designed and printed locally. “It takes about a week for one batch, start to finish,” Matt said. “It’s labor-intensive, but that’s what makes the difference.”

Social Justice Through Chocolate

Xocolatl’s mission extends beyond flavor. Matt, a former campaign manager for the late Congressman John Lewis, and Elaine, a former Peace Corps volunteer and nonprofit professional, are determined to use their company as a force for good.

This commitment has not gone unnoticed. Xocolatl has won multiple awards, including recognition from the Academy of Chocolate, a Good Food Award, and even a feature in O, The Oprah Magazine.

Challenges and Growth

Like many small businesses, Xocolatl faces hurdles. Tariffs on imported goods and a volatile economy have made planning difficult. The company has limited storage capacity and often partners with other chocolatiers in New York, North Carolina, and California to share import container space for cacao and sugar.

Despite the challenges, demand remains strong. Nearly half of Xocolatl’s revenue comes from retail sales, with another 29 percent from wholesale accounts—including Whole Foods and local businesses like Big Softie ice cream, who uses Xocolatll chocolate in their ice cream coating process, and several Atlanta coffee shops that use Xocolatl chocolate in their mocha drinks. Online sales make up about 16 percent of revenue.

“We’re careful with our cash right now, but we’re excited about the future,” Elaine said. Plans for a second retail location are in the works, though tempered by caution in the current economic climate.

More Than a Chocolate Bar

Beyond retail, Xocolatl has expanded into company gifting, offering custom sets and branded chocolate for corporate clients. They also host weekly chocolate tastings at their Atlanta factory, where guests can learn about cacao farming, taste single-origin chocolates, and experience the bean-to-bar process firsthand.

Their name, Xocolatl, pays homage to the Aztec and Mayan word for chocolate, meaning “bitter water.” It reflects both the ancient origins of chocolate and the company’s Atlanta roots—cleverly highlighted in the “ATL” at the end of their name.

For Elaine and Matt, every bar of chocolate represents more than a treat. It is a celebration of culture, craft, and connection. “We hope people feel the same sense of adventure and contentment that first inspired us.”

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From Pecans to Hospitals: Warnock Highlights Tariff and Health Care Struggles in Georgia

Senator Raphael Warnock visited Georgia farms, hospitals, and small businesses, warning Trump tariffs and GOP tax cuts threaten farmers, rural hospitals, and small business survival statewide.

By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | August 20, 2025

U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock spent the past week crisscrossing Georgia, meeting with farmers, health care providers, and small business owners to highlight the economic risks he says stem from former President Donald Trump’s tariff policies and the recently passed GOP tax bill.

Tariffs Burden Georgia Farmers

On Saturday, Warnock toured Three Bees Pecan Farm in Wrens with owner Jeb Barrow Jr., meeting local producers to discuss the financial uncertainty surrounding U.S. tariff policy. Georgia farmers, already operating on thin margins, said shifting trade rules make it difficult to plan investments and sustain jobs.

“I just know how hard farmers work in this state, and if you talk to them, they’re not interested in aid, they’re interested in trade,” Warnock said. “They want to see their products make it to India. But right now, this whole thing is being operated willy-nilly, from Donald Trump’s back pocket. One announcement, then a reversal. How do you plan a farm around that?”

Barrow praised Warnock’s approach: “He takes a genuine interest in our problems, and when we sit down at the table, he listens.”

Georgia is the nation’s top pecan producer, and nearly 28% of U.S. pecans are exported, making access to foreign markets critical. In 2022, Warnock helped lower India’s trade barriers on pecans by 70%, opening a major market for Georgia growers.

Senator Raphael Warnock visited Georgia pecan farm

As Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Trade, Warnock has pressed administration officials for relief, voting to roll back tariffs on Canada, urging expedited USDA action on pecan exports, and demanding answers on how tariffs impact small producers.

Rural Hospitals Under Pressure

In Claxton, Warnock visited Evans Memorial Hospital, which faces an annual shortfall of $3.3 million due to cuts embedded in the GOP tax bill. The hospital, already forced to close its labor and delivery unit, now risks cutting intensive care or cardio-pulmonary rehab services.

“This is a matter of life and death,” Warnock said. “We’re cutting services and endangering rural health care, all to give billionaires a tax cut. That’s bad public policy.”

According to the Georgia Hospital Association, more than 16,000 rural health care jobs could be at risk statewide. Medicaid cuts would remove up to 93,000 Georgians from coverage, while raising premiums for 1.2 million.

Warnock previously secured $1 million for Evans Memorial to replace its leaking roof, protecting equipment and patient safety. He continues to push the Health Care Affordability Act to prevent premium hikes for Georgians on the state’s insurance marketplace.

Tariffs Strain Small Businesses

On Tuesday, Warnock traveled to Atlanta’s XocolATLChocolate Factory, where owners Matt Weyandt and Elaine Read described the challenges of importing cacao beans from Central America and Africa, as well as sugar from Brazil. Tariffs on those products have spiked between 10% and 50%, forcing the business to raise prices and stockpile raw materials.

“We don’t even know what our cost of goods will be in six months,” Weyandt said. “Setting a price for customers is almost impossible.”

Warnock called the tariff policy “a job killer,” emphasizing that small businesses are the backbone of Georgia’s economy. “Congress could put forward a coherent tariff policy, but so far, my Republican colleagues have ceded all their power to the executive branch,” he said.

During his visit, the Senator joined employees in grinding cocoa beans and mixing sugar, joking, “I can’t even wrap my Christmas gifts. This is a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it.”

Broader Message

The Senator tied the week’s visits together with a broader critique: tariffs, tax cuts for the wealthy, and health care reductions are connected by what he sees as misplaced priorities. “When you center politics rather than people, you hurt farmers, you hurt families, and you hurt the very businesses that fuel Georgia’s economy,” Warnock said.

For Georgia’s farmers, small business owners, and rural health workers, the message was clear: the fight over tariffs and tax policy is not just about Washington politics — it’s about survival at home.

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Exports, Tariffs, and Tradition, Pecan Farmers Seek Relief in Global Market

Georgia pecan farmers met with Senator Raphael Warnock to discuss tariffs, exports, and resilience as the state leads U.S. production and expands into global markets

By Milton Kirby | Keysville, GA | August 18, 2025

In the rolling orchards of middle and south Georgia, pecan farming is more than a business. It is a heritage rooted in resilience, family, and faith in the land. Saturday, three longtime growers sat down with U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock to talk about the future of their crop and the pressures of international trade.

Photo by Milton Kirby – Pecan farmers at the table with Senator Raphael Warnock

Georgia is the nation’s leading pecan producer, with over 144,000 acres planted across the state. For 17 consecutive years, Georgia has outpaced all others, producing an average of 88 million pounds annually. In strong years, like 2020, output climbed above 142 million pounds. Nearly one-third of the state’s harvest is exported, with the Port of Savannah serving as a major hub for shipments to Asia, Europe, and South America.

A Legacy Crop with Deep Roots

The pecan tree, native to North America, can bear edible nuts for more than 300 years. Commercial planting in Georgia began in the early 1900s, especially in the sandy soils of the southwest. Albany and Dougherty County quickly became known as the “Pecan Capital of the World.”

The crop has endured both natural and economic tests. Hurricane Michael in 2018 wiped out more than 26,000 acres of pecan trees, cutting yields nearly in half. Recovery has been slow, as new trees can take close to a decade to mature. But farmers persevered, and by 2020, Georgia reclaimed its top spot in production, thanks to improved yields and strategic replanting.

Governor Brian Kemp underscored the crop’s importance by declaring the pecan the official state nut in April 2021. Legislation like Senate Bill 222 further spotlighted Georgia Grown products, boosting the visibility of local agriculture.

Farmers at the Table

In Keysville, Jeb Barrow runs Three Bee’s Farms, a pecan orchard his family has operated for nearly 130 years. Generations of Barrows have lived through storms and market swings, but recent years have been particularly rough. “Last year I lost around 40% of my crop,” Barrow said. Hurricane Helene damaged three-quarters of his trees, and he has worked steadily to replant. “It takes all of us—farmers here on the ground, support from Washington, and smart trade decisions. That’s what keeps us moving forward.”

Barrow praised Senator Warnock’s willingness to listen. “He’s serious about supporting Georgia agriculture. He didn’t come here to lecture—he came here to sit at the table and hear us out,” he said.

For R.G. Lamar, pecans have always been a family business. His parents, John and Carol Lamar, started Lamar Pecan Company in Hawkinsville during the late 1970s. At first, the family could not afford large equipment, so much of the work was done by hand. “My dad and my brother built this place through sweat,” Lamar recalled. By 1992, they had constructed a cleaning plant, and by the early 2000s, they were exporting pecans to China.

Today, R.G. and his stepbrother Grant manage more than 2,300 acres. The farm produces over 2.5 million pounds annually, with varieties such as Desirable, Stuart, Schley, and Sumner. Their retail brand, Front Porch Pecans, offers roasted snacks sold on Amazon and in stores across the country. “We believe Georgia pecans can compete anywhere in the world,” Lamar said. “But we need stability in trade policy.”

Sam Pennington, who operates Pennington Farms, Inc. in Wrens, emphasized the delicate balance of farming in a global economy. His operation, like many, depends on steady exports to remain profitable. “We know we grow a world-class product,” Pennington said. “But tariffs can close doors overnight. That uncertainty is the hardest part.”

Exports and Tariffs

Georgia’s export market has shown resilience. The Port of Savannah reported a 20% increase in nut exports in 2020 over 2019, a sign of strong international demand. Still, China, once a top buyer, pulled back during the trade disputes of the Trump administration. Farmers and state officials now view India as a promising market to help fill that gap.

Warnock addressed those concerns directly. “I’m not opposed to tariffs,” he told the farmers, “but we need a strategic, thoughtful, coherent approach to trade. A blanket 10% increase in consumer goods doesn’t help farmers or families.”

The senator noted that Congress, not the executive branch, holds constitutional authority over trade policy. “Congress does have the power and the ability to bring some common sense approach to this if it chooses to do so,” he said.

Walking with the Farmers

Warnock said his visit was about more than policy. “It was really important for me to be here in the region today,” he said. “I promised Georgians that I would always walk with them, even while working for them. Our farmers are the best among us. It’s very hard work, with a lot of uncertainty. We should do everything we can to try to lighten that burden.”

As the meeting ended, the farmers returned to their orchards, where new trees take root alongside old ones. For them, the work is as much about legacy as livelihood. And with the backing of policymakers, Georgia’s pecan growers hope to keep the state’s title as the nation’s top producer for generations to come.

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