G8 News Stories For the Week of April 26, 2004

Security - State Law Enforcement Teams Focus on G8 Preparation At the Georgia Public Safety Training Center

What:  Georgia is involved in extensive planning and preparation as the state hosts the 2004 G8 Summit on Sea Island June 8-10.  The Summit has been designated a National Special Security Event (NSSE) meaning that the United States Secret Service assumes a mandated role as the lead agency responsible for security design, planning and implementation. 

In preparation to support both federal and local security efforts, state law enforcement agencies are participating in a wide range of training activities, such as the Command Course.  Held at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC) in Forsyth, the media will have an opportunity to view field training exercises that are part of this course, as well as hear from GPSTC Director Bob Buffington and the Georgia State Patrol unit commander leading the training.  This will be the final opportunity to obtain footage of the Mobile-Field Force Training. 

When:  Wednesday, April 28, 2004 , 12:45 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Media must provide notification of their intention to participate by the close of business, Today, April 27.  This event will be canceled in the event of inclement weather.

Contact:   Lisa Ray at 404-635-7061 or Shana Brown at 404-624-7597.

Environment - Media Familiarization Tours Scheduled for May 6-7 to Highlight Coastal Resources

The purpose of the following media tour is to familiarize media with the Georgia coast and environmental issues as well as to provide opportunities to secure background information and video footage for G8-related stories. Limited space is available on each of these media tours and pre-registration is required.   To reserve your space, contact Beth Brown at (770) 918-6400 or beth_brown@dnr.state.ga.us.

There are nearly 400,000 acres of coastal marshlands in Georgia, which represent a considerable portion of all remaining marshlands along the entire eastern coast of the United States.  Take a walk on the wild side and join Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Lonice C. Barrett on a tour of Sapelo Island - Georgia's fourth largest barrier island and one of the state's greatest natural and cultural treasures.  The trip will highlight Sapelo Island's designation as a National Estuarine Research Reserve, making the area a "living laboratory" for research and education.  The tour will include a visit to the Hog Hammock Community, an area on Sapelo Island where about 70 people reside.  Many of these residents are slave descendants whose families have been on the island dating back to the early 1800s.  You also will have an opportunity to climb to the top of the Sapelo Island lighthouse, restored by the state of Georgia in 1998, as well as to look for shells and sand dollars on one of the most breathtaking and isolated beaches in the country.  No trip to Sapelo Island would be complete without a stop at the R.J. Reynolds Mansion, including a traditional southern lunch.  The Sapelo Island G8 Media Tour will depart on the Sapelo Island ferry at Meridian Dock in Darien, Georgia at 8:30 a.m. and will return to Meridian Dock at 3 p.m.

R.V. Anna - Estuarine Ecology and Coastal Island Tour
May 7, 2004 from 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Georgia's marshes are some of the most productive ecosystems on earth and serve as a valuable resource to support Georgia's commercial fishing industry for shrimp and other species.  The R.V. Anna is a shrimp trawler that is used by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources for research and monitoring efforts for marine fisheries.  Come aboard and watch the R.V. Anna drop its nets during a trawl and learn what lies beneath the surface of Georgia's waterways and what marine biologists are doing to ensure healthy populations for both recreational and commercial interests.  This trip will provide beautiful views of Georgia's coastal marshes as well as St. Simons Island and Sea Island, which will be the focus of the G8 Summit.  In addition, Department of Natural Resources conservation rangers who are providing water security for the G8 will be available for interviews.  The R.V. Anna G8 Media Tour will depart from the dock of the Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Resources Division Headquarters in Brunswick, Georgia. 

Each spring, Georgia anglers take to the Atlantic Ocean waters in search of the fish of a lifetime. Some go to the shallow waters just offshore of Jekyll Island where they find tripletail floating on the surface waiting to ambush unsuspecting prey. Delicately presented baits, both natural and artificial, can draw strikes from these skittish fish that occasionally weigh more than 20 pounds. More adventurous anglers make the 80-mile run to the Gulf Stream in search of big game fish. The Golden Isles Striking Fish Tournament based out of St. Simons Island takes place in late April and is the kick-off event in the Georgia Governor's Cup Billfish Series. Teams compete to determine the best blue-water anglers in the state. Blue marlin, striped marlin, and sailfish are released alive per Georgia law and tournament rules.

Contact:  Nancy Butler (Georgia Department of Natural Resources)
(912) 264-7218 or nancy_butler@dnr.state.ga.us

Tourism - Georgia Does Business with the World

As Georgia prepares to host the G8 Summit on Sea Island in June, it's "business as usual" around the state, and "business as usual" in Georgia means big, global business.  Georgia's exports grew considerably in 2003, particularly among G8 member countries. 

In 2003, Georgia's exports totaled $16.3 billion, an increase of 13 percent over 2002.  Georgia's top three export industries included transportation equipment, computer and electronic products and chemicals.  Six of the eight G8 member countries fell within Georgia's top 10 trading partners; additionally, Georgia exports to the European Union totaled $4.2 billion or 26 percent of the state's total exports in 2003.    Specifically, Georgia exported:

• $4 billion to Canada,
• $1.5 billion to Japan,
• $1 billion to the United Kingdom,
• $609 million to Germany,
• $358 million to France,
• $316 million to Italy
• $36 million to Russia. 

The state's success in conducting business abroad is due in no small part to its superior infrastructure.  Georgia is consistently ranked at the top of logistics rankings and is a superior location for conducting business around the world.  Georgia is home to deep-water ports in Savannah and Brunswick and a barge terminal in Columbus. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world's busiest passenger airport, is a major connecting hub serving numerous destinations around the globe.  Georgia is also home to five interstate highways that offer major intra and interstate access and more than 5,000 miles of rail.

Contact: Kevin Langston, Georgia Department of Industry, Trade, and Tourism
(404) 651-8578, klangston@georgia.org