The icy roads are keeping most people in the northern half of state still stuck at home. In Atlanta, the only reliable means of travel has been the intercity rail system MARTA. That has one lawmaker stressing the importance of high-speed rail in the state. The snow event has proven just how car dependent much of the state is.

In his first State of the State Address Governor Nathan Deal outlined his budget priorities. State agencies can expect more cuts while teacher furloughs will be eliminated. Governor Deal wants to freeze 14-thousand positions currently open in state government.

Already having spoken to state lawmakers on Monday after his inauguration, Governor Nathan Deal will do it again Wednesday afternoon—this time officially delivering his first State of the State address to the joint General Assembly session.

Republican Governor Nathan Deal began his inaugural speech yesterday talking about reforms to Georgia’s criminal justice system. The prominence of the issue gained some praise from Democrats. Faced with a shrinking state budget, Governor Deal said Georgia spends about 3 million dollars a day to run the Department of Corrections and he laid out the statistics.

Nathan Deal became Georgia's 82nd Governor today. In his inaugural speech he vowed to save the HOPE Scholarship for future generations. He also condemned the federal health care law and said Georgians need to be more responsible for their own health. He said government needs to be frugal and wise.