Georgia Today: Bishops call for gun legislation; Impact fees in Savannah; MLB All Star Game vote

Orlando Montoya: Hello and welcome to the Georgia Today podcast from GPB News. Today is Wednesday, June 28. I'm Orlando Montoya. Coming up on today's episode, Catholic bishops in Georgia and the Carolinas call for legislative action to address gun violence. The cost of new construction projects soon will be higher in Savannah. And voting for the MLB All-Star Game has entered its final round. We all talk to Braves first baseman Matt Olson about it. These stories and more coming up on this edition of Georgia Today.

Story 1:

Orlando Montoya: Catholic bishops in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina are calling for legislative action to address gun violence. Meeting in Atlanta yesterday, the bishops signed a statement supporting reforms, including a total ban on assault rifles. Atlanta Archbishop Gregory Hartmeyer says the bishops won't accept that nothing can be done.

Gregory Hartmeyer: The easy accessibility of firearms has caused untold damage. We would be failing in our ordination promises if we were to remain silent on an issue that has caused so much pain.

Orlando Montoya: The statement comes months after two deadly mass shootings that took place within a week of each other in Georgia, one in midtown Atlanta and one in Moultrie.

Story 2:

Orlando Montoya: State behavioral health officials are working to break cycles of addiction by removing the stigma and shame of opioid use disorder. GPB's Ellen Eldridge reports on a new campaign led by the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities and other partners.

Ellen Eldridge: The Georgia Recovers campaign tells the stories of people in recovery from opioid addiction. It includes a statewide billboard and social media campaign. DBHDD Commissioner Kevin Tanner says one of their goals is to help people within the criminal justice system to understand addiction is a disease.

Kevin Tanner: Family members who have a loved one, who has a substance abuse or even a mental health illness are afraid or because of stigma to reach out and ask for help. And we're hoping that this shatterproof campaign will continue to work to reduce the stigma.

Ellen Eldridge: Tanner says DBHDD is working to build relationships and partnerships with sheriffs across the state. For GPB News, I'm Ellen Eldridge.

Story 3:

Orlando Montoya: The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Monday issued a disaster declaration for 18 Georgia counties after an unexpected March freeze decimated the state's peach crop. During a visit to Peach County, Georgia. U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff called the situation dire and told farmers he was pushing the federal government to officially designate the freeze as a disaster. The declaration allows the USDA's Farm Service Agency to extend emergency credit to Georgia farmers. The deadline to apply for the federal loan is February 2024.

Story 4:

Orlando Montoya: The Southeast Georgia wood resin plant that caught fire and burned for hours in April is closing permanently. The Pinova facility has been shut down since the fire halted production and caused evacuations near the site in Brunswick. A statement from the company this morning says reopening the plant would be too costly. About 200 workers will be laid off in phases, with a full shutdown taking about 18 months.

Story 5:

Orlando Montoya: A South Korean auto parts supplier plans to build a $7 million production facility in Macon. Boogook Industries announced today that it plans to manufacture automotive fluid carrying systems at a site that used to be a cigarette factory. The company is expected to hire 80 full-time employees and open the factory next year. It's the latest jobs announcement driven by Kia's Manufacturing Center in West Point and Hyundai's planned facility near Savannah.

Story 6:

Orlando Montoya: Homebuilders and construction companies in Savannah soon will start paying more for new construction projects. As Benjamin Payne reports, the city begins charging so-called development impact fees on July 1.

Benjamin Payne: The fees will be levied on all kinds of new development, from residential to commercial and beyond, including new churches, private schools, even cemeteries. Savannah joins over 50 other municipalities in Georgia that charge impact fees, which are meant to help defray the cost of new infrastructure shouldered by the city. For a new single-family home, the fee comes out to nearly $4,000. That's roughly the same for multi-family homes like duplexes and townhouses. As for commercial projects, the impact fee varies based on square footage and the type of business. The city will be charging a lower rate for the first two years as it gradually phases in the program. For GPB News, I'm Benjamin Payne in Savannah.

Story 7:

Orlando Montoya: The National Park Service, Macon-Bibb County and the Macon Housing Authority have finalized plans to expand Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park. Park officials said yesterday that the county and the Housing Authority have donated to the park a little less than four acres of land within the Macon Reserve, a site revered as a sacred place to the Muscogee people. The park expansion comes four years after Congress nearly quadrupled the park's boundary, and as local partners lobbied Congress to make Ocmulgee Mounds the state's first national park.

Story 8:

Orlando Montoya: Voting for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game is in its second and final round. Fans have until noon tomorrow to cast ballots. Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. has secured his spot by landing the most votes of any player in the first round. But several other Atlanta players are still on the ballot, including first baseman Matt Olson. Earlier today, GPB's Peter Biello caught up with Olson.

Peter Biello: What goes through your mind when you're thinking about your name being on the All-Star ballot, especially when it's right next to Freddie Freeman's name?

Matt Olson: It's obviously an honor to be thought about for for that. I think you set out at the beginning of the year and it's a goal to be in the mention for it and try to make the team. What happens, happens. I'm good either way. But yeah, definitely be an honor.

Peter Biello: You've launched some serious bombs this year. A few over the Chop House [behind right field]. Tell me about your hitting this year. How would you assess the way you've been at the plate?

Matt Olson: You know, it's been — it's been a little back and forth. Hasn't been as consistent as I would like. But, you know, when I'm having good at-bats I guess I'm making them count and driving a few balls and and obviously I've hit a few home runs. I think — I think the main goal is you're trying to win games. So scoring runs and driving runs in is — should be at the top of the list. And you know, I've been able to to drive in a few. It's easy when you got guys like Ronald [Acuña Jr.] and Ozzie [Albies] and Murph [Sean Murphy] and [Austin] Riley ahead of you on base a lot, they make it easy for a guy trying to drive in some runs and, yeah.

Peter Biello: How do you feel being a part of this lineup? Because the word "power" keeps coming up again and again and there's doesn't seem to be any dead spots in this lineup. How do you feel to be part of that?

Matt Olson: It's the best lineup I've been a part of. You know, like you said, one through nine, there's no easy outs. Our eight hole hitter's hitting .315 right now and is one of the best shortstops in the game right now. Our nine hole hitter was Rookie of the Year last year and is hitting .400 in the last two or three weeks. In some places where you would see some soft spots in other lineups, guys who could be a little bit of an easier out. It doesn't feel like the case for us and that's exhausting for a pitcher on the other side.

Peter Biello: That's Orlando Arcia and Michael Harris II that you were referring to. Let's talk defense. Last night's game against the Twins. You were on the receiving end of the put-out of an amazing play between second and short. What's going through your mind when you see the other three infielders just turning tricks, stopping balls and just nailing the throw from pretty much any corner?

Matt Olson: I mean, that's what we want to be out there doing. You know, that's obviously an incredible play that they made, one that's just spur of the moment, you know, trust in your baseball IQ and the talent. And, you know, those guys have a good rapport together and are able to kind of make those plays on the fly. But as a whole, especially infield defense, we want to be a unit that pitchers have confidence in, especially with a dude like [Bryce] Elder throwing. [He's a] sinker guy. You got to be able to have confidence and letting the guys put the ball in play and have the plays made behind you. So we love hitting, we love driving guys in, but the defensive side is just as important and we like to make it easy on the pitchers.

Peter Biello: Finally, I know you have to go and get ready for today's game, but what will you be working on or thinking about for your own development going forward for the rest of the season? Is there a priority area that you're working on?

Matt Olson: You know, just continue to feel better, continue to steadily rise as we hopefully work for a playoff run and —

Peter Biello: Feel better? Is something bothering you?

Matt Olson: No, you know, like I said, I feel like it's been a tad inconsistent at times. The strikeouts are high and I feel like I've been working in the right direction. But it's the name of the game. You don't you don't want to peak in April and go downhill from there. You want to, you know, steadily build as the year goes on personally and as a team. And I feel like we're doing that.

Peter Biello: Matt Olson, first baseman for the Braves, thank you so much for speaking with me.

Matt Olsen: Thank you.

Orlando Montoya: That was GPB's Peter Biello speaking with Matt Olson before the Braves played the Minnesota Twins today. Olson hit an RBI double and a home run to help the Braves beat the Twins 3 to 0, completing a three-game series sweep. Also today, pitcher Colby Allard made his first major league appearance since October. He missed 78 games this season after a muscle strain in March put him on the injured list.

Colby Allard: So as long as I usually, like, take in the offseason, you know what I mean? So it's definitely a little bit of a a little bit of a process, but obviously very excited to be kind of back in action and ready to get going.

Orlando Montoya: Today he threw 4 2/3 innings, striking out eight and allowing no runs. The Braves have the day off tomorrow before starting a three-game series at home against the Miami Marlins on Friday.

And that's it for today's edition of Georgia Today. If you'd like to learn more about these stories, visit our website, GPB.org/news. That's where you'll find the latest from our Georgia reporters. Also, if you haven't yet hit subscribe on the podcast, take a moment to do that now so that you'll always keep us current in your feed. If you have feedback, we'd like to hear that as well. The good, the bad, whatever. Email us at GeorgiaToday@GPB.org. I'm Orlando Montoya. Peter Biello will be back tomorrow. Thanks for listening.

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