Georgia Today: Lt. Gov. may face charges; 'Divisive concepts' update; First Black students at UGA

Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast from GPB News. Today is Wednesday, August 16th. I'm Peter Biello. On today's episode, a special prosecutor will look into whether Lt. Gov. Burt Jones should face criminal charges for his role in efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. A teacher accused of running afoul of the state's divisive concepts law may still keep her job. And a UGA professor reflects on the hardships faced by the college's first Black students more than 60 years ago. These stories and more are coming up on this edition of Georgia Today.

Caption

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is leading an investigation into attempts to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia.

Credit: John Bazemore | AP

Story 1:

Peter Biello: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has proposed key dates in the case against former President Donald Trump and 18 others indicted for trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election. In a filing today, Willis proposes arraigning the defendants the week of Labor Day with the trial starting March 4, 2024. That's one week before Georgia's presidential preference primary. Willis said her dates would not conflict with the trial dates of any of Trump's other legal cases. The request is just a request, however. It would be up to the judge to set the timeline for the case moving forward.

Story 2:

Peter Biello: Georgia's Prosecuting Attorney's Council says it will name a special prosecutor to investigate whether Lt. Gov. Burt Jones should face criminal charges for efforts to overturn Donald Trump's 2020 election loss in the state. Jones was not among those indicted. Earlier this week, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis could not indict him after a judge ruled she had a conflict of interest because she hosted a campaign fundraiser for Jones's Democratic opponent. Jones was one of 16 Republican electors who falsely claimed that Trump won Georgia. As a state senator, he also sought a special session of Georgia's legislature aimed at overturning President Joe Biden's win. Jones has previously denied wrongdoing, saying he and other electors acted only to preserve Trump's chances if Trump won a court challenge.

Story 3:

Peter Biello: Generally speaking, if you are indicted the way former President Trump and others have been, you have to be booked. The Fulton County Sheriff's Office says Trump and the 18 others named in indictments will be booked at the Fulton County Rice Street Jail. A spokesperson said in a release that's based on guidance from the district attorney's office and presiding judge. They say the jail is open 24/7 and defendants can turn themselves in at any time. Circumstances may change, however, given the high profiles involved. DA Fani Willis has given defendants until noon on Friday, Aug. 25, to turn themselves in.

Story 4:

Peter Biello: So far this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has committed $140 billion to food and nutrition. From that, some Georgia schools will soon see a boost in funding to improve their lunch programs. GPB's Sofi Gratas has more.

Sofi Gratas: Over 30% of students in the Brooks County School District live below the poverty level with limited funding. Nutrition director Chynna Silvernale says it's been nearly impossible to maintain the older equipment in their cafeterias.

Chynna Silvernale: We have had equipment in some of our elementary schools since 1993, and when those equipment pieces break, all of those parts are discontinued now.

Sofi Gratas: Now, from a partnership between the USDA and Action for Healthy Kids, Brooks County schools are getting $140,000 to buy better equipment. The grants target underserved and rural school districts. Half a million dollars in grants for Georgia schools will also reach Baldwin, Montgomery, White, Lumpkin and North Fulton counties. For GPB News, I'm Sofi Gratas.

Story 5:

Peter Biello: The leaders of Atlanta's BeltLine have selected developers Penrose and Radiant Development Partners for a new mixed use development in South Buckhead. Plans for the nearly 3-acre site on Garson Drive include 130 units, 80% of which will be considered affordable. To be eligible, residents must make less than 80% of the area's average median income. Dennis Richards is vice president of housing policy and Development with the BeltLine.

Dennis Richards: We also will need restricted commercial space, so we intend to have that space offered at about a 30% discount to market.

Peter Biello: The BeltLine has attempted to mitigate the impact of gentrification by creating or preserving 5,600 units of affordable housing by 2030. Leaders of the BeltLine say they're more than halfway there. Construction of the Garson Drive project is expected to begin late next year.

Caption

Cobb County fifth grade teacher Katie Rinderle was terminated in August 2023 for reading her students the book “My Shadow is Purple” by Scott Stuart.

Credit: Southern Poverty Law Center

Story 6:

Peter Biello: A trio of retired educators has rejected a suburban Atlanta school district's recommendation to fire a teacher who was accused of violating Georgia's new divisive concepts law. After a two-day hearing last week, the panel recommended that fifth grade teacher Katie Rinderle not lose her job for reading a picture book about a child who challenges gender assumptions called My Shadow is Purple by Scott Stewart. The Cobb County School Board has the final decision, and they're scheduled to meet tomorrow.

Story 7:

Peter Biello: A rare kind of invasive hornet was identified this month in Southeast Georgia, marking the first time the species has been found alive on U.S. soil. GPB's Benjamin Payne reports.

Benjamin Payne: A beekeeper in the Savannah area spotted two live specimens of the yellow-legged hornet. The species is known to feast on honeybees and other pollinators in its native Southeast Asia, which is why Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper is calling the insect a, quote, significant threat to the state's No. 1 industry.

Tyler Harper: The department and USDA will set out traps to survey for the pest to determine if there are any additional hornets — yellow-legged hornets — in the area. If a colony is discovered through trapping, tracking or reporting, it will be eradicated.

Benjamin Payne: Harper is asking the public to report any suspected specimens to the Georgia Department of Agriculture. In addition to its bright yellow legs, the hornet has an orange-yellow face as well as a yellow patch near its back. For GPB News, I'm Benjamin Payne in Savannah.

Story 8:

Peter Biello: The Georgia Supreme Court decided today that a state appeals judge accused of ethical misconduct should be removed from the bench, though it said the case was, quote, "initially a close one." Christian Coomer, appointed by former Gov. Nathan Deal in 2018, was accused of flouting ethics rules on how a lawyer should treat a client and of looting his campaign account to pay for a family vacation to Hawaii and loans to keep his struggling law firm afloat. A three-member panel of the State Judicial Qualifications Commission recommended in January that the state Supreme Court remove him from the bench. It reaffirmed that decision after further review. In a statement, Coomer said that he was disappointed, but that his own errors in judgment led to the decision to remove him from the bench.

Story 9:

Peter Biello: As University of Georgia students head back to campus this week, a professor is remembering the bravery and hardships of the first Black students to be admitted to the Athens College more than 60 years ago. GPB's Sarah Kallis reports.

Sarah Kallis: Charlene Hunter and Hamilton Holmes were admitted to UGA in 1961 following a legal battle. Dr. Morris Daniels, dean emeritus and professor emeritus of the University of Georgia School of Social Work, says they made great sacrifices to be there but did have support.

Dr. Morris Daniels: So they had tremendous support from their parents, from their aunts and uncles, their siblings, their community. And there was a kind of solidarity within the community at that time that supported those students.

Sarah Kallis: UGA has not kept pace with many of the state's other large public universities when it comes to Black enrollment. The school has just 8% Black students, while Georgia State has 42%. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kallis.

Story 10:

Peter Biello: After coming down with a serious bacterial infection, pop icon Madonna has rescheduled her celebration tour stop in Atlanta. Originally set for Sept. 5. She'll now perform in Atlanta on April 1. A spokesperson for Madonna says her health is improving and she is expected to recover.

Story 11:

Peter Biello: In sports, the Atlanta Braves are going to aim for a sweep of the three-game series as they take on the Yankees for the final time tonight. The Braves shut out the Yankees last night, 5 to 0. Ronald Acuña Jr. and Marcell Ozuna homered to power the Braves' offense while pitcher Bryce Elder gave up only one hit in seven innings. Elder says he's focused on throwing one pitch at a time.

Credit: File photo

Bryce Elder: Whatever the result is, I can live with it if I'm focused on one pitch at a time. And so that it kind of takes the doubt and the mental factor out of it; I'm just trying to do that. And if I can do that over and over again, I like my chances.

Peter Biello: With the win, Elder improves his record to 9 and 4. The Braves maintain their major league-best record, while the Yankees occupy last place in the American League East. Last night's game was the Braves' 42nd sellout of the season, tying last season's sellout record. Charlie Morton is scheduled to get the start for the Braves tonight.

And that's all we've got for this edition of Georgia Today. But we've got more for you to listen to podcast-wise. Check out Battleground: Ballot Box for the latest goings on in the world of politics, especially with respect to all the indictment news we've been hearing. Stephen Fowler is going to break it down for you on Battleground: Ballot Box; find it wherever you get your podcasts. And of course, Narrative Edge. Orlando Montoya and I recently spoke with the author of a new biography of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. You can find Narrative Edge wherever you get your podcasts. If you haven't yet subscribed to this podcast, take a moment right now and do it. It'll keep us current in your podcast feed. We're going to have more news for you tomorrow. And if you have feedback for us, or perhaps a story you'd like us to pursue, let us know about it. We love to hear from you. The email address to use is GeorgiaToday@GPB.org. I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.

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