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Georgia Today: Places in Peril; Savannah worker shortage predicted; Nursing homes under-perform
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LISTEN: On the Wednesday, Nov. 15 edition of Georgia Today: A new report considers the historic Gullah Geechee community on Sapelo Island in danger of disappearing; in just a few years, Savannah may face a worker shortage; and we'll look at the ways nursing homes in Georgia are underperforming.
Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast from GPB News. Today is Wednesday, Nov. 15. I'm Peter Biello. On today's episode, a new report considers the historic Gullah Geechee community on Sapelo Island in danger of disappearing. In just a few years, Savannah may face a worker shortage; and we'll look at the ways nursing homes in Georgia are underperforming. These stories and more are coming up on this edition of Georgia Today.
Story 1:
Peter Biello: The Gullah Geechee community on Sapelo Island is one of 10 historic sites in danger of disappearing. That's according to the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation's latest Places in Peril list, released today. The Trust's Wright Mitchell says Sapelo Island's Hogg Hummock community is threatened by a zoning change that would allow larger homes.
Wright Mitchell: The zoning change is simply just another form of displacement that has been going on in African-American communities across the state of Georgia for decades.
Peter Biello: This year's list also highlights Augusta's old First Baptist Church, which is in a state of disrepair, and Northwest Georgia's Pine Log Mountain, a privately owned wilderness area with cultural resources threatened by development. Places in Peril is aimed at drawing attention and resources to threatened sites.
Story 2:
Peter Biello: A new study predicts a worker shortage for new industrial jobs in the Savannah region in 2025. That's when Hyundai is expected to begin producing electric vehicles at a factory being built in Bryan County. GPB's Benjamin Payne reports.
Benjamin Payne: A bevy of new manufacturing and warehouse jobs will soon exhaust the local labor supply, leaving about 1,500 jobs unfilled in 2025. That was among the findings of a study commissioned by a group of economic development authorities. Critical to meeting the demand will be recruitment and training of veterans, given the Savannah area's large military presence from Hunter Army Airfield and Fort Stewart. The study also recommends training programs in high schools and technical colleges. Savannah Economic Development Authority President Trip Tolleson:
Trip Tolleson: When you're in high school, you need to start thinking about whether or not you really want to go to college —or if you don't, getting that skills so you can graduate at 18 years old and be making $67,000 a year.
Benjamin Payne: However, the average skilled job in the study pays below that range. For GPB News, I'm Benjamin Payne in Savannah.
Story 3:
Peter Biello: A federal judge has rejected Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's request to force a man convicted of leaving her threatening voicemails to pay for a security fence on her Georgia home. Joseph Morelli of upstate New York pleaded guilty in February to threatening Greene by phone. He was sentenced to three months in prison in August. Greene sought more than $65,000 in restitution. But the judge said federal law allows restitution for property loss. Separately, a Georgia man accused of threatening Greene was arrested last week on federal charges. Authorities say 34-year-old Sean Cirillo, who lives in the Atlanta area, called Greene's office in Washington twice on Nov. 8 and threatened to harm her staff and their families. Cirillo is charged with transmitting interstate threats to injure Greene. At an initial hearing Monday, a judge ordered Cirillo to remain in custody pending a detention hearing set for tomorrow.
Story 4:
Peter Biello: Authorities have arrested two women accused of helping one of four men who escaped from the Macon Bibb County Jail last month. Jacorshia Smith and Janecia Green of Macon were charged yesterday with aiding the escape of 37-year-old Johnifer Barnwell, who was captured on Sunday at a home in Augusta. Authorities did not elaborate on how Smith and Greene helped with the escape. Meanwhile, the search continues for a 52-year-old murder suspect, the last of the four still on the run.
Story 5:
Peter Biello: Nursing homes in Georgia are underperforming those in other states when it comes to patient care and health outcomes. GPB's Ellen Eldridge has more on a new study from U.S. News and World Report.
Ellen Eldridge: The report looks at nurse staffing, patient outcomes and whether steps to avoid harm and improve health were part of nursing home routines. Only three of Georgia's 357 nursing homes made the highest-rated list. Ben Harder is the chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News and World Report. He says they also judged nursing homes by how often residents take antipsychotic medication.
Ben Harder: Some people refer to them as chemical straitjackets. And so if a patient is doped up on these drugs, they may be much easier to kind of manage because they may just sit all day in a chair or in a wheelchair.
Ellen Eldridge: Harder says it's also more difficult for patients with Medicare or Medicaid to get a bed in a nursing home when private insurance reimburses at a higher rate. For GPB News, I'm Ellen Eldridge.
Story 6:
Peter Biello: U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock is seeking to extend the $35-a-month cap on the price of insulin. The Georgia Democrat and Louisiana Republican U.S. Sen. John Kennedy yesterday released a report on insulin availability. The report found 71% of Georgians live in counties with high rates of uninsured people and high rates of people with diabetes.
Story 7:
Peter Biello: Some unexpected communities across Georgia are coming together to support each other in the wake of violence in the Israel-Hamas war. GPB's Sarah Kallis has more.
Sarah Kallis: State Rep. Ruwwa Romman is the granddaughter of Palestinian refugees. She says that she has found support in Georgia's Palestinian and Muslim communities, but has also found that Jewish and Palestinian people can uniquely support each other.
Ruwwa Romman: While there are those who are attempting to make it seem like those are unlikely allies, I actually think our shared experiences throughout history and even now in the present, is the reason why the solidarity is so steadfast and why it is growing so quickly.
Sarah Kallis: Groups in Georgia have organized interfaith conversations between Muslim and Jewish leaders since the Oct. 7 attacks. For GPB news, I'm Sarah Kallis in Atlanta.
Story 8:
Peter Biello: The number of students enrolled at Georgia's public colleges and universities has risen after a two-year decline. The university system of Georgia said yesterday that enrollment rose 2.9% from the fall of last year, setting a record of more than 344,000 students. Only three schools saw enrollment declines: Georgia State University in Atlanta, Valdosta State University and East Georgia State University in Waynesboro.
Story 9:
Peter Biello: Crews working for a public-private partnership in Northeast Georgia began work today on a project to bring high speed Internet to more than 1,800 homes and businesses in Lumpkin County. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration says the project, led by Internet provider Kinetic, stems from a $3 million federal grant.
Story 10:
A Toyota subsidiary is expanding its manufacturing site in Northeast Georgia's Jackson County. Toyota Industries Electric Systems North America makes air conditioning compressors and other electrical components for cars. The company said yesterday that it's building a new $69 million manufacturing facility at its location in Pendergrass. The announcement promises 250 new jobs. That's on top of 400 already there with operations beginning in 2025.
Story 11:
In sports, it was a tight race, but despite leading the Braves to the best record in baseball this year, manager Brian Snitker did not win the National League Manager of the Year award. That went to Skip Schumacher of the Miami Marlins. Voting by members of the Baseball Writers of America occurred before the start of the postseason, during which the Braves were eliminated by the Phillies for the second consecutive year. Later this week, the MVP awards will be announced and Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. is considered a favorite for the National League MVP. And the team formerly known as the Rome Braves will announce its new name tomorrow. The High-A minor league affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, hinted at something ancient Roman-themed in its social media graphics. An event for the announcement of the team's new name is scheduled for tomorrow evening.
And that's it for this edition of Georgia Today. Thank you so much for tuning in. Tomorrow on the program: As children develop intellectually and emotionally, teachers are in a position to see who might be struggling with mental health. We'll find out where some families are finding help tomorrow on the podcast. Make sure you subscribe to hear that story, plus all the day's headlines. It'll pop up automatically in your podcast feed once you do. If you'd like to learn more about any of the stories you heard today, visit our website GPB.org/news. And if you've got feedback, we would love to hear it. Email us at GeorgiaToday@GPB.org. I'm Peter Biello. Thanks so much for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.
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For more on these stories and more, go to GPB.org/news
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