Georgia Today: State of the State; Funding for medical schools; Electric vehicle charging stations

Orlando Montoya: Hello and welcome to the Georgia Today podcast from GPB news. Today is Thursday, Jan. 11. I'm Orlando Montoya, coming up on today's episode. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp delivers his sixth annual state of the state address. Kemp announces funding for new medical schools in Georgia and metro Atlanta will receive federal dollars to help fund electric vehicle charging stations. Those stories and more coming up on this episode of Georgia Today.

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Brian Kemp

Credit: Stephen Fowler | GPB News

Story 1:

Orlando Montoya: Governor Brian Kemp delivered his sixth State of the State address today, painting his policies as bringing prosperity while calling on voters to reject, quote, "Washington, D.C." GPB's Sarah Kallis reports Kemp is seeking to rally Republicans in an election year.

Sarah Kallis: Kemp addressed lawmakers and others, saying the state of the state is, quote, "strong" as he touted the economic successes of his administration.

Brian Kemp: Despite unprecedented challenges, we have maintained a triple-A bond rating while celebrating the creation of more than 171,000 new jobs and roughly $74.5 billion of investment in every corner of the state over the last five years.

Sarah Kallis: Kemp promoted action on school vouchers, announced pay raises for state employees, and expressed support for the Atlanta Police Training Center. For GPB news, I'm Sarah Kallis at the state Capitol.

Orlando Montoya: In the Democratic response, state House Minority Leader, Macon state Rep. James Beverly, called the speech, quote, "political propaganda."

James Beverley: These are just shiny political moves to placate Georgians who are fed up and tired of: poor health care outcomes, skyrocketing rents and mortgages, the maternal mortality crisis, senseless gun violence, abortion bans.

Orlando Montoya: And we'll have more from under the Gold Dome tonight at 7 on GPB TV's Lawmakers, and as always at gpb.org/news.

Story 2:

Orlando Montoya: Gov. Brian Kemp announced funding for two new medical schools in Georgia yesterday. Kemp made his remarks at the Georgia Chamber's annual Eggs and Issues breakfast. Kemp said he wants to spend $178 million to create a new public dental school at Georgia Southern University in Savannah, and he wants to spend $50 million to create a separate medical school at the University of Georgia in Athens. Right now, Augusta University operates the Dental College of Georgia, and Augusta University's Medical College of Georgia operates a four-year medical program at UGA.

Story 3:

Orlando Montoya: Georgia House Speaker John Burns says the House is in a fact-finding phase on expanding access to health care for lower-income working families. His comments yesterday have some wondering if this could be the year state Republicans soften their refusal to fully expand Medicaid. Advocates for full expansion spoke at a hearing hosted by Democratic state lawmakers yesterday. GPB's Sofi Gratas reports Georgia is one of 10 states that hasn't fully expanded Medicaid.

Sofi Gratas: The hearing at the state Capitol lasted over four hours, with back-to-back testimony on how Medicaid expansion could help ease health care disparities. If expanded, over 440,000 uninsured people in Georgia could get picked up under the program. Being uninsured limits access to even basic care, like for chronic diseases or to prescriptions. Clay County doctor Karen Kinzel says for the sake of her patients and health care in Georgia, it's time to move past the politics around Medicaid.

Dr. Karen Kinzel: Even some hospitals consider this such a political issue that they're afraid to advocate for themselves. But this is an issue that very well could close that hospital and — and severely damage that town.

Sofi Gratas: Gov. Kemp's partial expansion plan with work requirements, Pathways to Coverage, went into effect last year. For GPB News, I'm Sofi Gratas.

Orlando Montoya: Gov. Brian Kemp did not address Medicaid expansion in his hourlong State of the State address today. Instead, his health care remarks focused on premium reductions and the state's private insurance marketplace.

Credit: Stock photo

Story 4:

Orlando Montoya: Federal transportation officials are giving the metro Atlanta area $6 million to install between 300 and 400 electric vehicle charging stations across 20 counties. The Atlanta Regional Commission announced the funds today. The U.S. Department of Transportation program will focus on areas where charging stations are scarce to support equity in the region's transition to electric vehicles. A separate federal grant is funding plans for charging stations across the state.

Story 5:

Orlando Montoya: A man who was being held at the problem-plagued Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, has died at a hospital after he was found unresponsive in his cell. That's according to the Fulton County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's office said in a news release that a jail officer doing a security round found 36-year-old Michael Anthony Holland in his cell early Wednesday. Jail staff attempted unsuccessfully to revive Holland, who was pronounced dead at Grady Memorial Hospital. Atlanta police will investigate the death, and the county medical examiner's office will do an autopsy. The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division last year announced an investigation into jail conditions in Fulton County. 10 people died in Fulton County custody last year, according to the sheriff's office.

Story 6:

Orlando Montoya: And Columbus is having problems with its new automated trash collection system. City crews in September started using new trucks aimed at reducing the city's reliance on inmates from the county jail. The trucks use side loading instead of three-person crews. Well, this week, city councilors grilled Columbus Public Works Department head Drale Short about a litany of complaints involving trash, recycling and yard waste not being picked up on schedule since the transition. Short said the problem is trash being left on the ground.

Drale Short: I'm talking about plastic bags that are coming out of households that didn't fit in the original cart. Okay? They've got more than one cart worth of waste out there to pick up. That's our nemesis. We wouldn't have to send another truck out if we required everyone to put everything in a cart.

Orlando Montoya: The messy situation has prompted many residents to vent on social media and to city councilors. Short said residents should call 311 if they have a problem.

Orlando Montoya: And that's it for today's edition of Georgia Today. If you'd like to learn more about the stories that you hear on this podcast, visit gpb.org/news. I'll also point out GPB.org/lawmakers. As the Legislature is in session, we bring you the latest from under the Gold Dome each night at 7 on GPB-TV and GPB.org/Lawmakers will get you to that program. We cover the state legislature like no one else. If you haven't yet, hit subscribe on this podcast, please do so right now to help you keep us current in your feed. If you have feedback for us, let us know at Georgia Today@gpb.org. I'm Orlando Montoya. It's been a busy day, but we'll be back again to keep you informed tomorrow.

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For more on these stories and more, go to GPB.org/news