Georgia Today: VP Harris visits Atlanta; Voting machine checks in Bibb County; New Hank Aaron stamp

Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast from GPB News. Today is Wednesday, July 31. I'm Peter Biello. On today's episode, Vice President Kamala Harris energizes Georgia voters with a stop in Atlanta. The Georgia Secretary of State's office holds surprise voting machine checks in Bibb County, and a new stamp celebrates baseball legend Hank Aaron. These stories and more are coming up on this edition of Georgia Today.

Story 1:

Peter Biello: Vice President Kamala Harris was in Atlanta last night for a rally to energize Georgia voters. GPB's Sarah Kallis reports.

Sarah Kallis: Harris's high-energy rally at Georgia State University's Convocation Center featured a performance from singer Megan Thee Stallion and speeches from Stacey Abrams, Atlanta mayor Andre Dickens, U.S. Rep. Nikki Williams and Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. Thousands of enthusiastic supporters were there to hear Harris's presidential pitch to Georgia voters. In her 20-minute speech, she advocated for abortion access and slammed former President Donald Trump's border policies and criminal record.

Kamala Harris: So Georgia, today, I ask you, are you ready to get to work? Do we believe in freedom? Do we believe in opportunity? Do we believe in the promise of America? And are we ready to fight for it?

Sarah Kallis: Sarah Dickson, from Gwinnett County, said Harris's message resonated with her.

Sarah Dickson: I just feel this swell of energy and I feel the tide turning and I feel so hopeful. Yeah, I haven't felt that in a while.

Sarah Kallis: Trump and Sen. J.D. Vance are set to hold a rally on Saturday in the same location as Harris's rally. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kallis in Atlanta.

Credit: Stephen Fowler/GPB News

Story 2:

Peter Biello: Ahead of the November election, Georgia's secretary of state's office is making surprise spot checks of county boards of elections to ensure voting machines are working fairly and accurately. GPB's Grant Blankenship explains.

Grant Blankenship: The office is testing ballot marking devices where you actually cast your vote, making sure that QR symbol encoding a vote is read the same way by both a county-level scanner and a scanner loaded up with ballot data by the secretary of state's office. This ensures no election worker can change a vote. Last year, this test was performed in all 159 counties, and each county passed. So far this year, Cobb, Chatham, and Bibb counties have all been tested and passed again. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger was on hand for the Bibb County test. He says the test should also reassure voters of the integrity of election workers.

Brad Raffensperger: They're not looking left, not looking right. Their job is to do their jobs, to follow the law, follow the Constitution.

Grant Blankenship: At least 12 more Georgia counties will have surprise tests of their voting machines in coming weeks. For GPB News, I'm Grant Blankenship in Macon.

Story 3:

Peter Biello: State School Superintendent Richard Woods is apologizing for failing to communicate effectively about why he's not recommending adding an Advanced Placement African American Studies course to the state's curriculum offerings. But in a statement today, Woods says he isn't changing his mind about the course. He says he believes it violates the so-called "divisive concepts" law passed by a majority Republican state lawmakers two years ago, adding that while there are a few areas of concern, the topic of intersectionality, quote, "raises the highest level of concern." However, Woods says that an argument could be made that a course that presented comparative narratives with opposing views might not be in violation of the law.

Story 4:

Peter Biello: An Atlanta man has pleaded guilty in federal court to making threats against Rome congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. Court records show 34-year-old Sean Patrick Cirillo pleaded guilty yesterday to a charge of transmitting interstate threats. Prosecutors say Cirillo phoned Greene's Washington office with threats in November.

Story 5:

Peter Biello: A Georgia-based online career training company has agreed to wipe out $43 million in student loan debt to settle charges of deceptive advertising. The Federal Trade Commission said CareerStep, based in Norcross, northeast of Atlanta, falsely touted its job placement outcomes and corporate partnerships. The settlement, announced yesterday, also includes a $15 million cash payment to affected students, many of whom were military service members.

Caption

Giuliani

Credit: AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File

Story 6:

Peter Biello: Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has agreed to a last-minute deal to end his personal bankruptcy case. The former adviser to former President Donald Trump also has agreed to pay about $400,000 to a financial adviser hired by his creditors. Those creditors include two former Georgia election workers, who won a $148 million defamation judgment over Giuliani's false claims of ballot fraud and Trump's 2020 election loss. The agreement was filed today in a federal bankruptcy court in New York.

Story 7:

Peter Biello: A Georgia-based global health organization has announced a new president and CEO. Map International in Brunswick, in Southeast Georgia, says it's selected Chris Palumbo to lead the nonprofit. Palumbo recently served as CEO of the Tennessee-based medication Access group dispensary of Hope. He'll take over from retiring president and CEO Steve Sterling on Aug. 26. Map International in June celebrated 70 years of providing humanitarian relief. The organization says it delivered 6 million pounds of medicine to people in countries around the world in 2023.

Story 8:

Peter Biello: In news from the Olympic Games in Paris. Serbia defeated Puerto Rico in basketball 170 to 66 today in a game that featured two players with Georgia connections. Bogdan Bogdanovic of the Atlanta Hawks captains the Serbian team. Georgia Tech alumnus Jose Alvarado of the New Orleans Pelicans plays for Puerto Rico. The Atlanta Dream's Rhyne Howard and Norcross native Dearica Hamby of Los Angeles Sparks are on the Team USA women's basketball team, playing Azerbaijan in a game that was scheduled to begin at 3:30. In tennis, Atlanta native Coco Gauff lost in women's doubles today after her tearful exit in singles yesterday.

Story 9:

Peter Biello: Next Wednesday, the first 15,000 fans through the gates at Truist Park for the Braves/Brewers game will receive a 7-inch vinyl record featuring Spencer Striders favorite Atlanta bands: Trash Panda, Dinnertime and Lunar Vacation. Strider is not just an outstanding starting pitcher, he's also a huge music fan. The game will be followed by a special performance by all three bands hosted by Strider, who recently spoke with GPB's Jeremy Powell on the Peach Jam podcast for a special bonus episode.

Spencer Strider: I mean, Lunar Vacation is a group that I've loved forever since since they released their first EP. You know, in like 2017-18. So super excited to share them with Atlanta. I didn't realize for a long time that they were from Atlanta. So that was like a, a just another validation of of of how much I liked them.

Jeremy Powell: Okay. Tell me about the others.

Spencer Strider: Yeah. So Dinnertime. A group that I came to know because of looking for Atlanta music. Shortly after I identified Lunar Vacation was — was an Atlanta group, I thought, "well shoot, how many you know of these bands that I listen to are from — from Atlanta. Dinnertime was one that was another, like, cool indie sound and — big Braves fans as well. So they are — they have just released their third full-length album. But then Trash Panda is — you know, when we started talking about this final giveaway, you know, trying to find sort of lesser-known indie Atlanta bands, artists, they were one of the first ones that came up in that search and just — just super unique, very groovy, funky sound. Great musicians and they had just released their second full-length last year. And shortly after finding them that came out. And so that was — that was  cool, kind of first exposure to them. And, big fan of their — their work.

Peter Biello: You can hear the full conversation with Spencer Strider about his love of local music and vinyl records on the Peach Jam podcast and GPB.org/podcasts. You can also find it wherever you get your podcasts.

Story 10:

Peter Biello: Stamp collectors and baseball fans converged on Truist Park in Atlanta this morning to witness the unveiling of the new Hank Aaron Stamp. The design of the "Forever" stamp, featuring the legendary slugger in his batting stance, is a digital rendering of Aaron, based on a 1974 photo. Collectors at the park had the opportunity to have the first issue of the stamp canceed with the Truist Park ZIP code. Kendall Xides of Decatur was among the first to purchase the commemorative stamp.

Kendall Xides: I just think I'm going to get emotional but —  He did so much for baseball in to now see that he's honored with a stamp is — is pretty special.

Peter Biello: 84-year-old Arthur McNeal has been collecting stamps since he was 6 years old. He drove up to Atlanta from Ocala, Fla. for the unveiling. He calls Aaron an American hero.

Arthur McNeal: Man, he broke Babe Ruth's home run record. He was a good citizen, and he did a lot for youth.

Peter Biello: Aaron is remembered as a trailblazer who faced threats of racist violence as he closed in on Ruth's record 50 years ago. The stamps are now available at the Postal Store on the USPS website.

Peter Biello: And that is all we've got for this edition of Georgia Today. We do appreciate you tuning in. If you want to learn more about any of these stories, or see some photos from today's unveiling of the Hank Aaron stamp, go to GPB.org/news. And remember to subscribe to this podcast. We're going to be back in your podcast feed tomorrow with all the top stories from the state. And if there's a story we've missed or some feedback we should hear about, send it to us by email. We do read your emails. The address is GeorgiaToday@GPB.org. I'm Peter Biello. Thank you 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