Georgia Today: Trump rallies in Cobb; Early voting continues; Sapelo Island referendum cancelled

Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast from GPB News. Today is Wednesday, Oct. 16. I'm Peter Biello. On today's episode, former President Donald Trump hosts a rally in Cobb County. Voters tell us why they decided to head to the polls. And Gullah Geechee Community members react to the cancellation of a referendum that would have had big consequences for Sapelo Island. These stories and more are coming up on this edition of Georgia Today.

Story 1:

Peter Biello: With less than three weeks until Election Day, former President Donald Trump spent last night in Georgia promising mass deportations and lower taxes. GPB's Sarah Kalis reports. 

Sarah Kallis: Trump's rally in Cobb County drew more than 2,000 people on the first day of early voting. He arrived late after speaking at a Fox News town hall for women in Cumming. His rally speech focused on immigration, the economy and voting.

Donald Trump: Three weeks from tonight, the people of Georgia are going to end Kamala Harris' reign of failure.

Sarah Kallis: Trump also praised Governor Brian Kemp, who was not in attendance, and other GOP leaders. Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to make an appearance in Atlanta this weekend. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kallis in Cobb County.

Story 2:

Peter Biello: Early voting began yesterday in Georgia and voters showed out in record numbers. We've been sharing clips of voters from all over Georgia, talking about why they chose to participate. Jude Blassingale of Savannah shared why she decided to vote the first day she could.

Jude Blassingale: First, I'm just afraid of the political climate this time around. It doesn't seem so safe. So I want to do it very, very early. And then the weather is unpredictable, so I don't want to leave anything to those two factors.

Peter Biello: Lila Black-Berlon of Savannah, says the country's politics have become too divided.

Lila Black-Berlon: I think I might have enjoyed not being in a battleground state, honestly. There's just a lot of tension here, even within families and friend groups and at work. I think that people, at least in my experience the last several weeks, have sort of agreed not to talk about it. And that seems the opposite of a democracy.

Peter Biello: Betsy Robbins lives in Atlanta and voted early. She says she's been anxious to vote.

Betsy Robbins: Some of the issues that are important to me are democracy, abortion rights, climate change and just the future of America. I think this is a very, very important election.

Peter Biello: You can learn more about how you can cast your ballot at MVP.SOS.GA.Gov, and you can keep track of the latest Georgia news on the elections by visiting GPB.org/election.

Story 3:

Peter Biello: Among those who voted today, former President Jimmy Carter. The Carter Center confirmed the 100-year-old Georgia Democrat cast his ballot by mail today. The Center provided no other details. But prior to his centennial earlier this month, his family had said that Carter was looking forward to living long enough to vote for Kamala Harris for president. Except for attending the memorial service for his late wife, first lady Rosalynn Carter, the former president has remained at home in Plains since entering hospice care 19 months ago.

Story 4:

Peter Biello: Only about 1% of Georgia voters challenged on their qualifications to vote actually have been disqualified. That's according to an Associated Press survey released today. The AP says at least 63,000 voters have been challenged across 45 counties since July. Fewer than 800 of them have been removed from the rolls. Atlanta state representative, Democrat Saira Draper, told the state election board earlier this month the challenges were about sowing doubt about election accuracy.

Saira Draper: We are amplifying lies and misunderstandings — fundamental misunderstandings — of how election law works.

Peter Biello: The State Election Board's executive director says local election boards have been dismissing thousands of challenges, quote, "arbitrarily."

Story 5:

Peter Biello: A judge has blocked a new rule the State Election Board passed last month that requires Georgia Election Day ballots to be counted by hand after the close of voting. In a ruling late yesterday, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney wrote that the so-called hand count rule, quote, "is too much, too late," and he blocked its enforcement while he considers the merits of the case. It came a day after McBurney ruled county election officials must certify election results by the deadline set in law. That's 5 p.m. on the Monday after an election or the Tuesday if the Monday is a holiday, as it is this year.

Caption

Some residents east of Atlanta were evacuated and others told to shelter in place after a fire at a chemical plant Sept. 29, 2024.

Credit: Rockdale County via X

Story 6:

Peter Biello: The Georgia Bureau of Investigation will not perform an autopsy on the Rockdale County environmental official who collapsed and died after testifying at the state capitol about the BioLab fire. An agency spokesperson says the decision was made after discussions with the family of Kenny Johnson. In a video, his wife, Shamita Johnson, asked for patience and privacy and expressed her, quote, "profound grief."

Shamita Johnson: I just want to say to everyone that the weight of my husband, Kenny Arnold Johnson's passing has me grappling with grief that is profound. I'm not sure how to express it. And I know we all share in his sorrow — and have so many questions surrounding his sudden departure. While we grieve, I ask for you to be patient and understanding. And when the moment is right, we'll share more. But until then, we ask that you please respect our privacy as we mourn this unimaginable loss. Thank you so much.

Peter Biello: Kenny Johnson was a 62-year-old soil and water supervisor. He'd complained of breathing problems before collapsing on Oct. 8. He and others had responded to the fire and subsequent chemical plume at BioLab's Conyers factory, which continues to impact the community.

Story 7:

Peter Biello: The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved more than $119 million for more than 118,000 Georgia residents impacted by Hurricane Helene. The disaster relief numbers from the White House today include help going to individuals for things like diapers or food and public entities for things like debris removal. As of this week, FEMA has four disaster recovery centers open in Georgia. Those are in Valdosta, Douglas, Sandersville and Augusta. And yesterday, the agency said qualified Georgia renters can ask for help with needs caused by both Hurricane Helene and Tropical Storm Debby. Those include temporary lodging, basic home repairs, vehicle damage and personal property loss. Eligible renters have to be uninsured and live in counties covered by a disaster declaration. The federal assistance for renters mirrors that being offered to homeowners and business owners.

Story 8:

Peter Biello: Georgia's suspension of its 32-cent per gallon gasoline tax will end at midnight tonight. Gov. Brian Kemp signed an executive order yesterday to end the suspension 16 days after it went into effect. The measure was aimed at relieving the effects of Hurricane Helene, especially for those relying on gas fueled generators during widespread and prolonged power outages.

Story 9:

Peter Biello: Voters in Southeast Georgia's Macintosh County would have voted this month on a referendum to undo zoning changes allowing bigger houses to be built on Sapelo Island. It's home to Hogg Hummock, one of the nation's last intact Gullah-Geechee communities, where many descendants of enslaved West Africans worry that larger homes will lead to higher property taxes, effectively pricing them off the island. A judge recently canceled the referendum, saying it violates Georgia's constitution. GPB's Benjamin Payne traveled to Sapelo Island and spoke with Gullah Geechee community members.

Benjamin Payne: There is no bridge to supply the island. The only way to get there is by boat. I board a ferry run by the state and, after the half-hour ride, meet up with J.R. Grovner, who grew up on Sapelo Island in the 80s.

J.R. Grovner: When I was young, we had 150 people on the island. Now we're down to 28 full-time residents. No telling what it looks like 20 years from now.

Benjamin Payne: Grovner is staunchly opposed to the recent rezoning of Sapelo's Hogg Hummock neighborhood. Passed last year by McIntosh County's majority-white Board of Commissioners, the rezoning more than doubles the maximum legal size of new buildings here from 1,400 square feet to 3,000. J.R.'s mother, Yvonne Grovner, is also against it.

Yvonne Grovnor: You know what they gonna do? They gonna push our taxes up. If people want to build a house 3,000 square feet. tell them to go to St Simons. Go to Hilton Head. Not Sapelo.

Benjamin Payne: If developers build 3,000-square-foot houses, the local property tax assessor may say the lots next to the big houses have higher property values, and higher property values in turn mean higher property taxes. Small homes are already rising in price. Last year, shortly after the zoning change took effect, a 900-square-foot house in Hogg Hummock sold for half a million dollars.

Reginald Hall: The zoning has an ability to eradicate more of the population, as if it hadn't already been destroyed enough.

Benjamin Payne: That's Sapelo descendant Reginald Hall, who still has a house in Hogg Hummock. Based on research he conducted into home ownership trends here, he expects the zoning change will price out 70% of remaining residents through higher property taxes.

Reginald Hall: On top of that, our children's children can never afford to come back here. As of April this year, a half acre with a 1,500-square-foot house on a sold for $800,000. I never thought in my lifetime I would see that.

Benjamin Payne: And in April of last year, a half acre of empty land sold for $210,000. Hall was among the roughly 800 McIntosh County residents who cast early ballots last month in a referendum to revert to the 1,400 square foot limit. But before the referendum could be held in October, a state judge invalidated it, siding with McIntosh County commissioners, who challenged the ballot measure on technical grounds. Down the dirt road from Hall's house, I meet Sapelo Island descendant James Banks, outside a community center for Gullah Geechee activists.

James Banks: My ancestors' background: They had limited education, basically no money. But one thing they did have was the land on Sapelo. So I think it's imperative that we work together to preserve what our ancestors established and left for us as inheritors. There's no other place like it to me in the world.

Benjamin Payne: James's cousin, Richard Banks, agrees.

Richard Banks: To me, it's a safe place. I'm a retired military veteran, served in combat. But when I come back to this island, it has a calming effect on me, my family, and everyone that come and visit. We don't want to change that. We don't want to change that. I have my grandfather, my father, siblings that's buried on this island. And it's important that we just maintain and keep it intact the way it is.

Benjamin Payne: Descendants say they will appeal the judge's ruling to invalidate the referendum and will continue the fight to ward off large-scale development here. For GPB News, I'm Benjamin Payne on Sapelo Island.

Peter Biello: And that is it for this edition of Georgia Today. Thanks so much for tuning in. If you want to learn more about any of these stories, visit GPB.org/news. And remember to subscribe to this podcast. We're going to bring you the latest news tomorrow on the podcast, and we don't want you to miss it. When you subscribe, we will pop up automatically in your podcast feed. And if you've got feedback for us or a story you think we should be pursuing, let us know by email. The address is GeorgiaToday@GPB.org. I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.

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