Georgia Today: Fulton County Jail and DOJ reach agreement; The musical life of Jimmy Carter

Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast from GPB News. Today is Friday, Jan. 3. I'm Peter Biello. On today's episode, the Fulton County Jail and the Justice Department reached an agreement. The founder of SCAD gets a Presidential Medal of Freedom. And we'll take a look at the musical life of former President Jimmy Carter. These stories and more are coming up on this edition of Georgia Today.

 

Story 1:

Peter Biello: The U.S. Justice Department and Atlanta's Fulton County have entered into a court enforceable agreement aimed at taming the violent and filthy conditions at the county jail. A judge still has to approve the proposed consent decree announced by both parties today. It would resolve what the DOJ identified as constitutional violations at the jail through staffing, health care, housekeeping and other improvements.

 

Story 2:

Peter Biello: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is moving forward with the plan to expand the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. The agency announced the move today after it received an enthusiastic reception during a 55-day public comment period. The swamp's supporters hope expanding the refuge boundaries will help sink a proposed titanium mine. An Alabama company, Twin Pines Minerals, is seeking state permits for the mine near the refuge.

Caption

Former President Jimmy Carter plays his custom made Kostal guitar outside his home in Plains, Ga.

Credit: Jason Kostal

Story 3:

Peter Biello: Former President Jimmy Carter was known as an environmentalist. One way he demonstrated this was by planting an orchard of fast-growing Empress trees on his farm in the 1990s. 30 years later, he cut one down and had it made into a guitar. GPB's Ellen Eldridge has more.

Ellen Eldridge: Carter, a three-time Grammy Award-winning president, promoted Empress as an alternative to traditional tonewoods for stringed instruments, which are becoming harder to find. Jason Kostal is the luthier who built Carter's guitar. He says he most respected President Carter's military service and wanted to honor that artistically.

Jason Kostal: My alma mater, West Point, our colors are black and gold. And so I trimmed the guitar in black so that it basically pays tribute to both of our services and both of our alma maters.

Ellen Eldridge: Kostal says he, quote, "punked" Carter by writing "Beat Navy" on the back of the guitar in Morse code, to which Carter, a Navy veteran, reminded him which team had been winning. For GPB News, I'm Ellen Eldridge.

 

Story 4:

Peter Biello: Commissioning a guitar for himself was just one sign of a president who loved music. Jimmy Carter was a music champion who earned the early and loyal support of musicians, including, famously, the Macon-based Southern rockers The Allman Brothers. GPB spoke with journalist Alan Paul, who has written two biographies of the band.

Alan Paul: As much as the Allman Brothers and other musicians helped Jimmy Carter and helped him become president, he also shone a light on them and gave them respect in a way that mattered. It mattered tremendously to them. And so Jimmy Carter, in addition to everything else as a president, an American leader and an international leader, was just a tremendous advocate for music and musicians. It's something that I think should always be remembered about him.

Peter Biello: Carter enjoyed rock, country, jazz, blues, gospel and so many more styles of music that he brought with him into the White House. He was accompanied by music his entire life. Former GPB reporter Stephen Fowler, now with NPR, brings us some of the sounds of the late former president.

Stephen Fowler: He may not have played saxophone like Bill Clinton or composed piano tunes like Richard Nixon, but music has played an important role in Jimmy Carter’s life from the start. 

MUSIC

Stephen Fowler: When Carter joined the Navy as a young man, a frequent sound at the academy was the Navy hymn, "Eternal Father Strong to Save." Written as a poem in 1860, the song was also a favorite of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and also performed at the Capitol where John F. Kennedy’s body would lie in state.

C. Edward Spann, author of a book on presidential hymns, writes that Carter, a lifelong Baptist, asked the Navy Glee Club to perform the number at his state funeral as well.

While governor of Georgia, Carter supported anti-piracy legislation and became acquainted with the musicians of Macon’s Capricorn Records like Otis Redding, Charlie Daniels and the Allman Brothers, heard here performing their song "Hotlanta."

MUSIC

Stephen Fowler: Carter’s run for president struck a chord with many musicians: The Allman Brothers held campaign concerts, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s Robert Shaw wrote a $1,000 check and folk singer Oscar Brand sang the campaign song “Why Not The Best?”

Carter’s appreciation for music extended far beyond hymns and Southern rock songs, as a 1978 jazz concert at the White House brought to light.

Everyone from Herbie Hancock to Dizzy Gillespie played, and the latter invited Carter up to the stage to perform the vocals to the tune “Salt Peanuts,” as heard on this clip from the BBC:

MUSIC

Stephen Fowler: Carter told The New York Times then that he had been listening to jazz from a young age and called it an art form that helped break down racial barriers.

MUSIC

Stephen Fowler: Jimmy Carter had also been the subject of many musical odes, ranging in style from disco ...

MUSIC

Stephen Fowler: …to a western-ish tone poem.

MUSIC

Stephen Fowler: It’s not just from his time in office, either. Consider this 2011 song from Louisiana rapper Lil Wayne fittingly called “President Carter.”

MUSIC

Stephen Fowler: Jimmy Carter stayed lifelong friends with many musicians who impacted his life, like Willie Nelson. Hearkening back to his Baptist roots, one of his favorite songs to sing is the hymn "Amazing Grace."

Here’s a YouTube recording of Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, singing with their friend Willie Nelson at a recent concert in Atlanta:

MUSIC

Stephen Fowler: So, any time you see pictures of the former president building a house with Habitat for Humanity or speaking out about global issues, just know that he was probably doing it with a song in his heart. For GPB News, I'm Stephen Fowler.

Story 5:

Peter Biello: Part of former President Jimmy Carter's legacy can likely be found at any number of craft breweries throughout the country. In 1978, Carter signed a bill ending the prohibition on homebrewing beer. As states gradually followed suit, Georgia legalized the hobby in the 1990s. Homebrewing grew in popularity and helped create new generations of craft beer entrepreneurs. With me to discuss this aspect of Carter's legacy is Charlie Papazian, the author of The Complete Joy of Homebrewing. Charlie Papazian, thank you so much for speaking with me. Before Carter signed the legislation lifting the federal prohibition on homebrewing. What was it like for home brewers who were trying to learn the craft?

Charlie Papazian: Well, the fact that homebrewing was illegal really didn't stop the beer enthusiasts at the time. We knew that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms had a lot more important things to do. And then, you know, they've come out and indicated that they weren't interested in prosecuting homebrewers who were making beer for their own personal use.

Peter Biello: As far as I understand it, they actually came to one of the classes that you were teaching, right? You had a ATF agent show up?

Charlie Papazian: Well, allegedly, yes.

Peter Biello: You never got confirmation of that?

Charlie Papazian: Well, I was teaching homebrew classes here in Boulder, Colo., in the 1970s. And I got a warning that somebody suspicious had registered for my class. And this guy showed up with dark slack pants, a white shirt and a black necktie. And he probably was the only person dressed like that for miles around. And he came to the class. I knew he was going to be coming. And I just gave my ordinary spiel that, you know, the ATF, the government has better things to do than arrest homebrewers, just — you make homebrew, make it for your own personal use and definitely don't sell it. And then I went on with teaching the glass and he rolled up his sleeves and learned how to make beer in the two classes that he showed up in.

Peter Biello: What was your reaction when Carter signed the bill lifting the prohibition on homebrewing?

Charlie Papazian: I was really happy that it happened. But I'll tell you, a lot of my homebrewing students that had taken my class, they said, "Oh, nuts. Now that it's legal, it's not going to be as much fun." But it turned out that it's really a blast and I'm still brewing after 50 years.

Peter Biello: And in addition to the hobby staying fun, as fun as it ever was, what other changes happened to the hobby once the bill was signed lifting the prohibition?

Charlie Papazian: Well, the bill really had some serious effects, positively, on the quality and the quantity of and the variety of beer-making supplies, ingredients, equipment. The ingredients became more fresh as people were able to really learn about homebrewing and access these ingredients. But what really inhibited things was the ability to get together and have homebrew competitions and homebrew events and share your knowledge and your beer with others. And that's what the legislation really addressed more seriously than the ability to make it at home. It was the ability to share it with your friends and go to club meetings and conferences and competitions and learn about the art and science of homebrewing.

Peter Biello: So what was the impact of finally being allowed to have those conferences and those competitions?

Charlie Papazian: Well, in those days there was very little homebrew knowledge available. There weren't very many books. Mine was one of the few. So we had to rely on each other's experiences and the sharing of knowledge one-on-one with each other. So it was pretty damn important that we be able to get together and taste each other's beer and talk about what we were tasting or what was good about our beers and what was not so good about our beers. And that was the whole foundation of the culture of homebrewing was the sharing of knowledge. And it continues to this day, not only with homebrewing but the foundation of and the idea of collaboration and sharing information really has spilled over to the professional craft beer and brewing movement as well. So it was homebrewers that were really driving the craft beer movement throughout the '70s, '80s, '90s and even today. A lot of the innovation that we see has its foundation in some homebrewer's home brewery.

Peter Biello: Well as we raise a pint to President Carter, Charlie Papazian, thank you so much for speaking with me. I really appreciate it.

Charlie Papazian: Thanks for having me, Peter. It's fun. Too bad we couldn't be sharing a beer while we were doing this.

Peter Biello: We'll make sure to do that next time. Thank you so much. That's Charlie Papazian. He's the author of The Complete Joy of Homebrewing. And we've been speaking about the late President Jimmy Carter's impact on homebrewing as a hobby and the craft beer industry.

 

Story 6:

Peter Biello: While the data show fewer people are dying from opioid overdoses, the supply of the deadly drugs entering the country shows no signs of slowing down. GPB's Sofi Gratas has more.

Sofi Gratas: Nationally, synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl, now cause more overdose deaths than any other illicit drug. This year, the Drug Enforcement Agencies Atlanta Division, which covers Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, seized almost 600 pounds of fentanyl powder and more than double the amount of pills containing illicit fentanyl than it did last year. That's about 40,000 pills. Special Agent Robert Murphy with the Atlanta DEA says trends indicate that number will grow, as will the influx of synthetic drugs from overseas.

Robert Murphy: It's all going to be synthetic drugs. It's extremely cheap, very profitable for cartels, and it's endless combinations.

Sofi Gratas: Plus they're easy to smuggle. That also poses a problem for regulation, as synthetic drugs can be easily mixed with other legal drugs. For GPB News, I'm Sofi Gratas.

 

Story 7:

Peter Biello: President Joe Biden honored the president and founder of the Savannah College of Art and Design at a White House ceremony last night. GPB's Benjamin Payne reports.

Benjamin Payne: Paula Wallace was among 20 recipients of the Presidential Citizen's Medal, the second-highest honor a civilian can earn behind only the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Wallace founded the Savannah College of Art and Design out of a dilapidated armory building downtown in 1978. Since then, she's grown the college from an obscure art school with just a few dozen students to a sprawling, nationally renowned institution with roughly 18,000 students. Speaking at the White House, Biden called Wallace a lifelong educator and trailblazer of the arts.

Joe Biden: Our democracy begins and ends the duties of citizenship. That's our work for the ages and it's what all of you — and I mean this — all of you embody.

Benjmain Payne: Honorees also included former U.S. congresswoman Liz Cheney and lawyer Mary Bonauto, who fought to legalize same-sex marriage. For GPB News, I'm Benjamin Payne in Savannah.

 

Story 8:

Peter Biello: The National Weather Service says it is still too early to tell whether North Georgia will see any snow next week. The region had been abuzz the past few days with long-term forecasts showing a mix of very cold weather and possible precipitation on Thursday or Friday. But meteorologist David Nadler of the agency's Peachtree City office says modeling winter storms this far out gives him little confidence in those forecasts.

David Nadler: You could look at one model, you know, one minute and it shows whatever, a ridiculous amount of snow over Atlanta. And then the next run, six hours later, it could be completely dry. So that kind of flip flopping, you know, happens. It's not unusual.

Peter Biello: He says forecasters will have a better idea of what might happen Thursday or Friday by Sunday or Monday.

Credit: File photo

Story 9:

Peter Biello: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. On April 16, 1925, former Atlanta Mayor Walter Sims signed a five-year lease to create the airport out of an abandoned racetrack. Arthur Brice with Georgia Trend magazine says the airport was an early success.

Arthur Brice: By 1930, they were already the third-largest, third-busiest airport in the nation behind New York and Chicago. And it just grew. It just took off.

Peter Biello: To mark the centennial, the airport's iconic lighted canopy now displays ATL 100, a tribute that will shine throughout most of the year. Later this month, Atlanta's current and former mayors will gather to share their memories of the historic hub.

 

Story 10:

Peter Biello: Developers are planning a $17 billion datacenter complex in metro Atlanta's Coweta County. Plans submitted to state and county officials this week proposed 13 buildings consuming a massive amount of electricity and water and juicing local tax coffers by $1.5 billion. It's unclear what company or companies will use the facility.

 

Story 11:

Peter Biello: In sports, the Bulldogs ended their run in the College Football Playoff in a 23 to 10 loss to Notre Dame yesterday in the Sugar Bowl. The game was rescheduled from Wednesday because of the terrorist attack that killed 14 people in New Orleans. Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart says he doesn't regret aggressive offense play calls that backfired during the game. Smart was frequently outmaneuvered by Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman. The loss ended Georgia's season with an 11-3 record and an SEC championship.

 

 And that is it for this edition of Georgia Today. If you want to learn more about any of these stories, visit GPB.org/news. And as the nation prepares to say goodbye to former President Jimmy Carter, join me and Morning Edition host Pamela Kirkland Saturday afternoon for special coverage of Carter's final journey. We will bring you the stories and reflections that honor his remarkable legacy. That's Saturday at 3 p.m. on GPB. And you can stream it at GPB.org. If you haven't subscribed to this podcast yet, take a moment. Do it now. That'll keep us current in your podcast feed. And if you've got feedback, we would love to hear from you. Send us an email. The address is GeorgiaToday@GPB.org. I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening. Have a great weekend. 

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