Georgia Today: MTG introduces legislation to end USAID; Ossoff's warning on Musk; Ga. health report

Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast from GPB News. Today is Monday, Feb. 10. I'm Peter Biello. On this podcast, you'll hear the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. You can send story tips and feedback to GeorgiaToday@GPB.org. On today's episode, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene introduces Legislation to abolish USAID. U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff warns of a possible national security risk regarding your data. In a new report highlights the way where you live in Georgia could determine your health.

Dr. Biplab Dutta: We know there is an urban rural gap because of resources. We need to do something to close this gap.

Peter Biello: These stories and more are coming up on this edition of Georgia Today.

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A medical practitioner holds a clipboard.

Credit: File

Story 1:

Peter Biello: The annual Healthy Georgia report from Augusta University School of Public Health suggests Georgia is not so healthy. While having some improvements in rates of cancer and drug use, as GPB Sofi Gratas reports, other findings around preventable diseases may be cause for concern.

Sofi Gratas: For instance, data on sexually transmitted diseases were considered for the first time in the report's history. Georgia was found to rank higher than other Southeastern states for rates of gonorrhea and chlamydia. Researchers also found more people living with more than one chronic disease. These multimorbidities have been especially tough to treat post-COVID. Dr. Biplab Dutta of Augusta University says as disease rates go up everywhere, where people live still plays an unequal role.

Dr. Biplab Dutta: We know there is an urban-rural gap because of resources, but there is no improvement. So that's my point. We need to do something to close this gap.

Sofi Gratas: Plus, Dutta says, continued erosion of trust for public health means fewer people are seeing doctors and the public could be sicker than we know. For GPB News, I'm Sofi Gratas.

Story 2:

Peter Biello: Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has introduced legislation to abolish USAID. In her statement on the legislation filed Friday, Greene says the move is part of her commitment to eliminate wasteful government spending. The legislation was filed the same day a federal judge ordered a temporary halt on President Trump's plans to pull thousands of agency staffers off the job. Trump administration appointees and billionaire Elon Musk's teams have shut down almost all funding for the agency, stopping aid and development programs worldwide. Some programs whose funding has been stopped include those aimed at buying enough American-grown food to feed millions of people and water aid programs for Sudan's Darfur region. The bill has a dozen co-sponsors, all Republican, and has been referred to the committees on Foreign Affairs and Appropriations.

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Jon Ossoff

Credit: AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades, File

Story 3:

Peter Biello: U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff is warning that billionaire Elon Musk's access to Americans' sensitive personal information could create a national security risk. GPB's Orlando Montoya reports.

Orlando Montoya: Ossoff is a member of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee. He and other senators are urging the White House to address the dangers of giving Musk's staff access to classified information and sensitive government data. President Trump has tapped Musk to cut federal spending. A federal judge on Saturday blocked Musk's staff from accessing Treasury Department records that contain sensitive personal data such as Social Security and bank account numbers for millions of Americans. In their letter, Ossoff and others argue Congress has not been told who those staff members are, what exactly they're doing and under what authority they're doing it. Top Trump administration officials, including Musk and Vice President J.D. Vance over the weekend questioned the judge's authority to check what Vance on Sunday called, quote, "the executive's legitimate power." For GPB News, I'm Orlando Montoya.

​​​​​​​Story 4:

Peter Biello: According to a new poll from Gallup and Emory University, people prioritize health care, safe food and water and the reduction of chronic diseases like high blood pressure and heart disease. GPB's Ellen Eldridge has more.

Ellen Eldridge: More than 2,000 people shared their views on public health priorities, progress and sources of trusted information as part of the poll. Dr. Steven Patrick is with Emory's Rollins School of Public Health. He says while pandemic preparedness was not a top concern, he worries about local disease outbreaks like measles and avian flu.

Dr. Steven Patrick: When we see funding for agencies stop or we see data transmissions stop, that will trickle down into what's happening in every community that ultimately keeps us safe. When public health works, you don't hear anything about it. When it doesn't, you start to hear something about it.

Ellen Eldridge: Patrick says the top three trusted sources were health care providers, doctors and nurses, and scientific research. For GPB News, I'm Ellen Eldridge.

​​​​​​​Story 5:

Peter Biello: The Georgia Public Service Commission will hold three public hearings on Georgia Power's 2025 Integrated Resource Plan. The IRP is Georgia Power's plan for how it generates electricity for the next two decades, and it must be approved by the state. Part of the approval process includes public hearings scheduled for late March and late May and a rebuttal hearing in late June.

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The Mossy Branch Energy Facility is located in Talbot County, Ga. The 65 MW plant can power up to 55,000 homes.

Credit: Georgia Power

​​​​​​​Story 6:

Peter Biello: A clean energy company is abandoning a plan to build a giant electric battery factory in metro Atlanta after it shifted to buy a solar panel plant in Texas. Freyr Battery told officials in Newnan last week that it would not build a $2.6 billion plant that was supposed to hire more than 700 people. It would have been the second-largest battery factory worldwide when announced in 2023. But Freyer never began construction. Georgia officials say the company is working to repay $7 million that was conveyed to buy the site.

​​​​​​​Story 7:

Peter Biello: The Atlanta Beltline Partnership has appointed a new board chair. Beth Chandler, the chief legal officer at pest control company Rollins, is taking the helm of the nonprofit that supports the Beltline through fundraising and other initiatives. The Atlanta Beltline is a 22-mile pedestrian- and bike-friendly path encircling the city that is expected to be completed by 2030. Chandler takes over for Cathy Farrell, who served for two years.

​​​​​​​Story 8:

Peter Biello: In sports: In the NFL, former Georgia defensive tackle Jaylen Carter has become a Super Bowl champion. Carter was a member of last night's Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles, who prevented a three-peat for the Kansas City Chiefs. And in the NBA, Atlanta guard Trae Young is headed to the NBA All-Star Game after all. Commissioner Adam Silver announced today that he added Young to the all-star roster as an injury replacement. Young was originally displeased when he was not picked for the game through the balloting for the starters or the coaches' selections of reserve players.

Peter Biello: And that is a wrap on Georgia Today. But we've got more news coming your way tomorrow. So don't forget to subscribe to this podcast and make sure you go to GPB.org/news for all the latest updates. I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow. 

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