Georgia Today: Declining cotton production; Dickens gives State of the City address; Teacher shortage

Orlando Montoya: Hello and welcome to the Georgia Today podcast from GPB News. Today is Wednesday, Feb. 26. I'm Orlando Montoya. This podcast features the latest reports from the GPB News team. You can send feedback or story tips to us at GeorgiaToday@GPB.org. Coming up on this episode: Georgia cotton growers are projected to grow 21% less cotton this year. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens delivers his annual State of the City business address, and Georgia lawmakers work to address a statewide teacher shortage.

Billy Hickman: And it's a real issue because if we don't have teachers — we don't have good teachers, we're not gonna have students that's learning.

Orlando Montoya: These stories and more are coming up on this edition of Georgia Today.

Story 1:

Orlando Montoya: Georgia cotton growers are projected to plant about 800,000 acres of the crop this spring, what some are calling an alarming 21% decline from the previous year. The numbers come from the National Cotton Council's annual pre-season survey. I asked cotton agronomist Camp Hand from the University of Georgia's extension office to explain the decline and how it might impact the state's fourth-most valuable agricultural product.

Camp Hand: Yeah, so you might have seen the National Cotton Council number, which is probably, you know, pretty widely publicized now. But most things I'm hearing across the board are up to a 15% to 20% decrease in cotton acres in Georgia. And this — the numbers that are being thrown around are, like, alarmingly low. We hadn't planted that few cotton acres since 1993. So it's a — it is a big deal to see 'em throw numbers around that are below a million. But, you know, the biggest thing is that cotton right now is selling. They look at futures. So for a December 2025 contract on cotton, you're looking between 69 and 70 cents a pound. And really, just to be quite honest with you, it doesn't make sense to plant a crop knowing that it takes 85 to 90 cents a pound to make it, and you're going to sell it for 70.

Orlando Montoya: And what's driving the low prices? Do you know?

Camp Hand: Yeah. So there's a few things. You know, Brazil had a really good crop last year. China had a record crop last year. And you know the supply is there and the demand is low.

Orlando Montoya: So if you're a cotton grower and you're looking at this negative number — the, the futures price — what, what are your options. Can you plant something else? Do you plant and suffer a loss? What are the options for — for people?

Camp Hand: Yeah. So that's the tough part, in Georgia, is that really on dry land acres you don't have but two options if you plan on harvesting a crop. And that's cotton and peanuts. For the last couple of years people have maxed out their peanut rotations. And so, you know, it doesn't really make sense to go peanuts again, but people are going to do it or they're going to plant cotton and not put much into it and get what they can, OK? But that's on dry land. On irrigated, we have options like switching up to soybeans or corn. The problem is that soybeans don't rotate well with peanuts because they're in the same plant family and with — with any grain. If you're not set up for it, whether it's soybeans or corn or small grains or anything like that, if you don't have the equipment to harvest it or ways to store it or move it, then you — you could get stuck with it. And so the the hardest part of all this is that we have the infrastructure for peanuts and cotton, and right now it don't make much sense to plant cotton unless you've got interest in a gin. And so some folks are going to plant cotton knowing that it is likely they're going to lose money and hoping that they make a good peanut crop to cover the loss.

Orlando Montoya: And before we let you go, remind us again how big the cotton industry is in Georgia in terms of total production or in terms of a number of people employed — any number that you'd like to share.

Camp Hand: All right. So some of the more recent numbers are close to $1 billion in farm gate value. But that only captures what the growers are getting. Right? So $1 billion. But then you you multiply that; it's got a two-and-a-half times multiplier effect in the forms of jobs, in the forms of apparel and in all that kind of stuff. OK? So I mean, if we start seeing these trends permanently, we're losing a lot of revenue in our state. OK? And so that's the biggest concern for me is the future of the industry. And so I can't reiterate enough: We really need to be supporting the cotton industry right now.

Orlando Montoya: Well, I appreciate your insight. And we'll certainly be thinking about our our Georgia cotton-growing farmers. I appreciate it. Camp Hand, UGA extension agent. Thank you.

Camp Hand: Sure thing, man.

Story 2:

Orlando Montoya: Georgia public schools are short more than 5,300 teachers and lawmakers are considering a new fix: bringing more retired teachers back to the classroom. Senate Bill 150 would let educators return just 60 days after retiring, while keeping their pensions — expanding on an existing law that requires a yearlong wait. The bill's sponsor, Republican state Sen. Billy Hickman, calls it a temporary solution while schools work to fill vacancies.

Billy Hickman: We really got a teacher cliff. We got more people getting out than we have coming in. And it's a real issue because if we don't have teachers — we don't have good teachers, we're not gonna have students that's learning.

Orlando Montoya: A Senate committee voted unanimously to pass the bill on for a cost analysis. However, it likely won't come up for further action until next year's legislative session.

Story 3:

Orlando Montoya: A recent survey from the Partnership to Fight Infectious Disease shows almost 70% of people are concerned about declining vaccination rates among children. This comes amid a measles outbreak in Texas that resulted in the death of a school-aged, unvaccinated child. GPB's Ellen Eldridge has more.

Ellen Eldridge: The survey showed about three-quarters of American voters want FDA-approved vaccines to remain widely available. Candace DeMatteis is with the Partnership to Fight Infectious Disease. She says she became aware of how serious measles can be after experiencing an outbreak in college.

Candace DeMatteis: I literally was kicked out of class, had to go to the infirmary and get my vaccine, my MMR updated vaccine — or, you know, a booster, if you will — even though I'd been vaccinated to prove that I was vaccinated, to go back to class. No ill effects whatsoever.

Ellen Eldridge: DeMatteis says people should check with their health care provider to see if they are in need of an updated measles vaccine. For GPB News, I'm Ellen Eldridge.

Story 4:

Orlando Montoya: Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens delivered his annual State of the City business address last night. This year, his remarks focused on the city's work to revitalize neighborhoods through affordable housing and public safety efforts. GPB's Amanda Andrews has more.

Amanda Andrews: Mayor Dickens told those in attendance he plans to make Atlanta the best place to raise children by providing jobs to young people, increasing affordable housing and reducing crime. Since 2022, homicides have fallen by 26% in Atlanta. He says a safer city starts with housing and helping the homeless.

Andre Dickens: I promise to build or retain 20,000 units of affordable housing, and we are well on track to exceed that goal. We are building or have families already moved into over 11,000 housing units.

Amanda Andrews: As part of those efforts. Dickens plans to open The Waterworks, a 100-unit supportive housing development, later this year. For GPB News, I'm Amanda Andrews.

Story 5:

Orlando Montoya: Respiratory viruses in Georgia are on the decline after a second winter peak, according to CDC data. Flu levels in wastewater have dropped by 40% statewide in the first two weeks of February, and hospitalizations also are falling after spiking earlier this month. But experts warn the flu remains unpredictable. At least 55 Georgians have died this season. Meanwhile, COVID-19 levels have risen slightly and Georgia's measles outbreak remains at three confirmed cases. Public health officials continue to monitor trends across the state.

Story 6:

Orlando Montoya: A legal battle over the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center may be coming to an end. A federal appeals court has ordered both sides to weigh in on whether the case is now moot, since construction on the facility is now complete. Opponents had sued the city of Atlanta, arguing their First Amendment rights were violated when they were initially barred from gathering signatures for a referendum to stop the project. The city argues the lawsuit is now irrelevant because the center is built and already in use. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals decision could determine whether the case moves forward or is dismissed.

​​​​​​​Story 7:

Orlando Montoya: A bill prohibiting Georgia Power from passing on the costs of providing electricity to data centers to residential and small business customers, has cleared a state Senate committee. Senate Bill 34 comes in the wake of six rate increases in less than two years that have driven up what homeowners and small businesses pay by 37%. The legislation now goes to the Senate Rules Committee to schedule a floor vote.

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 8:

Orlando Montoya: The BioLab facility in Conyers remains partially closed, nearly five months after a chemical fire forced thousands of residents to evacuate. While some operations have resumed, the company is now offering voluntary severance packages to employees. GPB's Pamela Kirkland has more.

Pamela Kirkland: BioLab says it has continued to pay employees since the Sept. 29 fire, but with manufacturing still shut down, the company is offering voluntary separation packages for those who want to leave, while others are being reassigned to its distribution center or other locations. The September fire at BioLab forced more than 17,000 people to evacuate and led to widespread shelter-in-place orders. A federal investigation into the fire is ongoing. In a statement, BioLab says it will continue to, quote, "complete our cleanup efforts and advance our community support initiatives." Local officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. For GPB News, I'm Pamela Kirkland.

​​​​​​​Story 9:

Orlando Montoya: Now, this is not going to come as any surprise to anyone who drives on Atlanta roadways, but nine metro Atlanta interchanges rank among the nation's worst bottlenecks for freight trucks. That's according to the American Transportation Research Institute, which found that Atlanta's Spaghetti Junction — that's I-285 at I-85, in the northeast quadrant — ranks the fourth-worst in the entire country. The Cobb Cloverleaf — that's I-75 at 285 in the northwest — comes in at No. 6, while I-20 at I 285 on the west side ranks No. 10. The study highlights how congestion delays truckers, wastes fuel and adds billions of dollars to shipping costs. Only Texas had more traffic bottlenecks than Georgia.

​​​​​​​Story 10:

Orlando Montoya: Jo-Ann Fabrics has announced that it will close all its stores nationwide, including a dozen locations in Georgia. The decision comes as part of the company's chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. The closures affect more than 800 stores nationwide. Initially, the company planned to keep some locations open while restructuring its debt. But recent developments in bankruptcy court have led to a complete shutdown.

​​​​​​​Story 11:

Orlando Montoya: Cartersville, Ga., in the northwestern part of our state, is being recognized as one of the country's most charming small towns. HGTV highlighted the city in Bartow County for its Tell Us Science museum, which features a life-size T-Rex and a massive megalodon jaw, and the Booth Western Art Museum, home to the largest collection of Western art in the Southeast. Visitors also can see the first-ever Coca-Cola wall ad in its historic downtown, and other attractions include Savoy Automobile Museum and the Red Top Mountain State Park. Cartersville joins Fairhope, Ala., and Newberry, S.C., on HGTV's list.

​​​​​​​Story 12:

Orlando Montoya: Get ready for a whole lot of soccer in Savannah. The Beer City Cup, the Asheville-based adult soccer tournament series that's the largest of its kind in the country, is hosting its third annual event in Savannah next week. The sold-out event at Jennifer Ross Soccer Complex will involve 110 teams from 35 states and five countries. The players range from 18 to 70 years old.

​​​​​​​Story 13:

Orlando Montoya: In basketball, Georgia fans who attended last night's 88 to 83 victory at home over No. 3 Florida really wanted to storm the court after the final buzzer. It was, after all, an upset and a thriller of a game against a perennial rival. The Bulldogs trailed by 2 with about a minute to play, but then a 3-pointer put them ahead and the team sealed the win on the free-throw line. Georgia coach Mike white called it, quote, "a big win." But you know what else is big? The fine that the Southeastern Conference levies against teams whose fans rush the court after games. So as the excitement grew in the final minute, the public address announcer at Stegman Coliseum made repeated requests for fans to wait 90 seconds after the final buzzer to give the Gators and officials time to leave the court before they, the fans, could yes, storm the court. And even more surprising than the win itself, fans actually followed instructions, waiting patiently 90 seconds before their on-court celebration, proving that it is possible to storm the court politely. Many in the crowd of 10,000 remained on the court for several minutes. There was no immediate word if the unusual post-game order would have any impact on the usual fine.

And that's it for today's edition of Georgia Today. It's you who keep us in operation, and we enjoy your company, if virtually. If you'd like to learn more about what we do, visit GPB.org/news. You'll find many of the stories that we put on the podcast there. We'd like you to hit subscribe on this podcast if you haven't done so already. It helps you and it helps us by keeping us current with you in your feed. And if you have feedback, send that to us at GeorgiaToday@GPB.org. I'm Orlando Montoya. I'll talk to you again tomorrow.

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