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Georgia Today: Subsidized housing program overwhelmed; Long COVID and mental health; Michelin Awards
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LISTEN: On the Wednesday, Oct. 25 edition of Georgia Today: Georgia housing officials are overwhelmed with applicants after re-opening its subsidized housing program; a new study examines the link between mental health and long COVID; and the Michelin Guide recognizes 45 Atlanta restaurants during its first-ever awards ceremony in Georgia.
Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast from GPB News. Today is Wednesday, Oct. 25. I'm Peter Biello. On today's episode, Georgia housing officials are overwhelmed with applications after reopening its subsidized housing program. A new study examines the link between mental health and long COVID. And the Michelin Guide recognizes 45 Atlanta restaurants during its first ever awards ceremony in Georgia. These stories and more are coming up on this edition of Georgia Today.
Story 1:
Peter Biello: Georgia housing officials received more than 177,000 applications for housing vouchers over four days last week. It was the first time in two years that the Georgia Department of Community Affairs opened applications for its subsidized housing program, formerly called Section 8. The agency has funding for only 13,000 of those applicants on its waiting list and will use a lottery to determine who gets on it. In the fiscal year that ended in 2022, the agency placed 633 applicants into the program, which covers 149 counties. Larger counties run their own housing voucher programs.
Story 2:
Peter Biello: A U.S. Senate subcommittee heard testimony from Georgians today as part of an inquiry into the treatment of children in foster care. Georgia Democrat, Sen. Jon Ossoff, chairs the Human Rights Subcommittee. He and Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee earlier this year began the inquiry after news reports indicated problems with Georgia's Division of Family and Children's Services, including caseworkers not adequately responding to child abuse cases. Mon'a Houston of Savannah, testified about her five years in foster care.
Mon'a Houston: I had three case managers. Only one regularly visited me and answered my phone call. I would often go more than six months without seeing my caseworker. I felt alone.
Peter Biello: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says nationwide more than 391,000 children were in foster care in 2021. Many were removed from their homes and placed in foster care due to neglect, physical abuse or parental drug abuse.
Story 3:
Peter Biello: The U.S. Coast Guard is still searching for three missing commercial fishermen 10 days after their boat headed to sea off Georgia. The Coast Guard said yesterday it's searching a vast area covering more than 32,000 square miles. The boat's captain departed the port city of Brunswick on Oct. 14. The Coast Guard began searching by water and air on Friday following reports the fishermen hadn't returned on schedule.
Story 4:
Peter Biello: A study published this month shows depleted serotonin levels could explain memory problems, brain fog and depression associated with long-haul COVID. GPB's Ellen Eldridge reports.
Ellen Eldridge: Fatigue, autoimmune disorders and chronic inflammation often persist for months and even years after acute COVID-19 infection. Sarah Gerwig is a law professor at Mercer University. She contracted COVID in March of 2020 while visiting a client inside a South Georgia prison. She says acute illness and lingering symptoms have forced her to step back from work.
Sarah Gerwig: That'll do a number on your mental health. You know, like losing your sense of self and seeing yourself and being and feeling like a healthy person and, overnight, going to like to being a 42-year-old invalid, essentially. Like, it sucks.
Ellen Eldridge: The study suggests treating long COVID with antidepressants such as Prozac may help people recover faster. For GPB News, I'm Ellen Eldridge.
Story 5:
Peter Biello: Construction of Hyundai's first electric vehicle plant in the U.S. is moving quickly. It's been a year since the South Korean automaker broke ground on a sprawling site in Southeast Georgia's Bryan County. Today, company officials said an estimated 81% of the plant's steel framing has been installed. About a third of the buildings now have roofs and floors and the walls are beginning to go up. Company officials also released architectural renderings of what's under construction once production starts in early 2025. The plant will employ more than 8,000 workers.
Story 6:
Peter Biello: Macon's Bibb County has big plans for Middle Georgia Regional Airport. County officials on Monday announced an $11 million expansion at the airport, including a new terminal building. The Macon Airport currently has two terminals, one for commercial service and one for general aviation, which is used by private, corporate and military flights. The new terminal will replace the general aviation terminal and pay homage to the city's musical history. Engineers say, depending on the angle, the new terminal building either will look like a piano or a guitar. Construction is expected to begin next year.
Story 7:
Peter Biello: A federal judge has reduced a $135 million verdict awarded to a Columbus area couple for damages to their property by a Tennessee-based solar company and its contractor. It's now $5 million. The award against Silicon Ranch and contractor IEA came after the couple near Lumpkin claim the companies didn't install adequate erosion controls at their solar panel site and, their lawyers said, that polluted their land. The judge reduced the verdict because he said it far exceeded the value of the couple's property.
Story 8:
Peter Biello: The White House has scrapped plans to have Athens New Wave group, the B-52s, perform at a state dinner tonight for Australia's prime minister. First lady Jill Biden said that the dinners planned entertainment would be inappropriate at a time when "so many are facing sorrow and pain." She did not directly reference the Israel-Hamas war in her statement. Instead of performing, the band best known for "Love Shack" and other hits will be invited guests and two military bands will perform.
Story 9:
Peter Biello: The restaurant-reviewing Michelin Guide has recognized 45 Atlanta area restaurants with its first-ever awards in Georgia. GPB's Orlando Montoya reports.
Orlando Montoya: When the guide announced earlier this year that its anonymous inspectors were in Atlanta, the speculation began: Who would be recognized and with what awards? A downtown theater packed with business and culinary leaders found out last night. Chef Freddie Money of the restaurant Atlas was one of five chefs to receive a one-star designation.
Freddie Money: Very humbling, awesome experience and shows the dedication and hard work of our whole team. We're very proud.
Orlando Montoya: No restaurant received two or three stars, the highest designations. But even the lesser designations and special awards have the potential to grow business and get people talking. And that's exactly why Atlanta tourism officials paid $1 million to bring the Michelin Guide to the city. For GPB News, I'm Orlando Montoya.
Peter Biello: 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 if you haven't subscribed to this podcast yet, take a moment to do it now. We'll be back in your podcast feed tomorrow afternoon. If you've got feedback or a story idea, we would love to hear from you. Email us. 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.
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