Georgia Today: Trump case setback; Jekyll Island sea turtles; Anniversary of King assassination

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Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast from GPB News. Today is Thursday, April 4. I'm Peter Biello. On today's episode, former President Donald Trump faces a setback in the Georgia election interference case. Jekyll Island hosts the largest release of rehabbed sea turtles in state history, and we mark the anniversary of the assassination of the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. These stories and more are coming up on this edition of Georgia Today. 

 

Story 1: 

Peter Biello:  Former President Donald Trump's attempt to have the election interference case in Georgia against him dismissed has been rejected. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee's decision means the prosecution will continue. Trump's lawyers had argued the charges sought to criminalize political speech protected by the First Amendment. However, McAfee wrote in his ruling that even core political speech is subject to prosecution if allegedly used to further criminal activity. Trump and 18 others are charged in a wide-ranging illegal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Trump denies any wrongdoing, and his lead attorney in Georgia says he respectfully disagrees with the judge's ruling. 

 

Story 2: 

Peter Biello: Today marks the 56th anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. His family gathered at Atlanta's King Center this morning for a wreath-laying ceremony. GPB's Amanda Andrews was there. 

Amanda Andrews: The ceremony opened with prayer and a few hymns. Dr. Bernice King spoke about grief in the wake of her brother Dexter King's death in January, and the loss of Dr. King's sister, Christine King Farris, in 2023. Bernice King says the day is about remembering the work her father was pursuing when he was killed. 

Bernice King: But it's about drawing strength from the work that he was doing and the work that we have to continue, because the triple evils of poverty, racism and militarism are ever present and obvious more now than ever before in our world. 

Amanda Andrews: King went on to call for a ceasefire in the war in Gaza. For GPB News, I'm Amanda Andrews. 

 

Story 3: 

Peter Biello: The nuclear expansion at Plant Vogtle, south of Augusta, has reached another milestone. Georgia Power said today the second of two new reactors being built there has achieved 100% power. It's expected to begin commercial operations by June. This follows years of cost overruns and delays. The first of two new reactors went into full commercial operations last summer. The Georgia Public Service Commission voted in December to let Georgia Power pass on to customers more than $7 billion of its costs to build the new reactors, the first in the United States since the 1980s. 

 

Story 4: 

Peter Biello: Conservation groups are submitting formal statements as public comment period for a proposed mine near Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp nears its end. The state Environmental Protection Division issued draft permits for the mine in February, triggering a 60-day comment period that ends on Tuesday. About 90 people spoke at a virtual public meeting on the mine in March, with none speaking in favor of it. Today, the Georgia River Network submitted its formal comments, writing the mine would threaten the swamp and the economies around it. 

 

Story 5: 

Peter Biello:  Jekyll Island hosted the largest release of rehabilitated sea turtles in Georgia history yesterday. GPB's Sofi Gratas reports, it's part of a nationwide effort to reintroduce endangered species. 

Volunteer: Okay, listen, we're gonna go ahead and start walking turtles down. We would like them to be set up in groups of four, because we're going to be releasing in groups of four. 

Sofi Gratas: On Jekyll Island's South Beach, the sky has cleared just in time for the transport and release of 33 Kemp's ridley sea turtles, plus one green turtle. 

Volunteer: Next four. 

Sofi Gratas: Volunteers carry them down toward the water in cardboard boxes. 

Volunteer: And your three fingers are going to support them, but not obstruct. 

Sofi Gratas: Both species are endangered. And every year, when water in the North Atlantic becomes too cold, many turtles are stunned, disoriented and washed up on shore. Now they're ready to hit the water. 

Jamie Gamby: Here we go. 

Sofi Gratas: Jamie Gamby with the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, walks Terry Carbonell over to the water, holding a very eager turtle. 

Jamie Gamby: And he is over here. 

Terry Carbonell: Okay, I'm with you. 

Sofi Gratas: The turtle slaps his flippers as they approach the ocean. 

Jamie Gamby: All right, everybody slowly lower. All right. Very good. Here he goes! 

Sofi Gratas: Carbonell is a pilot with Turtles Fly Too, an organization that shuttles sea turtles all over the country for events like this. 

Terry Carbonell: I'm going to cry. That was just amazing. I've flown them. You've seen them sick. And now that one especially was just so healthy. He was ready to go. 

Sofi Gratas: It takes about 20 minutes and several goodbye waves until all the turtles are back at sea. For GPB News, I'm Sofi Gratis on Jekyll Island. 

 

Story 6: 

Peter Biello: The longtime president of Berry College plans to retire at the end of the 2024-2025 academic year. Steve Briggs has led the small liberal arts college in Northwest Georgia since 2006. The college announced his plans on Tuesday, describing his nearly two decades of leadership as radically transformative. Berry has about 2,200 students and the world's largest campus by area, with 27,000 idyllic acres near Rome. 

 

Story 7: 

Peter Biello:  Today is 404 Day in Atlanta. In a nod to the city's area code, 404 Day celebrates all things Atlanta on what else? April 4th. As Bem Joiner puts it: 

Peter Biello: It's like a day that allows everybody to play in the sandbox. Whether you grew here or flew here. 

Peter Biello:  Joiner is the co-founder of Atlanta Influences Everything. He says he first noticed 404 Day on social media about a decade ago. Since then, it's grown to include the local and the national. 

Peter Biello:  People, regular people, all the way up to like, corporate folks and — and foundation people all the way to public sector. 

Peter Biello:  Events hosted by Joiner's company are happening all week, including a block party this afternoon. Other events hosted by different companies include a celebration in Piedmont Park and a 404 Day hike. 

 

Story 8: 

Peter Biello:  Atlanta-based daily fantasy sports operator Prize Picks plans to move its headquarters within the city and expand its workforce by 1,000. The company said today its move from Buckhead to Midtown is part of a $25 million investment aimed at creating more high-wage jobs. Prize Picks is one of the nation's largest daily fantasy sports operations in the nation, currently employing more than 500 workers worldwide. 

 

Story 9: 

Peter Biello: In sports, the Atlanta Braves will host the Arizona Diamondbacks tomorrow night in their 2024 home opener. After yesterday's series finale against the White Sox was postponed, Spencer Strider will now be the starting pitcher for tomorrow night's game. First pitch is scheduled for 7:20 p.m., but fans and commuters alike can expect a lot of activity around the stadium beginning in the afternoon. There will be live music, giveaways, and after the game, there's the Friday night fireworks, so plan accordingly. 

Peter Biello: And that is it for this edition of Georgia Today. Thank you so much for tuning in. If you want to learn more about any of these stories, visit our website GPB.org/news. And if you haven't yet subscribed to this podcast, I highly recommend you do it now. That way, we will be back automatically in your podcast feed tomorrow afternoon with all the latest stories from Georgia. And if you got feedback or a story we should know about. Send it our way 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.