Georgia Today: New election board rule; Legacy business grants; The Black church and dementia

Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast from GPB News. Today is Tuesday, Aug. 20. I'm Peter Biello. On today's episode, the state Board of Elections adopts a new rule critics say could delay certification. A new program offers financial assistance to Atlanta business owners. And a Georgia church makes efforts to reduce the stigma of Alzheimer's disease and help those affected by it. These stories and more are coming up on this edition of Georgia Today.

Story 1:

Peter Biello: Georgia U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock called for unity last night in a primetime address just before President Joe Biden took center stage at the Democratic National Convention. Warnock was among the key speakers rallying Democrats behind presidential candidate Kamala Harris on the convention's opening night. He used the national platform to criticize what he called voter suppression laws, saying they stem from the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Raphael Warnock: And we must be vigilant tonight because these anti-democratic forces are at work right now in Georgia and all across our country. And the question is, who will heal the land?

Peter Biello: Warnock also called for affordable housing and greater access to health care. Another Georgian, Jason Isbell of Athens rock band Drive-By Truckers, performed one of his songs, "Something More Than Free."

Story 2:

Peter Biello: The state Board of Elections approved a rule yesterday that critics say could delay election certification in some counties. GPB's Sarah Kallis reports.

Sarah Kallis: The rule requires precincts to verify the total number of ballots cast is equal to the number of voters. The precincts then have to turn that data over to the county elections board to investigate any discrepancies. Sally Grubbs, the chair of the Cobb County Republican Party, initially proposed the rule.

Sally Grubbs: And it is also to support and defend those people who are certifying elections.

Sarah Kallis: The rule also requires that the county elections board hold a meeting by 3 p.m. on the Friday after the election to look at the data. Augusta's Richmond County elections director, Travis Doss, testified against the rule, saying that it's problematic since absentee ballots can legally be received until 5 p.m. the Friday after the election.

Travis Doss: A meeting prior to 3 p.m. will result in vote totals being inaccurate.

Sarah Kallis: The board approved the rule 3 to 2. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kallis in Atlanta.

Caption

JD Vance in 2022.

Story 3:

Peter Biello: Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance is set to appear in Valdosta Thursday in a campaign stop focused on border security. The Trump/Vance campaign released details about the appearance today. It will take place at the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office Thursday afternoon at 1. It'll be Vance's second appearance in Georgia since Donald Trump announced the Ohio senator as his running mate mid-July. Vance appeared with Trump at a rally in Atlanta earlier this month.

Story 4:

Peter Biello: Authorities say a sheriff's deputy has been shot and wounded in West Georgia and is in very critical condition at a hospital. The Carroll County Sheriff's Office said the deputy was shot this morning while serving a warrant in Carrollton. A sheriff's spokeswoman says he was shot in the face and the suspected shooter is dead. The shooting comes days after a deputy in neighboring Paulding County was shot to death on Saturday night.

Story 5:

Peter Biello: Atlanta's longtime business owners now will have access to financial assistance through the city's new legacy business program. GPB's Amanda Andrews reports.

Amanda Andrews: Atlanta City Council unanimously approved $300,000 to fund the program. It's open to any business that's been running in Atlanta for 30 years or more. The grant money can be used for things like property improvements, marketing efforts and technical assistance. Councilmember Jason Dozier says these grants are designed to recognize businesses shaping the culture and identity of the city.

Jason Dozier: Especially with the World Cup coming, we want German tourists to have a uniquely and authentic Atlanta experience. And so that's kind of the idea behind this program; it's to not only protect the preserve the legacy businesses, but also to help grow them.

Amanda Andrews: Invest Atlanta will run the program, determine eligibility and decide how much applicants will receive. For GPB News, I'm Amanda Andrews.

Story 6:

Peter Biello: The church has always been more than a place of worship in the Black community. It's a cornerstone of that community. Recently, it's taken on a new role addressing a growing health concern within its congregation. Black Americans are about twice as likely as white Americans to suffer from Alzheimer's disease or other dementias. One program aims to reduce the stigma of dementia and better equip the faith community to serve those most in need. GPB's Pamela Kirkland has more.

Pamela Kirkland: Today at Destiny Christian Center International, a nondenominational church in Fayetteville, Ga., ccongregants gather every Sunday to hear Bishop Glen Allen Sr.'s message.

Bishop Glen Allen Sr: If you still got breath in your life, keep it going. Keep it moving. Who am I talking to today?

Pamela Kirkland: Along with spiritual guidance, they also notice some changes: shorter services, familiar prayers in hymns, and visual aids to follow along during service — adjustments designed with some very specific members of their congregation in mind.

Dr. Fayron Epps: We are trying to fill in the gap and respond to the needs of the Black community.

Pamela Kirkland: That's Dr. Fayron Epps, a nursing professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and the founder of Alter Dementia. She says the initiative arose from conversations within her own church.

Dr. Fayron Epps: I didn't know that dementia was disproportionately impacting the Black community — and how did I not know that?

Pamela Kirkland: So Epps made it her mission through Alter to spread the word to other churches.

Bishop Glen Allen Sr: ... with your name on it.

Pamela Kirkland: Destiny Christian Center International was one of the first churches to partner with Alter. Glenn Allen Sr. is bishop and pastor there.

Bishop Glen Allen Sr: We are interested in healing the body and praying for that, and we are interested in helping people with their financial awareness, things of that nature. But we've left out one vital point, and that's been dementia. Alzheimer's. And most of our families have witnessed someone that — that's plagued with it,

Woman in church: Calling all the Alter partners. Can you raise your hand?

Pamela Kirkland: Earlier this year, Alter hosted its first-ever summit in Decatur, Ga., just a few miles outside Atlanta. It was a conference bringing together the 80 or so churches from around the country that are already part of Alter's network, with the hope of expanding. For Terry Montgomery, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's at just 58 years old, Alter has been a lifeline. The prognosis from her neurologist was grim.

Terry Montgomery: You know, you're a very joyful person. Go out there, have fun, live life and all of those things. But it's a terminal illness.

Pamela Kirkland: Terry came to the Alter Dementia summit to talk to other people with diagnoses like hers, for whom church is still a place where you might see miracles.

Terry Montgomery: You come to church to exchange information, to network with one another, to see a testimony of a person that once could not walk. Another person could not talk.

Pamela Kirkland: But Fayron Epps says, bringing this support to the Black church, an institution deeply rooted in tradition wasn't an easy task. For instance, it can be tough asking your pastor not to preach for so long. But you start with education. Bishop Glenn Allen Sr. is convinced.

Bishop Glen Allen Sr: We often preach and from Isaiah 43 that God will do a new thing. And we've got to forget the former things. But we are not opening to the new things. Now I think every pastor should open the doors for this ministry, especially with dementia and even Alzheimer's, just to make sure that we become more aware and learn to be better servants and keepers of our congregations.

Pamela Kirkland: Creating space in the community for a disease that's so isolating. For GPB News, I'm Pamela Kirkland in Decatur, Ga.

BREAK

Hi, I'm David Zaleski from A Fork in the Road on GPB. Join me Thursday, Aug. 29 at the Tybee Post Theater on Tybee Island for a special live taping of the Fork in the Road podcast. We'll be talking about the importance of Coastal Georgia and its seafood with the dedicated individuals who farm it, fish it, and serve it. Find more information at gpb.org/community.

Story 7:

Peter Biello: State utility regulators have approved the plan for Georgia Power to expand a power plant southwest of Atlanta. The Georgia Public Service Commission today approved the company's proposal to build three new fossil fuel-burning units near Newnan. Critics questioned the plant's potential impact on customer bills and greenhouse gas emissions. Company officials say the expansion is urgently needed to keep up with electrical demand.

Story 8:

Peter Biello: A fresh meal delivery company, is expanding its footprint in South Georgia's Macon County. Texas-based Fresh Realm said today it plans to invest $6 million to add several new lines to its facility in rural Montezuma, including ready-to-eat meals and meal kits. The expansion is expected to create 300 new jobs.

Story 9:

Peter Biello: In sports: In baseball, the Braves open a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies at home tonight. The Braves trail Philadelphia by seven games in the NL East, and the Braves do not occupy the NL Wild Card spot. Braves third baseman Austin Riley will miss at least the rest of the regular season after breaking his right hand. He was hit by a pitch during the Braves/Angels game on Sunday. Atlanta already lost NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. and pitching ace Spencer Strider to season-ending injuries. Several other key players, including second baseman Ozzie Albies, center fielder Michael Harris II, catcher Shaun Murphy, and reliever A.J. Minter have missed major time. But the team did get some good news on the injury front, announcing that Reynaldo Lopez has been recalled from his rehab assignment to start the series opener against the Phillies.

Peter Biello: And that is all the news fit to podcast on this edition of Georgia Today. We do appreciate you tuning in, and if you want to learn more about any of these stories or get the latest updates any time, check out our website GPB.org/news. There's going to be more news coming your way out of the DNC tomorrow on this podcast and on Thursday. So if you'd like to hear more, check it out by subscribing to this podcast. It'll pop up automatically in your feed when you do. And if you have feedback or a story idea, an angle we should cover that hasn't been covered yet, we'd love to hear from you! You can email the whole team with one handy email address. That email 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