Georgia Today: Norfolk Southern lawsuit; Immigration raid protests; Carter wins posthumous Grammy

Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast from GPB News. Today is Monday, Feb. 3. I'm Peter Biello. On this podcast, you'll hear the latest reports from GPB's news team. You can send feedback, suggestions and story tips to GeorgiaToday@GPB.org. On today's episode: Two years after the East Palestine derailment, Atlanta-based Norfolk Southern faces a new lawsuit; protesters gather to oppose immigration raids; and Jimmy Carter receives a posthumous Grammy award.

Jason Carter: Having his words captured in this way for my family and for the world is truly remarkable and I think really means so much at this moment.

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

Story 1:

Peter Biello: A new lawsuit alleges people died because of the disastrous 2023 East Palestine train derailment. The suit comes at the two-year anniversary of the toxic crash of Atlanta-based Norfolk Southern Railroad cars near the Ohio Pennsylvania border. The lawsuit contains the first seven wrongful death claims filed against Norfolk Southern, including the death of a 1-week-old baby, and alleges the railroad and its contractors botched the cleanup. It also accuses the EPA and CDC of failing to adequately warn residents about health risks. Many other parties in the lawsuit cite lingering unexplained health problems, along with concerns something more serious could develop. The lawsuit provides some examples of the lingering effects on families, but it doesn't include details about the deaths. At least nine other lawsuits were filed over the past week by individuals and businesses who argue the railroad's greed is to blame for the derailment. A Norfolk Southern spokesperson declined to comment on the litigation. The railroad has agreed to a $600 million class action settlement for people within 20 miles of the derailment and a separate settlement promising to pay for clean up, medical exams and drinking water monitoring. The railroad did not admit any wrongdoing in either settlement.

Story 2:

SOUND: Crowd of protestors chanting

Peter Biello: About 1,000 protesters on Saturday gathered near the Plaza Fiesta Mall along Buford Highway in DeKalb County. The protest comes after recent arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announcing targeted operations in Georgia and other parts of the country. The agency says they've arrested more than 7,400 nationwide.

Story 3:

Peter Biello: People who experienced damage from Hurricane Helene have until Friday to apply for federal aid to help repair their property. The Federal Emergency Management Agency says so far $300 million in assistance has reached Georgia. GPB's Sofi Gratas has more.

Sofi Gratas: People can apply for financial aid from FEMA through Feb. 7 if they live in the swath of counties hit by Hurricane Helene and Tropical Storm Debby and are also facing costs not covered by insurance. Officials say some applications could have been rejected due to small errors, but they can be appealed. FEMA spokesperson Mario Boone in Atlanta:

Mario Boone: It's literally a matter of the applicant needs to bring in some additional information to go from "not approved" to "approved." And what we have found in examining these cases is people are getting the letter they're seeing "not approved," and they stop right there.

Sofi Gratas: Instead, they should ask for help. FEMA agents will still process applications as long as they're in before the deadline. For GPB News, I'm Sofi Gratas.

Story 4:

Peter Biello: Officials in Savannah have launched an unusual kind of online survey they hope will shape the future of local government. GPB's Benjamin Payne explains.

Benjamin Payne: Hostess City leaders want civilians to have their voices heard, literally. The survey is called Savannah GPS. And just like the GPS you might have in your car, it's voice-activated. In this case, residents can speak into their smartphone or computer microphone, recording audio answers to a series of questions. Topics range everywhere from affordable housing to public safety to parks and recreation and beyond. The idea behind Savannah's GPS, says Mayor Van Johnson, is to give people a quick and easy way to speak their thoughts freely.

Van Johnson: This new initiative is more than just checking box for us. We want genuine engagement. We want to put the resident's voice in the driver's seat.

Benjamin Payne: Savannah fans can access the survey by visiting Savannah.gov/GPS. For GPB News. I'm Benjamin Payne in Savannah.

​​​​​​​Story 5:

Peter Biello: The second medication used to reverse an opioid overdose quickly is now available over the counter in Georgia. The State Department of Public Health recently updated its guidance. GPB's Ellen Eldridge has more.

Ellen Eldridge: Scientists developed a nasal spray that uses a more powerful medication than Narcan to reverse an opioid overdose. Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams is a spokesperson for Opvee. He says first responders and people with opioid use disorder benefit because nalmafene lasts longer.

Jerome Adams: You now have a product out there that is 50 times more potent than what Naloxone was originally designed to reverse and — and what people have traditionally used naloxone for. And therefore you need a fentanyl fighter.

Ellen Eldridge: But not everyone is on board. Some harm reduction advocates say Opvee is unnecessarily strong and can cause painful withdrawal symptoms. For GPB News, I'm Ellen Eldridge.

​​​​​​​Story 6:

Peter Biello: Atlanta police are treating the death of a former head basketball coach at two Georgia universities as a homicide after his body was found shortly after his family reported him missing. News outlets report Sam Jackson was the former men's basketball coach at Fort Valley State University and Savannah State University. Police say his body was located Wednesday in a wooded area with apparent gunshot wounds. Jackson's family reported him missing to the Peach County Sheriff's Office in Central Georgia. Atlanta police say Jackson was a rideshare driver and that a man who ordered a ride before Jackson's disappearance is a person of interest in the case.

Caption

Cornelius Taylor was killed after heavy construction equipment ran over his tent during a City of Atlanta clearing of the camp where he was living un-housed.

Credit: Family of Cornelius Taylor

​​​​​​​Story 7:

Peter Biello: Community members in Atlanta gathered today to remember the life of an unhoused resident who died in a tent after a bulldozer driven by a city cleanup crew member destroyed his camp. A lawyer for the family of Cornelius Taylor says the heavy equipment crushed his organs. His death has outraged many in the community, including his sister, Darlene Cheney. She addressed her deceased brother at his funeral this morning.

Darlene Cheney: Cornelius, you already know I'm mad. I'm so mad. It's been at least 19 days since you called. And you said, "Sis I need you." We agreed that you would never let me worry. We agreed I would always know where you were. We agreed that you would find a way. We agreed that you were on your way to always tell me you're okay. But you're not okay. And I had to find out the hard way. Oddly enough, I see you smiling back at me and saying, "Sis, chill out. I'm good. I'm actually better than ever. I'm with God, just watching y'all work." But that still doesn't ease my pain, Cornelius. We had plans. You — you had plans. You hoped to decorate your home one day — your own home. You were supposed to paint a mural for me. You wanted to go to the movies. You told me we were going to the movies. You wanted to see your niece play ball. You told her you would see her play. As I look at your body here, I am painfully aware that you are further now than I've ever known you to be. No matter where life took you, you found a way to let me tag along. Even in your situation, you found a way to be my therapist. Be my voice of reason. You saw me. For so long, you were invisible to oh so many people. You longed for people to just acknowledge your presence with more than disgust. Well, guess what, homie? You're not invisible anymore. In life, you might have felt like you didn't matter. But in death, you're making a change for what I aim to be the entire homeless community. You have always been everything to me. But now you mean something to others. I couldn't save you. But I pray all those that failed you can save the next. I'll never be the same again. But you're better than ever now. You were Cornelius Taylor. Now I am Cornelius Taylor.

Peter Biello: The funeral took place at historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, a few blocks away from where Taylor died. Atlanta leaders are now reconsidering how they dismantle homeless camps.

​​​​​​​Story 8:

Peter Biello: A new program premieres tonight on GPB: Georgia Legends, a documentary series profiling some of the most influential people who've lived in our state. The first episode features the life of former U.S. Ambassador Andrew Young. GPB's Jeff Hullinger hosts the new show and he's with me now. Welcome to the program.

Jeff Hullinger: Great to be with you, Peter. Appreciate the invitation.

Peter Biello: Of course. Of course. So what makes this new series special?

Jeff Hullinger: You know, we take a look at impactful Georgians, their accomplishments, as well as what shaped informed them during the course of their lives. And we have the luxury of time, which oftentimes in so many formats and local television and newspapers, certainly in 2025, the luxury of time or space is something not given. And that is something that we are pleased and proud to be able to be a part of.

Peter Biello: Certainly. This half-hour program features 20 minutes at least in the first episode on Ambassador Andrew Young. Andrew Young has been the subject of GPB stories before. What makes this story about him stand out?

Jeff Hullinger: I just think it is in his own words. And Andrew Young is one of those who doesn't need a lot of help from journalists to frame what it is he has accomplished in his remarkable life in Atlanta, in the region, in the nation. He is a smart, resourceful gentleman. But to be taken very seriously that that gentleness should not be seen as — we're talking about weakness. This is a man of great strength, of great dignity who was, you know, not a self-promoter. That's pretty rare in America.

Peter Biello: So what is the criteria for "legend?" What would make someone eligible to be on this program?

Jeff Hullinger: I think it's someone who has shaped our lives in this state, someone who has had great impact, someone who has sort of flown their own navigational course in the winds of some very tough times.

Peter Biello: So given that criteria, who else might be featured on this program?

Jeff Hullinger: You know, we are focusing on people like former Sen. Sam Nunn. Certainly the late President Carter. Nathan Deal, the two-term governor who has been such a significant player here in so many ways — 18 years as a congressman.

Peter Biello: So mostly political people?

Jeff Hullinger: You know, we're not steadfast in what we say, "Look, this is our criteria of what we're doing." We just sort of sit around and say, "You know what? I think we have to focus on this guy or this woman because of this." So that's the criteria that we we use. This is — I can assure you, this is not a think tank that I'm involved in. It's more of, look, you know, we've lived here a long time and this is somebody we ought to take a look at.

Peter Biello: Well, you also in this first episode, we mentioned that there was 20 minutes in a half-hour episode about Andrew Young. The other 10 minutes is about Nu-Way Weiners, which I hadn't heard about, the legendary hotdogs of Macon, one of the oldest such restaurants in the U.S. So when you're considering "legendary," it's not necessarily a person, it could be a brand.

Jeff Hullinger: Hot dogs are a very big part of Southern culture, and you can go from one state, one county to the next. And what plays as a hot dog one place may not be so somewhere else. Nu-Way hot dogs is an interesting story, a uniquely American story in Macon and in Middle Georgia, first formulated, conceptualized by a Greek immigrant who was looking for a way to make a living and make his way in to the New World and was able to do so through his own brilliance and business acumen. And Nu-way Wieners now has been a part of the landscape in Middle Georgia for over 100 years. In fact, it is Nu-Way that influenced The Varsity. Without Nu-Way, Frank Gordy, who was the founder of The Varsity, you know, just up the road from where we are sitting right now, perhaps would not have come to pass without Nu-Way. And they've always had a — what's also I find very interesting in all of this is they have what is called hot dog detente. So the thinking is this: If new way is this sort of successful brand in Middle Georgia, why not move north? Why not come to Atlanta, where the biggest population is and where you can make a lot more money? Well, there was sort of a handshake and a gentleman's agreement that "W\e won't come to Middle Georgia being The Varsity, if you won't come to North Georgia being Nu-Way." So as a result of that handshake that has now been in place certainly longer than the Camp David Accords, we are all a clearer people of hot dogs and we understand what we like and what we don't.

Peter Biello: That's the basis of intrastate tourism there. Come north for some Varsity. Go south for some Nu-Way. GPB's Jeff Hullinger hosts the new series Georgia Legends, which premieres tonight on GPBTV at 9:00. Jeff, thank you very much for speaking with me.

Jeff Hullinger: Thank you.

​​​​​​​Story 9:

Peter Biello: The late former President Jimmy Carter has won a Grammy award. Carter died in December at the age of 100. He had been nominated in the audiobook narration and storytelling category for Last Sundays in Plains: A Centennial Celebration. The recording included his last Sunday school lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains. Carter's grandson, Jason Carter, received the award on his behalf.

Jason Carter: Lately, over these last few weeks, we felt this enormous outpouring of love from all around the world, from many of the people in this room. And I just want to say that having his words captured in this way for my family and for the world is truly remarkable and I think really means so much at this moment in our history as a country, as a world.

Peter Biello: Carter wasn't the only Georgia presence at the Grammys last night. Avery Sunshine won in the best progressive R&B album category. And Janelle Monae and Teddy Swims both performed. All three have connections to the Atlanta area.

​​​​​​​Story 10:

Peter Biello: This final note before we go: This is the time of year when we remind you of the existence of General Beauregard Lee, Georgia's official weather-predicting groundhog and counterpart to the perhaps more nationally known Punxsutawney Phil. The general emerged over the weekend, saw his shadow and declared six more weeks of winter — the first time he's made such a prediction since 2020. However, neither General Beauregard Lee nor Punxsutawney Phil have the final say. Phil also predicted a longer winter. But consider the wisdom of Allen McButterpants, the groundhog mascot and ambassador of the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center in Hampton Bays, N.Y., who says early spring or Woodstock Wooly in Illinois, who also says early spring. The weather-predicting animal need not be a groundhog. Tally one more vote for an early spring from Birmingham Jill, an opossum at the Birmingham, Ala., Zoo. And yet another early spring prediction from Scramble the Duck in Eastford, Ct. Overall, according to the weather-predicting animal-tallying website Groundhog-Day.com, out of 69 predictions nationwide, 38 predicted an early spring, so dress accordingly.

Peter Biello: And that is a wrap on this edition of Georgia Today. But we will have more news for you tomorrow. We hope you'll subscribe to this podcast and check out GPB.org/news for any updates. And as always, we welcome your feedback by email. GeorgiaToday@GPB.org. I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow. 

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