Georgia Today: 'Georgia's version of DOGE' passes Senate; BioLab fire health effects; ATL traffic

Sofi Gratas: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast from GPB News. Today is the 25th of February 2025. I'm Sofi Gratas, in for Peter Biello. On today's episode, we'll hear about a response from scientists to understand fallout from the Conyers BioLab plant fire. And a brief update on why you might be seeing more traffic on Atlanta's major thoroughfares.

Crash Clark: Now that more and more folks are getting back to the office, the rush hours are beginning early again.

Sofi Gratas: These stories and more are coming up on this edition of Georgia Today.

Story 1:

Sofi Gratas: The Trump administration is restoring funding for a federal scholarship aimed at boosting students from underserved and rural areas attending historically Black colleges and universities, including Georgia's Fort Valley State University. U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff announced the funding restoration this afternoon, days after the U.S. Department of Agriculture put the scholarship on hold amid a federal review of diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Applications for the scholarship program reportedly reopened following orders from a federal judge to suspend portions of the executive order attempting to ban DEI.

 

Story 2:

Sofi Gratas: The head of the Georgia Ports Authority gave his annual State of the Port address in Savannah today. GPB's Benjamin Payne reports.

Benjamin Payne: Georgia Ports Authority CEO Griff Lynch told a capacity crowd of business leaders at the Savannah Convention Center that Savannah was the fastest-growing seaport last year of any on either the Atlantic or Gulf coasts. That was even amid a major labor dispute between East Coast ports and dockworkers, which forced many exporters to divert their containers to the West Coast. Despite that, Savannah's cargo traffic saw:

Griff Lynch: 12.5% growth on a year that we had cargo being diverted. Our team was at a major conference last week and the customers were apologizing.

Benjamin Payne: During his 45-minute talk, Lynch made no mention of the Trump administration's new 10% tariffs on Chinese imports. Nor did he discuss the president's plan 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico, which are expected to go into effect next week. For GPB News, I'm Benjamin Payne in Savannah.

 

Story 3:

Sofi Gratas: A bill branded as Georgia's version of the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, passed the Georgia Senate yesterday. GPB's Sarah Kallis reports.

Sarah Kallis: SB 28 would require state agencies to conduct an economic impact study of all of its rules every four years, and allow the Legislature to have a say in any changes agencies may want to implement. Republican Sen. Greg Dolezal says it reduces red tape for small businesses.

Greg Dolezal: Having lawmakers with a seat at the table in the rulemaking processes is probably a good idea.

Sarah Kallis: But Democrats like Sen. Josh McLaurin say the bill is unnecessary.

John Mclaurin: One person's red tape might be another person's due process.

Sarah Kallis: The bill was passed 33 to 21 along party lines and now moves to the House. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kallis at the state Capitol.

Story 4:

Sofi Gratas: In the case of a lawsuit against two former Fulton County election workers, Donald Trump's former attorney, Rudy Giuliani, has, quote, "fully satisfied" the $148 million defamation judgment he owed the two workers. Documents filed yesterday with a federal court in New York show Giuliani satisfied the award to former Fulton County election workers Ruby Freeman and Shae Moss last week. Giuliani falsely accused the mother-daughter pair of election fraud after Donald Trump lost the 2020 election. He settled with them last month in a deal that lets the cash-strapped Giuliani keep his homes and belongings in exchange for unspecified compensation and a promise not to defame them again. The document, filed yesterday, did not indicate how much Giuliani paid to, quote, "fully satisfy" the judgment.

 

Story 5:

Sofi Gratas: A new study is underway to track the ongoing health effects of last year's fire at the BioLab chemical plant in Conyers, east of Atlanta. GPB's Pamela Kirkland reports.

Pamela Kirkland: The Post-Fire Public Health Recovery Project is a collaborative effort between the Morehouse School of Medicine, the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Georgia, and local nonprofit Community Action NOW! The three-year study will track long-term health impacts on residents as a result of the fire at the BioLab plant. Researchers say while immediate effects like respiratory issues and irritation are apparent, long-term implications like neurological effects and potential cancer risks are largely unknown. The initiative was introduced at a community forum Monday night in Conyers. Iffat Walker is the founder of Community Action NOW!

Iffat Walker: We knew that there wasn't enough data. We knew that it's never been done in this manner and particular for the research that is out there. It doesn't — it's not inclusive like this.

Pamela Kirkland: 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 remains ongoing. For GPB News, I'm Pamela Kirkland.

Caption

This still image from a deputy’s body camera video provided by the Camden County Sheriff's Office shows Staff Sgt. Buck Aldridge following a chase and arrest on June 24, 2022. Aldridge was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation after he fatally shot Leonard Cure on Oct. 16, 2023, in Camden County, Ga. The deputy shot the Black man at point-blank range during a traffic stop struggle with Cure, who had been wrongfully imprisoned years ago.

Credit: Camden County Sheriff's Office via AP

Story 6:

Sofi Gratas: Down in Coastal Georgia, the district attorney for Camden County says he won't pursue charges against a sheriff's deputy who fatally shot a Black man during a traffic stop that spiraled into violence. Leonard Cure was killed in 2023, three years after being released from a prison in Florida, where authorities concluded he was locked up for a crime he did not commit. District Attorney Keith Higgins said today that he determined the deputy's use of deadly force was, quote, "objectively reasonable." Attorneys for Cure's family called the decision, quote, "a devastating failure of justice."

 

Story 7:

Sofi Gratas: One more piece of news on the justice system: The chief justice of Georgia Supreme Court is retiring. Justice Michael Boggs announced his decision this afternoon, ending a 21-year judicial career, including three as chief justice. Hill stepped down when the court's term ends in late March, setting up an opportunity for Gov. Brian Kemp to name a replacement.

 

Story 8:

Sofi Gratas: And now for some business stories. Home Depot broke a two-year slump in same-store sales during the fourth quarter, as customer demand improved in a housing market that has been buffeted by soaring mortgage rates and a scarcity of homes for sale. The Atlanta-based retail giant said today that its revenues climbed to nearly $40 billion, from nearly $35 billion.

 

Story 9:

Sofi Gratas: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is getting a new general manager in April. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens today announced Maryland Aviation Authority CEO Ricky Smith as the next GM at ATL. The appointment ends an eight-month search for a new permanent leader at the world's busiest airport, following the departure of Balram "B" Bheodari last year in June. In August, Bheodari joined Pittsburgh-based engineering planning and consulting firm Michael Baker International.

 

Story 10:

Sofi Gratas: Seeing more traffic than usual on your commute? Well, the Trump administration's return to work order is putting more federal employees on already-jammed Atlanta roadways. 99X traffic reporter Crash Clark says the difference is noticeable not just in traffic volume, but in the time of the rush hour.

Crash Clark: As we were post-COVID and slowly moving away from that, we did see the return of some of the rush hour, mainly when school was back in session. But now that more and more folks are getting back to the office, the rush hours are beginning early again.

Sofi Gratas: Pinch points include areas around the CDC where as many as 78% of the agency's full-time employees were working remotely in 2022.

Story 11:

Sofi Gratas: In Georgia sports, there's lots of basketball today. The Georgia Bulldogs could give their fading NCAA hopes a big lift by beating third-ranked Florida at home in Athens tonight. Georgia has gone 13 to 3 at home, but have lost four straight and are 2 and 11 against Quad 1 opponents. And in the NBA, Trae Young had 11 points and 14 assists as the Atlanta Hawks snapped a three-game losing streak. They beat the Miami Heat 98 to 86 at home in Atlanta last night, allowing their fewest points in nearly four years.

 

Story 12:

Sofi Gratas: Here's something exciting to close out the day. In a rare sighting this far south, a gray seal was spotted earlier this month off the Georgia coast. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources says a charter boat captain and a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff spotted the seal in the creek between Sapelo Island and Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge. Gray seals are typically found from the mid-Atlantic to the Baltic Sea. So why is so far from home? DNR wildlife biologist Mark Dodd said in an agency newsletter that it's hard to say, but the seal could be looking for food or simply exploring.

 

That's it for today's edition of Georgia Today. Thanks for listening. If you would like to learn more about these stories, visit GPB.org/news. Want to stay informed? Well, if you haven't yet, hit subscribe on this podcast, take a moment right now and we can show up on your podcast feed. We'd also love to hear feedback. Email us at GeorgiaToday@GPB.org. I'm Sofi Gratas. We'll see you tomorrow. 

 

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For more on these stories and more, go to GPB.org/news