On Second Thought For Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Atlanta is the fifth highest metro area for rates of new HIV diagnoses, but recent data shows annual infection rates in the state are dropping, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We learned more about the fight to stop the spread of HIV and AIDS with Tiffany Roan, the state’s regional director for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

The Georgia Peach might well be the most iconic fruit to symbolize Georgia. You see it on license plates, billboards, and even government documents. However, the Peach is actually rare to Georgia, and not native to our agricultural climate. We talked with Tom Okie, an assistant professor of history education at Kennesaw State University. His new book, called “The Georgia Peach: Culture, Agriculture, and Environment in the American South,” explores the odd history of the fruit.

On October​ ​12,​ ​1958, the​ ​Temple,​ ​Georgia’s​ ​largest synagogue,​ ​was​ ​bombed.​ ​Thankfully, nobody was hurt in the explosion. But the community was shaken. A new play at the Alliance Theater recalls the attack, and its lasting effects. We spoke to Jimmy Maize, playwright and director of “The Temple Bombing.”

When you think of a fictional "hero," you might picture a strong, capable character. Someone who exudes confidence and is revered by those around them. But the heroes of Yiddish literature are very different. A new book called “Never Better,” explores the traits of Yiddish protagonists and their underlying meaning. That book recently won the National Jewish Book Award. We talked with author Miriam Udel, who is a professor of Yiddish language, literature, and culture at Emory University.

Cars are getting smarter and more sophisticated all the time, but the roads they drive on are still pretty much pavement. That’s slowly starting to change as states, like Georgia, turn highways into technology laboratories for everything from traffic management to environmental sustainability. GPB’s Bradley George reports.