The Brief from WABE

City leaders say two incidents of gun violence, on a bus and at a food court, reflect gaps in the justice system; Federal and international authorities are joining the search for a 12-year-old Hispanic girl from Gainesville who has been missing for more than two weeks; and WABE's Stepannie Stokes looks at why the state isn't taking full advantage of a new federal program that provides funding for youth aging out of foster care.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An off-duty APD officer is hailed as a hero for stopping a shooting at Peachtree Center's food court in downtown Atlanta. Four people, including the suspect, were shot; At least one person is dead after a highjacker absconded on a Gwinnett Transit bus in downtown Atlanta, leading a cache of state troopers on a chase across three counties; and, normally, we'd highlight a third story here to pique your interest--something lighter, generally. The hope is that if the first two stories didn't interest you, maybe something that would put a smile on your face would. Given the awfulness of today's happenings, though, that approach seems crass at best. Let's just end here with two stories and hope tomorrow is better.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Better get that COVID test in if you're so inclined as the state is about to pull the plug on remaining community testing sites; Trump's lawyers want oral arguments in the appeals case to disqualify Fulton DA Fani Willis; and one guess where Atlanta's mayor took the King and Queen of the Netherlands as they begin an official U.S. visit this week. [No? No idea? Not even a guess? You realize you could just listen to this episode, right? It's like not even 10 minutes in length. Okay...okay. Wow. No need to get upset. The BeltLine. Mayor Dickens took the Dutch royals to Atlanta's big sidewalk.]See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Georgia Congressman is urging President Biden to intervene and secure the release of a Suwanee man from wrongful detention in Nigeria; The state's agriculture industry is weighing the pros and cons of an above average year for rain in Georgia; and Rose Scott asks new Atlanta COO LaChandra Butler Burks what lessons the city has learned from the water emergency.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Washington state man has pleaded guilty to making 20 false reports of bombs and shootings in Georgia and other states as well as Canada; South Carolina Republican U.S . Senator Tim Scott says he's launching a multi-million dollar campaign in Georgia and other swing states to get out the minority vote for his party; Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens continues to face questions and criticism over his initial public response to the city’s major water outage.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Georgia Court of Appeals has paused proceedings in former president Trump's Georgia criminal case until a decision is made on Fulton DA Fani Willis; Fulton County commissioners are rejecting a measure to pursue a sales tax to fund a replacement for the main jail on Rice Street; and the recent win for unions at electric school bus maker bluebird has energized labor advocates in the South. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Atlanta's mayor treading water over initial handling of infrastructure emergency; APS passes massive budget [Note: WABE's broadcast license is held by the Atlanta Board of Education]; and a former Atlanta TV anchor, fired for being gay, talks about his new memoir and how he found his truth in writing it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Residents in parts of Atlanta growing increasingly impatient as they enter day four of a boil water advisory; the Georgia Court of Appeals has tentatively scheduled October arguments to decide if District Attorney Fani Willis can remain on former President Donald Trump’s Georgia criminal case; and WABE's Chamian Cruz tells how a group of rescue dogs are helping men in Fulton County break the cycle of incarceration and adjust to life on the outside.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The man accused of killing nursing student Laken Riley on the University of Georgia campus pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges in the case; Georgians are bracing for possibly worse-than-usual hurricane season, which starts this weekend; and WABE 's "Plugged In" podcast looks at how former President Donald Trump's 34 count conviction in New York might affect the 2024 election in Georgia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Norfolk-Southern has a new board chair; APSers could see a raise; and what's on Gen Z's minds these days? A lot, apparently. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

That's his story and he's sticking to it: a Trump election interference defendant says he can prove the 2020 Presidential election was stolen; Georgia's Secretary of State to Georgia voters: '...about those mail-in ballots. Um. You might not want to, because USPS'; and rara avis wunderkinds they are: two Georgia young people advance to the semifinals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office is appealing a judge’s decision to toss six counts in the Georgia election interference case involving former President Donald Trump; workers at Bluebird, one of the nation's biggest school bus makers based in Georgia, voted in favor of their first union contract; and one of the headliners for this year’s Atlanta Jazz Festival is one of Hip-Hop’s greatest rappers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court against the city of Atlanta two years after police fatally shot their son at a Buckhead restaurant while he was allegedly in mental distress; Atlanta-based Norfolk Southern railroad and the federal government have reached a $300 million settlement following last year's train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio; Election officials are now gearing up for another round of voting as primary races where no candidate got more than 50% of the vote head to a runoff on June 18th.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A judge approves a settlement in last year's Norfolk-Southern train derailment in Ohio; Georgia's primary saw a few incumbents get the boot; and Atlanta is among 15 cities--three of which are in Georgia--to make the potential host list for the Sundance Film FestivalSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Biden asks students for support, offers encouragement at Morehouse College graduation; Atlanta's real estate market sees a bit more inventory come online; and the YSL trial is already the longest in state history, and with no end in sight, the backup is spreading through Fulton County's judicial system.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What Morehouse College students are actually saying about President Biden's upcoming commencement visit; The future for Atlanta's pandas, the last two left in the U.S.; and funeral services remembering an Atlanta-born airman who was shot and killed by a Florida sheriff's deputy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MARTA continues to have difficulties getting ridership and its workforce up; How Georgia communities are using federal funds to clean up transportation in minority communities; and Donald Trump's influence on the modern day GOP in the state. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Biden and Trump agree to a Georgia debate; why Memorial Day could be a Metro Mess; and a Georgia Supreme Court case gets way more attention thean it ever before. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jimmy Carter's grandson shares an update on how the former president's doing in hospice care; Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis is up for re-election and facing challengers, including in the Democratic primary next week; and the race to replace outgoing Republican Congressman Drew Ferguson is one of the few competitive U.S. House races in Georgia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The GBI uses a new law to add heat to a decades-old cold case; another new law makes it easier for third-party candidates to appear on Georgia's ballot; and the Hawks get first pick in this year's ...underwhelming...NBA Draft (que the slow claps). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A GOPer who voted nine times illegally while serving a sentence is voted out of the state party leadership; U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga) is still ticked about your late mail; and meet the young Georgia student who defines success by spelling the word better than you can. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

State GOP leaders want more answers about a special prosecutor's relationship with Fulton County's DA; Are Cobb County's newly-drawn legislative lines in-line with the state Constitution? Eh. SCOGA rules it's a cute question, but one they didn't feel they should answer; and.... the survey SAYS? Emory's president needs to go--although the University administration isn't so certain.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trump's Georgia trial delayed as SCOGA agrees to hear challenge; Georgia's MTG finds a cold reception from House colleagues as she tries (again) to remove the House speaker; and Music Midtown goes "on hiatus." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Georiga gets a budget; Kemp vetos a dozen provisions; and they City of Atlanta settles a civil rights lawsuit and pays the family of a church deacon tased to death $3.8-million. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"No Patient Left Behind" provision gets Gov. Kemp's signature; the ACLU sues on behalf of Georgia's deaf and hard-of-hearing populations; and the "Rent Is Too Damn..." low? No. Nobody said that ever. But the rent is lower than it was at the height of the pandemic. Sot that's good. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A federal grand jury in Atlanta has indicted a California man for making death threats against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis; Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has announced several key leadership changes in his administration; New legislation in Georgia bans so-called foreign agents from buying certain land in the state. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When it comes to bird flu, nothing to see here folks... keep moving; Climate change is likely to cause lots more people to move to Atlanta--too bad we won't have the infrastructure to support everyone; and an influx of cash means some lead water pipes might be replaced with safer materials. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Florida's stricter abortion ban takes effect, even fewer options exist for Georgians; Georgia could get its first ever national park; and a young athlete cashes in on young athletes cashing in. How name, image and likeness (NIL) is making some young sports stars into millionaires. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How many GOPers running for Congress in one Georgia district believe Donald Trump won the 2020 Presidential election, and not Joe Biden? All of them [which is the incorrect answer]; Remember when Georgia Power said its two new nuclear reactors would be online, heating up steam to generate as much power as you could think of? Neither do we, it's been so long. But, the last one went online this week; and hope the one out of six Georgians who relied on a federal program to connect to the web enjoyed the access, because they just lost it.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Demonstrations over the Israel-Hamas war continue at Georgia's colleges and universities; Early voting for the upcoming election is underway; and the reason the conditions are so bad at the Fulton County Jail? [An answer that surprises absolutely no one] Overcrowding. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Governor Brian Kemp signed more than 100 pieces of legislation into law this week, including bills dealing with the online and personal safety of Georgia's kids; Protestors have returned to the Emory University campus this evening, after police arrested more than 2 dozen demonstrators yesterday; WABE business reporter Marlon Hyde speaks with U.S. Labor Secretary Julie Su.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Demonstrators and police clash on Emory University's campus; Gov. Kemp signs an anti-squatting bill into law; and Arizona follows Georgia with indictments of 'fake electors' and former Pres. Donald Trump. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A federal judge lambastes a Georgia prison for its violation of a court order; commercial real estate prices struggle in Atlanta and beyond; and two historic Atlanta theaters serve as home for the 48th annual Atlanta Film Festival.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Legislation signed by Governor Brian Kemp will make it easier to open rural hospitals; Supporters of independent presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. say they have enough signatures to get on the ballot in swing states, including Georgia; WABE’s environment reporter Marisa Mecke explains how neighborhood groups and nonprofits are working together to tackle the complex cases of pollution.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Southwest Atlanta might once again see emergency medical care; Gov. Brian Kemp signs a slight tax decrease into law; and with one decade under its belt, Kennesaw State University's football team moves on up.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Georgia Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has been threatening for weeks to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson over his support for sending more aid to Ukraine; At a town hall, nearly all of Fulton County's candidates for sheriff said they do not support the construction of a new, nearly 2-billion-dollar jail; Georgia Power is set to expand a natural gas power plant to meet a spike in electricity demand from new businesses, but some argue that’s getting in the way of federal efforts to fight climate change.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Goergia's controversial 2021 voting law overhaul, SB 202, is in court this week; The Postmaster General is defending changes by the U.S. Postal Service that have led to delayed and missing mail in Georgia; On this week’s On Leadership with Atlanta Business Chronicle, host Crystal Edmonson talks with Christine Whitaker, president of Comcast’s Central DivisionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New York trial could set the stage for how former president Donald Trump’s election interference case eventually unfolds in Georgia; Atlanta-based music producer Rico Wade, part of the groundbreaking producing team known as Organized Noize, has died; Georgia's process for compensating people exonerated for wrongfully convictions has once again failed those it's meant to help. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Latest data from the U.S. Postal service reveals mail delivery delays continue across Georgia; Many of Georgia's drinking water systems may have to be cleaned up or could be in violation of new federal rules; And the AJC's Leon Stafford reports former Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill has been making waves in local politics since recently getting out of prison, See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A special prosecutor has been appointed to investigate Georgia Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones for his activities after the 2020 election; Controversial Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene says U.S Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has offered her an advisory role; And this week's How Do You Atlanta looks at a celebration of pasta, music, and Atlanta’s artists.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another person has died while in custody at the Fulton County Jail -- the third this year; Fulton County Commissioners voted to reject an effort to restart animal control services in the City of Atlanta; Latinas are the country's fastest-growing segment of entrepreneurs but, as WABE's Marlon Hyde reports, still face several challenges.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Atlanta-based Norfolk Southern has agreed to pay a $600 million settlement related to the disastrous train derailment in eastern Ohio; Georgia Democrats say former President Donald Trump is responsible for the state’s strict abortion law, which took effect after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade; and the American Foundation for Suicide's Georgia chapter is preparing for their annual spring fundraiser. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Atlanta is still cut off from animal control services as city and Fulton County leaders face-off; Georgia's new regulations on hemp-derived goods are now awaiting Governor Brian Kemp’s signature; The U.S National Soccer Federation has started construction of its new home in Fayette County.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Fulton County Sheriff's Office says a man in its custody was stabbed to death, the second fatality this year; Over 11,000 educators have enrolled in the online Georgia Literacy Academy; The USDA wants home chicken owners to take precautions against avian flu.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Georgia judge rules against Donald Trump's First Amendment argument in the election interference case; APS goes all-in for its search for a new superintendent; and Georgia's First Lady says she's a "Never Trumper." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An EF-2 tornado rips through Rockdale County; a state GOP leader who illegally voted nine times loses the support of the party chair; and the rent is too damn high, sure, but it's still cheaper than a mortgage. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trump plans pricey fundraiser in Atlanta; what's going on with the Stop Cop City's efforts to put the project on a ballot; and Atlanta's pollen count is about as high as it's ever been. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United States Postal Service has chosen Atlanta-based UPS as its next primary air cargo provider; The FBI says someone rammed a car into the gate of its Atlanta office; and WABE's Stephannie Stokes reports Georgia children can remain in the foster care system just because their parents have trouble finding housing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Sine Die under the Gold Dome; Savannah's port is about to get busy(ier) after the Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore; and Georgia's horny trees win. Again. (Achoo!) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.