The Brief from WABE

Early voting turnout continues to reach record numbers as big-name individuals arrive in Georgia for the high-profile battleground races; a trial over the state's abortion law gets started as patients and doctors wonder how the new law will affect other medical treatments; and Atlanta residents can breathe a little easier after a drop in ozone levels. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Officials with Georgia's Secretary of State's office say that voters are turning out in record numbers for early-voting; A federal appeals court says U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham must appear before Fulton County's special grand jury into Trump-backed attempts to overturn the 2020 election; and this week's Georgia Votes 2022 podcast takes a deep dive into recent allegations that U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock's church owns a building which has evicted tenants. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WABE's own Rahul Bali joins NPR politics reporters Susan Davis and Asma Khalid for a live taping of the NPR Politics podcast ahead of the midterm elections; the creator of everyone's favorite historical hip-hop musical joins high-profile Democrats campaigning in Georgia; plus, nuclear disarmament expert and former Georgia Senator Sam Nunn offers his assessment on the threat of nuclear attack from Russia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a tumultuous 2020 election cycle, the Department of Justice has appointed a lead attorney to handle issues that come up on election day; a bank branch in Stone Mountain is one of many that will begin offering financial literacy services; and the Hawks look to get off to a strong start in Wednesday's season opener. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Candidates are in the thick of debate season with the first gubernatorial matchup between Republican Governor Brian Kemp and Democrat Challenger Stacey Abrams on MOnday, and many others scheduled for this week; Georgians turning out to vote early are breaking record numbers for a midterm; and a Georgia organization is hoping to use some of the extra space along highways for a more practicical purpose. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Early voting day one breaks records; what in the voting process concerns former Democratic U.S. Senator Sam Nunn about the future of our democracy; and a local college gets millions in grant money to back students in a one-year classroom residency. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Atlanta Medical Center locks its ER doors; all eyes are on Georgia for tonight's U.S. Senate debate; and fire up that (double-the-original-price-but-who-is-counting) new nuclear reactor! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Feds come after Bartow County claiming officials fired two Black employees based on their race (Bartow says that's 'outrageous.'); Sen. Warnock (D-Ga) sends Wellstar's CEO a letter encouraging her to act right about allowing employees to accept new jobs; and victory this election cycle could come from the 'burbs, because, you know, they're "purple or whatever." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A poll of Georgia voters shows when it comes to choosing a U.S. Senate or gubenatorial candidate, it can be complicated. Very complicated; Georgia DNR to the official state reptile: "Get off my list!"; and apparently some men who are good at throwing things while wearing kilts are going to be in full effect this weekend, or at least that's what "How Do You Atlanta?" tells me. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lawsuit accuses Clayton County of racial profiling, and at the worst place and time; Two times. One Day. Amazon warehouse workers give the company a prime middle finger; And no brotherly love for the Braves in game one of the division playoffs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Russia hacks airport websites, potentially including Atlanta's Hartsfied-Jackson; the deadline for absentee ballots is quickly approaching; and apparently folks got the message because they hate most. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By just about any account, Herschel Walker had a very bad week; Drivers who venture on the Northside Perimeter starting Saturday will have a very bad weekend; and Donald Trump's cronies are likely to have a very bad upcoming few months courtesy of Fulton County's DA. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A second trial for the Atlanta Spa shooter is postponed until January; Herschel Walker says he didn't pay for a former girlfriend's abortion, but if he did, it would be okay; and Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr's advice about buying a used car. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fighting over the future of the Fulton County Jail; Georgia ranks among the top of states for polluted water, according to a new report; and the debut of, 'How do you Atlanta?'See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A national media outlet publishes a report claiming Herschel Walker, the GOP nominee for one of Georgia's U.S. Senate seats, paid for a girlfriend to have an abortion; Issues, what? Why they won't matter so much in who gets elected; and after a year of getting drunk on equity, Atlanta homeowners are getting a sobering wake-up call. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gov. Brian Kemp extends Georgia's gas tax suspension for another month (To quote the late, great Gomer Pyle of Andy Griffith Show fame, "Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!"), allowing drivers to keep an extra 29-cents for every gallon of petrol they combust through Nov. 11th. That's a full 72-hours past Election Day. "Shazamm!"; You wouldn't think going from four lanes to three would be enough to turn Atlanta drivers' homicidal. If you don't keep off a stretch of the northside perimeter for the next eight months, G-DOT predicts you'll become a full-fledged serial killer; and a Georgia Republican says because the pandemic is 'over' [air quotes], time to return to the good ol' days when landlords need not wait 30 days to kick late-paying renters to the curb. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Not perfect, but not unconstitutional. That's what an Atlanta federal judge ruled today in the years-long legal challenge to Georgia's regulations on voting; 'This time, we really really mean it!' is kinda how the conversation might go between Delta's pilots and airline management after its union, ALPA, opened a strike authorization vote; and Rivian: Unplugged. A local judge essentially pumps the brakes on Georgia's largest-ever economic development effort, putting into question the future of the $5-billion + project. Oh. And. Happy Birthday, Mr. President! The ever-spry Jimmy Carter turns 98 on Saturday. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellstar speeds up its timeline for shutting down Atlanta Medical Center; Hurricane Ian leaves massive amounts of destruction in Florida but has little effect on metro Atlanta's weather; and Herschel Walker's lack of commitment kills a televised U.S. Senate debate in one of Georgia's smaller TV markets. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ian could bring widespread devastation to coastal Georgia; The FBI steps in to investigate Coffee County's vote tampering scheme; and what does it say when you're running for elected office and a group of influential voters picks its endorsements but skips you? ...Don't answer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Georgia emergency officials "aren't worried" about devastation from Hurricane Ian, although they figured all 159 counties should be under a state of emergency anyway; Georgia Power feels it's time for you to cough up more cash each month to keep the lights on, so it's asking the powers that be (AKA Georgia PSC) for permission to up your bill by about $170 a year, on average; and got a fetus? Has it ever had a heartbeat? If you said, "Yes!", the State of Georgia has $3k for you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite the throngs of salivating developers, the soon-to-be-vacant Atlanta Medical Center in the Old 4th Ward is off-limits. For now.; Georgia preps for Ian; and it only took thirty years, but those who live around Lake Lanier now have a contractual guarantee to water (what now, Alabama and Florida?!). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coffee County gets new voting machines to replace its new voting machines; The Home Depot's workers at a Philly store aren't feeling HQ's brotherly love, which prompted a petition to unionize; and a $5.5-billion dollar commitment to build electric vehicles in the U-S apparently isn't good enough to win favorable treatment from the federal government. That's prompted Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock to step in on behalf of South Korean auto manufacturer Hyundai. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Atlanta's main post office gets close to a heroic rename; Sen, John Ossoff addresses safety at U.S. prisons; and summer goes out with a bangSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An Atlanta attorney gets life in prison for a road rage murder conviction; Sen. John Ossoff (D-Ga) challenges the U.S. Dept. of Justice to accurately report the number of inmate deaths on its watch; and limbo competition or debate for a U.S. Senate seat? Why the, "Aw, shucks..." strategy could be political suicide.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first verdict in more than a thousand total pending lawsuits against Sterigenics' release of ethylene oxide finds the company on the hook for more than $350-million; the Carter Center gives U.S. politicians, officials and voters alike the chance to promise to do right in upcoming elections; and The Home Depot is all like, "We got this" if there's a real economic downturn.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dear Forsyth County GOP: Um....; Welcome to the land of "Take this job and shove it!"; and many GOP hopefuls in other states are pulling back from abortion as an issue, afraid of igniting a crowd of voters who might angrily cast a ballot against them. Notice the use of the word, "other" in that previous sentence. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another month. Another record number of jobs for Georgians; Gov. Kemp announces $130-million to boost Grady Memorial Hospital as it prepares to absorb a loss the closure of Atlanta Medical Center will create. And while it's a lot of money, his Democratic challenger Stacy Abrams says it's only a temporary Band-Aid.; and Dugdown part deuce. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of two Cobb County law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty is laid to rest as hundreds join the funeral procession; health advocates continue to bring attention to the void Atlanta Medical Center's closure will cause in the city's urban core, and Molly Samuel starts a deep dive into the beginnings of an ambitious conservation project known as the Dugdown Corridor.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bracing for the closure of one of Atlanta's largest safety net hospitals; how the looming rail strike could ripple through Georgia's fragile supply chain; and WABE mourns the loss of longtime legal analyst Page Pate, who died Sunday in a drowning accident off the coast of St. Simon's Island. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No race in the country has had more spent on TV ads than for Georgia's U.S. Senate seat; Hundreds of millions of dollars could be on its way to Grady Hospital in the aftermath of Atlanta Medical Center's closure; and how Atlanta's housing market became so red hot. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cobb County authorities offer new details in the shooting deaths of two deputies; the British Consulate General in Atlanta is inviting the public to sign a book of condolences for Queen Elizabeth II next week; and the University System of Georgia announced it will extend a temporary waiver for SAT and ACT requirements at most public colleges and universities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tributes and condolences pour in from Georgia dignitaries after the death of England's Queen Elizabeth II; Atlanta's Latin American Association says there's been an increase in the number of asylum seekers in recent months; and sales of electric vehicles in the southeast U.S. have doubled in the past year, but still lag behind the rest of the countrySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Atlanta city officials are demanding more details on Wellstar Health System's planned closure of the Atlanta Medical Center; Georgia U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is isolating in India after testing positive for COVID-19; and a jury has awarded $77 million to the family of a man who died after being dismissed from an addiction treatment facilitySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens tests positive for COVID-19; community groups are handing out bottled water after flooding in Northwest Georgia leaves thousands without running water; and more than 100,000 Georgians have requested absentee ballots for the November general election under new rules for mail-in voting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're live from DragonCon 2022 in this Brief, so keep that in mind when you listen. It was really, awesomely cool to see, but it was also really, awesomely loud. We return to our regularly scheduled studio after Labor Day. Godspeed. (No, really, it's worth a listen. I mean it.); Why being pregnant means you can bypass Atlanta traffic jams; and it's an otherwise sleepy weekend in the city this Labor Day. Not. Between the aforementioned DragonCon, Black Gay Pride, and something y'all get all worked up about down in these parts--college football--200k extra bodies are in town. Be safe. Have fun. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Closure of Atlanta's Wellstar Medical Center becomes a political issue; Try not to as he might, Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) will have to testify before a special grand jury in Fulton County; and Delta's pilots up the pressure on the airline to reach a new contract with them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellstar said to be unloading Atlanta Medical Center; Fights are down in Clayton County Schools; and more Monkeypox vaccine is coming to the area.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Burning bridge is structurally sound, on first glance anyway; Fulton's DA tells celebrities that keeping their glam off social media might just help them not get robbed; and a Georgia Democratic U.S. Senator aligns with Alabama's GOP representation, but it could be much ado about nothing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A major crash on an Atlanta Interstate and subsequent fire shuts down I-285 for most of the afternoon; Gov. Brian Kemp has to testify before a special purpose grand jury in Fulton County, but not before the election; and a local student is diagnosed with monkeypox. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Subpoenas. Subpoenas. Subpoenas. Subpoenas. Subpoenas. Subpoenas. Subpoenas. Subpoenas. Subpoenas.; Maybe it's the clear backpacks? Maybe not. Either way, Clayton County asks its parents not to cuss at home and to give educators a break as brawls early in the school year are up 200%; and better have about $25k if you want to bring a baby into the world. And that's just to get to their first birthday. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A MARTA board member throws the agency under a rapid transit bus; Secretary Governor Senator Chancellor Sonny Perdue has questions before he'll make a judgement call on whether forgiving $10,000 in student loans is a positive or a negative--like what kind of car you drove or what brand of clothes you wore in college; And now that we've got that out of the way, we should play a game. Yeah? You're onboard? Cool. So here's how it works. I'm the Fulton County DA's office. You're any and every Republican lawmaker in Georgia (and one in South Carolina, if it tickles your fancy). Here we go. When I say 'subpoena,' you say, 'quash!' Ready? Okay!..."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cases of COVID-19 dip a smidge as a new, targeted booster vaccine nears; Georgia's governor and a South Carolina Senator still don't want to talk to a Fulton County special grand jury; and for our "Pretty Penny" series, a look at travel cost trends. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two Atlanta police officers charged in the 2020 killing of Rayshard Brooks will see those charges dropped as a special prosecutor finds they broke no law; Atlanta's average mortgage payment doubled in the past two years--housing prices are the focus in the latest installment of our series, Pretty Penny;" and because COVID-19 and monkeypox just aren't quite enough to completely consume our worrying heads, now there's confirmation of a bird flu outbreak in Georgia. You're welcome. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Midtown on lockdown; new rules for absentee ballots are in effect as the window to request one opens; and be it a new car or a used one, it'll cost ya a pretty penny.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here's what happened today in the 'Things you can't do in Georgia according to court rulings today' category: 1. Tell the Governor his version of Medicaid expansion is not gonna fly. As such, if you're someone who will benefit from that limited expansion, it might behoove you to remember the sage words of the Atlanta native known as RuPaul: "You better work!" Or, if you're feeling frisky, Brittney Spears offered similar advice when she said, "You better WORK [expletive]." 2. Offer a voter a bottle of water if said voter is at a polling location, no matter how much said voter is sweating or melting or even if said voter is on fire+; 3. Vote for a Public Service Commissioner++; or 4. Avoid testifying before a Fulton County special purpose grand jury, no matter how hard you try if your name is Lindsey Graham and you're a Republican U.S. Senator from South Carolina.  + Judge's decision was because of proximity to election, not, apparently, because of the merits of the law ++ This could have changed within the time it took me to type this sentence. This just in. In fact, the story has changed after the Sec. of State says he's withdrawn the contest so there will be NO PSC vote on your ballot. The story contained within has been updated to reflect the latest.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Atlanta officials move quickly to remove a hate symbol from the city's LGBTQ core; Delta's CEO says the carrier is almost to its optimum staffing level and that hiring will likely taper off soon; and Awnaw! A member of Nappy Roots becomes the latest shooting victim in the city after he was jumped, kidnapped and shot in the leg trying to escape an attempted robbery. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rudy comes to Atlanta, but he isn't happy about it; Gov. Kemp lives in Atlanta, but still isn't happy about his appearance before a special grand jury; and how rising temperatures affect your kid's classroom time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Profits for Atlanta-based The Home Depot were drippin' from their display fauCets in Q2; UGA is the defending national champion in college football. Apparently, that's not enough to get the most love from college coaches; and WABE legal analyst Page Pate breaks down what former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani might or might not say when he appears tomorrow before a special purpose grand jury.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) really doesn't want to come to Atlanta; Rudy Giuliani really doesn't want to come to Atlanta; and in related news, two high-profile Trump cronies are set to come to Atlanta. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.