The Brief from WABE

Georgia's #2 becomes the #1 most powerful opponent to Buckhead cityhood; whether Camden County must abdandon its aim to land a spaceport is up to voters ; and can Coke keep prices low enough that people affected by inflation and the pandemic afford to consume its products. It's the new Coke Challenge. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A US Senator from Georgia is worried elected officials have too much insider access to play the stock market game with any fairness; Georgia's top doc is worried lawmakers might go too far in opposing vaccinations; and members of the state's GOP fear regulation of free speech on college campuses is silencing conservative voices. But don't you worry. Instead, get caught up with a quick listen to The Brief from WABE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the third time this year, Spelman College receives a bomb threat; there's been a sharp drop in new COVID infections reported in Georgia, but the numbers of folks who must be hospitalized remains high; and guilt and distress are two things most would agree have no place in public school classrooms. Georgia's GOP says the fear of that possibility alone is enough to pass a law that would prevent certain topics related to race from being taught in schools. [So sorry, kids--you can't blanketly claim guilt or distress as a way to get out of third period.] See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Metro Atlanta sees Covid-19 cases falling or remaining steady during the first week of February; immigrants seeking asylum in Georgia courts are finding more success under the current administration; lawmakers debate changes to the state's hands-free driving laws and a conversation with U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock on what more federal funding for tech education could mean for Georgia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The three white men guilty of murdering Ahmaud Arbery, who was Black, rescind their guilty pleas on federal hate crimes charges; Years after parts of their back yards were taken for the BeltLine, and some 30 Decatur homeowners are finally going to see a check in the mail; And how do you get elementary school kids to come back to school on a Saturday to get a shot? Throw a big superhero-themed party. Oh, and give 'em $100. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mea Culpa, power grab, or simply because they can? State House Republicans have the backs of Gwinnett County's GOP minority, who are using that power to counter Democratic gains at the county level; Fixing a problem that doesn't exist is how the head of Georgia Equality, Jeff Graham, describes an effort by the Georgia Senate to prevent trans students from joining sports teams aligned with their gender identity; and Cobb County is set to vote on limits for short-term rentals, like AirBnB. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After Democrats swept elections for Georgia's largest school district, senate Republicans feel it's time to make those seats non-partisan; Kind of like Y2K, only this time for real, one state official urges Georgians to look beyond their cell phones as telecom shutters 3G service; And the power of a refrigerator to help provide those with food insecurity more healthful food. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gwinnett County Republicans have a redistricting map that looks... different...than the one the current all-Democratic county commission drew up. That's not going over so well; state GOPers want to put $6,000 vouchers into parents' hands so they can choose where to send their kids to school--public or private; and a second day of bomb threats against HBCUs has the FBI and APD combing Spelman's West Atlanta campus. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A federal judge strikes down plea agreements in the hate crimes trial for the men convicted of murdering Ahmaud Arbery; Gov. Kemp tours a metro school to tout his education agenda (but says nary a word about proposed state laws banning Critical Race Theory and some books); and Georgia Power sunsets all of its remaining coal fired powerplants. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Baby, it's cold outside--the coldest weather metro Atlanta's seen in at least four years is upon us; Turns out that tossing an old M-60 battle tank followed by parts of a defunct bridge into the ocean can really help the underwater ecosystem off Georgia's coast; and a local coalition says the best way to cut down on former inmates returning to prison is to remove questions about convictions from college admissions forms. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Teachers aren't happy about two bills from the Ga State Senate that would ban "divisive concepts" from their classrooms. The head of Georgia's largest educator organization says they plan to let lawmakers know it; East Cobb gets the greenlight to cityhood--why one official is asking to pump the breaks; and housing appreciated in value a staggering 20% in metro Atlanta last year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Banning Critical Race Theory in Georgia becomes an official Senate proposal. And while it's top-of-mind for many state lawmakers, it's not tip-of-tongue, as the bill never mentions CRT specifically; mental health improvements get wide support; and the pandemic's effect on Georgia restaurants. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Calling it illegal governmental overreach, Georgia's Attorney General celebrates victory after the Biden administration withdraws its OSHA-enforced vaccine mandate; the GOP-controlled Georgia Senate says banning critical race theory, stipulating conditions for when and how social media companies ban politicians, and preventing women from having abortion pills mailed to them are top of their legislative agenda this session; and neighbors of the newly-announced Rivian EV factory east of Atlanta serve up a big helping of NIMBY. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fulton's DA gets her wish for a special grand jury to dig deeper into Pres. Donald Trump's alleged election metaling efforts; A potential state constitutional amendment sees a majority of Senators support it. It died anyway. And how do you overcome the 90-foot elephant in the room when discussing the future of Stone Mountain Park? Point a finger and plan anyway. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Years into a public health crisis and state health officials still have to bargain hard to get an adequate cut of the budget pie; Fulton County writes a seven-figure check to study building a new jail; and a conversation with researchers who say Black women in rural Georgia are dying unnecessarily and disproportionately from cervical cancer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Georgia's Sec. of State said it would take a subpoena before he'd cooperate with Fulton County's investigation into whether former President Donald Trump broke Georgia election law. Mr. SOS, your wish might just be a Special Grand Jury's command; Georgia sets a new record for the number of residents with a job; and AirBnB says Midtown, Atlanta is where it's gonna set up shop for its big, corporate tech hub. Those are just a smattering of the stories you'll hear on today's version of The Brief from WABE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stacey Abrams stumps for the first time since launching her gubernatorial re-bid; Behind on your mortgage or utilities because of the pandemic? Georgia has $350-million for folks in that position; and a conversation with the head of Georgia's AME Church, whose op-ed in the New York Times questions whether Democrats have abandoned the Black community because of their softness on voting rights legislation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

COVID's Omicron variant shows an initial decline; Georgia's University System treats every employee like smokers; and a look at trends emerging this week at the Gold Dome as Georgia's focus turns to paying the bills. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s family says don't poach his words if you're not going to embody his beliefs; State agencies are fixin' to come to the governor with hands extended; and remembering MARTA CEO Jeff Parker, who died by suicide on Friday. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The COVID-19 numbers are out, and Georgia is seeing an exponential number of new cases; What's good on the environment front as we kick off 2022; and COVID pills? What COVID Pills? Georgia's largest hospital system hasn't seen a single pill yet. But, hey--they're comin'. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The governor touts record tax revenues in his State of the State, and pledges to give a big chunk of the surplus to teachers; Democrats respond with, "Hey--Remember that Medicaid expansion thing you swore was too expensive?"; and why the head of GSU's Economic Forecasting Center says he's stocking up now on things he'll need a few months out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tax refund, everyone? Gov. Kemp brings the bacon to the annual Eggs and Issues breakfast; If the Omicron strain is less severe than other COVID-19 variants, you wouldn't know it by looking at area hospitals; and the father convicted in 2016 of purposefully leaving his child in a hot car to die will argue before the Supreme Court of Georgia that the original trial court made lots of mistakes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The reason COVID data was nonexistent this week? IT at DPH is so Y2K, apparently; The President and Vice President pick Atlanta's AUC to push for federal voting rights protections; and it's easy for UGA fans to overlook that 40+ year championshipless stretch when ya Dawgs end the season at the top. Crimson who? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The President and VP head to Atlanta tomorrow to push for federal voting rights legislation, but some voting rights groups say they should stay in DC; Georgia's COVID-19 numbers reported in one day top the six figure mark; and not that UGA fans are worked up about it, but the Bulldogs are vying for the national football championship tonight. Go Dawgs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Life in prison. That's the sentence for three men convicted of murdering Ahmad Arbery; Georgia's tax revenue picture is so good... [How good is it?!] It's SO good, the governor wants to give every state employee a $5k annual pay bump; and what the head of Atlanta Public Schools (which holds WABE's broadcast license) has to say to parents who were upset this week at a last-minute shift to virtual learning. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The person who decides what ideas get consideration under the Gold Dome says 2022 will not be the year when distracting topics like abortion get a reading. No sir, no ma'am. Instead, the GOP will stick to things like expanding access to guns and how race is taught in public schools; We can't tell you how many COVID infections the state saw today because for the second time this week, officials say a data issue got in the way; Former Senator Johnny Isakson, who stepped down in 2019 due to a battle with Parkinson's, was remembered today as one of the last great middle ground seekers in the Senate; and a year after insurrection threatened democracy, U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson (D- Ga 5) recounts the moment and the causes behind it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Governor Kemp gets fired up about folks being able to carry guns without a permit; A prominent name in the state's GOP says the party will get it all wrong if it focuses on guns and abortion and other incendiary topics during the upcoming legislative session; and it's not felt like winter across the state. But is it about to? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thousands across Georgia remain without power after storms, heavy wind and even snow in some parts brought down power lines; Atlanta has a new mayor as Andre Dickens is sworn in; and if 2021 was an 'off' political year in Georgia, someone forgot to pass along that memo. Hear those stories and lots more in the first episode of The Brief from WABE for 2022. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Infections of the record-breaking Omicron variant are starting to sound like a broken record; hospitals across the metro aren't preparing for a crisis--they say that crisis is here; and just as Gov. Kemp signs into law new, Republican-favoring legislative districts for Georgia, the ACLU sues to stop them on the basis they violate the 1965 Voting Rights Act. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Omicron continues its rapid rampage across Georgia, with the National Guard on standby to help at state testing centers; a warning from top health officials and the state's attorney general about fake COVID tests; and the area could see a lot of rain as strong storms move through the region in the coming days. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Omicron's spread leads to the single biggest day for new COVID-19 infections so far this pandemic, with Fulton County reporting more than 14,000 cases; the peach will have to wait another year to drop; and implicit racial bias and its potential influence on Georgia's high infant mortality rates. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Omicron promises to fuel an exponential increase of COVID-19 infections in metro Atlanta; Gov. Kemp seeks to make Juneteenth a state holiday; and metro Atlantans tell us how their yuletide celebrations look different amid the pandemic and its latest variant. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Atlanta is bringing back a mask mandate. Georgia is not; Georgia's Gov and Atty General sue the Biden Administration. Again; and the state looks to educate a workforce to fit the electric vehicle wave coming. It's all in today's Brief from WABE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Georgia lawmakers from both sides of the isle remember former U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson as a statesman invested in reaching common ground. This, a day after the Republican died at the age of 76; COVID's latest variant is coming in a big way; and federal officials give the green light to Camden County to move forward with a spaceport. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oh, my! [cron] Officials predict the latest COVID variant could spread extremely quickly, especially with holiday gatherings upon us; GOP Senate hopeful Herschel Walker never graduated from the Univ. of Georgia, although you'd think otherwise if you'd read his website; and the "Super Bowl of HBCUs" is back in Atlanta after a year off for COVID. Want a ticket? Too late. Seats are sold out, promising one of the biggest events yet for Mercedes-Benz Stadium. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Georgia announces it's wooed the biggest car company you've never heard of; if there ever was a time to be jobless in Atlanta, November was it; and it's taken two years to clean up one shipwreck, but Georgia (finally) bids adieu to the Golden Ray. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Infectious disease experts are urging Georgians to get a Covid-19 booster to help better protect themselves from the omicron variant. Feral hogs, a nuisance on the Georgia coast for years, are now being blamed for making marshes more vulnerable to climate change. An Atlanta actor discusses the state of the film industry in Georgia; and ground is broken near city hall for a memorial to the victims of the Atlanta Child Murders.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Six million Georgia residents have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine over the past year, but state health officials are still hoping to persuade millions more to roll up their sleeves as holiday travel season continues. Georgia’s Republican House Speaker previews the upcoming legislative session; and a new center in Atlanta will help address those who stutter, thanks to the financial support of Atlanta United and Falcons’ owner Arthur M. Blank.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hospitalizations from Covid-19 are on the rise across Georgia, especially in the northwest part of the state. The Red Cross says Georgians can help tornado relief efforts across the South and Midwest by donating blood. Gov. Brian Kemp faces a primary challenge in 2022 after falling out of favor with former President Donald Trump. And Atlanta’s Peach Bowl returns to full capacity Dec. 30th, meaning an uptick in short-term rentals.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Georgia's Republican Party "is going to suffer a bloodbath," claims one of the state's top Republicans after former U.S Senator turned GOP gubernatorial hopeful David Perdue sues to overturn the 2020 election; Georgia Republicans are making Buckhead cityhood a statewide issue; and what housing affordability looks like in a neighborhood where housing prices have become anything but. It 's just a sample of what you'll hear in The Brief from WABE News for this Friday, December 10th, 2021. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Atlanta’s mayor-elect and Georgia’s Republican governor met in person Thursday, hoping to mend the relationship that was strained under the current mayoral administration; another case of the Omicron variant is detected in Georgia; Atlanta continues to outpace the nation when it comes to the rate of inflation; a financial analyst in the “poultry capital of the world” weighs in on the state of the economy in Gainesville.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Georgia’s state income tax makes up between $13-14 billion of the state’s budget, but some 2022 Republican candidates are campaigning to do away with it; new documents reveal Cobb County schools surveyed parents about Covid-19 testing this summer, but then ignored the results; and an organization focused racial equity in the South is out with a new report.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The transition period between Atlanta mayoral administrations will likely be filled with questions about the Buckhead city movement; a judge in Georgia puts the vaccine mandate for federal contractors on hold for now; an Emory University professor says the baseball lockout isn’t likely to curb fan enthusiasm following the Braves’ World Series title. Plus...dancing robots.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former U.S. Senator David Perdue draws strong reaction from both parties after he announces a run for governor in 2022. Georgia educators explore ways they can help students re-capture learning lost during the pandemic shutdown; and how will supply and labor issues affect future foreign investments in Georgia?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Atlanta's Mayor-Elect is ready to keep Buckhead from becoming its own city; Democrats canvas the state to drum up support for Pres. Biden's Build Back Better Bill; and the urgent message from those who run Atlanta's animal shelter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gov. Brian Kemp says he's prepared to fight Stacy Abrams' bid for Georgia governor. He almost says the same thing about a potential challenge from fellow GOPer, former U.S. Sen. David Perdue. For Mayor-Elect Andre Dickens, it's fixing the current out-of-control housing market that's on his plate; and speaking of that market. Is it about to fix itself? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Separate police shootouts end in multiple deaths and serious injuries, including one officer; Stacey Abrams announces her run for Georgia Governor; and a shift is coming to Atlanta City Hall after Andre Dickens wins the contest for mayor, and Doug Shipman beats a longtime incumbent for council president. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Election Day across the metro. Again; Nine billion dollars in federal road and transportation funds might not go as far as it used to, thanks to labor shortages and high materials prices; and after years of pushing for a memorial at the former Chattahoochee Brick Company, advocates could soon get their wish. That's if the City of Atlanta can pull off the land's purchase. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A local sheriff asks a federal judge to dismiss his indictment over use of excessive force related to a restraint chair; No cases of the Omicron version of COVID-19 are in Georgia. Yet; and "Take This Job and ...." reshape it into something flexible and equitable, says a Clayton State professor. And if CEOs do, many fewer employees will leave. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.