Georgia Today

Georgia Public Broadcasting

Georgia Today is the daily podcast from GPB News bringing you compelling stories and in-depth reporting that you won’t hear anywhere else. Peter Biello hosts this quick and convenient way to get the best of GPB News’ extensive coverage of the topics that matter to you, delivered directly to your device every weekday afternoon.

Listen in podnod RSS feed Show website

1,034 episodes
Updated Friday

Episodes1034

Newest first

May 14, 2021 · 22 min
How Keisha Lance Bottoms Changed Atlanta And What Her Successor Could Face
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms grabbed headlines with her announcement she won’t seek reelection. Her first term has seen a host of crises, including a cyberattack, the coronavirus pandemic, weeks of racial unrest and a sharp rise in crime. Georgia Today host Steve Fennessy and Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Bill Torpy explore what led to Bottoms' decision, and how the city has changed on her watch.
May 12, 2021 · 23 min
Is Mayor Bottoms Paying The Political Cost For A COVID Crime Wave?
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms shocked many people around the metro Atlanta area by announcing last week she will not be running for reelection. She has said that this is coming from a place of strength and not weakness. But her critics have said that what she calls a “COVID Crime Wave” and her handling of the firing of Atlanta police officer Garrett Rolfe, who shot Rayshard Brooks last summer, has made her vulnerable if she had chosen to run. Police officers in the city of Atlanta feel like Bottoms no longer have their backs. This week on Georgia Today, we look at some issues Bottoms faced during her tenure as mayor of the city of Atlanta with CNN national correspondent Ryan Young.
May 7, 2021 · 21 min
After 2020, Both Parties Court Women Voters Ahead Of Georgia’s 2022 Elections
2020 was an election year that saw record turnout by men and women from both parties. But the women’s vote was decisive in helping Joe Biden capture the White House and in pushing Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock to victory in the tight Senate runoffs. And it’s not just the ballot box where women are making their mark in Georgia politics. More women, and women of color, are also running for statewide office. We look at what's driving this trend with Patricia Murphy, a political reporter at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Apr 30, 2021 · 22 min
What's Behind An Alleged White Supremacist Conspiracy In Floyd County?
The deadly Jan. 6 attack on the United States Capitol building by a pro-Trump mob was a glimpse into what many experts have long warned: Homegrown extremism is on the rise across the U.S. On Georgia Today, guest Chris Joyner from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution speaks on what’s known about violent white supremacist groups operating in Georgia.
Apr 28, 2021 · 20 min
Carterland Documentary Revisits Jimmy Carter’s Presidency
Jimmy Carter may be the only American president to have used the White House as a stepping stone. Turned out of office after one term, Carter went on to global esteem as a champion of public health, a geopolitical negotiator, and an advocate for democratic representation. Georgia-born brothers and filmmakers Will and Jim Pattiz, revive the debate over Carter’s White House legacy in their new film “Carterland.”
Apr 23, 2021 · 21 min
Is Coal Ash Poisoning The Water In Juliette, Georgia? Residents Say Yes And They Want Answers
Stories of unexplained illnesses, cancers and death have been the talk of Juliette, Georgia, for years. The town outside Macon is home to Georgia Power’s Plant Scherer, one of the largest coal-fired power plants in the country. Juliette residents say coal ash from the plant is poisoning their water supply. Now, they’re calling for policymakers to help.
Apr 16, 2021 · 22 min
Secret Tapes, Lawsuits, An Embattled Coach: Welcome To Valdosta High School Football
Secret tapes, scandal, sanctions. It's a story that strikes at the heart of Georgia's passion for high school football. And Valdosta football is the stuff of legend. The Wildcats claim among the most wins of any team in state history. Now, the organization is the subject of multiple investigations and a broiling scandal that's attracting national attention. We'll get into all that and more on Georgia Today.
Apr 9, 2021 · 21 min
After Mixed Calving Season, Advocates Say Time Is Running Out To Save Right Whale
The waters off the Georgia coast are a vital calving ground for the North Atlantic right whale. This calving season, which winds down in April, has been a rare bright spot for the critically endangered whales, with scientists counting more babies than in the last three seasons combined. But experts say the gains may not be enough to save the species. On this episode of Georgia Today, we hear the latest on efforts to protect the right whale.
Apr 1, 2021 · 23 min
Fallout Intensifies Over Georgia's Controversial Election Law
Voting rights groups continue to push back against the state's sweeping new election law. After a 2020 election that saw record voter turnout statewide, Democrats say the Election Integrity Act will make it harder for many Georgians to vote, especially voters of color. Republicans argue it will expand voter access. The measure signed by Gov. Brian Kemp passed without Democratic support, catapulting Georgia smack into the center of a brewing nationwide battle over how Americans vote. In this episode, we'll hear how the law changes the state's election system, and as calls grow louder for companies to boycott Georgia, how the controversy could affect the economy.
Mar 26, 2021 · 23 min
Spa Shootings Hit Home For Asian American Reporter
After the massacre at three Asian-owned massage businesses in and around Atlanta, we're joined by Atlanta-based CNN correspondent Natasha Chen, who says the Georgia shootings could mark the beginning of a new chapter for Asian-American social justice activism in the United States.
Mar 19, 2021 · 23 min
How The White House COVID-19 Relief Plan Aims To Help Georgia's Black Farmers
Millions of stimulus checks begin hitting most Americans bank accounts this week after passage of the Biden administration's American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, also known as the COVID-19 Stimulus Package. On Georgia Today, we hear how the plan intends to help the state's Black farmers.
Mar 11, 2021 · 37 min
Behind Georgia's Sluggish Vaccine Rollout
When will you be eligible for the coronavirus vaccine? On Georgia Today, Andy Miller of Georgia Health News explains why the state is so far behind on its vaccine rollout.
Mar 5, 2021 · 23 min
Democrat Wins In Georgia Prompt Likely Voting Restrictions
After record election turnout that led to big Democratic wins in Georgia, Republican lawmakers are now pushing legislation that would restrict voter access. On Georgia Today, GPB producer Rahul Bali explains how elections could look the next time Georgians head to the polls.
Feb 24, 2021 · 23 min
How MLK Jr.'s Prison Sentence Landed JFK In The White House
Weeks before the 1960 presidential election, Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested for participating in a lunch counter sit-in in Atlanta and sentenced to four months of hard labor. Thanks to some back-channel moves by the Kennedy campaign, King was released from prison. On Georgia Today, author Paul Kendrick explains how that changed party allegiances for Black and white voters in the South for generations.
Feb 24, 2021 · 22 min
Encore: How The Key To Black Power May Lie In Reversing The Great Migration
During the Great Migration, six million Black Americans moved from the South up North. They wanted work opportunities and a respite from the sting of racist Jim Crow laws. Guest host Leah Fleming talks with New York Times columnist Charles Blow, who is pushing for a reversal of the Great Migration. He’s written about it in his new book, "The Devil You Know: A Black Power Manifesto."
Feb 18, 2021 · 23 min
Georgia Teachers' Long Wait For The Vaccine
With Georgia teachers still not vaccinated, when can our public schools fully reopen? On Georgia Today, GPB health care reporter Ellen Eldridge discusses the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, and its impact on teachers.
Feb 12, 2021 · 23 min
Georgia A Major Player In Trump's Second Impeachment Trial
On Georgia Today, GPB political reporter Stephen Fowler discusses Georgia's role in former President Trump’s second impeachment trial, and whether there could be criminal charges tied to Trump’s interference in the presidential election.
Feb 5, 2021 · 23 min
Gainesville Poultry Plant Tragedy Illuminates Unseen Workers
A liquid nitrogen leak last week at a poultry processing plant in Gainesville killed six people and injured a dozen others. The tragedy brought into focus an industry that's lightly regulated and heavily staffed by undocumented workers. On Georgia Today, Richard Fausset of The New York Times talks about the tragedy in the self-professed “Poultry Capital of the World.”
Feb 1, 2021 · 21 min
How The Key To Black Power May Lie In Reversing The Great Migration
During the Great Migration, six million Black Americans moved from the South up North. They wanted work opportunities and a respite from the sting of racist Jim Crow laws. Guest host Leah Fleming talks with New York Times columnist Charles Blow, who is pushing for a reversal of the Great Migration. He’s written about it in his new book, "The Devil You Know: A Black Power Manifesto."
Jan 29, 2021 · 23 min
The Struggle And Triumph Of Henry "Hank" Aaron
Henry "Hank" Aaron, a longtime Atlanta Braves player and Hall of Famer, was laid to rest this week. He died at the age of 86. On Georgia Today, ESPN senior writer Howard Bryant discusses the complicated life of a baseball legend and American icon.

Georgia Today

How Keisha Lance Bottoms Changed Atlanta And What Her Successor Could Face

Is Mayor Bottoms Paying The Political Cost For A COVID Crime Wave?

After 2020, Both Parties Court Women Voters Ahead Of Georgia’s 2022 Elections

What's Behind An Alleged White Supremacist Conspiracy In Floyd County?

Carterland Documentary Revisits Jimmy Carter’s Presidency

Is Coal Ash Poisoning The Water In Juliette, Georgia? Residents Say Yes And They Want Answers

Secret Tapes, Lawsuits, An Embattled Coach: Welcome To Valdosta High School Football

After Mixed Calving Season, Advocates Say Time Is Running Out To Save Right Whale

Fallout Intensifies Over Georgia's Controversial Election Law

Spa Shootings Hit Home For Asian American Reporter

How The White House COVID-19 Relief Plan Aims To Help Georgia's Black Farmers

Behind Georgia's Sluggish Vaccine Rollout

Democrat Wins In Georgia Prompt Likely Voting Restrictions

How MLK Jr.'s Prison Sentence Landed JFK In The White House

Encore: How The Key To Black Power May Lie In Reversing The Great Migration

Georgia Teachers' Long Wait For The Vaccine

Georgia A Major Player In Trump's Second Impeachment Trial

Gainesville Poultry Plant Tragedy Illuminates Unseen Workers

How The Key To Black Power May Lie In Reversing The Great Migration

The Struggle And Triumph Of Henry "Hank" Aaron