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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.

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1,034 episodes
Updated Friday

Episodes1034

Aug 28, 2020 · 23 min
From Pandemic To Activism, Unexpected Season Redefines Atlanta United
For Atlanta United players and fans, this has been a season unlike any other in the franchise’s short history. Felipe Cardenas, a staff writer for The Athletic, walks us through a season that's been beset with injuries, a coach’s firing, a pandemic, and the team's decision not to play on Wednesday in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Aug 21, 2020 · 23 min
How The "Lovett Cluster" Stymied Contact Tracers
In May, local headlines told of an outbreak of COVID-19 cases among students at the prestigious Lovett School in Atlanta. Charles Bethea, a staff writer for The New Yorker, talks about what his reporting revealed about the tensions between privacy and the efforts by public health officials to contain the virus’ spread.
Aug 14, 2020 · 23 min
Georgia Tasing Death Testing 'Stand Your Ground' Defense
In 2017, a man named Eurie Martin died after he was tasered by sheriff's deputies in Washington County, Georgia. The case, which is now being considered by the Georgia Supreme Court, could have major implications on policing and the state's Stand Your Ground law. Georgia Today host Steve Fennessy walks through the case with GPB reporter Grant Blankenship.
Aug 7, 2020 · 23 min
Lawsuit Claims Power Plant Tainting Neighbors’ Water Supply
A massive coal plant in Monroe County is being blamed for contaminating the local water supply. Georgia Today host Steve Fennessy talks with freelance journalist Max Blau about a lawsuit by residents who are demanding clean water.
Jul 30, 2020 · 27 min
Shedding New Light On 1985 Double Murder Case
Last week, after nearly 20 years behind bars, Dennis Perry was freed from prison. He had been convicted in the 1985 murders of a husband and wife in Camden County. Georgia Today host Steve Fennessy talks with Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Joshua Sharpe. His year-long investigation into the murder led to Perry's conviction being thrown out -- and fresh scrutiny on a potential new suspect in the slayings.
Jul 23, 2020 · 27 min
The Race To Stop Spread Of COVID-19
This first wave of COVID-19 is not over. After several weeks of declining numbers, the graph of infections in Georgia is beginning to resemble a hockey stick. Georgia Today host Steve Fennessy talks with Andy Miller, the editor of Georgia Health News. Andy takes us to Albany, Ga., one of the pandemic's first hotspots in the state. He also outlines the debate to mandate masks in cities like Atlanta and Savannah, and he helps us understand where the pandemic might be headed.
Jul 16, 2020 · 28 min
How The CDC Was Sidelined During Pandemic
Georgia Today host Steve Fennessy talks with science journalist Maryn McKenna, who for years covered the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During the Coronavirus pandemic, the CDC's once stellar reputation has taken a hit, thanks to political meddling from the White House and, in some cases, the agency's own missteps. On Georgia Today, Maryn walks us through the history of the agency, and how it’s become so politicized.
Jul 10, 2020 · 27 min
Atlanta's Violent Holiday Weekend — And What It Means
The July 4 holiday weekend in Atlanta was shocking for its violence. A dozen shootings crossed the city. At least 31 people were injured and five were killed, including an 8-year-old girl named Secoriea Turner. Host Steve Fennessy talks with CNN reporter Nick Valencia about the string of violence that prompted Gov. Kemp to call in the National Guard. The two also consider what the future looks like for police reforms in the city.
Jun 26, 2020 · 27 min
Decatur Reconciles With Past As Confederate Monument Comes Down
The long fight to remove a Confederate monument in Decatur, Georgia, came to an end this month. The 30-foot-tall structure that stood in the city's square since 1908 was taken down. Meanwhile, there is a push to put up a marker near where the Confederate monument once stood. This marker would honor a long, overlooked piece of Civil Rights history. In this episode of Georgia Today, decaturish.com editor Dan Whisenhunt walks through the Confederate monument's history, and he explains how efforts to take it down reached a boiling point after the death of George Floyd.
Jun 19, 2020 · 20 min
The Killing Of Rayshard Brooks
The police shooting death of Rayshard Brooks in a Wendy's parking lot in Atlanta reignited the city, which was just starting to cool down following weeks of protests for social justice and police reform. In recent days after Brooks' death, Atlanta has seen a new round of demonstrations, the resignation of the city's police chief, and two Atlanta officers charged in Brooks' death. In this episode of Georgia Today, Atlanta Magazine writer and editor Thomas Wheatley walks through the police shooting death of Rayshard Brooks, what happened in the nights that followed, and what it could mean going forward for policing in Atlanta.
Jun 15, 2020 · 19 min
Violent Protests Not The 'Atlanta Way'
In the wake of George Floyd's death and the nationwide protests that it sparked, changes to how America polices its citizens could be on the way. Two weeks ago, protesters gathered in Atlanta. What began as a peaceful demonstration escalated into violence. In this episode of Georgia Today, Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Ernie Suggs recalls what it was like covering the demonstrations. He also describes how the violent protests weren't a reflection of the "Atlanta Way," a phrase to describe how the city's black and white business class have historically come together on racial issues.
Jun 5, 2020 · 27 min
Reporting On Ahmaud Arbery Before The Rest Of The World Caught On
The shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery outside Brunswick, Georgia, sparked nationwide outrage — but not right away. Arbery died Feb. 23, but it took more than two months for charges to be filed, and that was only after a disturbing video of the shooting was released. When Brunswick News reporter Larry Hobbs heard about Arbery's death a day after it happened, what struck him was how no one was talking about it. He recalls the strange, silent days and weeks following the shooting, the pinball movements as the case bounced from prosecutor to prosecutor and what the story revealed about the community he covers.
Jun 1, 2020 · 15 min
Imperfect Picture Of COVID-19 Testing
Since the early days of the pandemic, testing has been widely acknowledged as a fundamental step in controlling the spread of COVID-19. Despite President Trump’s promise that anyone who needed a test would get one, there’s been no federal testing program. Instead, individual states have been left to figure it out. We look at the testing battlefield in Georgia with reporters Brian Wooten of the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer and Grant Blankenship of Georgia Public Broadcasting.
May 20, 2020 · 23 min
How 1 Week Of The Pandemic May Define Kemp's Legacy
Over the past few weeks, states have slowly begun lifting some restrictions imposed by the spread of COVID-19. Critics say Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s decision to re-open some businesses in late April was way too soon. Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Greg Bluestein says to understand the governor’s response to the pandemic, you need to understand the man.