Arrested journalist remains in federal custody; Endangered birds; Job Corps cuts

Summary

Georgia Today Podcast Summary – July 9, 2025

Hosted by Peter Biello

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1. Journalist Arrested Near Atlanta Remains in Federal Custody

The episode opens with a troubling account of press freedom in Georgia. Peter Biello reports that Spanish-language journalist Mario Guevara, who was arrested in June while covering a protest near Atlanta, remains in federal custody. Despite an immigration judge granting him bond, ICE has refused his family's attempts to secure his release, treating him as a threat even though a judge determined he is not dangerous.

"His lawyer said ICE refused his family's attempt to pay his bond and is treating him as a threat, though a judge ruled he is not dangerous." [01:00]

This case has ignited widespread criticism from press freedom advocates, highlighting concerns over governmental overreach and the protection of journalists.

2. Legal Developments in the Conviction of Jose Ibarra

Shifting focus to the judicial system, Chase McGee reports on Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan man convicted of murdering Georgia nursing student Laken Riley. Initially sentenced to life without parole in November, Ibarra is now seeking a new trial based on claims of mental deficiency that may have impaired his ability to stand trial or assist in his defense.

"The judge's order Tuesday asks for an evaluation to determine Ibarra's competency during trial and post conviction proceedings." [01:48]

Prosecutors maintain that there were no prior concerns regarding his mental state, but they do not oppose the evaluation, keeping the door open for further legal proceedings.

3. Tragic Loss and Community Impact

The podcast also covers the heartbreaking news of Joyce Katherine Baden, a 21-year-old architecture student at the Savannah College of Art and Design, who perished in the recent flash floods in Texas. The institution has expressed its condolences, honoring Baden as a beloved daughter, friend, and classmate, underscoring the far-reaching impacts of natural disasters on local communities.

4. Sanitation Workers Strike in North Atlanta Metro

Republic Service sanitation workers in the north Atlanta metro area, including Alpharetta and Cumming, have initiated a strike in response to alleged unfair labor practices and unsuccessful negotiations over workplace conditions. The workers, represented by Teamsters Local 728, are demanding a new contract that includes a 7% pay increase.

Peter Biello notes that this strike is part of a broader nationwide work stoppage by the Teamsters, highlighting the growing tensions between labor forces and management across various sectors.

5. Job Corps Cuts and South Fulton’s Response

A central theme of the episode is the ongoing threat to the Job Corps program in Georgia. South Fulton City Council members are vocally opposing the Trump administration's abrupt shutdown of Job Corps locations in May. The council is urging the administration to either restore funding for the unfinished job training center or transfer it to the city to continue serving the affected students.

Helen Willis, South Fulton City Council Member:

"We are still in danger of job corps to be closed throughout the region. We are still at risk of youth being homeless and hopeless." [03:30]

Helen Willis emphasizes the precarious situation facing 400 students in the city, advocating for urgent action to prevent further closures that could leave many youth without essential support and training.

6. U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on Federal Layoffs

In a significant legal update, the U.S. Supreme Court has permitted mass layoffs at federal agencies while a challenging case proceeds. This decision directly affects Job Corps sites in Albany and Brunswick, which have been ordered to close amidst the broader administrative actions against the program.

7. Potential Changes to Georgia’s Endangered Birds Protection Law

Environmental conservation is also under discussion, with Benjamin Payne reporting on proposed amendments to Georgia’s long-standing bird protection regulation, often referred to as the "bird island rule." Established in 1998 to safeguard nesting sites for species such as the American Oystercatcher, Sandwich Tern, and Brown Pelican, the rule may see its first changes in nearly three decades.

Helen Willis:

"Vulnerability is just really high, especially since we might only have one colony for that species in a given year. So really, with relatively little disturbance, just a few people or a few dogs in a relatively short period of time, you could wipe out the productivity for that species in the whole state." [04:44]

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is proposing to update the list of protected areas by adding new islands and sandbars formed through natural accretion or human intervention, while removing those that have eroded. Public comments on this proposal are being accepted until August 22nd.

8. TSA’s New Shoe Policy and Concerns Over Travel Bans

In transportation news, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced a significant change to TSA security protocols. Passengers traveling through domestic airports like Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson will no longer be required to remove their shoes during security screenings, a policy adjustment ending nearly two decades of existing regulations.

However, the episode also addresses bipartisan concerns over President Donald Trump's proposed travel bans targeting African countries and parts of the Caribbean. Members of the Georgia Legislative Africa Caucus, including Representative Elmadi Hutchley, have formally requested that Secretary of State Marco Rubio reconsider the bans, arguing they would disproportionately affect communities within Georgia.

Representative Elmadi Hutchley:

"We need to encourage those in our communities that we will stand strong against the president's implementation of this ban." [06:11]

Supporters of the travel bans cite national security as the primary motivation, while opponents highlight the potential social and economic repercussions for affected immigrant communities.

9. Preparations for the MLB All-Star Game in Cobb County

Concluding the episode on a lighter note, Cobb County officials are gearing up for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Truist Park. With an estimated 41,000 attendees inside the park and additional crowds in the surrounding areas, comprehensive security measures involving local, state, and federal law enforcement are in place to ensure safety.

Deputy Fire Chief Carl Crumbley advises attendees to prepare for the event’s high temperatures:

"Anyone attending All Star Week events should prepare for high temperatures." [07:06]

Chase McGee adds practical tips for spectators, emphasizing hydration and child safety:

"Please, please hydrate. Plan your events. This is a family event, so if you bring really small children, make sure that you know you keep them covered. You bring plenty of fluids for them as well." [07:06]

The episode also highlights the innovative and indulgent food offerings at Truist Park, reflecting Georgia’s vibrant culinary culture. From the "Bless Yous Heart Dog," a deep-fried, Cheetos-rolled hot dog, to the vegetarian-friendly "Fried Green Tomato Slider," the ballpark is set to offer a diverse array of gastronomic delights for all attendees.

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Conclusion

Peter Biello wraps up the episode by encouraging listeners to subscribe to the Georgia Today podcast for daily updates and to visit GPB.org/news for ongoing coverage. He invites the community to share news tips and feedback via email, fostering an interactive relationship between GPB News and its audience.

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For more detailed reports and updates, listen to the full episode of Georgia Today or visit gpb.org/news.

Transcript

[NPR Host]

These days there's so much news it can be hard to keep up with what it all means for you, your family and your community. The Consider this Podcast from NPR features our award winning journalism. Six days a week we bring you a deep dive on a news story and provide the context and analysis that helps you make sense of the news. We get behind the headlines. We get to the truth. Listen to the Consider this podcast from npr.

[Peter Biello]

Welcome to the Georgia Today Podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom on today's episode. The journalist arrested while covering a protest near Atlanta remains in federal custody. A state law protecting endangered birds could soon be changed and south Fulton City Council members speak out against the Trump administration's cuts to job corps.

[Helen Willis]

We are still in danger of job corps to be closed throughout the region. We are still at risk of youth being homeless and hopeless.

[Peter Biello]

Today is Wednesday, July 9th. I'm Peter Biello and this is Georgia Today. A Spanish language journalist remains in federal custody despite being granted bond by an immigration judge. Mario Guevara was arrested in June while covering a protest near Atlanta and later transferred to ICE custody. His arrest drew widespread criticism by press freedom groups. His lawyer said ICE refused his family's attempt to pay his bond and is treating him as a threat, though a judge ruled he is not dangerous. An Athens Clarke county judge has ordered a mental evaluation for the Venezuelan man convicted of killing Georgia nursing Student Laken Riley. GPB's Chase McGee reports.

[Chase McGee]

Jose Ibarra was found guilty in November and sentenced to life without parole for the February 2024 murder. His lawyers claim Ibarra has a mental deficiency that affected his ability to stand trial or assist in his defense. The judge's order Tuesday asks for an evaluation to determine Ibarra's competency during trial and post conviction proceedings. Prosecutors say there were no prior concerns about his mental state before the trial, but they do not oppose the evaluation. Ibarra is seeking a new trial. For GPB news, I'm Chase McGee.

[Peter Biello]

A 21 year old architecture student at the Savannah College of Art and Design is among those who have died in the flash floods in Texas. The college released a statement yesterday expressing condolences to family and friends of Joyce Katherine Baden, calling her a beloved daughter, friend and classmate. Republic Service sanitation workers in the north Atlanta metro area are on strike, affecting garbage collection around Alpharetta B. Members of Teamsters Local 728 and Cumming began the strike yesterday in response to alleged unfair labor practices and a failure to bargain over changes in workplace conditions. They are asking for a new contract with a 7% increase in pay. The strike is part of a nationwide work stoppage by Teamsters. The metro Atlanta city of south Fulton wants the Trump administration to either restore funding for an unfinished job training center or give it to the city. The site was among Job Corps locations in Georgia affected by the abrupt shutdown announced in May of the U.S. department of labor program. South Fulton City Council member Helen Willis says the courts offer no protection from the cuts affecting 400 students in the city.

[Helen Willis]

We are still in danger of job corps to be closed throughout the region. We are still at risk of youth being homeless and hopeless.

[Peter Biello]

The U.S. supreme Court yesterday cleared the way from mass layoffs at federal agencies while a case challenging them proceeds. A council resolution passed yesterday asks for funding restoration or the site for redevelopment. Job Corps sites in Albany and Brunswick also were ordered to close. A state regulation meant to protect endangered birds in coastal Georgia could undergo its first change since being enacted nearly 30 years ago. GPB's Benjamin Payne reports.

[Benjamin Payne]

Georgia's so called bird island rule prohibits public access to a handful of small islands and sandbars, which have historically served as nesting sites for threatened species like the American oystercatcher, sandwich tern and brown pelican. But since the regulation was created in 1998, some new islands and sandbars have emerged, either through a natural process called accretion or through human intervention by the Army Corps of Engineers. And so the Georgia DNR is proposing to add several new areas to the protected list while removing sites that have eroded. Timothy Kais is a wildlife conservationist with the Georgia dnr. He says for seabirds and shorebirds, the.

[Helen Willis]

Vulnerability is just really high, especially since we might only have one colony for that species in a given year. So really, with relatively little disturbance, just a few people or a few dogs in a relatively short period of time, you could wipe out the productivity for that species in the whole state.

[Benjamin Payne]

If approved, the new bird island rule would prohibit public access only in the spring and summer. The Georgia DNR is accepting public comment on its proposal through August 22nd. For GPB news, I'm Benjamin Payne in Savannah.

[Peter Biello]

Passengers traveling through domestic airports like Atlanta's Hartsfield Jackson will no longer need to take off their shoes when going through TSA security checkpoints. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the new nationwide policy yesterday. Noem says the change ends a requirement introduced almost two decades ago. Noem says there may be some situations in which passengers will still be asked to take their shoes off. If we think additional layers of screening are necessary. Members of the Georgia Legislative Africa Caucus are asking Secretary of State Marco Rubio to reconsider a potential travel ban for some African countries. GPB's Sarah Kallis reports.

[Sarah Kallas]

Lawmakers in Georgia with ties to Africa say that President Donald Trump's proposed travel ban to to several African nations and parts of the Caribbean would negatively impact the U.S. representative Elmadi Hawley says the caucus has sent a letter to Ribio.

[Peter Biello]

We need to encourage those in our communities that we will stand strong against the president's implementation of this ban.

[Sarah Kallas]

Trump's administration placed a travel ban on nine countries in June and proposed another travel ban against 36 countries, mostly in Africa, if they do not address travel screening concerns. Supporters say the bans are about safety. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kallas at the State Capitol.

[Peter Biello]

Cobb county officials are making final preparations for next week's Major League Baseball All Star Game at Truest park. Officials estimate 41,000 people inside the park and between 10 and 20,000 people in the Battery and nearby All Star Village in the Cobb Galleria Center. Local, state and federal law enforcement will be on hand and traffic is expected to be heavy. Cobb County Deputy Fire Chief Carl Crumbley says anyone attending All Star Week events should prepare for high temperatures.

[Chase McGee]

Please, please hydrate. Plan your events. This is a family event, so if you bring really small children, make sure that you know you keep them covered. You bring plenty of fluids for them as well.

[Peter Biello]

All Star Week events begin on Saturday with the All Star Futures and Celebrity Softball games and and culminate with the All Star Game scheduled for Tuesday, July 15. The days of going to the ballpark and getting just a hot dog with a little mustard or relish are long gone. And no better proof of that is Truest Park. Right now, the ballpark responsible for the $151 World Champion Burger after the Braves World series win in 2021 has taken yet another the over the top indulgent ballpark food choices just in time for the All Star Game. If you are planning on attending the Midsummer Classic, you could try the Bless yous Heart Dog, a deep fried foot long hot dog rolled in hot Cheetos and Fruity Pebbles for a sweet Heat crunch. Or if you've got that sweet tooth, maybe the Peach Cobbler Nachos Cinnamon sugar tortilla chips loaded with warm peach cobbler filling and whipped cream. Or how about the Don't Call It Hotlanta Chicken Sandwich, Crispy chicken with maple Sriracha, Cheddar, Applewood Smoked bacon, Chipotle aioli lettuce, tomato and avocado puree. And for the vegetarians like me, Delaware North Truest park sous chef Chris Person cooked up this.

[Helen Willis]

It's a Southern honey glazed biscuit, candied bacon, pimento cheese and the best part, fried green tomato.

[Peter Biello]

That would be the fried green tomato slider. That candied bacon, by the way, is. It's made with carrot. There are more new, decadent and possibly messy new menu items. Too many to list here, but suffice to say the menu is paying homage to Georgia's food culture. And why not? With baseball fans turning their attention to Atlanta for the All Star Game, for the first time in 25 years and only the third time ever, these ballpark chefs are reminding the country the South's got something to taste. And that is a wrap on GEORGIA today. More news coming your way tomorrow. Please do subscribe to this podcast so you won't miss a thing and and check gpb.org news for updates. Now if there's something going on out there that we need to cover and we don't know about it, let us know by email. The address is Georgia todaypb.org that's also where you can send feedback for this podcast. Again, Georgia todaypb.org I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.

[NPR Host]

These days there's so much news it can be hard to keep up with what it all means for you, your family and your community. The Consider this Podcast from NPR features our award winning journalism. Six days a week, we bring you a deep dive on a news story and provide the context and analysis that helps you make sense of the news. We get behind the headlines. We get to the truth. Listen to the Consider this podcast from NPR.