Body of teacher found in Lake Oconee; New bike lane in ATL; Delta lowers projections

Summary

Georgia Today: March 11, 2025

Hosted by Sophie Gradas and produced by Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB), the March 11, 2025 episode of Georgia Today delves into a series of compelling stories affecting residents across the state. From tragic discoveries and infrastructural advancements to economic shifts and legislative updates, the episode offers a comprehensive overview of current events in Georgia. Below is a detailed summary of the key topics discussed, enriched with notable quotes and insights from various contributors.

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1. Discovery of Missing Atlanta Teacher Gary Jones

After a prolonged search, the tragic conclusion to the disappearance of Atlanta teacher Gary Jones was reached this weekend. Jones’s body was located in Lake Oconee by Bruce’s Legacy, a Wisconsin-based nonprofit specializing in dive and rescue operations.

Key Highlights:

• Bruce’s Legacy: Founded by Keith Cormican in 2013 following the death of his brother Bruce, a firefighter who lost his life during a rescue mission, the organization has since provided extensive dive training and high-tech equipment to aid search teams nationwide.

  Keith Cormican ([01:42]): “Equipment so I could get out there and train other departments to do things safe... It was a lack of training and my brother had a big heart.”

• Search Operation: The team from Bruce’s Legacy located Jones within two days of initiating the search, showcasing the efficiency and expertise of the organization.

• Personal Stories: Gary Jones and his fiancée, Jocelyn Wilson, went missing while boating on Lake Oconee in early February. Wilson’s body was recovered the following day, adding to the heartache of the community.

2. Inauguration of New Bike Lane in Downtown Atlanta

Atlanta celebrates urban mobility with the opening of a new protected bike lane in downtown, emphasizing the city’s commitment to enhancing pedestrian and cyclist safety.

Key Highlights:

• Project Details: The Atlanta Department of Transportation, in collaboration with The Atlanta Downtown Improvement District, unveiled the enhanced bike lane on Forsyth Street. The project includes a mile of resurfaced roadway and upgraded ramps facilitating easier access to key landmarks such as the Five Points MARTA station and City Hall.

• Vision Zero Action Plan: This initiative supports the city's Vision Zero Action Plan, aiming to eliminate fatal or serious traffic accidents by 2040.

• Community Engagement: The ribbon-cutting event saw participation from cyclists, scooter riders, and skateboarders, reflecting the community’s enthusiasm for safer transportation options.

  Jason Dozier, Atlanta City Councilmember ([03:11]): “Not everybody rides a bike, but bike lanes help slow down cars. So even if you're walking with your family, cars are moving slower... we’re trying to make sure that people can get around safely.”

3. Delta Air Lines Lowers Q1 Projections Amid Economic Uncertainty

Delta Air Lines has adjusted its first-quarter earnings and revenue outlook downward, citing diminishing consumer and corporate confidence as key factors influencing their decision.

Key Highlights:

• Economic Indicators: Delta's CEO, Ed Bastian, expressed concerns during an investors' conference in New York City about the weakening economy and its impact on domestic demand.

• Market Caution: Keith Cormican offered additional context on the cautious consumer behavior affecting the airline industry.

  Keith Cormican ([08:35]): “People are cautious and they're pulling back a little bit on travel... just kind of waiting to see what's going to transpire.”

• Real-Time Data: The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s real-time indicators suggest a potential shrinkage in the US economy, exacerbating the uncertainty faced by major corporations like Delta.

4. Hurricane Helene Cleanup Nears Completion

Ten Georgia counties are approaching the final stages of cleanup following Hurricane Helene, which devastated the region last fall with over 3 million cubic yards of debris.

Key Highlights:

• Army Corps of Engineers: With funding from FEMA, the Corps has completed 97% of its cleanup mission at an estimated cost of $135 million. The effort involved over 400 personnel and hundreds of contractors tackling downed trees, construction materials, and other debris obstructing roads and public spaces.

• Project Timeline: Officials anticipate the complete removal of debris by late April, marking a significant milestone in the region’s recovery process.

5. Affordable Housing Development in Macon Begins

In Macon’s historic Pleasant Hill neighborhood, the demolition of the failed Macon Charter Academy paves the way for a new affordable housing project.

Key Highlights:

• New Development: The Macon Housing Authority plans to construct a 64-unit apartment building with rents ranging from $600 to $900 monthly, depending on tenant income levels.

• Community Impact: Carol Whitehead, a former student of the Green Street School (now the Macon Charter Academy), expressed her personal connection and hope for the new housing project.

  Carol Whitehead ([04:50]): “It was my home... I’m praying that I might be one of the first tenants to live here.”

• Funding Source: This development is the first major project utilizing funds from Macon Bibb County's new revolving affordable housing fund, underscoring the county’s commitment to addressing housing needs.

6. Incident at Fulton County Jail Under Consent Decree

A concerning incident unfolded at the Fulton County jail, which is currently under a federal consent decree aimed at rectifying previous issues related to detainee treatment and facility conditions.

Key Highlights:

• Stabbing Incident: Detention Officer Rico George was stabbed in the neck by a detainee under a murder charge without bond. The attack occurred shortly after 11:30 AM on a Saturday, requiring emergency surgery. Officer George remains in stable condition and is expected to recover.

• Consent Decree Context: The jail has been under a consent decree since January, following an investigation that revealed excessive force, inadequate protection for detainees, and unconstitutional holding conditions. An independent monitor was appointed to oversee compliance with the agreement.

7. 20th Anniversary of Fulton County Courthouse Shooting

Today marks two decades since the tragic courthouse shooting at the Fulton County Courthouse, a significant event in Atlanta’s history.

Key Highlights:

• The Incident: Bryan Nichols, during his rape trial, overpowered a deputy escorting him, stole a firearm, and fatally shot a presiding judge, a court reporter, and a sheriff's deputy. He then fled in a stolen vehicle, leading to a widespread manhunt.

• Memorial Statements: Fulton County Sheriff Pat LaBotte issued a statement commemorating the victims, reflecting on the enduring impact of the tragedy.

8. Legal Developments in Robert Aaron Long’s Case

In a notable legal development, statements made by Robert Aaron Long after his arrest for targeting and killing women at an Atlanta massage business in March 2021 are now admissible in his trial.

Key Highlights:

• Court Ruling: Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville denied Robert Aaron Long’s attorneys’ request to exclude his post-arrest statements from the jury’s consideration.

• Prosecution Stance: Prosecutors are pursuing the death penalty, while Long has already pleaded guilty to the charges and is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. The case remains a significant point of discussion in the local justice system.

9. Racy Anderson Foundation Announces Closure

An Atlanta-based philanthropic organization, the Racy Anderson Foundation, has declared it will cease operations by the end of 2030.

Key Highlights:

• Foundation's Legacy: Established with a $50 million bequest from Ray C. Anderson, the founder of a commercial carpeting and flooring company, the foundation has donated over $36 million since 2012 to various environmental and climate change initiatives in Georgia.

• Impactful Grants: Recipients include Drawdown Georgia, the Ray of Hope accelerator, and eco-friendly projects along Interstate 85 known as The Ray.

• Strategic Planning: The decision to sunset the foundation follows an extensive strategic planning process, reflecting broader challenges such as funding freezes from the Trump administration affecting federally funded climate mitigation projects.

10. Legislative Update: Georgia Senate Bill 296 on Digital Licenses

House Bill 296 proposes allowing Georgians to store their driver's licenses digitally on smartphones, a move currently pending approval in the Georgia Senate.

Key Highlights:

• Current Usage: Approximately half a million Georgians already utilize digital IDs, primarily accepted by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at airports.

• Legislative Progress: The bill has advanced to the Senate Rules Committee following its passage in the state House. State Representative Houston Gaines, a Republican from Athens, champions the measure.

  Houston Gaines ([09:30]): “We don’t want to have to take someone's phone physically back to the vehicle... with tap to touch technology, which is the same technology used in credit card transactions.”

• Future Implications: If enacted, the legislation would streamline identity verification processes for both law enforcement officers and citizens, enhancing convenience and security.

11. Study Reveals Tesla Drivers as Georgia's Worst

A recent analysis by LendingTree highlights that drivers of Tesla vehicles are the most frequently involved in driving incidents within Georgia.

Key Highlights:

• Incident Rates: Tesla drivers reported approximately 35 incidents per 1,000 drivers in Georgia, slightly below the national average but leading the state in the number of driving violations.

• Comparative Analysis: Tesla was identified as having the highest incident rate in eight other states as well, followed closely by Ram truck and Subaru drivers.

• Public Safety Concerns: The study underscores ongoing debates about driver behavior and vehicle safety features, particularly concerning advanced technologies present in Tesla cars.

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Georgia Today continues to provide in-depth coverage of the issues that matter most to Georgia residents. For more detailed information on these stories, visit gpb.org/news. Stay informed by subscribing to the podcast and sharing your feedback at georgiatodaypb.org.

Transcript

[DBHDD Representative]

DBHDD is reminding Georgians that the 988 lifeline can help those worried about opioid and stimulant misuse. The three digit number is free and confidential. Help is available 24. 7 more [e-mail].

[Sophie Gradas]

Welcome to Georgia Today from GPB News. This this podcast brings you the latest reports from the GPB News team. For feedback or story ideas, send us an email. That address is georgiatodaypb.org Today is Tuesday, March 11th. I'm Sophie Gradas. On today's episode, the months long search for an Atlanta teacher ends when his body is found in Lake Oconee. Atlanta residents gather to celebrate the opening of a new bike lane in the city and Delta Air Lines lowers its first quarter earnings and revenue outlook for this year and the growing economic uncertainty.

[Keith Cormican]

People are cautious and they're pulling back a little bit on travel. Not in an organized manner, but just kind of waiting to see what's going to transpire.

[Sophie Gradas]

These stories and more are coming up on this edition of Georgia today. The months long search for missing Atlanta teacher Gary Jones ended this weekend when his body was found in Lake Oconee by a Wisconsin based nonprofit. Bruce's Legacy, a dive and rescue group located Jones in less than two days after beginning their search. Director Keith Cormican formed the group in 2013 after the death of his brother Bruce, a firefighter who died while trying to locate a drowning victim. He vowed to help other search teams with extensive dive training and high tech.

[Keith Cormican]

Equipment so I could get out there and train other departments to do things safe. Back in those days in the 90s, there was not really much training available for public safety divers. You could get certified as a diver, but we were and I actually strongly feel that it was a lack of training and my brother had a big heart. It got him into making decisions that he was doing things he probably, you know, he definitely shouldn't have been doing because he wasn't trained in the swift water environment that took his life.

[Sophie Gradas]

Cormican has trained teams across the country and helped in searches as far away as Nepal, Romania and Panama. Gary Jones and his fiance Jocelyn Wilson went missing while boating on Lake Oconee in early February. Wilson's body was found the next day. People on bikes, scooters and even skateboards gathered for the ribbon cutting on a new protected bike lane in downtown Atlanta today. GPB's Amanda Andrews reports. The project is part of a broader effort to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety.

[Amanda Andrews]

The Atlanta Department of Transportation in The Atlanta Downtown Improvement District hosted the event for the enhanced bike lane on Forsyth Street. The corridor includes a mile of resurfaced roadway with upgraded ramps offering easier access to nearby landmarks like the Five Points MARTA station and City Hall. Atlanta City Councilmember Jason Dozier says it's important to build infrastructure like this in his district so people can get around downtown in many ways.

[Jason Dozier]

You know, not everybody rides a bike, but bike lanes help slow down cars. So even if you're walking with your family, cars are moving slower. So at the end of the day, we're trying to make sure that people can get around safely, whether you're a driver, whether you're a cyclists or whether you're a pedestrian.

[Amanda Andrews]

The project supports the city's Vision Zero Action Plan, which aims to stop fatal or serious traffic accidents in the city by 2040. For GPB news, I'm Amanda Andrews.

[Sophie Gradas]

Cleanup efforts from Hurricane Helene are nearly complete in 10 Georgia counties after the storm scattered more than 3 million cubic yards, or thousands of acres of debris last fall. The U.S. army Corps of Engineers says its mission, with funding from FEMA, is now 97% complete and at a cost of roughly $135 million. More than 400 Army Corps personnel and hundreds of contractors helped remove downed trees and storm debris. The debris typically consisted of construction material, downed trees, branches and other things obstructing roadways and public spaces. Officials say the massive project should wrap up by late April. MACON Bibb county today began demolishing a failed charter school to make way for a new affordable housing development. GPB's Grant Blankenship has more.

[Grant Blankenship]

An excavator began ripping down the former Macon Charter Academy mid morning. Once the site at the top of Macon's historic Pleasant Hill neighborhood is cleared, Macon Housing Authority will construct a 64 unit apartment building where, depending on income, rents will range from $600 to $900 a month. Carol Whitehead went to school here back when it was the Green Street School.

[Carol Whitehead]

It was my home. I broke cornbread here, played basketball. My brothers, we had a good time. So I'm praying that I might be one of the first tenants to live here.

[Grant Blankenship]

Pleasant Hill Apartments will be the first big development to use seed money from Macon Bibb County's new revolving affordable housing fund. For GPB news, I'm Grant Blankenship in Macon.

[Sophie Gradas]

A guard is recovering after he was stabbed in the neck over the weekend at a jail in Atlanta that is currently under a federal consent decree. Fulton County Detention Officer Rico George was stabbed just after 11.30am on Saturday by a detainee who was being held on a murder charge without bond, according to a Sheriff's Office news release. The officer remained hospitalized Monday in stable condition after undergoing emergency surgery, and he is expected to recover. The Justice Department and Fulton county officials announced in January that they had entered into the consent decree after an investigation that found that jail officials used excessive force, failed to protect detainees from violence and held them in, quote, unconstitutional and legal conditions. An independent monitor was appointed last month to oversee that agreement. Today marks 20 years since a terrifying event in Atlanta's recent history the deadly courthouse shooting rampage at the Fulton County Courthouse. Bryan Nichols overpowered a deputy escorting him to the court for his rape trial, took her gun and fatally shot the presiding judge and court reporter and killed a sheriff's deputy outside the building. He then stole a car and drove away, leading to a frantic manhunt. Fulton County Sheriff Pat LaBotte issued a statement today remembering the victims. A judge has ruled that statements made post arrest by the man accused of targeting and killing the women at an Atlanta massage business in March 2021 can be used in his trial. At a hearing yesterday, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville rejected the request from the attorneys of Robert Aaron Long to keep the jury from hearing the shooter's statements. Fulton prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Long has already pleaded guilty and is serving a life sentence without the chance for parole for killing four people at the massage business on that day. In suburban Cherokee county, an Atlanta based foundation that has provided major funding for climate change research and other environmental causes in Georgia is shutting down. The Racy Anderson foundation said today it will sunset by the end of 2030 after, quote, an in depth and rewarding strategic planning process. The foundation started with a $50 million bequest from the estate of Ray C. Anderson, founder of a commercial carpeting and flooring company. Since 2012, it has awarded more than $36 million in grants to organizations including Drawdown Georgia focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the Ray of Hope accelerator focusing on nature based startup businesses and The Ray, an 18 mile stretch of Interstate 85 in West Georgia featuring various eco friendly projects. The private foundation's announcement comes as the Trump administration's funding freezes threaten federally funded climate change mitigation projects. Delta Airlines is slashing its first quarter earnings and revenue outlook, citing a recent decline in consumer and corporate confidence. The Atlanta based airline lowered its forecast yesterday amid growing uncertainty that the economy is weakening its domestic demand. CEO Ed Bastian shared his concerns at an investors conference in New York City.

[Keith Cormican]

Yesterday in the face of the amount of macro uncertainty that's out there. I think people are cautious and they're pulling back a little bit on travel, not in an organized manner, but just kind of waiting to see what's going to transpire, whether it's trade and tariff challenges or macroeconomic policy changes or just a little bit of the unsettledness of the market.

[Sophie Gradas]

A widely followed collection of real time indicators compiled by the Federal Reserve bank of Atlanta suggests the US Economy already might be shrinking. Georgia drivers could leave their wallets at home under a bill moving through the Georgia Senate. House Bill 296 would permit a digital license to be kept on a smartphone. A Senate panel yesterday advanced the legislation, which cleared the state House last week. Athens Republican State Representative Houston Gaines carried the measure in the House.

[Houston Gaines]

I know one of the concerns is that we don't want for both the officer and whoever they pulled over, they don't want to have to take someone's phone physically back to the vehicle. And so with that tap to Touch technology, which is what you when you go to the grocery store, if you use your credit card on the tap to touch, it'll be the very same technology, he said.

[Sophie Gradas]

About a half million Georgians already use digital IDs, but so far they're only accepted by the Transportation Security Administration at airports. The bill now goes to the Senate Rules Committee, which could schedule a final vote on the Senate floor. A new study says Georgia's worst drivers are driving Teslas. An analysis by LendingTree tracked driving incidents nationwide, including collisions, speeding and DUIs, and found Tesla drivers had the highest incident rate in Georgia. Georgia incidents were reported at about 35 per 1,000, just under the national level. Tesla was also the car brand with the worst drivers in eight other states. The brand was followed closely by those driving Ram trucks and Subarus. That's it for today's edition of Georgia Today. Thanks so much for listening. If you would like to learn more about these stories, visit gpb.org news and if you haven't yet hit subscribe on this podcast. Take a moment right now and keep us current in your podcast feed. If you have feedback, we would love to hear it. Email us@georgia todaypb.org I'm Sophie Gradas and we'll see you tomorrow.

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