Changes for mail-in voting; Rivian layoffs continue; The Stitch update

Summary

Georgia Today Podcast Summary

Episode Date: October 23, 2025
Host: Peter Biello, Georgia Public Broadcasting

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Overview: Main Theme and Purpose

This episode features in-depth coverage of critical news impacting Georgia, including proposed changes to mail-in voting, further layoffs at electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian, and new developments in Atlanta's ambitious "Stitch" park project. Also featured are updates on military health care options, the ongoing government shutdown’s local impact, and recent sports highlights.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. State Election Board and Mail-in Voting ([00:27]-[01:33])

• Main Story: The Georgia State Election Board has voted (3-2) to recommend ending 'no-excuse' absentee (mail-in) voting, urging lawmakers to enact a ban.
  • Proponents' View: Argue paper ballots contribute to additional workload for election officials.
  • Opposition: Board chair John Ferveier, a Republican, opposed the recommendation, emphasizing its negative impact on working-class voters.
    • Quote:

      "It might be easier for somebody who's rich or somebody who's retired or somebody can take a day off and not lose pay, but when you do, when you have to earn a dollar every day to feed your family, you can't take a day off to go vote." — John Ferveier [01:19]

  • Stats: Only about 5% of voters used absentee ballots in 2024.
  • Context: Push comes amid national commentary, with Donald Trump promoting unfounded claims of voter fraud and urging the end of mail-in voting.

2. Military Health Care: Tricare Pilot Program ([02:06]-[02:54])

• Story: A new pilot project in the Atlanta area provides military service members and veterans more flexibility in choosing mental health providers via Tricare.
  • Personal Impact: Army veteran Jared Turner expresses optimism for personal provider choice and continuity.
    • Quote:

      "They are encouraging the best providers to stick it out through it with us. So I'm excited about that opportunity." — Jared Turner [02:25]

  • Eligibility: 75,000–80,000 Tricare Prime beneficiaries in Greater Atlanta can join the CareSource plan during open enrollment (starts Nov. 10).

3. Rivian Layoffs ([02:54]-[03:28])

• Story: The electric vehicle company Rivian to lay off approximately 600 workers (~4% of workforce) due to economic pressures.
  • Uncertainty: It remains unclear how these cuts might affect ambitious plans for a new Georgia manufacturing site (projected 7,000 jobs) east of Atlanta.
  • Context: The company broke ground at the proposed factory site just last month.

4. Atlanta’s ‘The Stitch’ Park Update ([03:28]-[04:08])

• Story: Atlanta's plan to construct a $700M park over the Downtown Connector (‘The Stitch’) remains active despite funding challenges.
  • Current Status: Only $50M secured for Phase One following federal budget cuts; city remains committed.
  • Strategy: Project manager Jack Seabe describes adapting by dividing Phase One into manageable segments.
    • Quote:

      "We're looking at ways to basically break that Phase one project, which is a lot of different components into smaller components so we can move forward very, very soon." — Jack Seabe [03:58]

  • Timeline: Groundbreaking anticipated by mid-2026.

5. Government Shutdown Impact ([04:17]-[04:30])

• Update: Over 100,000 Georgians face missing paychecks as the federal government shutdown continues.
  • Response: State/local agencies and nonprofits mobilize support and resources for those affected.

6. Sports Highlights ([04:56]-[05:40])

• Football: Georgia Tech hosts Syracuse as ACC play resumes; Tech is ranked seventh after a defensive win over Duke.
• NBA: The season opens with the Toronto Raptors beating the Atlanta Hawks (138-118). Top performers noted:
  • RJ Barrett (25 pts), Brandon Ingram (16 pts, 9 rebounds) for Toronto; Trae Young (22 pts, 1/7 from 3-point range) for Atlanta.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Mail-in Voting Accessibility:

  "When you have to earn a dollar every day to feed your family, you can't take a day off to go vote."
  — John Ferveier, Georgia State Election Board Chair [01:19]

• Military Health Care Choice:

  "I'm excited about being able to bring my providers that have done exceptionally well with me to this program."
  — Jared Turner, Army veteran [02:25]

• 'The Stitch' Park Project Approach:

  "We're looking at ways to basically break that Phase one project ... into smaller components so we can move forward very, very soon."
  — Jack Seabe, Project Manager [03:58]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Mail-in Voting Discussion: 00:27–01:33
• Tricare Military Healthcare Pilot: 02:06–02:54
• Rivian Layoffs: 02:54–03:28
• 'The Stitch' Park Update: 03:28–04:08
• Government Shutdown Impact: 04:17–04:30
• Sports Update: 04:56–05:40

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Tone and Style

The episode maintains the journalistic, informative tone that defines Georgia Today. It conveys breaking policy news and local developments with clarity and a focus on community impact, featuring testimony from both officials and directly affected individuals.

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This summary provides a comprehensive guide to the episode’s content, with clear pointers to the critical stories and the voices that shaped them, useful for any listener seeking to stay informed on Georgia’s top news.

Transcript

[Peach Jam Podcast Host]

Georgia is the new hotbed for musical talent and the music industry knows it. Record executives are turning their eyes to the Peach State to discover the next big thing. On GPB's Peach Jam podcast, you'll hear those rising Georgia artists before anyone else listen and discover the sound of what's next on the Peach Jam Podcast from Georgia Public Broadcasting.

[Peter Biello]

Welcome to the Georgia Today Podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, the state election board will recommend ending certain types of mail in voting. Rivian plans to lay off another 600 workers and a plan to place a new park on Atlanta's Downtown Connector is back on.

[Jack Seabe]

We're looking at ways to basically break that phase one project, which is a lot of different components into smaller components so we can move forward.

[Peter Biello]

Today is Thursday, October 23rd. Hi, I'm Peter Biello and this is Georgia Today. Georgia's state election board voted yesterday to recommend ending no excuse mail in absentee voting. The board voted 3 to 2 to urge state lawmakers to ban the practice, saying paper ballots make unneeded work for election officials on election night. Board chair Republican John Ferveier opposed the recommendation.

[John Ferveier]

It might be easier for somebody who's rich or somebody who's retired or somebody can take a day off and not lose pay, but when you do, when you have earn a dollar every day to feed your family, you can't take a day off to go vote.

[Peter Biello]

Supporters of no excuse mail in absentee voting say restrictions place an unnecessary burden on voters, particularly low income voters. Supporters also point out that just a small fraction of voters use this method. During the 2024 election, roughly 5% of voters cast an absentee ballot. President Donald Trump has called for an end to mail in ballots, invoking unfounded claims of voter fraud. U.S. service members and veterans in metro Atlanta are part of a new pilot project in managing their government provided health care plans. GPB's Ellen Eldredge has more.

[Ellen Eldredge]

Tricare is the name of the military health care system. Army veteran Jared Turner chose to serve his country, but he didn't until now have a choice about who would help him connect his Tricare coverage to a mental health care provider. Now Turner is part of a pilot project in Atlanta between tricare and the health management company.

[Jared Turner]

They are encouraging the best providers to stick it out through it with us. So I'm excited about that opportunity. I'm excited about being able to bring my providers that have done exceptionally well with me to this program.

[Ellen Eldredge]

75 to 80,000 TRICARE prime beneficiaries in the Greater Atlanta area are eligible for the CareSource plan during open enrollment beginning November 10th. For GPB news, I'm Ellen Eldredge.

[Peter Biello]

Rivian plans to lay off another 600 workers. The wall Street Journal reported the job reductions this morning, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter. The move would impact about 4% of the electric automaker's workforce as the company faces economic headwinds. It's unclear how the layoffs would impact Rivian's plans for a manufacturing site promising 7,000 jobs east of Atlanta, where the company broke ground last month. An ambitious project to put a green park on top of one of the most notorious traffic snarls in Georgia is back on. As GPB's Amanda Andrews reports, the project.

[Amanda Andrews]

Called the Stitch, would put a park on top of a section of Atlanta's Downtown Connector. With an estimated price tag of over $700 million, it's one of the city's top development priorities. Currently, the stitch only has $50 million in funding, a quarter of what it needs for its first phase. The rest was clawed back by federal budget cuts that led many to wonder if the project would be canceled outright. But now the city has committed to the Stitch in the new State of Downtown report. Jack Seabe is the Stitch project manager with the nonprofit Central Atlanta Progress.

[Jack Seabe]

We're looking at ways to basically break that Phase one project, which is a lot of different components into smaller components so we can move forward very, very soon.

[Amanda Andrews]

Groundbreaking for the Stitch is expected by mid-2026. For GPB News, I'm Amanda Andrews.

[Peter Biello]

More than 100,000 Georgians are set to miss their first full paycheck tomorrow as the government shutdown continues. Several state and local agencies and nonprofits are mobilizing resources to help.

[NPR Podcast Narrator]

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[Peter Biello]

In sports, Georgia Tech football is back at home Saturday to start the second half of Atlantic Coast Conference play. The newly minted seventh ranked Yellowjackets relied on a strong rushing performance from quarterback Haynes King and tight red zone defense in last week's win at Duke. Georgia Tech will host a Syracuse team trying to snap a three game losing streak. In the NBA, RJ Barrett scored 25 points and Brandon Ingram added 16 points and nine rebounds in his Toronto debut as the Raptors ran away from the Atlanta hawks for a 138 to 118 victory in the season opener for both teams. Cray Young finished with 22 points, but he was 1 for 7 from the 3 point range and was constantly pressured by Toronto's guards. And that's all we've got for this episode of Georgia Today. But thank you very much for tuning in. We're going to be back tomorrow, so make sure you subscribe to this podcast and check gpb.org news for any updates on the stories you heard today. Everything you hear on this podcast, everything you hear on all our podcasts, in fact, and everything you [e-mail] news is made possible because of listeners like you. Listeners are our number one source of funding for everything you hear. We're asking you during our fall fund drive to support GPB with a gift in any amount. Now more than ever, your support is needed, so give it gpb.org just click on donate and thank you so much. If you've got feedback on our programming on this podcast or you know of a news story that we should be reporting on, send us a note by email. The address is Georgia todaypb.org I'm Peter Biellor. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.

[Peach Jam Podcast Host]

Georgia is the new hotbed for musical talent, and the music industry knows it. Record executives are turning their eyes to the Peach State to discover the next big thing. On GPB's Peach Jam podcast, you'll hear those rising Georgia artists before anyone else listen and discover the sound of what's next on the Peach Jam Podcast from Georgia Public Broadcasting.