Chattahoochee Natl. Park to stay open; Valdosta church vandalism; Ga. timber industry

Summary

Georgia Today – October 2, 2025: Chattahoochee National Park, Valdosta Church Vandalism, and Georgia Timber Industry

Podcast: Georgia Today
Host: Orlando Montoya, Georgia Public Broadcasting
Date: October 2, 2025

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Episode Overview

This episode of Georgia Today delivers incisive coverage of issues affecting the state, focusing on:

• The Chattahoochee National Recreation Area remaining open during a federal government shutdown,
• Acts of vandalism at a historic Black church in Valdosta,
• The challenges and future of Georgia’s timber industry following Hurricane Helene and major mill closures.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Chattahoochee National Recreation Area During Shutdown

[01:06–02:18]

• Status During Shutdown:

  • The park remains open despite federal funding gaps, though services are reduced.
  • Five employees continue working without pay.
  • Visitors should expect less frequent trash collection, infrequent restroom cleaning, and unanswered phones.

• Community and Stewardship:

  • The Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy urges visitors to be responsible and carry out their trash.
  • Quote:
    • “I think it's a good opportunity to step up and be a steward and feel a sense of responsibility to help protect and maintain these on behalf of our partners out there who just can't right now.” – Orlando Montoya [01:52]

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2. Georgia’s Forestry Industry: Setbacks and Paths Forward

[02:18–10:11]
Guest: Tim Laurimore, President & CEO, Georgia Forestry Association

a. Impact of Hurricane Helene

[02:59–04:37]

• Scale of Loss:
  • Unprecedented damage; only about 30–35% of downed timber has been recovered, which is higher than past hurricanes (~20%) but still leaves majority unrecovered.
• Industry Resilience:

  • Recovery attributed to community and legislative support.

  • Ongoing efforts to prevent wildfires and clear debris.

  • Notable Quote:

    • “Our early estimates a year out are showing that we were somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 to 35% recovery of downed timber, which is a very good success story. I think that speaks to the resiliency of our industry.” – Tim Laurimore [03:25]

b. Paper Mill Closures

[04:37–05:53]

• Closures:
  • Three major south Georgia mills shut down, eliminating 1,000 jobs.
• Assistance for Workers:

  • Immediate state response; job fairs organized locally and by International Paper.

  • Skills likely transferable, fostering some hope for re-employment.

  • Notable Quote:

    • “Those folks that were working in that paper industry are highly skilled. And I believe those folks... will have an opportunity to take their skills and their trades to other places.” – Tim Laurimore [05:27]

c. Cardboard Market Decline and Industry Innovation

[05:53–08:33]

• Factors Behind Decline:
  • Greater manufacturing efficiency: less virgin fiber used.
  • Improved recycling rates replacing need for new pulp.
• Potential Opportunities:

  • Energy: using wood fiber for domestic power (currently exported as pellets to Europe).

  • Development of sustainable fuels for aviation/marine.

  • Exploring medical and bioplastic applications from wood pulp.

  • Notable Quote:

    • “I think the sky's the limit. What those opportunities look like are around fuels, sustainable fuels that society's asking for.” – Tim Laurimore [06:54]

d. Forestry’s Broader Impact

[08:33–10:11]

• Forestry is foundational to rural economies and benefits the entire state through jobs, exports, recreation, clean air and water.

  • Notable Quote:
    • “Forestry is really the backbone of rural economies across our state... forests are what make Georgia great. I believe it's what make Georgia green.” – Tim Laurimore [09:27]

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3. Vandalism at Historic Valdosta Church

[10:15–10:53]

• Incident:

  • First Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, Valdosta’s oldest Black congregation, has suffered repeated vandalism over three weeks—six windows shattered, most notably five historic stained glass.

• Community Response:

  • Church historian Jacqueline Carter notes other local churches and a pizzeria also targeted.

  • Church members appealing to the public for restoration help and enhanced security.

  • Notable Quotes:

    • “It's been very disheartening because it seems like every weekend for the past three [weeks this has] been going on.” – Jacqueline Carter [10:39]
    • “I'm thinking these people to attack a church, something has to be mentally wrong with them.” – Jacqueline Carter [10:47]

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4. Expanding Public Safety Measures in Albany

[10:53–11:47]

• New Safety Measures:

  • Albany/Dougherty County to install 10 more Flock Safety cameras downtown ($69,000 approved), joining 100+ current cameras.

  • Inspired by recent high-profile crimes and growing concerns over public safety on trails.

  • Quote:

    • “We need to have those trails patrolled, cameras and everything that we can to protect our citizens.” – Commissioner Anthony Jones [11:29]

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5. Tuberculosis in Georgia: Growing Risks

[11:47–15:54] Guest: Dr. Kenneth Castro, Emory University; Dr. Alawade Oladele, DeKalb County Tuberculosis Clinic

• National and State Trends:
  • TB is still a concern; cases increasing after years of decline.
  • In Georgia, TB cases rose 3% last year (254 cases).
• Challenges:
  • Federal budget cuts threaten prevention/treatment.
  • Most at risk: foreign-born, incarcerated, immigrant, and undocumented populations.
  • Tougher immigration enforcement reduces clinic visits and complicates contact tracing.
• Prevention Efforts:

  • Importance of early detection and treatment—even more critical as resources shrink.

  • Notable Quotes:

    • “We are at a very dangerous inflection point with tuberculosis this year.” – Dr. Kenneth Castro [13:39]
    • “When we find out who you've been around, we test them. If they're infected, we treat them.” – Dr. Alawade Oladele [14:55]
    • “It's one of those scenarios where we're pay now or pay later.” – Dr. Alawade Oladele [15:50]

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6. Ritz Theater’s 125th Anniversary in Brunswick

[16:31–17:24]

• Celebration:

  • Historic Ritz Theater, an iconic community hub since 1899, marks 125 years.

  • The theater, once threatened with demolition, is now a lively arts and events venue.

  • Notable Quote:

    • “It's a fabulous place to see shows and actually a fabulous place to perform shows... we're so, so lucky to have it.” – Heather Heath [17:08]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I think it's a good opportunity to step up and be a steward and feel a sense of responsibility to help protect and maintain these...” – Orlando Montoya [01:52]
• “Our early estimates a year out are showing that we were somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 to 35% recovery of downed timber, which is a very good success story.” – Tim Laurimore [03:25]
• “Forestry is really the backbone of rural economies across our state... forests are what make Georgia great.” – Tim Laurimore [09:27]
• “It's been very disheartening because it seems like every weekend for the past three [weeks this has] been going on.” – Jacqueline Carter [10:39]
• “We are at a very dangerous inflection point with tuberculosis this year.” – Dr. Kenneth Castro [13:39]
• “It's one of those scenarios where we're pay now or pay later.” – Dr. Alawade Oladele [15:50]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Chattahoochee National Recreation Area: 01:06–02:18
• Georgia Timber Industry & Hurricane Helene: 02:18–10:11
• Valdosta Church Vandalism: 10:15–10:53
• Albany Public Safety Cameras: 10:53–11:47
• Tuberculosis Discussion: 11:47–15:54
• Ritz Theater 125th Anniversary: 16:31–17:24

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Episode Takeaways

This episode paints a picture of a state facing challenges—environmental, economic, and social—while highlighting community resilience, leadership response, and the enduring significance of history and public health. Through expert commentary and firsthand accounts, listeners gain a nuanced view of Georgia’s current events and future outlook.

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.

[Orlando Montoya]

Hello and welcome to the Georgia Today Podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area will remain open despite the federal government shutdown. The church belonging to the oldest black congregation in Valdosta suffers repeated acts of vandalism. And after Hurricane Helene and the closure of three large paper mills, what does the future of the timber industry look like for Georgia?

[Tim Laurimore]

I think the sky's the limit. What those opportunities look like are around fuels, sustainable fuels that society's asking for.

[Orlando Montoya]

Today is Thursday, October 2nd. I'm Orlando Montoya, and this is GEORGIA Today. Some national park sites in Georgia and around the country will remain open as the federal government shutdown continues. GPB's Sarah Kallis reports on how the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area is managing the funding gap.

[Sarah Kallis]

Visitors to the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area may notice reduced trash collection, restrooms cleaned less frequently and phones not being answered during the shutdown. Brittany Jones is the executive director of the Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy, the official friends group of the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area. She says the organization is encouraging visitors to be safe and carry out any trash they bring in.

[Orlando Montoya]

I think it's a good opportunity to speak, step up and be a steward and feel a sense of responsibility to help protect and maintain these on behalf.

[Sarah Kallis]

Of our partners out there who just can't right now. The Chattahoochee national recreation area spans 7,000 acres. For now, five employees will continue to work without pay during the shutdown. For GPV News, I'm Sarah Kalis in Atlanta.

[Orlando Montoya]

Georgia's forestry industry is reeling from two major setbacks since 2024. Last year, timber growers suffered an estimated billion dollars in losses from Hurricane Helene. And this year saw the closure of three large south Georgia paper mills in Savannah, Riseborough and cedar Springs, shedding 1,000 jobs and shutting off key buyers for Georgia timber. Here to talk about the fallout and what's next for the industry is Tim Laurimore, president and CEO of the Georgia Forestry Association. Tim which represents landowners, loggers, haulers, manufacturers and others. He joins me from Forsyth. Thanks for speaking with me.

[Tim Laurimore]

Thanks for having us.

[Orlando Montoya]

We just marked the one year anniversary since hurricane Helene. Can you talk about the scale of the loss there and how the recovery is going for timber growers?

[Tim Laurimore]

The scale of loss from hurricane Helene was unprecedented. It was something like we've never seen before. What I will tell you is that typically after a storm, data shows, like after hurricane Michael as well as hurricane Hugo, generally, there's generally about a 20%, 18 to 20% recovery of downed timber. Our early estimates a year out are showing that we were somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 to 35% recovery of downed timber, which is a very good success story. I think that speaks to the resiliency of our industry. It speaks to the resiliency of landowners. So very thankful that our community rallied around and was able to help landowners get, you know, a third of the downed and damaged timber recovered and moved. Now saying that we still have work to do. There's still 70% of that timber that's still down and still damaged. And I know that our state, the legislature last year and governor Kemp, they responded in a huge way. And much of that work is being done now to help landowners open up their roads and to open up their forest and remove debris and really doing all of that with the desire of.

[Orlando Montoya]

Preventing catastrophic wildfire, those international paperworkers in Savannah and Riceboro will be out of jobs right about now. That closure was set for the end of September. What resources are available for those workers?

[Tim Laurimore]

Yeah. So I know since that announcement took place five weeks ago, I know that the state of Georgia immediately that morning we received phone calls from our state leadership and really the local community there in Savannah, all offering their deep concern about the mill closures and then their extreme willingness to help those workers that were directly impacted by the announcement there at International Paper. And I'm aware that the state has moved in and offered to do job fairs. And I also am aware, I believe, that International Paper hosted job fairs there on site. From that perspective, those folks that were working in that paper in the paper industry are highly skilled. And I believe those folks will be will, you know, will have an opportunity to take their skills and their trades to other places there in Savannah, as unfortunate as it seems, and these events.

[Orlando Montoya]

Hurricane Helene and the mill closures, they're not occurring in a vacuum. We have a decline in manufactured cardboard. What's causing that decline? And again, is there any opportunity to grow in other parts of the industry that could help Georgians?

[Tim Laurimore]

Yeah. Great question. An insightful question, Orlando. I think there is certainly a rebalancing in the cardboard liner board market, as it's called. And there's a couple things driving that, right? There's efficiencies that are being gained in the process, it's itself. And what I mean by that is that the facilities 10 years ago have gotten much more efficient and they are utilizing less fiber. They can make the board, the liner board, the cardboard that we all receive at our house in an Amazon box or any other kind of box that we order. They're using less fiber in those products. And then additionally, we're doing a really nice job here in America with recycling. So you're seeing recycled material take the place of virgin fiber in products that are being made in facilities like. Such as what was being made there in Savannah. There are opportunities for, I think, for new products to come. I think some are short term, I think some are long term, short term. Example would be, you know, we're asking the question now a lot. What if it. What would it look like if here in the US south, if we were using our wood fiber to create power for really the needs of our citizens and for the needs of the growing industry that we're seeing in our state around artificial intelligence factories, data centers, we convert our trees into wood pellets, we put them on a barge, we send them to Europe and they convert them into power. And we're not doing that here in the US and then additionally, I think for another product opportunity, long term, I think the sky's the limit. What those opportunities look like are around fuels, sustainable fuels that society's asking for, for aviation, for marine. I think there's opportunities for those types of fuels. And then I also think there's opportunities in the medical field and in the bioplastic opportunities. For us, those are, I think, a little bit further down the road than what I believe power opportunities are.

[Orlando Montoya]

It can be hard for people to understand the impact of Georgia's forestry industry on rural communities, especially in South Georgia, and how that radiates throughout the state. Before we go, can you give us some measure of that impact and really why everyone should be paying attention to this?

[Tim Laurimore]

Yeah, thank you for asking that question. Georgia, for a long time has been the number one forestry state in the nation. What that means is that we have more forest land in our state. We produce as much lumber from trees as any other state. We produce as much pulp and paper products as any other state. We export as much product to other countries from our forest as any other state. So forestry is really the backbone of rural economies across our state. Not only for rural Georgia, but also for those urban and suburban areas that really depend on the benefits that come from our forest. Not only, and I'm not only mentioning the goods and products that come from there. I'm thinking about the clean air, the clean water, the opportunities for recreation to get out into the woods and walk and enjoy. There's tons of opportunities and benefits. And I believe forests are what make Georgia great. I believe it's what make Georgia green. And we'll continue to do all that we can can do here at the Georgia Forestry association to ensure that that's the pathway forward.

[Orlando Montoya]

Tim Lorimore is president and CEO of the Georgia Forestry Association. Thanks for speaking with me.

[Tim Laurimore]

Thank you for having me.

[Orlando Montoya]

Members of the oldest black congregation in Valgosta are appealing to the community for help after repeated acts of vandalism. Six windows, five of them historic stained glass at First Antioch Missionary Baptist Church have been destroyed by rocks thrown through them. Church historian Jacqueline Carter says nearby churches and a pizzeria also were targeted.

[Tim Laurimore]

It's been very disheartening because it seems like every weekend for the past three.

[Sarah Kallis]

Weeks this has been going on.

[Tim Laurimore]

I'm thinking these people to attack a church, something has to be mentally wrong with them.

[Orlando Montoya]

Church members are asking for help restoring the windows and improving security. The congregation was founded before the end of slavery. While the building dates to 1868, it served as an anchor in the region's black history. Meanwhile, Dougherty county plans to install 10 more cameras to enhance safety in downtown Albany. Commissioners last month approved a $69,000 purchase of Flock Safety brand cameras. Commissioner Anthony Jones referenced the 2024 Athens killing of nursing student Lakin Riley in approving the purchase.

[Kenneth Castro]

I have a tendency to have to tell my daughter, beware of your surroundings. And when you when they get out on these trails, if they wake up in the morning at six o', clock, say, I'm gonna go take a run. They get out and take a run. So that's why we need to have those trails. We need to have those trails patrolled, cameras and everything that we can to protect our citizens.

[Orlando Montoya]

The cameras will join more than a hundred already being used by Albany and Doherty county police, apartment complexes and others. Authorities credit the cameras with solving high profile crimes, including a 2021 domestic homicide, and quote, every major crime that involves a vehicle. Tuberculosis or TB is the deadliest infectious disease in the world. Millions of people die from it every year. And yet in the US Most people don't think about tuberculosis. That's because major investments in prevention and treatment brought cases to an all time low. But doctors are warning that cuts to health care could see us lose ground to TB. GPB's Sophie Gradis has more.

[Sophie Gradis]

Tuberculosis sounds like a relic of the past. Emory University professor and epidemiologist Kenneth Castro says he hears that a lot.

[Kenneth Castro]

Whenever I say to anyone that I work on tb, I usually get, do we still have that disease in our country?

[Sophie Gradis]

Castro was the director of TB elimination at the Centers for Disease Control and prevention in the 90s and 2000s. He says the millions of dollars spent by the US on TB every year has paid off worldwide. The number of new TB cases reached a record low by 2020.

[Kenneth Castro]

Now, four years later, we should have been going back to the downward trend that we had seen earlier and we're not seeing that.

[Sophie Gradis]

Instead, infection trends have gone up. In Georgia, too. There were 254 cases last year, up 3%. Emergency room visits and deaths from TB in the state have also gone up a bit. It would take a lot more people getting sick from TB for the US to reach the crisis other countries face. But Castro says federal budget cuts are laying the groundwork for a TB resurgence.

[Kenneth Castro]

We are at a, a very dangerous inflection point with tuberculosis this year.

[Sophie Gradis]

The Trump administration left in limbo the millions of dollars approved by Congress for TB prevention and treatment done by US Agencies overseas. Then there are proposed cuts to the CDC that does that work here. Castro says most at risk are foreign born people who account for most of TB cases in the US Incarcerated people are also vulnerable.

[Kenneth Castro]

Those are going to be your canaries in the coal mines and then after that you'll see it.

[Alawade Oladele]

All right, thank you, doctor.

[Sophie Gradis]

Like in DeKalb county, in the Atlanta metro area, it has the highest rate of TB in the state.

[Alawade Oladele]

You all got taken care of. Fantastic. Fantastic. Sorry it took so long.

[Sophie Gradis]

Dr. Alawade Oladele says he's seeing more patients at the DeKalb County Tuberculosis Clinic. Most come from the refugee health clinic next door.

[Alawade Oladele]

But we also have immigrants and you also have undocumented individuals.

[Sophie Gradis]

From May to July, they treated and managed about 55 active TB cases a month here. Oladele, better known as Dr. O, says contact tracing is a vital part of that work.

[Alawade Oladele]

When we find out who you've been around, we test them. If they're infected, infected, we treat them.

[Sophie Gradis]

He says the new surge in immigration enforcement making people scared to go to church, work or school has made that more challenging. Dr. O has seen patients fall off the grid, seemingly too scared to get health care.

[Alawade Oladele]

And so the question becomes how do we do more with less and how do we get creative, especially with the increasing complexity of the dynamics that we're.

[Sophie Gradis]

Faced with, like making sure people complete their course of care. Even with modern medicine, treatment for active TB still takes months and a lot of patients are sick in other ways. Since TB suppresses their immune systems. Treatment is resource intensive work. Oladele says prevention, like what Dr. Castro and the CDC did in the 90s, would be less expensive.

[Alawade Oladele]

It's one of those scenarios where we're pay now or pay later.

[Sophie Gradis]

What experts fear is the human cost if we choose the latter. For GPB News, I'm Sophie Gradis.

[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 Peace Jam podcast from Georgia Public Broadcasting.

[Orlando Montoya]

Supporters of a historic theater in southeast Georgia will celebrate its 125th anniversary tonight. The iconic Ritz Theater in downtown Brunswick opened as the Grand Opera House in 1899. It entertained a reception residents through the golden eras of vaudeville and 20th century film before a brief shutdown and threat of demolition. Acquired by the city in 1981, it's undergone several renovations. Heather Heath leads the Golden Isles Arts and Humanities association, which manages the Ritz. With concerts, films, art exhibits and live.

[Tim Laurimore]

Theater, it's a fabulous place to see shows and actually a fabulous place to perform shows because I've done that on occasion here too, and it's just a great, great space. We're so, so lucky to have it, she says.

[Orlando Montoya]

The theater's history includes brushes with celebrity and, of course, a ghost story. Tonight's celebration will feature a variety of live performances and tributes. And that's it for today's edition of Georgia Today. Find more Georgia [e-mail] news if you haven't yet hit subscribe on this podcast. Take a moment right now and keep us current in your podcast feed. Subscribe to Georgia Today. Send us feedback to Georgia todaypb.org I'm Orlando Montoya. We'll be back again tomorrow with another edition of Georgia Today.

[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.