← Georgia Today
Georgia Today
Coastal Ga. paper mills to close; Tobacco tax committee; Documentary on Mercer alumna
00:13:18
Loading summary
Transcript37 lines
- [00:05]
A
Welcome to the Georgia TODAY podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, a Georgia paper mill announces plans to close, eliminating more than a thousand jobs. State lawmakers consider ways to help people quit smoking. And a new documentary tells the story of a woman who 50 years ago was denied an exhibition in Mercer University's art gallery because she was black.
- [00:29]
B
We hoped that this documentary will be a catalyst to draw out other stories and to help people to understand that history does repeat itself.
- [00:41]
A
Today is Thursday, August 21st. I'm Peter Biello and this is Georgia Today. International Paper is ending jobs for about 1,100 workers on Georgia's coast. GPB's Orlando Montoya reports.
- [00:59]
C
The Tennessee based paper industry giant said today its containerboard mills in Savannah and Riceboro and its packaging facility in Savannah will close by the end of September. The mills have provided steady, good paying jobs for nearly 90 years in Savannah and 60 years in Riceboro. Liberty County Chairman Donald Lovett says local leaders knew the Riceboro plant was in trouble and worked to keep it open, but those efforts ultimately weren't good enough.
- [01:25]
D
There were rumors floating around for some time now, I would say at least six months, first of the year. But we're not totally shocked.
- [01:33]
A
We're disappointed and we're hurt by it.
- [01:36]
C
A company statement says the closures are part of International Paper's, quote, ongoing transformation. An official with the United Steel Workers union representing employees at the mills blamed the closures on Covid related overcapacity in the industry. Another paper mill in southwest Georgia closed earlier this summer, impacting more than 500 workers. Southeast Georgia Congressman Buddy Carter says his father worked at the Savannah Mill for 33 years.
- [02:04]
A
This is the circle of life.
- [02:06]
B
I mean, you know, we're getting different manufacturing now. We're very fortunate on the coast that we are busting loose. I mean, we got the Hyundai plant, we've got all kind of construction going.
- [02:17]
A
On at the port.
- [02:18]
B
So, you know, the economy's good, it's booming, but there are certain sectors that naturally are going to be impacted.
- [02:24]
C
Carter was at an event in metro Atlanta where Vice President J.D. vance is expected to tout the administration's policies on U.S. manufacturing. For GPB News, I'm Orlando Montoya.
- [02:40]
A
Records released by a nonprofit watchdog group suggest the U.S. environmental Protection Agency and tracked and downplayed the work of an independent tester who came to Georgia after the Biolab fire in conyers last year. GPB's Pamela Kirkland reports.
- [02:55]
E
FOIA records reviewed by GPB showed. The EPA monitored environmental activist Scott Smith beginning in 2023 after he spoke out about toxic contamination following the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. That continued as he traveled to Georgia, where he gathered samples of soil, water and debri following the fire at biolab in Conyers. Smith says his samples were then sent to certified labs.
- [03:24]
C
I don't interpret my own results. I have a whole team of scientists around me. I don't give a presentation without reviewing it with my team of experts.
- [03:32]
E
In a statement, the EPA says they were, quote, concerned by claims. Smith says he offered to share his results with both the EPA and biolab. Neither commented on Smith's offer. For GPB News, I'm Pamela Kirkland in Atlanta.
- [03:51]
A
Former singer and guitarist for the band Mastodon, Brent Hines has died in a motorcycle accident in Atlanta. Police say Hines was killed while riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle last night when the driver of a BMW SUV failed to yield while making a turn. Hines was described as unresponsive at the scene. Hines co founded Mastodon 25 years ago. The group's third studio album, blood Mountain, was their first to reach the top 40, peaking at number 32 on the Billboard 200. Mastodon has had three albums rise to the top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart. Hines left the band last March. He was 51 years old. Central Georgia transit proponents met yesterday for an update on federal plans to support passenger rail connecting Atlanta to Savannah. Different routes are being considered, including one that goes through Macon. GPB's Amanda Andrews reports on local advocacy efforts.
- [04:43]
E
Members of the i75 Central Corridor Coalition met in Henry county with a representative from Senator John Ossoff's office for an update on service options and federal funding. The latest budget proposal from the Senate transit committee included 5 million for Amtrak to study the creation of a new Amtrak station in Atlanta. Kay Pippin is on the board of the coalition. She says an inner city rail station would bring growth to central Georgia.
- [05:08]
B
It's about economic development. All you have to do is look at every place a road is built, every place that a rail line is installed. There is economic growth and prosperity that follows it.
- [05:20]
E
Macon Bibb County Commissioner Stanley B. Stewart says the benefits to the region would be numerous.
- [05:25]
A
You're taking stress and strain off the interstates. You also look at it from an environmental aspect. You're taking emissions out of the air. So you know from that aspect, from both those aspects, getting where you want to get to much faster.
- [05:36]
E
Other cities being studied for a potential station include Athens, Augusta, Milledgeville and Statesboro. For GPB News, I'm Amanda Andrews.
- [05:47]
A
State lawmakers are considering ways to help people quit smoking and raise revenue at the same time. Members of a statehouse study committee on smoking and vaping met today for the last time before making recommendations ahead of next year's legislative session. Their big challenge? Their main proposal, a tax increase, would not be popular, especially in an election year. Georgia's 37 cent per pack cigarette tax is the second lowest in the nation behind only Missouri and which is at 17 cents per pack. The Georgia Chamber of Commerce held its annual congressional luncheon in Columbus yesterday, giving 2026 candidates an opportunity to meet with the business community. GPB's Sarah Kalis reports.
- [06:28]
E
Four of Georgia's U.S. senate candidates attended the event, including incumbent Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff, who criticized the Trump administration's cuts to foreign aid in a panel discussion. It matters when the United States supports.
- [06:42]
A
Global response to natur disasters. It enhances our credibility.
- [06:47]
E
Meanwhile, U.S. representative and Republican Senate candidate Buddy Carter praised the Trump administration's policy agenda during a discussion on electricity.
- [06:55]
B
The one Big beautiful Bill act has had probably more impact on power and what we've done in this country on energy than anything else.
- [07:03]
E
U.S. representative and Republican Senate candidate Mike Collins also spoke at the event, and Republican Senate candidate Derek Dooley was also in attendance. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kallis in Columbus.
- [07:17]
A
A Lockheed Martin military Aircraft will celebrate 71 years since his first flight this weekend. And now the C130J can also add a new honor being named the Coolest Thing Made in Georgia. The Georgia Chamber of Commerce sponsored the inaugural competition. Over the past few months, the contest has used nominations, brackets, public voting and social media to determine Georgia's coolest thing. A Lockheed Martin Vice President, Rod McLean accepted the award on the company's behalf yesterday in Columbus.
- [07:46]
D
I believe is the recognition of what this aircraft has done, not only for those who support, operate and maintain the aircraft and how it has contributed to our national defense and those of our allies, but also the economic impact that it has made.
- [08:01]
A
McLean says the C130J made in Marietta, north of Atlanta, contributes $4 billion annually to the state's economy and is the longest running milit military aircraft product line in the world. Other Georgia made semifinalists included a tractor, an electric aircraft and a pecan pie. In 1972, Gwendolyn Peyton wanted to leave Mercer University in Macon with an art degree, but the head of the art department denied her an exhibition in the art department gallery. The last thing she needed for her degree because she was black. Some 50 years later, Mercer saw the mistake that had been made and Peyton finally got that show. Now Peyton's story is the subject of a new documentary directed by her son. The film is called Faith of the Dreamer and it screens in her hometown of Macon this Sunday.
- [08:49]
B
Yes, my name is Gwendolyn Peyton and I am the. The story of the documentary is my story.
- [08:58]
D
And my name is Khari Payton. I'm the director of this particular documentary and proud son of, of Gordon Peyton. I feel like the climate in the country, especially at this moment, telling these stories. My mom's story is a tough story to have to listen to, but I am, I am more and more kind of hit by the fact that it is not a story on its own. It's one of many stories.
- [09:42]
B
This documentary is about an institution. It's my personal story of going to college and how I was affected by someone in that institution. And even though we can point to that someone, the fact that this occurred in an institution, educational institution, allows you to the inference to come that it was just not that individual. And just to follow on what Kari said, we hoped that this documentary will be a catalyst to draw out of his stories and to just help people to understand that history does repeat itself.
- [10:27]
D
It has been incredibly gratifying to, first of all to hear mom's story told by the people who lived it, to walk around my mom's hometown and to see the ghosts and the shadows of what had occurred before. I don't know how many times mom, where someone has, has cried tears and it's somewhere between joy and hurt. And it is. But that emotion brings people together.
- [11:12]
B
Someone once asked, what would my legacy be if I took the last breath today? And it would be that my grandchildren and the future generations would look back and see all of us working together to forge forward.
- [11:33]
A
You just heard artist Gwendolyn Payton and her son Khary Payton talking about the documentary they made together about Gwendolyn's life fighting racism with art. The film Faith of the Dreamer screens this Sunday in Macon as part of the Macon Film Festival. The interview was conducted by Alexia Ridley with radio station WUGA in in Athens. In sports, in baseball, Atlanta's Hurston Waldrop struck out a career best tying seven in seven innings as the Braves beat the Chicago White Sox yesterday one to nothing. Marcel Ozunas scored from third base in the fourth inning on an infield error race. El iglesias pitched the ninth inning for his 21st save. The rookie Waldrop is now 4 0. He allowed just four hits and walked one. The Braves have the day off today before starting a three game series at home tomorrow against division rival the New York Mets. And that is it for this edition of GEORGIA Today. We appreciate you tuning in. We hope you'll come back tomorrow. Make sure you subscribe to this podcast that'll help you remember. In fact, you won't need to remember because we will pop up automatically in your podcast feed when you subscribe. And if you're hungry for more details about the stories you heard about Today, check out gpb.org news we are always open to your feedback and your story ideas. So tell us what's going on in your community or tell us what you like or don't like about this podcast. We are open to your suggestions email. The email address is Georgia todaypb.org I'm Peter Biello. Thank you again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.