Fentanyl use study; Tariffs affect Ga. business; Furloughed federal workers speak out

Summary

Georgia Today Podcast — October 27, 2025

Host: Peter Biello (Georgia Public Broadcasting)
Episode Theme:
A fast-paced rundown of key news affecting Georgia, featuring spotlights on the ongoing federal government shutdown’s effects in the state, new public health findings about fentanyl and stimulant use, the impact of tariffs on local business, changes at a regional museum, water rights after a major plant closure, and more.

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Main Topics & Insights

1. Federal Government Shutdown: Local Impact and Furloughed Workers

Segment Begins: [00:48]

• Fifth Week Without Pay:
  Thousands of federal workers in Georgia, especially in public-facing roles like airport security and public health, are entering their fifth week without pay due to the ongoing federal government shutdown.
• Reliance on Charity:
  Many have turned to food drives and community aid, such as Henry County NAACP’s food distribution event in Stockbridge.
  • Notable Quote:
    “At a church in Stockbridge Friday night, cars lined up waiting for a hot meal. Inside were couples, singles, and families.”
    — Sophie Gradas [01:10]
• Personal Testimony:
  Karen Smith, a federal worker, discussed the toll of repeated shutdowns:
  • Memorable Moment:
    “Remember Game of Thrones where winter is coming? So for me, it's November is coming.”
    — Karen Smith [01:44]
• Wider Effects:
  The shutdown’s ripple extends beyond paychecks: over a million Georgians may lose access to SNAP (food assistance) benefits if the impasse drags on into November.
  • Rep. Sanford Bishop highlighted:
    • USDA emergency SNAP fund ($5 billion) is short of projected $8 billion need.
    • He and others urge the Secretary of Agriculture to redirect funds to prevent hunger.
    • Continued push for Affordable Care Act tax subsidy extensions.

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2. Water Rights After Savannah Paper Mill Closure

Segment Begins: [02:50]

• Job Losses & Regulatory Domino Effect:
  The closure of International Paper’s Savannah mill eliminated 800 jobs. Its vacated water withdrawal and discharge permits have set off intense interest among neighboring companies.
• Environmental & Economic Stakes:
  • Savannah Riverkeeper Tanya Bonatabis emphasizes that future use of these water rights will impact the river basin from mountains to coast.
    • Notable Quote:
      “That's a huge amount of money that just entered back into the equation. So as much as it could 100% have a huge positive outcome, it also just as easily could change nothing.”
      — Peter Biello & Unnamed Guest [03:24–03:38]
• Immediate Environmental Change:
  Southeast Georgia’s underground aquifer water level reportedly rose by two feet within weeks of the mill’s closure.

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3. Douglas County Museum of History and Art Faces Uncertain Future

Segment Begins: [03:51]

• Lease Termination:
  The county’s Board of Commissioners voted to end the museum’s rent-free, month-to-month lease.
• Points of Tension:
  • Majority cited lack of revenue and need for the space.
  • Museum director Suzanne Hudson said she was not consulted.
• Community Role:
  • The museum is both a welcome center and an educational resource for local schools.
    • Memorable Moment:
      “We're such an asset to the county. We're a welcome center and a museum. We teach local history and so we have lots of school groups come and everything here has been given to us.”
      — Suzanne Hudson [04:25]

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4. Fentanyl and Stimulant Use: Alarming Trends in Older Adults

Segment Begins: [04:40]

• Study Highlights:
  New research shows adults 65+ are now dying from fentanyl-stimulant combinations at rates seen in youths.

  • In 2015, only 9% of fentanyl deaths for this group involved stimulants; by 2023, nearly half did (mostly cocaine).
  • This matches national “fourth wave” opioid epidemic trends.

• Actionable Steps:

  • Screen for stimulant use when prescribing opioids to seniors.
  • Include caregivers in risk/safety planning.
    • Notable Takeaway:
      “Reviewing medication lists, screening for stimulant exposure and involving caregivers in safety planning are key steps.”
      — Gabe Pasha via GPB Peach Jam Host [05:25]

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5. Business & Trade Briefs

Segment Begins: [05:47]

• Tariffs Squeeze Atlanta’s Carter’s Inc.:
  • Third-quarter profit: $11.6 million.
  • Company leadership cited tariffs as a major drag on earnings.
  • Plans announced to ‘right size’ the company and reduce compensation in 2026.
• Product Recall:
  • Neutrogena Makeup Remover Ultra Soft Cleansing Towelettes recalled in Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Texas due to bacterial contamination.
• Port Performance:
  • Port of Savannah saw an 8% rise in container units moved in September.
  • Port of Brunswick’s terminal saw a 30% drop in auto/heavy equipment shipments owing to cutbacks by car makers and declines in exports to Asia.
• Potential State Park Fee Increases:
  • Proposal to raise daily entrance from $5 to $10 and annual from $50 to $70.
  • Would bring Georgia more in line with other southeastern states.

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6. Sports & Community Event Highlights

Segment Begins: [07:57]

• Georgia Tech Football:
  • Defeated Syracuse 41–16 in their first home game as a top-10 team since 2009.
  • Achievement: 8-0, best start since 1966.
• Community Preview Event:
  • Early screening and discussion of Ken Burns’ “The American Revolution” documentary, hosted in Cartersville with local experts.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• “At a church in Stockbridge Friday night, cars lined up waiting for a hot meal. Inside were couples, singles and families.”
  — Sophie Gradas [01:10]

• “Remember Game of Thrones where winter is coming? So for me, it's November is coming.”
  — Karen Smith, furloughed federal worker [01:44]

• “That's a huge amount of money that just entered back into the equation. So as much as it could 100% have a huge positive outcome, it also just as easily could change nothing.”
  — Peter Biello & Guest [03:24–03:38]

• “We're such an asset to the county....We teach local history and so we have lots of school groups come and everything here has been given to us.”
  — Suzanne Hudson, museum director [04:25]

• “Reviewing medication lists, screening for stimulant exposure and involving caregivers in safety planning are key steps.”
  — Gabe Pasha, study author [05:25]

---

Key Timestamps

• [00:48] — Furloughed workers and shutdown impacts
• [01:44] — SNAP benefits threatened
• [02:50] — Water rights scramble after Savannah paper mill closure
• [03:51] — Douglas County Museum lease termination
• [04:58] — Fentanyl/stimulant use trends in older adults
• [05:47] — Business and trade highlights (Carter’s, Neutrogena, ports, state parks)
• [07:57] — Sports headlines and upcoming Ken Burns documentary screening

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Tone

Concise, urgent, and informative—reflective of a daily newscast. Occasional moments of empathy and wit from interviewees and the host.

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This episode delivers a focused, local snapshot of pressing issues—economic uncertainty, public health, environmental regulation, and community resources—impacting Georgians right now, with both in-depth reporting and the personal voices behind the headlines.

Transcript

[GPB Peach Jam 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, a study finds old and young alike are using fentanyl and other stimulants at the same rate. Tariffs eaten to a local company's profits and furloughed Federal workers bemoan D.C. lawmakers seeming inability to come to an agreement.

[GPB Peach Jam Host]

In previous they've come together, they sat at the table. At least you know they were working on it.

[Peter Biello]

Today is Monday, October 27th. I'm Peter Biello and this is Georgia Today. Furloughed federal workers in Georgia are entering the fifth week of the government shutdown without a paycheck. Many are turning to aid from charitable organizations to make ends meet. GPB's Sophie Gradas has more.

[Grant Blankenship]

Y' all bag those drinks up.

[Sophie Gradas]

At a church in Stockbridge Friday night, cars lined up waiting for a hot meal. Inside were couples, singles and families. The food drive organized by the Henry County NAACP was it was for Atlanta's federal workers, including those in airport security, the judicial system and public health.

[Grant Blankenship]

Thank you.

[Sophie Gradas]

Karen Smith didn't want to name her employer. She said she loves her job. It's not her first shutdown, but she said this one is the hardest.

[GPB Peach Jam Host]

In previous they've come together, they sat at the table. At least you know, they were working on it.

[Sophie Gradas]

Smith hopes Congress can reach a deal before she has to take part time work.

[GPB Peach Jam Host]

Remember Game of Thrones where winter is coming? So for me, it's November is coming.

[Sophie Gradas]

November also marks a pause on new SNAP benefits for over a million Georgians. For GPB News, I'm Soki Gradas.

[Peter Biello]

Regarding that pause in snap benefits, here's GPB's Grant Blankenship on what that means for Georgia.

[Grant Blankenship]

It means about 1 million Georgians might not be able to afford food. So Georgia Democrats and the U.S. house have asked the U.S. department of Agriculture to protect SNAP. That includes Sanford Bishop of Georgia's 2nd District, which runs from Macon southwest of the Florida border. He says The USDA has $5 billion set aside to fund SNAP in an emergency. Unfortunately, the projection for what the need will be is $8 billion. And so we are urging the secretary of Agriculture to utilize that $5 billion to extend those SNAP benefits so people won't go hungry and to move other money to cover the rest. Bishop also still wants the extension of Affordable Care act tax subsidies as part of a solution to the federal shutdown. For GPB News, I'm Grant Blankenship in Macon.

[Peter Biello]

The closure of a paper mill In Savannah ended 800 jobs this summer, but it also set in motion a race that could have a huge impact on Georgia business and the environment. GPB's Orlando Montoya reports.

[Orlando Montoya]

International Paper has state permits that allow it to both withdraw and discharge massive amounts of water under various regulations. Once those permits go away, other companies could divide up the allocations, allowing them to produce more of whatever they make. Savannah Riverkeeper Tanya Bonatabis says the impacts could be felt everywhere in the river basin, from the mountains to the coast.

[Peter Biello]

That's a huge amount of money that just entered back into the equation. So as much as it could 100%.

[GPB Peach Jam Host]

Have a huge positive outcome, it also.

[Peter Biello]

Just as easily could change nothing.

[Orlando Montoya]

In the weeks after the mill's closure, southeast Georgia's underground water supply, the Floridan aquifer, shot up by 2ft. For GPB News, I'm Orlando Montoya.

[Peter Biello]

The future of the Douglas County Museum of History and Art is uncertain after the sudden termination last week of its lease. The Douglas County Board of Commissioners voted 3 to 2 to terminate the museum's rent free month to month lease, pending review by the county legal staff. The museum occupies part of the old Douglas County Courthouse, 45 minutes west of Atlanta. Board members in favor of terminating the lease said the museum doesn't generate revenue and takes up space that other county functions. No decision has been made yet on how the space would be used. Museum director Suzanne Hudson says she was not consulted before the vote.

[GPB Peach Jam Host]

We're such an asset to the county. We're a welcome center and a museum. We teach local history and so we have lots of school groups come and everything here has been given to us.

[Peter Biello]

A spokesman for Douglas county says notice given to the museum will extend at least through the end of the year. A new study suggests older adults are engaging in fentanyl and stimulant use at rates typically associated with young people. GPB's Ellen Eldredge has more.

[Ellen Eldredge]

In 2015, about 9% of fentanyl related deaths among people 65 and over also included a stimulant. By 2023, nearly half did, most commonly cocaine. That's in line with youth trends in the so called fourth wave of the opioid epidemic. Lead author Gabe Pasha is a medical student at the University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine. He says there are clear implications for awareness and prevention of polysubstance use, so.

[GPB Peach Jam Host]

Reviewing medication lists, screening for stimulant exposure and involving caregivers in safety planning are key steps.

[Ellen Eldredge]

The study also concludes that doctors should take the likelihood of stimulant use into account when prescribing opioids for pain management to seniors. For GPB News, I'm Ellen Eldredge.

[Peter Biello]

Atlanta based clothing company Carter's reported profit of $11.6 million in its third quarter. In a news release, the company's leadership said higher tariffs were one factor cutting into profits, and they pledged to pursue, quote, right, sizing the organization and reducing next year's compensation. The parent company for Neutrogena has recalled some makeup remover towels distributed to four states, including Georgia. An FDA report discloses that more than 1300 cases of Neutrogena Makeup Remover Ultra Soft Cleansing towelettes were recalled due to an internal test that revealed the presence of harmful bacteria. The recall applies to Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and Texas. The Port of Savannah handled 8% more container units in September compared to the same month last year. For the fiscal year to date, container trade at the Port of Savannah is up nearly 5%. Colonel's Island Terminal at the Port of Brunswick saw a 30% drop in auto and heavy equipment shipments. Car manufacturers are cutting back production and shipment of some vehicles to the US and luxury vehicle exports to Asia are down. The Georgia Board of Natural Resources is considering raising fees at Georgia's state parks. The board is meeting tomorrow morning to consider a proposal that would raise daily passes from $5 to $10 and annual passes from $50 to $70. A report from the state Department of Audits found these prices haven't changed since 2009 and that they're the lowest among southeastern states. The report said Georgia State Parks and historic sites spent $109 million in the fiscal year 2025. About half of the funds came from self generated revenue like park passes and campsite rentals.

[NPR Podcast Announcer]

Sources and Methods the crown jewels of the intelligence community. Shorthand for how do we know what's real? Who told us? If you have those answers, you're on the inside and NPR wants to bring you there. From the Pentagon to the State Department to spy agencies, listen to understand what's really happening and what it means for you. Sources and methods the new national security podcast from NPR.

[Peter Biello]

In sports and football, Georgia Tech cruised to a 4116 victory over Syracuse on Saturday in its first home game As a top 10 team since 2009, the Yellowjackets are 80 for just the sixth time in school history and the first time since 1966. Tomorrow night in Cartersville, join GPB, Georgia Highlands College and the Bartow History Institute to watch an early preview of club clips from Ken Burns new documentary the American Revolution. The screening will be followed by a riveting discussion with local American Revolution experts. That's tomorrow evening at 6. More [e-mail] events and that is a wrap on this edition of Georgia Today. Thank you very much for tuning in. And thanks to you if you supported GPB during our recent fall fundraiser. If you haven't given yet, go to gpb.org and click you want to check out more news? Go to gpb.org news and remember to subscribe to this podcast because we are coming back at you tomorrow afternoon with all the latest headlines. And if there's something that we should know about, something we should be covering, or if you've got feedback for us on this podcast or anything else about our programming, send us an email. The address is Georgia todaypb.org I'm Peter Biello. Thank you again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.

[GPB Peach Jam 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.