Folkston ICE center doubles capacity; Cuts to Job Corps program; Space photo exhibit

Summary

Georgia Today Podcast Summary Release Date: June 4, 2025
Host: Orlando Montoya

---

ICE Processing Center Expansion in Southeast Georgia

In today's episode, Orlando Montoya introduces a significant development regarding immigration enforcement in Georgia. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing center located in Charlton County is poised to more than double its current capacity as part of a nationwide expansion of ICE detention facilities.

Grant Blankenship, a GPB reporter based in Macon, provides an in-depth analysis of the situation:

“The Folkestone ICE processing center is owned by a for-profit company called the Geo Group. Should the Charlton County Commission approve their role as a pass-through for money from ICE to Geo Group, the two properties will merge and add what ICE says are close to 2,000 more beds for people in the earliest phase of immigration detention” (01:37).

This expansion would make Folkestone the largest ICE processing center in the nation. The financial implications for Charlton County are substantial, with projected revenues seven times higher than previous agreements between ICE and Geo Group. The episode highlights the economic incentives behind such expansions and the broader impact on the community.

Federal Cuts to Job Corps Program Impacting Atlanta’s At-Risk Youth

The podcast sheds light on the federal government's reduction in funding for the Job Corps program, which has profound effects on vulnerable youth in Atlanta. Amanda Andrews reports on the local repercussions:

“Over 400 students and 140 staff were recently notified the Job Corps program in south Fulton would shut down at the end of the month. Many students in the program rely on it to provide housing, financial stability, and vocational training” (04:10).

Janita Beckles, the program manager, expressed her concerns:

“We have hundreds that have nowhere to go, so we are trying to bring awareness and advocacy before these young people are displaced and unsheltered” (04:10).

South Fulton City Council is actively seeking public support to urge the federal government to restore funding, emphasizing the program's critical role since its inception in 1964.

Decline of the Cotton Industry in Georgia

Cotton has historically been a cornerstone of Georgia's agricultural economy, but recent trends indicate a downturn. Chase McGee reports on the shrinking demand for cotton:

“First planted in Georgia in 1734, but nearly 300 years later, the crop has fallen out of favor with manufacturers in favor of cheaper oil-based products like polyester” (05:08).

Camp Hand, University of Georgia's extension cotton agronomist, elaborates on the issue:

“There's a lot of farmers who've gotten out. There's a lot of farmers who are only farming this year because of the federal assistance in response to Hurricane Helene” (05:27).

Hand also highlights environmental concerns, noting that polyester contributes to microplastic pollution. He advocates for a resurgence in cotton production as a sustainable alternative, which could bolster Georgia's economy amidst declining farmer participation.

Georgia Department of Transportation's I-16 Widening Project

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is seeking public input on a substantial $450 million project aimed at widening Interstate 16 west of Savannah. Orlando Montoya outlines the project details:

“The project would expand the highway from two lanes to three in both directions, covering 32 miles from the Interstate 95 interchange to Georgia 67 in Bulloch County” (05:52).

Key motivations for the expansion include alleviating congestion caused by increased truck traffic related to the Port of Savannah and the new Hyundai Electric vehicle plant in Bryan County. GDOT has scheduled two public open houses on June 11th and 12th in Statesboro and Bloomingdale to gather community feedback.

Revitalizing Columbus: The Historic Liberty District Foundation

A new nonprofit organization, the Historic Liberty District Foundation, has been established to rejuvenate an area in Columbus, dubbed the Black Wall Street of the city. Modeled after successful initiatives like Midtown Inc. and Uptown Columbus, this foundation aims to collaborate with the Columbus City Council to guide neighborhood development. Community leaders and activists are at the forefront of this effort, seeking to preserve the area's rich cultural heritage while promoting economic growth.

MACON Bibb County's New Arena Project

Macon Bibb County has appointed MFA Program Management, based in Memphis, as the manager for its proposed new arena project. Orlando Montoya reports:

“The project, at the current site of the Macon Coliseum, is funded by a voter-approved sales tax that won't start being collected until later this year” (05:52).

This development signifies a major investment in local infrastructure, aiming to enhance the region's appeal for events and entertainment, thereby stimulating the local economy.

Space Photo Exhibit Opens in Columbus

A standout segment of today's episode is dedicated to a fascinating new exhibit at the Coca Cola Space Science Center in Columbus. The exhibit features rare photographs taken from space and the lunar surface, part of a collaboration between Columbus State University's Bo Bartlett Center and the Space Science Center.

Tom Scott, whose brother David Scott was an Apollo astronaut, shares the story behind the memorabilia:

“Tom actually worked for the Chamber of Commerce here in Columbus, Georgia. … After about six to eight weeks, Tom came back in and said … we've decided we're going to let you keep those pieces permanently” (08:09).

Dr. Sean Cruzen, director of the Science Center, discusses the significance of the photos:

“Scott is one of only 12 humans ever to have walked on the moon ... A lot of the pictures that we see from the moon are either taken from the lander ... or from the lunar rover” (09:18).

The exhibit showcases images from the Gemini 8, Apollo 9, and Apollo 15 missions, including iconic scenes like the planting of the American flag on the lunar surface. The collection aims to inspire and educate the next generation of scientists and engineers, preserving these historic artifacts for public engagement.

Tom Scott further emphasizes the educational mission of the Space Science Center:

“We teach astronomy and physics here at the actual Space Science Center. … We have a planetarium facility, an observatory, and the largest collection of space shuttle artifacts in the state of Georgia” (14:08).

David Scott, now 92, remains supportive of the exhibit's mission to inspire future generations, ensuring that his legacy and contributions to space exploration are accessible to all.

---

Conclusion

Today's episode of Georgia Today delves into a diverse array of topics affecting the state, from immigration enforcement and educational program cuts to agricultural challenges and infrastructure developments. Additionally, the unique space photo exhibit in Columbus highlights Georgia's contribution to preserving and celebrating pivotal moments in space exploration. Through comprehensive reporting and insightful interviews, GPB News continues to deliver compelling stories that resonate with listeners across the state.

---

For more detailed reports and additional stories, visit GPB's website at gpb.org/news.

Transcript

[Sarah Gonzalez]

Planet Money helps you understand the economy. We find the people at the center of the story.

[Tom Scott]

Garbage in New York that was like a controlled substance.

[Sarah Gonzalez]

We show you how money influences everything.

[Camp Hand]

Tell me what you like by telling me how you spend your money.

[Sarah Gonzalez]

And we dig until we get answers.

[Tom Scott]

I had a bad feeling you were gonna bring that up.

[Sarah Gonzalez]

Planet Money finds out. All you have to do is listen. The Planet Money podcast from npr.

[Orlando Montoya]

Hello and welcome to the Journey. Welcome to Georgia Today podcast. Here on this podcast, we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, an ICE processing center in southeast Georgia is set to more than double its capacity as part of a nationwide federal crackdown on immigration. Federal cuts to the Job Corps program affect at risk youth in Atlanta. And we'll tell you how some rare photographs taken in space ended up in Columbus.

[Tom Scott]

He said, hey, I have a few pieces of memorabilia from when my brother walked on the surface of the moon. We were just wondering if you'd like to put that on display. And of course I said that would be fantastic.

[Orlando Montoya]

Today is Wednesday, June 4th. I'm Orlando Montoya and this is Georgia Today. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing center in southeast Georgia's Charlton county is set to more than double its capacity. As GPB's Grant Blankenship explains, it's part of a nationwide expansion of ICE detention.

[Grant Blankenship]

The Folkestone ICE processing center is owned by a for profit company called the Geo Group. The company also owns the nearby D. Ray James Correctional Institute, which it once operated for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Should the Charlton County Commission approve their role as a pass through for money from ICE to Geo Group, the two properties will merge and add what ICE says are close to 2,000 more beds for people in the earliest phase of immigration detention. According to ice, the expansion would make Folkestone their largest processing center. For their role, Charlton county stands to make seven times as much money as compared to the older deal with ICE and GeoGroup, whose stock price rocketed after President Trump's reelection. For GPB News, I'm Grant Blankenship in Macon.

[Orlando Montoya]

A federal judge has thrown out murder charges against a former Atlanta police officer who shot and killed an unarmed man hiding in a closet. U.S. district Judge Michael Brown ruled yesterday that Sung Kim acted in self defense and shouldn't face charges in the 2019 shooting of 21 year old Jimmy Acheson. Brown says the shooting was taken textbook self defense. Atlanta activists call Acheson's death an example of unjustified police violence against black people. Family members say Acheson was raising his hands to surrender when Kim shot him in the face. Kim and other officers testified that they believed Acheson's move was threatening. Brown ruled that fear was reasonable and justified the shooting. Georgia State Representative Derek Jackson, a metro Atlanta Democrat, said yesterday that he's running for governor. He'll join three other Democrats in the race. Jackson is a U.S. navy veteran. He was elected to the State House in 2016 and in the race for state attorney general, State Senator Brian Strickland said yesterday that he is running for the post. The Republican from McDonough was elected to the Georgia Senate in 2018 after serving in the Georgia House since 2013. Yesterday on this podcast, we told you how federal cuts to the Job Corps program are kicking people out of their jobs and in some cases their homes in Albany. Well, those cuts are affecting the Job Corps program across the state, including for at risk youth in Atlanta. GPB's Amanda Andrews reports local officials in the city of south Fulton are asking for help.

[Sarah Gonzalez]

Over 400 students and 140 staff were recently notified the Job Corps program in south Fulton would shut down at the end of the month. Many students in the program rely on it to provide housing, financial stability and vocational training. Manager Janita Beckles is facing unemployment after 16 years with job Corps, but she's more worried about the students. We have hundreds that have nowhere to go, so we are trying to bring awareness and advocacy before these young people are displaced and unsheltered and leave off of our campuses. Nationwide, South Fulton City Council members are asking the public to support a resolution asking the federal government to restore funding to the program created by Congress in 1964. For GPB news, I'm Amanda Andrews.

[Orlando Montoya]

Cotton has long been a staple crop for Georgia's farmers, but with shrinking demand, some farmers are bowing out. GPB's Chase McGee has more Cotton was.

[Camp Hand]

First planted in Georgia in 1734, but nearly 300 years later, the crop has fallen out of favor with manufacturers in favor of cheaper oil based products like polyester. Camp Hand is the University of Georgia's extension cotton agronomist. He says that decreased demand has pushed many farmers out of the industry.

[Dr. Sean Cruzen]

There's a lot of farmers who've gotten out. There's a lot of farmers who are.

[Tom Scott]

Only farming this year because of the.

[Dr. Sean Cruzen]

Federal assistance in response to Hurricane Helene.

[Camp Hand]

Hand notes that polyester use can contribute to microplastic pollution and that Georgia's businesses can look to cotton as a sustainable, high quality product if they want to support a shrinking economy. For GPB news, I'm Chase McGee.

[Orlando Montoya]

The Georgia Department of Transportation is asking for public input on a $450 million plan to widen a key stretch of Interstate 16 west of Savannah. The project would expand the highway from two lanes to three in Both directions, covering 32 miles from the Interstate 95 interchange to Georgia 67 in Bulloch County. Twenty bridges along the route would also be widened or replaced. Agency officials say the upgrades are needed to ease congestion from truck traffic tied to the Port of Savannah and the recently opened Hyundai Electric vehicle plant in Bryan County. Two open houses are planned next week for this project, June 11th in Statesboro and June 12th in Bloomingdale. A new nonprofit organization aims to redevelop an area whose boosters call it the Black Wall street of Columbus. Community leaders and activists created the Historic Liberty District foundation to advise Columbus City Council about neighborhood development. It's modeled on Columbus nonprofit's Midtown Inc. And Uptown Columbus. MACON Bibb county has selected a manager for its proposed new arena project. County commissioners yesterday chose Memphis based MFA Program Management for the role. The project, at the current site of the Macon Coliseum, is paid for by a voter approved sales tax that won't start being collected until later this year. A new exhibit that opened in Columbus yesterday offers a rare glimpse of photos taken from space and the surface of the moon. A partnership between Columbus State University's Bo Bartlett center and its Coca Cola Space Science center will run through August 2nd. It features hundreds of photos from a Gemini 8, Apollo 9 and Apollo 15 astronaut. Think lonely capsules floating above Earth, barren moonscapes and sepia tinged images of space exploring in its prime. As to how the photos were taken and how they ended up in Columbus, I spoke to the Science Center's director, Shawn Cruzan.

[Tom Scott]

The exhibition is a collection of artifacts from astronaut David Scott, and a number of years ago I made the acquaintance of Dave Scott's brother. His name is Tom Scott. Tom actually worked for the Chamber of Commerce here in Columbus, Georgia. And Tom came in one day and asked me, he said, hey, I have a few pieces of memorabilia from when my brother walked on the surface of the moon. And we were just wondering if you'd like to put that on display at your Space Science center for a period of time. And of course I said yes, we would love to put that on display. That would be fantastic. So they put some items on display with us for a temporary exhibit. And after about, oh, I don't know, six, six to eight weeks, something like that, Tom came back in and said, hey, I talked to my brother Dave. We've decided we're going to let you keep those pieces permanently. And we have a few other ones that we'd like to pass on to you as well. So over the years, our collection from the Scott brothers has just grown.

[Dr. Sean Cruzen]

Let's talk a little bit about the Scott brothers, specifically David Scott. Can you talk a little bit about his accomplishments? You mentioned he walked on the moon, but tell us a little bit about his life.

[Tom Scott]

So David Scott was actually a test pilot in the United States Air Force, which already, that is a fantastic accomplishment. And of course, when NASA was recruiting their astronauts, these are exactly the kind of people that they were going after. So when NASA brought on their third class of astronauts, their third group of astronauts, he came on with a crew that was working on the Gemini program. And Gemini 8, very important because of the docking of two spacecraft. Apollo 9, very important as a dress rehearsal for the moon landing. And then Apollo 15, a very important mission because of the much greater impact of being able to travel around the lunar surface to gather up more rock samples for lunar geology.

[Dr. Sean Cruzen]

Scott is one of only 12 humans ever to have walked on the moon. I'm curious as to how you take a photograph on the moon.

[Tom Scott]

You know, it's funny, the whole photographs on the moon. So first of all, their vehicles had cameras that were mounted, and they were both still cameras and video cameras. So much like, you know, if we, if we were going to go on a trip, we might put GoPros, you know, all around our vehicle. Well, they had, you know, the GoPros of the day were very primitive video cameras, CRT cameras, and then also some Hasselblad still photography cameras. So they actually had film, and they were actually taking images with film on the moon. And so a lot of the pictures that we see from the moon are either taken from the lander, which they called the lunar module, or from the lunar rover, which the Apollo 15 mission with David Scott was the first mission to have a lunar rover, a car that could actually drive around on the surface of the moon.

[Dr. Sean Cruzen]

I'm seeing a photo that has the lunar module, that has the American flag, and an astronaut with his arm at attention. Is that Scott?

[Tom Scott]

Yeah, that image is a picture of David Scott on the surface of the moon. It was taken by his fellow moonwalker, James Irwin. And so that's a photograph of the two astronauts, one taking the picture, one standing near the flag, shortly after they stepped foot on the surface of the moon and planted that American flag down there.

[Dr. Sean Cruzen]

I'm also curious about the idea of photographs like this existing in. I don't know, a basement or a attic or a bedroom, maybe on a wall somewhere. Where have these photographs been all this time?

[Tom Scott]

So many of these photographs are historic photographs. And of course, you can find these same images in NASA archives online and other places like that. But the images that we have were physical prints that belong to David Scott. So David either had them in his own home, or he had them in his home for a period of time and then gave them to his brother Tom. And Tom had them in his home. And so they're really, you know, family collection. And now we are putting them on exhibit, but we're also working to preserve them long term and, and get them in a. In a state where they're archived and they're protected so that they can be shared for people in perpetuity.

[Dr. Sean Cruzen]

Now, David Scott is 92 years old. Now, do we know how he feels about this being in the collection and on display? Did you get to talk to him, for example?

[Tom Scott]

So there's a few things I can tell you. First of all, I have not been able to speak to him directly about this exhibition, although a couple of things I can tell you I did. I was fortunate enough to meet David Scott at the anniversary of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 9 mission. That was just a few years ago. And I got to speak with him then after they had already donated a few pieces to the Space Science Center. And one of the reasons that David Scott is particularly happy about doing that is because he believes in our mission. And our mission is to inspire and educate the next generation of scientists, engineers, and science educators.

[Dr. Sean Cruzen]

And my last question is sort of based on the fact that we are a 21 station statewide radio network, and we're all about letting people know about the things in the state that they might not know about and people might know of, you know, Titusville, Florida, and Huntsville, Alabama, and Johnson Space Science and all that. But why do we have a Space Science center in Columbus?

[Tom Scott]

Yeah, so the Coca Cola Space Science center in Columbus, Georgia, is part of Columbus State University. We're owned and operated by the university. I'm on the faculty here. My teaching mission at Columbus State University is in space science. I teach astronomy and physics here at the actual Space Science Center. So it's a classroom facility as well as a museum and space science center that's open to the public. We opened in 1996, which was the year the Olympics were coming to town. And so the city of Columbus was looking for something to do that was interesting for the Olympics and would add to the draw of the city, but also they wanted to include something that would benefit the educational mission of the local school district and, quite frankly, the region. And so we serve a region of people that are, number one, interested in space science and they can just come see us, but also, number two, trying to actually help educate both students and teachers to be better prepared to understand the concepts of space travel, the concepts of our physical universe, and just basic concepts of physical science. We have a planetarium facility here. We also have an observatory. We have the largest collection of space shuttle artifacts in the state of Georgia and many other pieces that have flown with astronauts in space or been part of space shuttle and Apollo missions. So we're really excited when people find out about us and want to come down and see us. I think most of those people are very pleasantly surprised by our programs that we have here, our facility that we have here, but the magnitude of our collection of artifacts that are on display here in Columbus, Georgia.

[Dr. Sean Cruzen]

Thank you for joining me, Dr. Sean Cruzen of the Coca Cola Space Science center in Columbus. Appreciate it.

[Orlando Montoya]

And that's it for today's edition of Georgia today. GPB's website, gpb.org news has many of the stories that you hear on this podcast in greater detail and a lot more from around the world and the nation. If you haven't yet hit subscribe on this podcast, take a moment to do that now. That'll help you to keep us current in your feed, and it'll help us by keeping us current in your feed. We'd love to hear your feedback, story ideas and suggestions. Send them to us@georgia todaypb.org I'm Orlando Montoya. We'll be with you again tomorrow for another episode of GEORGIA Today.