Georgia Today Podcast Summary

Episode Date: October 9, 2025
Host: Peter Biello, GPB News
Main Topics: Atlanta Mayor Debate, Georgia Trump Case Update, Savannah Bananas 2026 Schedule, Biolab Chemical Fire Update, Georgia jobs news

Overview

In this episode, Georgia Today delivers key updates on Georgia's pressing political, legal, and community stories:

• Atlanta mayoral candidates go head-to-head as incumbent Andre Dickens skips the debate.
• The Trump Georgia election case is delayed as a new prosecutor must be found.
• A look back at the Biolab fire in Conyers reveals missed opportunities in protecting first responders.
• The Savannah Bananas baseball team is about to announce its 2026 tour schedule during a nationwide broadcast.
• News on major job losses in Georgia, Delta Air Lines financial results, and a halt to construction of a massive poultry operation near the Satilla River.

Key Discussion Points

1. Political Climate & Government Shutdown

• Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Senate are locked in a standoff over a government funding resolution.
• Lucy McBath (D) insists her party won't compromise on the Affordable Care Act.

  "We're going to stand our ground and ... we want the American people to understand and know that we're there fighting for them." (01:16-01:18)

• Mike Collins (R) says the focus should be on government funding, not health care.

  "This is not about a health care fight. This is about funding the government." (01:27-01:32)

• Without a funding bill, ACA policy subsidies lapse, and some rates could double. (01:33-01:50)

2. Atlanta Mayoral Debate—Without the Incumbent

• Three out of four candidates—Helmut Domogalski, Kalima Jackson, and Eddie Andrew Meredith—debated major policy issues on TV.
• Andre Dickens, the sitting mayor and frontrunner, did not attend.
• Central topics:
  • Improving mayor-governor relations.
  • The urgent need for more police officers in Atlanta.
• Eddie Andrew Meredith underscores public safety:

  "We want actual voters and people in the city of Atlanta to actually feel safe. And that's how we do it. We invest into our police officers... We need to invest back into our police officers, our firefighters." (02:16-02:32)

• Early voting opens October 14. (02:32-02:40)

3. Georgia Trump Election Case: New Delays

• Judge extends the search for a new prosecutor until November 14.
• Previous DA Fani Willis was disqualified after a personal relationship disclosure.
• The state agency requested more time for proper case review.
• "Any case against Trump is unlikely to advance while he's president, but 14 others, including Mark Meadows and Rudy Giuliani, still face charges." (02:40-03:45)

4. One Year After the Conyers Biolab Fire: Safety Lessons Unlearned

• On September 29, 2024, a major chemical fire erupted at the Biolab facility in Conyers.
• Sheriff Melody Maddox recalls immediate hazard and confusion:

  "I see this big black cloud or whatever. Then the phone calls start. I'm like, what is this? And then that's when my commander called and said, hey, Rockdale County is asking for our assistance. They've had a blow up at the Biolab." (04:10-04:28)

• Maddox also connects the past (2004 fire) to health impacts on her family and community, though not medically proven.
• First responders lacked crucial chemical exposure data—a special EPA Cessna ("Aspect" plane) that can instantly identify toxic plumes remained unused.
• Robert Crowdle, former EPA scientist, laments the missed opportunity:

  "And we can tell within five or ten seconds what the chemicals are, what the concentrations are." (05:42-05:49) "It's not a history lesson. You can immediately warn the public. The police can go to their houses and say, get out of here. We have a chemical plume coming your way. It's hazardous. You shouldn't stay in your house." (06:22-06:37)

• EPA used a ground-based gas analyzer, which only arrived nearly a week after the fire.
• Biolab initially reported only 40,000 lbs of chemicals involved, but federal estimates now suggest nearly 14 million lbs of oxidizers were present.
• For more coverage, GPB’s podcast "Manufacturing Danger: The Biolab Story" is recommended. (03:45-07:27)

5. Satilla River Chicken Farm Project Halted

• A judge in Coffee County blocks work on a massive operation after environmental concerns about building on a wetland near a "flashy" flood-prone river.
• Shannon Gregory, Satilla Riverkeeper:

  "We're not opposed to the help coming down. ... The primary thing that was really getting us was the placement of these chicken houses in wetland area next to a flashy river that is prone to flooding." (07:59-08:18)

• Project would have been Georgia’s largest poultry operation, housing millions of birds. (07:27-08:18)

6. Business & Jobs News

• Delta Air Lines posts $1.4B Q3 net income, with CEO Ed Bastian voicing optimism for holiday and international travel.
• Major layoffs announced:
  • Nichiha USA closes a Macon plant (171 jobs lost).
  • Augusta Sportswear closes (93 jobs lost).
  • Georgia layoff notices in 2025 now exceed 13,000, double the previous year. (08:18-10:00)

7. Savannah Bananas Announce Their 2026 Schedule

• The team will unveil "Banana Ball 2" with two new teams and the new city tour schedule in a national event at 6:30pm on ESPN2, Disney, and YouTube.
• Fans can join the ticket lottery right after the broadcast. (10:22-10:57)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Lucy McBath (D):

  "We're going to stand our ground and... we want the American people to understand and know that we're there fighting for them." (01:16-01:18)

• Mike Collins (R):

  "This is not about a health care fight. This is about funding the government." (01:27-01:32)

• Eddie Andrew Meredith (Atlanta mayoral candidate):

  "We want actual voters and people in the city of Atlanta to actually feel safe. And that's how we do it. We invest into our police officers..." (02:16-02:32)

• DeKalb County Sheriff Melody Maddox (Biolab fire):

  "I see this big black cloud or whatever... Rockdale County is asking for our assistance. They've had a blow up at the Biolab." (04:10-04:28)

• Robert Crowdle (retired EPA scientist):

  "And we can tell within five or ten seconds what the chemicals are, what the concentrations are." (05:42-05:49)
  "It's not a history lesson. You can immediately warn the public..." (06:22-06:37)

• Shannon Gregory (Satilla Riverkeeper):

  "We're not opposed to the help coming down... The primary thing ... was the placement of these chicken houses in wetland area next to a flashy river..." (07:59-08:18)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Government Shutdown & Political Split: 01:08–01:50
• Atlanta Mayoral Debate Recap: 01:50–02:40
• Trump Election Interference Case Update: 02:40–03:45
• Biolab Conyers Fire—First Responder Risks: 03:45–07:27
• Coffee County Chicken Farm Blocked: 07:27–08:18
• Delta Q3 Earnings & Business Losses: 08:18–10:00
• Savannah Bananas 2026 Announcement: 10:22–10:57

Tone & Style

The episode maintains a brisk, journalistic tone—delivering headline news with on-the-ground perspectives from officials, local leaders, and reporters. Interviews carry a sense of urgency and accountability, especially around public safety and political developments. Moments of reflection on missed opportunities are poignant, while announcements around sports and business news offer a community-focused close.