Georgia Today: Romman announces governor bid; Twiggs County residents sue over data center plans

Summary

Georgia Today Podcast – Episode Summary

Date: September 29, 2025
Host: Sophie Gradis (Georgia Public Broadcasting)
Main Themes:

• Rua Roman announces gubernatorial bid
• Twiggs County residents sue over data center rezoning
• Atlanta celebrates new bike & pedestrian path
• Major local news (Georgia Tech lab, hurricane update, Biolab fire anniversary, recycling plant opening, Georgia sports recap)

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1. Episode Overview

This episode of Georgia Today highlights Representative Ruwa Roman’s entry into the Georgia gubernatorial race, community backlash against a massive new data center in Twiggs County, and positive infrastructure news with the completion of the Path 400 trail section. Listeners also get updates on a new Georgia Tech aerospace lab, Hurricane Imelda’s path, the aftermath of the Biolab fire, a recycling facility launch, and local sports headlines.

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2. Key Discussion Points & Insights

Ruwa Roman Announces Run for Governor

[01:00]

• Democratic State Representative Ruwa Roman formally declares a run for governor, centering her campaign on affordability: grocery, housing, and health care.
• Roman’s Position: “Georgia belongs to all of us, not just corporations and special interests.” (quoted by Denise Starling, 01:23)
• Roman, serving since 2022, is the first Palestinian American elected in Georgia and joins a crowded Democratic primary field, including notable figures such as Keisha Lance Bottoms and Michael Thurmond.
• Motivation: Roman stresses grassroots momentum: “There will be those who doubt we can do it, but I know there's way more of us than them. We will build a movement.” (Denise Starling, 01:23-01:32)

Twiggs County Data Center Rezoning Lawsuit

[02:09] Grant Blankenship

• Residents sue county over rezoning 290+ acres of timberland (important bear habitat) for a massive data center by Eagle Rock Partners.
• The proposed data center could use as much energy as a city of 300,000.
• Legal Challenge: Residents argue proper Development of Regional Impact (DRI) review was not completed. The challenge stems from the state temporarily halting DRI reviews due to skyrocketing water and electricity demands by data centers.
• New DRI rules are forthcoming in November.

Georgia Tech Aerospace Lab Opens

[02:59] Amanda Andrews

• Georgia Tech opens a state-of-the-art Aircraft Prototyping Laboratory.
• Collaborators include GDOT and NASA.
• Students research electric/autonomous flight; the main project is a 1,000-pound vertical takeoff and landing electric craft.
• Professor Brian German: “It’s a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft similar in capability to a helicopter but very quiet. ...To better support the U.S. industry, Georgia.” (03:31)

Weather Updates: Imelda & Humberto

[03:56]

• Tropical Storm Imelda forms near the Bahamas, possibly becoming a hurricane. Effects for Georgia: rain, coastal flooding, dangerous surf.
• Hurricane Humberto, though farther out, causing hazardous marine conditions and rip currents.
• Both storms projected to move away from the U.S. mainland.

Biolab Fire Anniversary & Preparedness Day

[04:45]

• One year since Conyers’ Biolab chemical plant fire.
• Emergency Management Agency hosts National Preparedness Day.
• Resident Edward Schaefer: “Just having things that you know you need in disasters will keep you way more at ease than it is if you don’t have it.” (05:01)

Arubis AG Metal Recycling Plant Launch

[05:35]

• $800M German-owned recycling facility opens in Augusta—recovers copper, nickel for use in energy, AI, and defense.
• First melt attended by Germany’s ambassador, Rep. Rick Allen.

Path 400 Trail Expansion

[05:58]

• Atlanta opens the latest section of Path 400, a bike and pedestrian trail from Atlanta to Sandy Springs.
• Features a new 60-foot-high bridge, completed after two years of construction.
• Denise Starling (Livable Buckhead): “We want to get people out of their cars and, you know, improve emissions... you need trails, you need places where people can get back on their bikes and, you know, really start using them to get around.” (06:34)

Georgia Sports Recap

[07:10]

• MLB: Braves beat the Pirates; pitcher Charlie Morton receives a standing ovation, possibly marking the 41-year-old’s last game.
  • Manager Brian Snicker uncertain about his own future: “teetering on the fence about retirement.”
• NFL: Falcons recover from a tough loss, defeating the Washington Commanders 34-27.
  • Notable performances: Michael Penix Jr. (QB), Drake London (WR) with his first 100-yard game.

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3. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Rua Roman’s campaign message:

  • “Georgia belongs to all of us, not just corporations and special interests. There will be those who doubt we can do it, but I know there's way more of us than them. We will build a movement.” (Denise Starling, 01:23-01:32)

• On disaster preparedness:

  • “Just having things that you know you need in disasters will keep you way more at ease than it is if you don’t have it.” (Edward Schaefer, 05:01)

• On active transportation:

  • “You need trails, you need places where people can get back on their bikes and, you know, really start using them to get around.” (Denise Starling, 06:34)

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4. Timestamps for Key Segments

• Rua Roman gubernatorial bid: 01:00–01:32
• Twiggs County/data center lawsuit: 02:09–02:59
• Georgia Tech aerospace lab: 02:59–03:47
• Weather update (Imelda/Humberto): 03:56–04:45
• Biolab fire anniversary/Preparedness Day: 04:45–05:35
• Arubis AG recycling plant opening: 05:35–05:58
• Path 400 trail expansion: 05:58–06:47
• Sports recap: 06:47–07:48

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5. Additional Context & Resources

• To follow up on these stories, visit gpb.org/news
• For more on the Biolab fire, check “Manufacturing the Biolab Story” podcast
• Sports updates highlight both shifting dynamics (Braves’ and Falcons’ uncertain futures) and notable individual achievements.

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Transcript

[Amanda Andrews]

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.

[Sophie Gradis]

Welcome to the Georgia Today Podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, Democratic State Representative Rua Roman announces her bid for governor. Twiggs county residents sue the county over a recent rezoning for a data center, and Atlanta leaders celebrate the opening of a new bike and pedestrian path running along Georgia Highway 400.

[Denise Starling]

We want to get people out of their cars and, you know, improve emissions, all that kind of stuff that you need trails, you need places where people can get back on their bikes.

[Sophie Gradis]

And Today is Monday, September 29th. I'm Sophie Gradis, and this is Georgia Today. Democratic State Representative Ruwa Roman announced her candidacy for governor this morning. Roman said that grocery, housing and health care affordability will be at the center of her campaign promises. Georgia belongs to all of us, not.

[Denise Starling]

Just corporations and special interests. There will be those who doubt we can do it, but I know there's.

[Sophie Gradis]

Way more of us than them.

[Denise Starling]

We will build a movement.

[Sophie Gradis]

She has represented a Gwinnett county house district since 2022 as the first Palestinian American lawmaker elected in Georgia. Roman joins a crowded Democratic primary. Five other Democrats, including former Atlanta Mayor Keisha lance Bottoms, former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond and former Republican Lt. Gov. Jeff Duncan, already have jumped in the race. Neighbors of a large tract of timberland in middle Georgia's Twiggs county are suing the county after a recent rezoning for a data center, GPB's Grant Blankenship explains.

[Grant Blankenship]

Data center real estate speculators Eagle Rock Partners convinced the Twiggs County Commission to rezone over 290 acres in the heart of the region's bear habitat for a data center, which could use as much energy as a city of 300,000 people. In their appeal of the rezoning, residents alleged the Twiggs County Board of Commissioners didn't follow county ordinance ahead of the vote. They say under local law, the project should have had a development of Regional Impact, or dri, review first. But right now, no one is doing DRI reviews for data centers. The Twigs vote came after the state's Department of Community affairs suspended the reviews to update them in light of unprecedented demands for water and electricity from data centers. New state DRI rules are expected in November. For GPB News, I'm Grant Blankenship in Macon.

[Sophie Gradis]

Georgia Tech has formally opened its new aerospace laboratory and the first projects already are underway. GPB's Amanda Andrews reports that they're collaborating with local and national organizations.

[Amanda Andrews]

Engineering students in the new Aircraft Prototyping laboratory are researching, building and testing electric and autonomous flight systems. The facility already has major collaborators including the Georgia Department of Transportation and NASA. Aerospace engineering professor Brian German says a 1,000 pound electric aircraft is their first major endeavor.

[Edward Schaefer]

It's a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft similar in capability to a helicopter but very quiet. And we're doing that with NASA as a research project to test the technologies that go on to those sort of aircraft again. To better support the U.S. industry, Georgia.

[Amanda Andrews]

Tech enrolls more than 2,000 students in its aerospace program. For GPB News, I'm Amanda Andrews.

[Sophie Gradis]

Tropical Storm Imelda has formed near the Bahamas and is forecasted to become a hurricane curving away from the southeast coast early this week. The National Weather Service says the effects of the storm on Georgia's coast include heavy rainfall, coastal flooding, dangerous surf and marine conditions. Meanwhile, Hurricane Humberto remains a dangerous storm farther out in the Atlantic. The National Hurricane center says high surf from Umberto could also produce dangerous marine conditions and rip currents along Georgia's coast. Both storms are expected to curve away from the US East Coast. Today marks one year since the fire at the Bio Lab Chemical factory in Conyers, which forced evacuations and left lingering concerns about health and safety. Over the weekend, Rockdale County's Emergency Management Agency hosted its National Preparedness Day at Rockdale Career Academy. Residents got tips on how to prepare for both natural and man made disasters. Edward Schaefer of Conyers says the training was eye opening.

[Edward Schaefer]

Just having things that you know you need in disasters will keep you way more at ease than it is if you don't have it.

[Sophie Gradis]

The county partnered with fire, police and emergency services for live demonstrations and resources. To hear more about the history of Biolab and the aftermath of the fire, listen to GPB's podcast Manufacturing the Biolab Story Season 2 is available today wherever you get your podcasts. A metal recycling company based in Germany has started production at an 800 million dollar facility in Richmond County. Arubis AG says its plant in Augusta is now recovering strategic metals like copper and nickel that are crucial for energy infrastructure, artificial intelligence and the defense industry. The company announced plans for the facility in 2021. Arubis says its first melt included Germany's ambassador to the US Jens Hainfield and Georgia Congressman Rick Allen, among others in attendance. Atlanta leaders gathered on Friday for the opening of the latest section of path 400, that's a bike and pedestrian trail running from Atlanta to Sandy Springs, much of it alongside Georgia Highway 400. The newly opened trail section took over two years to complete and includes a 60 foot high bridge. Denise Starling of the nonprofit Livable Buckhead says the project is a way to bring the neighborhood together.

[Denise Starling]

We want to get people out of their cars and, you know, improve emissions, all that kind of stuff that you need trails, you need places where people can get back on their bikes and, you know, really start using them to get around.

[Sophie Gradis]

The Atlanta Regional Commission has approved an $18 million grant to extend the trail another two miles to complete the connection to Sandy Springs. And in Georgia sports, the Atlanta Braves ended their season with a 41 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday. Pitcher Charlie Morton got a standing ovation while exiting the game. It was potentially the 41 year old's last major league appearance. Manager Brian Snicker remains unsure about his future with the Braves. The 69 year old says he's, quote, teetering on the fence about retirement. The Atlanta Falcons bounced back from a tough loss to the Carolina Panthers by defeating the Washington Commanders 3427 on Sunday. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Was sharp. Wide receiver Drake London had his first 100 yard game of the season and the Falcons never trailed evening their record to 2 2. That's it for today's edition of Georgia Today. If you would like to learn more about these stories and hear more too, visit gpb.org news if you haven't yet subscribed to this podcast, you can take a moment right now and do that. Keep us current in your podcast feed. If you have feedback, we would love to hear it. Email us@georgia todaypb.org I'm Sophie Gradas and we will see you tomorrow.

[Marielle Segarra]

It's rare to find a podcast that can actually change your life, but when the show's called Life Kit, that's kind of the whole point. I'm Marielle Segarra. Three times a week on the Life Kit podcast, we guide you through a topic we could all use help with. From personal development to healthy living to managing your dinero, we takeaways so you can start living what you learn right away. Escucha El Life Kit Podcast from NPR.