Georgia Today Podcast — September 30, 2025

Host: Chase McGee, Georgia Public Broadcasting
Main Themes: Impending Federal Government Shutdown, Sapelo Island Zoning Ruling, Bird Banding and Funding Threats

Episode Overview

Today's episode brings listeners up to speed on critical developments affecting Georgia and beyond. The show covers the looming first U.S. federal government shutdown in seven years, a major court ruling in favor of the Gullah Geechee community on Sapelo Island, and federal funding threats to bird banding science. The podcast features on-the-ground reporting, interviews with affected community members and experts, and highlights the real-world impact of policy decisions on Georgia's citizens.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Looming Federal Government Shutdown

[00:26 – 03:19]

• The federal government is on the verge of a shutdown at midnight, the first since 2018.
• Immediate impacts expected on federal workers in Georgia, notably at Robins Air Force Base, and ripple effects on local businesses.
• Local business owners like Laura Hyde describe economic anxiety:

  “If people are watching their budgets, the first thing they’re going to cut is extra go out to dinner, kind of go out to lunch stuff. So yeah, I mean, we feel anytime there’s sort of a dip or recession, we definitely feel it.” ([01:32])

• Public skepticism over Congressional pay during the shutdown:

  “Do the people in Congress have their paychecks stopped?” ([01:58])
  No, members of Congress do not lose pay during a shutdown.

• The stalemate centers on disagreements over Medicaid and Affordable Care Act funding.
  • Up to a quarter of rural Georgians rely on Medicaid; hospital closures (like St. Mary's in Lavonia) could accelerate if cuts persist.

  “Those proposed changes to the ACA include an expiration of subsidies that make monthly plans affordable for millions of people.” — Sophie Gradis ([03:06])

• Georgia Ports Authority has contingency plans—essential operations to continue even if a shutdown is triggered:

  “We dealt with this back in 2018 and the ports kept operating smoothly for that 34, 35 day period.” ([03:35])

2. Sapelo Island Zoning Dispute — Supreme Court Ruling

[05:14 – 05:59]

• Georgia Supreme Court sides with Black landowners and residents of Sapelo Island, upholding their right to pursue a referendum challenging rezoning that would double permissible home sizes.
• Community fears: rezoning could lead to unaffordable tax hikes and displacement.
• Broader legal significance: affirms that direct democracy (via referendum) can apply to zoning issues.

  “The question really was, does this process under Georgia law that allows residents to exercise kind of the purest form of democracy—does that apply to zoning laws? And the court today has determined yes.” — Miriam Gutman, Southern Poverty Law Center ([05:34])

• McIntosh County officials respect but regret the court decision.

3. Other State News Highlights

[03:43 – 06:51]

• State Politics: Greg Dolezal, state senator, enters the lieutenant governor’s race on a hardline MAGA platform.
• Disaster Recovery Aid: $531 million federal block grant for Georgia agricultural recovery post-Hurricane Helene.
• AI in Georgia: Georgia AI Manufacturing Week demonstrates how AI benefits local businesses, e.g., in logistics at Sunnyland Farms, saving money on route optimization.

  “We have helped them use AI to identify the routes that they use for logistics...which saved them quite a bit of money.” — Donna Ennis, Georgia AIM ([06:38])

• Industry Investment: Hostess Brands invests $120 million in Columbus plant, with 48+ job additions expected by 2027.

4. Bird Banding in Georgia: Science at Risk

[08:00 – 11:21]

• Bird banding, a critical process for tracking bird populations and migration, faces existential threat from proposed USGS funding cuts.
• Volunteers in Gwinnett County, like Mia Molloy and her team at Georgia Gwinnett College, do the hands-on work:
  • Early-morning netting and banding operations
  • Detailed measurement of bird health, molt, and fat to build long-term datasets

  “When I’m blowing on the bird, I can see how many parts of the bird are molting and then give a good number of one to four for molt level. You can also see if there’s any fat.” — Carrie Joe Titus ([09:18])

• Bird data informs research about climate change, habitat loss, and infectious diseases (ex: tracking ticks on birds that could harm humans).
• The potential loss of the national bird banding database is a huge concern:

  "Another big fear we have is if the bird banding laboratory is shut down, they will shut down the databases. We will no longer have access to literally 100 years' worth of bird banding data. And that would be catastrophic for our knowledge of wild bird populations..." — Mia Molloy ([10:43])

• The volunteers remain passionate despite the uncertainty:

  “Nobody’s paying us to do this. No salary. We are all volunteering our time because understanding our world through birds is a cause they believe in.” ([11:14])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Do the people in Congress have their paychecks stopped?” — James Watson, Perry resident ([01:58])
• “The court today has determined yes [direct democracy applies to zoning].” — Miriam Gutman ([05:49])
• “We will no longer have access to literally 100 years’ worth of bird banding data. And that would be catastrophic for our knowledge...” — Mia Molloy ([10:43])
• “Nobody’s paying us to do this. No salary. We are all volunteering our time.” ([11:14])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:26–03:19: Federal shutdown effects, Medicaid/ACA debate, impacts on local communities
• 03:19–03:43: Ports Authority and economy update
• 05:14–05:59: Sapelo Island zoning Supreme Court decision
• 06:38–06:51: AI Week and business applications
• 08:00–11:21: Bird banding process, research significance, and funding risks

For listeners seeking more detail:
Visit GPB News at gpb.org/news

The episode weaves together urgent national issues, state developments, and a glimpse into grassroots scientific work, making clear the direct impact of federal and legal decisions on everyday Georgians and the wider environment.