Kemp cuts healthcare budget; Water boil advisory; Waymo suspended

Summary

Georgia Today – May 22, 2026

Host: Peter Biello | Podcast: Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB)
Main Topics: Kemp’s healthcare budget cuts, Atlanta flooding and persistent drought, Waymo suspension after floods, invasive lizard alert, NOAA’s Atlantic hurricane outlook, boil water advisory in Atlanta, Memorial Day and travel updates, Chattahoochee swim guide, Medal of Honor rededication in Macon, Atlanta Jazz Festival spotlight on Donnie Johnson

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Main Theme

This episode dives into significant statewide developments affecting Georgia: notable healthcare budget cuts by Governor Brian Kemp, Atlanta’s ongoing struggles with water—both too much (flooding) and too little (drought), new public health and safety advisories, and cultural highlights including jazz vocalist Donnie Johnson’s milestone performance.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Healthcare Budget Cuts in Georgia

• Summary:
  Governor Brian Kemp signed a final state budget which includes nearly $80 million in cuts to healthcare spending. The cuts particularly affect Medicaid-funded care, behavioral and mental health services, and an $11 million expansion for people with disabilities.

• Details:

  • Cuts are tied to a need to balance the budget following new tax break bills.
  • The veto of disability services expansion drew bipartisan disappointment.
  • Quote:
    “I really think it’s very important now to just keep up the awareness about this issue. This is an area in which our state is very much behind and has been for decades.” — Darcy Robb, Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities [01:06]

• Impact:
  Those who rely on Medicaid and disability services will be directly affected. The move is part of an effort to address a projected $1 billion budget shortfall.

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2. Extreme Weather: Floods & Drought

• Metro Atlanta Flooding:

  • Heavy rains have caused serious flooding in parts of Atlanta, affecting infrastructure and transportation.
  • Waymo Incident: Waymo, the driverless car service, suspended operations in Atlanta after a vehicle became stranded in high water. (No one was injured, and the company is reviewing its software.) [02:21]

• Persistent Statewide Drought:

  • Despite recent rains, three-quarters of Georgia remain in “extreme or exceptional drought.”

  • Conditions have led to cracked ground, loss of grazing land, and economic hardship for farmers.

  • Expert Perspective:
    “The rain that we see over the next week or so is going to provide at least a little bit of improvement. But we have a long way to go before the drought is over.” — Pam Knox, University of Georgia climatologist [02:01]

  • Meteorologists expect a shift only with the arrival of an El Nino weather pattern.

  • Quote:
    “It’ll take larger shifting weather patterns, like entering an expected El Nino, to produce that necessary change.” — Chase McGee [02:10]

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3. Invasive Lizard Threat: Argentine Tegus

• Overview:
  The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is warning residents about the Argentine tegu, an invasive lizard species that threatens native wildlife and could spread diseases.
• Argentine Tegus can reach up to 4 feet, eat eggs of ground-nesting birds and endangered tortoises, and are quick and hard to catch.
• Advice:
  • Residents are encouraged to kill or report any sightings.
  • Quote:
    “If you’re not in a position to, you know, use a firearm or something like that, try to document it with a photo and let us know… we can perhaps give some guidance or maybe help, you know, try to put a trap out or something.” — Daniel Sullenberger, GA DNR [03:18]

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4. 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Outlook

• NOAA’s Forecast:
  The coming hurricane season (starting June 1) is expected to be quieter than usual for the Atlantic: 8–14 named storms, about five fewer than last year's projections.
• Why Fewer Storms?
  Strong likelihood of El Nino.
  • Causes vertical wind shear in the Atlantic, making it harder for hurricanes to form.
  • Flip side: the Pacific is likely to see more intense storms.
• Quote:
  “El Nino creates something called vertical wind shear… But hurricanes need calm air to form… so we’ll see fewer named storms on the East Coast.” — Gillian Magtoto, GPB climate reporter, [04:40]
• Preparedness:
  • Despite the rosy forecast, officials urge people not to relax.
  • Even non-hurricane storms can produce severe local impacts (flooding, tornadoes).
  • Quote:
    “We still need to be prepared… stock up on medicine, power and food… become familiar with local evacuation routes.” — Gillian Magtoto [05:37]
  • Last comparable El Nino: 2015.

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5. Boil Water Advisory in Atlanta

• A substantial area of downtown and East Atlanta is under a boil water advisory after a power failure at a water treatment facility [07:20].
• Residents are reminded of a similar crisis two years prior, with widespread outages and business closures.

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6. Memorial Day Travel & Public Safety

• Travel Surge:
  • Over 2.5 million travelers expected at Hartsfield-Jackson airport.
  • AAA predicts 1.2+ million Georgians will drive at least 50 miles.
  • Highest gas prices in four years ($4/gallon).
• River Safety:
  • Chattahoochee Riverkeeper launches its annual summer swim guide.
  • Water at recreation areas will be tested weekly for E. Coli and results posted online [07:50].

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7. Macon Memorial Day: Sgt. Rodney Davis Honored

• Event:
  • Rededication of a memorial honoring the city’s only Medal of Honor recipient, Marine Sgt. Rodney Davis, who died in Vietnam saving his fellow soldiers.
  • Family Reflections:
    “He was my little brother. I know him for a whole different reason.” — Gordon Davis [09:14]
  • Noted Davis’s courage, beliefs, and love of family and country [09:24–09:32].

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8. Atlanta Jazz Festival: Donnie Johnson’s Return

• Spotlight Interview:
  • Donnie Johnson, a key figure in Atlanta’s music scene, returns to celebrate the 25th anniversary of “The Colored Section” at the Jazz Festival (May 24).
  • Johnson discusses his musical roots in Atlanta, the church, and his inspiration from artists like Marvin Gaye (his cousin) and Stevie Wonder.
  • Quote:
    “It’s really about welcoming everybody... I really, really don’t look at any race or people and see them and hate them. It’s how you treat me. So basically, it’s welcoming all races, sexual orientations, identities.” — Donnie Johnson [12:36]
  • The festival promises a full live performance with original collaborators.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Darcy Robb (on disability service cuts):
  “This is an area in which our state is very much behind and has been for decades.” [01:06]
• Pam Knox (on drought):
  “We have a long way to go before the drought is over.” [02:01]
• Daniel Sullenberger (on tegus):
  “Try to document it with a photo and let us know…” [03:18]
• Gillian Magtoto (on El Nino):
  “El Nino creates something called vertical wind shear…” [04:40]
• Donnie Johnson (on inclusivity in music):
  “It’s really about welcoming everybody…” [12:36]
• Gordon Davis (on Sgt. Rodney Davis):
  “He was my little brother. I know him for a whole different reason.” [09:14]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Healthcare Budget Cuts: 00:43–01:26
• Atlanta Flooding & Drought Update: 01:26–02:21
• Waymo Suspended / Tegus Alert: 02:21–03:32
• Hurricane Season Outlook: 03:32–06:45
• Boil Water Advisory, Travel & Chattahoochee Guide: 07:20–08:52
• Memorial to Sgt. Rodney Davis: 08:52–09:39
• Atlanta Jazz Festival / Donnie Johnson Interview: 09:39–14:00

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Tone & Language

The episode maintains a serious yet accessible tone, prioritizing clear explanations of public policy and community impacts, while celebrating Georgia’s culture and history.

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Summary

This episode of Georgia Today provides a broad, accessible, and engaging overview of pressing statewide news: health spending cuts, ongoing weather challenges, emerging environmental issues, and public events honoring the past and present. The interviews and in-depth reports highlight the voices of policy experts, affected individuals, environmental scientists, and celebrated artists, capturing what matters to Georgia residents at the start of Memorial Day weekend 2026.

Transcript

[Peter Biello]

Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, Governor Brian Kemp made some major budget cuts to state health care. Heavy rain this week caused serious flooding in some parts of metro Atlanta and more rain is coming. But the state's drought picture may not clear up because of it. We have a long way to go before the drought is over. Today is Friday, May 22nd. I'm Peter Biello and this is Georgia Today. Governor Brian Kemp signed his final budget this month, making big changes to state funding to pay for tax cuts. Some of that will come from cuts to health care spending. As GPB's Sophie Gradus reports, almost $80

[Sophie Gradus]

million in health related spending was slashed during last week's budget signing. Spending on Medicaid funded care and its federal matches saw the biggest hits, along with behavioral and mental health care. And an $11 million expansion to programs that support people with disabilities had bipartisan support but was VetoeD by the governor. Darcy Robb with the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities says she feels let down.

[Gillian Magtoto]

I really think it's very important now to just keep up the awareness about this issue. This is an area in which our state is very much behind and has been for decades.

[Sophie Gradus]

The cuts are meant to help the state close an expected billion dollar budget shortfall resulting from Senate and House tax break bills For GPB News, I'm Sophie Gradas.

[Peter Biello]

This week, sudden rainstorms caused serious flooding in some parts of metro Atlanta. Meanwhile, the entire state of Georgia is still in a drought and that probably won't change anytime soon. GPB's Chase McGee has more.

[Chase McGee]

On Thursday, the US drought monitor reported that three quarters of the state are considered an extreme or exceptional drought according to their scale. That means the ground cracks in places, grazing land is lost and agricultural producers face economic losses. Pam Knox is an extension climatologist at the University of Georgia. She says these SUD storms are not enough to snap the drought, but more rain is in the forecast.

[Peter Biello]

So I am hopeful that the rain that we see over the next week or so is going to provide at least a little bit of improvement. But we have a long way to go before the drought is over.

[Chase McGee]

Knox says that it'll take larger shifting weather patterns, like entering an expected El Nino, to produce that necessary change. For GPB news, I'm Chase McGee.

[Peter Biello]

And speaking of that rain earlier this week, Waymo has suspended driverless car services in Atlanta after one of its vehicles was stranded by Wednesday's flood flooding. The company says the vehicle was not occupied and was recovered. Waymo says it's updating its software to improve vehicle performance around flooded roadways. Georgia's Department of Natural Resources is warning the public about the threats posed by an invasive lizard that can grow up to 4ft long. Argentine Tegus come from South America but have been spotted in south Georgia since 2018. Thirty Tegus have been caught or killed in Tattnall and Toombs counties alone. Tegus will eat the eggs of ground nesting birds and the endangered gopher tortoise and possibly spread diseases. Daniel Sullenberger is a senior wildlife biologist with Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division. He says they're often quick and hard to catch, so he's encouraging people to kill any tegus they see.

[Donnie Johnson]

If you're not in a position to, you know, use a firearm or something like that, try to document it with a photo and let us know and, you know, we can perhaps give some guidance or maybe help, you know, try to put a trap out or something

[Peter Biello]

like that, sullenberger says. So far, Argentine tegus have been spotted in 30 Georgia counties. Hurricane season begins June 1, and the national oceanic and Atmospheric Administration expects a below average year for storms in 2026. NOAA Administrator Neil Jacobs says this season's forecast estimates the formation of eight to 14 named storms in the Atlantic. That's about five fewer than projected last year. GPB's Gillian Magtoto, our environment and climate reporter in Savannah, joins me now to talk about NOAA's recent briefing. Gillian, welcome to the program.

[Gillian Magtoto]

Hi. Thanks for inviting me.

[Peter Biello]

So, Gillian, this sounds like good news for the East Coast. What changes in the weather can we thank for a below average hurricane outlook?

[Gillian Magtoto]

The primary driver is the growing likelihood of an El Nino happening, which is a Pacific Ocean warming event beginning in the spring this year, the Pacific Ocean has already risen to near record high temperatures, so NOAA is predicting not only a 98% chance of an El Nino, but also an 80% chance of a moderate to strong El Nino.

[Peter Biello]

And how does El Nino in the Pacific reduce the chance of storms forming in the Atlantic?

[Gillian Magtoto]

El Nino creates something called vertical wind shear, or changes in wind speed and direction as you move higher into the atmosphere. It's also what causes turbulence as an airplane moves up and down. But hurricanes need calm air to form, and so scattered storms crossing the Atlantic will likely have a harder time becoming more organized systems. That's why we'll see fewer named storms on the East Coast. But the reverse will be true for the Pacific Ocean. So the west coast will likely see an above average storm season.

[Peter Biello]

And when was the last time there was a forecast like this?

[Gillian Magtoto]

The most recent strong El Nino event was in 2015, and it produced the most intense tropical cyclone on record in the Pacific. For the Atlantic, it resulted in just 12 named storms, three of which were hurricanes and nuts of them made landfall on the East Coast.

[Peter Biello]

Okay, so that does sound like very good news for the East Coast. Should we prepare any differently though? I mean, is it okay to relax a little bit?

[Gillian Magtoto]

Unfortunately, no. Helene was a Category 2 hurricane when it hit Georgia and it claimed about 200 lives across the Southeast. NOAA predicts up to three hurricanes this year will reach at least a Category 3. So we still need to be prepared. NOAA officials also warn that it doesn't take a hurricane or even a named storm to cause flooding, tornad and other severe impacts to an area. They advise people to stock up on medicine, power and food while lines are short and the weather isn't bad. And also they're urging the public to become familiar with local evacuation routes.

[Peter Biello]

Many of our storms, like Hurricane Helene, have come through the Gulf and impacted places like Valdosta and then traveled north and caused a lot of damage across the state into Augusta. So that sounds like what you're saying, pretty good advice for everyone in Georgia, right?

[Gillian Magtoto]

While NOAA wasn't able to provide any particular information on how storms will track, everyone should be preparing now as the season arrives in just days. More information for how you can prepare can be found on hurricanes.gov that's GPB's

[Peter Biello]

Gillian Magtoto, our environment and climate reporter in Savannah. Thank you so much for speaking with me.

[Gillian Magtoto]

Thanks, Peter.

[NPR Up First Host]

You know, Every day on Up First, NPR's Golden Globe nominated morning news podcast. We bring you three essential stories. the heart of each story are questions. What really happened? What really mattered? What happens next? At npr, we stand for your right to be curious and to follow the facts. Follow up first wherever you get your podcasts and start your day knowing what matters and why.

[Peter Biello]

A large swath of downtown in East Atlanta is under a boil water advisory. The city's Department of Watershed Management alerted residents this morning to a power failure at a water treatment plant that prompted the advisory. It comes nearly two years after a series of water main breaks caused a six day crisis of widespread outages, business closures and boil water advisories in the heart of the city. More than two and a half million people are expected to travel through Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport over the Memorial Day travel period. Airport officials expect today to be the busiest travel day. Meanwhile, Auto Club AAA expects more than 1.2 million Georgians to drive 50 miles or more over the holiday. It comes at a time when gas prices are at their highest in four years, hovering at $4 a gallon. The Chattahoochee Riverkeeper is launching a summer swim guide as the unofficial start of summer kicks off this weekend with Memorial Day. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, the Riverkeeper will test water samples at popular recreation sites for E. Coli bacteria and publish the data on an interactive dashboard every Friday. They say the swim guide is meant to help people decide if it's safe to swim at popular spots along the Chattahoochee River. In Macon, the Memorial Day observance began early yesterday with the rededication of a memorial to the city's only recipient of the Medal of honor, and GPB's Grant Blankenship has more.

[Grant Blankenship]

The family of Marine Sergeant Rodney Davis traveled from across the country for the event, where an ROTC student read Davis Medal of Honor Commendation, describing how he threw himself on a grenade during a firefight in the Vietnam War, absorbing with

[Gillian Magtoto]

his whole body the full and terrific force of the explosion and giving his

[Grant Blankenship]

life for the men in his platoon. Davis brother Gordon Davis also spoke he

[Donnie Johnson]

was my little brother. I know him for a whole different reason.

[Grant Blankenship]

Gordon Davis remembered his little brother as a tall, skinny kid who grew into a father with two children at home before he gave his life.

[Gillian Magtoto]

For a person to do that has

[Donnie Johnson]

to have some real inner beliefs about

[Gillian Magtoto]

what they are doing, davis said.

[Grant Blankenship]

Those beliefs were pride and service and a love of country. For GPB News, I'm Grant Blankenship in Macon.

[Peter Biello]

The Atlanta Jazz Festival takes over Piedmont park this weekend with free admission and performances by jazz greats and including the Roots, Esperanza Spaulding, Christian McBride and more. But one beloved Georgia singer's return is generating a lot of buzz, too. Donnie Johnson, who goes by his first name professionally, is a staple of the Atlanta music scene, a relative of Marvin Gaye and Les McCann and a former backing vocalist for Curtis Mayfield. He spoke with GPB's Christy York Wooten.

[Christy York Wooten]

Donnie has been a staple in the Atlanta music scene for decades and will celebrate the 25th anniversary of his debut album, the Colored Section, at the Atlanta Jazz Festival on May 24th.

[Donnie Johnson]

Welcome to the Colored Section.

[Christy York Wooten]

You grew up in Atlanta, I know that. Both of your parents, I believe, were involved in the church and tell us about some of your early love for music.

[Donnie Johnson]

Well, my parents were, you know, in the 70s they were still partying before they became preachers. So I heard the Emotions and Michael Jackson and Natalie Cole, but when they came back, went back to the church, you know, of course there was more gospel music. Clark Sisters, the Winans, the Hawkins. And that's just growing up and directing the choir and singing just really trained me, you know, it reared me in music.

[Christy York Wooten]

You're known for your vocals and your arrangements and that recall Stevie Wonder and your own cousin, Marvin Gaye. How did you meld these sounds together to kind of create what you did on the color section and your sound in general?

[Donnie Johnson]

Well, to be totally honest, I love American music, period. You know, listening. Growing up, you know, I listened to gospel. You heard Mahalia, but you heard Ella Fitzgerald. You heard the Mamas and the Papas and Simon and Garfunkel. It really honestly comes natural.

[Christy York Wooten]

Talk about the scene in Atlanta at the turn of the millennium when you were writing these songs.

[Donnie Johnson]

Well, we were just going into a new phase of the club that we used to frequent and sing, sing at was called the Yin Yang. Still grooving, still had the vibration of the cultural community. Always in that space, you felt comfortable. I mean, because right across the street was Loretta's. So, you know, you know, I was. I went back and forth, you know, you know, the drag queens and then Gold with the, you know, capoeira people doing that. So that's what it was to me.

[Christy York Wooten]

Yeah, just. It was that classic blend that Atlanta does of those sounds and scenes and everything. So what is the colored section? Because a lot of people may not know the scene that it came from.

[Donnie Johnson]

It's really about welcoming everybody, you know, because it's a very, you know, country that teaches separation and discrimination. You know, I really, really don't look at any race or people and see them and hate them. It's how you treat me. So basically, it's welcoming all races, sexual orientations, identities.

[Christy York Wooten]

People think of the album as almost like a concept album. So that brings me to the Atlanta Jazz Festival and how you're going to present the album as a whole.

[Donnie Johnson]

Kyrie, Cabral, Simmons. He is the musical director. And I have my friends singing background with me from. From 25 years ago. So that's going to be real fun. They're excited.

[Christy York Wooten]

Donnie, thank you so much for joining us. And we're looking forward to the full performance of the Colored Section at the Atlanta Jazz Festival on May 24th.

[Donnie Johnson]

Thank you so much.

[Peter Biello]

Donnie is celebrating the 25th anniversary of his critically acclaimed debut album by performing it in full at the festival on Sunday. Hear Christie's full interview with [e-mail] news and that's a wrap on a busy week of news. Thank you so much for listening to Georgia Today. Thank you. We hope you have a great Memorial Day weekend. We hope you can stay dry. There's a lot of rain expected for this weekend and we are not going to drop a podcast on you on Monday. So be sure to subscribe to this podcast and listen on Tuesday. Check gpb.org news for the latest headlines. If you have feedback or a story we should be pursuing, let us know by email. The address is Georgia todaypb.org SAM.