Kemp looks to upgrade 911 infrastructure; Health providers urge action on pollution

Summary

Georgia Today Podcast Summary Episode: Kemp looks to upgrade 911 infrastructure; Health providers urge action on pollution
Release Date: May 8, 2025
Host: Peter Biello

---

1. Opioid Crisis: Protecting Families from Overdoses

The episode opens with an urgent warning from the Division of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) about the alarming rates of opioid deaths in Georgia. Peter Biello highlights that half of all opioid fatalities occur at home, often involving the combination of prescription painkillers like oxycodone or Percocet with alcohol, used to manage stress or aid sleep.

Notable Quote:

"Half of all opioid deaths happen at home when people take an oxy or a perk with a glass of alcohol for stress or to sleep."
(00:00)

2. Upgrading Georgia’s 911 Emergency Infrastructure

Governor Brian Kemp has signed House Bill 423 into law, which allocates multi-million dollars to overhaul Georgia's outdated 911 emergency hotline infrastructure. Currently, Georgia remains the only Southeastern state without a transition from an analog to an internet-based emergency communication system.

Notable Quotes:

"House Bill 423 provides critical new technology."
(01:54) – Governor Brian Kemp

"Once complete, this system will improve both response times and the impact of our first responders."
(02:24) – Aruni Kashap

3. Political Landscape: Buddy Carter Enters Senate Race

In a significant political development, Congressman Buddy Carter announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, challenging the Democratic incumbent, Senator Jon Ossoff. Carter, a pharmacist representing Georgia's first congressional district since 2015, aims to leverage his rural support base despite previous electoral challenges in Savannah's Chatham County.

Notable Quotes:

"Buddy Carter. Great guy."
(03:21) – Peter Biello, referencing Carter’s endorsement by former President Donald Trump

"The most effective and unstoppable turnout effort in Georgia's history."
(03:21) – Statement from Senator Jon Ossoff’s campaign

4. Health Providers Urge Action on Pollution

Georgia healthcare professionals are raising alarms about the state’s poor air quality, linking pollution to higher rates of asthma, heart attacks, and reproductive issues. Organizations like Georgia Clinicians for Climate Action describe pollution as a public health crisis, emphasizing the need for immediate government intervention.

Notable Quotes:

"Dirty air puts people at risk and without interventions, health outcomes will worsen."
(05:25) – Sophie Gradis, GPB News

"If our priority is our health, then we need to transform ourselves into an economy that actually sustains us with our health in mind as well."
(05:43) – Pediatrician Michael Greenwald

5. Georgia Power’s Renewable Energy Advancements

Georgia Power is advancing its commitment to renewable energy by constructing battery energy storage systems at four locations statewide. These projects aim to increase electrical generating capacity to meet growing energy demands, particularly from large industrial clients. The installations near Robbins Air Force Base, Moody Air Force Base, the retired Hammond coal plant, and a facility in Cherokee County are pivotal in diversifying Georgia’s energy mix.

Notable Quote:

"Battery storage is seen as critical to diversifying the state's energy mix to include more renewable power."
(05:43) – Peter Biello

6. Environmental Impact: EPA Grant Cancellation in Thomasville

The Trump administration has rescinded a $19 million Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Community Change grant previously awarded to Thomasville, South Georgia. The grant was intended to replace outdated wastewater systems, renovate a school gym, build a healthcare clinic, and provide home improvement funds—all aimed at advancing environmental and climate justice goals set by the Biden administration.

Notable Quote:

"The Environmental Protection Agency was terminating its Community Change grant."
(07:28) – Peter Biello

7. Celebrating Mary Lou Williams

Today marks the birthday of Mary Lou Williams, a pioneering jazz composer born in 1910 in Atlanta’s Edgewood neighborhood. Williams significantly influenced both the big band and bebop genres, collaborating with legends like Duke Ellington and Charlie Parker. Atlanta jazz musician Jeff Crompton played a key role in securing a historical marker at her birthplace, honoring her enduring legacy.

Notable Quote:

"It's important for Atlanta to honor the jazz legend born there."
(07:38) – Aruni Kashap

8. Literary Spotlight: Interview with Aruni Kashap

In a segment of the episode, host Peter Biello interviews Aruni Kashap, director of the Creative Writing program at the University of Georgia, about his latest book, "The Way You Want to Be Loved." Kashap discusses the themes of his short stories, which explore the tensions between individual desires and societal constraints, including experiences of political violence, cultural clashes, and LGBTQ+ relationships in India.

Notable Quotes:

"Being in the English academia, it has certain privilege of class and caste associated with it... I was always an outsider in the academic space."
(09:30) – Aruni Kashap

"Mike is obviously an amalgamation of many, many Mikes I knew as a student in Minnesota."
(10:48) – Aruni Kashap explaining a character in his stories

"I wanted to write about someone like Mike who actually does a lot of these things without being completely self-aware."
(10:48) – Aruni Kashap

"Every parent, every mother, every grandmother, every loved one lived like that actually in Assam or in Kashmir..."
(12:17) – Aruni Kashap reflecting on personal experiences with political violence

"I wanted to give it a different ending because it was so heartbreaking for me to know that it's just because two men were expressing love..."
(13:28) – Aruni Kashap discussing LGBTQ+ themes in his work

Conclusion

Peter Biello wraps up the episode by encouraging listeners to engage with GPB News' ongoing coverage and to tune in daily for more in-depth stories that matter to Georgians. The podcast effectively weaves together critical state issues, political developments, environmental concerns, cultural celebrations, and literary discussions, providing a comprehensive overview of current events in Georgia.

---

For more information and updates on these stories, visit gpb.org/news.

Transcript

[Peter Biello]

DBHDD is warning all Georgians that half of all opioid deaths happen at home when people take an oxy or a perk with a glass of alcohol for stress or to sleep. Learn more about protecting families from opioid [e-mail] welcome to the Georgia Today Podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, Governor Brian Kemp looks to upgrade the infrastructure for the state's 911 emergency hotline. Some Georgia healthcare providers urge the government to take action against pollution and today's the birthday of jazz pioneer Mary Lou Williams, who was born in the Atlanta neighborhood of Edgewood in 1910.

[Aruni Kashap]

She told this story of sitting on.

[Peter Biello]

Her mother's lap while mom was practicing. Her mother played organ at church in Edgewood. Today is Thursday, May 8th. I'm Peter Biello and this is Georgia Today. Georgia Catholics are reacting with excitement and hope to the election of Pope Leo xiv. Father Michael Bremer, ministers at University of Georgia's Catholic Center. He, along with millions worldwide, watched Leo's first appearance. So I don't speak Italian, but the word that I was picking up on during his initial announcement was pace piece. So he was using that word a lot. So the hope is that he brings a little bit more peace into the world. He called it surreal that the church has its first American pope. Larry Witt, a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Macon, was at the church to drape yellow and white bunting on its front doors in the color of the papal flag to show there's a new pope.

[Aruni Kashap]

Of course we'll all be happy come.

[Peter Biello]

Sunday with Mass and stuff, you know.

[Aruni Kashap]

And be talking about and singing and just giving praise to thank God we got us a but I'm extra glad.

[Peter Biello]

That we got an American pope. Leo is a Chicago born now Former Cardinal Governor Brian Kemp signed into law today a bill that paves the way for a multi million dollar upgrade to the state's aging 911 infrastructure. Georgia is the only state in the Southeast that hasn't yet overhauled its emergency communications from an analog to an Internet based system. Kemp Says House Bill 423 provides critical new technology.

[Aruni Kashap]

Once complete, this system will improve both.

[Peter Biello]

Response times and the impact of our first responders. And that means safer, healthier communities, literally in every corner of our state. Kemp also signed into law five other bills addressing public safety. At a ceremony in Middle George's Monroe county, southeast Georgia Congressman Buddy Carter announced his bid for U.S. senate today, becoming the first GOP candidate to enter the race against Democratic incumbent John Ossoff. GPB's Benjamin Payne reports. The 67 year old Republican and pharmacist has represented Georgia's first congressional district since 2015. The district includes a largely rural swath of southeast Georgia that he's easily carried in past elections, but it also includes Savannah's Chatham county, which voted against him last year. Carter's campaign announced his Senate bid in a video Thursday featuring clips from President Donald Trump's campaign rally in the Hostess City last September. Trump has a warrior in Buddy Carter. Buddy Carter.

[Aruni Kashap]

Warrior.

[Peter Biello]

Great guy. In response to Carter's bid, Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff's campaign released a statement saying the 38 year old incumbent is building what it called, quote, the most effective and unstoppable turnout effort in Georgia's history. For GPB News, I'm Benjamin Payne in Savannah. Some Georgia healthcare providers are urging the state and federal government to get serious about pollution. They say dirty air puts people at risk and without interventions, health outcomes will worsen. And GPB's Sophie Gradis has more Higher rates of asthma, heart attacks and reproductive issues have all been linked to pollution, according to leading health agencies. Georgia Clinicians for Climate Action and others say that's a public health crisis. At a recent health care conference, the coalition warned that failing air quality grades are leading to sick patients. Pediatrician Michael Greenwald says the latest fight is public opposition to a plan from Georgia Power to keep its two coal fired power plants in north and Middle Georgia online years longer than expected because of rising energy needs. But if our priority is our health, then we need to transform ourselves into an economy that actually sustains us with our health in mind as well. Georgia's Public Service Commission is holding a public comment hearing on the plan in Atlanta later this month. For GPV News, I'm Sophie Gradas. Research shows teens are more likely to turn to their parents when they need support, when rather than peers or professionals. That's according to a national campaign making resources available to families needing help. GPB's Ellen Eldredge reports.

[Aruni Kashap]

During adolescence, parents can be quick to offer suggestions and advice, but judgment free listening is the way to start a conversation. That's according to Charmaine Jackman, a psychologist with the AD Council. She says parents must stay in communication with their kids and watch for changes changes in mood, changes in their eating habits, changes in friendships, isolating more, spending more time away from family and away from their friends, losing interest in activities that they previously were really excited to.

[Peter Biello]

Be part of those are some really.

[Aruni Kashap]

Important markers for parents to notice, jackman says. Their Sound It Out Together resources include conversation starters and guides on listening to help children learn to work through their own problems. For GPV news, I'm Ellen Eldredge.

[Peter Biello]

Georgia Power says construction is underway on battery energy storage systems at four locations across the state. The move is expected to add more electrical generating capacity to help meet a growing demand for power, primarily by large industrial customers. Two of the systems will be located near existing solar facilities at Robbins Air Force Base in Houston county and Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta's Lowndes County. The two others will be located at the retired coal burning plant Hammond in northwest Georgia's Floyd county and at a battery facility in metro Atlanta's Cherokee County. Battery storage is seen as critical to diversifying the state's energy mix to include more renewable power. The Trump administration has canceled a $19 million infrastructure grant awarded to the South Georgia city of Thomasville by the outgoing Biden administration. City officials today confirmed they received notice last week that the Environmental Protection Agency was terminating its Community Change grant. The award promised to replace an outdated wastewater collection system, renovate a school gym, build a healthcare clinic and provide home improvement grants. It was among the more than 100 grants touted by the Biden administration in December as advancing environmental and climate justice goals. And today is the birthday of groundbreaking jazz composer Mary Lou Williams. Born in 1910, she spent her first four years in Atlanta's Edgewood neighborhood before her family moved to Pittsburgh. She became one of the most influential jazz pianists of the last century, shaping both the big band and bebop sounds with collaborators including Duke Ellington and Charlie Parker. Atlanta jazz musician Jeff Crompton was instrumental in getting a historical marker recognizing her birthplace dedicated Last weekend, the first time she touched a keyboard was in Edgewood.

[Aruni Kashap]

She told this story of sitting on.

[Peter Biello]

Her mother's lap while mom was practicing.

[Aruni Kashap]

Her mother played organ at Beulah Baptist Church in Edgewood.

[Peter Biello]

Crompton worked for years to uncover details about Williams childhood and says it's important for Atlanta to honor the jazz legend born there. And here's a bit of her music. This is the Mary Lou Williams trio with 8th Avenue Express. Take one from the album Roll.

[Aruni Kashap]

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

[Peter Biello]

Garbage in New York that was like a controlled substance.

[Aruni Kashap]

We show you how money influences everything. Tell me what you like by telling me how you spend your money. And we dig until we get answers.

[Peter Biello]

I had a bad feeling you're going.

[Aruni Kashap]

To bring that up, Planet Money finds out. All you have to do is listen. The Planet Money podcast from npr.

[Peter Biello]

In his new collection of short stories, Aruni Cashapp comes back time and again to the tension between individual desires and society's limits. Whether writing about an academic struggling against the cultural expectations of his peers or or residents of his native Assam clashing with separatist insurgents, or young gay men expressing their love in India when such romance was outlawed, Kashap writes with insight and compassion. The book is called the Way youy Want to Be Loved. Recently I went to the University of Georgia in Athens, where Kashap directs the Creative Writing program, to speak with him about his book. Aruni Kashap, thank you so much for speaking with me.

[Aruni Kashap]

Thank you so much for coming down to Athens here. It's a pleasure to have you in my office.

[Peter Biello]

I wanted to ask you about academic life because you studied in Minnesota, as some of these characters do. I was wondering how much overlap there is between your experience and the experience of the characters in this book.

[Aruni Kashap]

I think there's a lot of overlap. And even though I am actually from an academic family, my mother was a professor of Cotton College State University, which is one of the oldest universities in Northeast India. I'm not at all new to academia, but at the same time in a post colonial country, actually languages also have different kind of privileges. So being in English academia and Hindi academy or Assamese academy or Bengali academia is very much different than each other. So when I actually entered academia, in the English academia, it has certain privilege of class and caste associated with it. So I was always an outsider in the academic space. These experiences actually enables me this marginal position enables me to actually point out to various blind spots that we liberals, we progressive people have.

[Peter Biello]

When you were studying in the United States in Minnesota, did you have a roommate like Mike? Mike appears in a couple of short stories in this book. He's a white guy who's kind of insufferable. He's not as culturally sensitive as he could be, to put it mildly. And he made the characters in your stories really uncomfortable and in some ways wielded his power, perhaps without even knowing he was wielding his power, but doing it rather insensitively. Did you have a roommate like Mike, or did you know someone like Mike?

[Aruni Kashap]

I knew many people like Mike. Mike is obviously amalgamation of many, many Mikes I knew as a student in Minnesota. I did have a roommate who was sort of strange and was not very sensitive towards towards the world, let's say But I wanted Mike to be so much more exaggerated than the real Mike because again, for dramatic effect. And I think that combining the many different characteristics of these Mike like people enabled me to comment on how actually differences are perceived and accepted and negotiated in a society that is not comfortable with immigrants, not comfortable with difference. And I wanted to again write about someone like Mike who actually does a lot of these things without being completely. They don't have the self awareness that they are actually saying these things that are offensive.

[Peter Biello]

I wanted to ask you about the political violence in these stories. There are some stories that depict just absolute brutality. And I was wondering how you went about writing about those things and what well of knowledge you were drawing on there.

[Aruni Kashap]

A lot of these brutalities I grew up reading, I actually didn't know they were unusual. I was born in 1984. The violent insurgency against Indian rule started in Assam in 1979. So by 1984 the insurgency was at its peak. As a result of that, I did not know a state or Assam that I grew up that was without violence. The violence still continues. I like to tell this story because I realized how important this was much, much later. The story goes like this every day. My mother made it a habit to see me once and look at me for a few seconds before I hopped into the school bus. And I thought, you know, this is mother being mother. You know, she actually loves her son so much. And she did that to both me and my brother. But much later when I grew up, I asked her why used to do that. She said, you know, there was so much violence in Assam that I was preparing myself if this was the last time I'm going to see you. And that changed everything for me. Because that means that every parent, every mother, every grandmother, every loved one lived like that actually in Assam or in Kashmir or many other places where anti India independentist movements still are going on or have experienced those in the last few years.

[Peter Biello]

You write a few stories here about what it's like to be gay in India. I think there is a story where it is illegal and then a story where it's not illegal, but it's a little bit scandalous to have a homosexual relationship. Can you talk a little bit about what it was like writing those stories?

[Aruni Kashap]

You know, I lived in Delhi for the longest time. I had a very robust queer community. I was bothered by a lot of the stories that I was hearing. And I wanted to write about how the person and the state and the individual is constantly in clash and writing about the anti homosexuality laws which is Article 377 that was, I think, scrapped in 2019 or 2018. I can't remember the date right now.

[Peter Biello]

I think it was 2018.

[Aruni Kashap]

Yes. Right. Thank you. September, I think it was. Yeah, it was. It was crap done until then. People were. That law was used to vilify torture. A lot of people I knew, a lot of people had to suffer heartbreaking consequences, as you see in the story. The story, actually, I wrote that the way you want to be Loved is a gay romance story. The story, actually, I heard from a friend and it made me so angry. So I wanted to give it a different ending because it was so heartbreaking for me to know that it's just because two men were expressing love and it was not obscene. They were holding hands. They had to go through a horrific experience. And it was so common. And it is far more dangerous for trans people as well. So that is the reason I wrote about it, actually. It was, in a way, for me to express my own outrage and sorrow and create a new ending for these two characters.

[Peter Biello]

Aruni Keshab, thank you so much for speaking with me. I really do appreciate it.

[Aruni Kashap]

Thank you so much. These are amazing questions. I really, really enjoyed answering them. Thank you so much for reading my work with so much care.

[Peter Biello]

And Aruni Kashap's book, the Way youy Want to Be Loved is the subject of the latest episode of Narrative Edge, GPB's podcast about books with Georgia connections. Orlando Montoya and I spoke about other aspects of his writing, including his use of folklore and the wicked stepmother trope to illuminate political conflict. Dive deep into a book in literary culture with Narrative Edge. Find it wherever you get your podcasts. And that's it for this podcast. Thank you very much for tuning in to Georgia today. Remember to check our website, gpb.org news for any updates on these stories and news stories that our reporters are writing right now. If you haven't subscribed to this podcast yet, do it now. We will be back in your podcast feed tomorrow afternoon and send us your feedback. The email address is Georgia todaypb.org I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.

[Aruni Kashap]

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

[Peter Biello]

Garbage in New York that was like a control substance.

[Aruni Kashap]

We show you how money influences everything. Tell me what you like by telling me how you spend your money. And we dig until we get answers.

[Peter Biello]

I had a bad feeling you're gonna bring that up.

[Aruni Kashap]

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