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Georgia Today
Legislative session begins; Deadly altercation at state prison leaves 3 people dead
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Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, the issue of affordability figures prominently as the state legislative session begins. Flu continues to spread rapidly in Georgia, and a deadly altercation at a Georgia state prison leaves three dead, including one man whose sentence had only days remaining.
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He was excited, Aaron. The other day he was calling, I'm on my way home. I'm on my way home. I can't wait to see y'. All. I'm so glad I'm coming home.
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Today is Monday, January 12th. I'm Peter Biello, and this is Georgia Today. Leaders of the state House and Senate gaveled in the 2026 General assembly this morning. And as it is in national politics, affordability is going to play a central role in state legislation. So says House Majority Leader Mulberry, Republican Chuck F. Strachan.
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It's a big deal right now. I think that increasing inflation, expenses, a lot of times DC Policy is squeezing our wallets here in the state. And so as state legislators, there are limited areas where we can really work to address affordability, and that's where we're bearing down.
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He says homeownership and insurance premiums are areas where state law can make a difference. And as state lawmakers returned to the Gold Dome today, so did activists for a number of causes. As GPB's Sarah Kalis reports, on day.
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One of the legislative session, the ACLU of Georgia held their quote pack the Capitol event where they urged lawmakers to consider their constituents when making decisions. ACLU Georgia Executive Director Andrea Young encouraged Georgia residents to reach out to their lawmakers and encourage lawmakers to listen.
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When our legislature listens to the people, listens to the majority, we will have a Georgia that is worthy of of the sacrifices of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter and Martin and Coretta King, advocates said.
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They want expanded Medicaid and more civil and environmental protections. The legislative session runs until early April. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kallis at the State Capitol.
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If you went to the Capitol for the first day of the session today, you may have noticed some changes to the building itself. Renovations have been underway since 2024 to the tune of nearly $400 million. All that cash has added a new H Vac system, carpets, sturdy chairs, and gold leaf on ceilings where there had been gold paint. House Speaker John Burns thanked the workers responsible.
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Our capital, as we all know, is one of the most beautiful capitals in the country. But what the work's been done here just really brings us back to the state of art and that the craftsmans that work for you guys, a big shout of thank you goes out to them.
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Renovations are expected to continue through next year. And for more news from the State Capitol, tune in to GPB's lawmakers Monday through Thursday at 7pm when the legislature is in session or anytime at gpb.org news Seth Clark of Macon has entered the race for Georgia lieutenant governor. He becomes only the second Democrat in the race after Sandy Springs State Senator Josh McLaurin. Clark recently resigned from the Maconbib County Commission and will face McLaurin in the May 19 primary. Five Republicans are seeking their party's nomination. The final winner in November will succeed Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who is running for governor. Clark is pledging in his announcement today to focus on affordability, public schools and healthcare. McLaurin welcomes Clark to the race but says he has the necessary experience and is a proven fighter for working people. The Georgia Department of Public Health has confirmed the state's first case of measles this year, GPB's Sophie Gradas reports.
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The positive measles case, reported on Monday in the Coastal Public Health District headquartered in Savannah, is in a baby too young to be vaccinated. The public health department said the baby got measles from international travel. There were 10 reported cases of measles in Georgia last year, and all except one were among unvaccinated people. Most contracted the virus from international travel. The CDC recommends that babies at least 6 months old traveling overseas get a single dose measles vaccine before the traditional schedule of between 12 and 15 months old. The Georgia Department of Public Health said it's still tracking down everyone who has come in contact with the infected baby. For GPB News, I'm Sophie Gradis.
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Meanwhile, DPH continues to report dangerously high levels of flu activity. During the first week in January, there were slightly fewer people hospitalized with flu in Georgia from the previous week. But six more people were reported dead from flu related complications during that period. And Georgia has the highest volume of people sick with the year's top strain known as flu a young children, young adults and middle aged people have been hospitalized the most with respiratory illnesses this season. For free and low cost flu vaccines and testing, people can visit their local public health department. Official details are still scant about a spate of deadly mass violence at Georgia's Washington State Prison yesterday. GPB's Grant Blankenship has more.
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Three people were killed and a dozen more hospitalized after altercations at the prison halfway between Macon and Augusta Washington County Coroner E.K. may says that's more dead at the prison than he normally sees in a year. Jimmy Trammell was one of those killed. His aunt Michelle lett says his 10 year prison sentence was only days from ending.
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Three days out. We was planning for him to come home. He was glad. He was excited. Every other day he was calling, I'm on my way home. I'm on my way home. I can't wait to see y'. All. I'm so glad I'm coming home.
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The Georgia Department of Corrections has not confirmed the incident. The prison system was the subject of a federal civil rights investigation during the Biden administration. For GPB News, I'm Grant Blankenship in Macon.
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Savannah's Telfair Museum is reducing its workforce by about 15%. The nonprofit organization, one of the largest in Chatham county, said today the move was aimed at shoring up its resources while serving its constituency's needs. It said community outreach and education programs will not be affected. The organization runs the Jepsen Center, Owens Thomas House and Telfair Academy, all landmark buildings and institutions in Savannah. Sam Nunn is the third longest tenured.
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Senator from the state of Georgia. And over the course of his career.
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He held massive sway over American foreign policy. In the latest installment of GPB TV's.
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Georgia Legends, which focuses on prominent figures.
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In our state's history, GPB's Jeff Hollinger.
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Speaks with the former senator about his life and legacy. That program airs tonight at 9 o'.
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Clock and Jeff is with me now. Jeff, welcome to the program.
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Peter, good to be with you.
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So, Jeff, why did Sam Nunn stand out to you as a perfect guest for this program?
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He has such a incredible man, an incredible life that began in Perry, Georgia, and he has excelled at absolutely everything he has touched in his 87 years in our state. I've always found it fascinating that Jimmy Carter in Plains and Sam Nunn in Perry from rural Georgia and two men that were contemporaries and two men that oftentimes were at odds but, but ultimately had great respect for each other, that Georgia red clay could yield to these titans of the 20th century.
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On Georgia Legends, you focus for a bit on his early life and upbringing. Can you talk a little bit about his childhood and how that shaped the man he became?
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You know, when you think about Sam Nunn, you really don't think about him being a great athlete and he was. I mean, you think of Senator Nunn in the context of his intellect and, and what he has represented in the U.S. senate. But he grew up As a really fine athlete. He was an outstanding baseball player and played on a state championship basketball team in Georgia and also was at Georgia Tech playing basketball. So one of the great lessons of sports, I think, for any of us who have played, is that sort of communal aspect of sport of, you know, the collective trying to accomplish a singular goal. And with that comes a lot of different people. You meet a lot of different kinds of individuals. His whole life is about teamwork and his ability to bring different kinds of people together. And we saw that in the U.S. senate, certainly with his work of trying to pare down the threat of nuclear arms.
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So when he was a young lawyer, he was working on the staff of the House Armed Services Committee, and he had an opportunity to go on an Air Force trip to NATO. And that's when the Cuban Missile crisis breaks out. And here's how he described that experience to you on Georgia Legends.
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We were right there in V. Spartan Air Force Base, right at the peak of the danger we thought was the war is going to happen anytime made a huge impression on me in so many different ways. For one, how short the decision time was, how crucial the decisions were. And then, of course, the next day we were in Norway. Khrushchev backed off the crisis of the world, breathed a huge sigh of relief, and so did we.
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So, Jeff, what did you learn about how that trip and his experiences with possible nuclear war shaped him?
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Talking to him about that subject, you could sense how it had touched his psyche and his soul about how close we were to the use of nuclear weapons in the Cuban Missile crisis. And that was something that certainly has created an impact on him for the rest of his life. I mean, it has been a driving force in his life.
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Sam Nunn announced his retirement from the Senate in 1995. What would you say he's going to be most remembered for as a senator?
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I think it's a good question in that I think you have to talk about his involvement with the US Military, obviously his expertise on issues relating to nuclear weaponry to. To the military. In Fact, in. In 2026, a US naval ship will be commissioned that will bear his name. And that's something he's very, very proud of. And at the time that we talked to him, he viewed that as one of the great honors of his life. I think there's also an element that all of my adult life, it seems as though someone was writing a story about Sam Nunn would be the next American president, and we would see him in the White House. And that's something that never really materialized. I mean, it rolled all the way to 2008 when there was great support in this country for him to be the vice presidential pick of then Senator Obama. There was support from, gosh, from Peggy Noonan to Jimmy Carter. That's about as diverse as you certainly can get. But it did not happen. And I think it sort of illustrates that the other issue of the White House not happening for him. You know, just when you, you think you know Sam Nunn or you make assumptions about Sam Nunn, that's not necessarily true.
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GPB's Jeff Hollinger is the host of.
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Georgia Legends on GPB tv. An episode featuring the life and legacy.
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Of former Senator Sam Nunn runs tonight at 9:00'.
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Clock.
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Jeff, thank you so much for speaking with me.
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Thank you, Peter.
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And that is it for this edition of Georgia Today. As we mentioned, today marks the start of Georgia's 2026 legislative session, and GPB is going to be there for all 40 days. On our nightly television show, Lawmakers host Donna Lowery and team will provide in depth coverage of the Georgia General assembly, interviewing key lawmakers and reporting on the issues affecting your taxes, jobs, schools and environment. Tune into the first episode of Lawmakers, now in its 56th season, tonight at 7 on GPB television. You can learn more about the stories you heard on this episode of Georgia today by visiting gpb.org news. And if you haven't subscribed to the podcast, make sure you do it now will pop up in your feed automatically tomorrow afternoon just in time for your commute home. If you've got feedback, we would love to hear from you. Send us an email. That's the best way to reach us. An email goes to the whole team when you send it to Georgia todaypb.org I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening. We will see you tomorrow.
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