MARTA violence; Heat advisory; Maternal health

Summary

Georgia Today Podcast Summary — June 29, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Peter Biello provides a comprehensive update on Georgia’s top news stories, focusing on Atlanta’s MARTA system violence and employee safety concerns, a state-wide heat advisory, the ongoing shortage of maternal and pediatric health care providers, and other local developments. The program features in-depth reporting, direct voices from newsmakers and affected workers, and expert commentary, bringing listeners key insights on issues shaping life in Georgia.

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MARTA Employee Safety & Workplace Violence

[00:29–03:45]

Key Discussion Points

• Recent violent incidents on MARTA (Atlanta’s public transit) have drawn federal attention.
• Members of the Amalgamated Transit Workers Union (ATU) Local 732 (3,000 Atlanta metro transit workers) publicly demonstrate for better protections and safety protocols.
• Employees report a “changing nature” of violence on buses and trains; union members say their prior warnings to MARTA leadership have not been meaningfully addressed.
• Criticisms focus on delayed police response and schedule pressures creating rider-operator conflict.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Impact of Violence on Workers:
  • “Some of these bus operators are getting assaulted and things like that by the public. You know, sometimes there's MARTA police is not in sight.”
    —Jeremy Tsai, MARTA Employee [01:22]
• On Police Response Delays:
  • “A lot of times you have something take place, you call the police. The person could literally just walk away, no urgency, and make it scot free away after doing something violent to our employees.”
    —Stafford McIntosh, Bus Operator and ATU Executive Board Member [01:45]
• How Schedules Fuel Tension:
  • “We can't possibly get to point A to point B at the same rate of a car, but you schedule us to the speed limit of the street and we're driving a commercial vehicle...”
    —McIntosh [02:08]
  • “When the bus is five minutes late, now you're disgruntled and all you know is that the bus operator is late. So now you have an adverse interaction between the passenger and the frontline employees that could be avoided.”
    —McIntosh [02:23]
• Fare Collection Risks:
  • “It's really don't ask people to pay because when you ask them to pay, then that's how you get assaulted.”
    —David Ward, ATU Local 732 President [02:45]
• Enforcement Lapses:
  • “Normally when these type of things happen on the trains or on the buses, individuals are out of jail the next day.”
    —Ward [03:14]
• Union’s Demands:
  • “We just want to make sure that we have a seat at the table so we're not on the menu.”
    —Ward [03:35]

MARTA Leadership Response

• Interim CEO Jonathan Hunt claims MARTA is stepping up recruitment for the MARTA Police Department and working on a new “safety risk reduction” program.
• Despite official reports of post-2020 violence declines, union members prioritize safety in ongoing contract negotiations.

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Georgia Heat Advisory

[04:03–04:35]

Key Discussion Points

• The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory, with “feels like” temperatures forecast to exceed 100°F every day for most of Georgia.
• Temperatures expected to reach 105–110°F in many areas.
• Safety guidelines and public awareness efforts are underway.

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State & Legal News Updates

[04:36–06:03]

Notable Developments

• Supreme Court Ruling (Federal Reserve):
  • President Trump’s firing of federal agency heads upheld, but Milledgeville native Lisa Cook, a Federal Reserve governor, retains her position due to legal and institutional protections.
• Towns County Sheriff Investigation:
  • Governor Brian Kemp orders new investigation into Sheriff Kenneth Henderson regarding new, undisclosed misconduct allegations.
  • A panel of the Attorney General and two sheriffs to report within 30 days.
  • Sheriff Henderson remains suspended pending criminal trial; Anthony Coleman continues as interim sheriff.

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Maternal & Infant Health Care Shortage

[06:38–07:35]

Key Discussion Points

• Georgia ranks high in infant mortality and has a preventable maternal death rate near 90%.
• Over 100 vacant residency slots in family medicine, OB, and pediatrics are cited as critical workforce gaps.
• Untapped federal dollars, with possible state supplements, could help fill these roles.

Notable Quotes

• “It’s a quality and quantity problem. We don’t have enough, and we don’t have enough high quality slots to keep our own.”
  —Lori Ott, Georgia Higher Education Health Care Initiative [07:17]

• Medical students who train in Georgia are far more likely to remain in the state, highlighting the need for more residency slots.
  —Sophie Gradus, GPB [07:25]

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Additional Local News Briefs

[07:36–end]

Rural Hospital Tax Credit

• Georgia taxpayers contributed a record $79 million to hospitals through the Rural Hospital Tax Credit program in 2025.

Atlanta Self-Storage Ban

• Temporary ban placed on new self-storage facilities as the city considers impacts on neighborhood land use.

Invasive Species Alert

• Citizens asked to report sightings of yellow-legged hornet nests to agriculture authorities to protect pollinators.

MARTA and the World Cup

• Over 1.7 million riders used MARTA for World Cup matches; peak daily ridership was over 220,000.

Georgia Writers Association Awards

• Seven winners and seven finalists are recognized, with several featured on GPB’s Narrative Edge. Author Carrie Neville wins in memoir; Bennett Parton in history.

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Closing

Peter Biello wraps up the episode by reminding listeners to visit gpb.org/news for more details and to subscribe for the latest daily updates.

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Notable Quotes (Quick Reference)

• “Some of these bus operators are getting assaulted... sometimes there's MARTA police is not in sight.” —Jeremy Tsai [01:22]
• “The person could literally just walk away, no urgency...” —Stafford McIntosh [01:45]
• “We just want to make sure that we have a seat at the table so we're not on the menu.” —David Ward [03:35]
• “It’s a quality and quantity problem. We don’t have enough, and we don’t have enough high quality slots to keep our own.” —Lori Ott [07:17]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• MARTA Safety & Violence: 00:29–03:45
• Heat Advisory: 04:03–04:35
• Supreme Court & Sheriff Investigation: 04:36–06:03
• Maternal & Infant Health Shortage: 06:38–07:35
• Other Briefs: 07:36–end

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This summary provides a detailed, topic-by-topic overview of the June 29, 2026 episode, highlighting the voices, issues, and perspectives that shape Georgia’s news landscape today.

Transcript

[A]

Welcome to the Georgia Today Podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, MARTA employees speak out on violence on Atlanta's public transportation system. The governor orders a new investigation into the town's county sheriff and Georgia does not have enough doctors for moms and kids.

[B]

We don't have enough and we don't have enough high quality slots to keep our own graduates of our medical schools.

[A]

Today is Monday, June 29th. I'm Peter Biello and this is GEORGIA Today. A recent series of violent incidents around MARTA has drawn federal scrutiny to the transit authority's safety measures. Meanwhile, MARTA employees say their attempts to sound the alarm about the changing nature of violence on buses and trains hasn't produced results. GPB's Amanda Andrews has more.

[C]

That's why we gonna keep on fighting. We gonna keep on fighting. It's a sunny Thursday afternoon outside the MARTA headquarters and the heat radiating off the pavement isn't stopping union members from demonstrating.

[D]

One side says find public transit and the other side says keep transit workers safe.

[C]

The demonstrators are with the Amalgamated Transit Workers Union, Local 732. It represents about 3,000 transit workers in the Atlanta metro area, including MARTA employees like Jeremy Tsai.

[D]

You know, some of these bus operators are getting assaulted and things like that by the public. You know, sometimes there's MARTA police is not in sight.

[C]

Conflicts on public transit aren't new, but bus operator Stafford McIntosh says how they're handled has changed. McIntosh has seen plenty of incidents in his nearly 20 years working at MARTA. He says police response times are slow now.

[E]

A lot of times you have something take place, you call the police. The person could literally just walk away, no urgency, and make it scot free away after doing something violent to our employees.

[C]

McIntosh is an executive board member in the transit union. He says operators told MARTA leadership that inaccurate schedules were creating tension with riders before the bus even arrived.

[E]

We can't possibly get to point A to point B at the same rate of a car, but you schedule us to the speed limit of the street and we're driving a commercial vehicle where you have to stop and service people with ADAs and other physical disabilities.

[C]

So when the bus is five minutes

[E]

late, now you're disgruntled and all you know is that the bus operator is late. So now you have an adverse interactions between the passenger and the frontline employees that could be avoided.

[C]

ATU Local 732 President David Ward has seen those passenger conflicts personally. He says even collecting fare can be a risk for bus drivers.

[D]

It's really don't ask people to pay because when you ask them to pay, then that's how you get assaulted.

[C]

Marta leaders report they're working on a new safety risk reduction program that will address transit worker assaults. Interim MARTA CEO Jonathan Hunt said they've stepped up hiring and recruitment for the MARTA Police Department in the meantime. While Ward says Georgia law places heavy penalties on people who assault transit workers, he doesn't believe the law is well enforced.

[D]

It has to be better enforcement of that. Normally when these type of things, things happen on the trains or on the buses, individuals are out of jail the next day.

[C]

Now union members are renegotiating their contract with MARTA management to address their safety concerns. Ward says he wants to see more collaboration on policing.

[D]

Whatever their issues are, are ultimately going to be our issues and vice versa. So we just want to make sure that we have a seat at the table so we're not on the menu.

[C]

While MARTA leadership says violence has dropped across the transit system since 2020, union members are pressing ahead with contract negotiations in which their safety is still a top priority. For GPB News, I'm Amanda Andrews.

[A]

It's going to be real hot in Georgia for the next week or so. The National Weather Service's seven day forecast says heat index values or feels like temperatures will be be above 100 degrees every day for most of the state. The agency has issued a heat advisory for today. Temperatures are forecast to reach the upper 90s, but feel more like 105 to 110 degrees. The U.S. supreme Court today upheld President Donald Trump's firings of heads of independent federal agencies. But but justices carved out an exemption for Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, a Milledgeville native with strong ties to Georgia. The court's ruling said that Trump failed to afford protections Cook needed to dispute the charges of mortgage fraud against her. And because of the importance of the Federal Reserve's independence from politics, she would stay in her role. The Trump administration has accused Cook of committing fraud with two properties, one in Michigan and one in Atlanta. The court voted 5 to 4, with Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh joining the court's three liberal justices. Governor Brian Kemp has ordered a new investigation into Towns County Sheriff Kenneth Henderson. GPB Sarah Kalis reports.

[F]

Kemp released two executive orders over the weekend calling for an investigation into undisclosed misconduct allegations against Henderson. Henderson was first suspended in 2025 for separate misconduct allegations related to a traffic stop that escalated into a heated exchange with another officer and is awaiting a criminal trial. Meanwhile, Anthony Coleman, who was sworn in in 2025 continues to serve as interim Towns County Sheriff. Kemp said in his executive order that the new suspension and current investigation is separate. Kemp appointed Attorney General Chris Carr, Coweta County Sheriff Len Wood and Newton County Sheriff Ezel Brown to investigate Henderson and issue a report within 30 days. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Callis.

[G]

Each story you hear on Planet Money starts with a what happens if we refund tariffs? Why are groceries so expensive? At npr, we stand for your right to be curious because the forces shaping our world can be hard to see. Follow NPR's Planet Money wherever you get your podcasts and start seeing how the economy really works.

[A]

The state Legislative Commission studying maternal and infant health outcomes in Georgia has released its final recommendations. GPB Sophie Gradus has more.

[H]

Georgia ranks near the top for high rates of infant mortality, and the state Department of Public Health has also found nearly 90% of maternal deaths were preventable. Gaps in the healthcare workforce are part of the problem. The commission finds. The state has over 100 vacant residency slots in family medicine, obstetrics and pediatrics. Lori Ott is with the Georgia Higher Education Health Care Initiative. She says untapped federal dollars supplemented by the state could help fill those slots. That's a recommendation included in the final report.

[B]

It's a quality and quantity problem. We don't have enough, and we don't have enough high quality slots to keep our own.

[H]

Graduates of our medical schools and medical students who work in Georgia are far more likely to stay in geor. For GPB News, I'm Sophie Graudis.

[A]

Georgia taxpayers contributed a record $79 million to hospitals eligible for the state's rural hospital tax credit in 2025. A state audit published on Friday also lists five hospitals coming off the eligibility list and one hospital, Blue Ridge Medical center, going on the list. The tax Credit began in 2017 and allows taxpayers to donate to eligible hospitals to lower their tax liability while while shoring up the finances of rural hospitals in need. The city of Atlanta has placed a temporary ban on any new self storage facilities as it evaluates how the facilities impact neighborhoods. Mayor Andre Dickens recently signed an executive order building on legislation from council member Dustin Hills. The change comes after Atlanta passed the Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative to funnel resources into seven historically overlooked neighborhoods. One of those neighborhoods shared concerns that an upcoming self storage development would use land that could host much needed grocery stores, housing or community spaces. Dickens said. This executive order is not about eliminating self storage facilities. It is about ensuring we are thoughtful about where they belong. Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper is asking Georgians to look out for yellow legged hornet nests. State officials are working to control the spread of the invasive species that threatens the state's pollinators. Officials ask for Georgians to look out for large, round or oval shaped nests high in trees or for hornets hovering near beehives. Contact the Ag Department's Plant Protection Division if you see one MARTA said Friday more than 1.7 million people have used its services to get to World cup matches and related events. Those numbers do not include the match this past Saturday, MARTA said. The busiest day they've reported was Wednesday, June 24 for the Morocco vs. Haiti match. More than 220,000 people, wrote Marta, about 2.3 times the number of writers on a typical weekday. The Georgia Writers association is recognizing seven winners and seven finalists in its annual Author of the Year Awards. The awards, announced on Friday, celebrate what the association calls the best literature by Georgia writers. Among the authors recognized, three were featured on episodes of Narrative Edge, GPB's podcast and video series about books with Georgia connections. Milledgeville writer Carrie Neville won in the memoir category. The judges noted that in her book Mama May Be Mad, she writes with striking candor, lyrical prose and insatiable curiosity about her experience with bipolar disorder, anorexia, self harm and alcoholism. Another GPB featured winner was Bennett Parton with his book Somewhere Toward Sherman's March and the Story of America's Largest Emancipation in the History category. Finalists included Laura Dickerman with her book Hot desk in the First Novel category. The awards date back to 1964. Find the complete list of winners and [e-mail] and find Narrative Edge on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts. And that is it for this edition of Georgia Today. If you want to learn more about any of these stories, visit gpb.org news and remember to subscribe to this podcast because we will be back tomorrow afternoon. Send your feedback to us by email. The address is Georgia Today at gpb.org. i'm Peter Biello. Thank you very much for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.