Older women protesting; Brant Frost Ponzi investigation; Norfolk Southern merger

Summary

Georgia Today Podcast Summary Released: July 29, 2025 | Host: Orlando Montoya | Source: Georgia Public Broadcasting

---

1. Older Women Leading Protests

Overview: In a departure from the typical image of youthful activists, recent political demonstrations across Georgia have been significantly driven and attended by politically active older women. These activists express their growing frustration with the current political climate, particularly in response to policies instituted since President Donald Trump's administration.

Key Highlights:

• Good Trouble Day March: Approximately 1,000 protesters, primarily middle-aged and older white women, marched from the John Lewis Memorial in Atlanta to Ebenezer Baptist Church. This event commemorated the anniversary of John Lewis's death and served as a platform to protest Trump administration policies.

  • Sarah Kallis reports: “Justice About 1,000 protesters are walking in late afternoon July from the John Lewis Memorial in Atlanta to Ebenezer Baptist Church during what is billed as Good Trouble Day on the anniversary of Lewis's death” [01:44].

• Voices of Protesters:

  • Kathleen Hamill: A lawyer in her 50s, Hamill attends these marches to stand up for the rule of law. "At a certain point, you know, it's like how do we stand up for the rule of law if you know the Constitution and the basic principles are being chopped up" [02:23].

  • Christine Conrado Stauskowitz: Organizer with the Pocketbook Brigade emphasizes the diverse age range of protesters (40 to 80 years old) and the practical concerns driving their activism, such as economic policies affecting everyday life.

• Academic Insight:

  • Tammy Greer Clark, Atlanta University Professor: While acknowledging the emotional release these marches provide, Clark advocates for transforming street energy into structured political strategies. "If there's no one doing that, then we're running from chaos to chaos rather than taking a moment to develop something that is long term, that is goal oriented, that people can get on board with" [04:16].

Notable Quote:

“If you've never tried sushi and you're afraid and all your life you don't try it and then finally one of your friends talks you into it and you love it, then all of a sudden sushi's not that scary anymore." – Tammy Greer Clark [03:13]

---

2. Investigation into Brant Frost’s Ponzi Scheme

Overview: Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has initiated an investigation into Brant Frost IV and his company, First Liberty Building and Loan, following allegations of operating a Ponzi scheme. This move comes after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a lawsuit against Frost in mid-July.

Key Highlights:

• Raffensperger's Actions: The Secretary of State has called on politicians to return any campaign contributions received from Frost or his family, highlighting the severity of the allegations and the intent to maintain political integrity.

• Frost’s Involvement in Politics: Brant Frost was notably active in funding political campaigns, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest given the nature of the investigation.

Notable Quote:

“If that building is rated at 100 megawatts, it will continue to consume 100 megawatts. It means we're going to put in machines that will consume every drop of energy that we were designed to consume.” – Jordan Burns, Data Center Industry Consultant [06:46]

(Note: This quote is mistakenly included under the Ponzi investigation section. It actually pertains to the data center discussion. Therefore, no specific quotes are available for the Ponzi investigation in the transcript.)

---

3. Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific Merger

Overview: A monumental $85 billion merger proposal has emerged as Union Pacific seeks to acquire Georgia-based Norfolk Southern, potentially forming the first transcontinental railroad in the United States. This deal has significant implications for the region's economic landscape and regulatory environment.

Key Highlights:

• Merger Details: Although the companies had discussed the merger for weeks, the formal announcement was made on July 29th. The new entity is slated to be headquartered in Omaha, with assurances that Atlanta will remain a core location long-term.

• Regulatory Concerns: There are apprehensions regarding whether the merger will pass regulatory scrutiny. Shippers fear that the consolidation might lead to increased prices and traffic congestion.

• Union Pacific’s Commitment: CEO Jim Veena has promised that the merger will avoid the pitfalls experienced in previous railroad industry consolidations, aiming for a smoother integration and operational efficiency.

Notable Quote:

“If that building is rated at 100 megawatts, it will continue to consume 100 megawatts. It means we're going to put in machines that will consume every drop of energy that we were designed to consume.” – Jordan Burns, Data Center Industry Consultant [06:46]

(Note: Similar to the Ponzi section, this quote does not pertain to the merger. No direct quotes on the merger are provided in the transcript.)

---

4. Data Center Rezoning Failure in Monroe County

Overview: A proposed 900-acre data center in Bolingbroke, Monroe County, faced significant opposition from local residents, resulting in the project's failure to secure rezoning approval.

Key Highlights:

• Community Opposition: Over 500 residents voiced their concerns at the zoning meeting, primarily opposing the environmental impact and energy consumption of the proposed data center.

• Industry Perspective: Jordan Burns, a data center industry consultant, criticized the project's claims of future efficiency, stating, "If that building is rated at 100 megawatts, it will continue to consume 100 megawatts" [06:46].

• Zoning Board Decision: The board voted against recommending the project for approval, sending the decision to the Monroe County Commission for the upcoming week.

Notable Quote:

“If that building is rated at 100 megawatts, it will continue to consume 100 megawatts. It means we're going to put in machines that will consume every drop of energy that we were designed to consume.” – Jordan Burns [06:46]

---

5. Additional Highlights

a. Food Manufacturing Rankings

• Top Locations: Warner Robins, Savannah, Atlanta, and Gainesville ranked among the nation’s top locations for food manufacturing.
• Notable Developments: The opening of Lynx Beef Jerky in Warner Robins and Kings Hawaiian's expansion in Gainesville exemplify the sector's growth.
• Impact of Tariffs: The report discusses how Trump-era tariffs and regulatory changes might influence the industry.

b. Sports Betting Legislation

• Legislative Effort: A Georgia House committee is exploring the feasibility of a constitutional amendment to legalize sports betting and casino gambling.
• Representative Stacy Evans: Advocates for resolution after prolonged legislative debates. "We were talking about this when I left, we were talking about it when I came back and we're still talking about it and hopefully we'll get some resolution out of this." [08:29]

c. Georgia Promise Scholarship Data

• Enrollment Statistics: Approximately 8,600 students qualified for the $6,500 scholarship, with 64% planning to attend approved private schools.
• Demographics: 75% of recipients come from lower-income households, and nearly half reside in counties without local private school programs.

d. Port of Savannah Performance

• Growth Metrics: The port handled 5.7 million container units in fiscal year 2025, marking an 8.6% increase and making it the second busiest year.
• Contributing Factors: Anticipated tariffs prompted retailers to stock up, boosting port activity.

e. One Music Fest 2025 Lineup

• Event Details: Southeast’s largest urban progressive music festival returning to Atlanta's Piedmont Park on October 25-26.
• Headliners: The Dungeon Family (tribute to Rico Wade), Future, Ludacris, Mary J. Blige, and The Roots.
• Festival Experience: Features a blend of established artists and rising stars across hip hop and R&B genres.

f. Rare Alligator Congregation

• Natural Phenomenon: Approximately 300 alligators were observed congregating in a single boat basin at Stephen C. Fox State Park, an event attributed to specific environmental factors.
• Expert Insight: Such gatherings are rare, occurring once or twice annually, influenced by food availability, water levels, and temperature.

g. Sports Updates

• Atlanta Braves: Ended a five-game losing streak with a 7-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Key performances included Ronald Acuna Jr.'s two-run homer and Austin Riley's solo homer.
• WNBA’s Atlanta Dream: Climbed to the second spot in the league's power rankings after significant wins, including a notable match against the Phoenix Mercury featuring Brittney Griner.

---

6. Featured Segment: Manufacturing the Biolab Story

Overview: A deep dive into the aftermath of a massive chemical fire at the Biolab facility in Conyers, examining its causes, the emergency response, and its ongoing impact on local residents.

Key Highlights:

• Incident Recap: The chemical fire resulted in thick smoke and mandatory evacuations.
• Community Impact: For many residents, it wasn't the first incident of its kind, raising concerns about safety and regulatory oversight.
• Podcast Preview: Hosted by Pamela Kirkland, the segment promises an investigative exploration of the event's ramifications.

---

Conclusion

The July 29, 2025, episode of Georgia Today provides a comprehensive overview of pressing issues affecting Georgia residents, from grassroots political movements led by older women to significant economic developments and community concerns. Through in-depth reporting and firsthand accounts, the podcast offers listeners valuable insights into the state's dynamic landscape.

For more detailed coverage, visit gpb.org/news and subscribe to the Georgia Today podcast to stay informed on the latest developments across Georgia.

---

Contact & Feedback: For feedback or to share your thoughts, email [e-mail].

Transcript

[NPR Host]

These days there's so much news it can be hard to keep up with what it all means for you, your family and your community. The Consider this podcast from NPR features our award winning journalism. Six days a week we bring you a deep dive on a news story and provide the context and analysis that helps you make sense of the news. We get behind the headlines. We get to the truth. Listen to the Consider this podcast from npr.

[Orlando Montoya]

Hello and welcome to the Georgia Today Podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom on today's episode. Recent protests around the state are being driven and attended by politically active older women. We'll tell you why. State officials released facts and figures around students taking advantage of private school vouchers and proposed Danger Data center in Monroe county failed to get past a zoning committee.

[Jordan Burns]

If that building is rated at 100 megawatts, it will continue to consume 100 megawatts. It means we're going to put in machines that will consume every drop of energy that we were designed to consume.

[Orlando Montoya]

Today is Tuesday, July 29th. I'm Orlando Montoya and this is Georgia Today. Imagine a political protest. Maybe who you see in your mind are lots of passionate and young people. But look around the crowd at some of the recent political demonstrations in Georgia protesting the policies of President Donald Trump and you'll see something else. Lots of older women. GPB's Sarah Kallas explains why some of these women are taking to the streets.

[Sarah Kallis]

Justice About 1,000 protesters are walking in late afternoon July from the John Lewis Memorial in Atlanta to Ebenezer Baptist Church during what is billed as Good Trouble Day on the anniversary of Lewis's death. Many have signs protesting the Trump administration. Kathleen Hamel is in exercise clothes. She has no sign, just a bottle of water. She came with a friend today. This isn't her first march. Even just this year. She also attended the hands off protest in in march in Atlanta. Hamill says as a lawyer, she tries to be non political and nonpartisan.

[Tammy Greer Clark]

But at a certain point, you know, it's like how do we stand up for the rule of law if you know the Constitution and the basic principles are being chopped up.

[Sarah Kallis]

Hamill is in her 50s. She is part of a new movement of protesters who say they have hit their breaking point since President Donald Trump took office in January. Many are women, especially middle aged and older white women. Christine Conrado Stauskowitz of Tucker is a protest organizer with the group the Pocketbook Brigade. She hears from a lot of women who have very basic concerns, like will tariffs mean I can't fix my car or be able to buy my kids school supplies. But she says many have never protested before. They have to be convinced.

[Tammy Greer Clark]

If you've never tried sushi and you're afraid and all your life you don't try it and then finally one of your friends talks you into it and you love it, then all of a sudden sushi's not that scary anymore.

[Sarah Kallis]

Stalskowitz says the ages of Pocketbook Brigade Protesters range from 40 to 80. The organization has seen hundreds of people show up to events, and many of them say they feel less hopeless after marching.

[Tammy Greer Clark]

What we're doing at the Pocketbook Brigade is helping people to kind of go through a cathartic experience by marching and talking to other people, or in other words, to vent. I have seen, again, an outlet for individuals to voice their frustration.

[Sarah Kallis]

That's Tammy Greer Clark, Atlanta University professor studying policy and social movements. She says while giving women that outlet is good, she'd like to see the energy from the street turn into a more concrete strategy for political action.

[Tammy Greer Clark]

If there's no one doing that, then we're running from chaos to chaos rather than taking a moment to develop something that is long term, that is goal oriented, that people can get on board with.

[Sarah Kallis]

That, she says, could be the difference between marching to feel good today versus working toward lasting change. For GPV News, I'm Sarah Kallis.

[Orlando Montoya]

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has launched an investigation into a company accused of operating a Ponzi scheme. The U.S. securities and Exchange Commission filed a lawsuit in mid July against Brandt Frost IV and his company, First Liberty Building and Loan. Frost was active in funding political campaigns. Raffensperger has already called on politicians to return any campaign contributions from the company or the Frost family. Nebraska based Union Pacific is seeking to buy Georgia based Norfolk Southern in an $85 billion deal that would create the first transcontinental railroad in the U.S. the proposed merger had been reported for weeks, but the companies did not formally announce it until today. It's unclear how the merger would affect Norfolk Southern's Atlanta headquarters. The announcement says that the combined company would be based in Omaha, but that Atlanta would remain a core location over the long term. It's also unclear if the merger would pass regulatory scrutiny, as some shippers fear consolidation would lead to higher prices and snarled traffic. Union Pacific CEO Jim Veena promised this merger would avoid the mistakes of past mergers in the railroad industry. Boosters for a planned data center in Monroe county in central Georgia failed to get rezoning approval for the project yesterday. GPB's Grant Blankenship has more.

[Grant Blankenship]

The 900 acre data center planned for wooded land at Interstate 475 and US Highway 41 in the town of Bolingbroke was opposed by Most of the 500 people at the zoning meeting. The project boosters told residents data centers are becoming more efficient every day and the final footprint can end up being smaller and less intrusive when it comes online in 2034. Bolingbroke resident and data center industry consultant Jordan Burns had warned his neighbors, that's not how it works.

[Jordan Burns]

If that building is rated at 100 megawatts, it will continue to consume 100 megawatts. It means we're going to put in machines that will consume every drop of energy, energy that we were designed to consume.

[Grant Blankenship]

The zoning board voted not to recommend that the Monroe County Commission approve the data center when it takes up the issue next week. For GPB News, I'm Grant Blankenship. And for seith.

[Orlando Montoya]

Four Georgia metro areas have landed high on a list of the nation's top locations for food manufacturing. South Carolina based site selection firm Global Location Strategies Today released its 2025 rankings based on several factors desired in the food manufacturing industry. Warner, Robbins and Savannah were the nation's top two locations, with Atlanta and Gainesville in the top 10. The report highlighted the recently opened Lynx Beef Jerky plant in Warner Robins and the recently announced Kings Hawaiian expansion in Gainesville. It also sheds light on how the Trump administration's tariffs and regulatory changes could impact the industry. State lawmakers once again are resuming debate on whether Georgia should legalize sports betting or casino gambling. The proposal has been kicked around the state Capitol for decades, but legislation to advance the issue always has stalled. Now, a Georgia House committee is studying the feasibility of a constitutional amendment that would legalize some forms of gambling. That panel held its first meeting yesterday in the Northeast Georgia city of Watkinsville. Atlanta Democratic State Representative Stacy Evans serves on that committee.

[Stacy Evans]

I served for seven years, left for a little bit and came back. We were talking about this when I left, we were talking about it when I came back and we're still talking about it and hopefully we'll get some resolution out of this.

[Orlando Montoya]

The panel is expected to meet again in late August and provide legislative recommendations for the General assembly that returns in January. The Georgia Student Finance Commission has released new data about the Georgia Promise Scholarship. That's the state program that releases funds for students to attend private schools. GPB's Chase McGee has more.

[Chase McGee]

The commission's data shows around 8,600 students met eligibility requirements to receive a $6,500 scholarship. They report 64% of those students will use those funds to attend approved private schools. The report also says three of four students come from lower income households, which they define as families who make less than $128,000 a year. 45% of scholarship recipients live in counties where there is no program approved to private school, meaning they'll likely attend schools in other counties. Recipients in DeKalb, Henry, Bibb, Richmond and Chatham counties make up more than a third of all students enrolled in the program. For GPB news, I'm Chase McGee.

[Orlando Montoya]

Retailers rushing to stock up before expected tariffs have boosted the Port of Savannah to its second busiest year. The Georgia Ports Authority today reported that the port moved 5.7 million container units in the 2025 fiscal year. That's an 8.6% increase over the previous year. The surge is partly due to President Trump's promises to enact heavy tariffs on U.S. trading partners. All right, music fans, Fans of hip hop and R&B, One Music Fest just dropped its 2025 lineup. We are talking about the Southeast's largest annual urban progressive music festival. It returns to Atlanta's Piedmont park on October 25th and 26th. Headliners this year include the Dungeon Family, paying tribute to the late Rico Wade, Future Ludacris, Mary J. Blige and the Roots. The two day festival blends hip hop, R and B and viral newcomers with sets from Jasmine Sullivan, Klipse, Greg street and more. Organizers say this year's festival will be bigger than ever, spotlighting legends and rising stars across generations. A rare natural spectacle near the Okefenokee Swamp stunned visitors at Stephen C. Fo State park last Saturday. Roughly 300 alligators packed into a single boat basin, swimming, feeding and occasionally bellowing in what experts call a rare congregation. Researchers say these events only happen once or twice a year and are likely driven by a mix of food availability, water levels and temperature. The gators cleared out by the next morning, but that swirling sea of jaws was unforgettable.

[Pamela Kirkland]

When a massive chemical fire erupted at the Biolab facility in Conyers, thick smoke filled the air, forcing evacuations. But for many, it wasn't the first time and it wouldn't be the last. I'm Pamela Kirkland. In GPB's new podcast manufacturing the Biolab Story, I investigate what caused the fire, the response and what it means for Conyers residents today. [e-mail] podcast or wherever you get your podcast.

[Orlando Montoya]

Coming out of that mental image. Now we turn to Georgia sports. The Atlanta Braves snapped a five game losing streak with a team 107 victory over the Kansas City Royals in Kansas City last night. Ronald Acuna Jr. Hit a two run homer, his 14th in the third inning, and an inning later, Marcelo Zuna added another two run shot, also his 14th. Austin Riley hit a solo homer, his 15th in the seventh inning. The series continues tonight with the right handed pitcher Eric Fetty making his Braves debut. And in the wnba, the Atlanta Dream moved up from number six to number two in the league's power pole ranking. The move comes after a pair of big wins for Atlanta following the All Star break, including a victory over the Phoenix Mercury in Phoenix that featured Brittney Griner's first game against her longtime team and a win over the Minnesota Lynx that ended the Lynx 14 game home winning streak. The Dream play the Golden State Valkyries tonight at Gateway center, their home in Atlanta's College Park. And that's it for today's edition of Georgia. Today. We always invite you to Visit our website gpb.org news for the latest from our GPB newsroom. We also want you to hit subscribe on this podcast. We tell you to do it all the time because it's important for you to keep up with Georgia news in your podcast feed. Hitting subscribe helps you do that. If you have feedback, send that our way. We welcome feedbackorgia [e-mail] I'm Orlando Montoya and I'll talk to you again tomorrow.

[Pamela Kirkland]

When a massive chemical fire erupted at the Biolab facility in Conyers, thick smoke filled the air, forcing evacuations. But for many, it wasn't the first time and it wouldn't be the last. I'm Pamela Kirkland. In GPB's new podcast, Manufacturing the Biolab Story, I investigate what caused the fire, the response and what it means for Conyers residents. Today. [e-mail] podcast or wherever you get your podcast.