Georgia Today Podcast Summary – February 19, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of Georgia Today, hosted by Chase McGee, delivers key news from across Georgia, spanning national politics, local infrastructure developments, mental health policy advocacy, and community stories. Major topics include President Donald Trump’s visit to Rome ahead of midterm elections, details on a new Department of Homeland Security facility in Social Circle, ongoing efforts to ensure mental health parity in insurance coverage, and Fulton County’s innovative approach to school lunch menus.

Major Segments & Discussion Highlights

1. President Trump Visits Rome, Georgia

[00:43–01:39]

• Purpose of Visit: President Trump is making a strategic appearance in Rome, Georgia, formerly Marjorie Taylor Greene’s district, to boost Republican momentum before the midterms.
• Key Topics: According to the White House’s preview, Trump will address the economy, affordability, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) role in Georgia.
• Local Reaction: Interview with Clay Cooper, a rally attendee, reflects a desire for a balanced immigration approach:
  • Quote [01:26]:
    "I think our approach on immigration could be a little more mixed. I think we could approach, we could go after the criminals that are here illegally, but we could also address the dreamers. So have a little more balanced approach." – Clay Cooper

2. Political News Update: Georgia House Speaker Jan Jones Retires

[01:39–02:20]

• Career Summary: Speaker Jan Jones, Georgia’s first female House Speaker, announces she will not seek re-election after nearly two decades. She is noted for championing educational reforms and being the longest-serving Speaker Pro Tem in state history.

3. Atlanta’s CNN Center to Become Food Hall

[02:20–03:08]

• Development Details: The former CNN Center, now simply “the Center,” will house Atlanta’s largest food hall and bar ahead of the FIFA World Cup, repurposing a major downtown landmark.

4. DHS New Detention Center in Social Circle

[03:08–03:56]

• Facility Plans: Public documents reveal DHS’s intent to make a 1 million sq. ft. warehouse a central hub in a new national detention network, increasing capacity by 24,000 beds (a 30% rise).
• Due Process Concerns: Savvy Arvey of Human Rights First worries about the speed and scale of deportations:
  • Quote [03:31]: "...if they're trying to speed up this process even further, it's only going to extremely exacerbate the due process violations, separation of families..." – Savvy Arvey

5. Remembering Reverend Jesse Jackson

[03:56–04:40]

• Personal Reflections: Former Mayor and U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young remembers Jackson’s passion and tireless energy following Jackson’s passing at age 84.
  • Quote [04:17]: "Jesse was always a man of ideas and he'd call me up 2, 3 o'clock in the morning, middle of the night, Andy, listen to this, and he'd have a new idea about something, what do you think? And I'd have to wake up and, and at least engage him. And we're running out of people like that now." – Andrew Young

6. Mental Health Parity in Insurance Coverage

[05:05–05:51]

• Legislation: Senate Bill 131 aims to enforce equal treatment for mental and physical health care by insurance companies, through a new Parity Enforcement Review Panel.
• Advocacy: Roland Behm underscores the need for enforcement, not just laws:
  • Quote [05:22]: "What we need is that statute enforced and in particular what we need to ensure is that individuals who need medically necessary mental health care have access to that care and are not denied, delayed or giving something less than..." – Roland Behm

7. Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital's Emergency Renovation

[05:51–06:27]

• Updates: The Albany hospital opens new facilities, including a dedicated space for mental health, responding to increasing demand:
  • Quote [06:16]: "We are doing on the average of 200 more patients a month since we have opened our emergency room. Really taking out those patients that have, you know, specialty needs is really the right thing to do." – Maureen Jackson, Chief Nursing Officer

8. Fulton County Schools' Student Choice Food Challenge

[06:56–10:05]

• Innovative Engagement: Students taste-test and vote on new recipes, helping decide future school menus. Highlights include diverse offerings from sushi to cheesy enchilada bake.
• Memorable Moments:
  • "My favorite food so far was the blueberry breakfast." – Aaliyah Marie [06:56]
  • "I want them to have good lunch during lunch and all that. Nothing bad. I experience some terrible lunches right now." – Orlando Pareto [08:12]
  • "I like the kids interacting, letting us know what they want instead of thinking what they want." – William Sloan, aka Chef Reggie [08:50]
  • "I really love the idea that I get to choose what I'm eating next year because I buy school lunch all the time." – Sophie Yang [09:27]
  • Chef Reggie recalls his childhood ambitions to "change the school lunch," underscoring impact and student empowerment [09:38].

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote/Comment | |-----------|-------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:26 | Clay Cooper | "I think our approach on immigration could be a little more mixed..." | | 03:31 | Savvy Arvey | "...it's only going to extremely exacerbate the due process violations, separation of families..." | | 04:17 | Andrew Young | "Jesse was always a man of ideas and he'd call me up 2, 3 o'clock in the morning..." | | 05:22 | Roland Behm | "What we need is that statute enforced and in particular what we need to ensure is that individuals who need medically necessary mental health care have access..." | | 06:16 | Maureen Jackson | "We are doing on the average of 200 more patients a month since we have opened our emergency room..." | | 06:56 | Aaliyah Marie | "My favorite food so far was the blueberry breakfast." | | 08:12 | Orlando Pareto | "I want them to have good lunch during lunch and all that. Nothing bad. I experience some terrible lunches right now." | | 08:50 | Chef Reggie | "I like the kids interacting, letting us know what they want instead of thinking what they want." | | 09:27 | Sophie Yang | "I really love the idea that I get to choose what I'm eating next year because I buy school lunch all the time." |

Episode Flow Summary

• National Politics: Trump’s campaign visit and implications for Georgia Republicans.
• Local Infrastructure: CNN Center’s transformation, DHS facility expansion, and hospital improvements.
• Community Impact: Musings on civil rights legacy, insurance reform for mental health, and student empowerment in schools.
• Youth Voice: Fulton County’s student-led menu choices, blending nutrition and activism.

For more details or the full interviews, listeners are encouraged to visit gpb.org/news.