President Trump in Rome; DHS shares facility details; Mental health insurance coverage

Summary

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.

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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].

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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." |

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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.

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

Transcript

[A]

Welcome to the Georgia Today Podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, President Donald Trump is making a stop in Rome, Georgia ahead of a race for Marjorie Taylor Greene's seat. Officials in Social Circle have shared documents provided to them by the Department of Homeland Security detailing what they plan to do with a 1 million square foot warehouse. And state legislators are trying to make sure insurance companies cover the mental health care they're legally required to.

[B]

What we need is that statute 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

[A]

giving something less than Today is Thursday, February 19th. I'm Chase McGee and this is Georgia Today. President Trump is expected to make a visit to Rome, Georgia tonight. He'll make a stop in the congressional district previously represented by Marjorie Taylor Greene in a trip designed to help boost Republicans political standing heading into midterm elections. In an email previewing his talking points, the White House Office of Communications says he'll speak on the economy, affordability and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's role in the state GPB Sarah Kalis spoke with Clay Cooper while he was waiting to enter the rally. He says he'd like to see a more balanced approach to immigration policy.

[C]

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.

[A]

Trump will be at the Coosa Steel Corporation for a tour and a speech. Georgia House Speaker Jan Jones plans to step down when her term ends. After almost two decades as a legislative leader, Jones is declining to run for re election. The Republican from Milton was first elected to the house in 2002. She became the state's first female speaker of the house in 2010 and was re elected to that post every term after becoming the longest serving speaker pro tem in Georgia history. She said in a statement that she will miss her colleagues and her work, adding that she was incredibly proud of educational policies enacted during her tenure. 12 new restaurants are set to open this May inside the former CNN center in downtown Atlanta. The building, now called the center is undergoing a major renovation by real estate developer CP Group. The revamped atrium will feature a 24,000 square foot food hall with 11 restaurants and what's being billed as Atlanta's largest full bar. The space is expected to open ahead of this summer's FIFA World cup matches in Atlanta. CNN left the building in 2024, bringing their staff to their mid Techwood campus after nearly four decades downtown. Officials in the city of Social Circle have shared public documents given to them by the Department of Homeland Security describing just what DHS plans for the 1 million square foot warehouse they bought in town. GPB's Grant Blankenship has more.

[D]

The documents place the Social Circle warehouse as a hub and a new nationwide hub and spoke system meant to add 24,000 detention beds nationally by the fall. That's a 30% increase. Hub detention is hoped to be short, a maximum of two months before deportation. Savvy Arvey runs the ICE flight monitor for the group Human Rights First. She says ICE deportations spiked last year

[C]

and so 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 DHS hopes the

[D]

Social Circle hub will see detainees by May. For GPB News, I'm Grant Blankenship. In Macon,

[A]

Former Atlanta Mayor and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Young is remembering his fellow civil rights leader, the Reverend Jesse Jackson. Young says he first met Jackson and Selma in 1965, when Jackson volunteered to hold back a crowd of marchers after days of violence. He says what he'll miss most about Jackson is his restless energy.

[E]

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.

[A]

The civil rights leader died on Tuesday at the age of 84. You can find the full interview with former Ambassador Andrew Young on our website, gpb.org news state and federal law require equal insurance coverage for both physical and mental illness. But advocates say Georgia needs to hold insurers accountable when behavioral health care is hard to find. GPB's Ellen Eldredge reports.

[F]

Senate Bill 131 creates a parity Enforcement Review panel to hold insurance companies accountable when mental health services are are not covered equitably. That includes when patients cannot find a provider in network. Roland Behm is one of the founders of the Georgia Mental Health Policy Partnership.

[B]

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 Boehm says.

[F]

Providers of behavioral health care are currently not reimbursed for on par with medical and surgical. For GPB news, I'm Ellen Eldred.

[A]

Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital started taking patients Wednesday at its expanded emergency and trauma center in Albany. Phase two of the multimillion dollar renovation includes an updated obstetrics emergency center and a new separate wing for people with mental health needs that go well beyond what an emergency room can provide. Chief Nursing Officer Maureen Jackson says the new space helps them serve a growing patient load from Albany and other parts of southwest Georgia.

[G]

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.

[A]

Phoebe Putney is the only Level 2 trauma center in the region. Fulton county schools plans to offer new meals on their breakfast and lunch menus next school year. But before they nail down what those will be, district tested 10 potential recipes with its most honest critics, the students. GPB's Amanda Andrews brings us this postcard from the district's 8th Student Choice Food Challenge.

[C]

I'm Aaliyah Marie. My favorite food so far was the blueberry breakfast.

[A]

Exactly.

[G]

It's mozzarella and blueberry. So a little bit of blueberry on the inside as well. And of course, the cinnamon on the top gives that extra sweetness because I

[C]

really, I really enjoy breakfast foods. And they taste so sweet and good because usually we have the same. Sometimes we have the same foods on rotation and it's not really exciting, but now it is because we get to try new things and we even get to decide what's on the menu. All right, we got two different foods you can try, y'. All.

[G]

I'm Alicia Wright, executive director of school nutrition for Fulton County Schools. We have recipes that are on our menu right now that have been selected by our students.

[F]

What else?

[A]

What else?

[C]

What's your second favorite?

[G]

Not our kindergartners per se. And, you know, they may be a little influenced by their friends, but we want them just mature enough to make their own decisions. Like I said, if you like it, don't forget to vote for it.

[C]

Okay.

[G]

So they have the distinct opportunity to taste test 10 recipes. We start with about 35, and then we narrow it down based on different criteria. So labor. How much time does it take to prepare the item? The affordability?

[C]

If you're in the back, come on over here and try this.

[H]

My name is Orlando Pareto. I'm graduating this year, so I'm just doing it for everybody else. I want them to have good lunch during lunch and all that. Nothing bad. I experience some terrible lunches right now. I tried the Cuban sandwich, just no pickles. Everything else, like, the cheese is melted perfectly. The ham's good. Just the pickles ruins it.

[I]

My name is William Sloan, but they call me Chef Reggie. That rhymes with veggie. I have the best job in Fulton County. I'm the district chef for Fulton county schools. I like the kids interacting, letting us know what they want instead of thinking what they want.

[C]

I'm really looking forward to the sushi. I'm looking forward to the street corn Mac and cheese.

[G]

Yeah.

[C]

We are fighting for more sugar. My favorite was the cheesy enchilada bake. The cheese was like really, like pull. It was pulling. And the I think the sauce is

[F]

what made it really good.

[H]

The marinara sauce, kielbasa pasta, amazing. Really good.

[C]

The blueberry thingy was yummy. The sushi was not very good.

[I]

I got kids. Hey, I want to be able to enjoy what they're eating and it feels safe and know that it's all right to eat school lunch. They matter to us with the spices.

[D]

It's all fresh ingredients.

[I]

The peppers were cooked.

[C]

I'm Sophie Yang. I tried the pasta, the cheesy enchilada bake, and the caesaroni wrap.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

I really love the idea that I get to choose what I'm eating next year because I buy school lunch all the time.

[I]

I'm a Fulton county kid, so I remember what it was like eating lunch and it was funny because I was in sixth grade and I ran for president and my two things were I was going to put kool aid in the water founders and change the school lunch. You plant seeds when you're younger, so hopefully this can inspire them to go visit places or go inspire them to become chefs or try different foods.

[A]

You heard from students and employees of Fulton county schools trying new items for school menus. District leaders will review the feedback from 160 students who voted and update the menu with the most popular choices. That's it for today's edition of Georgia Today. If you'd like to learn more about these stories, visit gpb.org news if you haven't yet hit subscribe on this podcast. Take a moment right now and keep us current in your podcast feed. If you've got feedback, we'd love to hear it. Email [e-mail] I'm Chase McGee and we'll see you tomorrow.