← Georgia Today
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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, Georgia prisons face a growing shortage of guards. A fight on a football field turns into a legal battle. And big changes are coming to Savannah's public transit system.
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This is about the money that's being spent and the service that's not being rendered.
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Today is Monday, December 1st. Peter I'm Peter Biello and this is Georgia Today. A national farm workers union and other plaintiffs, including one in Georgia, are suing the Trump administration over a new rule that effectively lowers the wages of most foreign born farm workers in the US under a temporary visa. GPB's Sophie Gradas has more.
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The new rule adopted in October creates two tiers of wages based on skill for workers with an H2A visa. In some states, the new wages will fall below minimum wage. Lower tier workers in Georgia will see their wages drop about 30% total. State agricultural Commissioner Tyler Harper has applauded the change, saying it will save farmers millions. But Teresa Romero, president of United Farm Workers, says it further disadvantages vulnerable workers.
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There is nothing America first about extending exploitative gas worker programs of undercutting American wages. So that is what this lawsuit is about.
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Georgia Farms employ over 30,000 H2A workers every year, which is higher than most of the US For GPB News, I'm Sophie Gratas.
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Georgia prisons are still struggling to keep enough guards for a growing number of incarcerated people. That was the message from officials with the Georgia Department of Corrections today to a panel of state lawmakers. The agency says currently more than 50,000 people are incarcerated by the state. That is a 15 year high. GDC Director of Data and research Cliff Hogan says that number will grow. As you can see through 2030, that projection is showing an increase up to over 55,000 offenders. We're seeing them come in younger and staying longer, especially those life without parolers. We know they're going to be with us for the rest of their natural lives. Meanwhile, state data suggests the number of correctional officers is at a 15 year low, even after years of pay incentives and recruitment efforts. Hogan says the agency plans to build a new prison by 2030, but no site has yet been chosen for it. Plans for another multi billion dollar data center are now on the radar in Georgia. Developer Trammell Crowe on Wednesday submitted documents to the state showing an intent to build a 12 million square foot data center in Middle George's Monroe County. That's about twice the size of the entire terminal complex at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Public details were scant and a company spokesman had no comment. We are now firmly into the holiday shopping season, a stressful time for many, but a researcher at the University of Georgia says managing debt and setting financial boundaries can reduce that stress. GPB's Ellen Eldredge reports on his advice.
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While it may be better to give than receive, credit card debt can be overwhelming. Gaurav Sinha is an assistant professor at the University of Georgia's School of Social Work. He says mental health and financial well being are connected, particularly in young adults.
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All these accumulate at some point and you know many people it's okay for them to do well, but then at the end of it like, you know, if you are kind of happen to have holiday burnout, it affects your mental health a lot.
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He also suggests blocking out time to recharge and taking micro breaks while planning holiday activities. For GPB News, I'm Ellen Eldredge.
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The public transit agency serving the Savannah area is facing an existential crisis. Chatham county plans to withdraw from the system in about seven months, leaving Chatham Area Transit, or cat, without a major source of funding. Chatham County Chairman Chester Ellis says the county is prepared to stand up a different public transit agency to improve service.
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This is about the monies that's being spent and the service that's not being rendered.
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Cat's board calls the threat a, quote, short sighted and cruel folly that would, quote, punish all CAT riders. Savannah State Senator Derek Mallow last week called on community leaders to find a solution to the long simmering dispute. The Columbus Airport resumed flights on Friday after three months of construction on its main Runway. The airport's director says the project represents a long term investment for the region's economic development, enhancing safety and operational efficiency. Flights resumed at the same levels as before, three flights daily on Delta to and from Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Columbus Airport Director Amber Clark last month said her office is in discussions with a low cost carrier interested in coming to Columbus with twice weekly service. As the weather gets colder, you might notice a ladybug lookalike in your house. GPB's Chase McGee has more on the Asian lady beetle and what you should do if you encounter one.
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The multicolor Asian lady beetle is a lot like your typical ladybug. You'll only be able to tell the difference if you notice a small W or M marking behind its head. And like a ladybug, they won't hurt you, your furniture or your groceries. They're actually helpful in your garden where they'll eat the pests that might damage your plants. Dan Suter is a professor of urban entomology at the University of Georgia. He says sticking out the winter in your house is bad for them.
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They get in a closed environment. In our living environment, they basically starve themselves to death.
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Their metabolism helps them survive colder weather, but if they do die inside, their bodies tend to attract larger insects. So the best thing you can do is be gentle, get a cup and take them back outside. For GPB news, I'm Chase McGee.
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Atlanta's center for Puppetry Arts is getting a major piece of Jim Henson history. The Henson family is donating a 12 foot statue of Kermit the Frog dressed as Charlie Chaplin's Little Tramp. The sculpture has stood for 25 years at the entrance of the Jim Henson Company's Hollywood headquarters, which is relocating after the sale of its historic studio lot. The statue will be installed on the center for Puppetry Art's midtown campus, home to the world's largest collection of Muppets and Sesame street artifacts. Atlanta's Mercedes Benz stadium is among 14American sites proposed as venues to host games in the 2031 Women's World Cup. Soccer's world governing body, FIFA, released bid books for the tournament on Friday. The 2031 games have only one bidder, a joint proposal from four nations, including the U.S. the Atlanta Stadium is being used for next year's Men's World cup and Friday. FIFA will hold a final draw to settle teams into groups for the 2026 tournament and giving soccer fans their first glimpse of what teams and players might be coming to Atlanta. An on field fight at a high school football game has turned into a legal fight affecting the Georgia high school football playoffs. The Georgia High School association and Gainesville High School are waiting for a court ruling stemming from the disturbing viral brawl in Brunswick on November 21st. This afternoon, the GHSA said it would for now proceed with the games in its Class 5A division while the case goes on. The the association suspended 34 Gainesville players after the fight, but a judge reinstated them after Gainesville schools argued in court that they had a right to defend themselves. The GHSA has appealed. Its executive director, Tim Scott, spoke with GPB earlier today.
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I think safety is vitally important. One of the reasons that the bylaw states how it is is because you have seven officials on the field. You have 22 players on the field. So if something breaks out on the field, you know you've got to be able to stop it.
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You can hear more about the on field and legal fights on this week's episode of the GPB podcast, Football Fridays in Georgia, that will be released later this evening on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts. We appreciate you tuning in to this podcast Georgia Today, and we hope you will come back tomorrow. Make sure you subscribe to this podcast. That way it'll pop up automatically in your feed at about 4:30 or so tomorrow afternoon. If you want to learn more about any of the stories we talked about on the podcast Today, check out gpb.org news and remember to check out that Football Fridays in Georgia podcast as well. If you've got feedback, perhaps you got a story idea we should know about? Email us. Your email will go to the whole team when you send it to georgia todaypb.org we value your feedback. I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.