Protests against Social Security office closings; Atlanta gets new temporary IG

Summary

Georgia Today Podcast Summary Episode: Protests against Social Security office closings; Atlanta gets new temporary IG Release Date: March 3, 2025

1. Mental Health Support Announcement [00:00] The episode begins with a crucial public service announcement from a DBHDD Representative, emphasizing the availability of the 988 lifeline for Georgians concerned about opioid and stimulant misuse. The representative highlights that the service is free, confidential, and accessible 24/7. For more information, listeners are directed to opioidresponse.info.

2. Episode Introduction [00:22] Host Orlando Montoya welcomes listeners to the Georgia Today podcast, outlining the day’s key stories:

• Protests in Decatur against the closure of five Social Security offices.
• Appointment of a new interim Inspector General for Atlanta.
• USDA's reevaluation of food date labeling and expert suggestions to reduce food waste.

3. Protests Against Social Security Office Closures [01:00] Five out of Georgia's 34 Social Security offices are slated for closure following budget cuts announced by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Demonstrators, led by U.S. Representative Hank Johnson, rallied in Decatur to oppose these closures. GPB's Sarah Kalis reports:

"Georgia has lost the most locations of any state so far. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kalis." [01:39]

4. Manna Nutrition Contract Reinstated [02:22] The Trump administration's decision to cut USAID contracts threatened Manna Nutrition in Ben Hill County, a vital supplier of nutritional supplements for children globally. However, after persistent efforts from the company, including appeals to congressional members, USAID reinstated the contract almost a week later. Grant Blankenship narrates:

"Mark Moore says that being able to save kids from starving again is more than a moral victory." [05:29]

This segment highlights the community’s resilience and the critical role of Manna Nutrition in combating child hunger worldwide.

5. USDA Food Date Labeling and Food Waste [06:07] The USDA is approaching its March 5 deadline for public comments on food date labeling, a practice aimed at reducing the staggering $161 billion worth of food wasted annually. Dr. Carla Schwan from the National Center for Home Food Preservation offers practical advice:

"Maybe you can keep a diary and see how much you eat of each category of food, organizing the food in your fridge or even in your pantry. So first in, first out." [06:23]

Additionally, the DBHDD Representative recommends utilizing the USDA’s Foodkeeper app to help consumers manage grocery storage and minimize spoilage. GPB's Chase McGee delves deeper into these strategies to curb food waste.

6. Resignation of Apalachee High School Coach [07:09] Mike Hancock, the head football coach at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, announced his resignation due to mental health struggles following the tragic September shooting that claimed four lives, including his first staff hire, Richard Aspinwall. Hancock shared his battle with PTSD, anxiety, grief, and depression, highlighting the profound personal impact of the incident on his well-being.

7. Appointment of Interim Inspector General in Atlanta [07:09] In response to Shannon Manigault’s resignation, Atlanta has appointed LeDawn Blackett, an intellectual property and criminal defense lawyer, as the interim Inspector General. Blackett will serve until a permanent replacement is selected, ensuring continuity in oversight and governance within the city administration.

8. Georgia State Senate Inquiry into Fani Willis and Stacey Abrams [07:09] A Georgia State Senate committee is intensifying its investigation into Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, with proposals to include Stacey Abrams as a target. Republicans, including Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, aim to scrutinize alleged unethical coordination between the voter participation group New Georgia Project and Abrams' 2018 gubernatorial campaign. Democrats argue that this investigation is unfounded and a misuse of legislative resources.

9. Dismissal of Charges in Tara Grinstead Case [07:09] The Georgia Court of Appeals has dismissed pending criminal charges against two men convicted of concealing the death of teacher Tara Grinstead, citing the expiration of the statute of limitations. Grinstead's 2005 disappearance had long baffled investigators, and while prior convictions remain unaffected, the dismissal marks a significant development in the case.

10. Death of Angie Stone in Car Crash [07:09] Atlanta-based Grammy-nominated R&B singer Angie Stone tragically died in an early morning car crash on Saturday. The accident occurred when the van she was traveling in flipped and was struck by a large truck at around 4 AM while returning to Atlanta from Alabama. Music producer Walter Millsap III reported that others in the van survived. Stone, aged 63, was renowned for her membership in the all-female hip-hop trio The Sequence and her hit song "Wish I Didn't Miss You."

11. Featured Book: Gerald Brom's "Evil in Me" [10:43] An excerpt from GPB's Narrative Edge podcast features Savannah-based writer and illustrator Gerald Brom discussing his book "Evil in Me." The conversation, hosted by GPB's Peter Biello, delves into the book's themes of magic, spirits, and horror, intertwined with music. Brom explains his inspiration from horror movies like The Exorcist and explores the nature of evil through his characters. Notably, Brom collaborated with a local punk rock band, The Maxines, to bring a song from the book to life, enhancing the narrative's depth and connection to music.

"Ruby is in danger. She's possessed by the demon Beal." [11:22]

Brom emphasizes the power of collective music as a form of magic, reflecting on how unified voices can create tangible impacts, a central theme in his storytelling.

12. Georgia Sports Update: Braves Catcher Injury [16:56] In sports news, Braves starting catcher Sean Murphy will miss the start of the season due to a rib injury, as reported by ESPN. Murphy, a former All-Star and Gold Glove winner, is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks with a cracked rib on his left side. Top prospect Drake Baldwin may take over the catching duties for the impending opening day game against San Diego on March 27th.

Conclusion Orlando Montoya wraps up the episode by directing listeners to GPB’s website for more detailed stories and encourages feedback via email. He also promotes subscribing to the podcast to stay updated with the latest news from Georgia.

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and conclusions from the March 3, 2025, episode of Georgia Today, providing a thorough overview for those who haven't listened to the podcast.

Transcript

[DBHDD Representative]

DBHDD is reminding Georgians that the 988 lifeline can help those worried about opioid and stimulant misuse. The three digit number is free and confidential. Help is available 24. 7 more [e-mail].

[Orlando Montoya]

Hello and welcome to the Georgia Today Podcast from GPB News. This is the podcast where you'll find the latest reports from the GPB News team. If you have story tips for us or feedback, send us an email to Georgia todaypb.org Today is Monday, March 3rd. I'm Orlando Montoya. On this episode, demonstrators gather in Decatur to protest the closing of 5 Georgia Social Security offices. The city of Atlanta appoints a new interim inspector general and as the USDA reconsiders food date labeling experts offer solutions to prevent food waste.

[Dr. Carla Schwan]

Maybe you can keep a diary and see how much you eat of each category of food, organizing the food in your fridge or even in your pantry. So first in, first out.

[Orlando Montoya]

These stories and more are coming up on this edition of Georgia today. Five of Georgia's 34 Social Security offices are set to close after the Department of government efficiency, or DOGE, announced cuts. U.S. representative Hank Johnson and demonstrators held a rally in Decatur over the weekend to protest the closures. GPB's Sarah Kalis reports.

[Sarah Kalis]

The Department of Government Efficiency has terminated leases for five of Georgia's 34 Social Security offices. Offices in Brunswick, Gainesville, Columbus, Vidalia and Thomasville will close, according to the Department of Government Efficiency, or doge, website. The department claims the closure will save the federal government hundreds of thousands of dollars. Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock condemned the closures, saying they will make it harder for seniors to access services they need. Physical Social Security offices serve as a point of contact for seniors and others using the service. Georgia has lost the most locations of any state so far. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kallas.

[Orlando Montoya]

When the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency gutted the US Agency for International Development recently, that meant contracts USAID had with businesses went away in Georgia. That included Manna Nutrition in Ben Hill county, population about 17,000 people. But now, not even a week after being told their contract was canceled, the company, which makes life saving nutritional supplements for children around the world, is back working for USAID, GPB's Grant Blankenship reports.

[Jeremy Robinson]

By mid morning Monday, the production line at Manna Nutrition in Fitzgerald is humming. Jeremy Robinson's hands are among the last to touch the packets of food in each box coming off the line before it's sealed and shipped. He's checking to make sure none of it's leaking. A huge American flag hangs from the roof behind him. Robinson doesn't want any of what this factory makes to go to waste.

[Steven Rainey]

Save lives. We save lives over here, sir. And that's a fact. We have the numbers. We have the numbers.

[Mark Moore]

It's a fact.

[Orlando Montoya]

Yes, sir.

[Jeremy Robinson]

HR manager Steven Rainey explains the numbers.

[Steven Rainey]

So this is mostly peanut butter, tons of sugar in it to give them energy.

[Jeremy Robinson]

This is food for children so hungry they've lost the sense of hunger altogether.

[Steven Rainey]

These babies can even. They don't even have the energy to cry at this point. So they're listless. They're just there. So each one of These boxes have 150 packets in it. 150 packets is enough for them to use three times a day for six weeks. And that brings them back from wasting.

[Jeremy Robinson]

About 4,000 cases go out the loading dock every day. Like Robinson, Rainey sees real meaning in this work.

[Steven Rainey]

I grew up in a pastor's home, so, you know, I saw my parents all their lives serving others. And maybe not to this extent. They weren't, you know, saving starving children, but they were still helping people where they could. So I think that's important how we live our lives, but we get to do it every day at work.

[Jeremy Robinson]

And this is how Manna has fed children around the world for years. Most boxes leaving here had an American flag and the USAID logo until we.

[Grant Blankenship]

Got an email from usaid.

[Jeremy Robinson]

That's Manette CEO Mark Moore.

[Grant Blankenship]

The headline was Cancellation of contracts.

[Jeremy Robinson]

Among the mana's contract, that meant immediately changing out the USAID packaging and a warehouse full of USAID packets that might never ship because it was branded with a logo for an agency that may no longer exist.

[Grant Blankenship]

But then we started pushing, reaching out to our congressional members, Austin Scott and Buddy Carter, Republicans who are super helpful, and sending messages as best we could through to the administration, asking, is this a mistake?

[Jeremy Robinson]

Because publicly the Trump administration and Elon Musk were saying food aid wasn't supposed to be touched. Days pass. Moore is interviewed over and over, and then another email.

[Grant Blankenship]

And then finally Sunday night, we got the news that they were back with no real explanation.

[Jeremy Robinson]

So after Jeremy Robinson came back from lunch, the USAID labels were coming back. Moore, of course, is relieved. He says being able to save kids from starving again, it's more than a moral victory.

[Grant Blankenship]

When you get to the last mile, to the end of the last road where the people are the most desperate, you don't find a packet that says a gift of the Russian people or a gift of the Chinese people. But you do find packets of food that say a gift of the American people.

[Jeremy Robinson]

He calls it an America first message, but he isn't sure things are back to normal. Usaid, the agency is still gutted in a war torn or even ungoverned country. Who's going to take Manna's food across that last mile?

[Brom]

This?

[Grant Blankenship]

Yeah, well, we don't know.

[Jeremy Robinson]

Mark Moore says. That is his biggest worry now. For GPB News, I'm Grant Blankenship in Ben hill County.

[Orlando Montoya]

The U.S. department of Agriculture is nearing its March 5 deadline for public comment on food date labeling, a consumer minded practice that researchers say results in billions of dollars in wasted food. GP's Chase McGee has more.

[DBHDD Representative]

According to the USDA, around 30% of all food produced goes to waste. In 2010, that number totaled around $161 billion worth of food. That number is driven by factors like buying more than you can consume or confusion around freshness labels on food. Dr. Carla Schwan is the director of the national center for Home Food Preservation. She says there's a few ways to prevent waste.

[Dr. Carla Schwan]

Maybe you can keep a diary and see how much you eat of each category of food, keeping your organizing the food in your fridge or even in your pantry. First in, first out.

[DBHDD Representative]

She also recommends USDA services like the Foodkeeper app, which shows consumers how long they can keep their groceries before they start to spoil. For GPB news, I'm Chase McGee.

[Orlando Montoya]

The head football coach at Apalachee High School in Barrow county, east of Atlanta, is resigning, citing mental health issues after the September shooting that killed four people at the school. Coach Mike Hancock announced his decision on social media on Friday, writing that he's been struggling with pt, ptsd, anxiety, grief and depression. He writes that he's been working through the issues with a Christian counselor. Hancock has been coaching for nearly 30 years, including the last seven at Apalachee. One of the people killed in the shooting was the first person Hancock hired to his coaching staff, defensive coordinator Richard Aspinwall. The city of Atlanta has appointed an interim inspector general. LeDawn Blackett, an intellectual property and criminal defense lawyer, will fill the post until the city picks a full time inspector general. It comes after Shannon Manigault resigned from the post. A Georgia State Senate committee, pursuing a thus far fruitless investigation of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, wants to add Stacey Abrams to its list of targets. Lieutenant governor Burt Jones and other Republicans say they want to further examine recent ethics findings that voter participation group New Georgia Project improperly coordinated with Abrams 2018 campaign for governor Democrats say it's a waste of time the Georgia Court of Appeals has thrown out pending criminal charges against two men convicted of concealing the death of teacher Tara Grinstead. The court ruled last week that the statute of limitations had expired when prosecutors in Ben Hill county charged the men with crimes stemming from the burning of Grinstead's body two decades ago. Grinstead's 2005 disappearance baffled investigators for more than a decade. Prior convictions in the case weren't affected. Ryan Duke was found guilty in 2022 in Irwin county, where Grinstead lived, of concealing her death, but a jury acquitted him of murder. Atlanta based Grammy nominated R and B singer Angie Stone has died in an early morning car crash on Saturday. Stone was a member of the all female hip hop trio the Sequence and known for the hit song Wish I Didn't Miss you. Music producer Walter Millsap III said she was in a van about 4am Headed back to Atlanta from Alabama when the van flipped and was hit by a big rig. Millsap says others in the van survived. Angie stone was 63 years old. As you might know, I co host a podcast about books with Georgia connections with GPB's Peter Biello. It's called Narrative Edge, and a few weeks ago Peter and I were in Savannah for the Savannah Book Festival, talking there with several authors on stage and off about their work. I'm going to bring you a bit of one of those conversations now. It's about demons because Savannah based author and illustrator Brahm One Name Brom B R O M, writes about magic, spirits, witches and other aspects of horror. I'm not usually a fan of horror, but I picked up Brahms Book because it's also about music. There is magic in music. Brahms book is called Evil in Me and I asked him where he got the idea for it.

[Brom]

As a writer, I call it the Tickle. With each of my novels, there's something that sort of tickles at the back of my head, that sort of festers. I could say that eventually turns into story with evil in me. I was watching one of my favorite horror movies, the Exorcist, and I started thinking, what's the story with the demon, the devil that's infesting possessing this poor young girl? What's his story? What's, you know, what is compelling this creature to possess her and torture her and torment her? And that led me down the path to exploring, you know, possession and what that relationship would be between the person possessed and the creature possessing her the.

[Mark Moore]

Main character in the book is Ruby. Yes. And if I could subtitle this book or give it another title, it would be Ruby is in danger. She's possessed by the demon Beal. But at first, Ruby doesn't think she's possessed. She just thinks she's going insane. But she has all these dangers being thrown at her. Can you describe some of that?

[Brom]

I. I can. So in Ruby's case, Ruby has, due to her father dying early in her childhood, has had a lifetime of emotional issues and has been diagnosed with many different mental disorders. So for her, when she becomes possessed, not only do other people not believe her, but she questions her own sanity. You know, why am I hearing voices? What's going on? Is this real or not? So to me, that was interesting to explore. Somebody that does have a history of hearing voices, dealing with another entity trying to take over their body, you know, with Ruby, Ruby's character was very personal, a bit biographical for me, because the setting is in south Alabama and her story is pretty much my story, set in the early 80s and being a misfit artist in a small town where she's very misunderstood. And in her case, she finds music, punk rock, that kind of gives her her own voice and helps her find herself and. And gives her that. That ability to push back against people that are trying to make her conform. So, yes, so she finds out about, you know, the power of song magic and being that music is her voice, she figures out, well, maybe, you know, I can break this possession spell if I can make a song magic powerful enough. So that's sort of the major theme of the book, is her trying to put together her little punk rock band and make a song that becomes a spell.

[Mark Moore]

So as you were saying, sort of the main action, there's a lot of actions and chapter, chapter, chapter, every. There's something new. That's what I like about it.

[Brom]

Oh, there's good.

[Mark Moore]

There's some new danger being thrown in. It's sort of the overarching situation is that Ruby is trying to get a whole mass of people to sing the song called Evil in Me. Now in the audiobook, which is where I experienced it, the song is played many times, and it is a catchy song. Can you talk about the song?

[Brom]

I can. So one of my joys of creating my books is I get to write them and illustrate them, and it makes a complete vision. In this book, I got to take it one step further. And there's a local punk rock girl band here named the Maxines, and they're Friends with my wife, and we were talking about the book.

[Mark Moore]

AJ she's the singer in the band of.

[Brom]

Of the Maxines in real life. Maxine's here, and she said, wouldn't it be cool if we brought this song to life? It was her idea. And I said, that would be amazing. So me and her worked out the lyrics, and her and her amazing band brought the song to life. So that was a wonderful collaboration to add this third element to it. And. And I'll add one more thing on that note. On. You know, I was talking about ingredients you find when you explore mythology and this whole idea of. Of the. The power of song magic. And I think most of us have experienced that to some degree. If you're at a concert where everybody's singing along to a song, or if you're in a choir in. In church, you know, so much song and chanting is involved in religion. And I feel that, you know, it is a very palpable power that you can feel when. When you have a large group of people singing together. So that's part of what is played upon, is for her. She needs to get enough people singing the song with their heart and soul to make the magic work.

[Mark Moore]

I mean, I experienced that at karaoke. You know, there you go. If you go to a karaoke bar and there's a whole group of people and no one's paying attention to you, and they're all doing their own thing, and you're sitting up there, that's not magical. But if people are like, into the song, it creates something special.

[Brom]

You know, it makes everybody come together. You feel like you're one power, one voice.

[Mark Moore]

So let's talk about a few of the other characters. Some of them, the minor characters, were interesting. Vuto. I like that little demon who's the drummer. He kind of adds a little comic element to the book.

[Brom]

It. It does. I'm Vouto. I love. I love the absurd. You know, there's a lot of that in my writing. Then this little demon who basically just wants to do his own thing did bring a certain element of horror. But also, you know, it was. It was funny, you know, to have him interacting with the characters with similar goals, but his. His pathway to. To achieve those goals were always to kill and eat whatever was in the way, which could be a problem for a little while.

[Mark Moore]

He became a member of the band and they had to hide him. It's funny. On the complete other hand, is. And maybe you can describe sort of the role of Richard now. He's truly evil.

[Brom]

Yeah.

[Mark Moore]

I mean, I, I get as the book goes along that the demons are sort of like us. You know, they have their own struggles. They. You can empathize with the demons. I don't empathize with this Richard. He is truly evil.

[Brom]

One of the themes of so many of my books, the, the, there's very gray morality. It's exploring what evil truly is. You know, if. Is a vampire truly evil? If a vampire needs blood to live, is it not just our people, just not its source of food, just a lion is not evil because it will eat people. That's what it does. It's in its nature. So often the demons and the characters in my books, they have a motivation, they have something they need. And humans are just their food. They're just something in the way. It's not like they're doing something just for the pleasure of harming and torturing. With Richard, what was interesting, I wanted to create a character that was truly evil. And what was truly evil. To be truly evil, you had to be completely self aware of your being evil. It couldn't be a mental illness. It couldn't be something that be, you know, due to your environment. It had to be somebody that was 100% sane, that had a very, very good life, that decided to just be evil. In his case, he, you know, he's just this normal, otherwise wholesome fellow. Except for the fact that he tracks down young women and he kills them. And it was, I thought, the. The scariest, darkest character I've ever written. It was the hardest character to be in that world and write it and then come out of it because his constant self awareness made it very creepy painful.

[Mark Moore]

Thank you very much. It was an enjoyable book. Like I said, I experienced it as an audiobook. So I. I can sing the song now.

[Brom]

Oh, good, good. I know.

[Mark Moore]

Thank you very much.

[Brom]

Yeah, thank you.

[Orlando Montoya]

That was Brom. B R O M the Gnome. The plume of Savannah based writer and illustrator Gerald Brom. His book Evil and Me is the subject of the latest episode of Narrative Edge, GPB's podcast about books with Georgia connections. Find that [e-mail] narrative edge or wherever you get your podcasts. Turning now to Georgia sports, it's been basketball and more basketball recently, but we do have some news from the baseball diamond, where unfortunately for Braves fans, ESPN is reporting that Braves starting catcher Sean Murphy will miss the start of the season with a rib injury. The former All Star and Gold Glove winner will be sidelined for four to six weeks with a cracked rib on his left side. Top prospect Drake Baldwin is a candidate to replace Murphy behind the plate for opening day. That's against San Diego on March 27th. And that's it for this edition of Georgia Today. I'd like to point you to our webpage, gpb.org news, where you'll find many of the stories that you hear on this podcast in greater detail. If you have feedback to us, send that our way@georgia todaypb.org and as always, we love for you to hit subscribe on this podcast. It helps you by keeping us current with you in your feed, and it helps us so that we can be in your ears a little bit more often. I'm Orlando Montoya and Sophie Gratis will be doing the podcast tomorrow. I'll talk to you on Wednesday.