Georgia Today Podcast Summary Release Date: July 16, 2025
Host: Peter Biello

1. Democratic Runoff Victory: Peter Hubbard Claims Win

Peter Hubbard has emerged victorious over Keisha Waitz in the Democratic runoff for Georgia's Public Service Commission (PSC). The PSC oversees essential utilities, including Georgia Power. The runoff was necessitated as neither candidate secured a majority in the June primary elections.

Peter Biello [00:35]: "Peter Hubbard is claiming victory over Keisha Waitz in the Democratic runoff for Georgia's Public Service Commission."

Hubbard, a strong advocate for green energy and solar power, gained a significant lead in the unofficial returns, particularly excelling in metro Atlanta counties like Fulton and DeKalb. Keisha Waitz, a former state legislator and Atlanta City Council member, has conceded the race. The winner of this runoff will face the Republican incumbent Fitz Johnson in the November elections. Central to their debate was the issue of rising Georgia power bills.

Peter Biello [00:35]: "The debate in the race has focused on rising Georgia power bills."

2. State Lawmakers Convene to Improve Election Procedures

A committee comprised of state lawmakers held its inaugural meeting at the Georgia State Capitol to discuss enhancements to the state's election processes. This committee is tasked with evaluating the role of the state Election Board, voter roll maintenance, and voter registration procedures.

Representative Tim Flemings [01:54]: "We are not here to litigate past elections, but rather to prepare Georgia for the future, to make sure that every legal vote counts, that voters have confidence in the system and that our processes are secure, efficient and fair."

Chaired by Representative Tim Flemings, who is also a candidate for Secretary of State in 2026, the committee plans to conduct five additional meetings before issuing recommendations. These recommendations could translate into legislative bills in the upcoming General Assembly session.

Sarah Kalis [02:10]: "The committee plans to hold five more meetings and then issue recommendations for elections policies that could become bills next year when the General assembly reconvenes."

3. Mattel Releases Type-One Diabetes Barbie

In a heartwarming initiative, Mattel introduced the first Barbie doll representing type-one diabetes (T1D). This collaboration with the nonprofit Breakthrough T1D aims to raise awareness and provide representation for children living with T1D.

Tori Simone Ferris [00:24]: "She is anything that she wants to be and now that they've put diabetes on her and she's really saying to the world that you can do and be anything you want while having diabetes."

The Barbie is equipped with an insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitor, mirroring the real-life experiences of many T1D individuals. The release coincided with a lobbying trip to Washington, D.C., where five Georgian children with T1D advocated for increased funding for medical research.

Ellen Eldredge [06:32]: "Last week, Mattel released the first type 1 diabetes Barbie. They partnered with research and advocacy nonprofit Breakthrough T1D to create the doll."

4. Economic Insights: Impact of Tariffs on Georgia Businesses

David Altig, the Atlanta Fed's chief economic adviser, discussed the hesitancy among Georgia business owners to pass tariff costs onto consumers. Uncertainty surrounding the long-term effects of tariffs, particularly those imposed by the Trump administration, contributes to this reluctance.

David Altig [02:44]: "What we hear is the following sort of story. We have already seen cost pressures. It's already with us. We are reluctant to pass those prices on if we just have to reverse them when the tariffs don't turn out to be what we think they might be."

Altig emphasized that the Atlanta Fed anticipates gaining a clearer understanding of tariff impacts with the forthcoming second-quarter economic data.

5. Immigration Enforcement Escalates in Georgia

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported approximately 4,000 immigration arrests in Georgia for the year, a stark increase compared to previous years. This surge is part of a broader intensification of immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.

Key findings from the Immigration Data Project analysis include:

• Nearly 80% of individuals for whom ICE issued detainer requests in Georgia had no criminal convictions.
• Gwinnett and DeKalb counties in Atlanta, as well as Chatham County in Savannah, saw the highest number of detainer requests.
• Approximately 40% of those arrested by ICE had pending non-immigration related criminal charges.
• Overcrowding is a significant issue, with Georgia's Stuart Detention Center in Lumpkin County housing more than 2,300 individuals as of April, exceeding its contractual capacity by over 300.

6. Mental Health Concerns: Shutdown of LGBTQ Youth Suicide Lifeline

The Trump administration announced the termination of tailored support for LGBTQ youth through the 988 National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, effective the day after the podcast's release. This decision has raised alarm among mental health advocates.

Melena Alvarez [03:48]: "The last thing you would want to do is to refer youth to 988 and then not have anybody answer that call. Our concern is that the numbers of suicides will increase."

Despite the shutdown, organizations like The Trevor Project assure the continuation of 24/7 mental health support services.

Peter Biello [03:48]: "...The Trevor Project and other groups will continue to run 24.7 mental health support services and 988 leaders say the hotline will serve anyone who calls with compassion."

7. Memorial for Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter

The National Park Service has opened the Carter Gardens at the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park, allowing the public to pay respects to former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn Carter. The Carters are interred at their family plot in Plains, Georgia.

The gardens, designed by Rosalynn Carter, feature a pond constructed by the couple and are accessible daily from 10 AM to 4 PM, excluding major holidays. While the garden is open, the Carter residence remains closed but is now part of the national historic park.

8. MLB All-Star Game Highlights and Reactions

The recent MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park in Atlanta featured several notable moments:

• Pitcher Challenge: Detroit Tigers' Tarek Skubel successfully challenged a called ball using the automatic ball strike (ABS) system, striking out San Diego Padres' Manny Machado. This marked one of the few uses of ABS during the game.

  Dave Roberts [08:36]: "I thought it was great. The fans enjoy it. I thought the players had fun with it and there's a strategy to it if it does get to us during the season. But I like it. I think it's good for the game. I'm okay with it."

• Game Conclusion: The game concluded with a tie-breaking home run swing-off, similar to penalty kicks in soccer. Yankees manager Aaron Boone expressed openness to adopting similar tie-breaking methods in regular-season games.

  Aaron Boone [10:40]: "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..."

Additionally, a tribute to Hank Aaron was performed during the sixth inning, featuring projection mapping and pyrotechnics to commemorate his historic 715th home run.

9. Upcoming Braves Game

The Atlanta Braves are set to resume their regular season on Friday, hosting the New York Yankees in the opening game of a three-game series.

Conclusion

Peter Biello wrapped up the episode by encouraging listeners to subscribe to the "Georgia Today" podcast for daily updates on Georgia's most pressing issues. He also invited audience feedback and news tips to enhance future episodes.

Peter Biello [07:24]: "That is a wrap on this edition of Georgia Today, but we will be back tomorrow. So make sure you subscribe to this podcast to stay on top all of Georgia's headlines."

Additional Notes:

• The episode also briefly mentions a chemical fire at the Biolab facility in Conyers and its impact on local residents, as covered in GPB's new podcast "Manufacturing the Biolab Story."
• A promotional segment for NPR's "Consider This" podcast is included at the end of the transcript but was omitted from the summary per instructions to skip non-content sections.