Social Circle detention center; Long TSA lines at airport; Georgia Tax rebate

Summary

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Georgia Today – March 17, 2026

Host: Orlando Montoya (Georgia Public Broadcasting)
Episode Theme:
This episode covers major headlines affecting Georgia today, focusing on the city of Social Circle halting plans for a new ICE detention center over water infrastructure concerns, extended TSA wait times at Atlanta’s airport during a partial government shutdown, and details of a new Georgia state tax rebate. Additional brief updates include legislative news, a social change award, the creation of an open container district, the start of Vidalia onion season, and sports highlights.

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Main Stories

1. Social Circle Halts Water to Proposed ICE Detention Center

[00:12–01:51]

• Issue: The city of Social Circle has locked the water meter at a recently purchased warehouse intended for an ICE detention center.
• Capacity strain: The center was expected to detain 8,000–10,000 people, potentially tripling the city’s population and overwhelming local infrastructure.
• Official comment:
  • City Manager Eric Taylor (via email to GPB): ICE was informed of the lock when an agent tried to set up water service. The lock will “remain until ICE can provide a viable plan for water and sewer that doesn't exceed city infrastructure.”
• Timeline: ICE hoped to begin detentions as early as next month, pending resolution.

Memorable Quote:
“The lock will remain until ICE can provide a viable plan for water and sewer that doesn't exceed city infrastructure.”
— Eric Taylor, Social Circle City Manager (reported at [01:25])

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2. Lengthy TSA Lines at Atlanta Airport During Shutdown

[01:51–02:55]

• Current situation: Travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport face wait times up to three and a half hours.
• Causes:
  • Ongoing partial government shutdown resulting in TSA staff shortages.
  • Closure of one of three airport security gates.
  • Agents have missed two consecutive paychecks; shutdown has lasted 31 days.
• TSA agent perspective:
  • Aaron Barker (TSA agent, President AFGE Local 554):

    “So while they were starting to dig themselves out of a hole, they can’t do that anymore. Everything has stopped…It’s frustrating, the uncertainty. It’s time to do something to get everyone paid.” ([02:36])

• Union action: The AFGE urges Congress to separate TSA funding from federal immigration funding.
• Update on wait times: By the afternoon, domestic terminal lines had improved (20–27 minutes), but international terminal lines were sometimes even longer.

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3. Georgia State Tax Rebate Bill

[03:16–03:52]

• Legislation: House Bill 1000 was passed by the Georgia Senate and awaits the Governor’s signature.
• Details:
  • Single filers: $250 rebate
  • Married couples: $500 rebate
  • Applies to Georgia tax filers for 2024 and 2025
• Context: This is the fourth rebate issued in recent years.
• Bipartisan support:

  “This is a policy to return money back to the taxpayer, and I think in the Senate on both sides of the aisle, people get behind that.”
  — Senator Bo Hatchet ([03:43])

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Additional Stories & Notable Segments

DNA Collection Bill in the Legislature

[04:08–04:45]

• Proposal: Collect DNA from individuals arrested for certain violent felonies.
• Argument:
  • Support: Accelerate criminal investigations; exonerate the innocent.
  • State Senator Rick Williams: Referenced 21 wrongly convicted death row inmates and 375 total exonerations as of 2020.

    “21 people were on death row before DNA proved their innocence. Over 375 people as of 2020 have been exonerated through DNA evidence.”
    — Jose Andres, quoting statistics ([04:26])

• Opposition: Civil liberties advocates raise privacy and due process concerns.
• Status: Passed Senate; awaiting House vote.

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Georgia Tech’s Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Change

[05:03–06:03]

• Recipient: Chef, author, and humanitarian José Andrés
• Reason: His leadership in using food as a driver for social change and providing disaster relief meals via World Central Kitchen.
• Award: For standing up for moral principles at great personal risk.
• Andrés’s perspective:

  “If you tell me what is the energy, that to me is the most important energy on earth, is the energy that moves humanity forward, and that’s food itself.”
  — José Andrés ([05:46])

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Atlanta’s Open Container District Ahead of FIFA World Cup

[06:03–06:27]

• Measure passed: Open container license for South Downtown entertainment district.
• Coverage: 58 historic buildings, new shops, restaurants, future housing.
• Purpose: Enhance tourism and vibrancy before the FIFA 2026 World Cup.

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Vidalia Onion Season Announced

[06:27–06:47]

• Pack date: April 13, 2026.
• Significance: Grown in 20 South Georgia counties, $168 million annual crop value.
• Trivia: Official state vegetable of Georgia.

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Sports Highlight: World Baseball Classic

[06:47–07:20]

• Event: Championship game tonight, broadcast live at 8 p.m. on Fox.
• Local interest: Atlanta Braves All-Star Ronald Acuña Jr. will play for Team Venezuela against Team USA.

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Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Sen. Bo Hatchet on tax rebate:

  “This is a policy to return money back to the taxpayer, and I think in the Senate on both sides of the aisle, people get behind that.” ([03:43])

• Aaron Barker (TSA):

  “Everything has stopped. So it’s definitely different. It’s frustrating, the uncertainty. It’s time to do something to get everyone paid.” ([02:36])

• José Andrés on food and energy:

  “If you tell me what is the energy, that to me is the most important energy on earth, is the energy that moves humanity forward, and that’s food itself.” ([05:46])

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Summary Table of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | Speaker | Key Point/Quote | |-----------|----------------------------------------|------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:12–01:51 | Social Circle detains ICE center plans | Orlando Montoya, Devin Zwald, Eric Taylor | Water/sewer infrastructure concerns halt ICE detention center | | 01:51–02:55 | TSA wait times at ATL airport | Amanda Andrews, Aaron Barker | Long waits due to shutdown; worker frustration | | 03:16–03:52 | State tax rebate legislation | Sarah Kalis, Sen. Bo Hatchet | $250/$500 rebate; widespread legislative support | | 04:08–04:45 | DNA collection bill | Orlando Montoya, Jose Andres | Faster crime resolution; civil liberties concerns | | 05:03–06:03 | José Andrés receives social change prize | Orlando Montoya, José Andrés | Food as a force for good | | 06:03–06:27 | Atlanta open container district | Orlando Montoya | New zone for FIFA World Cup festivities | | 06:27–06:47 | Vidalia onion season | Orlando Montoya | Annual pack date; state vegetable, economic impact | | 06:47–07:20 | World Baseball Classic update | Orlando Montoya | Acuña Jr. and Team Venezuela face Team USA in championship |

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Overall Tone & Takeaways

The episode maintains a factual, direct reporting style typical of public radio, blending major news developments with local interest stories. Each segment provides enough context for listeners to understand ongoing legislative, civic, and cultural happenings in Georgia. The episode is concise, informative, and balanced, with a focus on community impact and local relevance.

Transcript

[Orlando Montoya]

Hello and welcome to the Georgia Today Podcast. On this podcast, we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, the city of Social

Circle has placed a lock on the

water meter at the warehouse the Trump administration recently purchased to turn into an ICE detention center.

Travelers at Atlanta's airport are waiting for

hours in long security lines as TSA

works through staffing shortages during the partial government shutdown. And Georgia taxpayers are expected to receive a rebate from the state this tax season.

[Senator Bo Hatchet]

This is a policy to return money back to the taxpayer and I think in the Senate on both sides of the aisle, people get behind that.

[Orlando Montoya]

Today is Tuesday, March 17th.

I'm Orlando Montoya and this is Georgia Today.

The city of Social Circle, east of Atlanta has placed a lock on the water meter at the 1 million square foot warehouse that the Trump administration recently bought to turn into an immigration detention center. GPB Stevens Wald has more.

[Devin Zwald]

Social Circle officials have said since late last year the city does not have enough water or sewer capacity for the ICE plan to detain between 8 and 10,000 people at the warehouse, essentially tripling the city's population. In an email to gpb, City Manager Eric Taylor says an ICE representative was told about the lock on the meter when she tried to set up a water bill and that the lock will remain until ICE can provide a viable plan for water and sewer that doesn't exceed city infrastructure. ICE had previously signaled their hope to begin detention at the warehouse as early as next month. For GPB News, I'm Devin Zwald.

[Orlando Montoya]

Travelers at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport

are waiting for hours in long security

lines as TSA works through staffing shortages during the partial government shutdown. GPB's Amanda Andrews reports this is one of the busiest travel periods at the world's busiest airport.

[Amanda Andrews]

Security wait times reached up to three and a half hours for passengers at the Atlanta airport Monday. A lack of staff forced the Atlanta TSA to close one of three security gates. Agents have missed two paychecks as the partial shutdown continued through day 31. Aaron Barker is a TSA agent and president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 554. He says this shutdown is different because it came less than three months after the last one ended.

[Aaron Barker]

So while they were starting to dig themselves out of a hole, they can't do that anymore. Everything has stopped. So it's definitely different. It's frustrating, the uncertainty. It's time to do something to get everyone paid.

[Amanda Andrews]

The AFGE is calling on Congress to pass a bill separating TSA funding from federal immigration funding. For GPB News, I'm Amanda Andrews.

[Orlando Montoya]

As of this afternoon, wait times were between 20 and 27 minutes in the domestic terminal. According to ATL.com, airport officials urged travelers not to attempt to bypass those lines by going to the international terminal, where at some points today the lines were

even longer than in domestic

Georgia taxpayers are expected to receive a rebate from the state this tax season. GPB's Sarah Kalis reports on a bill that just got final passage in the state Legislature.

[Sarah Kalis]

The Georgia Senate passed House Bill 1000 on Monday. It would give single filers $250 and married couples $500 if they file taxes in Georgia. And in 2024 and 2025, Senator Bo Hatchet carried the bill in the Senate, where it passed unanimously.

[Senator Bo Hatchet]

This is a policy to return money back to the taxpayer, and I think in the Senate on both sides of the aisle, people get behind that.

[Sarah Kalis]

This is the fourth tax rebate passed by the state in recent years. HB1000 now goes to Governor Brian Kemp's desk, where it's expected to be signed into law. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kalis. At the state Capitol,

[Orlando Montoya]

lawmakers are considering a proposal that would allow DNA collection when people are arrested for certain serious violent felonies. Speaking on GPB's lawmakers, Milledgeville Republican State Senator Rick Williams says the goal is to solve crimes faster and exonerate the innocent.

[Jose Andres]

21 people were on death row before DNA proved their innocence. Over 375 people as of 2020 have been exonerated through DNA evidence.

[Orlando Montoya]

Civil liberties advocates are concerned about privacy and due process.

The Senate has passed the measure and it's waiting for a vote in the House. We are less than 10 days away from the end of this year's legislative session. Find out which bills are approaching the finish [e-mail] Lawmakers tune into the program on GPB TV each weekday evening at 7.

On days when the Legislature is in session. Chef, author and humanitarian Jose Andres will receive Georgia Tech's 2026 Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Change. Georgia Tech announced the award today, citing the Spanish native's unwavering compassion and culinary skills. The award, named for a former Atlanta mayor and Georgia Tech graduate, recognizes people who make a significant impact on society by standing up for moral principles at great personal risk. Speaking to Georgia Tech about the award, Andress said that everyone should have the courage to make social change, and that includes through food.

[Jose Andres]

Food very much is at the heart of everything we are we are always talking about gas. But if you tell me what is the energy, that to me is the most important energy on earth, is the energy that moves humanity forward, and that's food itself.

[Orlando Montoya]

Andres founded World Central kitchen in 2010, using his skills to provide meals to victims of war and natural disasters across the world. Atlanta is getting an open container district ahead of the FIFA World Cup. The city council yesterday approved the measure allowing alcohol consumption on streets and sidewalks in the South Downtown entertainment district. The area includes 58 historic buildings that are being transformed into shops, restaurants and housing. Georgia's beloved Vidalia onions will be available on April 13th. The Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Vidalia Onion Committee today announced the crops 2026 pack date. Famously sweet vidalias are grown in only 20 South Georgia counties. They are the official state vegetable with an annual market value of about $168 million. And finally today, the World Baseball Classic championship game is scheduled to take place tonight. Atlanta Braves All Star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. Will lead team Venezuela as as they take on Team USA. The game will air live on Fox at 8pm from Lone Depot park in Miami. And that is it for today's edition of Georgia Today. Visit our webpage gpb.org news for all the latest news from our GPB reporters. If you have a comment for us, send us feedback to Georgia Today. We always invite you to hit subscribe on this podcast that helps you and it helps us by keeping you connected

to us in your feed.

I'm Orlando Montoya. Come back again tomorrow. We'll be back with another edition of Georgia Today.