Social Circle rallies against ICE facility; Delta offers help; Autism license plates

Summary

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Georgia Today Podcast Summary

Date: March 26, 2026
Host: Peter Biello, Georgia Public Broadcasting
Episode Highlights:

• Social Circle residents rally against a proposed ICE facility
• Delta extends flexibility amid TSA crisis
• Autism license plate bill advances
• Lawsuit over Georgia Power’s data center expansion
• Special AI tools for neurodivergent job seekers
• Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s new season
• Ausabaugh Island art colony retrospective

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Main Theme

This episode covers the top news stories in Georgia: from local activism against a massive new ICE detention center, to travel disruptions at Atlanta’s busy airport due to a TSA staffing crisis, to legislation aimed at better supporting residents with autism. The episode blends policy, community voices, and cultural news for a comprehensive look at what’s unfolding across the state.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Georgia Power Data Center Lawsuit (00:33)

• Issue: A coalition of environmental and religious groups has filed suit to stop Georgia Power from expanding its power generation for new data centers.
• Details: The Public Service Commission’s approval of nearly 800 megawatts (enough to power Macon and Savannah homes combined) is being challenged for alleged lack of proof on energy projections and concerns over increased climate emissions.
• Quote: “Attorneys are asking the court to rescind the permission for the new power generation.” — Peter Biello [00:33]
• Georgia Power’s response: Called the lawsuit "a simple attempt to create economic and regulatory chaos."

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2. Delta & TSA Crisis at Atlanta Airport (01:33)

• Context: Extended TSA security delays continue due to a partial government shutdown; 41% of TSA workers at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson called out sick.
• Delta’s Action: Customers flying through ATL through March 30 can rebook without penalty until April 6.
• Guest Interview: Ram Chalepa, Goizueta Business School, Emory University (airline industry expert)
  • On Normalcy After Shutdown:
    • “It won’t be immediate… at least two, three days… to get back into action.” (Ram Chalepa, 02:57)
    • The main challenge is organizational, not retraining.
  • On TSA Reputation:
    • “If it appears… they are subject to the whims and fancies of our government and Congress, then clearly this is not as secure employment as one would think.” (Ram Chalepa, 04:37)
  • On Private Contractors:
    • “A few other airports are using private contractors and… have not been subject to these congressional sort of dilly dallying…” (Ram Chalepa, 05:13)
  • On ICE Agents Filling TSA Roles:
    • “This is not their mandate and this is not what they are trained for. So if TSA comes back, then they would be doing their job…” (Ram Chalepa, 06:07)
  • On Future Funding Stability:
    • "We have to have a longer horizon when we think about this." (Ram Chalepa, 06:40)
  • Memorable Line: “We are always at this, at this nexus, at this precipice…” (Ram Chalepa, 05:13)

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3. Social Circle Residents Rally Against ICE Facility (07:06)

• Event: Community members and advocates went to the Capitol to oppose a planned ICE detention center in Social Circle, GA.
• Concerns:
  • Infrastructure inadequacy (water, roads, schools)
  • Transparency and lack of details from Department of Homeland Security
  • Economic and social impact, as the proposed facility could hold 10,000—double the city's population
• Quote:
  • “We just want to know that our water, roads, schools and loved ones will be respected and kept safe for us to use, travel and cherish.” — Valerie Walhart, Social Circle resident [07:26]
• Next steps: Legal action is being explored.

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4. AI for Neurodivergent Job Seekers (08:01)

• Topic: Georgia Tech’s work designing an AI “job coach” tailored for people with learning and intellectual disabilities.
• Issues Addressed: Existing chatbots are “generic”; users with organizational difficulties need personalized and more accessible interfaces.
• Approach:
  • Chatbot prompts user through steps, organizes skills, and suggests jobs.
  • Real job coaches report increased confidence among neurodivergent users.
• Notable Quote:
  • “They’re open to it, they’re excited about it. They’ve even participated ... in developing their own job coach.” — Heather Dix, job coach, Georgia Tech [09:42]
• Public Access: The tool will be refined with user feedback before public launch.

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5. Autism License Plate Bill Advances (09:58)

• Legislation: Optional “autism” symbol license plate to alert police during traffic stops, plus special officer training, known as “Rio’s Law”.
• Purpose: Improves law enforcement understanding; comes after advocacy following a difficult traffic stop involving a child with autism.
• Quote: “For parents and individuals with autism spectrum disorder, a regular traffic stop can quickly escalate into a sensitive situation.” — Reporter [00:24 & 10:16]
• Bill status: Passed House unanimously; awaits Governor Kemp’s signature.

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6. CDC Headquarters Repairs Update (11:06)

• Background: Last year’s armed attack at CDC left 150 windows broken.
• Update: Window replacements to begin soon; remains a somber symbol at the campus.

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7. Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s 2026–2027 Season (11:42)

• Focus: Johannes Brahms’s works, 24 shows, 2 world premieres.
• Memorable programming:
  • Berlin pianist Anna Ganushina as artist in residence.
  • Special commission by Jasmine Barnes as a tribute to Coretta Scott King’s 100th birthday.
• Quote:
  • “We performed one of Jasmine's works...for the King Celebration, and so we have invited her to write a piece in honor of Coretta Scott King's 100th birthday.” — Ashley Marakian, ASO [12:15]

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8. Statewide Cash ‘Rounding to Nearest Nickel’ Bill (12:35)

• Context: With the U.S. phasing out the penny, Georgia may require cash purchases to be rounded to the nearest $0.05.
• Exclusion: Only affects cash transactions; card payments unchanged.
• Status: Passed Senate unanimously; heads back to House.

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9. Atlanta Dream Expands Games at State Farm Arena & Local Sports Notes (13:40)

• News: WNBA’s Atlanta Dream adds more games at larger venue due to fan demand.
• Other Sports: New president for Atlanta United and upcoming NWSL team; The Masters expands streaming.

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10. Ausabaugh Island: Art Colony Retrospective Exhibit (14:47)

• Event: “Off the Coast of Paradise” at Savannah’s Telfair Museum—a retrospective of the Ausabaugh Island colony, 1961–1982.
• Guest: Beryl Gillithwest, curator (and grandson of the island’s matriarch, Sandy Torrey West), shares stories of famed visitors and environmental inspiration.
• Notable Moments:
  • On Artistic Diversity: “It really runs the gamut—photography, sculpture, painting, drawing, film, textiles.” — Beryl Gillithwest [16:04]
  • On Sculptor Harry Bertoia’s Visit: Inspired by the island’s landscape, Bertoia developed a new form of bronze casting, which debuted at Dulles International Airport.
  • On the Island’s Magic:
    • “It was incredibly magical…just kind of like a wonderland for a kid.” — Beryl Gillithwest [14:50]
    • “There’s not one way to experience it… people… aren’t having to deal with the pressures that we have… living in modern society.” — Beryl Gillithwest [18:05]
• Exhibit Duration: Now through September 6, 2026.

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Memorable Quotes

• Ram Chalepa on TSA: “If it appears… employees are subject to the whims and fancies of our government and Congress, then clearly this is not as secure employment as one would think…” [04:37]
• Valerie Walhart, Social Circle: “We just want to know that our water, roads, schools and loved ones will be respected and kept safe for us to use, travel and cherish.” [07:26]
• On island life: “It was incredibly magical… just kind of like a wonderland for a kid.” — Beryl Gillithwest [14:50]

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Timestamps of Key Segments

| Topic / Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------------|-------------| | ICE facility in Social Circle | 07:06 | | Delta & TSA crisis, expert analysis | 02:43–07:02 | | Autism license plate bill (Rio’s Law) | 09:58–10:35 | | AI for neurodivergent job seekers | 08:01–09:58 | | Georgia Power lawsuit over data centers | 00:33–01:33 | | Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming season | 11:42–12:35 | | Ausabaugh Island art colony exhibit | 14:47–18:34 |

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Tone and Style

The podcast maintains an informative, community-centered, and occasionally urgent tone—especially when covering grassroots activism, legislative initiatives, and infrastructure challenges. Cultural sections are reflective and warm.

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This summary covers all essential topics with relevant context and quotations. Ads and outro have been omitted for clarity.

Transcript

[Peter Biello]

Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, Social Circle residents rally to oppose a planned ICE detention facility. Delta Air Lines provides some flexibility for passengers amid the TSA crisis. And a bill to improve police interactions with people with autism is poised to become law.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

For parents and individuals with autism spectrum disorder, a regular traffic stop can quickly escalate into a sensitive situation.

[Peter Biello]

Today is Thursday, March 26th. I'm Peter Biello and this is GEORGIA Today. A coalition of environmental groups is suing to stop Georgia Power from generating more power to support data centers. The state's Public Service Commission gave the company permission in February to add close to 800 megawatts. That's enough electricity to power the households of Macon and Savannah combined. Most of the new generation would produce climate warming carbon emissions. In a lawsuit filed yesterday in Fulton County Superior Court, attorneys from the Southern Environmental Law center argue on behalf of environmental groups and some religious organizations that the PSC's decision exceeded its authority. The lawsuit alleges Georgia Power failed to provide any objective proof of their data center energy projections. Attorneys are asking the court to rescind the permission for the new power generation. In a statement to gpb, Georgia Power called the lawsuit a simple attempt to create economic and regulatory chaos. Delta Air Lines is extending its flexibility for travel waivers for passengers flying in and out of Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The move, announced yesterday, comes as long security delays at the world's busiest airport continue because of the partial government shutdown. Delta customers with travel plans involving ATL through March 30 can rebook travel on or before April 6 without penalty. Separately, the Atlanta based airlines said it's extending its pause on flights to tel Aviv through September 5 as the war in Iran continues. Congress is under pressure to fund the Department of Homeland Security ahead of its upcoming spring recess this weekend. Without funding, the Transportation Security Administration may have to shut down operations at some airports. Delays persist at Atlanta's Hartsfield Jackson, where on Wednesday 41% of TSA employees called out sick rather than work without getting a paycheck. When the paychecks start coming again, how quickly will airports get back to normal? Let's turn again to Ram Chalepa, professor at Goizueta Business School at Emory University, who studies the airline industry. Thank you for speaking with me again.

[Ram Chalepa]

Oh, thank you, Peter.

[Peter Biello]

So it seems unlikely at this point, but let's say Congress reached a deal and passed legislation to pay TSA workers. How quickly do you think operations at Atlanta's Hartsfield Jackson Airport would return to normal?

[Ram Chalepa]

Well, it won't be immediate. I would say it would at least take two, three days at the minimum to get back into action. I mean we have to rearrange and reorganize. I mean this is like whenever there is a break in operations and when we come back and staff those resour, it's definitely going to take some time to get back into it because we are going to see some bursty traffic in terms of the planes and so on. So yes, it won't be an immediate thing.

[Peter Biello]

But you think it's a matter of days, not necessarily weeks?

[Ram Chalepa]

I would hope it's a matter of days because these are professionals, they know what they were doing and so we don't have to essentially retrain them. But it'd be in terms of how prepared is the airport in terms of rearranging its operations rather than retraining the personnel.

[Peter Biello]

More than 480 officers nationwide have quit during the shutdown. That's according to dhs. Generally speaking, when that many employees quit, are they hired back and are they hired back quickly? What happens?

[Ram Chalepa]

In theory, hiring employees back as opposed to those who called out sick is a more complex topic in the sense that whether or not the rules require them to go through security checks, whether they would be considered new employees, how would their tenure previously be considered, all of those things now once again come into play.

[Peter Biello]

Overall though, has this in your view done damage to TSA's reputation as a good employer? Given how this has now happened twice in the past year?

[Ram Chalepa]

Absolutely. I mean in the sense that this is one of those components, the part of the government where you are dependent on the budget and if, you know, if it appears for an average employee that they are subject to the whims and fancies of our government and Congress, then clearly this is not as secure employment as one would think about. When they think about government employment, is

[Peter Biello]

there a more permanent and stable way to make sure this is less likely to happen again?

[Ram Chalepa]

Well, I guess, you know, we have observed that there are a few other airports that are using private contractors and they have not been been subject to these congressional sort of dilly dallying that's been happening because they are budgeted up front and they're contracted on a private basis. And also I believe we should find a way to ensure that these folks are not subject to these annual sort of discussions that happen because we are always at this, at this nexus, at this precipice in terms of what is going to happen to them.

[Peter Biello]

The New York Times is reporting that ICE agents at Atlanta's airport are now checking IDs in an attempt to speed up the long security lines. If Congress passes funding for TSA agents, do you see ICE moving out of airports and resuming their more traditional roles?

[Ram Chalepa]

I would think so. I mean, this is not their mandate and this is not what they are trained for. So if TSA comes back, then they would be doing their job and their duty, which they've been for a very long time. In a post 9, 11, a clear charge has been given to them. So I would think that it would be TSA agents that would be manning the gates and I mean manning the security points and so on.

[Peter Biello]

And what should lawmakers be thinking about when it comes to how long they should fund a deal for TSA workers pay?

[Ram Chalepa]

I think one of the elements for us to probably think about is the horizon for which this funding comes back. If it is going to be another two weeks, another couple of months and so on, that would be a concern because FIFA is coming, a whole number of people are going to arrive in Atlanta. And so we have to have a longer horizon when we think about this.

[Peter Biello]

Well, Ram Chalapa, thank you so much for speaking with me. I appreciate it.

[Ram Chalepa]

Thank you.

[Peter Biello]

Opponents of an immigration detention facility planned for the city of Social Circle took to the state Capitol today to speak out. GPB's Sarah Kallas reports.

[Reporter]

Community members and activists cited concerns with infrastructure and economic impact and say they are exploring legal options to stop the facility altogether. Some Social Circle residents, like Valerie Walhart say they need more transparency regarding the plans for the facility, even if they can't stop it. We just want to know that our water, roads, schools and loved ones will be respected and kept safe for us to use, travel and cherish. I see. Purchased a warehouse in Social Circle earlier this year that they plan to convert to a detention center for up to 10,000 people. That's roughly double the city's population. Local leaders say they lack water and sewer infrastructure to house that many people. So far, the Department of Homeland Security has shared no details on how they plan to deal with that. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kalis at the State Capitol.

[Peter Biello]

Large language models like ChatGPT and Claude have cemented themselves for many as an AI tool to find and apply for jobs. While efficient, these interfaces require tweaking if they're going to work for all job seekers, like those with learning differences or intellectual disabilities. GPB's Sophie Gradas has more.

[Sophie Gradas]

Anyone who's used generative AI chatbots to help get something done, has probably noticed how generic its assistance can be.

[Peter Biello]

If you just come into it, say, hey, I'm looking for a job. What should I do? It has almost no information about you.

[Sophie Gradas]

Mark Riddell is with the School of Interactive Computing at Georgia Tech. He says most AI chatbots basically need to be trained to understand personal preferences. For people who already have trouble organizing

[Peter Biello]

information, you really kind of want to have a dashboard that really kind of displays things in the right order, helps you work through a particular flow.

[Sophie Gradas]

So that's how Riddell and a team of engineers designed their AI job coach for job seekers with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Jennifer Kim helped put it together too. She uses a fake job seeker, Alex,

[Reporter]

as an example, and here is his resume. And he has bachelor degrees in cybersecurity and mathematics.

[Sophie Gradas]

Once Alex's resume is uploaded, a chatbot

[Reporter]

sends prompts, I am looking for a career direction.

[Sophie Gradas]

They decide on a goal and a colorful checklist pops up. Alex's skills and strengths get broken down into job categories, and another prompt brings up actual job listings.

[Reporter]

That's doing levels of complex processing that a person with an intellectual disability is gonna have a lot of difficulty with.

[Sophie Gradas]

Heather Dix is a human job coach at Georgia Tech. She says it can also help her neurodivergent students feel more confident.

[Reporter]

They're open to it, they're excited about it. They've even participated on some levels in developing their own job coach.

[Sophie Gradas]

The team plans to use more feedback from students before making the tool public. For GPB News, I'm Sophie Graudis.

[Peter Biello]

A bill aiming to improve law enforcement interactions with people with autism is headed to the governor's desk. The legislation would create an optional license plate symbol for drivers with autism or parents of children with autism. Our merchi Republican State Representative Eddie Lumsden says the bill also creates a special training program for law enforcement officers.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

For parents and individuals with autism spectrum disorder, a regular traffic stop can quickly escalate into a sensitive situation. Many individuals with autism have sensory sensitivity or communication differences that might not translate well when interacting with law enforcement.

[Peter Biello]

The bill received unanimous and final passage yesterday in the House and now waits for Governor Brian Kemp's signature. The bill is called Rio's Law, named after a boy with autism whose mother, Layla Luna, advocated for a similar law that passed in South Carolina after a difficult traffic stop. The federal government has not yet replaced the bullet parked windows that serve as a grim reminder of last year's attack. At the Atlanta headquarters of the Centers for Disease control and prevention. GPB's Chase McGee reports on an update provided yesterday.

[Chase McGee]

CDC employees asked the agency's current acting director, Dr. J. Bhattacharya, about the broken windows during a staff meeting, noting that the panes were papered over. Bhattacharya said the agency was working on repairing the windows and that it is a priority. Other CDC officials said the window replacements will begin in the next month or so. In August, a 30 year old man fired nearly 200 shots into the campus and broke about 150 windows. The shooter died at the scene from a self inflicted gunshot wound after he killed a DeKalb county police officer. For GPB News, I'm Chase McGee.

[Peter Biello]

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra announced its programming for the 20262027 season yesterday. GPB's Amanda Andrews reports this year's performances will focus on the works of JOHANNES BRAHMS.

[Reporter]

The 82nd season of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra includes 24 shows and two world premiere performances. The symphony will also welcome Berlin based pianist Anna Ganushina to Atlanta as artists in residence. Ashley Marakian with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra says one of the premier works will be a tribute by composer Jasmine Barnes to honor an Atlanta human rights legend.

[Peter Biello]

We performed one of Jasmine's works on our concert that we had at Ebenezer Baptist Church for the King Celebration, and so we have invited her to write

[Reporter/Correspondent]

a piece of in honor of coretta

[Peter Biello]

Scott King's 100th birthday.

[Reporter]

The first show of the upcoming season takes place September 16th. For GPB News, I'm Amanda Andrews.

[Peter Biello]

As the U.S. treasury ends production of the penny, some transactions in Georgia could go up or down. State lawmakers are considering a bill that would round cash transactions to the nearest nickel. ROME Republican state Senator Chuck Hefstetler says the idea is pretty simple. If your total comes out to 1 or 2, you round down to 0. If it's 3 or 4, you round up to 5. If it's 6 or 7, you round down to 5 and it's 8 or 9, you round up to 10. Credit card or other electronic transactions would not be affected. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate yesterday and now goes back to the House for a final vote. Georgia is one of several states considering legislation to round transactions to the nearest nickel as pennies gradually disappear from circulation. In Georgia sports, the Atlanta Dream is adding more games at State Farm arena to its 2026 season, which begins in May. The WNBA franchise said yesterday the move responds to fan demand. The team usually plays at the smaller Gateway Center Arena. It played one game at State Farm last year and will play five games at the larger venue this year. Also, Arthur Blank is continuing to remake his soccer franchises. Yesterday, the business icon announced a new president of soccer for his MLS Atlanta United team and is still unnamed NWSL team, which will debut 2028. Mauricio Culebro is the new executive and Augusta national is expanding coverage of the Masters. The golf club today released its broadcast schedule for the tournament, which begins on April 9. A new deal with Prime Video expands on coverage provided by CBS and espn. A new exhibit at Savannah's Telfair Museums is the first major retrospective of an art colony that produced an enormous amount of work on Georgia's coast for about two decades. Ausabaugh island is a remote, undeveloped barrier island just south of Savannah, and from 1961 to 1982 it hosted Big names in American art, literature and science. The colony was overseen by the island's matriarch, the woman largely credited with saving Ausabaugh island from development and turning it into Georgia's first heritage preserve, Eleanor Sandy Torrey West. The exhibit off the coast of paradise is curated by her grandson, New York based art historian Beryl Gillithwest. He spoke with GPB's Orlando Montoya so

[Beryl Gillithwest]

what was it like growing up on a Sabah island?

[Reporter/Correspondent]

It was incredibly magical. I had, you know, the run of these woods and marshes and beaches. We had, you know, wild boar running around. I first learned to ride on a big wild boar that my grandmother kept as a pet at her house. So it was just kind of like a wonderland for a kid.

[Beryl Gillithwest]

So you know what kind of an inspirational place it is. Does it surprise you how many artists have been inspired by Ausaba Island?

[Reporter/Correspondent]

It wasn't surprising at all as I was researching this exhibition to find out the many, many different kinds of ways that artists drew inspiration from a Sabah because, you know, it's a beautiful environment there. I mean the southern coast is famous for that, but there's also an enormous amount of history. There's so many different aspects of it to draw inspiration from.

[Beryl Gillithwest]

And what I like about this is that it's not just inspiring people to paint marshes and trees. There's different types of inspiration based on the person. So can you talk a little bit about what's in the exhibit and what people can expect to see?

[Reporter/Correspondent]

Yeah, I mean there are beautiful photographs and paintings of the landscape, but there's also some more unexpected artworks. We have photography, sculpture, painting, drawing, film. We have some textiles. It really runs the gamut.

[Beryl Gillithwest]

Let's talk about one of those artists if we could. The acclaimed mid century sculptor Harry Bertoia, what was his relationship with Ausaba Island?

[Reporter/Correspondent]

My grandparents invited him down to Ausabah in 1961 to help weigh in on their idea to launch an interdisciplinary residency program on the island. And during Bertoia's visit, they took a trip out to Southend Beach. And Bertoia had this, a bit of an epiphany while he was there. He was. He witnessed the way that the tide was encroaching on the shore and kind of killing the trees that were right behind the beach and turning them into these kind of sculptures of their own in the midst of the sand. And he drawing inspiration from these sort of very primal forces of the environment, he created an entirely new form of bronze casting for a major commission at Dulles International airport in Washington, D.C. which you can still see in the airport today. Basically, instead of pouring bronze in a form, he poured it onto the ground and allowed it to make its own form. He made this huge, colossal work for the airport, but then also created a number of standing pieces on a much smaller scale, including one that he donated to a Sabah and the programs there in 1966. And that work will have a. A prominent place in the show.

[Beryl Gillithwest]

What is it about the island that inspires people so much?

[Reporter/Correspondent]

I mean, we can look at all of the various attributes, and they're all really interesting, but there's not one way to experience it. And because it's cut off from the mainland, you have to get there by boat. It's undeveloped. The people who spend time there aren't having to deal with the pressures that we have to cope with, you know, living in modern society.

[Beryl Gillithwest]

Beryl gillethwest, thanks very much for talking with me.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

Thank you. And thanks for all your support for aussaba over the years.

[Peter Biello]

That was Beryl Gillith west talking with GPB's Orlando Montoya. The exhibit off the coast of Paradise Artists and Ausabah Island 1961 to now opened on March 13th at the Telfair Museum's Jepsen center for the Arts and runs through September 6th. And that's a wrap on Georgia Today. Thanks so much for tuning in. Make sure you come back tomorrow. Subscribe to this podcast and check gpb.org news for updates. If you've got feedback, send it our way by email. It's the best way to reach us. The address is Georgia todaypb.org I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.

[Ram Chalepa]

Sam.