Timber industry relief bill signed; ICE detains 19 yr. old student; The Raven podcast

Summary

Georgia Today Podcast Summary Release Date: May 9, 2025

Hosted by Peter Biello, Georgia Today is the daily podcast from GPB News, delivering compelling stories and in-depth reporting on matters that impact Georgia residents. In this episode, key topics include the signing of Georgia's 2026 budget, relief measures for the timber industry, the detention of a young college student by ICE, the newly launched podcast "The Raven," MARTA's station renaming, and recent highlights from Atlanta sports.

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1. Georgia's 2026 Budget Signed into Law

Governor Brian Kemp officially signed Georgia's 2026 budget into law on May 9, 2025. The budget, effective July 1, allocates increased funding towards prisons, school safety, and student mental health initiatives.

• Sarah Kallas reports: "The 2026 budget, which takes effect on July 1, includes more money for prisons, school safety and student mental health."

• House Appropriations Chair Matt Hatchett emphasized that the budget "reflects the Legislature's priorities" (00:52).

Key Highlights:

• Tax Cuts and Investments: The budget celebrates historic tax cuts, returning over a billion dollars to Georgians while making strategic investments to maintain the state's status as a prime location to live, work, and raise a family (01:23).

• Signing Deadline: This signing ceremony was among the last public signings of the year, with Governor Kemp required to approve all bills by Wednesday (01:43).

2. Relief for Georgia's Timber Industry Post-Hurricane Helene

Following significant losses caused by Hurricane Helene, Governor Kemp signed a series of bills aimed at aiding farmers and timber owners.

• Tim Livingston highlighted the impact: "Helene caused five and a half billion dollars in timber losses, our number one industry in the state, generational loss for our families and our farm community and our forest producers" (02:14).

Relief Measures Include:

• State Income Tax Exemptions: On federal crop loss payments to alleviate financial strains on affected farmers.

• Reforestation Tax Credit: Encourages replanting efforts to restore timber resources.

• Financial Commitment: Collectively, these measures represent over $1 billion dedicated to Hurricane Helene relief (02:29).

Additional Updates:

• Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper is coordinating with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to finalize hurricane relief block grants by June (02:37).

3. ICE Detains 19-Year-Old Georgia College Student

A traffic violation in Dalton led to the detention of Ximena Arias Cristobal, a 19-year-old college student who has been in the U.S. since age four.

• Incident Details: Cristobal made an improper turn on a red light and failed to produce a driver's license, resulting in her placement in ICE custody (02:37).

• Community Response:

  • Hannah Jones, a Dalton native familiar with Cristobal's family, is actively raising funds for her legal defense. She stated, "She is a good soul. She is not a threat, she's not a criminal, she's not a flight risk. She was four years old when she came to our town. This is the kind of people that we've invested in that she's been here for 15 years. We want to keep her" (03:25).

Current Status:

• Both Ximena Arias Cristobal and her father are held at the Stewart Immigration Detention Facility in Lumpkin (03:39).

4. Introduction of "The Raven" Podcast

A new podcast titled "The Raven" from Tenderfoot TV delves into the double murder case that occurred in Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood in 2000, implicating NFL star Ray Lewis.

• Tim Livingston, the podcast's host, discusses the enigmatic nature of the crime: "Nobody knows what happened in that 30 seconds. Everybody knows about the crime itself, that a crime took place. It's infamous. But nobody knows what happened" (00:52).

Podcast Insights:

• Case Reexamination: The Raven aims to uncover the truth behind the murders, questioning the circumstances involving Ray Lewis and his associates.

• Collaborative Effort: Livingston worked with detectives and professionals at Tenderfoot TV to gather new evidence and perspectives.

• Ray Lewis's Involvement: Despite being a central figure, Livingston believes there is no evidence suggesting Lewis committed the crime. He intended to have Lewis share his side of the story through a documentary following the podcast but notes the challenges posed by Lewis's celebrity status (09:07).

• Tim Livingston’s Reflection: "The core crime at the center of this... there’s no evidence that suggests that Ray committed the crime" (09:07).

Podcast Availability: "The Raven" is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other major platforms.

5. MARTA Renames Station to SEC Station

In response to the demolition and renaming of several landmarks, MARTA is updating the name of the station formerly known as the Dome Georgia World Congress Center Phillips Arena CNN Center.

• New Name: SEC Station, short for Sports, Entertainment, and Convention District.

• Timothy Worthy, MARTA board member, explained the rationale: "This will help avoid confusion... to change the name of the station to something that will identify the area clearly, whether or not nearby geographical landmarks and streets have their name changed" (05:30).

Background:

• The Georgia Dome was demolished in 2017.
• Phillips Arena was renamed State Farm Arena in 2018.
• The CNN center was rebranded to simply the center after CNN vacated the building last year.

Contextual Importance:

• The name change aligns with Atlanta's preparations for the influx of visitors expected for next year's World Cup matches.

6. Atlanta Sports Highlights: Braves Victory

A thrilling night unfolded for Atlanta Braves fans as rookie catcher Drake Baldwin delivered a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 11th inning, securing a 5-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. This marked Baldwin's first walk-off hit of his career.

• Tim Livingston remarked on Baldwin's achievement: "Something you dream about getting the chance to be up at the plate with a guy in scoring position and getting it done makes it a lot better as well" (12:30).

Additional Sports Highlights:

• Michael Harris II: Outfielder Harris collected three hits and two RBIs, including a game-tying RBI single in the ninth inning.

• Pierce Johnson: Relief pitcher Johnson threw 1.2 innings in the seventh, retiring 25 consecutive batters over his last eight games.

• Upcoming Series: The Braves are set to face the Pittsburgh Pirates in a three-game series, where a victory would push the Braves above the .500 mark for the first time this season (12:55).

7. Closing Remarks

Peter Biello wraps up the episode by encouraging listeners to visit GPB.org for more stories and to subscribe to the podcast for ongoing updates. He also wishes listeners a happy Mother's Day, signifying the end of the episode (12:55).

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Notable Quotes:

• Tim Livingston (00:14): "Number one industry in the state, generational loss for our families and our farm community and our forest producers."

• Tim Livingston (05:30): "Lot of people don't think about business. But Georgia's impact on not only on the United States, but the world now is through our businesses."

• Tim Livingston (13:05): "After 20 years, it's time to get to the bottom line. Truth."

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Conclusion

This episode of Georgia Today provides a comprehensive overview of significant developments in Georgia, ranging from economic budgets and industry relief to impactful legal cases and cultural initiatives. Through detailed reporting and insightful discussions, listeners gain a deeper understanding of the issues shaping the state.

Transcript

[Peter Biello]

DBHDD is urging people to ask a pharmacist about getting naloxone for their first aid kits at home or work. No prescription is needed. Naloxone can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose and restore breathing opioidresponse.info welcome to the Georgia Today Podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, relief is on the way for Georgia's timber industry. ICE detains a 19 year old Georgia college student described as a good soul. And a new podcast profiles the double murder that shocked Atlanta's buckhead neighborhood in 2000 and made national headlines.

[Tim Livingston]

Nobody knows what happened, right? So that's where we start from. Everybody knows about the crime itself, that a crime took place. It's infamous. But nobody knows what happened in that 30 seconds.

[Peter Biello]

Today is Friday, May 9th. I'm Peter Biello and this is Georgia Today. Governor Brian Kemp signed the state's 2026 budget into law this morning. GPB Sarah kalis reports. The 2026 budget, which takes effect on July 1, includes more money for prisons, school safety and student mental health. House Appropriations Chair Matt Hatchett said it reflects the Legislature's priorities.

[Tim Livingston]

We're incredibly proud to celebrate yet another year of passing historic tax cuts and returning over a billion dollars back to hard working Jordans, all while making strategic, fiscally responsible investments in the areas that matter most to keep our state the best place to live, work and raise a family.

[Peter Biello]

The signing ceremony was one of the last public signings of the year. The deadline for Kemp to sign all bills into law is Wednesday.

[Sarah Kallas]

For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kallas.

[Peter Biello]

Governor Kemp also signed into law yesterday a series of bills aimed at farmers and timber owners who suffered losses from Hurricane Helene. GPB's Grant Blankenship has more during a bill signing ceremony at the Monroe county headquarters of the Georgia Forestry association, which represents timber growers. Kemp said Helene caused five and a half billion dollars in timber losses, our.

[Tim Livingston]

Number one industry in the state, generational loss for our families and our farm community and our forest producers.

[Peter Biello]

Among the relief in the new laws are state income tax exemptions on federal crop loss payments and a reforestation tax credit to encourage replanting.

[Tim Livingston]

Taken together, these measures represent over 1 billion state dollars that we have dedicated to Hurricane Helene relief.

[Peter Biello]

Meanwhile, state Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper still working toward a June deadline with the U.S. department of Agriculture on when and how hurricane relief block grants will come to the state. For GPB News, I'm Grant Blankenship in for Seif a traffic stop in northwest Georgia's Dalton has landed a 19 year old college student who has been in the US since age 4 in federal immigration custody. Ximena Arias Cristobal was placed in ICE detention after making an improper turn on a red light and failing to produce a driver's license. Dalton native Hannah Jones has known Arias Cristobal's family for a decade and is helping raise money for her legal defense. She says Arias Cristobal did not qualify for DACA protections because her family arrived in the US After a cutoff date to qualify for the program.

[Tim Livingston]

She is a good soul. She is not a threat, she's not a criminal, she's not a flight risk. She was four years old when she came to our town. This is the kind of people that we've invested in that she's been here for 15 years. We want to keep her.

[Peter Biello]

Both Arias Cristobal and her father are currently being held in the Stewart Immigration Detention Facility in the town of Lumpkin. The CEO of Delta Air Lines is among those praising a Trump administration effort to overhaul the US Air traffic control system in the wake of recent deadly plane crashes and other technical failures in air travel. U.S. transportation Secretary Sean Duffy outlined the multi billion dollar plan yesterday. The Atlanta based airlines CEO Ed Bastian says new technology would help his company with delays in flight scheduling. It's hard to believe, frankly unacceptable, that many of the systems our air traffic controllers rely on today are more than 60 years old. It's past time that we change that, duffy says. The plan calls for six new air traffic control centers along with technology and communications upgrades at all of the nation's air traffic facilities over the three years. If a law passed by state lawmakers last year works as intended, you may start to see more charter schools in Georgia. The state school board is now moving to speed up the process of charter school petitions. The Georgia Board of Education voted yesterday to hand authority over petitions from the state Department of Education to the state Charter Schools Commission. Lawmakers passed a law last year requiring this. The board also approved a rule requiring local school boards to either approve or deny petitions. And in less than a year. Next time you're outside Macon City Auditorium, take a look at the new historical marker. The Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Historical Society yesterday honored the chamber's Macon roots just steps away from where the chamber held its first board meeting in 1913. Back then it was called Hotel Dempsey. The historical society's president and CEO, Todd Gross, when you think about history, a.

[Tim Livingston]

Lot of people don't think about business. But Georgia's impact on not only on the United States, but the world now is through our businesses.

[Peter Biello]

And so that's an incredible story. The marker is part of a decade long initiative by the Historical Society to recognize the impact of Georgia businesses. Some of the other Georgia companies recognized include Georgia Power, Coca Cola, Synovus, and Gulfstream Aerospace. It's one of the most notorious nights in Atlanta's history. Two men stabbed to death just hours after the super bowl and and one of the NFL's biggest stars. @ the center of it all, the double murder in 2000 left a permanent mark on Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood and made national headlines. Now the Raven, a podcast from Tenderfoot tv, reexamines the case with fresh eyes and new evidence. Tim Livingston is the host. He joined GPB's Morning Edition host Pamela Kirkland.

[Sarah Kallas]

Tim, thanks for being here.

[Tim Livingston]

Thanks for having me.

[Sarah Kallas]

So January 31, 2000, for people who don't remember or maybe never knew about this, what exactly happened outside that Buckhead nightclub?

[Tim Livingston]

Nobody knows what happened. Right. So that's where we start from where if you start Googling this crime, everybody knows about the crime itself, that a crime took place. It's, it's infamous. But nobody knows what happened in that 30 seconds when these two groups, one from Akron, Ohio, the other Ray Lewis's group, who was from all over the country, they got into a skirmish. Two men ended up dead. What happened and that in the podcast is what we're trying to uncover. And I, without giving anything away, very grateful that I was able to work with a lot of great detectives and a lot of really talented people at Tenderfoot tv. And by the end of the podcast, I think you have a pretty clear idea of who did what and why.

[Sarah Kallas]

And what's very cool is you take listeners along on the journey and it feels like as you're uncovering new evidence and finding new facts that we're also learning at the same time. Was this a situation where you had reported, recorded most of this, and then started building it, or you were kind of building the bike as you were riding it?

[Tim Livingston]

It's a great question. So we did the same thing. Tenderfoot and I worked together on a podcast called Whistleblower, which was on the Tim Donahue NBA betting scandal. And the way we produced the Raven was the same, which is we we finished about three or four episodes before it was released. So we had a lot in the can. We had an idea of where we wanted the story to go. But one interesting with the Raven is that Ray Lewis was working with a producer in Hollywood. I will not name that person, but a very, very big sports documentary film producer. And I had set this whole thing up to where I wanted to uncover everything. And then at the end of the podcast, I wanted Ray Lewis to get on the phone, just me call him. He picks up, says, says hello, says whatever he says. And then we set up a documentary where he gets to tell his side of the story. That was the original vision. And to do that, you need to have the malleability within those episodes four through seven, to pivot when necessary. So there was, like, the back half of the podcast. We had all the interviews lined up. We had an arc that we were planning on, and then the arc ended up changing.

[Sarah Kallas]

And talk about working on a project that involves someone like a Ray Lewis. I mean, NFL legend at the time, arguably one of the best players in the game. You have the very tough job of trying to figure out what happened on a night where there's not a lot to go on in terms of figuring out what it is. And then you also have this element of celebrity that is also impeding your investigation.

[Tim Livingston]

Exactly. I mean, Ray Lewis is such an interesting figure, the greatest middle linebacker in football history, but he's known for this. He's known for this incident. Anybody? I believe, at least my friends, my brain. When you mention Ray Lewis, you think about the murders before you think about the football exploits. And this guy is the best at what he did in the world ever. Best middle linebacker, the most important position on defense in football. The best ever. You think about the murders. And so for me, I thought this was an opportunity for him, because my. Without again, giving too much away, he definitely played a role in this, but he did not, in my opinion, kill anybody. Again, my. Based on my findings, there's no evidence that suggests that Ray committed the crime, The. The. The core crime at the. At the center of this. So I thought this was an opportunity for him to listen 25 years later, come clean, talk about what really happened. And unfortunately, he's obviously got a lot to balance with that celebrity, and he's got a lot to. He's got a lot of people that I'm sure want him talking about this, and he's got pressures that I can't imagine, and he decided not to. Not to tell the story.

[Sarah Kallas]

Tim, thank you so much for joining me.

[Tim Livingston]

Thanks for having me.

[Sarah Kallas]

For listeners who want to check out the Raven, you can find it wherever you get your podcasts.

[Peter Biello]

If you name a train station after a thing, and that thing moves or closes, it might be wise to change the name of the train station, too. Metro Atlanta's public transit agency recently did just that. MARTA is renaming the station currently called the Dome Georgia World Congress Center Phillips Arena CNN center to the SEC station that is short for Sports, Entertainment and Convention District. MARTA board member Timothy Worthy says this will help avoid confusion. It is in the best interest of MARTA, MARTA's patrons, the Greater Atlanta metropolitan area in the state of Georgia, to change the name of the station to something that will identify the area clearly, whether or not nearby geographical landmarks and streets have their name changed. The Georgia Dome was demolished in 2017, Phillips arena was renamed State Farm arena in 2018, and the former CNN center is now simply the center after CNN moved out of the building last year. And the change comes as Atlanta expects hundreds of thousands of visitors for World cup matches next year. It was a big night for Braves rookie catcher Drake Baldwin last night in the bottom of the 11th, Baldwin delivered the walk off RBI single the Braves needed to defeat the Cincinnati Reds 5 4. It was Baldwin's first walk off hit of his career. I mean it was awesome. Yeah, something you dream about getting the chance to be up at the plate with a guy in scoring position and and getting it done makes it a lot better as well. Outfielder Michael Harris II collected three hits in a pair of RBIs, including a game tying RBI single in the ninth inning. Relief pitcher Pierce Johnson threw a 123 seventh inning and has now retired 25 consecutive batters over his last eight games. The Braves faced the Pirates in Pittsburgh this evening for the first of a three game series against the Pirates. A victory would mean The Braves cracked the.500 mark for the first time this season. Alright, we're done. It has been a week and if you want to learn more about the stories you've heard today, visit gpb.org news that's also where our reporters are posting news stories all the time. Hit subscribe on this podcast so we can stay connected and reach out if you've got something to tell us. Our email address is Georgia todaypb.org I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening and have a great weekend and a happy Mother's Day.

[Tim Livingston]

Kickoff for Super Bowl 34. The Titans Rams 2000 Super Bowl an instant classic. Hours after the game, two men were stabbed in the street. Accused of being in the middle. The greatest linebacker in NFL history, Ray Lewis and two friends are charged with murder. The nation's eyes were glued to their televisions. The trial concluded and the verdicts came back not guilty. What you can learn from all this is that big cases make for big mistakes. Look what happened to O.J. simpson. And look what happened to Ray Lewis. Lewis went on to have a Hall of Fame career, but questions around that night in Atlanta still remain. So where do you think they're hiding? They know what happened. They know exactly what happened. After 20 years, it's time to get to the bottom line. Truth. From Tenderfoot tv, I'm Tim Livingston, and this is the Raven. Listen for free on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.