Georgia Today Podcast Summary

Date: August 15, 2025
Host: Peter Biello (GPB News)
Main Topics: CDC vaccine task force reinstatement, new EPA guidance on dicamba, Magic City documentary series, and updates on local Georgia news.

Episode Overview

This episode brings listeners up to speed on significant news impacting Georgia:

• The reinstatement of a federal vaccine task force with CDC involvement
• The EPA’s new draft guidelines on dicamba herbicide for farmers
• An in-depth look at a new Starz documentary on Atlanta's legendary Magic City nightclub
• Brief coverage of local stories in crime, sports, education, and policy

Key Segments and Discussions

1. Magic City: The Documentary Series

[00:39–07:05]

Segment Overview

Pamela Kirkland interviews “Magic: An American Fantasy” executive producers Jamie Gertz and Bayan Junum about Magic City’s complex legacy, cultural impact, and why now is the right time for its story.

Main Discussion Points

• Why Tell Magic City’s Story Now?
  • The mainstreaming of club dancing in American music and culture
  • Iconic artists like Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion began as dancers; Magic City helped shape their journeys
• Humanizing the Institution
  • Magic City isn’t just a club—it’s a family-run business, central to Atlanta's cultural fabric and Southern hip hop
  • Insight into the family and everyday community surrounding the club
• Producer Jamie Gertz’s Atlanta Connection
  • Moved to Atlanta after becoming a Hawks co-owner, instantly welcomed by Magic City’s community
  • Personal motivations: highlighting grit, hustle, and the "Atlanta way" of turning dreams into reality

Notable Quotes

• Bayan Junum:
  • “Dancing, particularly in the club, has gone from being in the shadows taboo to something that’s now very mainstream…” ([01:34])
  • “It’s a really important moment… the story of these dancers who are, in their own way, becoming part of the American dream.” ([01:41])
• Jamie Gertz:
  • “For me, it was more wanting to tell a story about an American family, an American success story, and just the grit and the heart and the hustle of what I’ve become to known as the, you know, Atlanta way.” ([03:19])
  • “Mr. Magic wanted everyone who comes there and spends money there to feel special. So whether you had 20 bucks… or you had $10,000… it was kind of like Cheers in a way.” ([04:48])

Memorable Moments

• Killer Mike’s observation (paraphrased by Gertz): “The sinners and the saints needing each other… out of sin, many saintly moments.” ([05:13])
• The organic way Magic City became an incubator for Southern hip hop, where mixtapes lived or died on dancers' reactions, shaping the careers of rising stars
• The club as a “love letter to Atlanta,” celebrating both the city’s challenges and triumphs

Additional Information

• The docuseries premieres on Starz, debuting the night of the podcast’s release

2. Atlanta Track Club Race Honoring Fallen Officer

[07:30–08:16]

• Proceeds from the Atlanta’s Finest 5K to benefit the family of a police officer killed in a CDC campus shooting
• Track Club CEO Rich Kana notes a surge in registrations as the community comes together
• Quote: “I wanted to lean into what the running community could do.” (Rich Kana, [07:58])

3. EPA’s Dicamba Guidelines: Georgia Farmer Perspectives

[08:16–09:17]

Key Points

• EPA announces draft guidelines for dicamba use, with stricter controls due to concerns about herbicide drift damaging neighboring crops
• Enforcement challenge: Cannot apply dicamba if temperatures exceed 95°F
• Farmer Lee Nunn emphasizes both economic impact and personal responsibility in spraying
  • Quote: “I do 100% of the spraying with this machine.” (Lee Nunn, [09:01])

4. Other Major Georgia News Briefs

[09:17–13:00]

MARTA Leadership Change

• Jonathan Hunt named interim GM/CEO after Collie Greenwood retires

Georgia Power Natural Gas Plant

• Three new turbines at Plant Yates to serve surging demand, especially from new data centers
• Environmentalists urge a push for renewables

Reinstated Vaccine Task Force

• HHS revives the Safer Childhood Vaccines group, including CDC leaders
• Reactivated in the broader context of vaccine hesitancy and misinformation
• Recent CDC attack linked to distrust in vaccines

UGA Top Student Life Ranking

• University of Georgia ranked #1 for student life in the U.S.

Savannah Carriage Horse Heat Ordinance

• City Council votes to lower max temperature for working horses; possible mayoral veto pending
• Quote: “This is sort of a compromise position… we just want improved animal welfare.” (Activist Robin Lowe, [12:31])

Economic Updates

• State unemployment falls slightly; 500 jobs lost in July
• Job losses in accommodation, food, transportation, warehousing, utilities sectors

Sports Highlights

• Braves beat Mets 4-3 behind Ozzie Albies
• Buford High School opens new $62m stadium with a win; notable high school football results

Notable Quotes and Timestamps

• Bayan Junum (on Magic City and mainstreaming):
  • “Dancing… has gone from being in the shadows taboo to something that’s now very mainstream…” ([01:34])
• Jamie Gertz (on Atlanta and Magic City):
  • “For me, it was more wanting to tell a story about an American family, an American success story…” ([03:19])
• Rich Kana (Track Club CEO):
  • “I wanted to lean into what the running community could do.” ([07:58])
• Lee Nunn (Madison, GA Farmer):
  • “I do 100% of the spraying with this machine.” ([09:01])
• Robin Lowe (Animal Welfare Activist):
  • “This is sort of a compromise position at the moment…” ([12:31])

Major Takeaways

• Magic City’s cultural history is being told on a national stage, highlighting personal stories, Atlanta’s music legacy, and broader social trends
• The EPA's effort to consult Georgia farmers on new dicamba herbicide restrictions spotlights the complexity of balancing agricultural need with environmental safety
• Local initiatives underscore the community’s resilience in responding to tragedies and evolving policies
• The University of Georgia garners national recognition as a top college for student life, and Atlanta continues to grow as an economic, technological, and cultural hub

For more stories and extended coverage, listeners are encouraged to visit gpb.org/news.