Weather forecasters could lose critical data; Dekalb County 'Peaceful Protests' guide

Summary

Georgia Today Podcast Summary
Episode: Weather Forecasters Could Lose Critical Data; DeKalb County 'Peaceful Protests' Guide
Release Date: July 2, 2025
Host: Peter Biello

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1. Impending Loss of Critical Meteorological Data

As hurricane season intensifies, weather forecasters in Georgia face a significant challenge. Ellen Eldredge of GPB News reports that the Department of Defense (DoD) will cease sharing data from its meteorological satellite program with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) at the end of the month. This data is crucial for tracking and predicting storm behaviors, including rainfall rates and structural changes.

Thomas Mote, a researcher and geography professor at the University of Georgia, highlights the potential impact:

“It might be more likely that we would have what's called the sunrise surprise or a storm that has moved or rapidly increased in intensity overnight when we don't have other kinds of observations available.”
[01:19]

Mote explains that without the DoD’s data, meteorologists will primarily rely on satellite images that are only usable during daylight hours, potentially hindering the accuracy of storm predictions.

Eldredge adds:

“Mote says the Defense Department's rationale for cutting off this data has to do with cybersecurity.”
[01:33]

The cessation of data sharing is expected to hamper the ability of forecasters to provide timely and accurate storm warnings, thereby increasing risks during severe weather events.

2. Concerns Over Federal Budget Cuts to Public Health

The episode delves into the ramifications of President Trump's proposed budget, which is making its way through Congress amidst ongoing negotiations for next year's federal budget. This budget could have profound implications for public health services.

Sophie Gradas from GPB News reports that the reconciliation package and Trump's budget proposal aim to replace the Department of Health and Human Services with the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA). This restructuring includes eliminating several departments and slashing budgets, potentially resulting in Georgia losing $382 million in grants. These funds are vital for combating HIV, addressing drug use, and funding disease research.

Despite federal judges reversing layoffs at health agencies, uncertainty persists regarding the continuity of essential public health work. John Brooks, an epidemiologist and retired medical officer at the CDC in Atlanta, raises concerns:

“What's not clear is it until...”
[02:31]

Gradas continues:

“Are they going to somehow be moved into AHA and will their work continue if money for it is lost?”
[02:37]

The future of these critical health programs remains uncertain as U.S. House Committee members are scheduled to review the budget in several meetings this month, leaving stakeholders anxious about the potential loss of vital public health services.

3. DeKalb County's Toolkit for Peaceful Protests and Columbia County's Library System Split

In response to recent unrest, Metro Atlanta's DeKalb County has introduced a comprehensive toolkit for peaceful protests. This initiative follows incidents where authorities arrested dozens during a protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which escalated to the use of tear gas after demonstrators blocked a busy road and threw objects at officers.

The toolkit provides guidelines for protesters, including:

• Seeking approval for the use of public spaces.
• Obtaining permits for street marches.
• Establishing a point of contact with law enforcement.
• Advising against blocking roads or entrances without a permit, bringing weapons, wearing face covers, or engaging with agitators.

County officials emphasize that the protocol aims to foster “civic engagement with clarity, confidence, and respect.”

Meanwhile, Columbia County has decided to establish its own library system, departing from the previously shared four-county regional library system following disputes over book challenges. Although Columbia’s three libraries will remain part of the state's Pines system, this move has sparked controversy. Karen Parham of the Freedom to Read Coalition criticizes the decision:

“I'd say about 60% of the books challenged have been challenged by just one person and she goes into the library and searches out LGBTQ books and then she checks them out and she challenges them.”
[03:55]

Priscilla Benz, the individual challenging the books, elaborates:

“Like I've only reviewed about 30, but about 80% of the books that I've read are really pushing indoctrination of the trans or gay.”
[04:13]

Benz argues that these books do not belong in the children's or young adult sections, highlighting ongoing debates about library content and censorship.

Columbia County officials defend their decision as a step to “streamline government,” with the changes set to take effect next year.

4. Shriners Children's to Open Major Medical Research Facility in Atlanta

In an encouraging development for Georgia's healthcare sector, Shriners Children’s is set to open a new medical research facility in Atlanta. The Florida-based nonprofit organization plans to establish this multidisciplinary innovation hub near Georgia Tech, aiming to advance pediatric healthcare research.

Leslie Stewart, President and CEO of Shriners Children’s, states:

“Having a research facility will help the organization recruit talent.”
[04:54]

Thomas Mote adds:

“We want to reestablish our prominence in pediatric healthcare research. We want the community to know that we're bringing our reputation Shriners Children’s to Atlanta. We want you to know that there will be a substantial financial impact.”
[04:54]

The $153 million investment is projected to create over 400 new jobs and will become part of the Science Square development—an 18-acre, multi-use project on the west end of Georgia Tech’s campus in Midtown Atlanta. This facility is poised to join several other life science ventures, bolstering the region's reputation as a hub for innovation and medical research.

5. Additional Business and Political Updates

• Waffle House has eliminated its 50-cent surcharge on eggs as supply chains stabilize following the avian flu outbreak. The surcharge was initially introduced in February to offset soaring egg prices.

• An Atlanta-based industrial real estate developer announced plans to construct an Amazon facility in Troup County, West Georgia. Seyfried Industrial Properties revealed that the 1.6 million square foot facility is expected to open in 2027, marking Amazon's third sortation center in the state.

• Governor Brian Kemp has nominated the state's Commissioner of Revenue, Frank O'Connell, to serve as the chief judge of the newly created Georgia Tax Court. This court was established following a constitutional amendment approved by voters last November aimed at enhancing the efficiency of tax case handling at the state level. O'Connell has led the Revenue Department for over two years and previously served as the agency's deputy commissioner and general counsel.

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This episode of Georgia Today provides a comprehensive overview of critical issues affecting Georgia, from environmental data challenges and public health funding threats to civic engagement strategies and significant developments in healthcare and business sectors. For more detailed reports and updates, listeners are encouraged to visit gpb.org/news.

Transcript

[Peter Biello]

Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, weather forecasters may soon lose access to some critical data. DeKalb county releases a guide on protesting, and Columbia county will create its own library system, in part because of book.

[Priscilla Benz]

Challenges like I've only reviewed about 30, but about 80% of the books that I've read are really pushing indoctrination of the trans or gay.

[Peter Biello]

Today is Wednesday, July 2nd. I'm Peter Biello, and this is GEORGIA Today. As hurricane season ramps up, weather forecasters will lose access to data used to track A storm's intensity. GPB's Ellen Eldredge reports.

[Ellen Eldredge]

At the end of the month, the Department of Defense will cease sharing data from its meteorological satellite program with the national oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It helps meteorologists track and predict storms, including the rate of rainfall and structure. Thomas Mote is a researcher and geography professor with the University of Georgia. He says other available satellite images can only be used during the day, but.

[Thomas Mote]

It might be more likely that we would have what's called the sunrise surprise or a storm that has moved or rapidly increased in intensity overnight when we don't have other kinds of observations available.

[Ellen Eldredge]

Mote says the Defense Department's rationale for cutting off this data has to do with cybersecurity. For GPB News, I'm Ellen Eldredge.

[Peter Biello]

As President Trump's so called big beautiful bill moves through Congress, legislators are still in the process of finalizing next year's federal budget, which could have major implications for public health. And former directors of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are raising the alarm ahead of budget talks. GPB's Sophie Gradas has more.

[Sophie Gradas]

Apart from the reconciliation package is Trump's proposed budget, which would replace the Department of Health and Human Services with the Administration for a healthy America, or AHA, eliminating many departments and slashing budgets, Georgia could lose $382 million in grants, money used to fight HIV drug use and fund disease research and and while federal judges have ruled to reverse layoffs at health agencies, epidemiologist and retired medical officer at the CDC in Atlanta John Brooks says what's not clear is it until.

[Thomas Mote]

The end of the current fiscal year or is it are they going to somehow be moved into aha and will.

[Sophie Gradas]

Their work continue if money for it is lost? U.S. house committee members will review the budget in several meetings this month. For GPB News, I'm Sophie gratis.

[Peter Biello]

Metro Atlanta's DeKalb county has released what officials are calling a toolkit for peaceful protest. The tips released yesterday come weeks after authorities arrested dozens of people during a DeKalb county protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Authorities used tear gas after demonstrators took over a busy road and started throwing objects at officers. The toolkit advises protesters to seek approval for use of any public space gabriel a permit for street marches and have a point of contact for law enforcement. Among other things, it advises against blocking roads or entrances without a permit, bringing weapons, wearing face covers or engaging with agitators. County officials say the peace protest protocol is aimed at supporting civic engagement with, quote, clarity, confidence and respect. Commissioners in East Georgia's Columbia county have voted to establish their own library system, leaving a four county regional library system after months of rancor over book challenges. The county's three libraries will remain in the state's Pines system. Karen Parham of the Freedom to Read Coalition says the split was unnecessary.

[Priscilla Benz]

I'd say about 60% of the books challenged have been challenged by just one person and she goes into the library and searches out LGBTQ books and then she checks them out and she challenges them.

[Peter Biello]

Priscilla Benz, who's been challenging the books, says they don't belong in the children's or young adult sections.

[Priscilla Benz]

Like I've only reviewed about 30, but about 80% of the books that I've read are really pushing indoctrination of the trans or gay.

[Peter Biello]

Columbia county officials say the move is, quote, to streamline government. The decision yesterday becomes effective next year. Pediatric healthcare giant Shriners Children's plans to open a medical research facility in Atlanta. The Florida based nonprofit says its new location near Georgia Tech will become a multidisciplinary innovation hub to advance children's health care. Shriners Children's president and CEO Leslie Stewart says having a research facility will help the organization recruit talent.

[Thomas Mote]

We want to reestablish our prominence in pediatric healthcare research. We want the community to know that we're bringing our reputation Shriners Children's to Atlanta. We want you to know that there will be a substantial financial impact.

[Peter Biello]

The nonprofit says its $153 million investment will create more than 400 new jobs. It will join several other life science ventures in an 18 acre multi use development called Science Square on the west end of Georgia Tech's campus in Midtown Atlanta. In other business news, Waffle House has dropped its 50 cent surcharge on eggs as supplies rebound. The metro Atlanta based chain added the temporary charge in February when avian flu sent egg prices to record highs. The company announced on its social media platforms yesterday that the surcharge is officially chunked and an Atlanta based industrial real estate developer says it plans to build an Amazon facility in West Georgia's Troup County. Seyfried Industrial properties said the 1.6 million square foot facility is anticipated to open in 2027 and will be Amazon's third sortation center in Georgia. Governor Brian Kemp yesterday nominated the state's Commissioner of Revenue to be the chief judge of the newly created Georgia Tax Court. Frank o' Connell has headed the Revenue Department for more than two years after serving previously as the agency's deputy commissioner and general counsel. Georgia voters approved a constitutional amendment last November creating the tax court aimed at improving efficiency in the handling of tax cases at the state level. That's a wrap. Thank you very much for listening to Georgia Today. Hope you come back tomorrow. Make sure you subscribe to this podcast. That way, we'll appear in your podcast feed automatically tomorrow afternoon. And if you want the latest updates on any of the stories you heard Today, check out gpb.org news we're always posting new stories there, and if you think we should be covering something that we haven't yet, maybe we just don't know about it, be our eyes and ears. Send us an email about it. The address is georgia todaypb.org we also value your feedback on this podcast. You can send us to that Same address, Georgia todaypb.org I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.

[Pamela Kirkland]

When a massive chemical fire erupted at the Biolab facility in Conyers, thick smoke filled the air, forcing evacuations. But for many, it wasn't the first time, and it wouldn't be the last. I'm Pamela Kirkland. In GPB's new podcast, Manufacturing the Biolab Story, I investigate what caused the fire, the response and what it means for Conyers residents. Today, [e-mail] podcast or wherever you get your podcast.