The Brief from WABE

Atlanta's heatwave stays put this week; Why medical cannabis might be coming to a doorstep near you; and Georgia exports and imports more goods in July compared to a year ago, with cars being the exception. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More work on the perimeter will likely mean traffic woes for many drivers this weekend; Former CDC researchers have something to say about changes to the MMR vaccine; and the ups and downs of trying to increase solar panel manufacturing in the US.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MARTA'S board selects its interim CEO to be its next leader full-time; Atlanta's population growth slows; and Atlanta's city council asks Mayor Dickens for a formal heat plan, as it's formally hot right now. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One injured in shooting at Warner Robins High School; Too little space and too few staffers make for two big problems at the Fulton County Jail; and APD opens internal review of how officers use Flock cameras. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pressure on DeKalb Schools to spell out how and when immigration can show up; Fulton County's lowball offer for the city jail; and the Atlanta Press Club inducts a WABE icon into its hall of fame. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MARTA's board close to naming agency's next GM and CEO; City of Atlanta looks to hike trash collection fees; For some refugee women new to Georgia, why 'settling in' means getting outside.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Saturday marks the one-year anniversary of the shooting at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; The father of the Apalachee High School shooter is asking for a new trial after being found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to 15 years in prison; The Georgia Department of Transportation is completely closing down a westside section of I-285 this weekend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Georgia-raised soldier killed in Iran will be laid to rest in Canton; Health and Human Services Sec. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to mark anniversary of CDC shooting; and bringing affordable housing to one of the city's least affordable neighborhoods. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite voting against her appointment to head Atlanta's CDC, U.S.Senator John Ossoff says he's ready to work together with Dr. Erica Schwartz; Gov. Brian Kemp endorsed Rick Jackson's opponent in the gubernatorial primary, but flipped and is now bolstering Jackson in the general election; and a majority of Atlanta employers are looking to add to their payrolls. Why that's a double-edged sword, and why NOT using AI to custom tailor your resume might give you the edge. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Holding out for a massive payout works, apparently. The Falcons now employ the highest-paid running back in NFL history; The secret to a clean community? Ditch the sad photos of nature in turmoil. Instead, play up the social aspects of clean-ups; and why Atlanta's city council wants a full report of all the unpaved streets in the city.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cases of cyclosporiasis continue to increase in Georgia and across the nation; Georgia Democrats convene to strategize for November's midterms; and Hey Twin! One metro Atlanta city's reliance on AI to tighten up its image.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weather is behind decision to postpone massive road closure scheduled for the weekend; a man with leukemia dies after being detained at Georgia's Stewart Detention Center; and the importance of preserving not just Georgia's salt marsh, but also the land next door. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trump nominee to lead CDC advances past Senate committee; Father of Apalachee High School shooter gets 15-years; and ACLU of Georgia sues ICE for alleged wrongdoing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two Delta jets get too close for comfort at Atlanta's airport; Georgia's GOP nominee for governor pulls $89-million out of his rainy-day fund to craft a narrative about his Democratic opponent; and what we learned about Colt Grey from his sentencing in Georgia's deadliest ever act of school violence.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Apalachee school shooter will spend the rest of his days in prison, as a judge sentences Colt Gray to life in prison with no parole; Georgia's largest health outfit lays off hundreds; and state officials say the City of Atlanta is responsible for a massive fish kill last month, but city officials say, "Nuh-uh."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prosecutors say infamy may have been the motive behind a 2024 school shooting in Georgia; The Atlanta-based CDC could have a new director following a senate vote this week; and the Okefenokee Swamp is the first place in Georgia to be added to the UNESCO world heritage list See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A 16-year-old in Georgia is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty Friday to killing four people and injuring several others in a shooting at his high school nearly two years ago; The Cobb County school board and Superintendent Chris Ragsdale continue to deal with the fallout of President Donald Trump’s rally at Wheeler High School this week; The new 25-year-old owner of a local newspaper talks about what made him get into a business that has contracted significantly in recent years. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gov. Brian Kemp heads to DC to ponder data centers; Clayton County does the same closer to home; and the suspected Apalachee High shooter plans to plead guilty tomorrow. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trump stumps for Georgia GOP nominees, touts Trump Accounts; Gwinnett County father serving life sentence for shaken-baby death gets new trial 20 years later; and Tyler Perry Studios to expand.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pres. Trump scheduled to visit Cobb County Wednesday; Decatur to tap 20 to combat homelessness; and lineup changes for the Hawks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The U.N. considers naming the Okefenokee a World Heritage site; Elected at age 22, and restricted six months in, the mayor of Stockbridge feels some growing pains; and making a new vehicle look old--but still better--proves a successful recipe for Buford's Vintage Modern. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A dairy producer owned by the Coca Cola company is dealing with the effects of a cyberattack; Fulton county's sheriff is looking for public input on jail overcrowding; and we hear from the owner of a new board game cafe opening soon near the BeltlineSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Detained man in ICE custody dies during transfer between two Georgia detention centers; Georgia could quickly transition to daylight saving time year-round; and President Donald Trump likely to focus on Georgia during primetime address. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Confirmation clash: nominees for top federal offices face a Georgia grilling; Atlanta's part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is over. Was it worth it?; And once scrappy, now seasoned. The Chattahoochee Nature Center turns 50.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A person potentially facing the death penalty for the fatal stabbing of a woman on a MARTA train pleads not guilty; Atlanta's city council steps in over a pay dispute at Hartsfield-Jackson; and Atlanta's final FIFA World Cup game promises to be kind of a big deal.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A guilty plea from a former executive at the High Museum; the victory one of Georgia's U.S. Senators is enjoying after the bipartisan housing bill becomes law; and the nuanced windfall of hosting the FIFA World Cup.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Postal union calls for investigation into deaths at Palmetto mail processing center; Libertarians fail to get enough signatures to appear on November's ballot; and the argument for more public toilets.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ensuring ballots are as private as private can be might prove disruptive to November's election; Big-box bookstores are back; and a conversation with the iconic Harry Connick, Jr., who performs this weekend in Atlanta. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A heat dome makes the hot Atlanta summer...hotter; A judge upholds a commission given the authority to strip local DAs from office; and what's left for Atlanta as it hosts one more FIFA World Cup match. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Judge rejects Trump administration effort to access Fulton poll worker information; College Park's city council meeting, held in Savannah, draws some side-eye; and developers see opportunity off southwest Atlanta's Sylvan Rd. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A DeKalb County employee fights for her life after a bullet from celebratory gunfire pierced her home; Atlanta water officials say a massive fish kill wasn't their fault. So, who's was it? Why Environomental groups are scratching their heads...; And what a fancy, oversized house in West Atlanta -- and the infamous stuffed animals inside-- says about our country 250 years in.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The FBI is doubling down on it's efforts to uncover fraud in Georgia's 2020 election, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary; the brother of a former Falcons player is facing murder charges in the death of their mother; and Venezuelans in Atlanta are rallying community support to help with recovery efforts after two devastating earthquakes hit their home country. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health officials are concerned by the number of West Nile virus cases they're seeing, a new power plant is facing scrutiny for allegedly skirting permitting requirements, and a recent report outlines the state of senior healthcare and how Georgia compares.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It doesn't look like the Georgia heat will ease up in time for the July 4th holiday weekend; The Georgia Environmental Protection Division is investigating a fish kill in the South River in DeKalb County; MARTA says more than 1.5 million passengers have traveled across the transit system during the first two weeks of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The long-delayed trial of the man accused of carrying out the 2021 Atlanta spa shootings could be delayed even further; drone fliers find out that temporary flight restrictions near World Cup sites do – yes – apply to them too; and for America 250, we hear about an exhibit at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library that’s out of the world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A double-amputee who says he had to crawl across filthy bathroom floors while in ICE custody in Georgia gets the attention of top lawmakers; a half-decade after a killing spree at area spas, the accused shooter gets closer to trial in Fulton County; and why you'll want to get to Atlanta's airport early if you're celebrating the 4th somewhere else.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Atlanta led the nation this year in new storage unit construction. So why did the mayor just pump the brakes on any more new ones, at least for now?; Time is on the side of "Cop City" protesters; and what the United Way has to say about inflation's effect on Atlanta.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fulton County opens schools for non-residents (just have a check made out to:...); Georgia has a shortage of skilled workers; and the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta sees an overwhelming response to a grant offering--what that might say about the local non-profit sector's needs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Special legislative session, called in part to address QR codes on Georgia ballots, ends with extension of status quo until 2028; City of Atlanta expands free public WiFi (thank you, FIFA); and why East Lake's place in professional golf could decline under new PGA rules. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Surprise addition during Georgia special legislative session would force hand counting of ballots; Gwinnett forms homeless task force; and why farmland is under threat, and what a new state fund hopes to do to keep it away from developers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Moving beyond QR codes to count votes advances with plenty of opposition; throwing money at Fulton County Jail's recruitment efforts fails to pay off; and how Atlanta welcomes LGBTQ World Cup fans.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite special session called to get it done, Georgia's GOP leaders decline to draw new legislative districts—for now; The WABE newsroom breaks down results from Georgia's runoff elections; and Atlanta readies to host its second 2026 FIFA World Cup game.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

State lawmakers are back to redraw Georgia's US Congressional lines, but there are differing views about how that might play out; It's primary runoff election day in Georgia; and Molly Samuel has the latest installment in our series looking at Atlanta's place in U.S. history at 250.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a successful seven-year run, Georgia Tech's president announces a new gig and his departure from the campus where he started as a college freshman in the 1990s; The weekend sees high-profile endorsements for GOP contenders for governor and U.S. Senator; and why if you're looking for a new place to call home, for now, now might be the time to act. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Atlanta-based CDC issues guidance on scary but relatively low-risk New World Screw Worm; Atlanta residents push back on parks department funding cuts; and Paula Poundstone is especially funny when she's just being Paula Poundstone. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's still illegal to hand out bottles of water or snacks to Georgia voters in line, a judge rules; Residents upset over a past approval for a data center flood Marietta City Council meeting; and after a countdown that began years ago, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is underway with fan celebrations all over the area. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A flesh-eating pest prompts Georgia to scrutinize some incoming livestock and other animals; Georgia small business owners lose optimism in latest survey; and we take you front row, center stage for the Buford Highway Orchestra Project. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Suspect in MARTA shooting arrested, charged with federal crime; Hot weather forecast for Atlanta's FIFA World Cup games prompts official warning; and May's housing data show prices in metro Atlanta continue to creep up even as sales remain flat. ...Think it has anything to do with that three-quarters of a million dollar price tag for the 'average' home? Naah. We didn't think so either. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a violent few weeks on MARTA. The feds are investigating, and now state leaders have their focus on Atlanta's transit system; A massive data center that already got the green light has Marietta residents planning to crash this week's city council meeting; and America at 250: how the Jim Henson puppet Miss Piggy helps tell the nation's story through an Atlanta lens. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's rare indeed, when Atlanta's weekend traffic isn't awful, but it's awfully rare it's as bad as this weekend's is shaping up to be.  Want a lucrative state contract? Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has some lakefront property he'd like to show you.  And it's not along the Beltline's Eastside Trail... and it's not a rail line... But two decades in and the Beltline technically has transit.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The federal government launches an inquiry into MARTA's spending on safety; County elections officials could get different (and conflicting) state guidance on how to count ballots; and we head to the Atlanta History Center in search of what documents from Spelman College's earliest years tell us about the country's earliest days. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.