On Second Thought: Recent Episodes
Georgia Public Broadcasting
On Second Thought is a one-hour news talk show hosted by Virginia Prescott that airs at 11 a.m. Friday, 7 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday on Georgia Public Broadcasting. Timely conversations about all topics relating to Georgia and the South — including politics, healthcare, education, music, literature and race. We bring you stories you won't hear elsewhere and voices that are often ignored. Subscribe for weekly episodes that highlight the stories and characters that are impacting the civic and cultural life of the South.
A panel discussion with storytellers, activists and scholars on the power of the women’s vote throughout history, and the importance of representation and empowerment; Otis Reddings’ widow and daughter remember the legendary musician and reflect on carrying his legacy forward through a new picture book, ‘Respect’
A frontline doctor and advocate for Georgia's immigrant and refugee populations on supporting and encouraging some of the people most vulnerable to COVID-19; historian and author Grace Elizabeth Hale on her new book, "Cool Town: How Athens, Georgia, Launched Alternative Music and Changed American Culture"
Julian Zelizer's new book, "Burning Down The House: Newt Gingrich, the Fall of a Speaker, and the Rise of the New Republican Party" offers one explanation for today's divisive political atmosphere; examining the history behind "The Tree That Owns Itself" in Athens
With experts concerned about a surge in evictions amid the ongoing pandemic, we explore implications and potential mitigating factors of the coming eviction crisis; former U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey on her new memoir, "Memorial Drive"
Taking stock of the U.S. Postal Service's ability to process parcels — and ballots — amid financial struggles; renowned Southern pastry chef Lisa Donovan on her new memoir, "Our Lady of Perpetual Hunger"; author Lara Prescott on her debut novel, "The Secrets We Kept"
For this special edition of "On Second Thought," we invited a panel to discuss one central question: are Georgia schools prepared to support youth mental health in the coming school year?
To mark this Saturday's annual Moore’s Ford lynchings reenactment, we revisit an interview with Jacqueline Olive, director of the film ‘Always in Season’; John Lewis on the redemption of the South; author Bruce Feiler on his novel "Life is in the Transitions."
A primer on QAnon and how it intersects with Georgia politics; how the Atlanta Community Kitchen Project is firing up underused kitchens to address food insecurity; author Lisa Napoli on her new book, "Up All Night"
A new film reflects on the life, legacy and lessons of longtime Georgia Congressman John Lewis; how a recent SCAD film graduate is trying to "create diverse, untold stories and provide a voice to the voiceless"
Show Notes: John Lewis: Good Trouble: https://www.johnlewisgoodtrouble.com/ Mahalia Latortue's 'The Struggle is Reel' podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-struggle-is-reel/id1394949640
Savannah Mayor Van Johnson on leading the city through a global pandemic, a contracted economy, and protests against systemic racism; men across Georgia describe their experiences with “The Talk,” including Savannah Police Chief Roy Minter; a community-based plan to combat the spread of COVID-19 among people experiencing homelessness in Savannah
What it means when corporations declare support for Black Lives Matter, and how their statements stack up against internal policies and attitudes; two Atlanta artists share how their work functions as a radical act of rebellion against racial injustice, and how uncomfortable conversations are necessary to move forward
Making sense of calls to reform, defund and abolish the police; one reporter looks into the lack of COVID-19 protections in Irwin County's ICE detention facility; remembering George Floyd in the neighborhood that made him
Outrage and protests over the death of George Floyd show no sign of letting up. A diverse group of demonstrators in Georgia and worldwide say they’re fed up with racial discrimination and police violence. We speak to Georgians on the ground and get context for the history of resistance in the “city too busy to hate.”
Show Notes: The New York Times: “Thousands of Complaints Do Little to Change Police Ways” https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/30/us/derek-chauvin-george-floyd.html The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “6 Atlanta officers charged after confrontation with college students” https://www.ajc.com/news/breaking-news/live-fulton-announces-findings-atlanta-police-excessive-force-case/IwWL0tioOHNAtC29Ad2xGL/ The New York Times: “Many Claim Extremists Are Sparking Protest Violence. But Which Extremists?” https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/us/george-floyd-protests-white-supremacists-antifa.html CBS46: “APD Police Chief: “You’re a real cold son of a b---h”: https://www.cbs46.com/apd-police-chief-youre-a-real-cold-son-of-a-b---h/video_19031aa5-3e51-5b69-9a51-98403fb458a3.html
AJC Reporter Joshua Sharpe gives us the backstory on how his reporting about a 1985 murder case from southeast Georgia unveiled new DNA evidence and prompted the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to reopen the case; author Mary Beth Keane on her New York Times best-selling novel, “Ask Again, Yes”
The last 35 seconds of Ahmaud Arbery’s life have been viewed, studied, dissected and discussed all over the world. We sat down with some of the people who knew Ahmaud best — including his mother, friends, and neighbors — and heard about the nearly 26 years of life before he was shot on a shady street in Satilla Shores, Georgia. Learn who Ahmaud was, how his loved ones are remembering him, and how being thrust into the national spotlight is both compounding their grief and offering an opportunity to demand justice for his death.
How the justice system operates during a pandemic; Alan Walden remembers musical legend Little Richard; Bettye Kearse’s new book, “The Other Madisons: The Lost History of a President’s Black Family”
The considerations behind — and U.S. political reactions to — Sweden's coronavirus strategy; the ways COVID-19 is affecting our dreams; author Sue Monk Kidd on her latest novel, “The Book of Longings”
The impact of coronavirus on Atlanta's arts ecosystem — economically, culturally and artistically; poetry, politics and punk rock with Billy Bragg; author Julia Alvarez on her latest novel, “Afterlife”
How coronavirus isolation is changing people's beauty and self-care behaviors; one Milledgeville farmer shares how he’s turning the coronavirus crisis into an opportunity for service; Helping Mamas works through new challenges to meet high demand for childcare supplies; Jennifer Steinhauer on her new book, “The Firsts: The Inside Story of the Women Reshaping Congress”
The ethical considerations and emotional impact of triage decisions on medical staff; how people in substance abuse recovery are staying sober and connected under lockdown; Chef Vivian Howard on her PBS series, “Somewhere South,” and how she’s addressing challenges brought on by coronavirus; and how local theaters in Georgia are innovating during quarantine
Kathy Gunst on the power of "Rage Baking"; how Wahida Clark transformed a federal prison sentence into a successful writing career; how a writer, high schooler and pastor are getting creative and staying connected during quarantine
The impact of coronavirus on victims and survivors of domestic abuse; how Indigo Girls are using the power of music to uplift the vulnerable and find connection across social distance; stories of resilience from everyday Georgians who are finding creative ways to support restaurant workers, entertain children, and make at-home activities.
New hacking and privacy concerns during the coronavirus pandemic; stories of makeshift weddings and hand-washing stations for the homeless; what to stream if you're in quarantine
What internet humor reveals about how we process anxiety during the coronavirus pandemic; an upcoming PBS documentary explores the policies — and community — behind one of Atlanta's most notorious public housing projects
Addressing inequities during the coronavirus pandemic; Avoiding an 'Election Meltdown' with Richard Hasen
Erik Larson's 'The Splendid And The Vile' illustrates Winston Churchill's leadership during the London Blitz; ATL Collective and the Atlanta Jewish Music Festival 'relive' the soul of music producer Jerry Wexler
The music, story, and racial dilemmas presented by George Gershwin's opera, "Porgy and Bess"; A roundtable discussion on the ideals, realities and new definitions of beauty in the black community.
Reflections from poet Nikki Giovanni; Documentary film 'Always In Season' addresses generational trauma of lynching; Binders Art Supply's New "Splatter Room"; Soul Food Cypher's founders on the power of freestyle to sharpen minds and communities.
Love Stories of Oakland Cemetery; A Modern Arranged Marriage; New Edition of 'Joy of Cooking'; 2020 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival; Jean Sibelius' 'Finlandia' At Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
With news of the new coronavirus circulating around the world, there’s also been another viral threat: misinformation. // Actor, writer, and producer, Naomi McDougall Jones' new book, 'The Wrong Kind of Women: Inside Our Revolution to Dismantle the Gods of Hollywood,' unpacks the discrimination women face in Hollywood. // Hear a sample from the Atlanta Ballet's 'Heart/Beat: Gospel, Brubeck and Rhythms of the City.' // Investigative reporter Jerry Mitchell's new book, 'Race Against Time: A Reporter Reopens the Unsolved Murder Cases of the Civil Rights Era,' gives the inside scoop on how he brought four Ku Klux Klan members to justice after they nearly got away with murder. // The new film 'Always in Season' explores the lasting impact of more than a century of lynching African-Americans. Hear about an upcoming panel discussion about the movie.
Georgia is one of four states that does not have a law specifying penalties for hate crimes, but that could change with a bill being considered in the Georgia legislature. We speak with ProPublica reporter Rachel Glickhouse about how these laws work and what this bill, if passed, could mean for Georgia’s legal landscape.
Then, host Virginia Prescott talks with NPR's Steve Inskeep about his new book, "Imperfect Union: How Jessie and John Frémont Mapped the West, Invented Celebrity, and Helped Cause the Civil War." Their conversation was recorded in front of a live audience in Atlanta.
Finally, "On Second Thought" looks into the love story behind the new book "Old School Love and Why It Works," by Joseph "Rev Run" and Justine Simmons. The two bring their hard-earned relationship advice with them to an upcoming event in Atlanta.
Pitbulls: they’re the dog that “America loves to hate,” and Jason Flatt is devoted to saving them. We learn how tragedy and depression transformed Flatt, and how a puppy saved his life. Now, he spends his time saving the most neglected — and least wanted — dogs that come across his foundation, Friends to the Forlorn.
Three north Georgia men were arrested last week in connection to a white supremacist group called "The Base." We’ll unpack the details of the arrests and how extremism has grown in Georgia as well as in the nation.
Are your music playlists still cycling through last year’s hits? We asked Atlanta’s Paste Magazine to help keep us up to date with fresh tunes. We hear about both highly anticipated and under-the-radar record releases to expect in early 2020.
Since late 2016, a group of young Latinx people have been throwing a monthly dance party. It’s called La Choloteca, an effort to reclaim a slur used against people of indigenous origin. It bills itself as “a party with a mission”: to create a safe and inclusive space for all identities and anyone who wants to jam out to Latin tracks. Producer Pria Mahadevan went to a “Choloteca” and brought back this audio postcard.
As 2019 drew to a close, protests spilled into cities from Hong Kong to Santiago, Paris to Tehran, and Khartoum to La Paz. People around the world flocked to the streets, often with handmade signs, addressing their objections to policy changes, power grabs and cutbacks. The power of images to communicate disagreement is the subject of an exhibition now on view at the Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA).
For the last five years, we’ve heard cries of “fake news” from media critics on both sides of the political aisle. This year, Emory University offered first-year students the opportunity to enroll in a course about fake news. It’s one of Emory’s “evidence-focused seminars” intended to prepare students for college-level research. We speak to Dr. Judith Miller, who teaches the course, and Natalia Thomas, one of the students who took the class last semester.
Spreading lies is not new in politics. However, slickly packaged fictions can move faster, wider and deeper in the digital age. After the election of President Trump in 2016, concepts like “alternative facts” and “post-truth” became buzzwords. Increasingly, calling something “fake news” became a blunt instrument for discrediting stories, whether based in fact or not. The term is also being used to educate students at Emory University. History 190: Fake News is one of dozens of “evidence-focused seminars” intended to prepare first-year students for college-level research.
He was a civil rights icon, beloved father and husband, who would be 91 years old this year. On Monday, the nation celebrates the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Georgia native was assassinated in 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee a day after delivering one of his most memorable speeches, “I’ve Been To The Mountaintop.”
It made headlines when Queen Elizabeth II agreed to grant Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle their wish for a more independent life, allowing them to move part-time to Canada while remaining firmly in the House of Windsor. We speak with Emory history professor Dr. Patrick Allit and CNN senior writer Lisa Respers France to analyze the historical context and current implications of their move to this side of the pond.
Last September, President Donald Trump signed an executive order requiring state and local governments to consent, in writing, to allow refugee resettlement inside their borders. The deadline for officials to opt in was originally Jan. 21. That order was struck down in a U.S. district court earlier this week.
The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. holiday is coming up on Monday. The King Center announced this year’s theme is “The Beloved Community: The Fierce Urgency Of Now.” The Reverend Dr. Bernice King, CEO of The King Center, says her father’s message of the ‘beloved community’ operates out of unconditional love, adding, "it’s not about who deserves anything...it’s about all human beings having this inherent worth and value.” Xernona Clayton embodies those values. She worked with Dr. King and Coretta Scott King at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in the late 60s. In 1967 she became the first African American in the southeast to have her own television program. She served 30 years as an executive at Turner Broadcasting System and founded the Trumpet Awards to recognizes accomplishments of African Americans.
There is a lot of important news going on. Yet, this last week so many headlines were dominated by the news in Britain — not about Brexit, but “Megxit.” More accurately, the response to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s surprise decision to step back from their duties as “senior” royals. The move has revealed a range of opinions about monarchy, race, class and media — not just in Britain, but also here in the U.S.
Nominations for the 92nd Academy Awards were announced Monday. The list, which skews heavily white and male, has faced fierce criticism in the last few days. The discussion is all too familiar for many, resurrecting conversations about #OscarsSoWhite and the lack of representation for both women and people of color in the esteemed awards.
Rock n’ Roll hits the page in Ian Port’s The Birth of Loud . Hear him tone it down to speaking volume when he stops by On Second Thought .
Cars are an integral part of portraying time and place in film, with some leaving a lasting impact on our cultural references. There’s James Bond’s Aston Martin, Marty McFly’s time-traveling DeLorean, Thelma and Louise’s 1966 Thunderbird and countless other examples. With Georgia now a go-to filming location for projects like Baby Driver and Stranger Things , the demand for automobiles, current and vintage, is growing. Y’allywood Film Cars aims to fill that demand and keep the industry fair in the process. Run by Beth Aylward, Jeana Lopeman and Stacy Frasure, Y’allywood Film Cars connects the car collectors of Georgia with the productions looking for a specific model.
Nearly 4.6 million people live with developmental disabilities in the U.S. — a reality that hits home to about 600,000 living in Georgia. Oftentimes, individual voices and experiences get lost in those numbers. That's why FRQNCY Media , a Georgia-based production company collaborated with the Georgia Counil on Developmental Disabilities to create Hidden Voices, a podcast designed to highlight the stories of people with disorders and their families.
Whether you're searching something on Google, assessing a mortgage rate, or applying for a job, much of our lives today is informed by artificial intelligence. Or, the less scary term: intelligent algorithms. While AI helps systems operate quickly, it's not perfect. Like humans, these technologies are only as good as the information they get.
By 1970, Muhammad Ali’s boxing career was in decline. Convicted for draft evasion in 1967, Ali lost his license to fight in all 50 states and had become a polarizing figure across the country. That was before a group of key players managed to jump through a legal loophole and stage a comeback fight — in Atlanta.
Technology and artificial intelligence are making leaps and bounds, but that doesn’t mean the technology is infallible. "Algorithm bias" does exist, largely because of the datasets from which these systems learn. Dr. Ayanna Howard of Georgia Tech joined On Second Thought to explain the concerns of trusting this technology completely, as well as ways we can make it better.
Every ten years, the Census gets distributed to every household around the United States. The constitutionally-mandated questionnaire tells a story about who we are as a country, along with some more practical implications. Thousands of people, from door-to-door census takers to state governments, prepare years in advance to execute the massive push behind the Census. The results determine how much power individuals across the country have in their local and national political process, as well as how resources are allocated in communities across the country.
GPB will be hosting a film screening of Black 47 , an action-adventure drama that takes place during the Irish potato famine of the late 1840s. Shane Stevens, consul general of the Irish Consulate, will be at GBP in Atlanta on Wednesday for a screening of the film alongside GPB CEO Teya Ryan and the film’s star James Frecheville. Some 800,000 Georgians claim Irish heritage. The first shipload of immigrants from Ireland docked on the coast of what became the colony of Georgia and 1734. Thousands were escaping the potato famine of 1845 to 1849, when nearly a million Irish nationals died. Black 47 examines the horrors of the famine and the resilience of the Irish people.
For more than a decade, the primetime reality series Shark Tank has given entrepreneurs a chance to pitch their ideas to a panel of wealthy business titans. These “sharks” then decide whether to invest in the idea or company. Last year, Atlanta’s First Presbyterian Church started their own “shark tank.” It’s a social entrepreneurship venture called Epiphany . Much like the show, the church’s Epiphany program puts out a call for budding business ideas and offers support to select entrepreneurs through business development “navigator” groups, which then help them refine their final pitch to be selected for a grant from Epiphany’s pool of money.
The aerial arts are a thing across the country helped no doubt by the popularity of Cirque De Soleil or movies like The Greatest Showman. Georgia’s aerial community has grown as well. Challenge Aerial recently opened in Atlanta. It’s a studio housed in a former masonic lodge, with 20-foot-high ceilings, and lots of room for pursuing dreams of soaring high on silks, trapezes, and hoops.
You no doubt took part in, or at least heard about last year's battle between Popeyes and Chick-Fil-A during the so-called "chicken sandwich wars." Well, at the end of 2019, Popeyes dropped some new weapons into its arsenal: The Offset, The Quavo, The Takeoff and the Tour Rider. These were new meal options for people ordering from the Lousiana-based fast food restaurant on Uber Eats. The first three are named for the members of the Atlanta hip-hop group Migos. And The Tour Rider? That's apparently real. When Migos is on tour, their actual tour rider — or the list of things they require — includes a whole mess of Popeyes.
Atlanta United FC has been a huge success in major league soccer competition and in cultivating a rabid fan base that makes matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium feel like a party. Eumir Gutierrez or "DJ EU" is essential to the raucous vibe. On Second Thought invited him to the studio to learn more about his path from spinning records at Atlanta clubs to house DJ for Atlanta's beloved soccer club.
When U.S. Senator for Georgia Johnny Isakson announced last year that he would be stepping down, months passed before Governor Brian Kemp announced that Kelly Loeffler would be his temporary replacement. She was sworn in by Vice President Mike Pence on Monday.
On Monday, Vice President Mike Pence swore in Georgia’s new U.S. senator, Kelly Loeffler. While she may be co-owner of Atlanta’s professional women’s basketball team, The Dream, and a successful finance executive, many Georgia voters don’t know much about their new senator. Greg Bluestein of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution joins On Second Thought to tell us what we know, what we don’t know, and what to pay attention to in the coming months.
Instead of condemnation, strangers showed up to support a mother of four arrested for leaving her teenage son with down syndrome at an Atlanta hospital. Hear a debrief with GPB’s Jade Abdul-Malik on what families of the developmentally disabled want you to know.
Besides being subject to legal action, mothers who abandon their children generally hold a special place of villainy in the court of public opinion. Witness the recent condemnation after Diana Elliott left her developmentally challenged 14-year-old son at an Atlanta hospital. Not everyone jumped on the bandwagon of rage — some on social media expressed sympathy for a single mother of four caring for children with special needs. Two dozen women showed up at her first hearing to ask the court for mercy.
For students, sports yield a variety of skills and lessons beyond the field or court like teamwork, perseverance, and confidence. While sports in Georgia are dominated by football, baseball, basketball and soccer, another sport is on the rise, as well. Volleyball is now the number one sport played by high school girls in America, seeing major growth in schools and clubs across the country.
Since the early days of cinema, action-adventure movies have transported and invigorated audiences around the globe. While the movies have evolved, boasting enormous budgets and dazzling technical feats, the staying power of any great flick comes down to the story. Atlanta-native Michael Lucker has written more than 30 feature screenplays for studios all over Hollywood. He’s now back in Georgia, teaching film studies at the University of North Georgia, Emory University, and Reinhardt University, as well as workshops out of his Screenwriter School . He is also author of Crash! Boom! Bang!: How To Write Action Movies .
Atlanta native Nic Stone has not shied away from racism, belonging and the weight of history in her novels for young adults. The New York Times best-selling author pulls those themes together in her debut novel for middle-grade readers. The book is called Clean Getaway , and hits store shelves Jan. 7. 11-year-old William "Scoob" Lamar spends his spring break crossing the deep South in a Winnebago with his eccentric grandmother. He's escaping punishment for fighting at school — and soon realizes that "G'ma" is also on the run for something he doesn't quite understand.
Atlanta-based author Nic Stone’s debut middle-grade novel, Clean Getaway , follows the story of a young boy embarking on a road trip with his grandmother. Hear how Stone balanced writing for middle-grade readers while still exploring complex topics.
What do you see when you picture the South? Maybe trees draped in Spanish moss, or plantations and rows of crops? Perhaps Civil Rights icons, or your mother's home cooking? Could even be the bustling interstates that now connect the region. Safe to say, the South can be seen through many lenses, as demonstrated by The High Museum of Art's ongoing Picturing the South project. The long-running series commissions photographers to add images to the collection, which follows one rule: the photos have to be made in the South.
When Refuge Coffee Co. founder Kitti Murray and her husband moved to Clarkston, Georgia, they never expected they’d be running a coffee shop to help refugees find their footing. Yet, that’s exactly what they do today. Hear from Kitti Murray and a former Refuge Coffee trainee on the impact of the cafe on the community.
Jericho Brown’s newest collection of poetry, The Tradition , was a National Book Award Finalist in 2019 . Lauded by critics as “ stunning ,” “ riveting ,” and one of the best poetry collections in 2019 , the gut-wrenchingly personal poems in his latest collection explore the complex tensions between love, violence, masculinity and trauma — all within the LGBTQ Black experience in the South. Brown was born in Shreveport, Louisiana and went to school in New Orleans. He’s lived everywhere from Houston to San Diego to Iowa, and today he’s Director of the Creative Writing Program at Emory University .
When Kitti Murray and her husband Bill moved to Clarkston, Georgia, she never expected she’d be running a coffee shop that doubles as job training for newly settled refugees. Yet, that’s exactly what she’s doing today – through the Refuge Coffee Company . “My husband and I both just fell in love with our community,” she shared on why she founded the company in 2015. “I just had this desire to introduce people to each other, for our friends outside of Clarkston to know our friends in Clarkston.”
The season of holiday cheer and giving can be especially difficult for people going through loss, illness or other challenges that come with being human. Atlanta-based poet, author and playwright Jon Goode is a close observer of how people make their way through the world. You may have seen him on HBO's Def Comedy Jam or CNN's Black in America. He's also host of the StorySLAM events at The Moth in Atlanta.
If you Google the number for Santa Claus, a Southern California phone number pops up. But when Children in Macon started dialing it from their local area code, they’d connect to one unsuspecting man: Scott Chalkley. “I’d pick up and not know what was happening,” Chalkley said when those first calls came through eight years ago. “Little by little, I pieced together that people were trying to call Santa Claus.”
This year, December 25th is not only Christmas, but a date marking a special place in the Atlanta arts and culture scene. This Christmas, the famed Fox Theatre in Atlanta celebrates its 90th birthday. The Fabulous Fox has fought its way back from near extinction a handful of time, and recently earned recognition as the highest grossing venue of its size for the decade worldwide — cementing its place as a cultural center for the state of Georgia and the entire southeast.
This Christmas, Atlanta’s Fox Theatre celebrates its 90th birthday. The “Fabulous Fox,” as it’s known, has fought its way back from extinction numerous times. Hear from Fox Theatre President and CEO Allan Vella about the dramatic twists and turns of this iconic building’s history.
This year, Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" spent a record 19 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. Now, it holds the title of the longest running number one single in the chart's history. It's symbolic of the year in music, in a way — an array of new voices and up-and-comers throwing music industry standards out the window. Whether it's Lizzo's love of the flute, or Lil Nas X's combo of country and trap music, the new age of music seems to be twisting, bending and re-imagining the boundaries of popular music.
A 2011 essay in Garden & Gun magazine called “Redefining the Southern Belle” got lots of responses; much of the feedback was positive, some not, but it all opened explorations of what “Southern woman” meant then and now. The discussions that followed led to a new book of portraits and interviews with artists, innovators and entertainers — from Reese Witherspoon to Oprah, Dolly Parton to Beyoncé, along with several names you may not know yet. We hear more about the new book from Garden & Gun , called Southern Women: More Than 100 Stories of Innovators, Artists and Icons, from Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice and Euneika Roger-Sipp, two women featured in the magazine and its deputy editor, Amanda Heckert.
"Southern women — unlike women from Boston, Des Moines or Albuquerque , are leashed to history." Editor Alison Glock wrote those words in a 2011 essay for Garden & Gun. The piece, titled "Redefining the Southern Belle" got more responses than anything she'd written in her nearly 30-year career. Much was positive, some not, but all opening up further exploration of what a "Southern woman" meant then and now.
The start of a new decade is often viewed as a beginning of a new chapter. Before that page turns, On Second Thought looked at some of the benchmark changes over the past decade - both within Georgia, and across the world. Nicole Smith, features editor at the Atlanta Journal Constitution and Thomas Wheatley, articles editor at Atlanta Magazine, joined On Second Thought to talk about some of the biggest developments in Georgia over the past 10 years, from the burgeoning film industry in Atlanta to politics throughout the state.
Glenn Jones got his start in the music industry at a young age, signing to gospel label Savoy Records at just 17 years old. Later, his single “Here I Go Again” reached the top of the R&B charts in 1991. Now, Jones is based in Atlanta and releasing new music under his independent label, Talent Room Entertainment. On Second Thought invited Glenn Jones into the studio to share his additions to the Georgia Playlist.
Atlanta-based folk musician and multi-instrumentalist John McCutcheon has had a long career of writing and performing folk music all over the world. One of his songs, though, holds a special place in the canon of Christmas music. “Christmas in the Trenches,” released in 1984 on the album Winter Solstice, tells the true story of the 1914 Christmas Truce, an unofficial ceasefire and celebration along the western front of World War I on Christmas Eve. Through the eyes of the fictional British soldier Francis Tolliver, McCutcheon weaves the story of the night soldiers came out of their trenches, exchanged souvenirs from home, and played a game of football. McCutcheon joined On Second Thought to share the story of the song, the initial inspiration, and why he decided to make a children’s book based on the song.
The Winter Sisters is a historical fiction novel set in Lawrenceville, Georgia in 1822. When a self-righteous doctor arrives in the tiny, backwater town eager to treat what he believes could be an impending rabies epidemic, he’s shocked to discover citizens favoring folk remedies over the methods he believes cures disease – namely bloodletting, amputations, and copious amounts of ether. Westover’s second novel is a cinematic tale weaving deeply-researched historical facts on early 19th century medicine and language, alongside richly imagined fantasies of Southern folklore come to life. He joined On Second Thought to talk about how he finds those stories.
When two people decide to get married, they're probably not thinking about the possibility of divorce. But that's exactly what comes into discussion during a prenuptial agreement or, as it's perhaps more commonly known, a prenup. A prenup is designed to pre-negotiate terms and protect the division of marital property. That includes money, of course, as well as items of value that may not be worth a lot in terms of finances; say, for example, a family heirloom — or even your pet.
While the holiday season may be a popular time for couples to impulsively “pop the question,” those couples generally do not think about the possibility of divorce. Family law attorney Randy Kessler joins On Second Thought to talk about why couples should consider a prenup. One Lawrenceville author turns real folk stories into fictional novels. Hear from author Tim Westover about his new book The Winter Sisters and how he draws upon local Southern folklore to craft his historical fiction stories.
On Second Thought aired a special broadcast about the story of how Richard Jewell's life changed when The Atlanta-Journal Constitution published his name as the primary suspect in the 1996 bombings at Atlanta's Centennial Olympic Park. In that audio documentary, we learn about how Jewell's legal team sued The Atlanta-Journal Constitution — along with other news organizations — for defamation. The AJC fought the suit, and eventually won. Now, the paper is disputing how it is being portrayed in the film Richard Jewell , which hits theaters today.
When Atlanta hosted the 1996 Olympics, terror struck. In the rush for justice, the wrong man was presumed guilty. “Mistaken: The Real Story of Richard Jewell” follows Jewell’s descent from hero to villain in the court of public opinion. Hear this On Second Thought special broadcast featuring interviews with Kent Alexander, U.S. Attorney for the northern district of Georgia at the time of the 1996 Olympics, journalist, Kevin Salwen and Tom Johnson, former head of CNN.
In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, the name Richard Jewell became a newsroom watchword — a code for false accusations and warnings against rushing to judgment when reporting on criminal investigations. When a bomb went off at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta during the 1996 Olympic Games, Richard Jewell, a security guard hired to man the games, discovered the bomb and helped clear the area. He was initially hailed as a hero. But the tides quickly turned on Jewell, when the FBI and the media together began to circle Jewell as the primary suspect for the bombing.
Clint Eastwood’s film Richard Jewell is out and, as a piece that is critical of journalists, it generated discussion before the first ticket was even sold. Like Eastwood’s film, “Mistaken: The Real Story of Richard Jewell” follows Jewell’s descent from hero to villain in the court of public opinion. And, while "Mistaken" diverges from Eastwood’s film in a number of ways, it is also an invitation to think critically about the role of journalism and how we the public consume it.
When a bomb went off at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta during the 1996 Olympic Games, Richard Jewell, a security guard hired to man the games, discovered the bomb and helped clear the area. He was initially hailed as a hero. But the tides quickly turned on Jewell, when the FBI and the media together began to circle Jewell as the primary suspect for the bombing. “Mistaken: The Real Story of Richard Jewell” is an audio documentary with one goal: to tell the truth about what happened to Jewell in 1996.
People struggling with treatment-resistant PTSD may soon have a new course of care: MDMA. When used alongside psychotherapy, the synthetic substance in the drug more commonly known as ecstasy or molly is currently in phase three clinical trials. It’s even been given “breakthrough designation” by the FDA, a status reserved for treatments with significant potential to improve patient outcomes. But MDMA isn’t the only kind of party drug experiencing interest for therapeutic potential. Psilocybin, the active ingredient in "magic mushrooms", is being evaluated for its potential in alleviating depression. Guided ayahuasca trips are a growing trend, especially amongst Brooklyn and Silicon Valley elites.
Atlanta Judge Christopher Portis recently launched a court program to help homeless defendats in Atlanta. Hear how the new initiative aims to help people get off the streets and navigate the court system.
Nearly 1.6 million Americans will likely spend the holidays in a homeless shelter or some form of transitional housing. A study by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty found laws criminalizing homeless people have multiplied in the last decade. Other studies find charges and prosecutions of the homeless does nothing to address its root causes.
Like the endearing story presented in 1965's animated special A Charlie Brown Christmas , the music from the feature has endured as a holiday classic. The mellow, jazzy piano tunes were composed by Vince Guaraldi. And for the 12th year, you can go hear this delightful soundtrack performed live. A trio of musicians — Jeffrey Bützer on drums, T. T. Mahony on keys and Mike Beshera on bass — will once again perform this 40-minute score for Georgia audiences in Atlanta, Savannah and Woodstock.
He is, by his account, "World Champion." Of what? Depends on when you ask. It may be easier to pin down Judah Friedlander's resume as an actor and comedian in movies like Wet Hot American Summer , American Splendor , Meet The Parents and The Wrestler . Or maybe you'd recognize him — and his hats — from NBC's 30 Rock , where he played the slumpy and kind of sleazy Frank Rossitano.
Comedian Judah Friedlander is probably best known for his role as Frank Rossitano on NBC’s 30 Rock , but his new stand-up series Judah Friedlander: Future President takes a satirical look at America and its complicated place on the world stage. He performed in Atlanta a few weeks ago and joins On Second Thought to share his approach to stand-up.
It seemed like winter came early this year with record low temperatures dipping below the 20s. As the cold weather continues, cozy up with a blanket, warm cup of tea and a book. On Second Thought is joined by three of Georgia’s booksellers, Janet Geddis owner of Avid Bookshop in Athens, Annie Jones owner of The Bookshelf in Thomasville and Charles Robinson co-owner of Eagle Eye Book Shop in Atlanta. They help choose which books to crack open this holiday season.
The recent launch of Disney Plus ratchets up the competitive streaming wars offering even more options for viewers in a field dominated by Netflix, Apple and Amazon Prime. Videodrome is Atlanta’s last DVD rental store left standing in the age of streaming catering to casual movie watchers and dedicated cinephiles alike.
Friends fans are up in arms after the announcement that Netflix will stop streaming the beloved series in 2020 . The gang will be hanging out on the forthcoming HBO Max service. HBO Max along with NBC's Peacock and Disney Plus are among the many streaming services that were introduced this year — changing the way audiences consume media.
The impeachment inquiry has moved into the hands of the House Judiciary Committee. The first round of proceedings concluded with questioning the reliability of testimonies brought up in the hearing. The headlining topics were the use of Hearsay and the U.S. State Department. We invited lawyer and Pro Hac Judge to the city of Atlanta Municipal Court, Parag Shah to better explain hearsay and its use of admission in court.
The impeachment proceedings continue in the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. Today, On Second Thought gets the perspective of two Georgia experts pertaining to the possible effects of the hearing. Author, lawyer and Pro Hac Judge to the City of Atlanta Municipal Court, Parag Shah, clarifies hearsay and its admission during the hearings.
Dee Dee Hibbler-Murray says her current job, as entertainment consultant for the Dekalb County Government is an "old music lady's dream come true." Every job she's had — from selling music at Turtles Records and Tape, to managing an upstart band called OutKast, to running T.I.'s K.I.N.G. Foundation — has materialized in part by envisioning what she wants; by showing up, making that phone call, sending that follow-up note and taking risks.
Dee Dee Hibbler now consults for the Dekalb County film commission after being an instrumental figure in establishing Atlanta as the hip-hop capital of the south. Hibbler is also known as “Peaches” most commonly associated with Outkast and Dungeon Family fame. She joins On Second Thought to talk about her work with some of the most notable names in hip-hop.
Georgia’s foster care system is in crisis with the number of kids in state custody rising significantly. To getter a better understanding of the strain on the system, On Second Thought spoke with Samantha Max, former health reporter for The Telegraph in Macon and current reporter for Nashville Public Radio. Also joining the conversation is foster parent and founder of Never Too Late group home, Dr. John DeGarmo.
Bill Bolling knew from his first experience at the community kitchen at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Atlanta that he was destined for a life of service. "I thought wow, this is it. After three college degrees and being a veteran — I even called my mother up and said, 'Mom! This is what God wants me to do,'" Bolling said. "Make soup!" We spoke with Bill Bolling about founding the Atlanta Community Food Bank in 1979. The food bank has served over 750,000 people each year in Georgia. Bolling retired in 2015, but still actively works with food organizations like the Foodwell Alliance . He is also involved in collaborative efforts to combat poverty and housing inequality in the state.
Atlanta's own Black Lips is a band that keeps audiences on their toes, literally — which you'd know if you've ever landed in the mosh pit at one of their shows — and figuratively, given that the latest it-bag line from Gucci is named after band member Zumi Rosow. For 20 years, founding members Cole Alexander and Jared Swilley have been making unruly garage rock, rockabilly records, and sometimes, they can sound like old country crooners. In fact, they have a new album coming out in early 2020, which they say is a country album. It's called The Black Lips Sing In A World That's Falling Apart .
Gnats don’t read maps, but the bugs do seem hesitant to cross an unseen, geographic boundary in Georgia. Learn about the disparities north and south of the "gnat line" from Tales from the Gnat Line author and longtime state lawmaker Larry Walker.
Amid the buzz of the Nov. 20 Democratic debate in Georgia, you may have missed that former Pres. Barack Obama was in town for another event. He delivered the keynote address at the GreenBuild International Conference in Atlanta.
New data from the Associated Press reveal more than a thousand failing dams in the U.S. that could have catastrophic consequences if they gave out. Georgia Public Broadcasting’s Grant Blankenship analyzed the information and learned Georgia is one of the most at-risk states. Find out which dams could cause the most damage for surrounding communities.
Here’s a strange fact about Georgia: the state has no naturally occurring large lakes – just some small pockets that fill up when it rains. What it does have is a wealth of creeks, streams and dams. It turns out some of those dams are failing and that their failures could bring dire – even catastrophic – consequences. That’s according to data the Associated Press just released and that GPB’s Grant Blankenship has been analyzing.
Dorothy Butler Gilliam was the first African American woman reporter hired at The Washington Post in 1961. She was only 23 years old and her work was cut out for her as she lived through and wrote about the Civil Rights and Women's Movements — two pivotal moments in American history. Gilliam has since worked to make newsrooms across the country more diverse.
Karen Head is executive director of the communication center at Georgia Institute of Technology. She's also the Waffle House Poet Laureate . The designation came after a Waffle House fouondation-funded poetry tour project for under-served Georgia high school students. Head's newest collection of poem is called Lost on Purpose. She stopped by On Second Thought to share her recommendations for the "Southern Reading List." For the series, we invite authors and readers to talk about books that define and reflect the South.
Dr. Vonda Wright spreads the word on the potential for injury in esports. Learn the similarities between traditional and digital sports, and how Dr. Wright teaches young players how to participate safely.
In her new memoir, Samantha Power writes about the “X test.” As she describes it, “in trying for Y, the most I accomplish is X.” In other words, even if “Y” is likely to fail, what “X” can be learned along the way? Power has experienced some of those failures and made some bold moves in her life. Some weren’t up to her, like moving from Ireland to the U.S. at the age of 9. As a young adult, she jumped into the fray as a reporter during The Balkan Wars, later writing a Pulitzer Prize-winning book that took the American government to task for failing to stop genocides around the world. She would later become Ambassador to the U.N. under President Obama.
Mo Rocca follows the world of the living as correspondent for CBS Sunday Morning , panelist for Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me , and host of The Henry Ford's Innovation Nation . His other beat is the departed. He is host of the Mobituaries podcast, now in its second season. In it, Rocca tells stories of people and things that have passed through this earthly plain with too little notice, and unconvers little known facets of iconic figures who did get a lot of ink.
The challenge of finding the right balance of independence and attentive care for long-term senior living can be challenging – even gut-wrenching – for families. And when it comes to private pay senior care, costs can be incredibly expensive. Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigative reporter Carrie Teegardin has spent a year looking for what families won’t see on tours of more than 400 private pay senior care facilities in Georgia. Her investigation found hundreds of safety violations, incidents of physical abuse, and assaults to dignity that often go unreported. GPB TV will air a special on the investigation on Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. called Unprotected: Georgia's Broken Senior Care Industry.
On Tuesday, July 30, 1996, Richard Jewell was praised as a hero on NBC’s Today Show . The security guard hired for the Summer Olympics in Atlanta spotted a suspicious knapsack at Centennial Olympic Park, where tens of thousands of visitors gathered. Two people died and 111 were injured when the bomb inside the knapsack exploded. Jewell’s vigilance and the evacuation that followed likely saved hundreds of lives. But less than 12 hours after chatting with Katie Couric, Jewell was being questioned by the FBI as the primary suspect in that bombing.
English singer-songwriter Robyn Hitchcock has been making music for more than 40 years now. Inspired by pop rock from the likes of The Beatles, his tunes vary from jangly psychedelia to somber acoustic numbers. Hitchcock has released more than 20 records, whether under his own name or as member of The Soft Boys, a band he founded in 1976. Hitchcock's music has been inspired by rock 'n' roll forerunners and his peers and has, in turn, influenced a number of other acts. Athens band R.E.M., for example, covered one of his songs , called "Arms of Love."
Health and Human Services Chair Sharon Cooper says she will introduce legislation to improve staffing and oversight of senior care facilities after an explosive investigation from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution . Hear our conversation with Carrie Teegardin, one of the reporters behind the story.
There are more than two million people incarcerated in the United States. Over two-thirds of them lack a high school diploma, and less than 13% have attended college. But where nearly half of all formerly incarcerated people return to prison within three years, the students working towards associates and bachelor’s degrees through the Bard Prison Initiative, or BPI, have a recidivism rate of just 4%.
Each year, The Georgia Writers Hall of Fame inducts new members to its growing list of authors who have made significant literary contributions to the state. This year’s inductees – John T. Edge, A. E. Stallings, and Julia Collier Harris – will all be celebrated at the University of Georgia Special Collections Library in Athens on Nov. 17 . Author Janisse Ray was inducted to the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame in 2015. Her expansive body of creative works range from nonfiction to poetry, and her memoir, Ecology of a Cracker Childhood , came out with its 15 th anniversary edition last year.
Georgia is currently ranked third among states with most uninsured residents. More than 1.4 million Georgians were without insurance in 2018. Governor Kemp announced the second of two healthcare waiver proposals to increase coverage on Monday. If approved, the waivers will allow the state of Georgia to remain compliant with the Federal Affordable Care Act — making changes to the health insurance market in the state without expanding Medicaid. Georgia is currently one of 14 states that have chosen to not fully expand Medicaid.
Governor Kemp recently announced his proposals for Medicaid waivers for the state. To help breakdown what the proposals could mean for your pocketbook, On Second Thought was joined by Andy Miller from Georgia Health News and Ariel Hart from the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Voting in Georgia has remained a prickly subject after last year's midterm elections. The governor's race between Republican Secretary of State Brian Kemp and Democrat Stacey Abrams was steeped in allegations of voter suppression targeting minorities.
Georgia is among the top 11 states when it comes to most prescription opioid overdose deaths . President Trump declared the opioid crisis a national public health emergency in 2017. Earlier this year, state agencies received $10.3 million in federal funding to expand access to medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction and overdose. While federal funding could make a dent in adult dependency, Sesame Street aims to support children affected by parental addiction.
Singer-songwriter Allison Moorer has recently released her 11th album, along with a companion memoir. They are both called Blood . They tell a story she's avoided talking about directly throughout her career. When Allison was 14 years old, her father killed her mother — and then himself — leaving Moorer and her sister, the singer Shelby Lynne, orphans.
The overwhelming majority of African American voters in Georgia — and the rest of the U.S. — are democrats. About 93% of African Americans voted for Stacey Abrams in the last gubernatorial election, according to e xit polls . It's a powerful, dependable voting bloc on the left that has so far drowned out black conservatives, a slim minority of voters. The Pew Research Center says only about 8% of black voters identify as republicans.
The capsized cargo ship the Golden Ray is still trapped in St. Simon Sound. The process of removing the ship is so complex it could take months or even a year.
President Trump comes to Georgia this week . On Second Thought speaks to organizers and members of the black GOP about their efforts in recruiting other black voters. Kaaryn Walker from the Black Conservatives for Truth and Leo Smith from the Minority Engagement Specialist for the GOP join the show.
Ava King is a newly divorced mother of a teenage son when she moves into her grandmother’s posh New Orleans home. Ava is the descendant of slaves, grandma Martha is about as WASP-y as they come, and their connected pasts are one of the plot twists in The Revisioners , a new novel by National Book Award finalist Margaret Wilkerson Sexton. There is some magic in The Revisioners , but it’s less fantasy than testament to intergenerational bonds — in this case between Ava and her great-great-great grandmother, born enslaved on a Louisiana plantation. Margaret Wilkerson Sexton joined On Second Thought to unpack her vision for The Revisioners , and her aim to look deeper at the power passed down through generations of African American families.
If you’ve ever been pulled over for driving three miles over the speed limit, you may have been subject to ‘taxation by citation’ — local governments enforcing rules and fees not for public safety, but to generate revenue. A recent study from the Institute for Justice, a non-profit libertarian public interest law firm, looked at taxation by citation in Georgia, highlighting the practice in Riverdale, Morrow and Clarkston. Jennifer McDonald, a senior research analyst at the Institute for Justice, joined On Second Thought to discuss how these short-term boosts to city coffers can have long-term costs to citizen morale.
A case study of three metro Atlanta cities looked into the increase of tickets and fees to bolster municipal revenue - or what The Institute for Justice calls “taxation by citation.” On Second Thought learns more from Senior Research Analyst Jennifer McDonald.
Wild fires spreading across California, vaping deaths, punches and counterpunches in the impeachment inquiry — the problems of the world can feel inescapable with each ping of a news alert. Daryn Kagan knows that all too well. As a local reporter and later anchor for CNN, she's covered the good, the bad, and the ugly.
You'll find it at the steps of the Capitol, hung from front porches, draped over the caskets of fallen soldiers, and splashed across bathing suits and ball caps: the American flag. It's a symbol of patriotism, unity and power — and a central component of artist Bernie Taupin's work. Does the name sound familiar? Well, you might include some of his other work, which includes songs like "Tiny Dancer," "Candle in the Wind," and "Rocketman."
Sub Pop Records in Seattle has churned out a number of hit-makers. There's The Shins, Sonic Youth, Sound Garden and more. (Who could forget Nirvana?) And the record label keeps the acts coming. One of the newest additions to their roster: Atlanta locals, Omni .
Daryn Kagan covered everything from wars to the red carpet at CNN. Now, she chases down positive news stories . She joined On Second Thought to unpack some uplifting news stories to head into the weekend.
For a short time, Edgar Allan Poe is haunting the halls of a fabled Atlanta home. ' The Edgar Allan Poe Experience ’ at the Wren’s Nest is an immersive theatrical production evoking the final days of Poe’s life, when he’s said to have wandered the streets in a haggard state, crying out the name of a man no one could ever identify. The ‘choose-your-own-adventure’-style production taps into scenarios inspired by Poe classics like The Raven, The Fall of the House of Usher , The Tell-Tale Heart, and The Mask Of The Red Death.
Savannah consistently lands on — or at the top of — lists of America's most haunted cities. On a given night, competing ghost tours tromp across town squares and gather at historic buildings to hear creepy legends of unquiet spirits lurking alongside the living. Christopher Berinato is no ghost hunter, but a Savannah-based writer who researched some of the city's most haunting sites, storied locations and urban legends.
Meet scream researcher Harold Gouzoules , an Emory psychologist, and hear how goats yell, frogs screech and humans use screams as nonverbal forms of critical communication.
More than half of all homeless youth in Atlanta have experienced some form of human trafficking. The ‘Atlanta Youth Count’ – a Georgia State University study – surveyed over 500 young people who are homeless on everything from personal demographic information to childhood trauma to their relationships with their peers. The new study paints a harrowing – and, at times, hopeful – picture of the young people living on Atlanta’s streets.
Halloween week might be a time for imaging run-down, decrepit buildings, but they don’t scare photographer Jeff Hagerman. Having ventured inside these abandonded beauties with a camera, a flashlight and some gloves – Herman's resulting images now comprise his second book. Find out what he sees behind the closed doors you may pass on your daily commute.
The Atlanta Falcons have had a rough first half to the season. After a loss of 27 to 20 against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, speculation has been flying around whether Falcons owner Arthur Blank will fire coach Dan Quinn during the bye week. Georgia sports fans are used to dashed hopes, but not all franchises based in Atlanta are suffering like the Falcons. The Atlanta Hawks have had a strong start to their season, and Atlanta United is looking hopeful for a chance to take the MLS Cup for the second year in a row.
When Luma Mufleh moved from Jordan to the United States in 1994 to attend Smith College, she didn’t imagine she’d ever be running a full-fledged school for refugees. But today, she’s founder of Fugees Academy in Clarkston, a school specifically tailored for the refugee population that uses soccer and a unique curriculum to help students adjust to life in the United States. It has a 100% graduation and college acceptance rate, and it was recently named the “Nicest Place in Georgia” for 2019 by Reader’s Digest. Mufleh joined On Second Thought to discuss her journey building educational opportunities for refugee children.
As speculation spreads over the potential mid-season replacement of Atlanta Falcons coach Dan Quinn, we get an update on all things happening in Atlanta Sports. On Second Thought speaks with Jon Nelson, host and correspondent for GPB’s Football Friday , and Taylor Gantt, GPB’s Morning Edition producer to hear about the Atlanta Falcons, Hawks and Atlanta United.
It’s been an eventful month, with the House of Representatives’ impeachment inquiry into President Trump becoming a font of high-profile depositions, bombshells, attacks and counter attacks. Further action on impeachment may well hang on four words in the U.S. Constitution: high crimes and misdemeanors. Dr. Buckner F. Melton Jr. is a professor of history and political science at Middle Georgia State and author of The First Impeachment . He joined On Second Thought to help explain what “high crimes and misdemeanors” means, and how the phrase ended up in the Constitution in the first place.
Many studies have shown how childhood experiences can have profound effects on physical and mental health later in life. Now, a new study from Georgia State University, is showing how racism affects children over time. Dr. Sierra Carter is assistant professor of psychology at GSU and co-author of a study finding that African American children who experience early life stress from racial discrimination are at elevated risk for accelerated aging and depression later in life.
News continues to swirl around the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump. On Second Thought takes a look at the constitutional foundations of impeachment with Buckner F. Melton Jr., professor of history and political science at Middle Georgia State University and author of The First Impeachment .
"There is no exquisite beauty...without some strangeness in the proportion." That's a line from Edgar Allan Poe, the king of the dark and eerie, the strange and surreal. It could also describe the appeal of an exhibition currently on view at the High Museum of Art, called " Strange Light: The Photography of Clarence John Laughlin ."
Chick-fil-A announced it will be closing its first U.K. store just eight days after opening. Its landlord in Reading, England announced it will not renew the Atlanta-based company’s lease after pressure from local LGBTQ groups protesting the chain’s record on same-sex marriage rights. Chick-fil-A is not alone. Nike, Amazon, and SoulCycle are just a handful of other corporations that have become targets of boycotts that spread quickly on social media.
Anthony Bourdain was highly regarded as a chef, author, TV show host and world traveler who, for many, epitomized the essence of cool. He was seen as a stylish and sophisticated character with good taste and a subversive edge. It has been about a year and a half since the famed food connoisseur died by suicide. His death was unexpected by many — from family and friends to his vast and devoted fanbase — and revealed a stark contrast to what many people perceived as the enviable lifestyle he led.
Revisionist History podcast host Malcolm Gladwell's books have opened up new ways to consider human behavior — introducing concepts like "stickiness," the "10,000 hour rule" and The Tipping Point . His newest New York Times best-seller asks why we are so bad at understanding people we don't know. It's called Talking To Strangers.
New York Times bestselling author, Denene Millner has been celebrating the black experience in her work for decades. Now, her new podcast from GPB, Speakeasy with Denene , dives into the “beauty of blackness and all of its manifestations.” Millner created her website, MyBrownBaby.com, back in 2008 to connect with African American parents in the U.S. She also co-hosts “A Seat at the Table” on GPB-TV. On Second Thought invited Millner to share about her new podcast, and how it breaks down the many ways that words can apply to the African-American experience.
It's been about 10 months since Gov. Brian Kemp took office — with a pledge to lift up rural Georgia. Now, he has launched a Rural Strike Team, designed to boost economic development across the state. And he's embarked on a "Georgia Made" tour to highlight local companies and their successes.
Eric Garner. Michael Brown. Laquan McDonald. Freddie Gray. Anthony Hill. The list of officer-involved deaths is long and the death of Atatiana Jefferson, who was killed when a Fort Worth, Texas, police officer fired into her bedroom window, has revived questions about training, law enforcement and consequences.
The list of officer-involved deaths is long, and have revived questions about law enforcement reform. On Second Thought spoke with Civil Rights Attorney, Chris Stewart, and former DeKalb County Director of Public Safety, Cedric Alexander, to discuss why these incidents continue to take place and what efforts are being take to reform the system.
There are some stories that bear repeating over and over. One of those stories is Harriet Tubman’s. A new movie about the heroic abolitionist, known as the “Moses of her people”, is coming out Nov. 1. Tubman, who escaped slavery and established an underground railroad network to free others, may have also been known as "Harriet, the Spy." Historian and best-selling author Elizabeth Cobbs spoke with On Second Thought host Virginia Prescott about Tubman's involvement as a nurse and scout serving the U.S. Army during a critical point of the Civil War. Cobbs' latest novel, The Tubman Command , is a novel imagining Tubman's role as the first African-American woman to serve in the military. Interview Highlights On Harriet Tubman’s early life and plantation escape She was a young woman, she was 27, she was married, which I think a lot of people don't realize. And she wanted her husband to go with her and he would not. He was a free man. And she escapes by herself and on her own and she gets
Kurds are evacuating their traditional homeland in Northeast Syria during a five-day brokered pause in hostility. This pause in military action is set to end today, Oct. 22. The situation is complicated, violent and unfolding on the other side of the world, but Americans are following the events closely.
On Second Thought continues its " Main Ingredient " series in which a chef tells us about his or her essential southern ingredient. For Chef Deborah VanTrece , it's okra — a key ingredient she's cooked with since she was a teenager. VanTrece invited us into her restaurant kitchen at Twisted Soul Cookhouse and Pours in Atlanta and prepared succotash with okra.
Turkey’s pause in military operations in Syria ends Tuesday. The horrors happening to Kurds are unfolding on the other side of the world. Find out why Georgians are following it closely. Hear from Dr. Heval Kelli , a cardiologist and Syrian-born Georgian, and Timothy Head, the executive director of the Faith and Freedom Coalition .
Susan Rice has been called a lot of names. She was nicknamed "Spo" as a child, for her sporting athletic abilities. President Barack Obama labeled her one of three "Furies" on his national security team. One TV commentator called her "the right's favorite chew-toy," following her now infamous round of TV talk shows days after the attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya. Just this weekend, President Donald Trump tweeted that Rice was a "disaster" for her role in the Obama administration's Syria policy. And, as we learn in her new autobiography, Tough Love: My Story of the Things Worth Fighting For , she has been called worse.
This past summer, MARTA was considering renaming five train stations in Atlanta. It was an effort to keep up with changes in the city and to reflect surrounding neighborhoods. Today, MARTA says no decision on renaming stations has been made, but that they are currently refining the process of making those decisions in the future. One station proposed to be re-christened: Bankhead. The area was named after the highway that ran through it, which was in turn named after an Alabama family. But the Bankhead name is perhaps more closely associated with the torrent of rap and hip hop that grew from Atlanta's Westside and nearby neighborhoods. So, what's in the name "Bankhead"?
Thirty years ago, HIV and AIDS were mysterious diseases with no cure. Now in 2019, people with those diagnoses can not only survive, but they can thrive. Here in Atlanta, one organization aims to educate communities about HIV. SisterLove Inc. focuses on improving access to HIV and AIDS prevention, self-help and safe sex in underrepresented communities.
Being diagnosed with HIV is no longer a death sentence. In Atlanta, SisterLove, Inc. focuses on improving access to prevention resources. Tonight, the organization is honoring 20 women from across the country who are living with HIV at its 10th annual awards gala. On Second Thought hears from Dázon Dixon Diallo, the founder and president of Sisterlove Inc., and Cecilia Chung, one of the honorees at the event tonight, Oct. 18.
The Rachel Maddow Show is the biggest draw on MSNBC’s primetime line-up. The show tilts against Fox News’ Sean Hannity in the high stakes battle for cable news viewers. Both hosts have large and obsessive audiences, and both have seen double digit jumps in ratings since congress launched an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump . That story was roiling when Rachel Maddow made her way onto the stage, at an event sponsored by A Cappella Books last Sunday, Oct. 13. On Second Thought host Virginia Prescott interviewed Maddow at the Fox Theatre. Today’s episode is part of the interview from Sunday.
The latest data from the American Cancer Society indicate breast cancer is now the most common cause of cancer death for African American women in Georgia even though breast cancer deaths overall have been declining.
The latest drought monitor report notes pockets of “extreme drought” appearing across Georgia. As of Oct. 8, 2019, areas north and south of Atlanta, in central Georgia and near the South Carolina border, are currently experiencing dry conditions characterized by major damage to agriculture. Dry conditions were also met with heat, with an October heatwave setting multiple new records across the state. Greg Postel, meteorologist at The Weather Channel, joined On Second Thought to look at long term trends and what weather patterns are in store for fall and winter.
Create Your Dreams , or CYD, is an after school program that provides long-term youth development, and is dedicated to helping students in underserved communities of Atlanta's Westside neighborhoods. That means resources, opportunities and — perhaps most importantly — relationships that help these young Atlantans grow and succeed. This Friday, the organization celebrates its 25th anniversary .
Farmers in Georgia have been impacted by a multitude of events in the last few years: hurricanes, stalled aid, trade policy and, on top of that, drought. In September, the Southeast saw record heat — with little to no rain. Now, there is lots of rain in the forecast for the coming week. On Second Thought checked in with onion farmer Aries Haygood of A&M Farms in Lyons, Georgia, to hear about the issues impacting farmers.
New data from the American Cancer Society show breast cancer as the number one form of cancer-related death for African American women in Georgia. Principal scientist from the American Caner Society, Carol Desantis, and director of cancer health equity at Morehouse School of Medicine, Dr. Brian Rivers, delve into the reality behind the numbers.
The 2019 ELEVATE Atlanta Art and Culture Festival began Monday. The annual event is hosted by the City of Atlanta Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs, and this year, it takes place in the historic Pittsburgh neighborhood of Atlanta. The week-long festival features exhibitions, performances and other cultural events, such as screenings of films like 2019's The Last Black Man in San Francisco and 1989's Do The Right Thing .
Pat Mitchell has been at the forefront of three media revolutions. She was among the first women reporters and anchors for national television news, a big player in the rise of cable news as president of CNN productions, and the first female CEO and president of PBS during a time when digital media was changing how people consume information.
Pat Mitchell has long been an advocate for women and girls in television. Mitchell’s new biography tells how she advocated for herself as well. She is the former CEO of PBS and the co-founder of TedWomen. She joined On Second Thought to discuss her new book, Becoming a Dangerous Woman: Embracing Risk to Change the World.
After the Atlanta Braves suffered a brutal 13-1 defeat against the Saint Louis Cardinals Wednesday, Atlanta sports fans are praying for redemption this weekend, as Atlanta United heads into their playoffs against the New England Revolution on Saturday. Sports fans often ride the emotional rollercoaster of a game right along with the players on the field — cringing at every missed catch and cheering every winning goal.
Season three of the Neflix series Stranger Things is now out. And most of the episodes from it unfold in the show’s fictional “Starcourt Mall,” which exists in the real world as Gwinnett Place Mall . While the mall in Stranger Things is lively and bustling, the real one is dead. This follows the trend of abandoned malls that are empty and void of tenants appearing across the country.
This week held playoffs for both the Braves and Atlanta United, but for the fans it is not only about wins and losses. On Second Thought delves into the psychology of Atlanta fandom with psychiatrist and researcher, Dr. Seth Norrholm.
Music festivals have become vehicles for building real world community and identity in an age when so much communication takes place online. Afropunk music festival originated in Brooklyn as a fusion of the music and cultural heritage of the African diaspora and the raw “do it yourself” ethic of punk.
The '90s sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air , ran for six seasons and launched Will Smith as a cultural icon. The show followed Smith as a fictionalized version of himself as he moved from Philadelphia to live with his aunt and uncle in the wealthy neighborhood of Bel-Air in Los Angeles. An upcoming book series reimagines the story with a new character, a fresh princess named Destiny. Author Denene Millner is writing The Fresh Princess series and joined On Second Thought to discuss her work as an author.
Afropunk is a well-known music festival produced by black artists. It is an international festival, but it will be in Atlanta this weekend. Afropunk goes beyond just entertainment. Its "Solution Sessions" are an effort to address and tackle ongoing issues in the black community. On Second Thought speaks to Ashleigh Shackelford, Bridget Todd and Yves Jeffcoat, three of the featured speakers to hear their messages.
The Morehouse College Human Rights Film Festival aims to spark to conversation using "artivism" — the combination of art and activism . Filmmakers Korstiaan Vandiver and Devin “Egypt” Robinson spoke to On Second Thought host Virginia Prescott about the impacts of art and activism in the film industry.
Jason Reynolds didn't get through a whole book until he was 17. He's now a bestselling author, and he's trying to change the way young people feel about reading.
Chef Pano Karatassos has emerged victorious. He valiantly represented Georgia on the Food Network show Beat Bobby Flay , clenching the win with his signature lamb pie.
Little Shop of Stories is bringing best-selling New York Times author Jason Reynolds to Decatur at the Holy Trinity Episcopal Parish on Thursday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. Hear how Reynolds inspires young readers with contemporary stories that deal with real-world issues.
"The Beverly Hillbillies" introduced audiences to the Clampett family in the 1960s and helped popularize the stereotype of the "Dumb Southerner." The myth persists today , wrapped up with ideas about tolerance, race and intelligence. Marie T. Cochran, director of the Affrilachia Artist Project , joined On Second Thought to dig into this idea and her experiences growing up in Appalachia. Chuck Reece, host of The Bitter Southerner Podcast, also joined the conversation.
Sr. Helen Prejean is one of the most powerful advocates today for abolishing the death penalty. Her book, Dead Man Walking , has become a movie and an opera. Hear Sr. Helen’s story firsthand.
In this age of divisive politics and news, a new PBS series from GPB questions the premise that this is the worst it’s ever been in American history. Retro Report on PBS aims to widen the conversation, exploring the origins of issues and ideas that continue to replay in our headlines and culture. The hosts of Retro Report , Masud Olufani and former OST host Celeste Headlee, joined On Second Thought to share what’s in store for viewers.
Premiering tonight, Retro Report on PBS questions the premise that the modern American political divide is a new one. The series explores the historical origins of issues and ideas that continue to replay in our headlines and culture today. On Second Thought got a preview of the series with the hosts, Masud Olafani and former OST host Celeste Headlee. Retro Report premieres tonight at 9 p.m. on Georgia Public Broadcasting Television.
While headlines fill with international tensions, a group of artists from around the world aim to garner some cultural diplomacy through the power of music. OneBeat brings 25 emerging musicians together to collaborate on writing, producing and performing original music, in the hopes of using the universal language of music to encourage cultural exchange.
Beverly 'Guitar' Watkins Tatum died earlier this week. She was 80 years old. Her name might not ring a bell, which is probably why a magazine writer once called her "the greatest living blues guitar artist no one has ever heard of."
Drag has gone mainstream. Drag queen story hours are popping up in libraries across the country, RuPaul’s Drag Race just won an Emmy, and so did actor Billy Porter for his role in the drag-drama, Pose. But one group from Atlanta aims to keep drag’s edge. Their most recent event, SUCKAPUNCH! Drag Wrestling, involed performers dressing up in drag and facing off in well-choreographed smackdowns.
Frank Reiss and Emmy Carmichael from A Cappella Books in Atlanta stopped by On Second Thought to share their recommendations for our Southern Reading List. It's our series of authors and readers sharing books that define and reflect the South. Carmichael recommends Caleb Johnson's Treeborne and Hannah Pittard's Visible Empire. Reiss recommends Anne Gisleson's The Futilitarians: Our Year of Thinking, Drinking, Grieving, and Reading and Michael Farris Smith's The Fighter. The shop also sponsors events with authors. On Second Thought host Virginia Prescott will host two events sponsored by them next week. The first event is with podcast host and journalist, Malcolm Gladwell . Gladwell is the man who introduced "the tipping point" to the lexicon and discusses his new book Talking to Strangers. He will be at the Ferst Center Thursday, Oct. 10. The next event is with MSNBC host Rachel Maddow . Maddow will talk about her book blowout about the oil and gas industry, and how the industry is
Boudleaux and Felice Bryant had a deep impact in Nashville, with notable hits like "Bye Bye Love" and “All I Have to Do Is Dream.” Their music has been recorded by artists like The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton and Simon & Garfunkel. The hit-making couple is the subject of a new exhibit at The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tenn.
If music is a universal language, then OneBeat has diplomacy down. It’s a group of 25 emerging musicians from around the world who collaborate on writing, producing and performing original music. They also tour select cities. A few of the members, Farid Ghannam, a singer, Ming Qi, a synthesist, Rodney Barretto, a percussionist and Free Feral, a string player and composer, stopped by the studio to talk to On Second Thought.
Hispanic Heritage Month is a federally designated event that runs Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. It’s a time to celebrate how people with roots in Spanish-speaking countries add to the complex narrative of the American story. Hispanic food, fashion, architecture and art – as well as the Spanish language itself – have become essential elements in the American mix. Sometimes those contributions make a pop-culture splash. The song, Despacito , tied Billboard’s record for most weeks at the top spot after Justin Bieber remixed Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s reggaeton hit. Other contributions come from teachers, doctors and families whose contributions grab less attention than athletes and movie stars.
Through her work as a rural physician, Dr. Keisha Callins addresses the bigger picture of maternal morality in Georgia. Serving as the only OB-GYN for the 16 health clinics in the community heath care systems in Georgia, Callins believes in taking an holistic approach to women’s health. She says that maternal health care is often too narrowly focused on pregnancy and needs a broader scope.
The Morehouse School of Medicine had planned to use a $500,000 grant from The Department of Community Health to create The Center for Excellence on Maternal Mortality. The grant now stands to be eliminated as a part of state-wide budget cuts ordered by Governor Kemp. Dr. Natalie Hernandez is an assistant professor at Morehouse School of Medicine. She spoke with Morning Edition host Leah Fleming.
The theory known as "The Third Space" claims that, for more open and creative interaction in communities, you need neutral places outside of work and home like churches, cafes and parks. In many traditionally black neighborhoods, that third space is the barber shop. Photographer Antonio Johnson has been documenting these anchors of community across the country in his project, You Next .
For more than a century, Georgia cotton farmers helped grow the American economy and the garment industry. The clothing industry has evolved many times over since then — now, it’s easy to pop into a store and walk out with a $5 t-shirt, most likely synthetic and made outside of Georgia and even the United States. But after decades of increasingly cheap, “fast” fashion, there are signs of change. Sustainable fashion was featured on some catwalks for Spring 2020 collections, and fast fashion giant Forever 21 filed for bankruptcy earlier this week. A growing consumer movement is re-evaluating the social and environmental impacts of the global clothing trade.
Anotonio Johnson is a photographer and among the contributors for Pop-Up Zine Atlanta. Johnson's project, You Next, aims to capture the sense of community and transformative power of the black barbershop across America.
An estimated 10,000 baby boomers reach retirement age each day. By 2030, one in five Americans will be a senior citizen. Yet fewer are retiring when turning 65, and for many, traditional retirement is not financially feasible or desired. Ina Jaffe is a veteran correspondent for NPR covering aging in America. Her new series tackles the new realities of work and retirement for older Americans, sharing the personal stories of Americans faced with tough choices.
The birding community tends toward the older, white, and wealthier demographic. But that hasn’t stopped the young, Black, and gifted Jason Ward from keeping his eyes to the sky. Ward hosts the YouTube series, “ Birds of North America ” and is an apprentice with the Atlanta Audubon Society. He’s spreading his passion for birding far and wide — and particularly to communities of color.
The challenge of finding the right balance of independence and attentive care for long-term senior living can be challenging – even gut-wrenching – for families. And when it comes to private pay senior care, costs can be incredibly expensive. Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigative reporter Carrie Teegardin has spent a year looking for what families won’t see on tours of more than 400 private pay senior care facilities in Georgia. Her investigation found hundreds of safety violations, incidents of physical abuse, and assaults to dignity that often go unreported.
An Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigative series has uncovered a chilling reality at some senior care facilities. Get the story from the AJC reporter, Carrie Teegardin.
The world mourns a Georgia-born music giant today. Jessye Norman, the renowned opera star, passed on Sept. 30, 2019, at the age of 74. Norman was born in Augusta in 1945 and grew up in the segregated South. In her memoir, Stand Up Straight and Sing!, she remembers listening to opera on the radio as a child.
In the past few days, both U.S. senators from Georgia have announced legislation aimed at curbing mass violence. Outgoing Republican Senator Johnny Isakson is splitting with some members of his party. His bill would give the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ongoing funding to research mass shootings. That’s despite a provision to stop such funding passed by congress in the 1990s under the strong influence of the National Rifle Association. Meanwhile, Senator David Perdue is teaming up with his Democratic colleague, Doug Jones of Alabama on a bill called “The School Safety Clearinghouse Act” which would fund a federal information hub.
GPB Loves Music has been running the whole month of September. We’ve heard from bands big and small. We’ve learned about a variety of genres, from jazz to hip-hop to punk rock. We heard about Georgia’s music roots, and a law class based on music contracts. But we realized something seemed to be missing. One of the best and most crucial parts of loving music is seeing it live — the dimmed lights, the vibrations from the speakers, the collective feeling of people sharing a night out on the town. So, instead of bringing musicians into the studio we decided to go out. We sent three of our folks, in three different Georgia cities, to three different concerts, all on the same weekend.
Earlier this year, Rolling Stone called Deerhunter, “one of the great guitar bands of the 21st century.” But that’s not the only music to come from the Georgia natives. Moses Archuleta is co-founder and drummer for Deerhunter. In August, he released a new album titled Trappy Bats under his solo side project, Moon Diagrams. We invited Archuleta to add two songs to the Georgia Playlist. That’s our collection of songs written or performed by a Georgian.
Grammy-winning jazz saxophonist David S á nchez hails from Puerto Rico, but, these days, he calls Atlanta home. Schooled in Jazz by the ledgends, S ánchez is now schooling others as an artist-in-residence at Georgia State University. Tune in for a sample of his new record, Carib a project about exploring the music of the African Diaspora, beggining in the Caribbean.
Senator David Perdue has a new plan to create a clearinghouse of information to help schools enhance security, and Senator Isakson has a new bill that would fund research of mass violence at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Join the director of Georgia State University’s Center for School Safety, School Climate and Classroom Management, Kristen Varjas, and Executive Director of Safe Havens International, Michael Dorn, for a discussion of the plans and the issues that surround them.
Two legendary rock musicians and an innovative classical violinist join On Second Thought to talk about how they are mashing up their respective disciplines. Along with original compositions, these musicians use songs from Georgia’s most beloved musicians and bands and adapt them for an orchestra.
The Doll’s Head Trail is one of Atlanta’s obscure city trails found at Constitution Lakes Park in southeast Atlanta. Along the trail is a collection of trash-to-treasure art installations. Each piece is made with discarded objects found within the 125-acre reserve and from the South River which flows through it.
“A Night of Georgia Music” continues a collaboration between Mike Mills, bassist songwriter and co-founder of R.E.M.; Chuck Leavell, former member of The Allman Brothers Band, now the music director and keyboardist for The Rolling Stones; and Robert McDuffie, violinist and founder of the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University. They will be performing at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra on Sept. 29, but first they stopped by On Second Thought .
Kishi Bashi made a name for himself with the shiny, fantastical indie pop of his first three albums . (The singer and multi-instrumentalist also made a pseudonym for himself: his stage name is a mashup of his first initial – K, for Kaoru – and last name, Ishibashi.) Ishibashi's newest record Omoiyari takes a more sober turn. From Japanese, " omoiyari " roughly translates as compassion or kindness shown toward others, which stirred in the Athens-based musician after President Trump's administration placed a travel ban on people from specific, predominantly Muslim countries.
Shantih Shantih is a four-piece band founded in Atlanta. The band combines rock 'n' roll with harmonies over twanging guitars — heard in their new single, Radio Dream. On Second Thought invited Anna Barattin and Julia Furgiuele from the band to add some tracks to our Georgia Playlist .
New and expecting mothers are frequently told that their lives will change once their baby arrives. They don't always hear how, especially when it comes to their careers. Caitlyn Collins is a sociologist at Washington University in St. Louis. She conducted interviews with mothers around the world and found American moms feel far more stressed out than women in Italy, Germany and Sweden. Collins spoke with On Second Thought host Virginia Prescott about her research.
Flux Projects is back at it. The arts organization produces temporary events that connect people to creativity and to place. Beginning Thursday, Sept. 26, Flux is transforming Ponce City Market into an acoustic playground. A series of artists are using sound as the primary medium to reveal hidden dimensions of the historic building turned ultra popular destination for food and shopping.
Caitlyn Collins is a sociologist and author of " Making Motherhood Work: How Women Manage Careers and Caregiving ." Collins looks into “Work/Family Justice” for parents, especially as more and more women become the breadwinners of their families. Her studies show that mothers in the United States are the most stressed of comparable western cultures and speak more about not having enough time to be with their children. Unlike many European countries, such as Sweden, the United States does not have a national support system for mothers. Collins preveiws her research into societal trends and policy with On Second Thought before her speech at the University of Georgia .
When Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide last month in a New York Corrections Facility, questions about the state of mental healthcare in America’s prisons briefly dominated the national news. But suicides in jails and prisons are becoming more and more commonplace – especially in Georgia. The state has one of the highest rates of inmate suicide in the nation, nearly double the national average.
Zora Neale Hurston's novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God , is a staple on high school and college reading lists. Published in 1937, it could have easily disappeared into obscurity if it wasn't for a young Georgia writer named Alice Walker .
Suicides are on the rise in jails and prisons, and Georgia has one of the highest rates of inmate suicides in the nation — nearly double the national average. On Second Thought explores the circumstances effecting the numbers. Atlanta-based freelance reporter Max Blau reported in The Macon Telegraph last month. He spoke to state officials, family members and dug into public records data. He joins On Second Thought to discuss his findings on prison suicides.
Vaping is under fire after a series of deaths and crackdowns on flavors, said to attract children to smoking. The new vaping flavors contain nicotine salts, which deliver nicotine more quickly through the body, increasing the likelihood of addiction. The effects of electronic cigarettes on school-age children have been reported as the cause of eight deaths so far. On Second Thought speaks with Dean of GSU’s College of Public Health, Michael Eriksen, on the latest news and developments.
With a hint of fall in the air, India Jackson is still buzzing from a remarkable summer. On Second Thought spoke to the Georgia State University doctoral student and single mother just before she and her daughter left for NASA's prestigious summer internship program in Houston. The stars aligned for Jackson when strangers from around the world stepped in to raise more than $8,000 through gofundme.com to support her dreams. Jackson is on the cover of the fall issue of GSU Magazine. She stopped back by On Second Thought with shocking details about her internship.
Last week, the FDA disclosed a criminal probe into electronic cigarettes as the number of vaping-related illnesses climbed. The enforcement action dovetails with an ongoing Centers For Disease Control and Prevention investigation into vaping-related illness in the U.S. Five hundred thirty people with a history of vaping have been diagnosed with mysterious lung injuries. Eight people have died. Five of those cases are in Georgia, with another being investigated here.
In honor of the Ken Burns series, Country Music , Bill Nigut is taking over the On Second Thought Sunday time slot with a special edition of Two Way Street. This episode features his conversation with the legendary Brenda Lee, an artist featured in sections of the documentary.
The Youth Climate Strike will take place Friday in Georgia, other U.S. states and about 150 countries. High school and college students are skipping class to demand action on climate change, and they are timing the strike for right before Monday’s UN Climate Action Summit. On Second Thought hears from Andrea Manning and Zeena Abdulkarim, two of the Atlanta organizers and Dr. Kim Cobb, a climate science professor.
Students from about 150 countries are skipping class Friday with a goal of schooling government and business leaders around the world. The coordinated Youth Climate Strike is predicted to be the largest environmental action in history, and it’s scheduled just days before a UN Climate Action Summit in New York City on Monday. In Georgia, a group called Zero Hour Georgia is pulling together a strike and demonstration at the state capitol at 2 p.m. Its co-executive directors are GSU student Zeena Abdulkarim and UGA student Andrea Manning. They stopped by On Second Thought Friday morning to preview the event and detail the students’ list of demands .
Before Outkast, Goodie Mobb and TI burst out of Georgia, there was Blind Willie McTell and James Brown. Before Trisha Yearwood, Alan Jackson and Jason Aldean stepped onto the country music scene, Brenda Lee and Chet Atkins were changing the sound of country music altogether. What unifies those musical giants? Georgia. On Second Thought embarked on an audio tour of the dense and diverse musical roots of Georgia, from Ma Rainey and the Skillet Lickers to Emmett Miller and Otis Redding.
Journalism lost a trailblazing voice yesterday. Cokie Roberts, who covered Congress for NPR beginning in the 1970s and later joined ABC News, passed away at the age of 75. Schooled early in political rivalries and genteel Southern manners, Roberts became a legendary reporter and best-selling author. On Second Thought spoke with Scott Simon , host of NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday , to ask about his longtime colleague and friend.
From Vincent Van Gogh to Charli XCX, many accomplished artists are thought to have synesthesia, or the blending of two or more senses. Atlanta-based sensory artist Siana Altiise also has synesthesia, and she feels compelled to use her unique perspective to create musical experiences meant to relax people. Siana joined On Second Thought to share how she builds her meditative tracks based on both the psychology of attention and her personal experiences with synesthesia.
National Public Radio founding mother and media icon Cokie Roberts has passed away at age 75. Reflect on her contributions to public radio and public discourse with Scott Simon on On Second Thought .
This week GPB’s Macon bureau is embarking on a yearlong look at youth violence, including its causes and potential solutions. GPB Macon is just one of the local newsrooms tackling the issue, with their partners, the Macon Telegraph, the Center for Collaborative Journalism at Mercer University and CBS affiliate 13 WMAZ.
One year ago, today, On Second Thought was relaunched with a whole new staff. To celebrate the anniversary, the whole team joined Virginia in the studio to share a guest or conversation that surprised or delighted them.
Today marks one year since On Second Thought relaunched in its current form. The whole team is on air today to share what has surprised and delighted us. Join On Second Thought for the celebration!
On a recent Sunday evening, the sound of Negro spirituals echoed through the halls of the music building at Kennesaw State University. The six members of the Georgia Spiritual Ensemble gather here regularly to partake in a tradition that dates back centuries.
Cities are dynamic things – and Atlanta is certainly one of them. Atlanta has catapulted from a regional city to an international metropolis in a generation. The city has been called the “capital of the new South,” “the South’s Black mecca,” “a city in a forest,” and “hip-hop’s new center of gravity.” The antithesis of homogenous, Atlanta resists being summarized or captured in a single phrase or place. In many ways, the city is a perfect setting for Pop-Up Zine Atlanta , where stories are told on-stage in a camera-free zone, with no recordings, photos, tweets or posts.
Results are now out from the first round of independent tests of air quality near the Sterigenics plant in Smyrna. They came out during Monday’s meeting of the community’s Air Quality Oversight Committee, and GPB’s Ross Terrell was there. A 2018 Environmental Protection Agency report indicated the facility there – and the BD Bard plant in Covington – had been emitting ethylene oxide for years, despite the EPA’s declaring it a carcinogen in 2016. The report also indicated the amount of the gas was high enough to produce an elevated risk of cancer in those communities.
The first round of independent test results are due out this week for the Sterigenics plant in Smyrna, and the community’s Air Quality Oversight Committee is scheduled to meet Monday. Get an update on the story from Georgia Health News’ Andy Miller, and Web MD Brenda Goodman. Plus, take a look at what’s happening on the political side of it from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution ’s Greg Bluestein.
The first wave of punk rock growled out of the economic and social malaise of New York and London in the mid-1970s. But Los Angeles played a huge role in what came next, when punk's energetic D.I.Y. ethos began to diversify, cross genres and sprawl like the vast city itself. One of the groups that sprouted in that time was the seminal punk band X. Three years ago, X's singer and bassist John Doe and music publisher Tom DeSavia pulled together first-hand accounts of the nascent scene from members of LA's tight-knit punk community. The resulting book, Under The Big Black Sun , was nominated for a Grammy.
Music Midtown begins tomorrow! This year, 25 years after it first began, the two-day festival will feature acts like Travis Scott, Cardi B, Lizzo and Vampire Weekend. And on Sunday at 1 p.m., you can catch Atlanta locals, The Coathangers . First, drummer Stephanie Luke and bassist Meredith Franco, two members of the garage punk trio, joined On Second Thought to talk about how they started playing music together, what it's like being an all-female punk band in the music industry and what "punk" means to them.
The Iliad is one of the oldest surviving stories of Western civilization, and is often referred to as if we know it — or, at least, we should. The epic is usually credited to Homer, the ancient Greek storyteller who first sat down to orally weave the story for his audiences 3,000 years ago. The war story chronicles the final weeks of the Trojan War, and it has been translated into dozens of languages — dozens of times.
Emory University is hosting a three-day, live reading of The Iliad , and On Second Thought host Virginia Prescott is among the orators. Delve into the classic tale with Stan Lombardo, a professor emeritus of classics at the University of Kansas, who wrote a modern translation of it. East Point has an urban agriculture plan aimed at improving access to green spaces and minimizing food deserts. GPB’s Ross Terrell went to check it out.
From the Civil War to the Dust Bowl and from baseball to jazz, Ken Burns documentaries have covered a range of critical events in American history and culture. Now, country music is getting the Ken Burns treatment. He and long-time collaborators and producers Dayton Duncan and Julie Dunfey spent eight years researching and making an eight-part, 16-hour documentary called Country Music , which will air in six parts beginning Sunday, Sept. 15 on GPB.
Rural America is often painted in broad strokes. Small towns have been hit hard by population declines as more Americans flock to urban and suburban areas, and unemployment and the opioid crisis has been rough on small, financially-strapped communities. But the reality of life in rural America is far from this sweeping image of "doom and gloom." A new Smithsonian exhibit called “ Crossroads: Change in Rural America ” aims to add some dimension to those images – and generate conversations about rural history, identity and visions for the future.
Georgia State University students studying to be sports and entertainment lawyers have a new course available to them: The Legal Life of Ludacris. GSU law professor Moraima "Mo" Ivory took On Second Thought back to school with a look at why the Georgia superstar’s career is a window into contract law.
This fall, Georgia State College of Law University is offering "The Legal Life of Ludacris" — a course examining the strategic legal decisions and contracts that supported his career as a rapper, actor, philanthropist and restaurateur. It's the brainchild of GSU entertainment law professor, Moraima "Mo" Ivory , who's the head of the school's "Entertainment, Sports and Media Law Initiative." Ivory spoke with On Second Thought host Virginia Prescott about the now full class.
Improvisational theater makes for a great evening of live entertainment. Actors make up a story right on the spot, mastering the art of staying in the moment while making their scene partners look good. Dad’s Garage , the well-established improv theater in Atlanta, is making a push to bring that art to high schools across Georgia. Their new outreach program provides teachers with videos, worksheets, and teaching guides aimed to introduce students to the world of improv. All materials are free and conform to state curriculum standards.
The Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra's new season begins this Saturday, Sept. 14, with a new music director: Keitaro "Kei" Harada. Harada grew up in Tokyo, but he's no stranger to Georgia. He studied at Mercer University in Macon, where he was assistant conductor of the Macon Symphony. After that, he picked up the baton for four seasons as associate conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony.
A team of specialists at Emory University will never forget August 2, 2014. That's the day Kent Brantley, an American missionary based in Liberia, became the first of four patients with the Ebola virus to arrive at its Atlanta facility. The eyes of the world watched as the Serious Coummunicable Diseases Unit (SCDU) — in hazmat suits, successfully treated Brantley and three other patients with the highly infectious disease.
Jontavious Willis got his start singing gospel in his hometown of Greenville, Georgia, but something clicked inside him when he heard the blues. His second album, Spectacular Class, came out earlier this year. Critics and blues artists hailed it and declared him a wunderkind and genius who proves the blues is very much alive.
The image called Afghan Girl that first appeared on the cover of National Geographic is part of the inspiration for Tidal Flats, the first published novel by Columbus-based author Cynthia Newberry Martin . Martin altered the time and subject of the image of Afghan Girl, but the photo is critical to the plot.
It’s been five years as of this summer since the first U.S. Ebola patient went to Emory University Hospital. On Second Thought looks back on the events that followed with Dr. Colleen Kraft, one of the physicians who helped with care.
Find out what songs Atlanta native Faye Webster adds to our Georgia Playlist . She'll be at the annual Music Midtown this weekend. Georgia has nine HBCUs now, but Morris Brown College could make that number increase. It's seeking accreditation nearly a decade after losing it due to a financial mismanagement scandal. On Second Thought invited race and culture reporter Ernie Suggs to talk about the background and threats HBCUs face. Suggs collaborated with education reporter Eric Sturgis on an Atlanta Journal-Constitution series about the health of HBCUs. They also launched a podcast called HBCU Journeys .
Georgia native Eve Hoffman teaches poetry at Emory University. Her most recent book, Memory and Complicity is a collection of autobiographical poems that tells the stories of a young Eve who grew up by the Chattahoochee River. Hoffman stopped by On Second Thought to give her recommendations for our "Southern Reading List" — a series of authors and readers sharing books that define and reflect the South.
The annual Music Midtown festival takes place this weekend. Through its 25 year history — it launched in 1994 — A-list acts like Coldplay, Pearl Jam, Elton John and Drake have all taken to the festival's stages. This year, performing musicians include Travis Scott, Vampire Weekend, Billie Eilish and Lizzo. Atlanta native Faye Webster will be among them. First, she joined On Second Thought to talk about how, at the age of 21, she's already on her third album — and to tell us about her musical journey along the way.
Mac Powell is an Atlanta-based multi-platinum Grammy-winning artist. His band, Mac Powell and the Family Reunion , recently released their new single, Back Again. Mac and the Family Reunion are now on tour, performing songs from the debut album, Back Again . Before his Atlanta performance, Powell added two songs to our Georgia Playlist.
Hurricane Dorian is moving north after lashing the coast and outer banks of the Carolinas. In the meantime, Georgians are moving back to their homes. In the end, hurricane-force winds only edged along the state’s coast, causing less flooding and havoc than predicted. Still, the impact on the economies – and lives – of the areas east of I-95 that were under mandatory evacuation remains, along with plenty of evidence that those orders were ignored.
Even though Hurricane Dorian spared the Georgia coast, economic impacts of the evacuation linger on. On Second Thought gets an overview of the storm’s aftermath with Emily Jones, Georgia Public Broadcasting's Morning Edition host and reporter. Additionally, classical music is moving into the ICU. GPB’s Grant Blankenship reports on music as medicine in one Macon hospital.
Georgia Public Broadcasting’s Football Fridays are back. The television broadcasts of high school games resume Sept. 20. and the Football Friday podcast recently began a new season.
2019 is a big year for Atlanta hip-hop duo EarthGang . Earlier this year, their label Dreamville — that's rapper J. Cole's Interscope Records imprint — released a multi-artist album called Revenge of the Dreamers 3 . It debuted at number one on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart. And Friday, they drop their own Dreamville project into the world: the highly anticipated album Mirrorland .
Hip-hop is often singled out for not having a great track record when it comes to the objectification of women, but research is trying to shine a new light on the genre. As we kick off Music Month on GPB, hear from Lakeyta Bonnette-Bailey and Nadia Brown , researchers examining political rap’s influence on feminist attitudes.
Laurel Snyder has made a career of picture books and middle-grade novels that don't shy away from the facts of life. Her newest novel, My Jasper June , follows Jasper and Leah as they embark on a summer of urban adventures and navigate the messy path between childhood fantasy and grown-up realities.
Helen Ellis's new collection of essays Southern Lady Code has been called "a cross between David Sedaris & Reese Witherspoon." It covers everything from marriage to thank-you notes. On Second Thought reads between the lines with her ahead of her book tour stops in Atlanta and Athens.
Squidbillies is one of the longest running shows on Atlanta-based Adult Swim. The animated series follows a family of “anthropomorphic mud squids” in the Blue Ridge Mountains of north Georgia. Ahead of its 12th season premiere, Chuck Reece of The Bitter Southerner podcast spoke with Nashville-based singer, Elizabeth Cook, and co-creators, Jim Fortier and Dave Willis, at Georgia Public Broadcasting.
While the origin stories of the barbecue capital of world may vary, Jim Auchmutey has found one thing we can agree on: Barbecue has a Southern accent.
The story of barbecue is the story of American history and traditions — or so says author Jim Auchmutey. Just in time for Labor Day weekend, On Second Thought talks to Auchmutey about his book, Smokelore: A Short History of Barbecue in America.
Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor is headed to Atlanta this weekend to talk about her new children’s book Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You at Agnes Scott College as a part of the AJC Decatur Book Festival . On this special edition of On Second Thought, we hear a rare, personal conversation with the justice recorded live for Writers on a New England Stage , a collaboration between New Hampshire Public Radio and The Music Hall in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
As students get back into the swing of classes, we remember women's educational opportunities in the 19th Century were few and far between. Finishing schools focused on women's socialization and skills like art, music and French, rather than a rigorous academic curriculum.
It’s back-to-school time, which looks a lot different for women now than in decades past. For female students, getting an education used to mean attending finishing school courses on being a “proper” wife and hostess. The Lucy Cobb Institute helped change that. University of Georgia Professor Fran Teague and WUGA student Kristen Gragg visit On Second Thought to explore how this Georgia facility expanded what women could learn and do.
Atlanta-based author and primatologist Frans de Waal has observed animal behavior for 40 years. He's since challenged prevailing scientific notions of animals as stimulus response machines. His new book, Mama's Last Hug: Animal Emotions, details findings on jealousy and reconciliation.
When coal-fired power plants burn coal, what’s left over is a toxic ash mixed with water that gets stored in ash ponds. They look pretty much like you’d imagine – huge, contained pools of slurry and particulates – and environmentalists worry about their potential effects on the ecosystem and drinking water. Georgia Power is on track to quit adding to its ash ponds by sometime next year. That’s a mandate in the Integrated Resources Plan the Georgia Public Service Commission approved this summer.
Ocean Vuong dazzled the literary world with his first collection of poetry. His debut novel, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous , was one of the most anticipated of the year. Written in the form of a letter from a character named Little Dog to his illiterate mother, the novel charts Little Dog’s fraught path from childhood into adulthood and reckons with violence, loss and belonging. Severely bullied by his classmates and physically abused by his mother, whose trauma from life in Vietnam still weighs heavily on the family, Little Dog finds temporary refuge in drugs, a teenaged love affair and in the dyamic power of language itself.
Domestic violence and sexual assault are leading causes of injuries for young women and girls over the age of 15 in Georgia, according to the state's Department of Public Health . In fact, reports indicate that 30% of Georgia women in that age group will be abused at least once by their partners in their lifetimes. To understand why, we spoke with Michelle White, who is a child and youth project manager for the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence . She explained how to identify and prevent teen dating violence as well as why teens are less likely to report it. And White also described the characteristics of healthy relationships.
Georgia Power is on track to close its coal ash ponds by sometime next year, and who regulates that process could change soon. The federal EPA wants to give that oversight to the states. The public has until Aug. 27 to weigh in on the possible transition. Grant Blankenship visits On Second Thought to discuss what it could mean for the environment.
Georgia has had its own share of musical superstars like Ray Charles, Ludacris and Childish Gambino. The Peach State is also a hot-bed for actors — aided and abetted by a booming TV and film industry. Those two artforms come toghether in musical theater. Georgia isn't traditionally known for seeding musicals, but fall is a fresh season for theatrical productions. Theatre critic and writer Kelundra Smith says we can expect some musical numbers this fall.
Next to breathing, Googling must be among the most commonly performed tasks in contemporary life. Everyone is familiar with the homepage, and that little illustration around the search bar — that is a “Google Doodle.”
In the late 19th Century, Lulu Hurst transfixed audiences as the "Georgia Wonder." An electrical storm supposedly gave the teenager supernatural powers to catapult grown men from chairs. She performed on stages from Cedartown, Georgia, to the East Coast and Midwest. Hurst appeared in front of members of congress and government scientists. She was tested by Alexander Graham Bell, the faculty at Mercer University and the Medical College of Georgia — all baffled by mysterious force of the "electric maid."
She was a kind of real-life superhero before the days of cosplay and Dragon Con. Lulu Hurst called herself the “Georgia Wonder” in the late 19th century, saying an electrical storm had given her supernatural powers. Atlanta author Jessica Handler uses Hurst’s life for the basis of her novel, The Magnetic Girl . Unravel the tales of fact and fiction ahead of Handler’s appearance at the AJC Decatur Book Festival. Beyoncé, Cher, Elvis…and Googoosh. The Iranian superstar’s name carries as much weight in some parts of the world as those other legends do in the U.S. Ahead of the singer-songwriter’s performance at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center, learn about her life and career.
29Rooms has been called a fun house for adults and an Instagram paradise. This immersive art festival has popped up in L.A. and New York, this month 29Rooms is stopping in Atlanta on a five-city tour. The interactive experience created by the Refinery29 website is as advertised — a collection of 29 distinct rooms with work from artists all over the country. Like the Museum of Ice Cream and Museum of Pizza posted on Instagram, it will be a selfie paradise.
Beyoncé ...Cher...Elvis...and Googoosh. She's the Iranian pop star that carries as much weight in the Middle East as some of those other famous artists do here in the United States. For those connected to the Iranian diaspora, Googoosh is a household name. She consistently draws massive crowds of Iranian expatriates to her concerts. She will be performing in Atlanta on Saturday, Aug. 28 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.
Any thorough study of history reveals that there have always been political, economic and racial divisions in the United States. Princeton historians and best-selling authors Julian Zelizer and Kevin Kruse add gender and sexuality to those fissures. Their book, Fault Lines: A History of the United States Since 1974, follows how those divisions have become wider and deeper since the resignation of Richard Nixon shook the foundations of our democracy.
Author and journalist Samantha Allen wanted to go beyond the headlines in her new book, "Real Queer America: LGBT Stories from Red States." Now, she’s traveling to the AJC Decatur Book Festival . "Often the stories we hear are just, 'Oh, this anti-LGBT law got passed' or 'This anti-LGBT law got stopped,' and we're not really seeing what's happening on the ground," Allen said.
Picture this: It's Friday night. You're all alone and suddenly hear creepy noices — maybe even see shadows from the corner of your eye. Who ya gonna call? The Ghost Brothers are Atlanta-based. The trio of fraternity brothers started investigating places reported to be haunted on reality television in 2016. Their new series, Ghost Brothers: Haunted Houseguests, investigates residential phenomena.
To write her book, Real Queer America , Samantha Allen traveled red states as a transgender women and formed unexpected connections with the people she met. Now, she’s traveling to the AJC Decatur Book Festival . Hear her take on finding tolerance and understanding on both sides of the LGBTQ rights debate.
Surrounded by mountains and the sea, Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula is extremely isolated; there aren’t even roads or rail lines to the area. In Julia Phillips’ new novel, it’s the site where two young Russian sisters vanish one afternoon after walking along the seashore. Disappearing Earth is not a mystery or true crime novel. There’s no detective discovering long-held secrets among the townsfolk, no red herrings nor a final reveal. Instead, the novel explores a series of stories about women and girls affected by – and connected to – the panic surrounding the loss.
Forecasters predict a more active hurricane season this year, now that the El Nino weather pattern has ended. Current predictions estimate as many as 10 to 17 possible named storms. Getting accurate models of a hurricane’s path plays a big part in coastal communities’ ability to stay safe. Researchers at the University of Georgia aim to improve the precision of these models by launching underwater autonomous gliders to collect data from the briny deep.
In the aftermath of mass shootings, debate over why these massacres keep happening — and how to fix them — bubbles up again. And, after the shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, President Donald Trump again pointed to mental illness and violent video games. Politicians singling out video games for inspiring violence isn't new. (Nor is the research debunking this connection .) In the past, however, moral outrage and blame came from both sides of the political aisle. Now, a recent article in The Atlantic argues that the topic has become an increasingly partisan issue.
UGA is using underwater gliders, a kind of autonomous robot, to collect data to help better predict hurricanes. Previous models based on satellite data could easily see water temperature at the surface, but glider data now adds important measures from below the surface that can impact the strength of hurricanes. On Second Thought talks to Catherine Edwards, assistant professor at UGA’s Skidaway Institute of Oceanography.
Federal Judge Amy Totenberg has ruled Georgia will use its outdated voting machines for one more election . Then, it’s time for a change. Georgia is currently one of five states that relies on electronic voting machines, but officials are currently working to implement a new $107 million ballot-marking device system that includes touchscreen machines with a printed paper ballot component. A lawsuit filed in 2017 says the current touchscreen direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting system is outdated, flawed, and insecure. The ultimate goal of the legal challenge is to move Georgia to hand-marked paper ballots, though Totenberg has denied that request for the last two years.
Judge Amy Totenberg has ruled Georgia will use its outdated voting machines for one more election. Then, it’s time for change. Delve into the 153-page ruling with GPB politics reporter Stephen Fowler . A metro Atlanta police department is trying out a pilot program to help opioid users go to treatment facilities instead of jail. Travel there for the story with GPB’s Ellen Eldridge .
Two years ago, far-right groups gathered in Charlottesville, Virginia, to oppose the city council's decision to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee from a public park. Those protests culminated in a "Unite The Right" rally, where members of Alt-Right, white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups clashed with counter-protestors — one of whom was killed. More than 49 people were injured.
Georgia is aging … fast. Estimates indicate that by 2030, one in five Georgia residents will be 65 years of age or older. By 2050, the number of Georgians older than 85 will triple from 2010. To get ahead of these demographic shifts, some businesses and organizations are trying to anticipate the needs of Georgia’s population by developing “age-friendly communities.” The Atlanta Regional Commission recently held a forum on building age-friendly communities in both the metro Atlanta area as well as across the state.
Many Georgians are familiar with the long list of iconic movies filmed in Georgia — Driving Miss Daisy , Fried Green Tomatoes , Forrest Gump — back when filming in the state used to be a rare occurrence. That all changed in 2008 when the film industry in Georgia exploded after the state legislature passed the Georgia Entertainment Industry Investment Act — making Georgia the Hollywood of the South. As film and television executives debate whether to stay in Georgia , there’s still a push to increase the diversity of voices on set.
Whether it's the twang of a blues tune, the finger-picking of a folk song, or the shredding in heavy metal music, the guitar is central to our concept of popular music. But how does the design — the look, sound and feel — play into how a guitar becomes iconic? Right now, the Museum of Design Atlanta, otherwise known as MODA, has an exhibition exploring exactly that. It's called "Wire & Wood: Designing Iconic Guitars" and it's on display until Sept. 29.
Susan Rebecca White's new novel, We Are All Good People Here, follows two women from the 1960s to the late 1980s as they follow different political paths in a time of extreme change.
Jameelah Nuriddin is an actor and producer who got her start in Georgia before it became the "Hollywood of the South." Nuriddin is among those featured at the Macon Film Festival this weekend. She will be joining Making Room at the Table: Women in Georgia's Film Industry panel at the festival, but first she joins to On Second Thought.
A crafty bootlegger ranking in millions, corrupt feds, early feminists and flappers are the things that made HBO’s Boardwalk Empire a hit. Karen Abbott's new books is all that plus the real-life murder trial that gripped jazz-age America.
Georgia farmers are dealing with the news that China plans to end all imports of U.S. agriculture in response to higher tariffs. This news comes after two years of rough conditions for the farming community, including Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Michael and stalled aid packages . With farming ranked ninth among professions with high suicide rates by the CDC , recent research from the University of Georgia School of Social Work investigates how those stressors could affect a population already at risk.
This year marks 400 years since the transatlantic slave trade began. On Aug. 20, 1619, a ship carrying the first enslaved Africans to what became the United Stated arrived in Virginia, changing the course of American history.
Studies show farmers and agricultural workers are at elevated risk of suicide, and Georgia farmers have been especially hard hit by natural disasters and tariffs. Anna Scheyett , the dean of UGA’s School of Social Work, has been researching the problem. She visited On Second Thought to share her ideas to help.
As students head back to college this month, a large portion will be taking on loans to help cover costs. At least 1.5 million Georgians — approximately 14% of the state's population — have some amount of student loan debt, totalling to $58.7 billion. A key consideration for perspective students is the difference between the advertised price of tuition and the actual net price of attending a higher education institution.
Artificial intelligence is changing technology and is already shaping the world we live in, from using Siri and Alexa to choosing the best route home from work. However, there is often a gap between way we use AI and the way we imagine its potential for the future — whether it's discovering a cure for cancer, taking over our jobs, or even turning on us to overtake the planet. Charles Isbell was named John P. Imlay Junior Dean at Georgia Tech's College of Computing on July 1. He joined On Second Thought to talk about that gap in understanding.
Atlanta magazine calculates students who graduate from some of Georgia’s largest schools end up with an average of $27,000 in debt. Before it’s time to go back to school, examine the real price of higher education. On Second Thought is joined by freelance journalist Sean Keenan .
As mental health becomes a political talking point, Georgia schools are finding innovative ways to make social and emotional learning part of the curriculum. Dr. Debra Murdock is the executive director for Cherokee County School District's Social Emotional Learning initiative. She spoke to On Second Thought on the importance of sustaining mental balance for students.
In the 1930s, the government created a package of programs to add new jobs to the faltering economy. One of them was the Works Progress Administration, which hired people to work on a wide variety of public service projects, including public art. Many famous male artists that came to define American art, such as Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko, got their start through the WPA. But a new exhibit at the Georgia Museum of Art in Athens seeks to shed light on a number of female WPA artists.
As mental health becomes a political talking point, Georgia schools are finding innovative ways to make social and emotional learning part of the curriculum. Dr. Debra Murdock is the Executive Director for Cherokee County School District's Social Emotional Learning initiative. She spoke to On Second Thought on the importance of sustaining mental balance for students.
When Jared Yates Sexton ’s grandma researched their family tree, she discovered a long line of “scofflaws, debtors, drunkards and out-and-out criminals.” The working class men he grew up with in Linton, Indiana, could never quite get ahead, especially as industrial jobs dried up. But at home, their power was absolute. Often maintained by violence, intimidation and a rigid masculinity that was toxic to their families, communities and selves.
Artist Mary Beth Meehan 's large-scale photographs of residents Newnan, Georgia, have exposed the shifting demographics of the city and sparked a conversation about them. On Second Thought is joined by the artist to discuss her work.
Comedian and actor Scott Adsit has been on everything from Friends to The Office , but you may know him best as Pete Hornberger from the sitcom 30 Rock . Or perhaps as the voice of Baymax from Big Hero 6 . This weekend, he's in Georgia. Adsit is doing a two-night, four-show run at Dad's Garage in Atlanta. First, he stopped by On Second Thought to share stories about how improv influenced his acting career, why he never really got into stand-up comedy, and his connection to the Marvel Universe.
If art is supposed to start conversations, then “Seeing Newnan” is working. The project mounted 19 large-scale photographs of residents on buildings around Newnan, Georgia. Artist Mary Beth Meehan’s large-scale photographs of residents in Newnan have exposed the shifting demographics of the town. A resident, who protested the image of two Muslim schoolgirls in the town square, got more than a thousand responses from others who embrace a more inclusive vision of the town.
A report by financial news and content company, 24-7 Wall Street, identifies the 25 most-segregated cities in America. Four are in Georgia, and one of those is in the top five. The area covering Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell is number 22. Columbus comes in at 19. Macon is number 11. Albany, Georgia, comes in at No. 3.
Several Georgia communities are involved in one of the largest civil trials in U.S. history. The consolidated case is unfolding in federal court in Cleveland, Ohio, with local governments as the plaintiffs and opioid manufacturers and distributors as defendants. The case is so complicated a special master proposed grouping the participants into an unprecedented “negotiation class” to try to settle, and participants debated the idea at a hearing Tuesday. U.S. District Judge Dan Polster, who’s pushed for a settlement in general, showed interest in the novel idea.
President Donald Trump is headed to both Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso, Texas, Wednesday in response to the recent mass shootings in the two cities. Along with the previous week's shooting in Gilroy, California, there were 34 people killed and dozens injured in a single week. Rick Rojas is also in El Paso. He's the new national correspondent for the South at The New York Times . He joined On Second Thought to give us an update on the situation — and the sentiment — in the aftermath of the El Paso shooting.
About two dozen Georgia counties and cities are involved in one of the largest civil trials in U.S. history. They’re some of about 2,000 local governments suing opioid manufacturers and distributors. Learn about a proposal floated Tuesday to group participants into an unprecedented “negotiation class.” University of Georgia Law Professor Elizabeth Burch joins On Second Thought. Also, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Steven Rich from the Washington Post joins On Second Thought to outline how court proceedings are used to get documents and data that show where massive amounts of the drugs have gone in Georgia -- and the deadly results.
As federal money pours into Georgia to end new HIV infections, hundreds of people living with HIV and AIDS are being threatened with eviction. Non-profit providers accuse the city of being chronically late with a total of $41 million in federal HIV funds — money reserved to provide HIV and AIDS clients a place to live. On Monday, the Atlanta City Council voted to appropriate $1.5 million in emergency funding to pay for housing and other services that clients of The Living Room depend on. A lawsuit filed by that organization in July accuses the city of withholding funds.
Mining below the surface of ordinary lives has made Joshilyn Jackson a multiple New York Times best-selling novelist. Her newest book, Never Have I Ever, ratchets things up to thriller level when a new neighbor knocks at Amy’s door. The sultry and charming stranger, Roux, hijacks the agenda at book club, and soon moves onto Amy’s life with a blackmail scheme to expose a long buried secret.
Now we add some more songs to our essential Georgia playlist from Avery Gipson . We ask artists to pick two songs written or performed by another Georgian that best represent the state. At 18 years old, Avery Gipson is already an award-winning singer-songwriter. Her first single , “Look What You’ve Done,” came out earlier this year.
About 250 Atlanta citizens with HIV or AIDS could face eviction. Willoughby Mariano, a reporter at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution , and Patrick Saunders, editor of Project Q Atlanta, join On Second Thought to discuss why a dispute between contractors and the city of Atlanta is making it harder for the clients of the nonprofit group Living Room to pay the bills.
Eleven confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease have been linked to the Sheraton Hotel in Downtown Atlanta, with another 55 cases considered “probable” according to the Georgia Department of Health . The hotel voluntarily closed its doors for testing on July 15 , with a proposed reopening on Aug. 11 at the earliest. That places the reopening very close to Dragon Con scheduled for Labor Day weekend.
"Squidbillies" is Atlanta-based Adult Swim’s third longest-running animated series. It’s based on the show creators’ experiences here in Georgia – and features a cast of anthropomorphic redneck squids. The 12th season of "Squidbillies" premieres Sunday on Adult Swim. Hear from the c o-creators Dave Willis and Jim Fortier who recently joined us on On Second Thought .
It’s where The Walking Dead roam the earth. It’s Black Panther ’s home away from Wakanda, and it’s the only spot where Donald Glover’s Atlanta rightfully could be made. It’s Y’allywood! It’s hard to keep track of the TV shows and movies filming in Georgia, so The Credits podcast host Kalena Boller occasionally stops by On Second Thought with an update. She’s moderating a podcasting panel at the Macon Film Festival Aug. 17. It’s called "Making Room at the Table: Women in Georgia’s Film Industry." TV Shows and Movies Mentioned in This Interview Black Widow : Scarlett Johansson’s popular character is set to go solo in 2020 after years with the Avengers. Black Lightning : The CW series is back for third season, and its star, Nafessa Williams, takes her role as a trailblazer seriously. She plays an African American, gay, female superhero named Thunder. Lovecraft Country : This series, with a list of heavy hitters behind it such as J.J. Abrams and Jordan Peele, solidifies HBO’s place in
After an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease at an Atlanta hotel, health officials have identified 11 confirmed cases and dozens of other people who are potentially affected. Dr. Allison Chamberlain of Emory University and Amy Wenk of the Atlanta Business Chronicle visit On Second Thought to explore the health and economic ramifications. GPB’s Kalena Boller returns to On Second Thought to catch us up on current Hollywood productions for when the What’s Filming in Georgia series returns.
On Monday of last week, Andy Miller shared breaking news discovered by Georgia Health News and WebMD. Their investigation revealed that two facilities, one in Smyrna and one in Covington, have been releasing high levels of ethylene oxide, a gas that causes cancer. These facilities have been releasing airborne toxins in Cobb County for decades.
Jeff Hagerman is into ruins. The Atlanta-based photographer is an urban explorer who squeezes through cracked windows or unhinged doors to access what remains after natural disasters, economic shifts and the churn of urban development.
Gov. Brian Kemp’s administration is investigating after a Georgia Health News and WebMD report alleged airborne toxins are in Cobb County. Local officials and the company are also responding. Get an update from GPB’s Ross Terrell. An Alabama company wants to mine for heavy minerals in southeast Georgia about four miles from the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. The proposal from Twin Pines Minerals promises 150 to 200 jobs, but it’s also raised serious environmental concerns. On Second Thought hears about the issue.
Has America become more racist? Earlier this year, The Pew Research Center attempted to answer that question and found that roughly two thirds of adults do think it is more common for people to express racist views since Donald Trump became president. Other long-term trends, however, suggest an overall decline in both racist views and racist acts.
What started as a tribute to the greats, has taken on a life all of its own. Yacht Rock Revue harnesses the nostalgic soft rock vibes of the ‘70s and ‘80s, taking the term “tribute band” to a whole new level. Whether on the road, or at their own venue Venkman’s in Atlanta, Yacht Rock Revue take their audiences on a voyage to sounds of the past. Singer Nick Niespodziani joined On Second Thought to add a couple of songs to the Georgia Playlist , our tribute to songs written and performed by Georgians. Niespodziani chose “Moonlight Feels Right” by Starbuck and Washed Out’s “Eyes Be Closed.”
On Second Thought host Virginia Prescott has been a judge at three of the semi-annual singer-songwriter shoot-outs at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur. (Full disclosure: her partner hosts the weekly open mic contests there.) At the 48th bi-annual shoot-out, then 10-year-old Ansley Oakley stepped up to the mic – all of 4-foot-8 and wearing a vintage maxi dress – and started to sing. The resulting performance was so jaw-dropping that Virginia invited her to sing at Grocery on Home, an occasional, bring-your-own-everything listening room that she and her partner run out of the old grocery store where they live in Grant Park.
The median home price in Georgia is on track to nearly double from 2012 prices in the coming years, and wages haven’t kept up. Georgia cities can be especially expensive. Atlanta rents have spiked in the past decade at the same time the number of units classified as affordable have been dropping. GPB’s Ross Terrell recently discussed housing costs with U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson when Carson was in Atlanta for a conference on emerging strategies to address affordable housing. During their one-on-one conversation, Carson acknowledged the problem and emphasized the country’s ability to innovate solutions. “First of all, we have to recognize that we do have a shortage of affordable housing, and it's reached a crisis stage but also recognize that Americans tend to be very innovative and very entrepreneurial,” Carson said. “What we really want to talk about are those things that are emerging that can solve this problem.” Carson acknowledged the role
A stretch of I-85 in southwest Georgia is a proving ground for technologies that could make such roadways ecologically sustainable. Allie Kelly, executive director of The Ray , visits On Second Thought to talk about the road renovations. The lack of affordable housing is a hot topic in Georgia cities. The median home price in Georgia is on track to nearly double from 2012 in the coming years. GPB’s Ross Terrell asked Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson about gentrification and regulation and how it affects many facets of Georgians including veterans and minorities.
Sitting just below the interchange between the Downtown Connector and Interstate 20, the neighborhood of Summerhill holds a storied past. Over the decades, the area faced segregation, being gutted by expressways and housing two major stadiums at once. Business boomed on Georgia Avenue in the '40s and '50s, but by the 1970s the area saw more concentrated poverty and riots. When the Olympics came to Atlanta in 1996, Summerhill housed the opening ceremonies at Centennial Olympic Stadium, which would eventually become Turner Field and then later the Georgia State Stadium.
Lawsuits over election integrity and legislative decisions about voting machines have been ongoing stories since before the presidential elections in 2016. There are surges and retreats of headlines about both, but it can be hard to track.
When she was a freshman at Mercer University, Clare Reverri didn’t have a car on campus. She relied on the bus to take her to Walmart, the grocery store and downtown. One weekend, as she stood at the bus stop, an SUV full of men pulled up next to her, rolled their windows down and started making comments about her body. One of them yelled, “Can I tap that?” “I really, honestly just felt super scared. It’s like, they have a car, what are they going to do? They’re gonna come grab me? It’s crazy,” Reverri said.
The state has selected a vendor for its new voting machines while a case involving elections security moves through the courts. Get an update from GPB politics reporter Stephen Fowler. In Georgia, catcalls are legal. Learn how that plays out for women in Macon.
For the last 31 years, sharks are subject to a week of media frenzy for one week in July. But, throughout the year, they face a number of dangers that put their populations at risk. Discovery Channel's Shark Week started Sunday and, this year, the focus is on conservation. On Second Thought dives in to explore shark facts, myths and more, from the Georgia coast to the islands of Palau.
Now we add some more songs to our essential Georgia playlist from Amy Ray. We ask artists to pick two songs written or performed by another Georgian that best represent the state. Amy Ray is part of the seminal folk group Indigo Girls. The Indigo Girls will return to Atlanta Symphony Hall for a two night performance on Sept. 12 and 13.
It’s Shark Week on Discovery channel. Mark it with a look at these captivating fish along Georgia’s coast. On Second Thought is joined by Paulita Bennett-Martin, Campaign Organizer at Oceana; Bryan Fluech, Associate Director of UGA’s Marine Extension and Georgia’s Sea Grant; and James Glancy, Discovery Channel Host.
The 20 th Annual Dream Flight is part of the Aviation Career Education Academy is a summer program for 14- to 18-year-olds. It’s part of the Delta Air Lines initiative to promote diversity across aviation. The summer program is run in partnership with the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals.
“Adulting” as a term is used to describe grown-up behaviors, which can be anything from doing laundry to signing a lease. Like many things millennial, the backlash to this made-up word was simultaneous with its swift rise as a hastag on social media.
Theatrical productions with more than one act can run anywhere from 90 minutes to about three hours. One famous — some might say infamous — adaptation of The Great Gatsby lasted a whopping eight hours. That is a commitment from the cast, crew and the audience. What if you could see a number of plays in less time? The Annual Atlanta One-Minute Play Festival brings brevity to the boards. It showcases full productions, rehearsed and performed by actors.
Hear how goats yell, frogs screech and humans use screams as nonverbal forms of sometimes critical communication. On Second Thought is joined by Harold Gouzoules, an Emory psychologist, who researches animal and human screams.
Research from Emory University’s psychology department reveals the hidden intricacies of screams. These primal vocalizations are found across various mammal species, not just humans. Rabbits, goats and even some amphibians such as frogs have been known to let out a scream in the name of self-defense.
In the summer of 2017, the wreckage of U.S.S. Indianapolis, a Navy cruiser, was discovered some 18,000 feet under the Philippine Sea.
The newest Ken Burns series premiering in September follows the vast and varied evolution of country music over the 20th century. The eight-part series begins not in Nashville, nor Bristol, but Atlanta. That's because, in 1923, OKeh Records music pioneer Ralph Peer came from New York to the South and set up a temporary recording studio smack dab in downtown Atlanta at 152 Nassau Street. That's where he recorded early country, blues, jazz and gospel artists, including what is known as country music's first hit, "The Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane" by Fiddlin' John Carson.
The first launch is scheduled for late 2019 for one of two cube satellites made by the Small Satellite Research Laboratory at the University of Georgia. Cube satellites, otherwise known as CubeSats, weigh less than three pounds and are approximately the size of a loaf of bread. Catching a ride on a rocket from a “launch provider,” each satellite plans to be in orbit between two and two and a half years.
On Second Thought discusses the history of 152 Nassau Street, the site of some of county and blues music's earliest recordings, and why the building is at risk of demolition. The round table discussion is joined by Kyle Kessler, Atlanta architect and preservationist; Lance Ledbetter, co-director of Dust to Digital; Nedra Deadwyler, founder and CEO of Civil Bikes; and Steve Goodson, professor of history at University of West Georgia.
Gerogia residents in Smyrna and Covington are just now learning that their neighborhoods have an elevated cancer risk because of exposure to airborne toxins. In August 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency published a report showing 109 census tracts with high concentrations of ethylene oxide, a gas used to sterilize medical equipment. Two use before, the agency placed the chemical on a list of those that “definitely cause cancer.”
Georgia’s energy supply is getting greener. Every three years, the Public Service Commission votes on Georgia Power’s overall strategy, detailed in its Integrated Resources Plan . This year’s plan calls for 2,260 more megawatts of renewable energy development. Most of that will come from solar expansion. That follows an industry trend toward increased demand for that renewable source. The plan also touches on hydroelectricity, which accounts for about 2% of Georgia Power’s energy mix. The company is closing three antiquated dams while looking into future investment in the power source. Freelance reporter Maggie Lee covered the PSC vote on the new plan, and Kristi Swartz reports on the industry for E&E News. They stopped by On Second Thought to discuss the future of Georgia’s energy sources. They also noted the PSC will be holding hearings this year to consider possible rate hikes for Georgia Power and Atlanta Gas Light customers. Get in touch with us. Twitter: @OSTTalk Facebook:
In North Atlanta, where the perimeter meets the Chattahoochee River, there’s a little building just off the highway with a bright red sign that says, “Bar B Que.” That building is Heirloom Market BBQ run by chefs Cody Taylor and Jiyeon Lee.
Residents in some Georgia neighborhoods are just starting to learn about the high concentrations of airborne toxins they breathe. Delve into an investigative piece from Brenda Goodman of WebMD and Andy Miller of Georgia Health News . Also, hear about The Georgia Environment Scan Report that sets the baseline for Georgia’s Medicaid waiver proposal. On Second Thought is joined by Ashli Owen-Smith, assistant professor of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences at Georgia State University.
All week, On Second Thought has shared stories about people whose unsung contributions to the Apollo 11 mission 50 years ago. One of those pioneers is 85-year-old Ed Dwight . The Kennedy administration was focused on winning the space race, while integrating the South. Former President John F. Kennedy chose Dwight — handsome, charismatic and skilled Air Force officer to be the first African American astronaut.
Every day, millions of Americans use -and often rely on- GPS technology to help them navigate their commutes and get precise directions to their destinations. As Americans celebrate the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, they can thank the work of a Princeton University graduate, Todd Jaegar, who conceived and developed the Apollo 11 experiment that enabled GPS technology to take a “giant leap” forward. Meet a hidden figure named Vicky Graves, who worked for NACA, the predecessor to NASA.
Long before blockbuster cookbooks, community recipe collections were go-to references for recipes. These compilations were fundraising tools for church and junior league groups, Girl Scout troops and 4-H clubs. Matthew Terrell is an artist and writer living in Atlanta. His book, The Magnolia Bayou Ladies Auxiliary Country Club Cooking and Entertaining Book , picks up the spiral-bound, D.I.Y Southern tradition, but this time there is a twist. This cookbook is fiction. While the recipes are real, everything else — the stories, the characters, the commentary, the ads — are fake.
British astronomer Fred Hoyle first used the term "Big Bang Theory" on a BBC radio program in 1949. Here in the U.S., Americans were hitting their stride on a massive bang of their own. The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics or NACA laid the groundwork for what would become NASA a decade later and sent a manned rocket to the moon 10 years after that. Before that successful mission, Vicky Graves and her husband, Barry, started working for NACA.
The Apollo 11 rocket NASA that launched into space 50 years ago this week was also the blast-off point for things now commonly used on Earth. The first moonwalk created the foundations for technology that moves people and products around every day. The lunar laser retroreflector used by astronaut Buzz Aldrin was critical to developing global positioning systems or GPS. Todd Jaegar is global director of commercial optics for Haraeus , which helped produce the reflector. Jaegar visited On Second Thought from Haraeus' quartz glass facility in Buford.
As GPB continues “Chasing the Moon” during a commemorative week celebrating the Apollo 11 launch 50 years ago this week, On Second Thought is joined by Lonnie Johnson, a former NASA employee that worked on the project that sent Galileo to Jupiter .
Live stage productions and plays can frustrate the deaf community. That’s why a pair of UGA alumni decided to create their non-profit, Hands In! It’s a theater company in Athens that produces original plays in American Sign Language. The co-founders and directors want to bridge the gap between the deaf and hearing worlds by spreading awareness of ASL in dramatic media. Beach and Ede spoke with On Second Thought host Virginia Prescott about their latest production, Wanderland . They also talked about their plans to expand on arts and culture for members of the deaf community.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is headed to Washington D.C. Wednesday to testify in front of a Senate committee about the city’s plans for climate change. Other Georgia municipalities across the state are dealing with higher temperatures and extreme weather. Southern leaders, regardless of politics, are now taking actions to mitigate local effects of climate change, all while the federal government continues to roll back protections.
Atlanta police are cracking down on scooters after at least one death and hundreds of injuries. It's illegal to ride them on sidewalks or to violate other traffic laws while riding. The focus might be shifting to electric powered two-wheelers, but collisions involving traditional bikes, cars and pedestrians are on the rise across the U.S. and in Georgia. The Atlanta Regional Commision reports a 53% jump in such accidents between 2006 and 2015. The number of related serious injuries or fatalities went up by 26% in that time.
Live stage productions and plays can frustrate the deaf community. That’s why a pair of University of Georgia alumni decided to create their non-profit, Hands In! It’s a theater company in Athens that produces original plays in American Sign Language. Hands In! co-founders and directors, Haley Beach and Amara Ede, want to bridge the gap between the deaf and hearing worlds by spreading awareness of ASL in dramatic media. Beach and Ede spoke with On Second Thought host Virginia Prescott about their latest production, Wanderland . They also talked about their plans to expand on arts and culture for members of the deaf community.
50 years ago today, Apollo 11 launched from Cape Kennedy. NASA allowed a film crew at the launch, documenting everything, from its preparation to mission control to the faces of the crowds witnessing the historic moment. All these pieces came together in a documentary film called Moonwalk One . David Resha, assistant professor of film studies at Emory University's Oxford College, joined On Second Thought to discuss the cinematic elements of Moonwalk One, and why it didn't blast off at the box office.
Many celebrations will take place this week, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. We're focusing on Georgia connections to this amazing historical feat, along with the future of space exploration. Tiffany Davis is an aerospace engineer. You may have seen her on your timeline with the hashtag, #YesIAmARocketScientist. That hashtag went viral in 2016 after Davis posted it on her Instagram page, announcing her graduation from Georgia Institution of Technology.
50 years ago today, Apollo 11 launched from Cape Kennedy. A few days later, on July 20, 1969, the first two humans landed on the moon — Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin. Also at the launch was a film crew, documenting everything, from its preparation to mission control to the faces of the crowds witnessing the historic moment. These were mixed in with astounding footage taken by Armstrong and Aldrin, which all came together in a documentary film called Moonwalk One .
Consuming political news is like drinking from a fire hose. Each day presents a new tweet, a new storyline and a new debate to process. It can be exhausting, and often national conversations obscure important topics like Americans’ fundamental right to vote. On Second Thought wants to shift the paradigm, so GPB politics reporter Stephen Fowler is presenting listeners with a segment called “Slow Democracy.” Like the slow food movement, it looks at the sources, alterations and underpinnings of participatory democracy.
The song " Daisy Bell " wasn't a hit in 1961, but it was a triumph. The singer? The IBM 7094, the largest, most expensive computer available at the time. And thanks to James Carmon, professor in the University of Georgia's School of Agriculture, the school purchased one in 1964. Not only could the computer sing, it helped put man on the moon.
Marshae Jones, an Alabama woman charged with manslaughter for allegedly starting a fight that led to her getting shot and having a miscarriage, will not face prosecution after all. The prosecutor has decided not to pursue the charge, but the incident started a conversation about negligence and culpability for pregnant women in an era of increasingly restrictive abortion laws. With the potential increase to the liability pregnant women face, legal questions arise surrounding when a pregnant woman is addicted to drugs. On Second Thought looked at how current and pending laws converge with Georgia’s opioid crisis.
The University of Georgia's Richard B. Russell Library is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the moon landing with an exhibit of rare items collected during the Apollo 11 mission. The collection includes the Georgia state flag, which traveled to the moon on the Apollo 11 spacecraft. Also on view: part of a spaceship. On Tuesday, visitors can see the star of the show — which is a rock. Specifically, it's a moon rock, which was given to the state of Georgia in 1972.
An agriculture professor at the University of Georgia, James L. Carmon, talked his school into buying the costliest computer in existence in 1964 -- and it helped put a man on the moon. The computer was $3 million when the school purchased it. It’s now worth $25 million. Carmon's daughter, Lee, talked about her father's work. Atlanta Journal-Constitution writer Bo Emerson joined her on On Second Thought to talk about how the computer influenced the space race.
Cooperative solar allows customers to who couldn’t normally participate, those with shady yards or rental properties, take advantage of solar. Walton Energy Membership Corporation, which serves northeast Georgia, is attracting some big industry players with its cooperative solar program. Facebook chose Walton EMC for a proposed 100% renewable energy data center in Newton County.
Alice Walker, the author of the The Color Purple , turns 75 this Saturday. The Georgia Writers Museum, a nonprofit organization and exhibit space that educates the public about the state’s rich literary heritage, will host a one-day celebration of Walker’s birthday. Valerie Boyd, editor of Walker’s forthcoming journals, joined On Second Thought to talk about Alice Walker’s legacy.
Depending on who’s talking, Freaknik was a notorious public safety hazard or annual lovefest that solidified Atlanta’s status as America’s “Black Mecca.” Documetnary filmmaker Chris Frierson joined On Second Thought to discuss the event's rise and fall, which is futher detailed in his new podcast series, Freaknik: A Discourse on a Paradise Lost.
The town of Eatonton, Georgia, will honor one of its own this weekend: prolific poet, Pulitzer prize winning novelist and activist Alice Walker. The Georgia Writers Museum will celebrate Walker's 75th birthday with a now sold-out day of festivities. One highlight at Saturday's celebration is a conversation with Walker and University of Georgia professor Valerie Boyd . Boyd is the curator and editor of a forthcoming collection of Walker's journals. Boyd spoke with On Second Thought host Virginia Prescott about the life and legacy of Walker.
The network of rail lines and canals that gave Waycross its name now act as dividing lines for the community. For a century, the canals carried runoff from the rail yard and other local industries. Generations of kids roamed along the banks and swam in the southeast Georgia heat. In 2015, four area children were diagnosed with rare cancers within the span of two months.
MARTA is considering renaming five train stations in Atlanta. It's an effort to keep up with changes in the city and to reflect surrounding neighborhoods. One station proposed to be re-christened: Bankhead. The area was named after the highway that ran through it, which was in turn named after an Alabama family. But the Bankhead name is perhaps more closely associated with the torrent of rap and hip hop that grew from Atlanta's Westside and nearby neighborhoods. So, what's in the name "Bankhead"?
It might be hard to live within them, but most people have budgets. And, sometimes budgeting means tough spending choices like deciding between buying medicine or food. For GPB’s energy series , reporter Ross Terrell got a close look at just how hard it can be for people on tight budgets to pay their utility bills. He met a woman named Barbara C., who talked about working at a factory for 35 years and, upon retiring, found herself struggling to keep her lights on.
Last week, a lawsuit filed in federal court charged the state of Georgia with violating the Civil Rights Act. The suit was filed on behalf of Kenneth Caban Gonzalez, who relocated from Puerto Rico to southeast Georgia in 2017. Gonzalez says his documents were seized when he applied for a license at the Georgia Department of Driver Services, and an inspector there made him answer questions not asked of residents from other states.
From Summer blueberry to Thanksgiving pumpkin, pies are packed with memories and traditions. Everyone has their favorite, but you may not be experiencing everything this “infinite dessert” has to offer. Paul Arguin and Chris Taylor , a married pair of scientists from the CDC turned pie-baking champions, encourage you to escape the flaky crust rut of making the same old pie, with their cookbook The New Pie . Full of fun, creative spins on the beloved pie classics, The New Pie uses scientific precision and thorough instructions to help readers make the perfect pie. “We strongly advocate weighing ingredients,” Arguin explained, “because that’s one of the issues that people will face. They’ll say, ‘My grandma used to but a handful of this, a spoonful of that’… If you can actually measure, you’re more likely to have a success, time after time.” After their first win in 2011, Arguin and Taylor have gone on to compete in hundreds of competitions; racking up a combined 614 wins. In 2017,
"There is no exquisite beauty...without some strangeness in the proportion." That's a line from Edgar Allan Poe, the king of the dark and eerie, the strange and surreal. It could also describe the appeal of an exhibition currently on view at the High Museum of Art, called Strange Light: The Photography of Clarence John Laughlin . Laughlin has been called "Edgar Allan Poe with a camera." He was a Louisiana native and Southern photographer known as the "Father of American Surrealism." A fascinating and irascible character, Laughlin broke boundaries with photographic innovations that linked imagery to the subconscious.
A federal lawsuit filed Tuesday says Georgia is discriminating against Puerto Rican driver’s license applicants. The lawsuit, filed by Kenneth Caban Gonzalez, says that his documents were seized and an inspector there made him answer questions that residents of other states did not have to answer. Dr. Amy Steigerwalt, political science professor and Jorge Vasquez of the Latino Justice Agency join On Second Thought to talk about the lawsuit.
The new head of the American Academy of Pediatrics is from Fayetteville, Georgia. Meet Dr. Sara Goza and hear about her recent visit to the U.S.-Mexico border and her concerns about the health of migrant children detained there.
Fayetteville pediatrician Dr. Sara Goza has been elected president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Goza is back at her practice in Georgia after visiting the U.S.-Mexico border, and examining detention facilities where migrant children are held. She joined On Second Thought to tell us what she saw there.
Transportation — trucks, trains, planes and automobiles — is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. Electric vehicles offer a less polluting alternative. That, and reduced fuel costs are strong selling points. Limited battery range is not. But shorter distances, and those savings, work for many local governments. Last month, Savannah added two new electric cars to its city fleet. Nick Deffley is the director of Savannah's Office of Sustainability. He joined On Second Thought from GPB's studio in Savannah to talk about how the city began its transition to electric vehicles.
President Trump said he would pause tariff escalations with China after meeting with that country’s president, Xi Jinping, at the G20 Summit. One Georgia industry tracking the ongoing talks is shipping. The Trump administration had threatened a 25% tariff on ship-to-shore cranes that come from China. The Georgia Ports Authority is ordering six new ones at a total cost of $70 million. Its executive director and Georgia’s U.S. senators are asking the White House to rethink taxing them. That's because the cranes are just one piece of a $2.5 billion expansion at the ports that's smashing trade and revenue records.
Your Fourth of July plans may include parades, pool parties, cookouts or the Peachtree Road Race. Tricia Hersey plans to celebrate with a nice, long nap. The founder of The Nap Ministry, Hersey is known to many as a champion of rest. Some even call her the Nap Bishop. Hersey dreamed up The Nap Ministry while a divinity student at Emory University's Candler School of Theology. Graduate school had taken a toll on her sleep, and consequently her health, so she made the decision to rest. She joined On Second Thought in studio to preach the benefits of rest and share about her ministry, which she sees as a form of self care and social justice.
Amid prep for Fourth of July cookouts, pool parties and parades, the On Second Thought team is also cooking up summer playlists – and this year, no playlist would be complete without "Old Town Road."
"The Freeze" is a welcome diversion at sweltering Atlanta Braves games. Wearing a full body leotard, the sprinting mascot races fans between innings of Atlanta's major league baseball games. He gives fans a giant headstart while managing to win — most of the time. One of the faces behind the mask this year is Durran Dunn. Dunn is a Jamaican sprinter who's competed in track and field championships around the world while representing the U.S. and Jamaica. On Second Thought producer La'Raven Taylor managed to catch up with Dunn and brought back this audio postcard.
The world has six fewer North Atlantic Right Whales after a summer of loss for the endangered species. Four of the animals have died in the last week alone, and three of them were of breeding age. The whales are Georgia's state marine mammal, and biologists are alarmed these deaths bring the species even closer to extinction. Clay George is a wildlife biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. He's among those monitoring the numbers, and he spoke with On Second Thought about the dwindling population, the role of the Georgia coast in the whales' life cycle and the origins of their name.
Old Town Road launched Atlanta artist Lil Nas X to the top of the charts for thirteen weeks making it the potential 2019 "Song of the Summer." It started on the “Hot Country” chart and was pulled by Billboard when executives decided it wasn’t country. Georgia Tech professor and music journalist Joycelyn Wilson gives her take on what makes it the arguable “song of the summer.”
One hundred years ago, Americans were adjusting to life after a destabilizing world war. The Spanish influenza decimated communities, fears of Bolshevik-style communism ran rampant and hundreds of thousands of returning veterans were competing for jobs and housing — including African Americans confident that fighting abroad earned them the right to freedom at home. Throughout the summer of 1919, the war between nations gave way to a war between races. Mobs targeted and lynched black Americans.
Six endangered North Atlantic right whales died in June, four of them last week alone. This brings Georgia's official state marine mammal even closer to extinction. Researchers estimate that just 411 North Atlantic right whales remain. Six of them dying in one month — among them, three of breeding age — is significant.
When Lorenzo "Lo" Jelks joined WSB-TV in 1967 as the station's first black, on-air reporter, viewers didn't see him. Though they heard his voice and saw his name, actually getting on camera represented another challenge entirely – one that required a concerted effort, led by civil rights activist Lonnie King and Atlanta's NAACP. A new documentary from the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists chronicles that effort and the trailblazing men and women who became Atlanta's first broadcast journalists. Among those featured in Black & Reporting: The Struggle behind the Lens is Walt Elder , the first African American to report morning headline news at WSB.
The first day of July marks the beginning of the new fiscal year and when many laws take effect. T he record-setting $27.5 billion state operating budget also kicks in, complete with money for a new voting system and pay raises for teachers , school staff and state employees. Stephen Fowler , GPB's political reporter, joined On Second Thought to talk about new laws taking effect.
The state legislature may be in its post-session off season, but the political landscape in Georgia is far from quiet. While the 2020 elections are over a year away, political parties are hard at work on strategies to reach Georgians who did not vote last year and maintain the energy of those who did. Democratic Party of Georgia chair Sen. Nikema Williams and Georgia Republican Party chair David Shafer sat down with GPB News to discuss their plans to emerge victorious next November. GPB political reporter Stephen Fowler sat down with On Second Thought host Virginia Prescott to share what that means for Georgia voters in the coming months.
The first day of July marks the beginning of the new fiscal year and when many laws take effect. We are midway through a whirlwind 2019 that has been full of political news, ranging from the nationwide conversation on abortion and reproductive rights to electoral integrity to numerous visits from the two dozen or so candidates running for president. July 1 is when the record-setting $27.5 billion state operating budget kicks in, complete with money for a new voting system and pay raises for teachers , school staff and state employees.
Today marks 50 years since the Stonewall Uprising began in New York City. In the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, police raided The Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in Greenwich Village. While accounts vary of what exactly sparked the rebellion and violent clash, what resulted was a series of protests and demonstrations — which led to the first Pride Parade in 1970. But Stonewall, when it happened, had little effect on gay life in the South. It was another raid, a little more than a month later, that sparked outrage and galvanized Atlanta's LGBT communities. On Aug. 5, 1969, police raided a screening of Andy Warhol's Lonesome Cowboys at Ansley Mall Mini-Cinema.
U.S. lawmakers are still debating the merits of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement. Mexico was the first country to ratify the proposed NAFTA replacement, and Canada is expected to follow suit. A group of University of Georgia professors estimates that the state would lose nearly $900 million if the USMCA is adopted. On Second Thought heard from Jeffrey Dorfman, one of the co-authors of the University of Georgia report.
Last week, Mexico became the first country to ratify the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement , or USMCA. Canada is expected to follow suit in short course. In The United States, however, not all American lawmakers are convinced the USMCA would be a better deal than the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. Democrats have threatened to block it , and a few key Republicans are withholding support unless the administration makes some concessions on tariffs.
In 2008, G. Wayne Clough became the 12th secretary of the Smithsonian. The Douglas native and Georgia Tech president emeritus was the first Southerner to hold the position. When Clough retired from his post, he decided to write about his birthplace of South Georgia. At the same time, he dived into the Smithsonian's vast collections, searching for artifacts from the region. He shares what he found in his memoir Things New and Strange: A Southerner's Journey through the Smithsonian Collections.
Suzanne Jackson has lived a creative life. She's known for her visual art - but is also a poet, dancer, writer, radio host and has a master's in theatrical set design from Yale University. Telfair Museums in Savannah is revealing a 50-year retrospective of Jackson's work. It's called, "Suzanne Jackson: Five Decades." The exhibition will begin showing this Friday. Jackson spoke with On Second Thought about her life, work and how art has always been a part of it all.
For the past three decades, Rosser Shymanski has played a critical role in almost every program you've watched on Georgia Public Broadcasting. Shymanski, GPB's television production manager, retires Friday after 31 years with the organization. He will say "Aloha" to his colleagues Friday with his final "Hawaiian Shirt Friday," a tradition that has become a mainstay of GPB, just like Shymanski himself. But before Shymanski worked behind the scenes and won the hearts of his colleagues at GPB, viewers around Atlanta knew and loved him as DeAundra Peek – a character he created and portrayed for The American Music Show on People TV, a public access channel, from 1987 to 2004. The full collection is now archived at Emory University's Rose Library.
Suzanne Jackson has lived a creative life. She's known for her visual art - but is also a poet, dancer, writer, radio host and has a master's in theatrical set design from Yale University. Telfair Museums in Savannah is revealing a 50-year retrospective of Jackson's work. It's called, "Suzanne Jackson: Five Decades." The exhibition will begin showing this Friday. Jackson spoke with On Second Thought about her life, work and how art has always been a part of it all.
In many American neighborhoods, it's illegal to build anything other than a single-family home on most lots zoned for residential properties. Take Sandy Springs for example: 85% of the Atlanta suburb's residential land allows for only detached, single-family homes. Some people want to change that , and regional leaders are passing laws to increase density. Others want things to stay exactly as they are: One family. One house. One yard.
While the particulars, origin stories and claims to be the barbecue capital of world may vary, Jim Auchmutey has found one thing we can agree on: Barbecue has a Southern accent. The veteran journalist and smoked meat sherpa recently wrote a new book — Smokelore: A Short History of Barbecue in America . Auchmutey stopped by On Second Thought to give a taste on what to expect from the history of barbecue.
On most residentially-zoned lots in American neighborhoods, it is illegal to build anything other than a single-family home. In Sandy Springs, 85% of the residential land allows for only detached, single-family homes. As Savannah updates its historic zoning laws for a modern world, residents of a newer city aren’t all ready for change. On Second Thought explored the broader implications of the debate over ordinances in Sandy Springs with New York Times’ Writer Emily Badger and Evelyn Andrews of Reporter Newspapers.
Atlanta has one of the highest eviction rates in the country. According to Apartment List , the city ranks third in the nation — with a nearly 6% rise in evictions between 2015 and 2017. Earlier this month, On Second Thought spoke with Brooke Gladston e about a reporting series NPR's On The Media created with the Eviction Lab at Princeton. Our conversation on the series called, "The Scarlet E: Unmasking America's Eviction Crisis" garnered a lot of feedback from listeners so we decided to do a follow up, while getting a landlord's perspective.
Atlanta has one of the highest eviction rates in the country. According to Apartment List , the city ranks third in the nation — with a nearly 6% rise in evictions between 2015 and 2017. Earlier this month, On Second Thought spoke with Brooke Gladston e about a reporting series NPR's On The Media created with the Eviction Lab at Princeton. Our conversation on the series called, "The Scarlet E: Unmasking America's Eviction Crisis" garnered a lot of feedback from listeners so we decided to do a follow up, while getting a landlord's perspective.
The idiom, "jack of all trades, master of none," has been a long standing driver of specialization. Success coaches have long preached the idea that specialization is the key to a prosperous career. Zigzaggers and late bloomers should take note that the numbers suggest otherwise. David Epstein, author of Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World came to speak with On Second Thought about the advantages of being a generalist. Meet the author at 7 p.m. at Manuel's Tavern, 602 North Highland Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30307.
Neighbors are still missing their newly retired mailman. Floyd Martin was a beloved mail carrier who worked the same route in Marietta for nearly 35 years. So beloved, in fact, that when he retired a few weeks ago, the community he served so well started a GoFundMe page to send him to Hawaii. Delta Air Lines pitched in too — providing airfare.
Neighbors are still missing their newly retired mailman. Floyd Martin was a beloved mail carrier who worked the same route in Marietta for nearly 35 years. So beloved, in fact, that when he retired a few weeks ago, the community he served so well started a GoFundMe page to send him to Hawaii. Delta Air Lines pitched in too — providing airfare. Known as "Mister Floyd" to his Marietta residents, Floyd Martin joined On Second Thought in the studio to reflect on his life and career with the postal service.
When Bryan Rucker and Ryan Bars became step-brothers, they also became a band. Based in Atlanta, The Norm fuses hip-hop, rock and pop, creating a sound far from normal. Just in time for the summer solstice, The Norm's new single, "Summer Days," is out today. The band is set to perform at AthFest on Saturday, but first, Rucker and Bars stopped by GPB to add two songs to our Georgia Playlist of songs written or performed by a Georgian. Rucker chose OutKast's "Ms. Jackson" and Bars picked "Rubber Band Man" by T.I.
Celebrations continue across the country as the LGBTQ community celebrates Pride Month. President Bill Clinton declared June as “Gay & Lesbian Pride Month” in 2000. The designation commemorated the Stonewall Riots in Lower Manhattan in June of 1969. Nine years later, President Barack Obama included bisexual and transgender people — the “B” and “T” of LGBT. Nowadays, rainbow flags are in front yards, tourism posters, along with sponsorship banners and ad campaigns. With brands like Campbell’s Soup, Apple, and Taylor Swift feeling comfortable aligning themselves with Pride, On Second Thought sat down with Georgian members of the LGBTQ community for a conversation about the history of Pride and how corporate commodification has changed the event over time.
June 20 marks World Refugee Day. The United Nations defines refugees as people forced to flee their native countries "because of persecution, war or violence." On Second Thought covered a variety of aspects of the refugee experience in Georgia.
Maira Kalman is perhaps best known by adults for the now iconic "New Yorkistan" and other covers for The New Yorker , or a dozen books including A nd the Pursuit of Happiness and The Principles of Uncertainty . Kids, on the other hand, know her better for the 18 picture books she's written and illustrated. Kalman's picture books for children are the inspiration for an exhibition opening this week at the High Museum of Art. It's called The Pursuit of Everything . One of her books, Max Makes a Million , is also being adapted for the stage. Kalman is in town for the play's world premiere at the Alliance Theatre and the exhibition's opening this weekend, but first, she joined On Second Thought from New York.
In 2007, Venezuela's Hugo Chavez government effectively shut down RCTV, the nation's most influential private cable channel. The decision sparked protests across the country. Atlanta's Venezuelan community demonstrated locally, too. Isabella Gomez Sarmiento , who was 10 at the time, attended with her parents and learned from them to value freedom of expression and an unfettered press. The recent Georgia State University graduate now exercises those rights as a columnist for Teen Vogue . This fall, she joins NPR as a recipient of the prestigious Kroc Fellowship. First, she joined On Second Thought for a conversation about journalism and the future of the industry.
She took her columns for Teen Vogue seriously, and now she’s taking her skills to NPR. On Second Though t met Isabella Sarmiento Gomez, a new NPR Kroc Fellow from Atlanta. Each year hundreds of people hike the Appalachian Trail, which starts right here in Georgia. This year, two married writers are doing them. We followed up with them for another audio check in along their journey.
It's Juneteenth, also known as "Freedom Day" — commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. It was on June 19, 1865, when union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce slavery had been abolished. That was two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation of Proclamation. On Second Thought looked at Juneteenth traditions and history with Daina Ramey Berry. Berry is professor of history and African and African diaspora studies at the University of Texas at Austin . She's also author of four books that detail the history of slavery, including "The Price for Their Pound of Flesh."
Earlier in June, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that 17,000 poor, elderly or disabled Georgians had lost their Medicaid benefits. The Georgia Department of Community Health said their accounts were terminated for not responding to renewal notices. Now, the AJC reports state officials have revealed the full number of people slated to lose Medicaid is closer to 30,000. Approximately two million Georgians receive Medicaid benefits. Many of the 17,000 already dropped – and their lawyers – say they never received those notices. Now they're fighting to get their benefits back. We spoke with reporter Ariel Hart, who broke the story for the AJC. Alisa Haber, a staff attorney at the Georgia Senior Legal Hotline, also joined the conversation. She assists seniors all over the state in applying for and renewing their Medicaid benefits.
Some people read the local paper for news and sports. Others head straight to the columns. That's where you'll find Dick Yarbrough , who has never run short of opinions. The iconic opinion-wielder enters about 600,000 homes across Georgia and addresses more than one million readers each week. The Georgia Press Association named Yarbrough's column "most humorous" several times — although some politicians don't appreciate his sense of humor at all. Yarbrough spoke with On Second Thought host Virginia Prescott about his career writing columns for more than 20 years.
"Corridos" are a traditional form of storytelling through song, which became widely popular during the Mexican Revolution. They often tell stories of history, oppression, the common human experience and cultural heroes. These songs chronicle life (and sometimes death) in an easily shared and consumed format. A new album by Athens-based musician and activist Beto Cacao carries on the tradition of this musical form. It's called Undocorridos: Songs of the Stories and Struggles of the Undocumented in the USA .
Some people read the local paper for news and sports. Others head straight to the columns. That's where you'll find Dick Yarbrough , who has never run short of opinions. The iconic opinion-wielder enters about 600,000 homes across Georgia and addresses more than one million readers each week. The Georgia Press Association named Yarbrough's column "most humorous" several times — although some politicians don't appreciate his sense of humor at all. Yarbrough spoke with On Second Thought host Virginia Prescott about his career writing columns for more than 20 years.
Augusta’s economy is booming bigtime. The metro area’s GDP has increased more than $1.5 billion since 2015. It’s outpacing national growth and on track to eclipse the statewide rate. That good news follows decades of struggle. Sea Stachura has been reporting on the turnaround for GPB. She told On Second Thought the growth is tied to the city’s emerging cyber security field.
Organizers and city leaders are still puzzling out why a job fair at the Anderson Conference Center in Macon recently saw an unexpectedly large turnout. More than 3,500 job hunters stood in a line a mile long , and some continued to wait hours after the fair technically closed. This all happened amidst reports of low unemployment rates for the county and state.
"Recreational Genetics" are a thing. Apparently, an estimated 26 million people worldwide have dug into their ancestry with the help of at-home DNA kits such as Ancestry or 23andMe . But finding your family story requires more than learning ethnic percentages from a DNA swab. That's where genealogist Kenyatta Berry comes in. She's a lawyer and co-host of PBS' Genealogy Roadshow. Berry visited On Second Thought to talk about her new book, The Family Tree Toolkit: A Comprehensive Guide to Uncovering Your Ancestry and Researching Genealogy.
Organizers and city leaders are still puzzling out why a job fair at the Anderson Conference Center in Macon recently saw an unexpectedly large turnout. More than 3,500 job hunters stood in a line a mile long , and some continued to wait hours after the fair technically closed. This all happened amidst reports of low unemployment rates for the county and state.
Monday marks four years since 12 members of the historically black Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, welcomed a young white man to join their bible study group. When their eyes shut for a closing prayer, he pulled out a Glock pistol and fired 77 rounds, killing nine people. In the days and weeks that followed, the nation learned about the lives of the people killed in the racially motivated massacre. Families of some victims told the shooter they forgave him. Amid an outpouring of support for survivors, South Carolina legislators debated and voted to remove the Confederate flag from the South Carolina State House.
Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, commemorates the official end of slavery in the U.S. in 1865, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation. Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced the end of the American Civil War to the last group of enslaved people in the country. The day itself is June 19, but celebrations kick off across Georgia this weekend, from big festivals to more intimate evening conversations.
Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, commemorates the official end of slavery in the U.S. in 1865, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation. Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced the end of the American Civil War to the last group of enslaved people in the country. The day itself is June 19, but celebrations kick off across Georgia this weekend, from big festivals to more intimate evening conversations.
Going from punk rock to the priesthood is not a common progression. Then again, Georgia band Luxury never followed the rules. A new film called Parallel Love: The Story of a Band Called Luxury follows the Toccoa and Athens group through their brush with death and, eventually, three members becoming Eastern Orthodox priests. The documentary feature makes its Georgia premiere at the Plaza Theatre in Atlanta on Wednesday, June 19 and at Ciné in Athens on Thursday, June 20.
The 2016 film Hidden Figures highlights black female mathematicians who battled racial and gender discrimination to help the National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA launch its Apollo missions to the moon. An Atlanta native, single mom and Georgia State University doctoral student will follow in their footsteps this summer.
From waiting rooms across the country to the floor of the U.S. Capitol, healthcare is one of the biggest issues for American voters. One of the main challenges in Georgia is access to doctors and pharmacies alike, especially in rural parts of the state. And then there's cost of care. According to the Commonwealth Fund, a quarter of Americans report not filling prescriptions they cannot afford.
If you grumble about paying taxes, you might have another reason to complain. A new investigation shows Georgia county tax commissioners are allowed to profit personally from the collection of city taxes.
Father's Day is just around the corner. It's a time to celebrate and reflect on how your dad or dads shaped your life — for better or for worse. But, have you thought about how you affected your father?
The 2016 film Hidden Figures highlights black female mathematicians who battled racial and gender discrimination to help the National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA launch its Apollo missions to the moon. An Atlanta native, single mom and Georgia State University doctoral student will follow in their footsteps this summer.
Later this year, two Georgia veterinarians will star in a reality TV show on National Geographic. The Critter Fixers will follow the lives of doctors Vernard Hodges and Terrence Ferguson. Hodges and Ferguson both run and operate Critter Fixer Veterinary Hospitals in Byron and Bonaire. The road to success wasn't exactly a dog walk in the park for Hodges, though. In 2017, he wrote Bet on Yourself: From Zero to Millions. The book details his rise from growing up poor in Fort Valley to becoming a veterinarian and millionaire real estate investor.
If you grumble about paying taxes, you might have another reason to complain. A new investigation shows Georgia county tax commissioners are allowed to profit personally from the collection of city taxes. Many cities want to pay counties to collect taxes since it can be easier -- and hypothetically cheaper -- than doing so themselves. It’s legal in Georgia for tax commissioners to pocket fees from the process, but no neighboring state allows this kind of system. And the amount commissioners earn from such fees is often a mystery, even to the county governments where commissioners work. Georgia News Lab is behind the investigation. It’s a collaboration between journalism students, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and WSB-TV, and it’s embedded at GPB’s Atlanta bureau. UGA undergraduate students Anila Yoganathan compiled data for the News Lab story, and fellow Bulldog Erin Schilling was one of the main writers on the project. They joined News Lab head David Armstrong in telling On Second
The University of Georgia continues to grapple with a difficult chapter of its history. It’s been under fire for how it handled the discovery of human remains under a school building during renovations. They appear to belong to people who were enslaved. The growing tension recently erupted in protests. Demonstrators want reparations for descendants of slaves who built the university, including financial support for university staff and students as well as acknowledgment of the school’s history publicly and within the classroom. GPB reporter Grant Blankenship went to Athens to witness the protests , and he talks with On Second Thought about what he found.
Jet-set conductor Donald Runnicles is all over the map, literally. In Berlin, he’s music director of the German Opera. In Wyoming, he heads the Grand Teton Music Festival. And he often visits Georgia as principal guest conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. It all began in Scotland, where Runnicles grew up the son of a church choirmaster and an amateur pianist. In May, between weekends of Debussy and Beethoven with the ASO, he sat down with GPB’s Sarah Zaslaw. She asked about his earliest musical experience.
Public health is a topic that is generally overlooked until a community experiences a crisis. The CDC Foundation recently launched the second season of its podcast Contagious Conversations , which highlights the issues and innovators of public health today. On Second Thought spoke with podcast host Clair Stinson.
In 1965 the Rev. James Reeb was attacked and savagely beaten on the streets of Selma, Alabama. Days later, Reeb died of head injuries in a Birmingham hospital. Three white men were tried for the murder of the white Unitarian minister from Boston. All were ultimately acquitted, and no one was ever convicted. More than 50 years later, Alabama journalists Andrew Beck Grace and Chip Brantley returned to that cold case. The details they discovered, about the murder and how the South remembers its history, are the subject of NPR's new podcast, White Lies . Grace and Brantley joined On Second Thought from WBHM in Birmingham.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta may not be top of mind until we hear about an infectious disease outbreak or see images of scientists in hazmat suits in the news. But the work of health leaders and innovators goes on outside of headline-level crises. The people advocating for public health and the important causes they’re addressing are the focus of a podcast from the CDC Foundation. Claire Stinson is host of Contagious Conversations and she visited On Second Thought to talk about her work.
Last year, U.S. retail sales of essential oils topped $133 million. That number doesn’t include sales from multi-level marketers, who sell directly to buyers. While the market booms with promises of improved health and pain relief, there are some safety concerns. Georgia Health News reporting found essential oils contributed to two calls per day on average to the Georgia Poison Center . Those cases usually involved children who are poisoned.
From former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Cory Booker to former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke and South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Buttigieg, big name Democrats are making a major play for Georgia in 2020 – and those are just the candidates who stopped through the state this week. GPB Political Rewind producer Robert Jimison covered the four presidential hopefuls' campaign events. He stopped by On Second Thought to share how they pitched themselves to Georgia voters.
When it comes to the 2020 elections, big name democrats are making a major play for Georgia. Biden, Booker, Beto and Buttigieg – and those are just the candidates who are in the state this week. We hear how the visiting hopefuls pitched themselves to Georgia voters.
Construction cranes poke through the skyline across metro Atlanta. It's a testament to growth and efforts to draw new companies and residents to call the region home. Not so visible are the millions of Americans being thrown out of their homes. It's a problem throughout the country. The Eviction Lab at Princeton University found nearly 2.3 million evictions were filed in the U.S. in 2016. NPR's On The Media partnered with The Eviction Lab for a four-part series called The Scarlet E: Unmasking America's Eviction Crisis.
Not all superheroes wear capes, jump over buildings or hail from Wakanda. And if you're near downtown Atlanta, you may run into non-traditional superheroes: known as the W-Underdogs. The non-profit works with at-risk kids by rescuing dogs in the neighborhood. Data from the Atlanta Humane Society report 70 million homeless animals in the U.S. Only one out of every 10 dogs find permanent homes. The W-Underdogs have rescued about 400 of those pets. Gracie Hamlin is founder of the program. She joined On Second Thought to talk about the organization.
The official start of summer is just around the corner. Whether you are headed to the lake or the beach, it’s the perfect time to pick up your next favorite summer read. On Second Thought asked a group of Georgia independent bookstore owners to recommend their favorite big hits and hidden gems for summer. Jessica Osborne from E Shaver in Savannah, Janet Geddis from Avid Bookshop in Athens and Frank Reiss from A Cappella Books in Atlanta all shared their picks for the season.
Finding a doctor can be especially difficult in many Georgia counties. For LGBTQ patients, it can be even worse. A first of its kind clinic in Savannah is working to ease that difficulty. As a part of LGBTQ Pride Month, On Second Thought checked in with the Starland Family Practice , a routine family medical office with a focus on LGBTQ patients, celebrating its one-year anniversary. Brandon Earehart is the clinic’s owner and physician assistant and Dr. Raymond Martins, the clinic’s physician, joined us from our studio in Savannah to talk about the unique medical issues facing the LGBTQ community and how clinics work with insurance companies to get patients the medicines they need.
When Jared Yates Sexton ’s grandma researched their family tree, she discovered a long line of “scofflaws, debtors, drunkards and out-and-out criminals.” The working class men he grew up with in Linton, Indiana, could never quite get ahead, especially as industrial jobs dried up. But at home, their power was absolute. Often maintained by violence, intimidation and a rigid masculinity that was toxic to their families, communities and selves.
Finding a doctor can be especially difficult in many Georgia counties. For LGBTQ patients, it can be even worse. A first-of-its-kind clinic in Savannah is working to ease that difficulty. As a part of LGBTQ Pride Month, On Second Thought checked in with the Starland Family Practice , a routine family medical office with a focus on LGBTQ patients, celebrating its one-year anniversary.
In the era of “fake news” and “alternative facts,” the focus on language in politics is high. What a bill is or campaign is called can be just as important as the actual contents. With the recent string of “heartbeat” and related bills in several states, we took a look at the role language plays into how we debate issues in public. Dr Fern Johnson , professor emerita in English at Clark University , joined us to talk about the power of connotation and the tools legislators use. Her research centers on the discourse surrounding ethnicity, race and gender.
Terrilyn Rivers-Cannon didn't always want to be a social worker. Growing up in Savannah, she wanted to become an attorney. Rivers-Cannon didn't decide until she was about to graduate high school that she might be interested in following in the footsteps of her aunt, a professor of social work who for years had shared stories at family dinners about the people she helped.
The state of Georgia — and the country — is divided over so-called "heartbeat" bills and other new state laws restricting abortion. Many are confused about who could be prosecuted and what, exactly, constitutes a violation of the law. On Second Thought leaves the flashpoints of politics behind and attempts to get some clarity on the legal questions raised by HB 481.
The state of Georgia — and the country — is divided over so-called "heartbeat" bills and other new state laws restricting abortion. Many are confused about who could be prosecuted and what, exactly, constitutes a violation of the law. On Second Thought leaves the flashpoints of politics behind and attempts to get some clarity on the legal questions raised by HB 481.
Farmers caught up in the trade war recently got another bailout from Washington. Meanwhile, hurricane relief funds remain stalled in congress. We get an update on the outlook and mindset of Georgia farmers, and learn how they feel about being shuffled around the political game board. Mark Peele is a cotton grower and president of the South Central Georgia Gin Company. He joined On Second Thought on the line from Berrien County, Georgia to talk about the outlook — and mindset — of Georgia farmers. Jeffrey Harvey, director of the Georgia Farm Bureau's Public Policy Department, also joined the conversation from GPB's studio in Macon.
The Vienna Boys' Choir, founded more than 500 years ago, is one of the best known choirs in the world. Sopranos and altos between the ages of 9-14 comprise the group, which is also notable for embracing singers who are going through puberty. Many adolescent boys quit singing amid vocal change. Now, the Vienna Boys' Choir has organized a team of researchers to equip choral teachers with the information and skills they need to keep adolescent boys involved in singing. Georgia State University music professor Patrick Freer is part of that team. He joined On Second Thought to share his findings.
From the devastation of Hurricane Michael to trade tariffs, Georgia farmers have faced months of uncertainty. That on top of stalled disaster and tariff aid packages, American farmers are still struggling while being shuffled around the political gameboard. Mark Peele is a cotton grower and president of the South Central Georgia Gin Company. He joined On Second Thought on the line from Berrien County, Georgia to talk about the outlook — and mindset — of Georgia farmers. Jeffrey Harvey, director of the Georgia Farm Bureau's Public Policy Department, also joined the conversation from GPB's studio in Macon.
Summer is officially weeks away, but already, some tragedies reported in lakes, rivers and pools. Georgia officials are investigating two separate drownings at Lake Lanier that occured in less than 24 hours. Bibb County authorities say a man drowned in a Macon pool. And police confirm a teen drowned at a Buckhead Memorial Day pool party. Drowning is one of the top three causes of unintentional deaths for people under 29. The Centers for Disease Control reports that African American children between ages five and 14 are three times as likely to die from drowning than white children.
This month, GPB launched its "Full Plates" series, looking at hunger in Georgia. One in six Georgians is food insecure, meaning they don't always know where their next meal will come from. Food insecurity is often linked to access — in rural communities, as well as neighborhoods in and around metro Atlanta. More than a third of metro Atlanta is considered a food desert. Ross Terrell met one Atlanta resident who's working to overcome a lack of reliable transportation, which is one barrier for some residents to access fresh, healthy food. Terrell visited On Second Thought to discuss the problems and solutions surrounding food deserts in Georgia's largest city.
Tucked away down a quiet street, not far from Howell Mill Road on Atlanta's Westside, you'll find the Goat Farm Arts Center . It's a compound of artist studios, residences, and performance and event spaces. While there are some goats, it's long been a community where artists can live, exchange ideas, and get projects off the ground. The Goat Farm recently announced a $250 million transformation. Anthony Harper, founder and co-owner of the arts compound, joined On Second Thought to explain how this will allow them to both preserve most of the existing structures on the property while expanding the facilities and scope of their programs. He also discussed what they hope this will achieve for Georgia's arts community.
The Goat Farm , an arts community and compound in Atlanta, recently announced a $250 million transformation. Anthony Harper, founder and co-owner of The Goat Farm, joined On Second Thought to share what the expansion will entail, and what it means for the Georgia arts scene.
Rose Hotel is not a hotel at all. It's a band. But that doesn't mean that their tunes won't make you dream, with their lo-fi, bedroom indie-pop sound. It's the music project of Atlanta-based singer-songwriter Jordan Reynolds. Rose Hotel's debut LP, called I Will Only Come When It's A Yes , is out today. There is an album release concert Friday at 529 in East Atlanta Village. First, Reynolds joined On Second Thought to add to our Georgia Playlist of songs written or performed by a Georgian. She selected "SpottieOttieDopaliscious" by Outkast and "Keep the Change" by Mattiel.
Behind the bench in Georgia's Supreme Court, there is an inscription on the wall. It reads "Fiat justitia ruat caelum". It's Latin for "Let justice be done, though the heavens may fall." While Georgia was one of the last states at the time to establish its high court — in 1846 — there have been many firsts since. That includes electing the first African-American woman as a Chief Justice, anywhere in the country, in 2005. The Honorable Leah Ward Sears broke a number of other precedents in her climb to the state's highest judicial title, and did not stop there. The now-retired Chief Justice joined On Second Thought to reflect on why she pursued a career in the law, the steep climb from lawyer to judge to the Georgia Supreme Court, and life after stepping down from the bench.
Drive through almost any neighborhood in Macon-Bibb County and you're apt to spot some houses with crumbling facades, shuttered windows and overgrown lawns. They're among the county's nearly 4,000 unoccupied properties. Most of them are only in poor or fair condition, but more than 400 are in such bad shape they need to be demolished.
Drive through almost any neighborhood in Macon-Bibb County and you're apt to spot some houses with crumbling facades, shuttered windows and overgrown lawns. They're among the county's nearly 4,000 unoccupied properties. Most of them are only in poor or fair condition, but more than 400 are in such bad shape they need to be demolished. Samantha Max just wrapped a series and a podcast on blight for The Telegraph , where she covers health. She joined On Second Thought from Macon to explain the roots of the problem and what residents and local leaders are doing to fix it.
According to the Georgia Food Bank Association, one in six Georgians is food insecure, meaning they don't know how or where they'll get their next meal. This week, as GPB reports on new approaches to food access, On Second Thought turns to a young Georgian who works on solutions to food insecurity on a national level.
Food insecurity is a pressing issue nationwide — particularly in Georgia, where one out of every four children live in food insecure households. It's a dire picture for seniors, too, with the latest estimates putting Georgia in the top ten worst states for food insecurity among aging populations. Residents and officials across Georgia are working to address the problem. GPB's Full Plates series is taking listeners around the state to learn about creative local solutions to food access problems.
Alonzo Franklin Herndon founded what would become the Atlanta Life Insurance Company more than a century ago. A former sharecropper, Herndon started his business with a $140 investment – and went on to become the wealthiest black man in Atlanta. A new public art project and history exhibit called Windows Speak brings Herndon, along with other leaders of the institution, back to Atlanta Life's historic office building on Auburn Avenue. Exhibit curator Amalia Amaki stopped by On Second Thought for a conversation about Atlanta Life's lasting legacy.
Food insecurity is a pressing issue nationwide, particularly in Georgia. The latest estimates put Georgia among the ten worst states for food insecurity among aging populations, and 1 in 4 children in the state lives in a food insecure household. Josephine Bennett is assistant news director for GPB News. She found that Georgia is the first in the country to create a state plan for addressing hunger among seniors. She joined On Second Thought from our Macon bureau.
The Atlanta Jazz Festival gets underway this weekend. The annual event is one of the country's largest free jazz festivals. Among the featured is Atlanta-based band, The Royal Krunk Jazz Orkestra. Trumeter Russell Gunn leads the group. He stopped by On Second Thought to talk about the band's latest album, Get It How You Live and the group's natural mashup of traditional jazz, rhythm and blues and southern hip-hop.
State officials say more than 100,000 service members from Georgia were deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan between 2001 and 2012. Nationally, about 20 percent of veterans coming back from those conflicts have been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and traumatic brain injuries. Alchemy Sky Foundation is an Atlanta organization that helps people heal through music. It recently worked with a group of metro Atlanta veterans to create a song called "Adjust Fire."
Madam C.J. Walker died 100 years ago this month. In the early 20th century, she cemented her legacy by creating a hair salve designed for African American women. Her contributions to black beauty products are still felt in Georgia and across the country. GPB's Morning Edition host Leah Fleming spoke with Walker's great-granddaughter, A'lelia Bundles. Bundles is also a black hair and journalist.
State officials say more than 100,000 service members from Georgia were deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan between 2001 and 2012. Nationally, about 20% of veterans coming back from those conflicts have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries. The Atlanta organization Alchemy Sky Foundation helps people heal through music. It recently worked with a group of metro Atlanta veterans to create a song called " Adjust Fire ." Jaye Budd , a musician and founder of Alchemy Sky Foundation, and Marcus McCreaery, an Army veteran with the project, joined On Second Thought to share details about the experience.
Writer Steve Oney has been writing for more than four decades for publications such as Esquire , Time, GQ and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Over the course of his career, he estimates that he’s written somewhere between 150 and 200 profiles, 20 of which are included in A Man’s World , a collection of essays now out in paperback. All the profiles in A Man’s World explore a common theme: how and what it means to be a man. These have always been pressing questions for Oney, who told GPB Political Rewind host Bill Nigut that his father never fully equipped him for manhood. And so Oney looked toward his subjects for lessons in masculinity. He shared those lessons with us, including what he learned about being a man from actor Harrison Ford and Atlanta architect John Portman.
Georgia was once a leader in the oyster canning business, but the last cannery closed in the 1960s. In decades since, the local bivalves had a reputation as too wild, too muddy and too much work, so they didn't show up on a lot of menus. In the past few years, however, a group of people attuned to the estuaries of Glynn, Camden, Liberty and McIntosh counties have helped revive the Georgia oyster — through farming. Their stories are the center of André Gallant's A High Low Tide: The Revival of a Southern Oyster .
Kandace Springs covers several genres on her latest album Indigo . The Nashville native was born into a musical household. Her father Scat Springs was a soul singer who sang backup for Brian McKnight, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin and Donna Summer.
In 1920, African American farmers owned 14% of all American farmland. Today, 45,000 black growers own just 2% of that land. The vast majority of them live in the South, according to census data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Calling all anime, gaming, comics and animation fans: This is your weekend. MomoCon 2019 kicks off Thursday in Atlanta. Voice actors, designers, writers and showrunners take animation enthusiasts behind the scenes, making one of the fastest growing all-ages conventions in the country. GPB's Kalena Boller, host of The Credits podcast, sat down with voice actor Bob Carter ahead of the convention. He voices video games.
Georgia was once a leader in the oyster canning business, but the last cannery closed in the 1960s. In the past few years, however, a group of people have helped revive the Georgia oyster — through farming. André Gallant , author of A High Low Tide: The Revival of a Southern Oyster , joined us with more on the past, present and future of Georgia's oyster industry. Bryan Rackely, co-owner of Kimball House — a Decatur restaurant where Georgia oysters are now on the menu — also joined the conversation about these briny bivalves.
Georgia’s high school graduation rate has increased over the past several years. For the third year in a row, the state’s graduation rate is above 80 percent. That’s according to the Georgia Department of Education.
Atlanta's professional women's basketball team, the Atlanta Dream, is preparing for the upcoming season. It had a successful run last year and made it to the WNBA finals with Head coach Nicki Collen at the helm. She's been in the top spot since 2017. Collen stopped by On Second Thought to discuss her start playing tennis, her passion for the sport and her dreams of bringing a championship to Atlanta.
Atlanta's professional women's basketball team, the Atlanta Dream, is preparing for the upcoming season. It had a successful run last year and made it to the WNBA finals with head coach Nicki Collen at the helm. She's been in the top spot since 2017. She stopped by On Second Thought to discuss her start playing tennis, her passion for sports and her dreams of bringing a championship to Atlanta.
Members of Congress are working to revive an Obama-era effort to make Harriet Tubman the new face of the $20 bill. A new historical novel about Tubman gives reader a whole new face and consideration of the woman known as the "Moses of her people."
African Americans are 10% more likely to report experiencing serious mental health problems than their white counterparts, according to the Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health . Even when people have the resources to access professional help, they might not find psychologists who look like them or share their experiences. The podcast Therapy for Black Girls promotes mental and emotional wellness for African American women. It offers resources on topics like anxiety, body image and perfectionism. Joy Harden, an Atlanta-based psychologist, hosts the podcast. She joined On Second Thought to discuss her work and the podcast's evolution since 2017.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and concerns around mental health are a big issue in our society at large — and on college campuses. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among college students, and national data indicates that the problem is not unique.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Amid the stress of college finals in the Fall 2018 semester, two Georgia Tech students died by suicide. Third-year student Collin Spencer and director of the Mental Health Student Coalition joined On Second Thought in studio for a discussion about campus culture and changes he hopes to see before graduating. Barry Schreier, director of the University Counseling Service at the University of Iowa and communications committee chair for the Association of University and College Counseling Center Directors, also joined the conversation. He explained the national scope of this problem and told us why exactly students are more stressed, depressed and anxious now than ever before.
Georgia Power customers and taxpayers have been helping foot the bill for the expansion project at Plant Vogtle, which is billions of dollars over budget and years behind schedule.
Kishi Bashi made a name for himself with the shiny, fantastical indie pop of his first three albums . (The singer and multi-instrumentalist also made a pseudonym for himself: his stage name is a mashup of his first initial – K, for Kaoru – and last name, Ishibashi.) Ishibashi's newest record Omoiyari (available May 31) takes a more sober turn. From Japanese, " omoiyari " roughly translates as compassion or kindness shown toward others, which stirred in the Athens-based musician after President Trump's administration placed a travel ban on people from specific, predominantly Muslim countries.
Tens of millions of readers got their first glimpse inside of a courtroom from To Kill a Mockingbird . Now Harper Lee's 1960 novel remains a staple on middle school reading lists, and the film adaptation has captivated countless social justice warriors, law students, parents and pet owners. Lee spent years writing about another case in an Alabama courtroom some 17 years later although she never published the intended book. That case and that mysterious book are at the center of Casey Cep’s new book Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee .
Hollywood's Golden Age and the rise of fascism in Europe were happening at the same time, a world apart. Those worlds collided when Hollywood decided to tackle fascism in film. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. opened the exhibit Americans and the Holocaust last year. Now, a traveling event focuses on how depictions of the Nazi agenda influenced American audiences, and why we fought. The event, called What Were We Watching? Americans Response to Nazism Through Cinema, Radio and Media , takes place Tuesday night at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.
A number of curious laws are still on the books in Georgia. We cribbed a few from idiotlaws.com , if that tells you anything. But as obscure – and seemingly silly – as they are, the law is the law. Georgia State University law professor Tanya Washington joined us with an explanation of how laws get made, and how hard they are to change.
Stock photos are often the butt of jokes for being unrealistic, generic, overused and, now, perpetuating stereotypes. A new campaign from Getty Images, Dove Beauty and GirlGaze is working to change that. Together, they've launched #ShowUs , the largest stock photo collection created by women. Their goal? To subvert beauty stereotypes.
Whether you go yellow or white, sweet or savory, grits are a Southern food staple now popping up on menus all over the country. Food writer Erin Byers Murray goes deep in Grits: A Cultural and Culinary Journey Through the Stapl e, talking with growers, millers and chefs to understand the origins and evolution of grits. Along the way, she examines how race, gender and politics simmer in the significance of grits.
The busy season for Georgia state lawmakers is now over. Yes, the legislative session wrapped up April 2, but Sunday marked the final close to the 2019 lawmaking season. Gov. Brian Kemp had 40 days after Sine Die to publicly sign or veto bills . Now, everything that hasn’t seen his pen automatically becomes law.
Sunday was Gov. Brian Kemp's last day to sign or veto legislation. GPB politics reporter Stephen Fowler joined On Second Thought to explain which bills are now law. Fowler also debriefed us on the U.S. House vote on relief funds for farmers and others recovering from natural disasters.
Gov. Brian Kemp on Friday signed a bill into law that allows Georgia farmers to grow hemp. The crop is the source of products ranging from rope to soap to CBD oil. Kemp had already signed a separate bill that allows medical marijuana, a stronger derivative, to be grown with some limitations in the state. With these developments, medical marijuana and hemp will soon crop up on Georgia farms. At the same time, CBD oil is a suddenly ubiquitous trend, showing up even on Atlanta menus.
On Second Thought regularly shares news stories: pictures of kids, babies and food via text and social media. Flux Projects executive director Anne Archer Dennington stopped by the studio and shared a song. Flux Projects will bring performance group Choir! Choir! Choir! to Atlanta on Mother's Day to lead participants in a popular '90s song. The group will sing TLC's "Waterfalls" from a mother's point of view.
Health care is the number one cause of personal bankruptcies in the U.S., and medical spending makes up more than 17% percent of the nation’s economy. In other words: going to the doctor can be darned expensive — especially in Georgia. Hear why prices here can be higher and can vary significantly, even in the same city.
The U.S. Mental Health Care System is a multi-billion dollar industry, yet countless people living with or affected by mental illness fall through the cracks. Georgia ranks 47th out of 50 for access to mental health care, resources and insurance coverage making it even tougher to live with disorders most data and experts find to be under-researched, undertreated and over-stigmatized.
Healthcare costs make up almost a fifth of spending in the U.S. economy, and they’re the number one cause of personal bankruptcies. It’s well known that doctor’s visits and medical procedures are expensive, but it turns out they can be especially pricey in some parts of Georgia.
Every year around Mother's Day, Michele Filgate braces herself for the affectionate photos and social media tributes to mothers. It's not for lack of wanting to see women celebrated, but the painful awareness of her own strained relationship with her mother. That void deepened when the author and literary critic published an essay entitled " What My Mother and I Don't Talk About ," about serial abuse by her stepfather and her mother's denial of it.
Growing up in Atlanta in the 1970s, Jonathan Weisman didn't think much about anti-Semitism. In fact, he didn't think much about being Jewish until 2016. That's when, as deputy editor of the Washington Bureau of The New York Times , he posted a quote from an op-ed about facism on Twitter. That tweet unleashed a torrent of anti-Semitic images, threats and other forms of cyber-stalking that shattered his complacency.
Gnats don’t read maps, but the bugs do seem hesitant to cross an unseen, geographic boundary in Georgia. Learn about the disparities north and south of the "gnat line" from Tales from the Gnat Line author and longtime state lawmaker Larry Walker.
In the American South, there are state borders, variations in topography and accents. There's also the gnat line. That's the fall line where the piedmont meets the coastal plain. It's actually the sandy soil south of the line where gnats or pesky little critters live out their short lives, but they also have a penchant for flying into noses and eyes. Larry Walker joined On Second Thought on the line from Perry to explain his adventures below the gnat line. His new book, Tales From Georgia's Gnat Line , is a series of essays about life in the deep South.
Professional wrestling boomed when cable hit in the late '70s and early '80s. Shows like Georgia Championship Wrestling and Mid-South Wrestling planted dreams of glory in the heads and hearts of muscular southern boys. Ted "The Million Dollar Man" DiBiase, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka and Billy "Superstar" Graham all had important matches in Georgia. They are among dozens of stars who took hits outside the ring. The documentary film 350 Days looks into the hard knock lives of professional wrestlers in what's known as the golden age of wrestling.
Most Americans say they know at least some of their neighbors, but admit they tend to interact less with neighbors who don't belong to the same class, race or political party, according to the Pew Research Center . So, when Tania del Valle and her husband Pablo move into the fixer-upper next door to Frank and Virginia Butley's historic home, a saga of microaggressions ensues . Those racial, generational and economic tensions play out in Native Gardens , on stage this month at Lawrenceville's Aurora Theatre . Costars Fedra Ramirez-Olivares and Carolyn Cook, who portray Tania del Valle and Virginia Butley, respectively, joined On Second Thought in studio to share more about their production and the play's real-life parallels in Gwinnett County.
Even if you can't put your finger on it, Takénobu's music might sound familiar to you. That's because the "cinematic folk" from the classically trained Atlanta locals are frequently used on NPR shows and in video or film, including the new documentary 42 Grams . Takénobu takes its name from cellist Nick Ogawa, who performs with his violinist (and fiancée) Kathryn Koch. The two have a new album called Conclusion coming out on May 24, and an upcoming tour with Kishi Bashi. But before they gear up for a big 2019, they joined On Second Thought to share their story.
Even if you can't put your finger on it, Takénobu 's music might sound familiar to you. That's because the "cinematic folk" from the classically trained Atlanta locals is frequently used on NPR shows and in video or film, including the new documentary 42 Grams .
Hate incidents are on the rise in American schools, according to a new report from the Teaching Tolerance project at the Southern Poverty Law Center. Teaching Tolerance Director Maureen Costello joined On Second Thought on the line from Montgomery, Alabama, to discuss the report's findings.
Grade school teachers reported more than 3,000 hate incidents in schools during the fall 2018 semester, a new survey from the Southern Poverty Law Center's Teaching Tolerance program has found . Those incidents, however, often went undisciplined by school leaders – and less than a third made it into the news. Teaching Tolerance Director Maureen Costello joined On Second Thought on the line from Montgomery, Alabama, to share more of the report's findings.
Ernest Matthew Mickler's White Trash Cooking was released in 1986 to mixed reviews. Some of the recipes in the cookbook include "Uncle Willie's Swamp Cabbage Stew," "Rabbit Pie" and "Broiled Squirrel." Critics wondered if the book was for shock value or if it was just another elitist dig at poor southerners. Michael Adno's profile of Mickler portrays a man who took pride in his disappearing southern heritage and in the food served by his Florida relatives and neighbors — the same people he felt rejected by as a gay man.
You may have heard Curtis Harding 's voice before, perhaps without realizing it. That's because, for a number of years, he worked with a familiar Atlanta native: CeeLo Green. Harding sang back-up vocals for CeeLo and even co-wrote songs with the Grammy Award-winning musician, like "Grand Canyon" — which was a bonus track on CeeLo's 2010 album, The Lady Killer . After that and several other collaborations, Harding launched his solo career, applying his distinctive falsetto vocals to his own style of music, which he calls "slop 'n' soul."
Beyonc é 's bleacher-thundering, exquisitely choreographed performances at the Coachella Music Festival in 2018 showed a performer at the top of her game. Queen Bey managed to stop the world again with the realease of Homecoming, a live double album and Netflix documentary about what it took to put those two successive weekend productions together. Homecoming has been dissected and analyzed in several ways, but On Second Thought wanted to get deeper perspectives and who better to navigate those nuances than Christine White and Danene Millner? They're co-hosts of GPB-TV's A Seat At The Table.
You may have heard Curtis Harding 's voice before, perhaps without realizing it. That's because, for a number of years, he worked with a familiar Atlanta native: CeeLo Green. Harding sang back-up vocals for CeeLo and even co-wrote songs with the Grammy Award-winning musician, like "Grand Canyon" — which was a bonus track on CeeLo's 2010 album, The Lady Killer . After that and several other collaborations, Harding launched his solo career, applying his distinctive falsetto vocals to his own style of music, which he calls "slop 'n' soul."
Over his 19-year career with the Navy SEALs, Special Operations Chief Edward "Eddie" Gallagher earned high honors for valor and leadership as a medic, sniper and explosives expert. But less than a year after Gallagher returned from his eighth deployment – fighting the Islamic State in Mosul, Iraq – he drew a different kind of attention from the Navy: he was charged with war crimes , among them premeditated murder. Gallagher's case goes to trial in May. He and his family have denied all charges. When New York Times national correspondent Dave Philipps began reporting on Gallagher's case, he thought he might learn that Gallagher had suffered some kind of psychotic break as the result of numerous combat deployments over the course of nearly two decades. But what Philipps has found, through interviews and hundreds of pages of internal military documents , defied expectations. Joining on the line from Colorado Springs, Colorado, Philipps told On Second Thought that Gallagher's case reveals
Over his 19-year career with the Navy SEALs, Special Operations Chief Edward "Eddie" Gallagher earned high honors for valor and leadership as a medic, sniper and explosives expert. But less than a year after Gallagher returned from his eighth deployment – fighting the Islamic State in Mosul, Iraq – he drew a different kind of attention from the Navy: he was charged with war crimes , among them premeditated murder. Gallagher's case goes to trial in May. He and his family have denied all charges. When New York Times national correspondent Dave Philipps began reporting on Gallagher's case, he thought he might learn that Gallagher had suffered some kind of psychotic break as the result of numerous combat deployments over the course of nearly two decades. But what Philipps has found, through interviews and hundreds of pages of internal military documents , defied expectations. Joining on the line from Colorado Springs, Colorado, Philipps told On Second Thought that Gallagher's case reveals
We hear stories about the sacrifices military spouses make. But the wife's perspective is rarely at the center. That's why playwright Aline Lathrop decided to highlight that angle in The Hero's Wife - a play that's showing at Synchronocity Theater in Atlanta. It's an intimate look at a couple dealing with the invisible wounds of combat. Rebeca Robles plays Karyssa, the young wife of retired Navy SEAL Cameron, played by Joe Sykes. Rachel May directed the play. They all visited On Second Thought to talk about the production and the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, on family life.
Georgia is home to hundreds of thousands of military veterans. The state also boasts tens of thousands of active duty and reserve personnel. Sometimes, those numbers come with four letters: PTSD or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. On Second Thought continued a conversation with New York Times reporter David Philipps about his investigative research on Navy Seals and war crimes. Liza Zwiebach also joined the conversation with her clinical expertise.
Upon first listen, you may not realize that the dreamy indie-pop music of Philadelphia-based Japanese Breakfast was inspired by grief. Michelle Zauner, the woman behind the songs, began the project while navigating her mother's battle with cancer, and mourning her death. Both of Japanese Breakfast's albums — 2016's Psychopomp and 2017's Soft Sounds From Another Planet — were an exploration of that pain and sadness. That does not mean the albums sound morose, though.
Kyanna Simone Simpson shows no signs of stopping. The Decatur native and University of Georgia student 's first Netflix series, Chambers , was just released. Her new film Ma , with Octavia Spencer , hits theaters May 31. And Oprah Winfrey told Vanity Fair she'd pick Simpson to portray her in a biopic. Simpson's previous credits include The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks , in which she acted alongside Winfrey as the younger version of Winfrey's character, Deborah Lacks. She's also appeared as Keisha in the CW's Black Lightning .
The 2019 James Beard Awards Gala takes place next week in Chicago. Among the chefs and culinary creatives being celebrated, a different kind of innovator will join. That's Atlanta-based nonprofit The Giving Kitchen , which will be accepting the James Beard Humanitarian of the Year Award for its role in providing crisis grants, resources and assistance to food service workers.
Upon first listen, you may not realize that the dreamy indie-pop music of Philadelphia-based Japanese Breakfast was inspired by grief. Michelle Zauner, the woman behind the songs, began the project while navigating her mother's battle with cancer, and mourning her death. Both of Japanese Breakfast's albums — 2016's Psychopomp and 2017's Soft Sounds From Another Planet — were an exploration of that pain and sadness. That does not mean the albums sound morose, though.
A recent study by the American Lung Association shows the air along Georgia's coast and in the mountains is clean and unpolluted. But in the metro Atlanta area, residents should be wary of what they're breathing in. National Senior Vice President of Public Policy Paul Billings spoke with On Second Thought about what it means that five metro Atlanta counties received failing grades on air quality while the cities of Augusta and Savannah earned A's.
Following a recent visit to the border with Mexico, President Donald Trump said the United States is " full ." " Can't take you anymore ," Trump said. "I'm sorry. Can't happen, so turn around. That's the way it is." Fact checkers were quick to counter that declaration . They cited an aging and shrinking workforce, as well as America's slowing population growth, which is now at its lowest level since 1937. And cities like Atlanta and Macon are nowhere near capacity, according to Tim Keane and Josh Rogers.
A recent study by the American Lung Association shows the air along Georgia's coast and in the mountains is clean and unpolluted. But in the metro Atlanta area, residents should be wary of what they're breathing in. National Senior Vice President of Public Policy Paul Billings spoke with On Second Thought about what it means that five metro Atlanta counties received failing grades on air quality while the cities of Augusta and Savannah earned A's.
Understanding what southern ladies really mean has nothing to do with accents. That's what author Helen Ellis wants people who aren't from the South to understand. The author stopped by On Second Thought to talk about her new book, "Southern Lady Code." Ellis says the title refers to the, “technique by which, if you don't have something nice to say, you say something not-so-nice in a nice way.”
Understanding what southern ladies are saying has nothing to do with accents. That's what author Helen Ellis wants people who aren't from the South to understand. The author stopped by On Second Thought to talk about her new book, Southern Lady Code . Ellis says the title refers to the “technique by which, if you don't have something nice to say, you say something not-so-nice in a nice way.”
Global temperatures are on track to rise 3-5 degrees by the year 2100 , according to the United Nations Meteorological Organization. That level of climate change is anticipated to negatively impact every aspect of human life — from health to agriculture to the economy . The last time humans had to adapt to the changing environment on a global scale was hundreds of thousands of years ago , when homo erectus lived in Africa. An international team of geologists and anthropologists, among them Dan Deocampo of Georgia State University, has been studying that period in hopes we might learn from our ancient ancestors about surviving climate change.
GPB’s Wild Georgia series wraps up Monday. Our journalists have been out hiking, climbing, boating -- and reporting. They’ve been bringing you stories about the natural beauty of the state. Two of them stopped by On Second Thought to expand upon their findings. Grant Blankenship explained the results of the biggest study ever of Southern coyotes. He learned the animals have changed since migrating South, and they’re changing the food chain here also. Sophia Saliby hiked three mountains for her story and learned why they’re not just mountains. They’re monadnocks.
An estimated one million people thronged to Atlanta for the 2019 Super Bowl. When the opposing teams and visiting fans returned home, a series of murals depicting Atlanta's civil rights and social justice journey stayed behind. Among the 11 artists who painted murals for the WonderRoot "Off The Wall" initiative surrounding the big game is renowned artist Gilbert Young. His iconic, 40-year old image, "He Ain't Heavy" is now installed in huge scale on the side of Capitol Gateway Apartments in Atlanta.
An estimated one million people thronged to Atlanta for the 2019 Super Bowl. When the opposing teams and visiting fans returned home, a series of murals depicting Atlanta's civil rights and social justice journey stayed behind. Among the 11 artists who painted murals for the WonderRoot "Off The Wall" initiative surrounding the big game is renowned artist Gilbert Young. His iconic, 40-year old image "He Ain't Heavy" is now installed in huge scale on the side of Capitol Gateway Apartments in Atlanta.
Atlanta's own Black Lips is a band that keeps audiences on their toes, literally — which you'd know if you've ever landed in the mosh pit at one of their shows — and figuratively, given that the latest it-bag line from Gucci is named after band member Zumi Rosow. For 20 years, founding members Cole Alexander and Jared Swilley have been making unruly garage rock, rockabilly records, and sometimes, they can sound like old country crooners. They are currently on a short U.S. tour, but will return to Atlanta just in time to hit the stage on the first day of the 2019 Shaky Knees Music Festival , which begins Friday, May 3.
The Peabody Awards announced winners in radio and podcasting this week, among them Type Investigations and Reveal for their "Monumental Lies" episode. After filing 175 open records requests to track public spending on Confederate memorials and organizations, reporters Brian Palmer and Seth Freed Wessler found that more than $40 million in state and federal funds have been spent on the maintenance and expansion of such monuments and sites over the past decade.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been more than 200,000 opioid-related deaths in the United States over the last two decades. Georgia has some of the nation's hardest-hit counties . White users have largely been the face of the epidemic, but the problem affects every demographic.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been more than 200,000 opioid-related deaths in the United States over the last two decades. Georgia has some of the nation's hardest-hit counties . White users have largely been the face of the epidemic, but the problem affects every demographic.
Town and gown tensions are high at the University of Georgia as the end of the school year nears. Amid national conversations about the historical role of U.S. colleges and universities in slavery, community leaders and a group of faculty are calling on UGA to do more to address its own slave past . But in a letter to the editor of UGA's student newspaper , The Red & Black , UGA President Jere Morehead said the university had "carefully considered all aspects" of a memorial constructed in 2018 to recognize and honor the legacy of individuals who were enslaved in Athens during the 19th Century.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Chadwick Boseman, Oprah Winfrey and Spike Lee are all graduates of historically black colleges and universities. For more than a century, HBCUs provided the foundation for countless dynamic and influential leaders. Now, some academic finance experts predict that a quarter of those schools could be gone within 20 years.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Chadwick Boseman, Oprah Winfrey and Spike Lee are all graduates of historically black colleges and universities. For more than a century, HBCUs provided the foundation for countless dynamic and influential leaders. Now, some academic finance experts predict that a quarter of those schools could be gone within 20 years.
From the mountains to the coast to the forest, Georgia is a beautiful place for spending time outdoors. GPB journalists are celebrating that splendor with Wild Georgia, a series of in-depth reports airing this month during Morning Edition and All Things Considered. Ross Terrell and Emily Jones are among those working on the series, and they stopped by On Second Thought to take their stories a little deeper. Ross talked about Atlanta’s lush tree canopy , and Emily explained how sharks sense the world around them.
From the mountains to the coast to the forest, Georgia is a beautiful place for spending time outdoors. GPB journalists are celebrating that splendor with Wild Georgia, a series of in-depth reports airing this month during Morning Edition and All Things Considered. Ross Terrell and Emily Jones are among those working on the series, and they stopped by On Second Thought to take their stories a little deeper. Ross talked about Atlanta’s lush tree canopy , and Emily explained how sharks sense the world around them.
With a curled lip and a graveled voice, Atlanta-based band The Coathangers will tell you what they think. Their gritty garage music incorporates influences that range from early punk to the golden oldies of rock 'n' roll. And yet, their lyrics are undeniably modern. The trio's new album, The Devil You Know , features songs that address current social issues like drug addiction and gun control. We asked two members of The Coathangers, Meredith Franco and Julia Kugel, to add to our Georgia Playlist of songs written or performed by a Georgian. Their picks? "Frankenstein" by Subsonics and "Bad Kids" by Black Lips.
Women in Georgia are more likely to die from pregnancy-related and associated complications than in Uzbekistan. The state allocated $2 million to help reduce that number in this year's health budget. On Second Thought spoke with Wanda Irving, whose daughter, Shalon, died after giving birth in metro Atlanta, and Breanna Lipscomb, U.S. maternal health campaign manager for The Center For Reproductive Rights , about efforts to improve maternal health outcomes in Georgia and across the nation.
Today's show highlighted the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, the upcoming Savannah Book Festival and the importance of foreign language education for Georgia students. GPB reporter Stephen Fowler stopped by "On Second Thought" to discuss the State of the Union and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams' Democratic response. We also heard from Patrick Wallace , program specialist for world languages and global workforce initiatives at the Georgia Department of Education, and Jacques Marcotte with the French-American Chamber of Commerce in Atlanta. They discussed Georgia students' readiness for the global workforce through language learning.
An upcoming documentary aims to highlight Atlanta soul musician Lee Moses for a new era. The documentary, "Time and Place," focuses on Moses' life and the soul scene in Atlanta during the 1970s. The documentary takes its name from Moses' solo album. The album has become a staple of Southern soul despite not finding commercial success when it was released. Filmmaker Simon David stopped by "On Second Thought" to discuss the documentary and how it traces Atlanta's soul scene through the folks that remember it. Doris Moses, Lee Moses' widow, also joined the conversation.
Today's show featured stories on Georgia artists Lee Moses and Grammy-nominee David Harris, who worked with artist H.E.R. on her self-titled album. Peter Sagal also previewed "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me" visiting the Savannah Civic Center this week. Peter Sagal , host of "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me," is the author of a new book on the impact of running on his life. "The Incomplete Book of Running" captures Sagal's meditations on joy, hardship and returning to the Boston Marathon after the bombing in 2013. He stopped by "On Second Thought" to discuss the book and the live taping of "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me" at the Savannah Civic Center on Thursday, Feb. 7.
David Harris is a music producer and composer from Manchester. The LaGrange College graduate has worked closely with rhythm and blues musician, H.E.R. Harris collaborated with H.E.R. on "Focus," which is nominated for best R&B song at the 2019 Grammy Awards. Harris also worked on other songs from H.E.R.'s debut album that is nominated for best R&B album. "On Second Thought" asked Harris to choose two songs for the Georgia Playlist. Music artists choose two songs written or performed by a Georgian, and they can't nominate their own songs. Harris chose Otis Redding's "Sittin' On The Dock of The Bay" and Thomas Dorsey's "Precious Lord."
The Grammy Awards will take place this weekend. While music's biggest stars are preparing to hit the red carpets and stage in Los Angeles, friends and families are rooting for Georgia nominees. That includes music producer and composer, David Harris, who worked with the rhythm and blues musician H.E.R. She is nominated in five categories. Harris collaborated with H.E.R. on "Focus," which is nominated for best R&B song. Harris also worked on other songs from H.E.R.'s debut album that is nominated for best R&B album. The 61st Annual Grammy Awards airs Feb. 10 at 8:00 pm.
The New England Patriots clinched their sixth Super Bowl win Sunday in Atlanta, defeating the Los Angeles Rams 13-3. Though it was the lowest-scoring game in Super Bowl history, it was still a big win for college and high school football programs across Georgia. Jon Nelson, host of GPB's "Football Fridays in Georgia" podcast stopped by "On Second Thought" to explain Super Bowl 53's deep roots in Georgia.
Today's show recapped the Super Bowl events around the city, along with the game's Georgia connections and an author interview with Atlanta resident Snowden Wright. The New England Patriots are once again Super Bowl champions, deafeating the Los Angeles Rams in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. "Morning Edition" producer Taylor Gantt and GPB reporter Ross Terrell joined "On Second Thought" to break down the highlights of the game. They discussed Maroon 5's halftime show, the role social media played throughout the game and how the city managed visitors over the event weekend .
Author Snowden Wright is no stranger to a good Southern epic. His new novel, "American Pop," chronicles the fizzy and flat years of a cola empire and the family who built it. The novel pours out American cultural and economic history while wrestling with ideas of legacy and nostalgia. Wright joined "On Second Thought" to discuss the novel's release on Feb. 5. He shared his experiences growing up in Mississippi and writing the novel inside of his family's old shotgun cottage.
The New England Patriots are once again Super Bowl champions, defeating the Los Angeles Rams in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. This was the team's sixth overall win, tying them with the Pittsburgh Steelers for most Super Bowl wins. As thousands of fans headed out of Atlanta Monday morning, "Morning Edition" producer Taylor Gantt and GPB reporter Ross Terrell joined "On Second Thought" to break down the highlights of the game. They discussed Maroon 5's halftime show, the role social media played throughout the game and how the city managed visitors over the event weekend .
“On Second Thought” began celebrating Black History Month by learning about the man who was nicknamed the “Mouth of the South,” James “Alley Pat” Patrick. Atlantans heard the disc jockey in 1949 on the city’s first black-owned radio station, WERD . Patrick was born on Dec. 2, 1919, in Montezuma, Georgia. His radio career began in 1951 at WERD. In addition to hosting a radio show, Patrick was instrumental in the Civil Rights movement. He was friends with activists and leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr., Hosea Williams and Andrew Young. Patrick was also known as a bail bondsman, as he bailed out activists from jail during the 1960s.
The third week of Georgia’s legislative session is now over. Lawmakers in the House and Senate have burned through seven out of 40 scheduled days. It’s budget time at the capitol. State legislators have been hearing from state agencies that are pressing their needs for next year’s fiscal plan. GPB politics reporter Stephen Fowler has kept a close watch on the action under the Gold Dome. He stopped by “On Second Thought” for an update.
On today's show, we looked ahead to Super Bowl LIII this weekend, explored the legacy of Atlanta DJ Alley Cat and heard updates from the GPB newsroom about the Georgia legislature. GPB reporter Stephen Fowler joined "On Second Thought" to discuss the Gov. Brian Kemp's state budget proposal and a bipartisan group of lawmakers' renewed efforts to pass the Equal Rights Amendment .
The Atlanta Opera's production of "Dead Man Walking" tells the story of Sister Helen Prejean and her relationship with death row inmate Joseph de Rocher. It's based on Prejean's real-life book chronicling her prison ministry. Prejean wrote about her experiences as a spriritual counselor to death row inmates Elmo Patrick Sonnier and Robert Lee Willie in the book, which the production amalgamates into de Rocher's character. GPB's Sarah Zaslaw spoke to Tomer Zvulun , the Atlanta Opera's artistic director, and Georgia native Jamie Barton , who plays Sister Helen in the production. They discussed ideas of justice, forgiveness and how the opera wrestles with the dignity of victims and perpetrators of violence.
For decades, Sister Helen Prejean has been a prominent opponent of the death penalty. She started her prison ministry in the 1980s, serving as a spiritual advisor to those on death row. She chronicled her experiences in the 1993 book, "Dead Man Walking." It was adapted into an Oscar-winning movie, a play and an opera. The Atlanta Opera performs "Dead Man Walking" starting Feb. 2. It tells the story of Prejean and her relationship with death row inmate Joseph De Rocher. Prejean stopped by "On Second Thought" to discuss her ministry, the opera and the power of radical empathy.
Written more than 200 years ago, Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" has been widely adapted into films, television shows and spanned book genres from horror to young adult fiction. Soniah Kamal's novel, "Unmarriageable," sets the stinging social satire, memorable characters and plot in contemporary Pakistan. Kamal joined "On Second Thought" to discuss her novel, her love of Austen and her appearance at the Savannah Book Festival in February.
Georgia has been a major player in the music industry. Atlanta especially is a mecca for rap, hip-hop and R&B. Notable artists come here to record, and Georgia has been home to a number of famous names, including Ray Charles, Arrested Development, T.I., Ludacris and heavy metal band Mastodon. Now, state legislators are working to make Georgia an even bigger hub for music and entertainment. Recently, Georgia Rep. Erica Thomas announced plans to co-chair a newly created Georgia Entertainment Caucus. She joined "On Second Thought," along with Grammy Award-winning music producer and engineer Matt Still, to discuss the caucus' potential impact.
Today's show highlighted authors Soniah Kamal and Goldie Taylor, along with discussions on sports fans and information on an upcoming Georgia entertainment caucus. "Unmarriageable" is author Soniah Kamal 's modern adaptation of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," set in Pakistan. The novel follows teacher Alys Binat as she navigates family, romance and her own misconceptions about the dashing Valentine Darsee. Kamal joined "On Second Thought" to discuss the inspirations for her novel and her appearance at the Savannah Book Festival next month.
According to an Emory University study, second-best will meet second-worst at the Super Bowl in Atlanta. For years, Emory Marketing professor Mike Lewis has used a statistical model to rank sports fans. This season, that model ranked fans of the New England Patriots as the No. 2 fan base in the nation. The same model ranked fans of the Los Angeles Rams second-to-worst, only ahead of the Tennessee Titans.
Political strategist and author Goldie Taylor knows Georgia politics. Her most recent novel, "Paper Gods," is a political thriller set in Atlanta's halls of power. Taylor stopped by "On Second Thought" with her picks for our "Southern Reading List" series, in which authors and readers share books that both define and reflect the South.
Barring a blizzard, Atlanta is ready for Super Bowl LIII. But, still sore from the Falcons' 2017 defeat, how ready are Atlanta fans to welcome the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams to the Dirty Birds' turf?