From Friday through Monday, the storm, dubbed Winter Storm Fern, is expected to impact millions of people across the U.S. in more than 30 states, including Georgia. To prepare, Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency for Georgia on Thursday morning. On today’s “Closer Look,” we speak with local officials about how they’re bracing the state for the storm.

Also on today’s show, an official with the ACLU of Louisiana says agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement endangered the life of a pregnant woman who was deported to Colombia while allegedly in medical distress. Nora Ahmed, the Legal Director at the ACLU of Louisiana, tells Host Rose Scott about 21-year-old Daniela Buitrago, who came to the U.S. in November 2025 with her family, to flee persecution in Colombia. However, she was just flown back to her home country from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, while reportedly experiencing severe pain.

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On today’s “Closer Look with Rose Scott,” an open records request by Atlanta Journal-Constitution Transportation Reporter Sara Gregory revealed a “secret vote” that was not known to the public and members of the Atlanta City Council. What she discovered was a May 2025 vote by officials from MARTA, Atlanta Beltline, Inc., and the City of Atlanta to halt light rail construction on Atlanta's Eastside Beltline. Gregory joins the show to share how she learned of the vote. 

Also on the program, we’re joined by the new mayor of South Fulton, Carmalitha Gumbs. She shares her priorities for the first year of her administration, which includes economic development and searching for a new police chief. 

Finally, we speak with the leaders of Food Well Alliance, a nonprofit that helps connect local growers with area communities, to support them socially, economically, and environmentally. Executive Director Kate Conner and Sarah Brown, Senior Manager of Policy and Planning join the program to share the latest local Food System Plan award recipients.

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It’s a new chapter for Peter Hubbard, one of two Democrats elected to Georgia’s Public Service Commission, flipping long-held Republican seats. A longtime clean-energy advocate, Hubbard told “Closer Look” host Rose Scott he’s committed to working across political lines. He’s also closely watching the rapid growth of data centers in Georgia, questioning their true economic benefits, workforce impact, and tax incentives. He then raised concerns about their strain on energy infrastructure, noise pollution, e-waste, and the higher costs often passed on to residential customers.

For weeks, immigration agents with the Department of Homeland Security have confronted communities in Minnesota - resulting in arrests, school closures, injuries, and the killing of Minneapolis resident Renee Good. The State of Minnesota, along with the cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis recently announced a lawsuit against DHS for its actions. On today’s “Closer Look,” Anthony Michael Kreis, associate professor of law at Georgia State University, provides his legal analysis about what hurdles the lawsuit might face.

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Thursday marks what would have been Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 97th birthday. Ahead of the federal holiday, as various events get underway and people around the world are commemorating the life and legacy of the civil rights giant, President Donald Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota. This comes as ongoing protests continue after an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Good last week, and another federal agent shot a Venezuelan man in the leg on Wednesday. 

Today’s program connects King’s moral leadership ideology to the current state of American politics. First, we revisit “Closer Look” program host Rose Scott’s interview with Dr. Robert Michael Franklin Jr., an author, theologian and Emory University’s James T. and Berta R. Laney Professor in Moral Leadership. During the discussion, Professor Franklin reflects on the life and legacy of Dr. King, specifically his efforts to lead with courage, nonviolence and integrity. He also explains how King used his influence to inspire others to be moral leaders.

We then hear from Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock. He discusses the ongoing protests happening in Minneapolis. He also reflects on Dr. King’s life and legacy and the intersection of moral leadership and politics. Warnock then talked about the importance of combating the fear and despair that he says the Trump administration is intentionally trying to spread.

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A new report from Georgia State University reveals more than 4,600 people, 1,635 children in DeKalb County are without stable housing—many living in extended-stay hotels and paying more than average rental costs. The release of the study comes as Governor Brian Kemp announced a $50 million initiative addressing homelessness in Georgia.

For a special themed show focusing on homelessness in DeKalb County, “Closer Look” program host Rose Scott talked with co-leaders from Georgia State University’s Center on Health and Homelessness, who co-authored the study. Scott then talked with leaders of two local organizations working to address homelessness in DeKalb County.

Guests included:

Shannon Self-Brown, a distinguished university professor in the School of Public Health

April Ballard, an assistant professor in the School of Public Health

Greg White, the executive director of A Home for Everyone in DeKalb

Andrea Brantley, the executive director of Family Promise of North Fulton/DeKalb

Wanda Hunter, the program manager for Family Promise of North Fulton/DeKalb

Lastly, civil rights activist Claudette Colvin has died. She died on Tuesday at the age of 86. At the age of 15, back on  March 2, 1955, Colvin was arrested and charged for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated public bus to a white person, despite already being seated in the back of the bus, in the area designated for Black people. Ashley Roseboro of the Claudette Colvin Foundation talks more about Colvin’s life and legacy.

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The Trump administration says it is actively working to dissolve the U.S. Department of Education. If passed by Congress, the measure would shrink federal oversight and give more control to the states. “Closer Look” program host Rose Scott talks with Erika Mitchell, the former board chair of the Atlanta Board of Education. Mitchell discusses the current state of K-12 public education in the U.S. and shares the achievements and remaining challenges for urban school districts.

Plus, it’s day two of the 2026 Georgia legislative session. State Senator Sonya Halpern joins the program to discuss the latest happenings at the state capitol, bills she's backing and those she's not. She also discusses some of the other legislative priorities for Georgia’s Senate Democrats.

President Trump signed the "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History" executive order last year, calling for the removal of “improper," "divisive or anti-American ideology" from federally funded establishments, such as the Smithsonian Institution. Tuesday is the deadline for the museum to provide documents about current and upcoming exhibitions and events, which could put its $1 billion budget at risk. Karen Comer Lowe, a curator, cultural strategist, and art advisor, shares her thoughts about how this effort undermines scholarly independence, artistic and curatorial freedom.

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The Atlanta Beltline, Inc. is spearheading an initiative to help support small businesses within the corridor’s overlay in preparation for the FIFA World Cup. We hear from Natalie Jones, the Atlanta Beltline project manager for the Business Solutions Office, Anthony Pope, the co-founder and design principal of Atelier 7 Architects, and Latrice Rochelle and Xavier John of PARLAY Savory Saloon. They discussed strategies for vendors and small businesses to reap revenue from the influx of visitors when the world’s largest sporting event comes to Georgia. Across the eight games Atlanta will host, an estimated range between $500 million to more than $1 billion is expected to be pumped into the Atlanta area’s economy. They also shared details about what other small business owners can do to ready their businesses for the surge in World Cup visitors, including applying for the Beltline Business Ventures accelerator program. 

Plus, Marci Collier Overstreet is the 10th Atlanta City Council President. The longtime elected official campaigned on leading Atlanta forward. Now, one week into her four-year term, Overstreet returns to “Closer Look” to talk more about how her tenure as a city council member, representing District 11 in Southwest Atlanta, prepared her to take on the role of council president. President Overstreet also discussed her leadership style and plans to work collaboratively with fellow council members, ensuring that economic development projects include binding community benefits. Overstreet also explained why she had to recede her initial committee appointments.

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January 20th will mark President Donald Trump’s first full year back in office. So far, Trump’s second term has been marked by the dismantling of several federal agencies, spending cuts, layoffs and an aggressive crackdown carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Just days ago, under the direction of President Trump, the U.S. military carried out a series of air strikes in Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores. For Feedback Friday on “Closer Look,” program host Rose Scott asked listeners to share their thoughts about the direction of the nation following Trump’s return to the White House. For the discussion, Scott was joined by WABE politics reporter Rahul Bali, Tammy Greer, a politics and policy clinical assistant professor at Georgia State University, and Cathy Woolard, a longtime Democratic leader, former Atlanta City Council president and former board chair of the Fulton County Elections.

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The FBI is now investigating the shooting death of a woman in South Minneapolis. On Wednesday, following an immigration enforcement operation, an ICE officer shot and killed 37-year-old mother Renee Good while she was in her car. The situation has sparked national outrage and ongoing protests in Minnesota's Twin Cities. MPR News correspondent Matt Sepic joins “Closer Look” to discuss the latest in the ongoing investigation.

Plus, fallout continues over President Donald Trump’s military action over Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Former U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela and current President of the World Affairs Council of Atlanta.

 Charles Shapiro shares his thoughts on the unfolding situation and questions the Trump Administration’s motives for taking military action against Venezuela. He also shares his thoughts about the next era of leadership in the country. 

Lastly, Michael J. Moore, a former United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia and former member of the Georgia State Senate, talks about the deadly Minnesota shooting, the duties and responsibilities of ICE agents and possible legal consequences for the ICE agent.

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Research shows coordinated efforts and collective action—among school systems, child welfare agencies, policymakers, and community partners—can significantly improve outcomes for children and youth in foster care. In Georgia, as of May 2025, more than 11,300 children were in foster care, according to the Georgia Department of Human Services.

The work of the nonprofit Court Appointed Special Advocates, also known as Atlanta CASA, centers on helping children and young people in need. The organization supports abused and neglected children involved in the juvenile court system in Fulton County by recruiting and training volunteers to be advocates for them.

On Wednesday’s edition of  “Closer Look,” program host Rose Scott talked with Atlanta CASA's chief executive officer, Domonique Cooper, and Angela Owens, a recruiter and community engagement specialist for the organization. They talked more about CASA’s mission, its impact, and the urgent need for more volunteer advocates.

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