Closer Look with Rose Scott

On today’s Closer Look with Rose Scott, we revisit a conversation with former elected lawmakers representing both sides of Georgia’s political aisle. We’re joined by former Mayor Shirley Franklin (D), former Senator Saxby Chambliss (R), former Congressman Drew Ferguson (R), and former Governor of Georgia Roy Barnes (D). They discuss how far we’ve come from when Democrats and Republicans could work together to solve problems, and how the Democracy Defense Foundation is championing civility in politics and safeguarding confidence in elections.

Also, it’s the first ever Girls in Public Works Day. Young women are taught the skills for waste management, engineering, construction and more. Nationally, women account for less than 10% of the public works workforce. Learn how the American Public Works Association Georgia Chapter and the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Local Technical Assistance Program are working to get more women in typically male dominated fields.

And finally, today is the last day to register to vote in Georgia ahead of the November midterm elections. We revisit our conversation with outgoing Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger about what Georgia voters should be prepared for. And despite accusations and misinformation, Raffensperger assures Georgians that the state’s voting system is secure and ready to run a fair election.

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The President of the National Education Association is responding to the White House's newly releasing rules related to the nation’s first federal school "voucher–style program". It's set to begin next year.  Part of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” and under the Educational Choice for Children Act. It's supposed to operate as a tax-credit program where parents/caregivers can receive up to $1,700 in credits for donating to nonprofit scholarship-granting organizations but is also criticized for the impact on public schools and specific communities.

Guest: Princess Moss, President the National Education Association. 

The vast majority of meat in the United States is factory farmed.

Factory farmed is defined as the practice of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs).

Typically, these are environments where animals are raised for food in confined, cramped, and mostly indoor settings.

It is controversial and raises a lot of opposition in terms of ethics and the treatment of the animals.

According to U-S Department of Agriculture data reviewed by the Sentience Institute ... that figure is estimated at 99 percent.

A new three-part series, "One Table," by the animal advocacy group Compassion in World Farming features a Bluffton, Georgia farmer who has moved away from the practice.

Guest: Leah Garces a Decatur, Georgia based advocate and global ambassador for Compassion in World Farming talks about the series and the mission of Compassion in World Farming.

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It seems to be a lost cause at the moment, civility in politics.

With 2026 being a major election year and the upcoming midterm elections approaching, the Democracy Defense Foundation (DFF) understands the importance of combating misinformation and intentional disrespect in political messaging.

DFF is organization led by a bipartisan group of former elected officials and leaders across selected states and that includes Georgia. It was founded to champion civility in politics, safeguard confidence in elections among other initiatives.

In this episode of Closer Look with Rose Scott, former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, former Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss, former Congressman and West Point, Georgia, Mayor Drew Ferguson, and former Georgia Governor Roy Barnes all agreed that civility seems to be lost in today’s political environment. They also discussed the role that DFF can still play in delivering bi-partisan messages amid the current 24-hour news cycle and the influence of social media.

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With just over 30 days until the November midterm election, two candidates are vying to become Georgia’s next attorney general. It’s a matchup between Democratic State Representative Tanya Miller and Republican State Senator Brian Strickland.

Whichever candidate wins will serve as the state's chief legal officer and lead the Georgia Department of Law in handling statewide legal matters. The attorney general will also handle crimes such as public corruption, human trafficking, and cybercrime and more.

On this edition of “Closer Look”, program host Rose Scott talks with State Senator Brian Strickland about why he’s running for office and how he plans to lead the office.

The McDonough resident was first elected to the state House in 2012 and started serving in the state Senate in 2018.Representing District 42 - which includes parts of Henry, Newton and Walton counties and all of Morgan County. Sen. Strickland has also served as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

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With just over 30 days until the November midterm election, two candidates are vying to become Georgia’s next attorney general. It’s a matchup between Democratic State Representative Tanya Miller and Republican State Senator Brian Strickland.

Whichever candidate who wins the election will serve as the state's chief legal officer and lead the Georgia Department of Law in handling statewide legal matters. The attorney general will also handle crimes such as public corruption, human trafficking, and cybercrime and more.

On Monday’s edition of “Closer Look” for the program’s “Their Voice, Your Vote” series, show host Rose Scott talks with Representative Miller about why she’s running for office and her vision for the state of Georgia.

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It was a discriminatory practice that was upheld by city ordinances. 

Racial zoning was common in a lot of American cities that used legislation to purposely designated where Black and white residents could live, not only by neighborhood but even by block.

Atlanta was one of the cities.

A recent episode of RE(Defining History: Racial Zoning: Divided By Design, traces racial zoning origins in Atlanta and explores the many ways it has evolved in the city’s landscape. After the screening, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens spoke with Closer Look host Rose Scott about Atlanta's history of racial zoning and what needs to ensure more modern types of familiar practices do not take place. 

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Studies have found “a devastating correlation between declining mental health of LGBTQ+ youth and the passage of these anti-LGBTQ+ laws.” On today’s Closer Look with Rose Scott, we speak with Cheryl Greene, the Vice President of School and Youth Programming for the Human Rights Campaign. Their new survey of 900 educators not only shows their struggle to support LGBTQ+ students, but it also reports how educators have been harassed for doing so. Plus, Greene explains what’s at stake for the midterm elections if laws that effect LGBTQ+ youth are not addressed.

Former DeKalb County District Attorney J. Tom Morgan returns to the WABE studios. In his new book, “A Rainy Night in Georgia,” he recounts investigating and prosecuting a local murder-for-hire case that made international headlines. In 2000, Derwin Brown was assassinated in his driveway days before he was to officially become DeKalb's sheriff. Morgan shares the little-known details of the case, including his reaction to discovering he was on the killer’s hit list.

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It was once a diagnosis widely believed to be an absolute death sentence, but much has changed since the earliest years of the AIDS epidemic. There have been tremendous advances in detection and treatment which have dramatically improved health outcomes for millions. Still, an estimated 1.2 million people in the U.S. are living with HIV, and 13% of them don’t know it. That gap is tied to barriers in access to testing, treatment, and ongoing care, and it continues to contribute to increases in new diagnoses. On today’s special edition of Closer Look with Rose Scott, we look beyond the disease itself to examine how stigma is also a factor. Our panel discusses efforts to confront and reduce stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS. If you or someone you know is in need of testing for HIV/AIDS, you can access these resources:  AID Atlanta, Grady Healthcare, Cobb & Douglas Public Health, CVS Minute Clinic, AvitaCare Atlanta.

Guests:

Jerrell Hardnett, associate director of education & advocacy at GLAAD, and the author of GLAAD's sixth annual State of HIV Stigma Report

Tim'm West, executive director of Rustin Institute

Nicole Roebuck, Executive Director of AID Atlanta

Pastor Eric Thomas, Saint Peter Missionary Baptist Church and a founder & President of Metro Atlanta Ministerial Alliance

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On today’s Closer Look with Rose Scott, a new alliance formed by the Georgia Chamber is attempting to bring communities and industry leaders together on data centers. The intention of the Georgia Digital Infrastructure Alliance is to "help communities prepare for responsible digital infrastructure investment." As Georgia continues as a fast-growing market for data centers, we hear from Georgia Chamber President & CEO Chris Clark.

Then, we meet filmmakers and activists, Lev Omelchenko and Nolan Huber, who co-directed a new documentary that makes its Atlanta debut tonight. “A City in the Forest” gives an exclusive, first-hand account on the Stop Cop City movement, which fought against the clearing of a forest for the construction of Atlanta's public safety training center. The directors share more about the rare footage that captured the years of activism.

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On today’s Closer Look with Rose Scott, we discuss a new website that breaks down how the trade war is costing each state and each household. According to Tariffs.org, Georgia ranks fourth among the hardest hit states by the tariffs, at a cost of $20 Billion or $4,771 per household. Bryan Riley is the Director of the Free Trade Initiative for the National Taxpayers Union Foundation. He joins the conversation to explain which Georgia industries are paying the highest price.

Then, Atlanta is known for its pop and hip hop fingerprint on the music industry. But a new series is letting music fans experience another Atlanta connection and that's to electronic music. WABE’s Sawyer Vanderwerff explores WetWare, an immersive, live audiovisual concert series that’s taking place in the Little Five Points neighborhood.

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