Atlanta is still feeling the ripple effects of mass layoffs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than a year after the first cuts, thousands of workers have left the agency through layoffs and early retirements, raising concerns about long-term public health impacts and hurting nearby businesses that relied on the CDC workforce.

Meanwhile, a major food pantry in Columbus was forced to cancel a distribution after a shortage at its partner food bank, leaving hundreds of families without the help they depend on.

Also in today’s episode: Georgia lawmakers approve another round of income tax rebates for residents, a shooting at a Department of Veterans Affairs clinic in North Georgia leaves one employee hospitalized, and the Atlanta Citizen Review Board issues its first ruling in more than five years on an officer-involved shooting—determining the officers were justified.

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A proposed $3.5 billion pipeline expansion would run through Georgia from Columbus to Augusta. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission recently held meetings in Macon, Sandersville and Griffin to hear from residents about the South System Expansion 4 project by Kinder Morgan. Environmental groups warn the pipeline could threaten waterways and increase air pollution, and federal regulators are accepting public comments on the project through March 23.

Meanwhile, a Gwinnett County barber and double amputee who has been held in immigration detention for more than a year may soon be deported. According to reports, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has secured travel documents for Rodney Taylor, raising concerns from his family as they await a possible deportation flight.

At the Georgia Capitol, House Bill 947 survived a key legislative deadline after passing the House in a late-night vote. The bill aims to reduce error rates in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, but advocates say the additional verification requirements could create more bureaucracy and make it harder for eligible families to access food assistance.

And after a chilly start to the week, warmer weather is on the way. Forecasters say parts of Georgia could see temperatures climb into the low 80s by Saturday.

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Georgia lawmakers are considering a bill that could make it harder to obtain mugshots and police body camera footage. Senate Bill 482, which passed the Senate unanimously, would require people requesting the materials to appear in person, submit a notarized request, and identify individuals in the footage by name. Supporters say the measure would stop websites from profiting off arrest photos, while critics warn it could limit public oversight of law enforcement.

Meanwhile, the father of the suspect in the 2024 Apalachee High School shooting has been found guilty of murder, marking one of the first cases in the country where a parent has been criminally convicted in connection with a school shooting.

Applications have also opened for the Georgia Hurricane Helene Block Grant Program, which provides more than $500 million to farmers whose losses were not covered by federal disaster aid. Eligible producers have six weeks to apply.

And with Crossover Day now passed, several bills backed by the ACLU of Georgia failed to advance this session. Those include a proposed Georgia Civil Rights Act, legislation limiting police searches based solely on the smell of marijuana, and a bill granting criminal immunity to certain victims seeking help from law enforcement.

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Georgia farmers say surging diesel prices tied to the U.S.–Israeli war with Iran are squeezing already thin margins. At Ellijay Mushroom Farm, growers producing thousands of shiitake mushrooms each week say rising fuel and supply costs are forcing farms to absorb higher expenses or risk raising prices for customers.

At the Capitol, the Georgia House passed Senate Bill 220, the “Putting Georgia’s Patients First Act,” which would rename the state’s low-THC oil program to medical cannabis, allow inhalation options, update dosing rules and expand qualifying conditions such as lupus and severe insomnia.

Meanwhile, the proposed Henry McNeil-Turner Voting Rights Act failed to receive a vote this session. Supporters say the bill would have created a state commission to review election law changes for discrimination, arguing federal voting protections have weakened in recent years.

More than 7,000 Georgians remain on the waitlist for the state’s NOW and COMP waivers, programs that help people with disabilities pay for services like therapy, transportation and employment support. Some families say they have waited more than a decade for assistance.

In DeKalb County, school leaders are reviewing public feedback on a proposal to close 27 schools, with many parents and teachers asking for clearer data on cost savings before decisions are made.

And several Georgia special elections are heading to runoffs, including races for State Senate District 53 and State House districts 94 and 130, after no candidate received a majority of the vote.

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A tornado watch is in effect for parts of central and east-central Georgia as strong storms move across the state. The National Weather Service says communities including Macon, Warner Robins and Milledgeville could see wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour, heavy rain and possible isolated tornadoes. Travelers are also being urged to arrive early at airports as severe weather and a partial federal government shutdown create delays.

In northwest Georgia, the special election for the 14th Congressional District is heading to a runoff on April 7. Democrat Sean Harris will face Trump-endorsed Republican Clay Fuller after neither candidate secured a majority in the crowded race.

Residents in Sandy Springs may soon see a change in their mailing address after the U.S. Postal Service approved listing Sandy Springs instead of Atlanta as the default city name for most local ZIP codes. City leaders say the change could help reduce tax confusion and ensure proper sales tax distribution.

Meanwhile, Henry County declared a local state of emergency over the weekend and imposed a curfew for minors to prevent a planned “teen takeover” organized on social media.

And Georgia craft brewers continue pushing lawmakers to loosen alcohol distribution laws, arguing the state’s three-tier system and limits on direct sales restrict small breweries’ growth compared with other states.

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In DeKalb County, Tucker City Council has approved a new loitering ordinance aligned with the county’s 2025 code. The measure allows businesses such as convenience stores, gas stations and extended-stay motels to authorize police to enforce loitering rules on their property. Some officials raised concerns the policy could disproportionately affect unhoused residents.

At the Capitol, the Georgia House passed a $38.5 billion fiscal year 2027 budget, about 2% larger than last year. The spending plan includes $60.8 million for early literacy programs, $34.9 million to hire more correctional officers, and $70 million for prison health care.

Advocates were also closely watching Crossover Day, the deadline for bills to pass their chamber of origin. The ACLU of Georgia says community pressure helped stop several proposals it opposed, including a sweeping elections bill that failed by one vote. However, the group says other measures remain alive, including legislation that could criminalize librarians for allowing minors to access certain materials and bills increasing penalties tied to protest-related offenses.

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Georgia’s primary ballots are now set ahead of the May 19 elections. In the open 10th Congressional District, three candidates from each party are competing after Rep. Mike Collins entered the U.S. Senate race. In U.S. House District 1, former Rep. Buddy Carter’s Senate bid has left the seat open, drawing eight Democrats and six Republicans into the primary.

Lawmakers are also advancing Senate Bill 482, which would require people requesting mugshots or police body camera footage to appear in person and sign a notarized statement promising not to misuse the material. Supporters say it protects people whose charges were dropped, while critics warn it could limit public oversight of law enforcement.

Meanwhile, voters in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District are casting ballots in a special election to replace former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. With 17 candidates on the ballot, a runoff is widely expected. President Donald Trump has endorsed district attorney Clay Fuller, while Democrat Sean Harris, a veteran and farmer, is emerging as a leading challenger.

And in Fulton County, a judge ruled District Attorney Fani Willis cannot intervene in the legal fight over attorney fees tied to the dismissed election interference case involving Donald Trump. Trump and several co-defendants are seeking more than $16 million from the county under a state law allowing defendants to recover costs when a case is dropped.

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Georgia ranked among the nation’s top exporting states in 2025. Gov. Brian Kemp and the Georgia Department of Economic Development say the state placed seventh in total trade value and ninth in exports, surpassing $60 billion in exported goods with a 12.7% year-over-year increase, more than double the national average. Civilian aircraft parts led the state’s export categories.

A federal judge has dismissed the $1 billion lawsuit filed by the parents of Kendrick Johnson, the Georgia teen found dead inside a rolled wrestling mat at Lowndes High School in 2013. The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation also released its 2026 “Places in Peril” list, with the Boggs Rural Life Center, a historic African American boarding school founded in 1906, topping the list after years of neglect and damage from Hurricane Helene.

Meanwhile, the latest federal jobs report shows the U.S. economy lost about 92,000 jobs in January, with Georgia companies cutting more than 1,700 jobs among firms with at least 100 employees — the worst January for large layoffs in a decade. Rising fuel costs may add pressure as oil prices climb past $100 per barrel, pushing the national average for gas to about $3.45 a gallon.

Georgia lawmakers are also pressing immigration officials to release Rodney Taylor, a Gwinnett County barber detained for more than a year at Stewart Detention Center despite serious medical concerns.

Internationally, Mojtaba Khamenei has reportedly taken power in Iran following the death of his father, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. President Donald Trump has criticized the development while the conflict with Iran continues to escalate.

And with qualifying now closed, the ballots are set for Georgia’s midterm primaries. In the race for U.S. House District 1, eight Democrats and six Republicans are competing for the open seat once held by Buddy Carter.

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It’s Crossover Day at the Georgia Capitol, and lawmakers are racing to pass bills before the legislative deadline. Several proposals focus on regulating artificial intelligence and social media. One measure, Senate Bill 398, would make “virtual peeping” — using AI to create or view explicit images without consent — a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Other bills moving this week aim to strengthen online protections for children and hold people accountable for distributing explicit images.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has reassigned Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as special envoy for the new “Shield of the Americas” security initiative and nominated Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin to lead the department beginning March 31.

At the Capitol, Georgia Democrats are proposing a major change to the state’s tax system. House Resolution 1504 would replace Georgia’s flat income tax with a progressive system that taxes higher earners at higher rates, though the proposal faces long odds in the Republican-led legislature.

Lawmakers have also unanimously passed Senate Bill 406 to curb abuses by homeowners associations, raising the foreclosure threshold for unpaid dues and placing HOAs under oversight from the Secretary of State’s office.

And Wellroot Family Services is expanding behavioral health care programs across Georgia, adding housing and support services for foster youth transitioning into adulthood.

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Georgia’s amended 2026 budget is now law. Gov. Brian Kemp signed the plan this week, highlighting nearly $2 billion in tax refunds, additional income and property tax relief, and pay support for teachers and law enforcement. The budget also includes $1.7 billion to expand I-75 express lanes in Henry County and funding to help build a new mental health hospital. Lawmakers say the spending package also backs Georgia’s first needs-based scholarship program.

At the Capitol, Democratic State Sen. Sonia Halpern is warning about a proposal that would allow property taxes on Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, arguing it could put Georgia at a competitive disadvantage compared with other states.

In Cobb County, the city of Mableton has passed a local version of the CROWN Act, banning discrimination against natural hairstyles such as braids, twists and afros in schools and workplaces.

Security has also increased at Fort Gordon in Augusta as tensions rise overseas, with the base raising its force protection level and warning drivers to expect longer wait times at entry gates.

And in Washington, President Donald Trump has fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem following congressional scrutiny over a $220 million immigration ad campaign. Trump says Noem will instead serve as special envoy for the “Shield of the Americas,” a new Latin American security coalition, while Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin has been nominated to lead the Department of Homeland Security.

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