On Second Thought

Southern rock band Drive-by Truckers was co-founded by friends Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley in 1996. They still call Athens home, but they're now on an international tour to promote their latest album, "American Band." We talk with Hood talks about the new album, and his role as musician in a politically tumultuous time. Also, President-elect Donald Trump says he plans to crackdown on undocumented immigrants in the country by deporting or jailing people with criminal records. According to a

Patterson Hood co-founded the Southern Rock band Drive-By Truckers in 1996 in Athens, Georgia. Since then, the band has pumped out 11 full-length albums; Hood has released three solo albums. Drive-By Truckers is now on tour to promote their newest record, "American Band." Patterson Hood joins us by phone to talk about the band's history, and how the current album coincided with the tumultuous politics of the last year. Drive-By Truckers will perform at the Tabernacle in Atlanta Saturday night at

Georgia is set to break an unusual record on November 16, 2016 with the planned execution of Steven Frederick Spears. Spears is on death row for the 2001 murder of his ex-girlfriend in Dahlonega. And if he's put to death this evening as scheduled, Georgia will top Texas for the most calendar-year executions in 2016. It turns out Georgia was influential to how modern public opinion of the death penalty was shaped. That's the story told in a forthcoming documentary about the case of Jerome Bowden.

Sometimes the best way to deal with serious subjects is to have a laugh. Comedian Trae Crowder uses humor to talk about politics and culture, and he's found a big following online. Trae calls himself "the Liberal Redneck" and he seems to take pleasure in flouting Southern stereotypes. He'll perform in Georgia this week as part of the WellRED Comedy Tour, along with fellow comics Corey Ryan Forrester and Drew Morgan. The three of them also have a new book called "The Liberal Redneck Manifesto:

According to a National Science Foundation report from 2014, Hispanic college students received only 12 percent of science and engineering bachelor’s degrees and African-American students less than 9 percent. To bolster diversity in STEM fields, the Peach State Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) funds and encourages students of color to enroll in science-related majors. The organization was recently awarded a $4 million grant by the NSF to continue the effort. LSAMP

Georgia native Deborah Norville is now the longest serving female anchor on national television. She has hosted "Inside Edition" for more than 20 years. Last month, she was inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame. We asked her to reflect on her journey in the broadcasting business and how growing up in Georgia shaped her life.

According to a National Science Foundation report from 2014, Hispanic college students received only 12 percent of science and engineering bachelor’s degrees and African-American students less than 9 percent. The Peach State Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) funds and encourages students of color to get involved in more STEM majors. LSAMP provides stipends and career development opportunities at six different colleges in Georgia. The LSAMP program recently won a $4 million

In the week since Donald Trump won the presidential race, we’ve learned more about what to expect from him in the Oval Office. Trump's campaign and ultimate success changed the political playbook in many ways. This election year also exposed how divided we are as a nation. What are the challenges we need to address before we can move forward? We turn to a panel of experts for insight and reflection: The Daily Beast editor-at-large Goldie Taylor, Emory University political scientist Andra

The Atlanta Beltline was originally the master's thesis of Georgia Tech student Ryan Gravel in 1999. Now a pivotal landmark of the city's infrastructure, the Beltline has become a source of some controversy. Gravel stepped away from the Atlanta Beltline Partnership in September. He joins us to talk about his concerns, and what the trail leaders can do to get back on track.

A decades-old battle over Georgia water will be sorted out in Washington, D.C. The U.S. Supreme Court will decide who has rights to supply and use water in a fight between Georgia and Florida. The decision will have a major effect on agriculture in those states. GPB's Sam Whitehead reports on a farmer in Southwest Georgia who has had to do some creative thinking about water conservation.Lawyers for Georgia and Florida returned to court last month, and the case is expected to last for weeks. We