On Second Thought

Summer in Georgia is always hot, but if you feel like 2016 has been warmer than normal, you're right. The temperature in Atlanta was higher than average every single day during the month of July. Climate experts say this year could go down as the hottest on record. We talk with University of Georgia agricultural climatologist Pam Knox about the trend and what it means for everyone who lives and works in the Peach State.

A man who escaped from a Georgia prison almost 50 years ago may be headed back to the state. Robert Stackowitz appeared in court on Tuesday in Connecticut for an extradition hearing. Stackowitz appealed that decision and is now out on bail. We spoke with his attorney Norm Pattis a few months ago about the case. We also asked Fordham University professor Tina Maschi about how we know someone is truly rehabilitated.

Atlanta will host its first Super Bowl since 1998 in 2019. The game will be played in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which is slated to open by the start of the 2017 NFL season. Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank sees his multi-billion dollar project as a way to raise Atlanta’s international profile and boost the surrounding community. We speak with Arthur Blank about the new stadium and his thoughts on Super Bowl LIII.

The small town of Sparta, Georgia made headlines earlier this year over accusations the county board of elections targeted black voters to purge them from voters rolls. We hear one voter’s account of what happened. Then, this type of action would have once needed the approval of the U.S. Department of Justice a few years ago. But that changed in 2013 when the Supreme Court struck down a key provision in the Voting Rights Act. So, what affect will all this have in the upcoming election in Georgia

We head to the polls on Tuesday’s show and examine voting issues across the state. Republican nominee Donald Trump has claimed on multiple occasions that the presidential election is rigged against him. We speak with Emory University law professor Michael Kang about mistrust in the voting system and whether voters should be concerned. Then, the non-partisan journalism project News21 evaluated hundreds of allegations of voter fraud over the last few years including cases in Georgia and found none

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has claimed on multiple occasions that the election is rigged against him. But can a national presidential election actually be rigged against a single candidate or party? We speak with Emory University law professor Michael Kang about mistrust in the voting system and whether voters should be concerned.

A new report by the non-partisan journalism project News21 found voter fraud that could be prevented by tougher voter ID laws is not widespread. Hundreds of allegations of voter fraud over the last few years were reviewed in five states, including Georgia, and found none of the prosecuted cases involved voter impersonation. We talk about voter fraud in Georgia with Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp and Emory University professor Andra Gillespie. Hear an extended interview with Andra

Officials in Newton County have blocked construction of a cemetery in the Atlanta suburb of Doraville. The imam behind the project, Mohammad Islam, said it's too costly to bury members of his congregation in the existing cemetery miles away. That's why he wants to create one in nearby Newton County and have an adjoining mosque where people can pray. The U.S. Justice Department is reviewing the matter. We talk about the case with Atlanta attorney Edward Ahmed Mitchell, who is the executive

R.E.M. made the world listen. Formed in 1980, the quartet out of Athens, Georgia exploded the old idea of what pop music is all about. The 25th anniversary edition of the band’s iconic “Out of Time” album is set to be released in November. A 2014 MTV documentary explores the band’s Georgia roots. We listen back to our conversation with the filmmakers of the documentary and we also talk with Jordan Stepp, the writer of the Athens Music Junkie blog.

Atlanta’s new soccer team - Atlanta United FC – may not have a head coach yet, but it has tons of fans. The team has already set a new record for the most season tickets sold by an expansion team. We speak with Atlanta United Team President Darren Eales about the new team and soccer’s growing popularity in the South. We also speak with Tara Goodwin-Ruffus, the events director for the Atlanta soccer support club Terminus Legion.