On Second Thought

Hurricane Irma made landfall in the United States over the weekend. It is slowly working its way north. Hurricanes are rare in Georgia, but we do get them. Our last direct hit by a major hurricane was in 1898, but that doesn’t mean we haven’t had our share of big storms. Stan Deaton, who is the s enior historian of the Georgia Historical Society, recently talked about Georgia's hurricane history on his podcast, Off the Deaton Path .

What if your dog could talk? Georgia Tech researchers have developed a vest that can help service dogs communicate. Melody Jackson leads the initiative, and she’s the director of Georgia Tech’s Center for BioInterface Research. We talk about canine communication with her, and with Greg Berns. He directs the Center for Neuropolicy at Emory University, and is author of the new book, “What It's Like to Be a Dog: And Other Adventures in Animal Neuroscience.” More than 1,700 people signed an online

A flood devastated Rome, Georgia in 1886. According to local lore the waters rose high enough for a steamboat to float down Broad Street, the town’s main thoroughfare. This event inspired city leaders to elevate the street, and all the buildings along it. Business owners recently opened up their basement doors for people to tour the remains of old Rome. We took the tour, and brought back this audio postcard. City planners of 1886 reportedly raised Broad Street for about $3,000. “They couldn’t

Barbecue is truly Southern food. Almost everyone has an opinion on the best way to cook, flavor and serve barbecue. But it’s controversial for another reason. Barbecue has roots in slavery and some popular restaurants have decidedly racist pasts. We talked about the political side to barbecue with Kathleen Purvis, food writer with the Charlotte Observer. Chuck Reece, Editor for the Bitter Southerner, and Michael Twitty, a food writer and historian, also joined. Sweet tea has been sacred on

Since the outset of the American presidency, African-Americans have worked in the White House kitchen, but they’re often left out of the history books. We talked with food historian Adrian Miller , author of the book, " The President’s Kitchen Cabinet: The Stories of African-Americans Who Fed Our First Families, From the Washingtons to the Obamas ." Adrian Miller speaks Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta.

The Trump administration is asking Congress for an initial $8 billion for recovery efforts after Harvey hit Texas and Louisiana. The storm caused an estimated $180 billion in damage and the economic impact of that will be felt all across the country. In the weeks and months ahead, communities devastated by the storm will need to rebuild. We talked with Emory University labor economist Tom Smith about the economic impact of the disaster on Georgia, and whether jobs created in the recovery will be

Hurricane Harvey displaced tens of thousands of people and destroyed tens of thousands of homes across the Southeast. Even though the storm has passed, there’s a long road to recovery. Georgia-based MAP International is one of the relief organizations helping the storm’s victims. We check in with the group’s CEO, Steve Stirling. The Trump administration is asking Congress for an initial $8 billion for the recovery. In the weeks and months ahead, communities devastated by the storm will need to

Hurricane Harvey displaced tens of thousands of people and destroyed tens of thousands of homes across the Southeast. Even though the storm has passed, there’s a long road to recovery. Georgia-based MAP International is one of the relief organizations helping the storm’s victims . We checked in with the group’s CEO, Steve Stirling .

Every day in the United States 91 people die of opioid overdose. That includes prescription opiates and heroin. Over a year, that’s more than ten times the number of people who died on 9/11. On today’s “On Second Thought,” we’re going to hear from some of the people struggling with addiction, those who offer help, and communities caught in the middle.

Actor Henry Winkler, best known for his leading role on TV's "Happy Days," is coming to Georgia this week for the Decatur Book Festival . He’s the co-creator of a popular children’s book series that centers on Hank Zipzer , a young boy with learning difficulties. We talked with Winkler about his love for writing. Henry Winkler is speaking Friday at 5 p.m. at Decatur High School Performing Arts Center . The event is sold out. Winkler will also be signing copies of his children’s book on Saturday