Hurricane Irma is howling towards the Southeast. A state of emergency has been declared for 94 Georgia counties. The hurricane is one of the strongest ever recorded in the Atlantic. Joining us to talk about how best to prepare for this mammoth storm is John Knox, Professor of Geography at the University of Georgia.

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

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

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

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 .

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

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

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.

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.

Ayyyy! Henry Winkler 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. Henry Winkler joined us to talk about his life and writing. Regina Bradley, writer and hip-hop scholar, is author of the recently released “Boondock Kollage: New Stories from the Contemporary Black South.” The collection offers 12 short stories chronicling Southern life in the post-civil