On Second Thought

On this episode, we discussed how thousands of Georgians were dropped from food stamp benefits this year – roughly 62 percent of the state’s recipients. The state told them they had an April 1 deadline to find a job, or lose their benefits. Melissa Johnson, Senior Policy Analyst for the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute; and Craig Schneider, reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, joined us for that conversation. Reporters Andy Miller of Georgia Health News and Brenda Goodman of WebMD

President Trump announced in a tweet he has tapped Atlanta Attorney Chris Wray to be the new FBI Director. Wray was the assistant attorney general leading the Justice Department's criminal division, from 2003 to 2005. The news came just a day before former FBI Director James Comey was scheduled to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee. We talk with Kent Alexander, former US Attorney General for the North District of Georgia; John Iannarelli, retired FBI Special Agent Executive; and

Thousands of Georgians were dropped from food stamp benefits this year – roughly 62 percent of the state’s recipients. The state told them they had an April 1 deadline to find a job, or lose their benefits. We talk with Melissa Johnson, Senior Policy Analyst for the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute. Also Craig Schneider, reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution joins us.

Lead was banned from plumbing decades ago, but as the crisis in Flint, Michigan shows, lead contamination lasts a long time. A new investigation into Georgia’s water systems finds they are not immune from lead contamination. We talked about the story with reporters Andy Miller of Georgia Health News and Brenda Goodman of WebMD. They reviewed lead testing records for water systems serving thousands of people, and they found poor record keeping and failure to follow a federal law.

The Breakroom gang is back to discuss the potential for Georgia to have its first African-American female governor, a debate over espionage vs. whistleblowing, and examining the feminism of Wonder Woman. Then we talk about Cumberland Island, why men refuse to seek medical help, and our favorite BBQ sauces. Our guests are Kalena Boller, Kathy Lohr, Stefan Turkheimer, and Jessica Szilagyi.

We talked with comedian Caroline Rhea , best known for her role on the ABC television show, "Sabrina the Teenage Witch." Rhea is performing June 9 and 10 at the Punchline Comedy Club in Atlanta . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWaqUtTipPQ

Here in the South, we know our food is delicious, and even the region's young chefs are celebrated. Jasmine Stewart, 12, of Milton, Georgia took first place in FOX’s latest MasterChef Junior competition. We joined Jasmine and her proud family in their kitchen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_9_PL0BayY

The Atlantic is rising. Georgia’s sea level is expected to be six feet higher by the end of the century. The drastic change puts Savannah at risk of losing nearly 60,000 residents. It is predicted that many of those displaced will relocate to Atlanta. We talk with UGA Demographer Matt Hauer about the findings of a recent study , and Todd Holloway, a Savannah-based planning consultant.

Austin-based guitarist Eric Johnson is a legend in the music world. His 1990 hit “Cliffs of Dover” put him on the map. He’s performed with the likes of Cat Stevens, Mike Stern, Steve Vai, and Joe Satriani. We catch up with Eric Johnson ahead of a performance at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta tonight, June 8.

Bad behavior by government officials is investigated by ethics boards. In Georgia the members of such boards are usually chosen by private organizations. But a DeKalb County judge recently ruled against that practice, saying it’s unconstitutional for people who weren’t elected to choose local government watchdogs. The ruling could also shake things up with the City of Atlanta and other counties – like Cobb, Fulton and Gwinnett – where ethics boards are appointed by private organizations. Tony