The Brief from WABE

The final deadline to enroll in a “Georgia Access” health plan is coming up and the insurance is a lot more expensive for many in Georgia this year; Beverage giant Coca-Cola plans to lay off 75 employees at its Atlanta corporate headquarters as part of a broader reorganization of its workforce this year; and as we look back at some of WABE's most poignant stories from 2025, we hear about a Georgia non-profit offering incarcerated mothers the opportunity to reconnect with their children

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Years after RICO indictments were handed out against "Stop Cop City" protesters, judge throws out the charges; Animal control in Fulton County now the responsibility of county police after botched incidents involving Lifeline Animal Project; and first-day hikes on the first day of 2026.

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Headline-making monks make stops in metro Atlanta after 2,300-mile journey; APD says it plans to question hundreds of parents after Atlantic Station melee; and the artist behind a reflective new art installation at Piedmont Park. 

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Georgia's two new state energy regulators have both now been officially sworn in; Thousands of refugees admitted into Georgia during the Biden Administration will face reassessment; and WABE’s DorMiya Vance delves into the journey of local residents navigating the ongoing data center boom.

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Three escaped inmates from DeKalb County Jail caught; wombat scat as communication; and how a drag show has become a Christmas tradition

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Three inmates are on the run after escaping from the DeKalb County Jail; G-DOT suspends roadwork for the holiday travel peak; and why rural Georgia might experience an extra tough holiday season because of interruptions to federal programs.  

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Fulton County says the damage left by a recent fire at the main jail on Rice Street has made over 500 beds at the already-crowded facility unavailable; The Georgia Public Service Commission Friday unanimously approved an expansion deal for Georgia Power expected to cost at least 15 billion dollars; Conservation partners have completed a major deal on the Georgia-Alabama state border covering 10,000 acres of critical forest and watersheds.

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Federal Dept. of Justice sues Georgia's Secretary of State for not handing over private election ballots; Georgia's utility regulators are set to vote on a massive and controversial Georgia Power expansion plan; and the father of the accused Apalachee High School shooter wants text messages with his son thrown out before his trial begins in February. 

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Two labor unions come out in opposition of major railroad merger; Atlanta's housing market shows a major shift from this time last year; and Atlanta's VA Medical Center expands efforts to keep women veterans safe during and after pregnancy. 

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Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is set to testify Wednesday before a State Senate committee investigating her; The city of Atlanta says it's dropping its traditional 'Peach Drop' this New Year's Eve at Underground Atlanta and doing a fireworks and drone countdown instead; and Actor and comedian Marlon Wayans speaks with WABE Arts about the filming the upcoming Scary Movie 6 in Atlanta and the city's role in his long-term career and personal plans. 

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