Georgia NOW!

Georgia’s data center boom is raising concerns about whether the state has enough electricity to support all of the proposed projects. A Georgia nonprofit estimates 81 proposed data centers could require between 29 and 58 gigawatts of power, while questions remain about transparency surrounding many of the developments.
Also, in this episode:
A Republican candidate for the Georgia Senate has been arrested on aggravated assault charges. 
Advocates for keeping kids nicotine-free are raising concerns about new FDA rules allowing marketing of flavored nicotine products. 
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Georgia communities are pushing back against the state’s growing data center industry, citing concerns over water use, energy demand and impacts on local resources.
Also in this episode:
A new UGA poll finds Georgia voters across party lines agree healthcare is too expensive, with more than three in five saying healthcare is unaffordable.
More than 1,200 people were arrested in Georgia during a recent ICE operation, with officials saying 720 had been charged with or convicted of crimes in the U.S.
A Milton High School student won a top national award for high school musical theater.
A new small business workshop in Macon is helping entrepreneurs learn practical ways to use AI to improve efficiency and grow their businesses.
🎧 Tune in 24/7 to Georgia NOW. Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com — and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share Georgia NOW News wherever you get your podcasts.
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DOGE cuts have impacted many industries and nonprofits in Georgia. In this episode, we talk about a Georgia manufacturer that is helping lead a new effort to expand access to ready-to-use therapeutic food and fight global starvation after cuts to USAID. Plus, federal funding cuts are forcing a rural Georgia program that helped more than 400 students graduate to hold its final graduation.
Also, in this episode:
Georgia farmers are still waiting for compensation for damage caused by Hurricane Helene, with as much as $10 million potentially unpaid.
A Clayton County Teacher of the Year is using music, movement and gardening to help students learn STEM concepts.
Georgia’s medical cannabis program sees a 22% increase in registered patients following changes to state law.
🎧 Tune in 24/7 to Georgia NOW. Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com — and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share Georgia NOW News wherever you get your podcasts.
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This episode of Georgia NOW covers how Georgia Head Start leaders are reviewing a proposed federal overhaul that could significantly change early childhood education programs serving more than 20,000 children across the state.
Also, in this episode:
New testing data shows Georgia students continuing to make gains in math, with most grade levels now performing at or above pre-pandemic levels.
The Trump administration moves forward with efforts to fire Federal Reserve Governor and Georgia native Lisa Cook, despite an ongoing legal challenge.
New research from the University of Georgia explores the connection between the brain and the gut—and how gut health may affect stress, depression and other diseases.
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This episode covers the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s annual Congressional Luncheon, where Gov. Brian Kemp, U.S. Rep. Mike Collins and Georgia’s two candidates for governor addressed business and community leaders. 
Also in this episode:
Siemens announces plans for a $185 million manufacturing facility in Pendergrass that could create more than 1,400 jobs.
A new legislative committee begins work on standards for Georgia’s next statewide election system.
A Trump administration rule change could send more asylum cases directly to immigration courts, where Georgia has one of the country’s lowest asylum grant rates.
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff launches an investigation into the risks artificial intelligence poses to children, including the creation and spread of AI-generated indecent images.
🎧 Tune in 24/7 to Georgia NOW. Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com — and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share Georgia NOW News wherever you get your podcasts.
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The U.S. Senate confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after months of debate over her nomination and concerns about the agency's independence.
Georgia lawmakers convene the first meeting of the Joint Election Equipment Specifications and Standards Committee to begin developing recommendations for the state's next voting system.
A successful multi-agency effort helped rescue a manatee tangled in crab trap lines off the Georgia coast near St. Simons Island and Brunswick.
Georgia utility regulators are reviewing a major power agreement between Georgia Power and OpenAI for a planned $20 billion data center in Effingham County that will require enough electricity to power more than 2 million homes.
🎧 Tune in 24/7 to Georgia NOW. Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com — and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share Georgia NOW News wherever you get your podcasts.
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In this episode, we look at four stories making news across Georgia.
The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge has officially been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, placing the southeast Georgia swamp alongside some of the world's most recognized natural landmarks. 
We also break down a new AARP Georgia poll showing voters age 50 and older are highly motivated ahead of November's election. Plus, Georgia Power has broken ground on a major natural gas expansion at Plant Bowen to meet growing electricity demand, drawing praise from supporters focused on energy reliability and criticism from environmental groups concerned about air pollution.
And Georgia's public libraries are expanding free workforce training through a new partnership with Grow with Google, giving library card holders access to professional certification programs in fields such as AI support, cybersecurity, project management and data analytics.
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A federal judge in Georgia faces an impeachment resolution after details of a private reprimand revealed findings that she lied to investigators and engaged in misconduct.
Environmental groups notify the City of Atlanta and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport of their intent to sue over ongoing Flint River pollution linked to multiple jet fuel spills.
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff calls on Rep. Mike Collins to address questions about his son-in-law following reports linking him to racist and antisemitic social media posts.
A federal rule change to the Endangered Species Act could reduce habitat protections for endangered species in Georgia.
Atlanta's Historic Oakland Cemetery gives children a hands-on summer camp experience focused on art, science, engineering and local history.
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Georgia lawmakers are preparing for tighter budgets as Gov. Brian Kemp directs state agencies to hold spending steady amid ongoing income tax cuts. Plus, why Georgia is home to one of the world's largest tick collections and what health experts want you to know as tick season stretches year-round.
Also, a federal investigation is underway after cyberattacks targeted water systems in six states, including Georgia, and the Georgia Aquarium says goodbye to Charlie, its beloved 40-year-old African penguin.
🎧 Tune in 24/7 to Georgia NOW. Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com — and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share Georgia NOW News wherever you get your podcasts.
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Students across Georgia are heading back to the classroom as the 2026-2027 school year begins. In this episode, we cover what families can expect on the first day of school, from easing back-to-school anxiety and preparing kids for success to the rising cost of school supplies.
Plus, a central Georgia fire department adopts a new shift schedule aimed at reducing firefighter burnout, Georgia Democrats rally in Savannah as they prepare for November's midterm elections, the race to fill the late Congressman David Scott's seat heads to a runoff, and we explain why what many thought was an earthquake in Gwinnett County was actually something much more common.
🎧 Tune in 24/7 to Georgia NOW. Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com — and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share Georgia NOW News wherever you get your podcasts.
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