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  • Waycross center helps violence survivors access services in southeast Georgia

    Waycross center helps violence survivors access services in southeast Georgia

    Waycross center helps violence survivors access services in southeast Georgia

    An organization in rural, southeast Georgia is working to bridge the gap between service providers for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse.

    The Waycross Family Justice Center opened in August 2024 and has helped 260 victims so far. The center works with partners, such as the Department of Family and Children Services and Georgia Legal Services, to provide those in need with help. It also has a 15-passenger van to provide transportation in a region without public transportation.

    Heather Flowers works as a navigator at the center and is a survivor herself. She said there are several misconceptions about those who experience violence.

    “People feel like it may be marginalized families, it may be the lower-income family, it may be different areas, but it’s not,” Flowers said. “Violence is not prejudiced. And so what we want people to know is that this center, there’s no judgment at this center. This center is for everyone.”

    Gov. Brian Kemp recently signed the Family Justice Center Act, which creates statewide standards for centers like the Waycross Family Justice Center. The law will also open up resources and funding for the centers.

    Flowers said this type of support was unavailable when she was experiencing violence.

    “When I was going through my own time of challenges, the resources was not there. The opportunities were not there,” she said. “What we have seen in putting all of these resources in one location is that you have more people that will come forward and seek out the help.”

    Flowers said the goal of the center is to show people that there is a safe place they can go for help, and the new law is expected to encourage more centers to open across the state.

  • Josh McLaurin – once JD Vance’s Yale roommate – on being the ‘conscience of the majority’ in a minority party

    Josh McLaurin – once JD Vance’s Yale roommate – on being the ‘conscience of the majority’ in a minority party

    State Senator ⁠Josh McClaurin⁠ spent time ahead of the Georgia Democratic Party primary with Caroline and Debra. He’s now in a run-off to be the party’s nominee for the Lieutenant Governor’s office currently held by the GOP’s Burt Jones, a Trump acolyte and fake elector.

    Interestingly enough, though, it’s another Trump sycophant that McClaurin had a more intimate tie to; ⁠he was once JD Vance’s Yale law school roommate⁠. Hear Josh recall their interactions, noting how different they were then and continue to be now.

    Josh’s framing of Georgia Democrats’ role in politics is interesting too: being in the minority party, he says, means being the “conscience of the majority” while out of power.

    Great conversation – take a listen!

  • Thousands of fish die in Chattahoochee after Atlanta flood and sewage overflow

    Thousands of fish die in Chattahoochee after Atlanta flood and sewage overflow

    Thousands of fish die in Chattahoochee after Atlanta flood and sewage overflow

    Stormwater overflow from Atlanta’s flood on Wednesday resulted in thousands of fish in the Chattahoochee River being killed.

    The damage of the floodwaters spans for around 20 miles.

    Jason Ulseth, the executive director of the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, said he has never seen anything like it. The combination of the drought leading to near-historic lows for the river and the overflow of sewage and pollution into the river lowered oxygen levels in the water suffocating the fish, he said.

    Ulseth said the killed fish have major consequences for the environment.

    “Other animals that eat the fish, depend on the fish for their well-being. And, you know, there’s a lot of fishermen in this stretch and people are upset. I’m very upset because I’m a fisherman, and going down the river and seeing these trophy fish that are just dead because of something that, you know, we’ve been trying to control for so long,” he said.

    Ulseth pointed to climate change as a major factor of the flooding.

    “Storms like we got on Wednesday, that supercell dropped three inches of rain in less than an hour. We’re only supposed to see storms like that once every 150 years. Based off of all of our historic data here in metro Atlanta, we’ve had three of those in the last five years,” he said. “We are very concerned that climate change is intensifying our rainstorms and causing a lot of problems at home here on the Chattahoochee River and its lakes.”

    Ulseth said the next steps are to find out why this flood caused so much damage to the river and potential solutions to prevent more damage in the future.

  • Ossoff, Bottoms team up for Atlanta rally ahead of November election

    Ossoff, Bottoms team up for Atlanta rally ahead of November election

    Ossoff, Bottoms team up for Atlanta rally ahead of November election

    Sen. Jon Ossoff and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms are joining forces on the campaign trail to defeat their Republican challengers for office.

    Ossoff will appear with Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bottoms at a rally in Atlanta on Sunday for the first joint appearance of the candidates.

    As Ossoff defends his seat and Bottoms fights for the governor’s seat, the pair are working together to energize voters before the general election in November.

    Ossoff is seeking his second term in the U.S. Senate and ran for his seat unopposed on the Democratic ticket. Bottoms received 56% of the vote in the Democratic primary for governor in a crowded race.

    Republicans Mike Collins and Derek Dooley will compete in a runoff election on June 16 for a chance to run against Ossoff in the general election. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones will face off against Rick Jackson in the Republican primary for governor.

    The rally with Ossoff and Bottoms will be held at 4 p.m., and people must register for event details.

  • NOAA forecasts below-normal Atlantic hurricane season for 2026

    NOAA forecasts below-normal Atlantic hurricane season for 2026

    NOAA forecasts below-normal Atlantic hurricane season for 2026

    Forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are predicting a below-normal hurricane season for 2026 in the Atlantic Ocean. 

    The hurricane season runs from June 1 until November 30, and NOAA’s outlook predicts a 55% chance of below-normal season.

    “With the most advanced forecast modeling and hurricane tracking technologies, NOAA and the National Weather Service are prepared to deliver real-time storm forecasts and warnings,” said Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. “Our experts are integrating cutting-edge tools to ensure communities in the path of storms receive the earliest, most accurate information possible.”

    The agency is forecasting a total of 8-14 named storms with only 3-6 of those forecasted to become hurricanes.

    Several factors contribute to the forecast. The main one that the report cites is El Nino is expected to intensify during the hurricane season, which supports less tropical storms.

    However, the agency still encourages people to be prepared for hurricane season as forecasts are subject to change.

  • Georgia group works to address growing mental health crisis among farmers

    Georgia group works to address growing mental health crisis among farmers

    Georgia group works to address growing mental health crisis among farmers

    A Georgia organization is looking for ways to address mental health concerns among the state’s farmers.

    John P. McElveen is the director of the Georgia Agricultural Wellness Alliance, which was founded in 2022. He told WABE that the general population might not realize the types of stressors farmers are under today.

    “I do think those outside of agriculture sometimes have this very rosy picture of the pastoral settings in which farmers work and that they get to be outside and enjoy that. And that’s true to a certain extent,” McElveen said. “But it is a double-edged sword, if you will. And so, they really need to understand — those consumers and others — and we’re all impacted and depend upon agriculture. We need to know about that stress and those challenges.”

    From natural disasters like hurricanes to economic challenges, such as tariffs and rising fuel costs, farmers face several obstacles to keep their businesses going, which contribute to worsening mental health.

    The National Rural Health Association reports that farmers are three to five times more likely to die by suicide than the average population.

    McElveen was introduced to a program called COMET, the Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory, based out of Colorado. The program works to train rural communities how to help people who are struggling.

    McElveen hopes to bring the program to Georgia to help rural communities deal with mental health challenges.

  • Goodwill program helps Georgians rebuild careers after incarceration

    Goodwill program helps Georgians rebuild careers after incarceration

    Goodwill program helps Georgians rebuild careers after incarceration

    Goodwill of North Georgia helps thousands of formerly incarcerated individuals earn trade certifications and find jobs.

    Elaine Armstrong, Goodwill of North Georgia’s vice president of marketing, said the program has helped more than 15,000 people find work in different fields.

    “We work with more than 5,000 employers across North Georgia. So that could be anybody from the folks who may hire our welders to Georgia DOT,” Armstrong said. “When you donate and when you shop. That’s what makes all of this possible.”

    Ieshia Woodard recently graduated from the program and now has a job where she operates on robot welding machines. Woodard learned about the program through a friend.

    “My friend went to do the welding program at Goodwill, which I had never heard of. I thought the Goodwill was for clothes. I never would have thought at all to come to Goodwill for anything job-related,” she said.

    Woodard said the program helped her get back on her feet after incarceration because it helped her find a job, which is difficult for those with a criminal record.

    The classes are not just for formerly incarcerated people. They are open for anyone who wants to learn a trade.

  • Here are 3 ways to honor fallen service members on Memorial Day in Georgia

    Here are 3 ways to honor fallen service members on Memorial Day in Georgia

    Here are 3 ways to honor fallen service members on Memorial Day in Georgia

    Memorial Day serves as a national day of remembrance for those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the U.S., and many Americans observe the day by attending local parades and visiting cemeteries and monuments.

    Several ceremonies and services will be held across Georgia today. Here are a few ceremonies and observances happening at cemeteries around the state.. 

    1. Marietta National Cemetery

    The National Memorial Day Association of Georgia is hosting the 2026 Marietta Memorial Day Ceremony at the Marietta National Cemetery.

    The event is free, begins at noon and features the presentation of the colors, prayers, a gun salute, and speeches.

    2. Andersonville National Historic Site

    Although Andersonville National Historic Site has already had ceremonies prior to the day, on Memorial Day, the park will observe Taps Across America in the Andersonville National Cemetery.

    Taps Across America is an annual Memorial Day tribute, during which musicians are asked to play “Taps” at exactly 3 p.m. local time.

    3. Georgia National Cemetery

    The Georgia National Cemetery held an event to honor Memorial Day on Saturday, but the Department of Veterans Affairs encourages people to visit and volunteer at the national cemeteries to observe the holiday.

    Honorable Mentions

    The City of Roswell will hold their 27th Annual Roswell Remembers Memorial Day Ceremony at 10 a.m.

    Henry County will hold a Memorial Day ceremony at 11 a.m. followed by a museum sign unveiling.

    The City of Sugar Hill will host a Memorial Day ceremony in front of the Veterans Memorial on West Broad St. at 10:30 a.m.

  • Carter Center forum highlights need for earlier mental health care

    Carter Center forum highlights need for earlier mental health care

    Carter Center forum highlights need for earlier mental health care

    The Carter Center hosted its 30th annual Mental Health Forum, continuing the legacy of former First Lady Rosalynn Carter.

    The event is dedicated to advancing mental health policy, systems, and practice across the state of Georgia by bringing together state leaders, experts in the field, and advocates.

    Former U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy, who helped get the 2008 federal Mental Health Parity Act passed, spoke at the event, according to Georgia Public Broadcasting.

    He said Georgia could do more in the area of prevention.

    “Right now, we pay for the most costly care because we wait until it becomes a crisis,” Kennedy said. “No surprise; if you waited for cancer to be Stage 4, you’d end up spending a lot more money than if you did much more, early on, to screen.”

    Georgia passed its own Mental Health Parity Act in 2022 and recently launched a mental health parity centralized dashboard to help track issues with insurance coverage for mental health care claims. 

    Also at the event, Commissioner Kevin Tanner of the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities gave an update of the agency’s plans and several panels discussed topics from immigration to caregiving needs.

  • Keisha Lance Bottoms wins Democratic governor primary, avoids runoff

    Keisha Lance Bottoms wins Democratic governor primary, avoids runoff

    Keisha Lance Bottoms wins Democratic governor primary, avoids runoff

    Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms avoided a runoff on Tuesday by receiving 56% of the vote in the Democratic primary for governor.

    Bottoms took her win as proof of her campaign’s success and potential to win the general election in November.

    “We have a very powerful campaign that’s ready to take on whoever comes out of this Republican primary in November,” Bottoms said in an interview with CBS News “The Takeout.”

    Lt. Gov. Burt Jones will face Rick Jackson in the runoff for the Republican primary for governor after neither candidate received 50% of the vote on Tuesday. Bottoms conflated the two candidates with President Donald Trump.

    “Just in terms of their running toward Trump’s MAGA agenda, they’re equally awful in that regard,” she said. “That’s not what the people of this state want to hear. They want to hear how we are going to address these everyday issues that are impacting their lives: cost of living, access or lack thereof to healthcare, education, access to jobs.”

    Georgia has never had a Black person or a woman elected as governor. However, Bottoms said that historical significance is not the energy behind her campaign.

    “I don’t go around thinking about the label of being a Black woman,” she said. “What I’m thinking about right now is just how I’m going to deliver for the people across the state. It’s just about how will you make my life better and why should I vote for you.”

    Bottoms said, if elected, her policy priorities will be to expand Medicaid, increase teacher salaries and tackle affordable housing issues.