On Second Thought

The Georgia State Senate passed a bill last year that bars local governments from banning certain types of dogs. The measure never got a vote in the House, but it's a sign of how often breed-specific bans are cropping up in Georgia. Host Celeste Headlee talks about the effectiveness of these policies with Emily Patterson-Kane of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Most people take cough syrup or ibuprofen when they're sick. But the Gullah Geechee people used to gather an herb called "life everlasting" and boil it into a tea to settle coughs and congestion. Gullah Geechee culture is endangered as population numbers dwindle and land disputes threaten their way of life. That includes their medicinal traditions.

What celebrity sightings might you be in store for this weekend? That all depends on what film projects are taking place around the state. Host Celeste Headlee gets an update on who’s currently on set from Jennifer Brett of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Buzz Blog. Plus, quarterbacks Cam Newton and Peyton Manning are set to do football battle at this Sunday’s Super Bowl. But outside of the game, one local writer argues that Newton, a Georgia native and star of the Carolina Panthers, is also redefining what it means to be a real Southern gentleman.

Four years ago, one in every six inmates in the state prison system was mentally ill. Since then, the state has established 25 accountability courts to break the link between mental illness and crime. Host Celeste Headlee speaks with Dekalb Superior Court Judge Asha Jackson and Macon Superior Court Judge Verda Colvin about how mental health courts work and their effectiveness. Also, Georgia has some of the harshest immigration policies in the country, but does it help or hurt the economy?

In the 2016 Presidential race, it was expected that Hillary Clinton would lock up the Democratic nomination early and decisively. One year ago, no reputable political analyst would have thought Bernie Sanders would come within a breath of winning the Iowa caucus. But he did. For registered Democrats in Georgia, their vote might actually matter more in the primary race than anyone expected. Host Celeste Headlee talks with Georgia State Rep. LaDawn Jones, who is the state director for the Bernie Sanders campaign.

From the Atkins diet to Weight Watchers to the Paleo diet, it feels as if we’re inundated with diet studies all the time. Host Celeste Headlee speaks with Dr. Laurence Sperling, a cardiologist at Emory, about which diets to trust and which ones to avoid. Also, while concussions and other sports-related injuries might grab the headlines, it’s the mental health of student players that’s the top concern of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The NCAA recently released its guidelines on how to manage mental health issues in college athletes.

On yesterday's show, we talked about a tumultuous time in Georgia politics when the state had three active governors in the late 1940's. That was ultimately resolved in a Democratic primary in September 1948. One of the Georgians who voted in that primary was Isaiah Nixon, a black man who lived with his family in Montgomery County. After casting his vote, he was shot by two white men and later died. Students at Emory University have been investigating the case as part of a class looking at cold cases during the Jim Crow era.

Calls for reforming the nation's police departments have grown louder in recent years following several high-profile police shootings, particularly those involving African-American fatalities. In general, police forces are more diverse than they were just a few decades ago. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, about 25% of police officers belong to a racial or ethnic minority, but many people say that's not enough. Why are so many police departments across the nation facing racial imbalances, and what can be done to ensure they reflect the communities they're protecting?

Each year, fans of the Scottish poet Robert Burns gather around food, drink and music to honor his legacy. These Burns Suppers, as they’re called, are held annually near Burns’ January birthday, all over the world. GPB’s Sam Whitehead attended a recent Burns Supper in Athens, Georgia to find out why the poet is so beloved more than 200 years after his death.

A family is suing an Atlanta dog kennel after their dog died during its care there. But the kennel denies any wrongdoing and argues pets have only market value. This case is filed before the Georgia Supreme Court. Is a dog more than just a possession in the eyes of the legal system? Host Celeste Headlee sits down with Georgia State University Law Professor Tanya Washington to answer that legal question. Atlanta’s strip club scene is known as a launch pad for some of hip hop’s greatest hits.

How are voters in Georgia feeling about the upcoming presidential election? Excited? Anxious? Confused? Host Celeste Headlee gets a read on the Peach State electorate with help from Emory University political scientist Andra Gillespie and University of Georgia demographer Trey Hood. Plus, we hear the voices of Georgians around the state expressing their mood about Election 2016.

DeKalb County police officer Robert Olsen was indicted on six counts, including felony murder, by a grand jury Thursday night. Olsen now faces criminal charges in the death of 27-year-old Anthony Hill, an Air Force veteran who was unarmed and naked at the time he was fatally shot by the officer. Host Celeste Headlee speaks with Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Christian Boone about the case going forward. Plus, a recent report by the American College Health Association found nearly one in six students has been diagnosed with or treated for anxiety in the past year.

Navigating Atlanta streets on a bike can be tough for even the most experienced rider. But it can be a terrifying experience for a beginner. The riding group Babe Lane hopes to ease that learning curve and make biking around Atlanta more comfortable for all female-identifying people. Host Celeste Headlee speaks with Babe Lane’s founder Brianna Isbell and member Katy Adishian about the group and biking around Atlanta We revisit a conversation about the deep divide in the Republican Party.

Georgia went through one of its warmest weathers in recent history in the last few months. That’s had an undeniable effect on some of the staple crops grown within the state. Peaches, pecans, and blueberries have all been affected by the seasonal uncertainty. Host Celeste Headlee talks with pecan farmer Randy Hudson about the tumultuous growing season and why Georgia crops have been so adversely affected.

Atlanta’s soccer scene is going through some major changes in the next year. As one professional team prepares to enter its first season, another one is calling it quits. Host Celeste Headlee gets an update on the changes afoot with Atlanta Journal-Constitution sports reporter Doug Roberson and Jorge Alonso of Terminus Legion, a soccer organization based in Atlanta. Then, according to a report last year by the group, The State of Obesity, black adults in Georgia have a 10% higher obesity rate compared to white adults. That gap is slightly lower than the national average.

From movies like “Ride Along 2” to a new biopic about the late rapper Tupac Shakur, there are a host of new films coming out this year that were produced in Georgia. Plus, a group of students at the University of Georgia have created a fraternity-style house for hackers in an effort to bring together those interested in computer science and engineering.

The highly popular music subscription streaming service Spotify has come under fire recently by two multi-million lawsuits from songwriters who claim that the company used their copyrighted material without any permission or compensation. University of Georgia teacher David Lowery is the named plaintiff in one of these cases and says that the illegal use of his copyrighted music entitles him and his fellow artists to a massive payday. Host Celeste Headlee sits down with copyright attorney Gail Podolsky to help unravel this thorny legal issue and discern if Spotify is truly in the wrong.

Tommy Davidson has worn many hats in the world of entertainment. Stand-up comic, sketch player on the hit show “In Living Color”, and actor in such films as Black Dynamite and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Now, Davidson travels to Georgia to bring his unique comic stylings to the Atlanta Comedy Theatre. Host Celeste Headlee sits down with the influential entertainer to talk about his past successes and his future plans. And every actor who’s had had the opportunity to play Martin Luther King, Jr. on screen offers a different take on the iconic Civil Rights leader.

A new task force called ‘Law Enforcement Leaders to Reduce Crime and Incarceration’ has been assembled by some of the country’s most influential members of law enforcement to help stem the growing tide of incarceration. Host Celeste Headlee sits down with one of them – DeKalb Police Chief Cedric Alexander to talk about his role in the newly formed group and how he plans to lower incarceration rates across the state and country. And, although the physical and emotional terrors of domestic violence have been thoroughly documented, a more insidious threat remains for victims.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has been plagued by problems with major gaps in care ranging from long wait times to patient deaths. A recent ProPublica investigation finds even more problems hovering over the department. According to ProPublica, there are thousands of patient privacy violations each year, and they're on the rise. And one of the places where it's particularly bad is the VA's Sunshine Healthcare Network, which includes southern Georgia. Host Celeste Headlee talks with ProPublica reporter Annie Waldman.

In the past ten years, groups led by billionaire chairman Charles Koch donated nearly $108 million to college and universities across the county. The bulk of those funds went to schools in the South. Host Celeste Headlee looks at where the money is going and the ethical issues behind large donations to higher education. She talks with Alex Kotch of the Institute for Southern Studies and Scott Jaschik of Inside Higher Ed. Plus, our conversation about the influence of wealth on Southern colleges and universities continues.

The Religious Freedom Restoration Act created controversy when it became law in the state of Indiana, effectively legalizing anti-LGBT discrimination in certain situations. The Georgia Legislature will soon decide the fate of a similar bill that could drastically shift the rights of LGBT citizens living in the state. Host Celeste Headlee sits down with reporter Kristina Torres from the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s political team to comb through the details of this legislation and other important issues that will dominate the early political season.

Police departments across the country are asking a very important question: “What more can be done to prevent mass shootings?” Some jurisdictions have started training residents on best practices, which include fighting back if they’re in that situation. That’s part of a seminar on Thursday that Jefferson Police Chief Joe Wirthman is hosting in Jefferson, Georgia. Host Celeste Headlee talks with him about what the training entails, and she asks Stetson University psychology professor Chris Ferguson about the role human behavior plays in our ability to learn these survival techniques.

The face of Decatur, Georgia is changing. A diversity report sponsored by the city found that the African-American population has dropped by 50% from 1990 to 2010. It also revealed that the median household for black residents plunged by 50% in the past decade, while white household incomes increased by 10%. Host Celeste Headlee speaks with Casie Yoder, former Decatur public information officer, about the report and the reasons why. Decatur superintendent David Dude currently has one coding class in his schools, and he’s thinking about expanding the program.

President Obama is expected to announce Tuesday new executive actions tightening the nation’s gun laws following a string of mass shootings. But there's still a lot we don't know about gun violence. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta studies a host of public health issues, but it's limited in its research in this area because of congressional restrictions. So, should gun violence be viewed as a public health issue?

Celeste Headlee wraps up this week of staff favorites with her own picks: writers Salman Rushdie and Peter Golden, opera singer Jamie Barton, and a team GPS race through Atlanta's rush hour traffic.