On the Wednesday, Oct. 2nd episode of Georgia Today: Vice President Kamala Harris visited Augusta and promised Federal funds for hurricane clean-up; there is a new hotline for persons affected by the chemical fire in Conyers; the Atlanta Braves lost the first Wildcard playoff game

Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast from GPB News. Today is Wednesday, October 2nd. I'm Peter Biello. On today's episode. Vice President Kamala Harris paid a visit to Augusta this afternoon. A new hotline helps provide answers to questions about the chemical fire in Conyers and the Braves dropped the first game of the Wild card series. These stories and more are coming up on this edition of Georgia Today.

Story 1

Peter Biello: Vice President Kamala Harris visited Augusta this afternoon with promises of federal assistance in recovering from Hurricane Helene.

VP Kamala Harris: Today, I am also announcing that the president has approved the governor's request for 100% federal reimbursement of local costs. And Mayor, as you have pointed out, the burden to local governments, including state, the state government is is pretty immense. And so by announcing today and making the dedicated resources to cover 100% of local costs will have a huge impact on our ability to get relief to people as quickly as possible.

Peter Biello: The trip also serves as a political test. With Election Day just about a month away. Both the Harris and Trump campaigns have been making overtures to voters in Georgia, which is a crucial swing state. Former President Donald Trump recently visited storm damaged Valdosta.

Story 2

Peter Biello: Relief efforts continue in Georgia as power and water outages paralyze areas hardest hit by the hurricane. In Augusta, volunteer truck drivers rolled into town to prepare and serve thousands of hot meals at a Wal-Mart Supercenter. Walmart Disaster Response director Brooks Nelson.

Brooks Nelson: We know the community needs water and ice and other products, and so whether we can donate it alongside the Cook team that's there serving at that store or if we can donate it directly to the city, you know, we reach out to them to best understand the needs.

Peter Biello: Governor Brian Kemp is expected to update Georgians on the state's recovery tomorrow morning in the 10:00 hour. And you can hear those remarks live on GPB and at GPB.org.

Story 3

Peter Biello: A state judge says county election boards have no legal authority to do anything but certify election results by a state mandated deadline. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney made the comments during arguments yesterday over whether to new election certification rules approved by the state election board are legal. Members of the board's majority aligned with Donald Trump say the rules will help ensure the accuracy of vote totals. But critics worry the former president's supporters could use the rules to delay or deny certification if he loses. Although McBurney did not make a formal ruling, his message was clear.

Judge Robert McBurney: The deadline is the deadline. Get done what you can and what is reasonable to one person might be not reasonable to another, but you're making your inquiry and then it's wheels up at 5 p.m. on the 12th of November.

Peter Biello: The new rules have drawn multiple lawsuits. McBurney said he would make his rulings on them soon.

Story 4

Peter Biello: Last night, presidential running mates Ohio Senator J.D. Vance and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz faced off in a televised debate. GPB's Sarah Kallis reports. Georgia college students were watching.

Sarah Kallis: Students at Georgia Tech watch the debate on campus as part of a nonpartisan initiative to help engage tech students with the election in register to vote. Freddy Wright is a biology major who attended the event. He said he enjoyed hearing the policy stances of the candidates.

Freddy Wright: I think it was a pretty good debate. I think it went a little bit more civil than the presidential debate.

Sarah Kallis: The debate referenced Georgia twice, including the Apalachee High School shooting and Amber Nicole Thurmond, a Georgia woman who died from abortion complications after the six week abortion ban was implemented. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kallis at Georgia Tech.

Caption

Some residents east of Atlanta were evacuated and others told to shelter in place after a fire at a chemical plant Sept. 29, 2024.

Credit: Rockdale County via X

Story 5

Peter Biello: The Georgia Poison Control Center has set up a hotline for anyone with questions about a chemical fire in Conyers, east of Atlanta. GPB's Ellen Eldridge reports on the fire's possible health effects.

Ellen Eldridge: State and federal agency has found chlorine in the air around BioLabs plant after a fire Sunday. The company manufactures pool cleaning supplies. Ted Russell is an air quality expert with Georgia Tech. He says the cloud plume created by the reaction between chlorine and water is different now that the fire is out.

Ted Russell: It's not only breaking up, it's dispersing. And maybe that's the same sort of thing, is that concentrations will just get lower and lower. And again, the sunlight is bringing this down.

Ellen Eldridge: The Georgia Emergency Management Agency is also warning people that winds could shift and people in much of Atlanta could see haze and smell chlorine by Thursday morning. For GPB News, I'm Ellen Eldridge.

Story 6

Peter Biello: The ports of Savannah and Brunswick were closed for a second day today, the result of a longshoreman's strike affecting ports from Maine to Texas. Workers began walking picket lines yesterday and work stoppage over wages and the port's use of automation. The Georgia Ports Authority says it has a good working relationship with its local labor partners and is not involved in contract negotiations.

Caption

Deputy Chief Lance Deaton of the Columbus Police Department, at podium, speaks during an Oct. 1, 2024, afternoon press conference about Columbus Animal Care & Control.

Credit: Mike Haskey / Ledger-Enquirer

Story 7

Peter Biello: Columbus officials have announced the arrests of eight Columbus animal care and control workers on 34 criminal charges. The Columbus Council called for the investigation in July after a Facebook video showed the euthanasia of a dog named Chai at Columbus Animal Care and Control. The charges include cruelty to animals, euthanasia by unauthorized personnel, forgery and violation of oath by a public officer, among others. Columbus City manager Isaiah Hull says the city will move to privatize Columbus animal care and control with Paws Humane Society slated to possibly take the helm.

Story 8

Peter Biello: The musical adaptation of the bestselling book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is heading to Broadway next year. GPB's Benjamin Payne reports.

Benjamin Payne: The true crime bestseller set in Savannah made its stage debut in Chicago last July, opening to rave reviews.

song: Well, not gonna do now. Tim Williams. What am I gonna do now? When I try to figure out what I didn't like, I should.

Benjamin Payne: Producers haven't yet announced when the show will open in New York. But Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil author, John Berendt, says he's excited to see it there after enjoying the Chicago production.

John Berendt: I was absolutely surprised and delighted. The direction is excellent, the dancing is terrific. The songs are very, very good. The scenery is really takes you back to Savannah and Bonaventure Cemetery, where some of the action takes place.

Benjamin Payne: Midnight was also a 1995 Pulitzer Prize finalist and a popular movie for GPB News, I'm Benjamin Payne in Savannah.

Story 9

Peter Biello: An Atlanta poet, is among 22 people in this year's batch of so-called genius grant recipients from the John D and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation. 48 year old Jericho Brown of Emory University writes lyrical work that explores contemporary culture in part through vulnerable self-reflection and experimentation in form. The foundation announced its 2024 MacArthur Fellows. Each receiving an $800,000 award today after a years long selection process.

Story 10

Peter Biello: Yesterday in honor of former P