Georgia Today: Hurricane season outlook; King enters Senate race; Ga. Catholics honor Pope Leo XIV

Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, Georgia climate scientists predict another busy hurricane season this year. Another Republican has entered the race for U.S. Senate. And Georgia Catholics honor the new Pope Leo XIV in Savannah.

Bishop Stephen Parkes: I did speak with him, and I sensed from him a great humility, a kindness, and a gentleness.

Peter Biello: Today is Monday, May 12th. I'm Peter Biello, and this is Georgia Today.

Caption

Hurricane

Story 1:

Peter Biello: Georgia climate scientists are predicting another above-average hurricane season this year, but GPB's Amanda Andrews reports it might not be quite as bad as last year.

Amanda Andrews: The outlook from Colorado State University predicts 17 named storms this season, compared to 18 in 2024. Neutral ocean conditions predicted for the summer means storms can become hurricanes faster. University of Georgia climatologist Pam Knox says another factor they're considering are slightly warmer ocean temperatures.

Pam Knox: And that is serving as the energy source for the development of these storms. And so when we have unusually warm water in either the Gulf Coast or in the Atlantic, the storms are likely to grow faster.

Amanda Andrews: Researchers say it's too early to predict where storms will go. Hurricane season begins June 1. For GPB News, I'm Amanda Andrews.

Story 2:

Peter Biello: Georgia Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner John King is running for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Democrat Jon Ossoff. King is a Republican and the first Hispanic elected to statewide office in Georgia. He announced his candidacy on social media in both English and Spanish.

John King: But what truly scares me today is having Jon Ossoff for six more years. President Trump got sent to Washington D.C. To solve some very big problems. He needs help. And I'm asking for your support to go help President Trump and solve these incredibly long, big problems.

Peter Biello: Congressman Buddy Carter from Southeast Georgia launched his run for the seat last week. More Republicans are expected to join them. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene from Northwest Georgia announced over the weekend that she would not run.

Story 3:

Peter Biello: Catholics in Savannah honored Pope Leo XIV over the weekend. As GPB's Benjamin Payne reports, the state's oldest Catholic diocese celebrated a special Mass on Saturday for the first American pontiff.

Benjamin Payne: Parishioners braved heavy rain and thunderstorms to gather downtown at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist. During his homily, Bishop Stephen Parkes fondly recalled meeting Leo in 2023, then Cardinal Robert Prevost, at a conference in Rome for new bishops like himself.

Bishop Stephen Parkes: At lunch, I saw him standing over by the dessert bar, and I went over and I did speak with him. And I sensed from him a great humility, a kindness, and a gentleness.

Benjamin Payne: A dual citizen of the U.S. And Peru, Pope Leo XIV possesses what Parkes called "the U.S. experience with the heart of a South American missionary and knowledge of Vatican diplomacy." Parkes hailed this as, quote, "a great combination for what we need at this particular time." For GPB News, I'm Benjamin Payne in Savannah.

Story 4:

Peter Biello: A college student who fell severely ill last December found help from an expert at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. GPB's Ellen Eldridge has more on the pediatric blood cancer specialist who is one of about a dozen in the country treating this rare immune disease.

Ellen Eldridge: Children's is one of a dozen hospitals in the country with a doctor that treats certain rare autoimmune-related pediatric blood cancers. That was good news for college student Ruth McCrady, who became severely ill last Christmas. It took two weeks to diagnose her, but treatment improved her in two days.

Ruth McCrady: Children's Healthcare Atlanta had me transferred over pretty immediately. The whole process was smooth and rapid and they got me over to Children's and they pretty immediately started treating me for HLH.

Ellen Eldridge: She says she's 100% better now and ready to graduate with a degree in statistics and analytics. For GPB News, I'm Ellen Eldridge.

Story 5:

Peter Biello: Gov. Brian Kemp has made Georgia the second state to enact legislation protecting the manufacturer of a popular weed killer. On Friday he signed into law a bill that says pesticide makers can't be sued for failing to warn customers of dangers if they use labels approved by federal regulators. The bill is backed by agrochemical giant Bayer, the maker of Roundup weed killer. Bayer has been hit with 181,000 claims alleging that Roundup's key ingredient causes a form of cancer. Bayer disputes those claims. And the Environmental Protection Agency has said it's not likely to be carcinogenic to humans when used as directed. North Dakota enacted a similar law earlier this year.

Story 6:

Peter Biello: New York-based burger chain Shake Shack is opening a corporate hub in metro Atlanta's Cobb County. The company on Friday said it is locating its second U.S. office aimed at supporting its nearly 600 restaurants and 13,000 employees at the Battery, the development anchored by Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves. The support center will include a test kitchen and training spaces. Later this summer, the Battery also will debut the first-ever Shake Shack featuring a full bar.

Caption

Otis Redding performs for a live audience.

Credit: Courtesy of Zelma Redding

Story 7:

Peter Biello: One of the pillars of Georgia's musical community was honored for her life's work today in Macon. Zelma Redding, the widow of soul music legend Otis Redding, was given an honorary degree during commencement ceremonies at Mercer University.

Zelma Redding: "Dr. Zelma Redding." Feels really good, feel like I've accomplished something in life that I never had before. So that makes me feel really good about myself, my family, the legacy that my husband left me.

Peter Biello: After her husband died in a plane crash in 1967, Redding mastered the music business to wrestle back her husband's royalties and laid the groundwork for music education programs for young people.

Story 8:

Peter Biello: Emory University presented music superstar and philanthropist Usher Raymond with an honorary degree today. The Tennessee-born singer moved to Georgia when he was 12 years old, starting his professional career in Atlanta. Today, he told Emory graduates to follow their dreams.

Usher Raymond: As long as you are bringing passion with you, be willing to stretch. Be a little unrealistic, be a a little delusional even in your pursuit of happiness and fulfillment, and at the same time, be patient, be respectful of the process.

Peter Biello: Usher was honored not only for his successful music, but also for his nonprofit, Usher's New Look, which helps underprivileged youth graduate high school and college and have successful careers.

Story 9:

Peter Biello: Regional sports bar and restaurant chain Taco Mac has closed its original location in Atlanta. The company said today it's closing its location in the Virginia Highlands neighborhood after 46 years for quote, "strategic evolution and regional growth." Taco Mac, known for its wings and beer selection, has 25 North Georgia locations with three others in Macon, Chattanooga, and Pelham, Ala.

All right. That's a wrap on the podcast for today, but our reporters are hard at work gathering news for tomorrow. We hope you'll come back. Remember to subscribe to this podcast and check out GPB.org/news for updates. And if you've got feedback or a story idea, something you think our reporters should pursue, let us know. The best way to reach us is by email. And that address is GeorgiaToday@GPB.org. I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.

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