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Georgia Today: Department of Corrections investigates deadly prison riot; ICE masking legislation
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On the Wednesday January 14th edition of Georgia Today: The Georgia Department Of Corrections investigates the recent violence at Georgia's Washington State Prison which left three people dead; A new case of bird flu has been confirmed in Walker County; and Some Georgia lawmakers call for federal immigration agents to identify themselves when making arrests.
Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, the Georgia Department of Corrections investigates the recent violence at Georgia's Washington State Prison, which left three people dead. A new case of bird flu has been confirmed in Walker County, and some Georgia lawmakers call for federal immigration agents to identify themselves when making arrests.
Kim Jackson: We are calling for ICE to be unmasked, to end the terror, to end the fear.
Peter Biello: Today is Wednesday, Jan. 14th. I'm Peter Biello, and this is Georgia Today.
Story 1:
Peter Biello: In the wake of the shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis by an ICE officer last week, some Georgia Democrats want federal immigration agents to identify themselves when making arrests. Democrats, including state Sen. Kim Jackson, introduced legislation that would force ICE agents to uncover their faces and wear IDs.
Kim Jackson: We are calling for ICE to be unmasked, to end the terror, to end the fear.
Peter Biello: The legislation also would allow civil lawsuits against ICE. Republicans like Sen. Randy Robertson, who is retired from law enforcement, say the bills are unnecessary.
Randy Robertson: That is a decision made case-by-case. And the supervisors make those determinations, not a group of legislators sitting in an air-conditioned and heated room.
Peter Biello: Democratic-backed bills face an uphill battle in the Republican-controlled Legislature.
Story 2:
Peter Biello: Meanwhile, DeKalb County commissioners have delayed consideration of a resolution calling for the withdrawal of federal immigration enforcement operations from county neighborhoods. Commissioner Ted Terry introduced the walk-on resolution at yesterday's meeting. The measure would have urged federal authorities to pull enforcement operations from DeKalb County. Commissioner LaDena Bolton moved to defer the item for two weeks, saying the board needs more time to craft a unified response. Terry said he was disappointed by the delay but plans to bring the resolution back when they meet again on Jan. 27.
Story 3:
Peter Biello: Georgia's secretary of state is pushing back against fellow Republicans in the state Senate over the Trump administration's pursuit of the state's unredacted voter registration list. Several senators introduced a resolution yesterday demanding Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger share the list. Raffensperger fired back, saying that he would fight to protect voters' private information, including Social Security numbers, from being shared with unknown outside parties.
Story 4:
Peter Biello: Tomorrow is the last day to sign up for an Affordable Care Act health insurance plan for coverage this year. In Georgia, people must use the state-based marketplace exchange, Georgia Access. So far, the number of people signing up for a plan has declined. GPB's Sofi Gratas has more.
Sofi Gratas: As of Jan. 12, 2026, a total of 1.3 million people in Georgia have enrolled in an Affordable Care Act plan. That marks a decrease of about 192,000 enrollees compared to this time last year, when Georgia announced it had broken records for ACA enrollment. The State Department of Insurance said in December it saw 111,000 new enrollees through the state-based exchange, less than half of last year's new enrollee total. The U.S. Senate has yet to reach a compromise on a plan approved by the House to extend the enhanced subsidies that help millions of people afford a marketplace health care plan. President Trump says if Congress does extend the subsidies, he may veto the legislation. For GPB News, I'm Sofi Gratas.
Story 5:
Peter Biello: And under George's Gold Dome yesterday, a group of Senate Democrats introduced legislation to create a state-funded subsidy to help Georgians afford health care. About 10 other states have a similar program. Metro Atlanta's Josh McLaurin says he's hoping to get Republicans on board.
Josh McLaurin: The pain point is so dramatic for the voters that are dealing with this issue that I think Republicans are going to be forced to pay attention.
Peter Biello: State health agencies will begin to make their budget requests next week.
Story 6:
Peter Biello: Whatever lawmakers decide to do this session, it's likely Gov. Brian Kemp will have the final word. He gave a preview of his priorities during the Georgia Chamber's annual Eggs and Issues event today. GPB's Sarah Kallis reports.
Sarah Kallis: Kemp says that the state will spend $1.8 billion to address congestion and other issues on Georgia's roads. The projects include construction of new express lanes on I-75 in Henry County, often the site of heavy traffic.
Brian Kemp: Our initial estimates indicate that once these express lanes are completed, as much as 70% more vehicles will be able to pass through that corridor during the rush hours.
Sarah Kallis: He also announced more money for local road improvements. Also this year, the state will grant $50 million to a new program to reduce homelessness in Atlanta and other urban areas through social services. Kemp teased a new workforce readiness program as well that will be introduced this session. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kallis.
Story 7:
Peter Biello: Three incarcerated men were killed inside Georgia's Washington State Prison last weekend. It's just the latest headline-grabbing violence at a Georgia prison. Meanwhile, Georgia Department of Corrections continues to struggle with keeping prisons staffed and guarded. The agency's investigation of the recent violence is underway. GPB's Grant Blankenship spoke to someone who was there.
Grant Blankenship: Jennifer Fender says most Sundays you can find her at the visitation room at Washington State Prison with her boyfriend.
Jennifer Fender: You know, he needs that and I need it too.
Grant Blankenship: And after about a year of visits, Fender says she knows what and who to expect when she gets to the prison.
Jennifer Fender: You have officers at the front, at least two always work the front when you first come in and you have to go through the metal detector and —
Grant Blankenship: And then there's usually two or three officers in the visitation room to keep eyes on things. All kind, cordial, and professional, she says. But last Sunday?
Jennifer Fender: The normal staff that I know for every Sunday, I didn't see any of them.
Grant Blankenship: Fender says there was just a single officer in the visitation room.
Grant (from Interview): So it's you and how many other people in the visitation room, at that point?
Jennifer Fender: I would say there were probably about maybe a dozen inmates.
Grant Blankenship: Plus their visitors.
Jennifer Fender: Let's see, I noticed to my left there was a little girl and she was sitting on her dad's lap, you know, when I had first come in the room and they were smiling. They were so happy, she was so happy. I felt so bad for her.
Grant Blankenship: Then there says there was an elderly couple who had come to visit. Then she says her boyfriend came in the room.
Jennifer Fender: As soon as he came in, he just seemed a little bit, you know, tense or something. And I said, "What's wrong?" He said, he said, "They're fighting out there, you know, there's a big fight," and he said "People are getting stabbed."
Grant Blankenship: People were getting stabbed. The Georgia Department of Corrections says the usual visitation guards were responding to the fight. Three people, all inmates, would be killed. One, Jimmy Trammell, was mere days away from release. Fender says her boyfriend calls the vending machine pizza they share the best meal of the week. She was putting quarters in the machine when:
Jennifer Fender: The guard who had been, you know, um, in the visitation room, she was kind of, she kind of like ran out the door. I heard a lot of yelling when she was out there and everyone just kind of froze.
Grant Blankenship: A single guard came back, tried to bar the door against the inmates who were trying to break in.
Jennifer Fender: She couldn't hold that door by herself.
Grant Blankenship: Fender says the guard was shouting, imploring the visitors to get out. Fender said some people were confused. They didn't register the danger. One woman insisted on getting her coat. And between them and the inmates breaking in? Just that one guard.
Jennifer Fender: You just kind of jumped between those guys and the visitors that were trying to get out and —
Grant Blankenship: The inmates breached the door.
Jennifer Fender: They had, a lot of them did have blood on them, but none of them were injured physically, that I could tell. I mean, they had their shirt, though, but.
Grant Blankenship: As bloody as they were, Fender feels sure they were the aggressors.
Jennifer Fender: They were just kind of wild.
Grant Blankenship: Amped up, she says, adrenalized. Maybe without any real plan? They did not pass the guard. The visitors made it outside safely without injury. GDC says only one guard sustained minor injuries, but some, like the little girl who'd been sitting on her dad's knee, were left in shock.
Jennifer Fender: I saw her mom holding her hand, and the little girl just looked. Yeah, the mom was crying. I'll tell you what was really terrifying was the fact that we had to leave our, y'know, loved ones in there with those guys.
Grant (from Interview): Are you going to try to make visitation this coming Sunday or?
Jennifer Fender: You know, I'm not going to let that, you know, stop me from — from you know, seeing him because he deserves it.
Grant Blankenship: She says neither she nor her boyfriend deserve to lose that. GDC says they're investigating the incident. As of this writing, Fender says she hasn't received a follow-up from the agency. Neither has Jimmy Trammell's family. They're trying to raise money for his funeral. For GPB News, I'm Grant Blankenship in Macon.
Story 8:
Peter Biello: The district attorney in Middle Georgia's Lawrence County is asking the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to look into spending at Dublin City Schools. The district is facing a $13 million budget deficit and has made significant cuts to staff in the number of days students will be in school. A state audit shows the district used temporary COVID funds to cover ongoing expenses, which had been hiding budget problems until recently. DA Harold McClendon says there's no proof of any crimes, but he wants the GBI to investigate to avoid possible conflict of interest.
Story 9:
Peter Biello: A major film and television production complex south of Atlanta is expanding its footprint with new entertainment options opening tomorrow. GPB's Amanda Andrews reports the project at Trilith Studios is part of a planned community in Fayetteville that also includes housing, shopping, and recreation.
Amanda Andrews: Trilith Live will include a new venue called The Box, which can hold up to 2,800 people. The complex also includes a nine-screen movie theater and an expansive outdoor plaza that's open to the public. The facilities are designed to host live entertainment and smaller corporate or community events. Matt McClain is the executive director of Trilith Live. He says they designed The Box to make amenities easily accessible to guests.
Matt McClain: The have tons of restroom facilities, tons of concession facilities to hopefully help that guest have a very short wait or no wait in lines. So we're really excited about it.
Amanda Andrews: That the first show at The Box will be the Gabby's Dollhouse national tour. For GPB News. I'm Amanda Andrews.
Story 10:
Peter Biello: A Georgia nonprofit is getting a half million dollars in federal funds to monitor and protect the highly endangered North American right whale population. Southeast Georgia congressman Buddy Carter yesterday said the Georgia Conservancy will use the House approved funding to prevent whale ship collisions, one of the leading threats to the species' long-term survival. The group will leverage existing technology to transmit information about the whale's seasonal management areas to vessels.
Story 11:
Peter Biello: The Georgia Department of Agriculture says a case of bird flu has been confirmed in a commercial poultry operation in Northwest Georgia's Walker County. The department says it has deployed teams to perform the necessary cleanup operations. The operation housed more than 71,000 broiler chickens. This is the first confirmed case in Georgia this year and the fourth in the state at a commercial-poultry operation since the ongoing nationwide outbreak began in 2022.
Story 12:
Peter Biello: If you are anything like me, you are counting the days until warmer weather comes. The weather in Georgia tonight is gonna make those warm days feel like a long, long time from now. The National Weather Service says a strong cold front will be moving through tonight. By tomorrow morning, breezy winds will push wind chills into the teens across most of North and Central Georgia. South Georgia could feel temps in the mid-20s. We may see light snow showers in the mountains tomorrow morning with flurries possibly reaching as far south as the I-20 corridor. Temperatures are expected to be 5 to 15 degrees below average through the weekend.
No matter the weather, Georgia Today is here for you. Thanks for tuning to Georgia Today for all your Georgia-related news. You can find more at gpb.org/news. And if there's a story we should know about that we aren't covering yet, let us know by email. You can also offer feedback on this podcast. The address is georgiatoday@gpb.org. And while you're thinking of it, make sure to subscribe to this podcast, that way we pop up in your podcast feed automatically tomorrow afternoon. I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.
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For more on these stories and more, go to GPB.org/news
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