Georgia Today: Runoff debates begin; Training to dispense PREP and PEP; New college accreditations

Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, Democratic candidates for Senate and governor campaigned together while Republicans debate ahead of the runoff, a major manufacturer plans to expand to Macon, and two Georgia schools are expected to be among the first in the country to join a new accreditation agency for public colleges and universities. 

Sonny Perdue: We think it will cut down on a lot of the busy work reports that seem to be there just to make time. 

Peter Biello: Today is Monday, June 1. I'm Peter Biello, and this is Georgia Today. 

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Peter Biello: U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff and Democratic candidate for Governor Keisha Lance Bottoms held a campaign event in Atlanta yesterday. GPB's Sarah Kallis reports. 

Sarah Kallis: Ossoff, who is seeking a second term, and Bottoms promoted their own policies and supported each other during their first joint rally. Bottoms celebrated high primary participation from Democrats. 

Keisha Lance Bottoms: People across Georgia have made it clear: We want to elect leaders who will fight for us. 

Sarah Kallis: Ossoff called out both of his potential opponents, Rep. Mike Collins and former football coach Derek Dooley for supporting a "corrupt" administration. 

John Ossoff: They're both Trump puppets and we'll beat either one of them in November. 

Sarah Kallis: The two Democrats will be on the top of the ballot in November. Their Republican opponents will be decided on June 16 after a primary election runoff. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kallis in Atlanta. 

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Peter Biello: Republican candidates for Senate are sparring ahead of the primary runoff election two weeks from tomorrow. At a debate hosted by the Atlanta Press Club and GPB, former football coach Derek Dooley questioned congressman Mike Collins about the allegations that a former staffer put his girlfriend on the payroll for work. 

Derek Dooley: How can hardworking Georgians trust you going forward? 

Peter Biello: Collins dismissed the concerns. 

Mike Collins: It is a nothing burger. It was — it was filed by an anonymous complaint. 

Peter Biello: Early voting for the runoff election begins on June 9. The winner of the run off will face incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff on the ballot in November. 

Also debating today was Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who is running for the Republican nomination for governor. His opponent, Rick Jackson, declined the invitation to appear, leaving Jones on stage by himself with debate moderators. 

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Peter Biello: ArcelorMittal Building Solutions says it plans to set up its North American headquarters and a new manufacturing facility in Macon-Bibb County. Gov. Brian Kemp today announced that the initial investment will bring roughly $57 million and up to 70 new jobs to the community. Kemp says an additional $50 million in investment and as many as 70 more jobs are possible over the next several years. ArcelorMittal Building Solution designs and manufactures panels that insulate and protect warehouses, factories, data centers, and commercial buildings. 

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Peter Biello: Medication that prevents HIV will soon be available in Georgia pharmacies. GPB's Sofi Gratas has more on how stakeholders are gearing up. 

Sofi Gratas: The law clearing PrEP and PEP for distribution at pharmacies as of July 1, stipulates that pharmacists will have to complete training with the state before they can prescribe the medications. That training hasn't been released yet. Kayla Quimby-Young is the HIV Policy Coordinator for Georgia Equality, which is hosting a series of workshops leading up to the start date. She says it's important to prepare more than just pharmacists for this expansion and access to be effective. 

Miss Jackson: It's going to take a village, a team of people to make this happen, whether that be housing, drug usage, or anything like that, because we all have intersectionality in how those things overlap. 

Sofi Gratas: The law requires every prescription come with a referral to a primary care doctor for follow-up. For GPB News, I'm Sofi Gratas.

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Peter Biello: Pinnacle Bank has announced new investment in its riverfront office in Columbus, known as Synovus Place. Pinnacle plans to expand its first-floor space with a 31,000-square-foot addition. That brings the company's total footprint at Synovus Place to 220,000 square feet. A spokesperson for Pinnacle says the move reflects the company's quote, "long-term commitment to downtown Columbus and the people who work here every day." Pinnacle employs about 1,000 people in the Columbus area. No start date for construction has been announced, but move-in day is planned for the first quarter of 2027. 

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Peter Biello: And a new study from Wallet Hub finds Augusta is number eight on a list of most affordable cities to buy a home in the United States. Topping the list was Flint, Michigan. Savannah landed at number 83 while Athens was at 125. 

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Peter Biello: The U.S. Department of Education wants to increase competition in the realm of college and university accreditation. This summer, a new agency called the Commission for Public Higher Education, or CPHE, is getting closer to doing just that. Once it is up and running, many colleges and universities across the South could be answering questions from CPHE about what they teach, how they evaluate faculty, and a lot more. As GPB's Orlando Montoya reports, two Georgia schools are expected to be among the first to join. 

Orlando Montoya: Although it's a big deal in the academic world, accreditation isn't something most people pay attention to, except in rare cases when it's revoked. 

Heather Perfetti: We are a very mysterious industry to those that are less familiar with the work. 

Orlando Montoya: That's Heather Perfetti, president of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Her agency reviews more than 500 academic institutions across the country for things like graduation rates, financial stability, curriculum and more. 

Heather Perfetti: We are data-driven, we expect our institutions to be data driven. 

Orlando Montoya: If the data doesn't show a school is educating students well, then it can lose accreditation, which has consequences like leaving students unable to receive federal student aid. The U.S. Department of Education recognizes about three dozen institutional accrediting agencies nationwide, but in many regions, public higher education tends to be dominated by one accreditor. 

Ron DeSantis: Oh, please be seated. Thanks so much. 

Orlando Montoya: Last year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took aim at the South's accreditation giant, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Collegies, or SACS-COC. At a news conference, he accused the agency of being more interested in liberal ideology than student achievement, and said Florida and five other conservative-led states would be forming their own agency, CPHE. 

Ron DeSantis: This endeavor will introduce a new accreditor into the marketplace. It'll upend the monopoly of the woke accreditation cartels. 

Orlando Montoya: Most two Georgia institutions, Columbus State University and Georgia Southern University, are expected to be among the first in Georgia and in the nation to be accredited by CPHE. But Georgia announced its participation less in terms of ideology and more in terms of bureaucracy. Sonny Perdue is the outgoing chancellor of the University System of Georgia. 

Sonny Perdue: We think it will cut down on a lot of the busy work reports that seem to be there just to make time. 

Orlando Montoya: Some in higher education have complained over the years about the rules and delays of accreditation. They say it bogs down their work. Georgia professor Matthew Bodie sees something more in this shift: Bodie leads the state's chapter of the American Association of University Professors. He points out that CPHE comes with a focus on, quote, "intellectual diversity."

John Ossoff: Particular phrase has come from conservatives who attack higher education, who don't like accreditation. 

Orlando Montoya: Many vocal right-wing critics of higher education, like the slain political activist Charlie Kirk, long have argued that colleges and universities have become, quote, "indoctrination factories" for liberal ideas. The new agency already has caused changes in the South's more established system of university accreditation. Stephen Pruitt took over as SACS-COC's president less than a year ago and says his agency is addressing its members' concerns. 

Stephen Pruitt: I called for our standards to be revised immediately. 

Orlando Montoya: Pruitt says that's by reducing paperwork and response times, but not educational quality. 

Stephen Pruitt: Because at the end of the day, we're not going to be involved in a race to the bottom. 

Orlando Montoya: The Commission for Public Higher Education could make its first accreditation decisions this fall. The U.S. Department of Education could recognize the new accreditor as soon as next year. For GPB News, I'm Orlando Montoya. 

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Peter Biello: The University of Georgia's Extension Family and Consumer Sciences program in Madison County says it helped 30 residents receive nearly $50,000 this year through its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. The VITA program provides IRS-certified preparers who can prepare federal and state tax returns free of charge. Emily Williams is UGA's FACS agent for Madison and Oglethorpe counties. She says there aren't many options for tax preparation in smaller communities. 

Emily Williams: It's really nice to have this resource that allows people in the community to keep the money to themselves and not have to spend it on a service like that. 

Peter Biello: The program helped participants save about $400 per tax return. The program serves residents in the Northeast Georgia counties of Madison, Jackson, Clark, Elbert, Franklin and Hart. 

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Peter Biello: In sports, the Braves have the day off today as they head home for a three-game home stand against the Toronto Blue Jays tomorrow. The Braves took two of three games against the Cincinnati Reds over the weekend, taking the loss yesterday. Ronald Acuña Jr. hit his franchise-best 39th career leadoff home run on the first pitch of the game yesterday. He's now hit five homers in four games and has prompted talk about a return to form. Braves starter Spencer Strider allowed three earn runs on seven hits in five innings yesterday. He struck out eight. Bryce Elder is scheduled to get the start tomorrow. 

Peter Biello: And that is it for this edition of Georgia Today. If you want to learn more about any of these stories, visit gpb.org/news. And if you haven't subscribed to this podcast yet, please take a moment, do it now, because we'll be back in your podcast feed tomorrow afternoon. And of course, your feedback is welcome. Story ideas too, if you have any, let us know by email. The address is georgiatoday@gpb.org. We love hearing from our listening community. I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening. We will see you tomorrow. 

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For more on these stories and more, go to gpb.org/news