Georgia Today: BioLab closes Conyers plant; Trump's mega-bill hits roadblock; Missing hiker found

Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode. The Biolab plant in Conyers is closing. President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill" hits a roadblock. And the parents of a Georgia woman lost in the California wilderness for weeks describe how they felt when they learned she was safe.

Bobby Slaton: It's hard to contain your tears and your excitement in the middle of clothes shopping.

Fredrina Slaton: I just grabbed somebody and said, "Can I hug you?"

Peter Biello: Today is Friday, May 16. I'm Peter Biello, and this is Georgia Today.

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 1:

Peter Biello: Chemical maker BioLab is closing its plants in metro Atlanta's Rockdale County. A September fire at the plant closed the interstate, canceled classes at area schools, and forced thousands of residents to shelter in place as a chemical cloud moved around Atlanta's suburbs. In a short statement this afternoon, the company said, quote, "considering our future business needs" it will not restart the facility. For the complete BioLab story, check out GPB's podcast, Manufacturing Danger.

Story 2:

Peter Biello: Northeast Georgia congressman Andrew Clyde was among House Republicans who voted no on President Donald Trump's all-encompassing mega-bill in the House Budget Committee. The panel this morning threw up a huge roadblock on the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, a budget plan of tax breaks and spending cuts advancing Trump's agenda. Clyde voted with four other renegade conservatives seeking steeper cuts, especially to Medicaid and to Biden-era green energy tax breaks. Clyde said Congress has laid out, quote, "bold priorities," including on border security and strengthening the military.

Andrew Clyde: We're also committed to ensuring the final package is fiscally responsible, rightsizing government and putting our fiscal future back on track. Unfortunately. The current version falls short of these goals. And fails to deliver the transformative change that Americans were promised. Substantive improvements are needed. And I look forward to working with this committee and our House Republican conference to make sure we deliver.

Peter Biello: The GOP holdouts vowed to work over the weekend on changes to secure their support. The bill is teetering at a critical moment. House Speaker Mike Johnson is determined to resolve the problems with the package that he believes will inject a dose of stability into a wavering economy. Democrats call the bill, quote, "bad economics." They emphasize that millions of people would lose their health coverage and food stamp assistance if the bill passes, while the wealthiest Americans would reap enormous tax cuts.

Peter Biello: The Atlanta Community Food Bank is bracing for a drop in federal support just as demand for food assistance continues to rise. Officials say cuts to a USDA program could reduce food volume by up to 10% over the next year. In response, Atlanta-based Gas South raised $65,000 during National Volunteer Month and contributed more than 1,700 hours of service to nonprofits across the region. The donation comes as the food bank reports a 14% increase in households served compared to this time last year.

Caption

Tiffany Slaton, of Jeffersonville, Ga., shows when she was rescued in Fresno County, Calif. on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 after being reported missing in the High Sierra for three weeks.

Credit: Fresno County Sheriff's Office via AP

Story 3:

Peter Biello: The 27-year-old Georgia woman who went missing for nearly three weeks in a remote California wilderness area was found yesterday. The owner of a resort in California's eastern Sierra found Tiffany Slaton of Middle Georgia's Jeffersonville safe inside one of the resort's cabins. The cabins had been shut down for the winter, but the staff had left the doors unlocked just in case a wayward hiker needed shelter. Resort owner Christopher Gutierrez said he found Slaton when he returned to the cabins to prepare them for the spring season.

Christopher Gutierrez: We see the door open. And uh, and, uh... I see some shoes down there. I'm like, "OK, well, it's just a hiker who decided to, you know, holed up in the blizzard that we had that previous night. And so, as soon as we start making our way there, here comes — Tiffany pops out, deer in the headlights. Didn't say a word, just ran up. And all she wanted was a hug. It was, it was a pretty surreal moment and — and that's when I knew that, that — That's when I realized who this was.

Peter Biello: Gutierrez gave Slaton a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and called authorities, who brought her to a hospital for evaluation. Authorities said she was hungry and dehydrated, but otherwise in good condition. Slaton's parents, Bobby and Fredrina Slaton, said they got the news of their daughter's safe recovery while they were out shopping.

Bobby Slaton: It's hard to contain your tears and your — your excitement in the middle of clothes shopping.

Fredrina Slaton: Yeah, I think I, I know for me, I saw a lady in there, Bobby was crying and I didn't know what was going on. I just grabbed somebody and said, "Can I hug you?" And I did, I was crying and hugging and I felt so bad. I mean, I feel bad thinking back to that lady, but she was just somebody that was close and I needed to hug somebody. So whoever you were, thank you.

Peter Biello: Reunited with her daughter today Friedrina Slaton posted reunion photos on social media and wrote that Tiffany was in good spirits in spite of weight loss and other issues. A Fresno County Sheriff's spokesperson said it was the longest that he had seen a missing person survive in such remote and icy conditions. Authorities say they plan on interviewing her to learn more about her experience.

Caption

Crews add concrete rubble to an artificial reef on the Georgia coast.

Credit: Georgia DNR Coastal Resources Division

Story 4:

Peter Biello: Visitors to Georgia's artificial reefs contributed more than $8 million to the coastal economy in 2023. That's according to a study from the University of Georgia's Marine Extension and Sea Grant. GPB's Devon Zwald reports.

Devon Zwald: 46 artificial reef sites made from materials like concrete rubble, metal hold vessels, and even MARTA rail cars sit in waters off the Georgia coast. They're managed by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and they support marine life habitats. The sites attract anglers and divers who spend money, says Eugene Frimpong, principal investigator of the study.

Eugene Frimpong: We want to understand the cost of transportation to these reef sites. If they purchase, for example, the fuel, the time that they then travel to these artificial sites, if they spend overnight, how much they spend on hotel.

Devon Zwald: The study also estimated the artificial reef program could grow, generating up to $139 million in net benefits over the next 50 years. For GPB News, I'm Devon Zwald.

Story 5:

Peter Biello: The federal government is seeking public comment as it considers extending Georgia's Pathways to Coverage program through 2030. Started by Gov. Brian Kemp in 2023, it offers Medicaid coverage to low-income adults but includes a work requirement. GPB's Ellen Eldridge reports.

Ellen Eldridge: Since its launch in July 2023, less than 3% of those eligible, or 7,000 Georgians, have enrolled in health care coverage using a Medicaid waiver. Whitney Griggs is with Georgians for a Healthy Future. She says the administrative burden is preventing people from enrolling and is leaving more people without access to health care.

Whitney Griggs: Lots of folks who are eligible lose their coverage because they run into some sort of an administrative roadblock trying to submit their qualifying activity. Or, you know, move their address or even just, you know, fill out the basic applications.

Ellen Eldridge: Congress is considering similar changes as it looks to make cuts to Medicaid. The public comment period goes through June 1. For GPB News, I'm Ellen Eldridge.

​​​​​​​Story 6:

Peter Biello: Federal prosecutors in Savannah announced a sprawling indictment yesterday against a large group of alleged gang members, charging them with a wide range of both violent and financial crimes. GPB's Benjamin Payne reports.

Benjamin Payne: Thirty alleged members and associates of the so-called Sex Money Murder Gang are named in the indictment, which was unsealed Thursday in Savannah Federal Court. David Jaffe leads the Justice Department's Violent Crime and Racketeering Division. He says the gang, a subgroup of the Bloods, used brutal tactics to ensure its rules while running a drug trafficking operation in metro Savannah.

David Jaffe: This included the execution-style murder of a young man getting off the school bus, returning from school in his school uniform, where the gang intercepted him as he got off the bus, took him to a secluded area and shot him in the head and executed him.

Benjamin Payne: Prosecutors also allege the Sex, Money, Murder gang ran a sophisticated fraud scheme that abused federal programs, including small business relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. For GPB News, I'm Benjamin Payne in Savannah.

​​​​​​​Story 7:

Peter Biello: A few business stories of note. Atlanta-based cable giant Cox Communications is merging with Connecticut-based Charter Communications in one of the nation's largest corporate deals in over a year. The companies announced the $34 billion agreement today. The deal would combine two of the nation's top three cable providers and comes as the industry remains under assault by streaming services. The transaction still needs regulatory approval.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is including $35 million in its 2025 fiscal year budget for harbor deepening at the Port of Brunswick. Middle Georgia congressman Mike Collins, chair of the House committee that oversees the agency, announced the funding yesterday. State officials have long sought to deepen the harbor to help Brunswick, the nation's busiest port for auto and heavy equipment, compete for large ships.

And peach season has arrived in Middle Georgia. GPB has a list of farmers where you can find the state's most famous fruit this summer at GPB.org/news.

​​​​​​​Story 8:

Peter Biello: The University of Georgia's graduation ceremony may have been last Friday, but a video of one recent grad is striking a chord far beyond Athens. Grace Johnson, an advertising major from Woodstock, went viral for her stirring rendition of "Georgia On My Mind" at UGA's commencement ceremony last week.

MUSIC: Grace Johnson singing "Georgia On My Mind"

Peter Biello: The performance, posted on the university's TikTok, has racked up more than 100,000 likes. Johnson posted on her own page to say thanks. She's been singing since childhood and may start posting more of her singing.

And that is a wrap on a busy week of news. Thank you so much for tuning in. We really do appreciate having you as a listener. We're going to be back on Monday as well, so make sure you subscribe to this podcast. And check GPB.org/news for the latest Georgia headlines. As we reported, the BioLlab plant in Conyers is going to be closing. Remember to check out Manufacturing Danger, a podcast hosted by GPB's Pamela Kirkland all about problems with the BioLab plant and its impact on the community. You can find Manufacturing Danger wherever you get your podcasts. If you've got feedback on this podcast, send it to us by email. The address is GeorgiaToday@GPB.org. I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening, and have a great weekend.

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