Floyd County Courthouse; Georgia Tech space sustainability; Hurricane Helene recovery

This episode of Georgia Today covers three major stories shaping Georgia's present and future. First, Floyd County officials are moving forward with stabilizing the historic 1892 courthouse in Rome, gutted by fire in March, with a $500,000 contract to secure the site and reopen surrounding roads. Second, Georgia Tech’s groundbreaking space sustainability course explores the ethical and policy challenges of human settlement on the moon, as nations prepare for a new space race. Third, the long-term recovery from Hurricane Helene continues to unfold, with Mennonite Disaster Services rebuilding homes in Augusta and Douglas County to hurricane-resilient standards. However, research by University of Minnesota professor Rachel Young reveals that the storm’s true toll may extend far beyond the initial 37 deaths in Georgia—potentially reaching 15,000 over 15 years due to prolonged stress, economic hardship, and health impacts, especially among infants and Black communities. The episode underscores that recovery is not just physical but deeply psychological and systemic, requiring sustained investment in resilience and long-term care.