Reduced funds for online classes; Cold case arrest; Largest ever roadway construction

Georgia Today delivers a comprehensive update on critical state issues, beginning with a major budget shift that could reduce funding for online education in the University System of Georgia. Senate Republicans argue that online courses should cost less, requiring 10% more hours to receive the same funding as in-person classes, but university professors counter that this oversimplifies the true costs of delivering quality online instruction. Meanwhile, Georgia’s largest-ever roadway project is underway on Georgia 400, featuring 16 miles of tolled express lanes and a five-year timeline, backed by a $4.6 billion public-private partnership aimed at improving commute reliability and expanding Bus Rapid Transit. In a significant criminal justice development, the GBI arrested 68-year-old Freddie Lee Granger Jr. in connection with the 1984 rape and murder of Sandra K. Davis, using modern DNA testing to solve the cold case. On the social front, advocates for sickle cell anemia patients are urging lawmakers to pass House Bill 334, which would ensure patient and caregiver input in Medicaid coverage decisions for sickle cell treatments—a move seen as vital to addressing long-standing healthcare inequities. Other stories include a proposed law to collect DNA from immigrants detained for minor offenses, Tyson Foods’ closure of its Rome plant, and a statewide effort to detect invasive yellow-legged hornet nests. The episode closes with a look at the Atlanta Braves’ strong start to their season and the upcoming opening of a new segment of the Atlanta Beltline trail.