Greetings, Georgia.

It's Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023.

Get ready for a busy news Wednesday.

After a 17-month review, a panel assessing Fulton County's elections board is not recommending the state take over operations in Georgia's most populous county.

Meanwhile, Macon is making headlines: the city is listed as a top 2023 travel destination by Condé Nast, Frommer's, Bloomberg and The New York Times. 

Read on for Georgia Today.

TOP STORIES

✭ Kemp speaks on panel at World Economic Forum

Gov. Brian Kemp (third from left) speaks on a panel of U.S. elected officials at the World Economic Forum on Jan. 17, 2023. (Facebook Live screenshot)
 

On Tuesday, Gov. Brian Kemp participated in a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The focus of the discussion centered on the U.S. legislative landscape and how the next two years could shape domestic and foreign policy.

Other panelists included: Børge Brende, president of the World Economic Forum Geneva; U.S. Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-I), Chris Coons, (DE-D), Joe Manchin (WV- D);  U.S. Reps Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-R) and Mikie Sherrill (NJ-D); and J.B. Pritzker, governor of Illinois.

When asked about opportunities for bipartisanship, Kemp said:

• "Every governor in the country is dealing with the fentanyl crisis, street gang crisis, human trafficking," Kemp said. "Much could be solved ... and while we're working on these things, secure the dang border."

✭ Majority of Georgia counties face shortage of primary care providers

Primary care physicians often work in family medicine as a patient's principal point of contact for medical issues and continued care. (File photo / GPB)

Workforce data through September of last year shows Georgia would need almost 700 additional primary care doctors to eliminate shortages. According to federal standards under the Health Resources and Services Administration, only three counties in Georgia have enough providers. 

The remaining 156 counties are considered Health Professional Shortage Areas, a designation to identify areas lacking health care access. A compilation of data from the Kaiser Family Foundation puts Georgia near the bottom for primary care needs met at a statewide level, at about 40%. About a third of Georgians — 3.3 million — live in a primary care shortage area. 

Gov. Brian Kemp established the Healthcare Workforce Commission last year to help address an ongoing health care workforce shortage, emphasized by the COVID-19 pandemic. Caylee Noggle, commissioner of the Department of Community Health, summarized the group's final recommendations during its last meeting in December.

• “Maximizing our existing workforce … optimizing the education system, and then how we attract new talent into the field,” Noggle said. 

GPB NEWS HEADLINES

• Five Georgians made the list of 300 students named as scholars in the 2023 Regeneron Science Talent Search, the nation’s oldest science and math competition for high school seniors.  Meet them here.
   
• A University of Alabama basketball player has been charged with  capital murder after a fatal shooting near campus. Tuscaloosa Police Capt. Jack Kennedy said that the shooting occurred early Sunday morning in the Strip off University Blvd.

• A 105-year-old house in Elko, Ga., is gaining attention for its unique architectural style. It's made from indigenous rock with fossils and imprints of seashells in it, hinting that the property was a coastal area at one time.

WHO KNEW?

✭ North Atlanta HS band teacher to be honored at Barry Manilow's Atlanta concert 

Adam Brooks, music educator at North Atlanta High School, is set to be honored with the Manilow Music Project award Jan. 19, 2023. (Rough Draft Atlanta)

North Atlanta High School music programs director Adam Brooks will be honored with the Manilow Music Project Award at music legend Barry Manilow's Jan. 19 concert at Atlanta's State Farm Arena.

The prize is $5,000 in cash and $5,000 “Manilow bucks” for the NAHS music program. The Manilow Music Project has given away over $10 million worth of funds and music instrument donations.

Brooks, 42, said he plans to buy a new speaker system for the band room and a keyboard for the jazz band, which performs seven to 10 times a year. 

• “I’m very fortunate to have such a great community to serve. From the kids, parents and administration and colleagues, this amazing place to work,” Brooks said.  

Tune into GPB Radio and GPB.org at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. for Political Rewind.

Today's guests: Amy Steigerwalt, Ed Lindsey, Dave Wilkerson, Shannon McCaffrey

Thursday: WABE's Rahul Bali; The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Kevin Riley and Greg Bluestein

Check out our Political Rewind podcast:
 

• Political Rewind: Kemp to deliver budget address from Davos; ACA turning 10; YSL rappers on trial