UGA expert breaks down theories behind bird flu spread
Bird flu has wreaked havoc on the poultry and dairy industries in Georgia and across the US over the past several months. It has also infected dozens of people and resulted in the death of one person in Louisiana.
Dr. John Drake is Regents’ Professor of Ecology in the Odum School of Ecology at the University of Georgia as well as the Director of the Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases (CEID).
WUGA’s Alexia Ridley sat down with Dr. Drake to discuss bird flu—and why it has resulted in so few human deaths. Here’s that conversation.
Micah’s Creek to put housing in reach for some East Athens residents
The benefits of having a safe place to live are numerous. A 2021 study, for example, found that having a stable home improved mental and physical health for people who had experienced homelessness.
Building off of a history of innovation in meeting local housing needs, Athens Area Habitat for Humanity is developing Micah’s Creek to provide homes for residents in the East Inner Athens neighborhood and prove the link between stable housing and improved educational, financial, and social outcomes for the families who live there.
Athens Area Habitat Vice President Charles Smith took WUGA’s Daniel McDonald on a tour of Micah’s Creek and discussed the broader goals of the project.
Residents will participate in a University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Sciences study evaluating the impacts of stable housing on the educational, economic, health and social outcomes of children who grow up in Micah’s Creek and attend Gaines Elementary School. WUGA’s Daniel McDonald is set to explore the goals of this study in future installments.
Inside one union’s tactics to get hospital leadership to the table
Savannah isn’t the only Georgia town with a union attracting notice. In Athens, the union representing maintenance workers at the town’s largest hospital hauled around giant inflatables to bring attention to the workers’ allegations. Now, they want to see if they can get a contract. WUGA’s Emma Auer has more.
