GDP Script/ Top Stories for August 14th
Publish Date: August 14th
From the BG AD Group Studio Welcome to the Gwinnett Daily Post Podcast.
Today is Thursday, August 14th and Happy birthday to Magic Johnson
I’m Peyton Spurlock and here are your top stories presented by KIA Mall of Georgia.
Plus, Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on Food Apps
All of this and more is coming up on the Gwinnett Daily Post podcast, and if you are looking for community news, we encourage you to listen daily and subscribe!
Break 1: MONSTER JAM
STORY 1: Gwinnett students outperform state on many milestones tests — but trail in science
Gwinnett County Public Schools has some bragging rights—but also some glaring gaps. The latest Milestones and end-of-course test scores show the district outperforming the state in most areas, but science? That’s a different story.
The eighth-grade science results are, frankly, shocking: just 0.3% of students scored proficient or higher. Compare that to 28% statewide. Yes, you heard that right—0.3%. GCPS says most of its eighth-graders take the tougher high school physical science test instead, but even there, only 44% hit proficiency, trailing the state’s 57%.
There are bright spots, though. Fifth-grade science scores beat state averages, and high school biology students held their own. Math and social studies also showed solid results, with Gwinnett consistently outpacing state averages.
English/language arts? Mixed bag. Less than half of students in every grade tested were proficient, with third-graders struggling the most—just 39% hit the mark.
The district plans to dig into the data at the Aug. 21 school board meeting.
STORY 2: Buford's David Clark joins race to be Georgia’s next lieutenant governor
The race for Georgia’s next lieutenant governor just got more crowded. On Tuesday, Rep. David Clark, R-Buford, threw his hat in the ring, becoming the fifth state lawmaker to join the campaign.
Clark’s announcement follows state Sen. Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia, who launched his campaign just a day earlier. Both Republicans are hitting familiar notes—tax cuts, immigration crackdowns, and opposition to transgender rights.
They join Sens. John F. Kennedy and Steve Gooch, both running on MAGA-friendly platforms aimed squarely at Trump’s base.
On the other side of the aisle, Sen. Josh McLaurin, D-Sandy Springs, is the lone Democrat in the race. A vocal Trump critic, McLaurin has made no secret of his disdain for the former president’s policies and legal defiance during this year’s legislative session.
The lieutenant governor’s role? Presiding over the Senate and stepping in when the governor’s out. But this race? It’s shaping up to be anything but ordinary.
STORY 3: Police contacted weeks earlier due to CDC shooter's 'thoughts of suicide,' GBI says
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation shared new details Tuesday about Friday’s shooting outside the CDC’s Atlanta headquarters—a tragedy that left DeKalb County Officer David Rose dead and the suspect, Patrick Joseph White, 30, of Kennesaw, taking his own life.
GBI Director Chris Hosey said White had no criminal history but had recently expressed suicidal thoughts, prompting a call to law enforcement weeks earlier. At White’s home, investigators found writings criticizing COVID-19 vaccines—angry, but not overtly threatening.
White fired over 500 rounds, hitting six CDC buildings. His weapons, a mix of rifles and a shotgun, belonged to his father, who told investigators White broke into the gun safe.
Officer Rose, one of the first responders, was fatally shot by White. “He died a hero,” said FBI Special Agent Paul Brown. “His sacrifice won’t be forgotten.”
The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information is urged to contact the GBI tip line.
We have opportunities for sponsors to get great engagement on these shows. Call 770.874.3200 for more info.
We’ll be right back
Break 2: Ingles Markets 6
STORY 4: PCOM Georgia holds White Coat ceremony
On Aug. 8, nearly 200 students from PCOM Georgia’s Physician Assistant and Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine programs slipped into their crisp white coats for the first time—a moment that felt both surreal and monumental.
The ceremony, held at the Gas South Convention Center, wasn’t just about the coats. It was about stepping into something bigger: the responsibility, the privilege, the weight of caring for others. Students recited their oath and class mission statement, pledging to lead with compassion and professionalism.
For many, it wasn’t just a milestone—it was the start of a dream they’d been chasing for years.
STORY 5: Trump throws support behind Jones’ bid for Georgia governor
President Donald Trump has thrown his weight behind Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in Georgia’s governor’s race, giving his “complete and total” endorsement in a social media post Monday. Trump praised Jones as a loyal ally who worked “tirelessly” for his campaigns, calling him an early supporter of the MAGA movement.
The endorsement could be a game-changer in the GOP primary, where Trump’s base still holds serious sway. Jones faces Attorney General Chris Carr, but he’s already got a fundraising edge—thanks to a 2021 law that lets him raise unlimited funds through a leadership committee. Carr, who doesn’t have that advantage, has taken the fight to federal court, accusing Jones of abusing the system.
Meanwhile, the Democratic primary is heating up, with big names like Keisha Lance Bottoms, Jason Esteves, and Michael Thurmond already in the mix.
We’ll be right back.
Break 3: MONSTER JAM
And now here is Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on Food Apps
Break 4: 07.14.22 KIA MOG
We’ll have closing comments after this
Break 5: MONSTER JAM
Signoff –
Thanks again for hanging out with us on today’s Gwinnett Daily Post Podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast, the Marietta Daily Journal, or the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties. Read more about all our stories and get other great content at www.gwinnettdailypost.com
Did you know over 50% of Americans listen to podcasts weekly? Giving you important news about our community and telling great stories are what we do. Make sure you join us for our next episode and be sure to share this podcast on social media with your friends and family. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home Briefing and be sure to like, follow, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
Produced by the BG Podcast Network
Show Sponsors:
#NewsPodcast #CurrentEvents #TopHeadlines #BreakingNews #PodcastDiscussion #PodcastNews #InDepthAnalysis #NewsAnalysis #PodcastTrending #WorldNews #LocalNews #GlobalNews #PodcastInsights #NewsBrief #PodcastUpdate #NewsRoundup #WeeklyNews #DailyNews #PodcastInterviews #HotTopics #PodcastOpinions #InvestigativeJournalism #BehindTheHeadlines #PodcastMedia #NewsStories #PodcastReports #JournalismMatters #PodcastPerspectives #NewsCommentary #PodcastListeners #NewsPodcastCommunity #NewsSource #PodcastCuration #WorldAffairs #PodcastUpdates #AudioNews #PodcastJournalism #EmergingStories #NewsFlash #PodcastConversations
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
