Today's moderator: Rick Badie

Rick Badie joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution as an education reporter in 1997. A South Georgia native, he's covered the region's immigrant communities, was a feature obituary writer and opinion columnist for the AJC's Gwinnett edition.

It's Girl Scouts cookie time, but there's more to selling Thin Mints than meets the eye. The CEO of the greater Atlanta organization explains how the organization nurtures female leaders. And a state legislator writes about a bipartisan bill proposed in the General Assembly that would allow counties to collect a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax of less than one cent.

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Julian Conley listens during opening statements in his trial at Fulton County Superior Court in Atlanta on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. The 25-year-old is accused of fatally shooting 8-year-old Secoriea Turner in July 2020. (Abbey Cutrer/AJC)

Credit: abbey.cutrer@ajc.com