Top of the morning!
Here is Your AM Rundown, with news updates in 400 words or less. Get caught up on headlines and other developments you might’ve missed.
Here’s what to know for today:
- Spelman College is getting a new president. Dr. Helene Gayle will step into the role on July 1 after the current president, Mary Schmidt Campbell, retires. Gayle, who is stepping down from her current role as CEO of The Chicago Community Trust, has Atlanta ties, with previous work experience at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CARE USA, and the Coca-Cola Company.
- The DeKalb County School District responded to demands from the state Department of Education for immediate renovation at Druid Hills High School. Board Chair Vickie Turner argued that the state is responsible for addressing immediate needs if they jeopardize the health and welfare of students and staff. The news comes after state Superintendent Richard Woods said that he won’t approve the district’s plans for the 2022-2023 school year in response to a viral video detailing deteriorating facilities at Druid Hills.
- The city of Decatur approved design plans for an affordable housing complex in Legacy Park off Columbia Drive. The proposed 132-unit building will offer apartments, flats, and duplexes for low-income residents. The first phase of the project is expected to be completed by May 2024.
- Eight Georgians, including a Black business owner and developer in Athens, are among the first round of 78 individuals nationwide to receive clemency from President Joe Biden. In 2002, Dexter Jackson was convicted for his role in a drug operation that ran out of a pool hall that he owned. Since his release and subsequent pardon, Jackson has transformed the business into a cellphone repair business and hires local high school students through work-based learning programs.
ICYMI: A Black couple in Douglasville just received $1.2 million in funding to develop their natural bath and beauty company, Herb’N Eden. The funds from Mercantile Venture Capital and The Core Venture Studio will help Quinton and Terran Lewis with hiring and other business needs.
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