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News Roundup

Thomasville Heights Elementary Is Closing for Now

Your AM Rundown: Plus, the DeKalb Mobile Farmers Market is bringing free produce to neighborhoods throughout the county.

The Atlanta Board of Education's decision to temporarily close Thomasville Heights Elementary School will result in students being transferred to Slater Elementary in southwest Atlanta. (Sydney Sims/Capital B)

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’s up in Atlanta: 

  • The Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education voted to temporarily close Thomasville Heights Elementary, despite public outcry against the decision. The students will be transferred to Slater Elementary in southwest Atlanta. Thomasville Heights is the neighborhood school for Forest Cove apartments, which are set for demolition after conditions there were allowed to deteriorate. Parents wanting to send their kids somewhere other than Slater have until June 17 to apply for a transfer elsewhere.
  • The Atlanta City Council unanimously voted to authorize a $925,000 settlement in an ongoing effort to claim the home of a Peoplestown resident. Dwayne Agard was among the residents who refused to sell his home to the city via eminent domain in 2014, which then-Mayor Kasim Reed said was necessary to prevent major flooding damage. Residents told Capital B in April that they were in the early stages of negotiating settlements for their homes, even though they have no desire to leave. 
  • DeKalb County received an additional $25 million for rental assistance tied to pandemic relief funds. After a cyberattack impeded the initial $21 million rollout last year, the extra dough allows the county to reopen applications for the first time in months. 
  • Speaking of DeKalb, residents can pick up free produce from the DeKalb Mobile Farmers Market through July 15. The bus will distribute bagged fruits and vegetables in various locations throughout the county, including Lithonia and Decatur. Click here to find out where you can get free food!
  • The suspect in the shooting death of Atlanta rapper Trouble is behind bars. Jamichael Jones surrendered to police in Clayton County on Tuesday. An indictment states the Atlanta man shot Trouble in the home of a woman who has not been identified by authorities. Jones is charged with felony murder, aggravated assault, home invasion, and battery. 

ICYMI: Herschel Walker says it shouldn’t matter that he’s the first Black person to win the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate in Georgia. But experts wonder if he’s alienating Black voters. Read more from our politics reporter Chauncey Alcorn.

Got tips, pitches, or other updates to include in Your AM Rundown? Hit us up at atltips@capitalbatl.org.