Ever since the 2022 global outbreak of mpox, the number of cases has died down in the United States, but Fulton County officials warn that mpox hasn’t fully left Atlanta. At a Fulton County Board of Health meeting last week, the county’s director of epidemiology, Sasha Smith, stated that mpox is one of the diseases […]
Alyssa Johnson
Alyssa Johnson is Capital B Atlanta's enterprise reporter.
Posted inPublic Safety, Transportation
State Investigation Finds Missing Belts As A Cause Of Escalator Collapse After Beyoncé Concert
After an escalator malfunction left at least 24 people injured at a MARTA station following a Beyoncé concert earlier this month, a state investigation found that missing parts on the escalator and an overload of passengers were the likely causes of the accident. On July 15, as people were leaving Mercedes-Benz Stadium after Beyoncé’s final […]
Posted inHealth
Health Alert: West Nile Virus Confirmed In Atlanta-Area Mosquitoes
Fulton County health officials confirmed that mosquitoes trapped in two locations in the county have tested positive for West Nile virus. The traps were located at the Atlanta Virtual Academy in the Grove Park neighborhood and the Hoyt Smith Recreation Center in Hapeville. To combat the threat, county officials said in a press release that […]
Posted inCommunity, Maternal Health, Mental Health
This Nurse’s Tiny House Clinic Is Reimagining Black Mental Health Care
In a state where mental health care access can be limited, especially for Black communities, one nurse is serving Black Atlantans in an unconventional way – by running a clinic on wheels. Psychiatric nurse practitioner Joanne Patterson launched a virtual practice in 2019 and served over 6,000 patients during the past six years. But after […]
Posted inHealth, Politics & Policy
Former CDC Official Warn Budget Cuts Could Deepen HIV Crisis for Black Women in Georgia
A former official at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that funding cuts outlined in the proposed fiscal year 2026 federal budget could endanger the health of Black communities. And especially in Georgia, where HIV rates are some of the highest in the country, he warned that Black women are extra vulnerable to […]
Posted inMaternal Health
Why This Black Man Became a Doula: ‘Every Death Was Preventable’
While many doulas are women, one man is working to change the narrative about who can support families during childbirth. Sylvester Pierce, 44, operates a doula business called Younity Birthwork, where he provides services ranging from childbirth education, postpartum care, and more. “Doulas are there for the emotional, spiritual, and physical support of birthing parents. […]
Posted inHealth, Politics & Policy
CDC Reinstates HIV Prevention Staff Months After Controversial Layoffs
After undergoing layoffs earlier this year, hundreds of previously fired staff at the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are now being asked to return to work. Employees who worked for the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention; the National Center for Environmental Health; the Immediate Office of the Director; […]
Posted inClimate Change, Environmental Justice, Politics & Policy
New Tree Rules Bring Higher Removal Fees and Help for Seniors
The Atlanta City Council has approved revisions to the city’s long-standing tree protection rules, marking the most significant update in over two decades. The unanimous decision by the council introduces increased fees for tree removal and establishes a new senior citizen tree assistance program. Despite these changes, some council members and environmental advocates express concern […]
Posted inFood Access, Politics & Policy
Where to Find Free Food and Groceries in Atlanta Amid Proposed SNAP and EBT Cuts
Inside the Atlanta Community Food Bank’s facility in East Point Friday morning, dozens of volunteers hustled inside to organize piles of water bottles, juice cartons, peanut butter, and cans of soup. On the other side of the building, the beeps from the forklifts echoed throughout the corridors as food bank staff in blue and gray […]
Posted inHealth, LGBTQ, Politics & Policy
From HIV to Hormone Therapy, Medicaid Cuts Threaten Atlanta’s LGBTQ+ Residents
As lawmakers push for sweeping cuts to Medicaid, fear weighs heavily on Tori Cooper. Cooper, a trans woman who serves as the director of strategic outreach and training for the Human Rights Campaign, told Capital B Atlanta that for her and other Black trans residents, these cuts will have a detrimental impact on their lives. […]
