Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens officially launched his reelection bid on Tuesday, but even he’s not sure who’s running against him. “Without any opponents yet, is this all for show?” Dickens told hundreds of supporters early Tuesday evening at a campaign kickoff party inside the Monday Night Brewing location in the West End. The 50-year-old former […]
Chauncey Alcorn
Chauncey Alcorn is Capital B Atlanta's state and local politics reporter.
Posted inHousing, Local Politics, Politics & Policy, State Politics
Atlanta Residents’ Calls for Rent Control Ignored by Lawmakers
Atlanta Housing Justice League Executive Director Alison Johnson expressed anger and regret on Monday after bills backed by her organization failed to advance before the legislature’s Thursday Crossover Day deadline. Failure to pass related bills in the state House or the state Senate by the end of Crossover Day means it’s unlikely Georgia’s legislature will pass […]
Posted inEducation
Republicans Pull the Plug on Senate Bill Banning DEI in Georgia Schools — for Now
Georgia Democrats celebrated late Thursday night after state Senate Republicans tabled a bill that would’ve pulled government funding from public schools and colleges that maintain diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Senate Bill 120 made headlines earlier this week after it advanced out of committee, sparking fears among some that initiatives aimed at increasing and promoting […]
Posted inHousing, Politics & Policy, State Politics
The Rent Is Too Damn High. Will Georgia Lawmakers Do Anything About It?
Black Atlantans and housing justice advocates have spent the past few years begging state lawmakers to do more to address housing-related issues like affordable housing shortages, rising rents, and low levels of homeownership among Black families. In response, Georgia Democrats — who had difficulty turning out Black voters in November — made addressing housing issues […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, Public Services, State Politics
What Georgia Lawmakers Are Doing About Your Sky-High Utility Bills
Ariana Brazier is sick of paying sky-high light bills. The 31-year-old Decatur resident said she’s seen her Georgia Power electric bill surge from about $90 a month in 2023 to roughly $300 a month this year. The added financial stress has left her in a “constant panic” over ways to reduce her expenses. She’s one […]
Posted inCity Politics, Politics & Policy
Dickens Champions ‘Cop City,’ Crime Drop, and Housing Gains
The anticipated spring opening of the facility commonly referred to as “Cop City” was one of the highlights of Mayor Andre Dickens’ Tuesday night State of the City Address during a speech that felt like both a victory lap and a kickoff for his reelection campaign. The Atlanta Police Department’s Facebook page announced the Public […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Bernice King Weighs in on Trump’s First Month, DEI Pushback
A little more than a month after Donald Trump was inaugurated on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the famed civil rights leader’s youngest daughter, Bernice King, worries some of the worst fears about the president’s second term appear to be in motion. “We’re about to see or witness a country we’ve never seen before,” King […]
Posted inJobs, Politics & Policy
“My Back Is Against the Wall”: Atlanta’s Black Federal Workers Reeling From Layoffs
Some of the Atlanta-based federal government workers who were recently laid off due to cost-saving efforts by the Trump administration and the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) had questions for their union leader on Thursday that she couldn’t answer. IT specialist Ryan Melton was one of nearly 600 laid off Centers for Disease […]
Posted inCity Politics
Atlanta’s Government Watchdog Has Resigned. Now What?
Fallout from Atlanta Inspector General Shannon Manigault’s sudden resignation continued Wednesday, less than 48 hours after city lawmakers approved changes to her office that critics contend will undermine anti-corruption efforts for the foreseeable future. Atlanta City Council members voted 14-1 Monday evening in support of an ordinance that amends the city’s charter to further outline […]
Posted inHealth
Hookah, Cigarillos May Be Raising Lung Cancer Rates for Fulton’s Black Men
The popularity of hookah lounges, cigar bars, and recreational marijuana may be contributing to higher rates of lung cancer among Black men living in Fulton County, according to recent research outlined by the county’s board of health. Panelists at the Fulton County Board of Health’s “State of Healthcare for African Americans” town hall said on […]