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 […]
Politics & Policy
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 inEducation, Politics & Policy, State Politics
Georgia Rejects Summer EBT, Leaving 1.2M Kids Without Food Aid
Georgia will not participate in a summer program that would help feed children in need as the state has failed to opt in prior to this year’s final deadline. Summer EBT, also known as Sun Bucks, provides qualifying families with $120 for each eligible child in their household for the summer months. Congress approved the […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
What to Do If You’re Detained or Questioned by ICE in Atlanta
Uchechukwu Onwa likens his three-month detention by immigration agents — when he was apprehended at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in 2017 after fleeing homophobic violence in his Nigerian homeland — to the treatment of African ancestors being transported to America during the Transatlantic Slave Trade. “I was handcuffed from my hands down to my waist and […]
Posted inCity Politics, Politics & Policy
She Was Hired to Root Out Corruption in Atlanta. Now, She’s Under Fire for Exceeding Her Powers.
A local security contractor and lobbyist who was the subject of an Atlanta corruption investigation last year is suing the city and its inspector general, Shannon Manigault, for allegedly subpoenaing his bank records illegally. The lawsuit filed in federal court Thursday on behalf of security contractor Bernie Tokarz argues that Manigault’s office violated Tokarz’s privacy […]
Posted inCity Politics
Atlanta City Council Set to Vote on Potential Limits to Inspector General’s Powers
Government accountability advocates are asking Atlanta residents to voice support for Atlanta Inspector General Shannon Manigault ahead of a series of pivotal City Council votes that some fear will undermine efforts to root out corruption at City Hall. Committee on Council members downtown are set to decide during an 11 a.m. Monday meeting whether to […]
Posted inHousing, Politics & Policy
Why Affordable Housing Advocates Worry Atlanta’s Unhoused Population Is Growing
It’s been about three years since Janice Ruff reported her former landlord to the Atlanta Police Department’s housing code enforcement division for refusing to make repairs to her old apartment. That landlord received an estimated $3,500 fine, according to Ruff, who said he evicted her a short time later for having a “smart mouth.” She’s […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Local Politics
Fulton County Denies DA Fani Willis More Funding in 2025 Budget
The Fulton County Board of Commissioners opted against allocating a substantial monetary increase for the county district attorney’s office when finalizing its 2025 fiscal year budget on Wednesday, perhaps bringing a monthslong standoff with DA Fani Willis into its next phase. The board allocated $39.3 million of its nearly $1 billion budget to the DA’s […]
