Months after southwest Atlanta neighborhoods voted against proposed legislation that would put a data center by the West End MARTA station, the Atlanta City Council has tabled the ordinance. During a July 13 Zoning Committee meeting, City Council members voted to hold the legislation, which would alter an existing city ordinance that bans data centers […]
Politics & Policy
Posted inPolitics & Policy, State Politics
Calls for Boycott Continue After Rick Jackson Visits Black-Owned Restaurant
Calls to boycott a popular Black-owned Atlanta restaurant continued Monday in response to one of the owners posing for pictures with Republican gubernatorial nominee Rick Jackson. The uproar comes amid a pivotal general election battle for Black voter support. While Democrats have relied more heavily on Black voters to win statewide elections, President Donald Trump […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, Voting
Amid Attacks on Voting Rights, Atlanta Remembers John Lewis
As Black voters face a new wave of attacks on their right to cast ballots, the legacy of U.S. Rep. John Lewis serves as a source of inspiration for community organizers who are fighting back. On July 17, the sixth anniversary of the civil rights icon’s passing, Women on the Rise led a group of […]
Posted inHousing, Politics & Policy
New Housing Law Won’t Bring Quick Relief to Black Atlantans, Advocates Say
Black renters and homebuyers struggling with high housing costs in Atlanta shouldn’t expect immediate relief from a new federal housing bill that became law over the weekend. The measure, known as the 21st Century ROAD To Housing Act, took effect at midnight Saturday. It includes provisions that incentivize additional home construction, which supporters expect will […]
Posted inCommunity, Politics & Policy, Transportation
Months After Bus Stop Removal, Seniors Are Still Waiting on MARTA
After facing community pushback for removing a bus stop in front of a Southwest Atlanta senior home, MARTA officials say they’re evaluating if they can include the senior home in its newest shuttle service. For some, who now have to travel more than half a mile to a bus stop, that process could take too […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Rick Jackson Campaigns at Barbershop Touting Loans for Black Entrepreneurs
Overcoming a difficult childhood is something Georgia Senate candidate Furquan Stafford and gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson have in common. The 54-year-old co-founder of Atlanta’s Stafford Boxing Club says he grew up in foster care like Jackson, who was raised in Atlanta’s Techwood Homes. That shared experience was one of the themes the candidates bonded over […]
Posted inCommunity, Economy, Politics & Policy
As SNAP Shrinks, Atlanta Food Banks Face Record Demand
High gas prices, rising grocery costs, and changes in government assistance programs have prompted local Atlanta food banks and nonprofits to sound an alarm as hundreds of thousands of families need food assistance this summer. In 2020, the Atlanta Community Food Bank, the largest food bank in the metro area, served around 170,000 people per […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Six Years Later, the FBI Is Still Investigating Georgia’s 2020 Election
It doesn’t seem to matter to FBI Director Kash Patel that there’s no credible evidence of Fulton County elected officials, employees, or volunteer poll workers tampering with the 2020 election results. Last week, the embattled Trump appointee reassigned 260 intelligence analysts from FBI field offices across the country to assist with the agency’s ongoing investigation. […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Keisha Lance Bottoms and Rick Jackson Are Betting on Voters Beyond Their Base
Nearly three weeks after a pivotal runoff election, gubernatorial candidates Keisha Lance Bottoms and Rick Jackson are focusing on broadening their appeal to Georgia voters outside of their respective political tribes. It’s been nearly 30 years since a Democrat was elected to serve in the governor’s mansion, and the state has never chosen a Black […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, Technology
DeKalb Rejects Data Center Regulations, Leaving Future Expansion Uncertain
After nearly a year of contention and outcry from residents, DeKalb County officials voted down legislation last month that sought to regulate data center development in the county. While some count it as a victory in the fight to stop data centers, others believe the county is now in a vulnerable position. At a June […]
