Throughout Georgia, 1 in 5 children struggle to access food as advocates working on the ground say food assistance is at an all-time high due to increased grocery prices and rollbacks to federal programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. And the summer is even more dire for the state’s children as schools are […]
Public Services
Posted inCapital B Atlanta, Health, Mental Health, Public Services
Staffing Cuts at Atlanta VA Raise Concerns for Black Veterans Who Rely on It Most
When Ed Anderson walks into the Atlanta VA Medical Center, he doesn’t just see a hospital. He sees the place that once saved his life. “I can say with no shame in my voice that the VA mental health care saved my life more than 20, 25 years ago,” said the 71-year-old Air Force veteran. […]
Posted inCommunity, Housing, Politics & Policy, Public Services
Atlanta Spent $60 Million to Address Homelessness, but the Crisis Persists
As the temperature dropped to around 35 degrees last Wednesday night, Yered Israel wasn’t sure where he’d be sleeping — or whether he’d sleep at all. The 36-year-old, self-identified unhoused man was sitting in the entryway of a Georgia State University garage with his belongings around 9 p.m. last week when he was approached by […]
Posted inPublic Services
Where to Find Open Warming Centers in Atlanta During the Winter Storm
As Winter Storm Fern approaches Georgia, bringing forecasts of freezing rain, ice, and snow to the state this weekend, state and local officials are urging residents to prepare for dangerous conditions. Gov. Brian Kemp declared a statewide State of Emergency from Jan. 22 through Jan. 29 and ordered state agencies to mobilize resources to respond […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, Public Services, State Politics
Georgia Power’s $16 Billion Data Center Push Could Mean Higher Costs for Residents
A Georgia Power proposal that would allow one of the largest energy infrastructure projects in state history crossed a major regulatory hurdle on Wednesday. The Public Service Commission’s Public Interest Advocacy Staff division approved a Georgia Power stipulation agreement that would greenlight construction of enough new power plant facilities to generate an additional 10,000 megawatts […]
Posted inHealth, Public Services
Where to Find Free HIV Testing in Atlanta as the South Faces a Crisis
As the South marks Southern HIV/AIDS Awareness Day today, local health organizations are sounding the alarm on a persistent public health crisis often overshadowed. “We’re still very much in an HIV epidemic,” Justin Smith, director of the Campaign to End AIDS at Positive Impact Health Centers, told Capital B Atlanta. “A lot of people assume […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, Public Services
Meet the Candidates Who May Decide What Happens With Your Electric Bill
Atlanta voters concerned about rising electric bills began casting ballots on Tuesday in a special election for the Georgia Public Service Commission, the administrative entity that regulates the state’s energy prices. At stake is how much people pay for power in a state with some of the highest utility costs in America. PSC commissioners have […]
Posted inHealth, Politics & Policy, Public Services
CDC Cuts HIV Communications, Leaving Vulnerable Black Georgians in the Dark
As infectious diseases like measles, salmonella, and hepatitis quietly spread across the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has gone largely silent. Of particular concern for Atlanta residents is the CDC’s lack of communication about HIV. According to the CDC, Georgia had the second-highest HIV diagnosis rate and the second-highest rate of HIV […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, Public Services
How this Statewide Election Impacts Your Power Bills
As summer returns and customers crank up their air conditioners to cope with the punishing heat, a little-known elected body that regulates energy prices in the state of Georgia is gearing up for a pivotal election. The body, known as the Georgia Public Service Commission, or PSC, has the power to determine what Atlanta power […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, Public Services
Why Electricity Rates in Georgia Rose $516 Per Year on Average
Rising energy costs have become a major financial hurdle for Black Georgians in recent years, with power bills at times matching or exceeding what some in Georgia pay for their monthly rent or mortgage. Georgia Power customers like Jennifer Morton told Macon’s 13WMAZ in July that her most-recent monthly power bill was $1,200. “We went […]