Former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond officially launched his bid to be Georgia’s next governor on Wednesday with an attention-grabbing campaign ad that appears to take a shot at President Donald Trump. Footage of Thurmond speaking at a “No Kings” protest in Athens in June is featured in the “Boots on Georgia Ground” ad, which […]
Atlanta
Posted inLGBTQ, Politics & Policy
‘I’m Leading With Hope’: Atlanta’s New LGBTQ Affairs Lead Champions Trans People and Health Equity
Just over one month into his new role as Atlanta’s head of LGBTQ Affairs, Dewayne R. Queen is developing a vision that supports various groups by working with city partners and local organizations. But he knows it won’t be easy. While Atlanta is often viewed as a welcoming and progressive place, many are grappling with […]
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice, Policing
Fani Willis Defends Her Record on Police Brutality Cases
Last week, as we conducted our interview with District Attorney Fani Willis, three grieving families were awaiting news from her office related to their loved ones’ deaths at the hands of Atlanta police officers. This week, the family of Deacon Johnny Hollman finally got their answer: A Fulton County grand jury has declined to bring […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Public Safety
After Mass Shooting, Atlanta Launches New Safety Measures in Sweet Auburn
Last Monday, a mass shooting on Edgewood Avenue left 11 people injured, one man dead, and Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn neighborhood reeling. In response to increased pressure from the neighborhood planning unit, the city on Aug. 4 released its Coordinated Safety & Compliance Measures on Edgewood Avenue plan with a list of actions to address safety […]
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice, Incarceration
Fani Willis Calls Commissioners ‘Liars’ in Jail Funds Fight
As you walk into District Attorney Fani Willis’ office, housed on the third floor of Fulton County Courthouse, you’re greeted by a Malcolm X quote posted along the hallway. “I’m for truth no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it’s for or against.” But she’s faced several tests on her ability […]
Posted inEconomic Development, Environmental Justice, Money, Politics & Policy
Amazon’s $270 Million Land Deal Sparks Data Center Concerns in Georgia
Last month, Amazon purchased around 1,000 acres of land south of Atlanta for possible data center development as the state continues to be at the forefront of the fast-growing industry of digital storage space. The deal was between a subsidiary of Amazon called Amazon Data Services and High Falls 75 LLC, the developer behind the […]
Posted inEssay, History
History Beneath Our Feet: The Police Killings That Sparked Summer Riots in the 1960s
Atlanta loves to repeat its favorite line, a city too busy to hate. But these places know otherwise. There are streets in Atlanta where memory lies low, beneath the asphalt, whispering like wind through brick. If you walk slowly enough, you’ll hear it: not history, but instruction. Not nostalgia, but reckoning. Begin here. Georgia Avenue. […]
Posted inHealth
Need Medical Care but Lack Insurance? These Metro Atlanta Clinics Can Help.
At the ICNA Relief clinic in Decatur, patients ranging from women to children, young men to the elderly, all wait to be seen by the medical staff who are working diligently to provide free health care to residents in metro Atlanta who need it the most. In a modest office tucked away off Memorial Drive, […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Garrett Rolfe, Who Shot Rayshard Brooks in 2020, Is Charged in a Bar Fight
Atlanta police officer Garrett Rolfe — who first made headlines in 2020 when he shot and killed Rayshard Brooks — is now being charged with simple battery after a violent altercation with an employee at X Midtown club last month. In a 911 call released a few days after the incident in June, club employee […]
Posted inBlack Businesses, Politics & Policy
Atlanta Roadwork Hits Black-Owned Businesses Hard in Southwest Neighborhood
Business hasn’t been the same for MoreLyfe Juice Co. owner Trinket Lewis ever since construction crews began a series of road improvements outside her store in Cascade Heights nearly two years ago. The single mom and entrepreneur estimates her juice bar’s sales have decreased by as much as 72% since the Atlanta Department of Transportation […]
