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 […]
Atlanta
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 inCourts, Criminal Justice, Juvenile Justice
School Safety Bill SB 61 May Send More Black Kids to Adult Court
A school safety bill introduced in response to the Apalachee High School shooting in September got a major change after advocates warned that it would unfairly criminalize children. Senate Bill 61, authored by state Sen. Greg Dolezal, a Republican from Forsyth County, was initially written to add both terroristic acts and terroristic threats against a […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Politics & Policy, Unsafe Water
Proposed Rollback of Lead Pipe Regulations Threatens Health of Atlanta Communities
Republican lawmakers are seeking to end a Biden administration mandate that local governments and water utilities identify and replace lead pipes nationwide, potentially obstructing efforts being made in metro Atlanta. The Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) aim to eliminate toxic pipes in the U.S. within the next 10 years. Following this mandate, areas like […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Policing
Officers Shot Jamarion Robinson 59 Times. Years Later, His Mother Fights for Justice.
Monteria Robinson and other local activists gathered at the West End Mall on Tuesday to raise awareness about her continued fight for justice after her son was gunned down by a federal task force in East Point nearly nine years ago. Jamarion Robinson’s 2016 killing gained national attention due to claims of excessive force by […]
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 […]