This story was published as part of our #APSVotes project with Atlanta Civic Circle to help shed light on APS school board elections. Read our school board election voting guide here. Atlanta voters will return to the polls for a Dec. 5 runoff election to decide who will fill the final seat on the city’s […]
DeKalb County
Posted inCop City, Criminal Justice
Environmental Impact Targeted in New Push Against ‘Cop City’
Opponents of the developing Atlanta Public Safety Training Center have adopted a new strategy to stop the so-called “Cop City” from being built. Activists filed a complaint with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of External Civil Rights Compliance last week, arguing that the 85-acre site in unincorporated southern DeKalb County is damaging the ecosystem in […]
Posted inCop City
Organizers Make Final Push on ‘Cop City’ Referendum
Mary Hooks was the first person to sign the petition for a ballot referendum on the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, dubbed “Cop City.” More than six weeks later, she now spends her days canvassing the streets of Atlanta collecting signatures from registered voters to get the issue on the ballot. The Cop City Vote […]
Posted inCop City
Mayor’s Task Force Proposes Community-Centric Changes for Atlanta’s ‘Cop City’
A task force assembled by Mayor Andre Dickens has announced its recommendations to make the controversial public safety training center known as “Cop City” more “community-oriented.” The group proposes involving community members in developing anti-bias courses and other police training curriculum that acknowledge the “difficult history” of policing in Atlanta. “[The task force subgroups] all […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Atlanta’s ‘Broken Promises’: $67M for Cop City, Violence Prevention Left Behind
This story was published in partnership with The Trace. In December 2021, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms sent a news release announcing the formation of the city’s first-ever Office of Violence Reduction. The office was to be charged with coordinating efforts between community-led violence intervention programs and dispersing some $5 million in grants to organizations […]
Posted inPublic Services
Need Plumbing Repairs? DeKalb County Has the Solution for You.
Live in DeKalb County? Need some help with your plumbing or mounting water bill debt? The DeKalb Cares Water Repair Program may be the solution for you. On Aug. 1, 2022, the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners announced that residents across the county would see a 6% increase in water and sewer bills to fund […]
Posted inBlack Biz
What Business Owners Want to See in South Dekalb’s Future
This story was originally published by Canapy Atlanta, a community-powered journalism nonprofit. DeKalb exists as two counties in one. North DeKalb flourishes with the ongoing development of high-end restaurants, shopping centers, coffee shops, and theaters. South DeKalb, on the other hand, has experienced stagnant growth for decades. The area’s majority Black population have few options for necessities, quality […]
Posted inCity Politics, Politics
It’s Not Just the City of Atlanta. Black Residents in DeKalb Have Water Issues, Too
Earlier this week, Janis Gardner sat outside the DeKalb County government office in downtown Decatur looking for answers. It was early in the morning, but she waited, alongside a dozen others, for the 10 a.m. Board of Commissioners meeting. Next to her were fellow members of the DeKalb Water Watch, a community group created with […]
Posted inPublic Services
Let’s Talk About Trash Accountability in South DeKalb
This story was originally published by Canapy Atlanta, a community-powered journalism nonprofit. Photos by Matt Pearson; research by Naya Clark, West End Fellow At the corner of Austin Drive and Easterwood Court in Candler-McAfee, Joscelyn O’Neil, a South DeKalb resident for the past 20 years, stands in front of an unattractive patch of land with trees. […]
Posted inHealth
Can South DeKalb Become a Food Oasis?
This story was originally published by Canapy Atlanta, a community-powered journalism nonprofit. Photos are by Nicole Buchanan and Mike Rouse, South DeKalb Fellow. Every day, a flood of South DeKalb residents cross the Flat Shoals Road bridge that hovers above I-20 to gain quick access to essentials at the Gresham Road Walmart Supercenter. For those traveling on […]