The city is opening cooling centers so Atlanta residents can take extra precautions , as the city and other parts of the state are expected to get dangerously hot weather this Summer. According to the National Weather Service, a heat advisory is in effect from 1 p.m. Tuesday to 8 p.m. Wednesday for counties across […]
DeKalb County
Posted inEducation
A 6-Year-Old Faced Slurs and Violence. Then She Got Punished.
A 6-year-old Black girl was called a monkey, the N-word, and physically assaulted by her classmates at Ashford Park Elementary School in DeKalb County, according to a federal civil rights lawsuit filed earlier this year. The lawsuit alleges an incident where she dodged a desk thrown at her by another student but was later given […]
Posted inCity Politics, Cop City, Policing, Public Safety
Inside ‘Cop City’: What Atlanta’s Controversial Training Center Looks Like
The Atlanta Public Safety Training Center — the southern DeKalb County facility colloquially known as “Cop City” — officially opened its doors Tuesday after four contentious years of development. The 85-acre campus will serve as the training grounds for the city’s police and firefighters, yet it has received strong pushback due to its environmental impact, $67 million […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice
Meet the Black Women Fighting for Clean Air and Water in Atlanta
Gwen Smith thinks lovingly of the three decades she spent living in Collier Heights, reflecting on a close-knit community filled with neighbors who knew one another’s names and were always eager to lend a helping hand when necessary. But she can’t help but to remember the stench. Smith recalls foul odors surrounding her community on […]
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
How to Request Body Camera Footage from Atlanta Police
After Atlanta police officer Marquee Kelley fatally shot local activist Oscar Cain Jr. in the back in March 2019 — with his dashboard and body cameras turned off — the department sought ways to bring more transparency and accountability to policing in the city. The Atlanta Police Department had first deployed body cameras in 2016, however a […]
Posted inFood Access, Health, Partner Content
DeKalb Residents Say They Need Better Access to Health Care, Healthy Food
This story was originally published by Healthbeat. Sign up for their public health newsletters at healthbeat.org/newsletters. DeKalb County residents want more options for physical activity and healthy food and better access to health care providers, according to the latest Community Health Needs Assessment. DeKalb Public Health CEO Dr. Sandra Valenciano presented the findings at a […]
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy
Election Officials Ready for Smooth Election Following SEB Rule Overturn
Lashandra Little says she and other Fulton County election officials breathed a collective sigh of relief last month when a judge invalidated a controversial set of seven state election rules that many feared would create “chaos” on Election Day. “Training had already started,” Little, who serves as Fulton County’s voter education and outreach manager, told […]
Posted inHealth, Housing, Partner Content
Extended-Stay Hotels Offer Relief From Homelessness, but Can Lead to Health Problems for Kids
This article was published by KFF Health News. STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. — As principal of Dunaire Elementary School, Sean Deas has seen firsthand the struggles faced by children living in extended-stay hotels. About 10% of students at his school, just east of Atlanta, live in one. The children, Deas said, often have been exposed to […]
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy
Forgot to Register to Vote? Today Is the Deadline in Georgia.
Today is the final day Georgia residents can register to vote in this year’s Nov. 5 presidential election. The Georgia Secretary of State’s Office says eligible residents have until close of business on Oct. 7 to submit their voter registration application online or via U.S. mail. Folks who don’t have internet access can register to […]