By Clarke Henderson, program associate, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta This summer, we have seen observable effects of global climate change on our environment. Extreme weather events and record-breaking heat waves, like the one that gripped the Pacific Northwest, are coming in far greater frequency. While cities like Vancouver and Portland experienced the brunt of […]
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Posted inThought Leadership
MedShare Disaster Relief – Partnering to Provide Oxygen to Combat COVID-19 in India
By Charles Redding, CEO & President This past spring the country of India underwent a massive surge in COVID cases, almost exclusively as a result of the rapid spread of the Delta variant. The numbers spiked to more than 400,000 daily cases this past spring and experts estimated that the true figure could be more […]
Posted inThought Leadership
MARTA to Require Weekly COVID Testing for Unvaccinated Employees
MARTA will begin requiring weekly COVID-19 testing for unvaccinated employees beginning Monday, Oct. 4. Vaccinated employees must submit or upload a copy of their vaccination card to Human Resources to avoid weekly testing. Almost half of MARTA employees are fully vaccinated, according to information available through county health departments, health benefits providers, and vaccination appointments […]
Posted inThought Leadership
Building Places Where Birds and People Thrive
By Jared Teutsch, Executive Director Birds are a catalyst for conservation. Easy to see and hear wherever you are—in parks and greenspaces, in our yards, on city sidewalks, and beyond—birds provide an entry point into nature appreciating and understanding the challenges we all face to protect these spaces, in the city and beyond. Georgia Audubon […]
Posted inLatest News
EPA says DeKalb County’s plan to end sewage spills need not be ideal; judge to decide
The Biden administration has decided DeKalb County’s efforts to stop raw sewage from spilling into waterways don’t have to be ideal. They simply have to improve the current situation.
Posted inColumns
Congressional approach to digital inclusion mirrors Atlanta Public Schools’ program
By Guest Columnist TAUHEEDAH BAKER-JONES, chief equity and social justice officer of Atlanta Public Schools
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit last March, the digital divide’s impact on public schooling became starkly clear. Now, as the surge in COVID cases forces some classrooms across the state to temporarily resume virtual learning, it’s more important than ever to ensure every student has the connectivity and digital tools they need to learn.
Posted inDemocracy
Voter-education efforts ramp up ahead of November municipal elections
The odometer on voting rights activist Fenika Miller’s 2014 Ford Fusion has racked up nearly 300,000 miles. Most of those miles have been added since March when Miller’s organization launched an all-out blitzkrieg of sorts against Georgia’s controversial new election reform law. As senior state coordinator for Black Voters Matter, Miller runs the organization’s operation from […]
Posted inHousing Affordability
Landlords, tenants lament roadblocks in DeKalb’s rental assistance program
Bemoaning the bureaucratic roadblocks encumbering DeKalb County’s emergency rental assistance program, a man who leases out just a single home in the community said Thursday, “I’m never going to be a landlord again when this is all done.” During a virtual town hall meeting hosted by County Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson, this landlord and others, […]
Posted inAtlanta Civic Circle, Democracy
Controversy erupts over appointment of new Fulton County Election chair
Atlanta political stalwart Cathy Woolard Wednesday was tapped to lead the troubled elections operations of the state’s largest county, despite vigorous opposition. Woolard was appointed chair of Fulton County’s elections board after strident criticism over her ties to Fair Fight Action, a voting rights group founded by Stacey Abrams. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger slammed the […]
Posted inLatest News
Dan Cathy passes Chick-fil-A baton to Andrew Cathy
Chick-fil-A, one of the largest privately-held companies in metro Atlanta, will soon have a new CEO.
Posted inLatest News
Nonprofit urges 10 reforms of Atlanta’s Neighborhood Planning Unit public input system
Ten recommendations for reforming Atlanta’s Neighborhood Planning Unit system were announced by a civic-focused nonprofit Sept. 16 after three years of study. The Center for Civic Innovation’s effort was the first comprehensive review of the nearly half-century-old NPU system, which provides input to City government on virtually any topic, since 1979. The recommendations center on […]
Posted inLatest News
Reporter’s Notebook: Atlanta’s role in global health fueled by Emory University’s research grants
The City of Decatur school system is giving employees until the end of October to get the COVID-19 shot, according to WABE, and appears to be Georgia’s first school district to implement this mandate. Staff can also complete the exemption process, which replaces the vaccination requirement with a daily rapid test. Gov. Brian Kemp isn’t […]
Posted inThought Leadership
As General Assembly Gathers, Give the WHO Its Due
By Paige Alexander CEO, The Carter Center and Dr. Kashef Ijaz Vice President-Health Programs, The Carter Center The 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly opens Tuesday, Sept. 14. It is a time of great anticipation as representatives of 193 member states come together in the great hall to discuss issues and set an […]
Posted inLatest News
ATL hits pause on legacy for Mayor Bottoms: Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms’ legacy may not include a permanent cabinet-level office to regulate city policies related to LBGTQ+, immigrants, sustainability, youth and more.
Posted inHousing Affordability
Could Congress help Georgia, metro Atlanta disburse rental assistance cash faster?
Congresswoman Cori Bush introduced legislation earlier this week that seeks to expand access to federal emergency rental assistance (ERA) money, a proposal that could ramp up the distribution of critical funding at a time when many states — including Georgia — are lagging. The move by the Missouri Democrat comes in the wake of the U.S. Supreme […]
Posted inDemocracy
November will be first big test for Georgia’s new election reform law
Georgia’s six-month-old election reform law will see its first major test in the coming weeks as voters across the state head to the polls for municipal elections. Many of the provisions in the Election Integrity Act of 2021 will serve as the first wake-up call for many voters who until now hadn’t given much more than a […]
Posted inLatest News
Shake-up at Southwest Airlines ripples over ATL airport’s credit rating
The credit rating of Atlanta’s airport hasn’t been changed, but the airport’s vulnerability to outside forces may be a factor Wednesday at a special call meeting of the Atlanta City Council.
Posted inHousing Affordability
Mythbusting Atlanta’s zoning reform efforts with planning czar Tim Keane
The City of Atlanta’s ongoing zoning code overhaul could impact how the city grows for decades to come, so it comes as no surprise that planning officials’ efforts have drawn both the praise and ire of residents across town. Many affordable housing advocates and city planning experts are excited at the prospect of finding ways […]
