In response to increasingly violent activity from teens known as ‘water boys’ or ‘bottle boys’ on Atlanta’s streets, the city is directing the police department to crack down on the group’s activities. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced a continuous effort in partnership with the Atlanta Police Department and local community advocacy groups to curb the […]
Posted inCoronavirus
322 people have died from coronavirus in Georgia this week
Georgia’s COVID-19 death toll continues to mount. According to data from the Georgia Department of Public Health, the state reported 322 deaths from the virus this week. A total of 3,495 people have died from the virus statewide since the pandemic began. Georgia added 3,787 new cases Saturday, bringing the total to 165,188. The department […]
Posted inCoronavirus
Coronavirus infections among staff force restaurants to close after reopening
Dozens of metro Atlanta restaurants have temporarily closed in recent months after employees tested positive for the coronavirus. They include the Varsity, a historic fast food restaurant in Midtown Atlanta, which has since reopened. At the popular Ponce City Market in Atlanta, six retail establishments or tenants closed at least temporarily after employees were infected, […]
Posted inCoronavirus
A bad day in Georgia: Record number of COVID-19 cases, high number of deaths
In the 24 hour period from 3 p.m. Thursday to 3 p.m. Friday, Georgia reported that 82 people had died from COVID-19. This is the highest number if deaths reported in a single day since April 20. The death toll on April 20 was 85 and is the highest number of deaths reported in Georgia […]
Posted inCoronavirus
Have you had COVID-19? Northside hospital would like you to donate plasma
Northside Hospital is asking those who have had COVID-19 and recovered from it to consider donating plasma to help patients who are currently infected by the virus. As positive COVID-19 cases continue to surge across the state, demand for convalescent plasma to help patients fight the virus has never been higher. “Once the plasma’s infused […]
Posted inCrime
Three charged in homicide of two sisters found under Rome Bridge
ROME — Three people have been charged in the May homicide of two sisters who were found dead under the Etowah Bridge on Loop 1 in Rome. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Desmond Lavonta Brown, Devin Lashawn Watts and Christopher Leedarius Pullen have been charged in connection with the deaths of 30-year-old Clarice […]
Posted inYour Family
Teachers fear speaking out about push for in-person learning
Over 675,000 students in eight of Georgia’s 10 largest school districts will start the fall semester virtually. Those districts: Gwinnett, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton and Henry county schools, as well as Atlanta Public Schools and Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools, represent nearly 40% of Georgia’s public students. And now the state Board of Education may decide […]
Posted inYour Family
How to talk to your kids about going back to school during COVID-19
First-day jitters are common, but students returning to school this year during the COVID-19 pandemic will face all sorts of unknowns that could lead to heightened anxiety. “School is going to look very different this year, from increased handwashing to masks to social distancing,” said University of Georgia Cooperative Extension child development specialist Diane Bales. […]
Posted inCoronavirus
DeKalb County is distributing 20,000 masks to small businesses
As part of its ongoing “Stop the Spread” campaign, DeKalb County will distribute 20,000 masks to local small businesses to encourage them to implement a “No Mask, No Service” policy. DeKalb County Police, Fire Rescue and Code Enforcement personnel will distribute masks to small businesses throughout the county to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 […]
Posted inYour Government
Officials: Right to detain should remain if citizen’s arrest laws are repealed
Any proposals to do away with Georgia’s citizen’s arrest law should distinguish between an arrest made by a civilian and a citizen’s right to detain a criminal suspect, the head of the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association said Thursday. “We don’t need [citizens] to do the job for us,” Terry Norris told members of a legislative committee […]