If you’ve been scrolling through your neighborhood Facebook group or NextDoor app lately, you’ve probably seen the posts. A family of four in metro Atlanta paying $2,300 a month for a Kaiser plan — and that’s the higher deductible option. Another family paying $2,800 a month. Parents of kids with Type 1 diabetes doing the […]
Posted inYour Government
Should the Georgia constitution be amended to tax the rich?
Georgia House Democrats have introduced a resolution that would ask voters to change how the state taxes personal income. What’s Happening: House Resolution 1504, nicknamed the “Tax the Rich Act,” would amend the Georgia Constitution to require a progressive individual income tax. What a progressive tax means: Right now, Georgia uses a flat income tax, […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Warner Robins community rallies around police officer shot in line of duty
The Warner Robins Police Department took to social media this week to thank the businesses, residents, and fellow officers who rallied around the department following the shooting of Officer Wojtal. Wojtal was shot during an hours-long standoff on Redmond Street in a residential neighborhood near Armed Forces Boulevard in January. Warner Robins Police, the Houston […]
Posted inCrime
Stone Mountain woman gets life in prison for 2020 murder of ex-boyfriend
A Stone Mountain woman was convicted and sentenced last week for killing her ex-boyfriend in DeKalb County in 2020. What’s Happening: On February 27, a DeKalb County jury found Teryn Blakeney, 29, guilty of felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during a crime. After about two hours of deliberation, the jury acquitted […]
Posted inCrime
School shooter’s dad found guilty of murder
Colin Gray, the father of suspected Apalachee High School shooter Colt Gray, has been found guilty of two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of involuntary manslaughter, and multiple counts of reckless conduct and cruelty to children. The jury reached a unanimous verdict in just under two hours. The jury started deliberating on Tuesday morning, […]
Posted inIn The News
DeKalb’s Most Notorious Criminal: Former Sheriff Sidney Dorsey dies in prison
Sidney Dorsey, the former DeKalb County sheriff whose jealousy and rage led him to orchestrate the murder of his successor, died in prison Tuesday. He was 86 years old. Dorsey’s name became synonymous with one of the most shocking political crimes in Georgia history when he ordered the assassination of Sheriff-elect Derwin Brown in December […]
Posted inNews You Can Use
Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead for Daylight Saving Time this weekend
Daylight Saving Time begins this Sunday, March 8, at 2 a.m. Clocks move forward one hour, and most people will lose one hour of sleep. What’s Happening: At 2 a.m. Sunday, clocks jump to 3 a.m. Most smartphones and internet-connected devices update automatically. What’s Important: Clocks that do not update on their own, such as […]
Posted inCrime
Chattooga County man gets life sentence for raping child family member
A Chattooga County jury convicted Ricky Lamar Blackmon on February 19 of raping and sexually abusing a child family member. Chief Superior Court Judge Brian House sentenced him to life in prison immediately after the verdict. What’s Happening: The three-day trial ended with Blackmon, 46, guilty on all seven counts, including rape, incest, and child […]
Posted inWeather
Cool air settles over North Georgia Tuesday before warmup Wednesday
A shallow wedge of cool, cloudy air is spreading across North Georgia today, with temperatures expected to rebound by midweek, according to the National Weather Service in Atlanta. What’s Happening: High pressure over the Mid-Atlantic is pushing a band of cool, cloudy air into North Georgia. A “wedge” is a shallow layer of cold air […]
Posted inGeorgia People
Meet Georgia’s youngest lawmaker
At 22, Georgia Rep. Akbar Ali, D-Lawrenceville, is the state’s youngest lawmaker. Whether he was organizing climate marches in high school or rechartering the Gwinnett Young Democrats, Ali has long been civically engaged. The driving force behind Ali’s desire to serve the community dates back to 2010 when the Gwinnett County mosque he grew up […]