After years of pressure and a recent court order, the Confederate monument in the downtown Decatur square has come down.By 10:30 p.m. Thursday, a large, energetic crowd had gathered near the 30-foot obelisk, which a DeKalb County judge  should be removed and put into storage. Word had spread quickly as law enforcement and construction crews gathered in the area and a crane was brought in to pluck the monument from its perch outside the historic DeKalb County courthouse.Police officers on the scene moved observers away from the gazebo near the monument, which was erected in 1908 by the...…After years of pressure and a recent court order, the Confederate monument in the downtown Decatur square has come down.By 10:30 p.m. Thursday, a large, energetic crowd had gathered near the 30-foot obelisk, which a DeKalb County judge  should be removed and put into storage. Word had spread quickly as law enforcement and construction crews gathered in the area and a crane was brought in to pluck the monument from its perch outside the historic DeKalb County courthouse.Police officers on the scene moved observers away from the gazebo near the monument, which was erected in 1908 by the...WW…

In an order issued Friday afternoon, a DeKalb County judge said the Confederate monument in the Decatur square should be immediately relocated. issued the order in response to a complaint that Decatur's city attorney filed against DeKalb County. The city argued that the 30-foot obelisk had become a threat to public safety during  about racism and police violence toward black people.Seeliger’s order says the monument should be placed into storage until further notice. It calls for removal to take place by midnight on June 26.“In short, the Confederate obelisk has become an increasingly...…In an order issued Friday afternoon, a DeKalb County judge said the Confederate monument in the Decatur square should be immediately relocated. issued the order in response to a complaint that Decatur's city attorney filed against DeKalb County. The city argued that the 30-foot obelisk had become a threat to public safety during  about racism and police violence toward black people.Seeliger’s order says the monument should be placed into storage until further notice. It calls for removal to take place by midnight on June 26.“In short, the Confederate obelisk has become an increasingly...WW…

DeKalb County and three more local cities — Avondale Estates, Doraville and Dunwoody — have now adopted ordinances mandating the use of face coverings in public.They join at least two other DeKalb cities and to enact mandates in defiance of Gov. Brian Kemp's .DeKalb’s ordinance, which covers unincorporated parts of the county, was approved Tuesday afternoon by the Board of Commissioners.It orders residents and visitors over 8 years old to wear a mask in public places, with several exemptions for things like driving; eating and drinking; outdoor exercise if proper social distancing is...…DeKalb County and three more local cities — Avondale Estates, Doraville and Dunwoody — have now adopted ordinances mandating the use of face coverings in public.They join at least two other DeKalb cities and to enact mandates in defiance of Gov. Brian Kemp's .DeKalb’s ordinance, which covers unincorporated parts of the county, was approved Tuesday afternoon by the Board of Commissioners.It orders residents and visitors over 8 years old to wear a mask in public places, with several exemptions for things like driving; eating and drinking; outdoor exercise if proper social distancing is...WW…

It’s lunchtime on a Friday in Madison, the small Georgia town that Sherman famously spared during his March to the Sea.In a shirt that says “My Black Voice Will Be Heard,” 16-year-old Alex Williams is leading a crowd of about 200 past the antebellum homes that line Main Street.The diverse group marches toward Hill Park — where a monument to the Confederate States of America still stands tall — as Williams guides them along the sidewalk. He and his young counterparts lead chants that have become standards of the  movement.What do they want? Justice. When do they want it? Now.“It’s not...…It’s lunchtime on a Friday in Madison, the small Georgia town that Sherman famously spared during his March to the Sea.In a shirt that says “My Black Voice Will Be Heard,” 16-year-old Alex Williams is leading a crowd of about 200 past the antebellum homes that line Main Street.The diverse group marches toward Hill Park — where a monument to the Confederate States of America still stands tall — as Williams guides them along the sidewalk. He and his young counterparts lead chants that have become standards of the  movement.What do they want? Justice. When do they want it? Now.“It’s not...WW…

In DeKalb County, racism has been declared a public health crisis.Led by District 3 representative Larry Johnson and spurred on by a group of Emory University medical students, the Board of Commissioners adopted the resolution last week.DeKalb is believed to be the first government in Georgia to make such a declaration, but joins about five dozen other states, counties and cities across the country in recent months.The idea has gained momentum thanks to the confluence of the coronavirus pandemic — which has Black people and other minority groups — and over the police killings of Black...…In DeKalb County, racism has been declared a public health crisis.Led by District 3 representative Larry Johnson and spurred on by a group of Emory University medical students, the Board of Commissioners adopted the resolution last week.DeKalb is believed to be the first government in Georgia to make such a declaration, but joins about five dozen other states, counties and cities across the country in recent months.The idea has gained momentum thanks to the confluence of the coronavirus pandemic — which has Black people and other minority groups — and over the police killings of Black...WW…

DeKalb County plans to spend $200,000 on an ad campaign encouraging folks to stay safe during the ongoing .And they've enlisted  to drop the knowledge.“I don’t want to see people who look like me die unnecessarily because of cabin fever,” the rapper, whose government name is Michael Render, said in a news release distributed by the county.“Let’s stay out of them streets. Take it from Mike and Mike: Stay home if you can. Mask up if you can’t.”The second “Mike” in that equation is DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, who said he enlisted Killer Mike for the ad campaign...…DeKalb County plans to spend $200,000 on an ad campaign encouraging folks to stay safe during the ongoing .And they've enlisted  to drop the knowledge.“I don’t want to see people who look like me die unnecessarily because of cabin fever,” the rapper, whose government name is Michael Render, said in a news release distributed by the county.“Let’s stay out of them streets. Take it from Mike and Mike: Stay home if you can. Mask up if you can’t.”The second “Mike” in that equation is DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, who said he enlisted Killer Mike for the ad campaign...WW…

They’ve had to figure out how to safely administer an election with a pandemic raging, which contributed to a struggle finding poll workers on election day.They’ve weathered this year’s complicated rollout of a new statewide voter system, and overcome technical breakdowns in the state’s voter database during last month’s early voting period.On Wednesday, as the men and women who operate Georgia’s 159 county election offices were gearing up to administer two heated U.S. Senate runoffs that will dominate the holiday season, a new obstacle was added to their 2020 list: An unprecedented...…They’ve had to figure out how to safely administer an election with a pandemic raging, which contributed to a struggle finding poll workers on election day.They’ve weathered this year’s complicated rollout of a new statewide voter system, and overcome technical breakdowns in the state’s voter database during last month’s early voting period.On Wednesday, as the men and women who operate Georgia’s 159 county election offices were gearing up to administer two heated U.S. Senate runoffs that will dominate the holiday season, a new obstacle was added to their 2020 list: An unprecedented...WW…

A mass of motivated Georgia voters overloaded polling places on the first day of early voting Monday, many lining up before doors opened to make sure their ballots would be counted.They were in for long waits, some exceeding eight hours. Computer glitches at several polling places, including a huge voting location inside in downtown Atlanta, only lengthened delays.The start of three weeks of early voting showed how the combination of high turnout and with election equipment could also result in problems on a busy Election Day. A record number of Georgia voters, over 5 million, are expected...…A mass of motivated Georgia voters overloaded polling places on the first day of early voting Monday, many lining up before doors opened to make sure their ballots would be counted.They were in for long waits, some exceeding eight hours. Computer glitches at several polling places, including a huge voting location inside in downtown Atlanta, only lengthened delays.The start of three weeks of early voting showed how the combination of high turnout and with election equipment could also result in problems on a busy Election Day. A record number of Georgia voters, over 5 million, are expected...WW…

Phillip Dean’s first thought was of tragedy.Fresh out of the Air Force, the 24-year-old was wrapping up his shift driving for Uber Eats and headed up I-285 to his parents’ house when he saw the taillights stacking up. He figured there’d been a car crash — and, by the looks of it, a bad one.He switched into emergency mode, reminding himself how to perform CPR. He was ready to help should the situation call for it.It didn’t.The scene Dean happened upon July 9 wasn’t a car wreck. It was an entirely different, extraordinarily odd episode, even for a city whose interstates have a way of...…Phillip Dean’s first thought was of tragedy.Fresh out of the Air Force, the 24-year-old was wrapping up his shift driving for Uber Eats and headed up I-285 to his parents’ house when he saw the taillights stacking up. He figured there’d been a car crash — and, by the looks of it, a bad one.He switched into emergency mode, reminding himself how to perform CPR. He was ready to help should the situation call for it.It didn’t.The scene Dean happened upon July 9 wasn’t a car wreck. It was an entirely different, extraordinarily odd episode, even for a city whose interstates have a way of...WW…

DeKalb County commissioners have tweaked their ordinance that requires people to wear masks in public, adding a potential exemption for “conscientious objectors” and updating other language in hopes of avoiding a legal confrontation with the state.DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond proposed the changes. The county commission approved its original ordinance , but Thurmond had not signed it into law before Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp issued a new executive order from requiring the use of face coverings.Thurmond said he took the opportunity to gather fresh legal advice, and that the revised ordinance...…DeKalb County commissioners have tweaked their ordinance that requires people to wear masks in public, adding a potential exemption for “conscientious objectors” and updating other language in hopes of avoiding a legal confrontation with the state.DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond proposed the changes. The county commission approved its original ordinance , but Thurmond had not signed it into law before Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp issued a new executive order from requiring the use of face coverings.Thurmond said he took the opportunity to gather fresh legal advice, and that the revised ordinance...WW…