just watched an NBC meteorologist cry on air talking about how terrifying Hurricane Milton is & then the next thing I saw was a woman in the evacuation zone saying she has literally nowhere to go — all the hotels are booked & she doesn’t have a lot of money & has 4 dogs/6 kids. also am hearing that because so many people had damaged cars from Helene and needed rentals, there are basically no rentals available in the Tampa area. so booked up hotels and vanishingly few flights and cars to rent! mutual aid is important here but not enough!

there are lots of people in Atlanta under a boil water advisory after a water main break. they can’t go outside to buy water because of the chlorine gas in the air from a chemical plant explosion. some won’t hear any of this news because they still have no power from the storm. this is what truly impacts public safety, not just the traditional “crimes” tracked by police. it’s a result of intentional state disinvestment — yes, even if the original problem was caused by a natural disaster out of people’s control.

man i am really mourning the loss of the old internet!! didn't realize at the time that we were living through something that would be so fleeting. i miss stumbleupon and the many weird esoteric hobbyist forums and how creative and collective and liberatory things felt like everything cool, it is being ruined by capitalism and it really sucks. google - which was SO COOL!! magical! all this info at your fingertips! - is straight up not usable as a search engine anymore. SEOs and experimental AI and endless ads don't work with educational content

SOMEONE FOUND HAZEL!!!!!!! I’m driving to the house in Decatur right now!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭

Atlanta I’m not here but my dog escaped a dog sitter and I’m losing my mind please please please look out for her near St Francis Animal Hospital and share this



She’s terrified of people but move slowly around her, she’s very food motivated

today, the FBI released its 2022 crime data. some tips to keep in mind when writing about "crime" statistics (these are good tips to keep in mind for readers, too!)

firstly: the definition of crime varies across time and place and is always political. thread/ the things we criminalize as a society shift and contort as culture changes. also, things that are A-OK in some parts of the US are illegal in others (weed, gambling, abortion, etc.) new things are also criminalized (or, very rarely, decriminalized) every year

the literal first page of the RICO indictment against 60+ people who don’t want to see Cop City built starts off with a huge error. the forest land is not owned by the Atlanta Police Foundation. it’s owned by the city and leased to APF. Absolutely desperate — a $40 transfer of money to buy walkie talkies and gas, between two bail fund organizers, is…..criminal conspiracy

the Atlanta City Council meeting to deliberate and vote on Cop City funding is starting. It’s incredibly contentious already — there are hundreds of people at City Hall still waiting to speak. They’re not being allowed to; sign up for comment is being cut off. A motion could be made to suspend rules so that every single person who showed up to City Hall gets a chance to speak. Council says there would be constitutional issues with that -- a rich concept coming from the City that arrested bail fund organizers for their political beliefs

bogus TSA rules at Atlanta City Hall ahead of todays Cop City vote. Democracy!! People are also being turned away from entering city hall. On the day of an incredibly important vote — hundreds are planning to give public comment — this is in line with the anti democratic repression from the city

The three Atlanta Solidarity Fund organizers who were arrested on bogus charges are having their first hearing today in DeKalb County Court, in front of Judge Altman. Thread: Judge Altman asks if the three organizers understand the charges against them -- charity fraud and money laundering. Their attorney says they understand the statute. The Judge indicates that he is confused by the charges, but because another Judge signed off....

if you're just tuning in to what's going on in Atlanta, three organizers with the Atlanta Solidarity Fund -- the city's largest bail fund -- were arrested this morning at their homes. ASF provides jail support to ensure those in police custody have their rights protected 1/ The solidarity fund also gives cash bail assistance to people unable to pay the unconscionably high bonds set by the courts. They works with lawyers to provide representation to those who need support navigating the complex legal system that is oftentimes pitted against them 2/

Three Stop Cop City activists have been arrested. This is fascism, and I need all eyes on Atlanta.

https://twitter.com/GBI_GA/status/1663913131720966150

To be clear, these are people running a fucking bail fund. I cannot begin to say how terrifying this is.

folks arrested in the forest attending a music festival are having their second bond hearing in DeKalb Court today. so far it's seeming like the judge will be granting (fairly expensive) bonds, as the prosecution has no evidence. the first persons bond was set at $25k.

I swore I’d never start a new job announcement with “some personal news” but here we are, some personal news — I’m leaving my beloved Southern Center & heading to the Center for Just Journalism! Very excited to work more closely with reporters & newsrooms!! Atlanta will still be my home base!!

There's been a lot of misinfo surrounding the lease of the forest land slated for Cop City from the city of Atlanta to the Atlanta Police Foundation. Lots of elected officials have been hiding behind the lease being set in stone...but it's not! Here's how it can be stopped: Atlanta's city charter grants the mayor the power to enter into contracts for the transaction of city business – including the power to cancel leases. Based on this, the mayor can terminate the Cop City lease at ANY time, with 180 days written notice to the police foundation.

I am wildly disappointed in Georgia’s senators. A person was killed by police, many more rounded up and charged with terrorism (for many for simply attending a concert) and somehow the concern lies with the poor, defenseless construction vehicle. People over property.

https://twitter.com/emma_hurt/status/1633822106331873280

Sen Warnock is a moral leader and his silence on the police murder of Tortugita, at the very least, is DEAFENING.