Community “TEA”

The U.S. reported more than 1 million new coronavirus cases in the last week, a level the country hasn’t seen in more than six months, since the week ending in Feb. 1 –before vaccines were widely available.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now recommending booster shots starting in September for everyone who received earlier vaccinations for COVID-19. This follows last weeks’ recommendation that immunocompromised people needed a third shot. Officials are indicating that the booster shots will be available the week of September 20 and should be obtained eight months after someone’s second dose of the vaccine. Confusion initially ensued as data initially released advised booster shots for immune compromised persons only. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released data nearly simultaneously as the data on immune compromised persons was released, which showed a booster shot would, in fact, benefit everybody.

As the highly contagious delta variant continues to nationwide, a recent AP poll showed Americans’ approval of President Joe Biden’s job handling of the coronavirus pandemic has dipped since a month ago. Their survey found that 54% approve of the job he has done with COVID, while last month that number was at 66%. The drop is largely because of Republicans’ and independents’ lowered approvals. The survey showed 21% of Republicans and 44% of independents approved of his job on COVID, down from 32% among Republicans and 72% for independents.

Famed civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson and his wife, Jacqueline, have been hospitalized at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago after testing positive for COVID-19. Jackson received his first vaccination in January during a publicized event where he urged others to get the vaccine.

Former President Donald Trump was booed by his own supporters during a rally in Alabama Saturday night after he encouraged the crowd to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Said Trump, “I believe totally in your freedoms, I do, you gotta do what you gotta do, but I recommend take the vaccines. I did it. It’s good.” His support of the vaccine drew boos from the crowd.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia rejected a bid by Alabama and Georgia landlords to block the eviction moratorium reinstated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this month. The landlords say they plan to immediately file an emergency motion to the Supreme Court.

Cobb County Schools reported Friday it now has documented 1,764 cases among its students and staff since school began August 2, up from 822 seven days ago. Every Cobb County school but one — the South Cobb Early Learning Center — has now reported a coronavirus infection this school year.

Congressional Democrats launched a new push seeking passage of a bill named after the late Georgia Congressman John Lewis, who died last year. The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act seeks a reinstatement of federal review of changes to election laws in states and jurisdictions with a history of discrimination. Such a review, known as preclearance, was a key provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act before the U.S. Supreme Court struck it down in a 2013 ruling. The U.S. House will probably pass the House, but faces a tougher fight in the U.S. Senate, where a Republican filibuster could block it. The new bill creates a different formula to determine which jurisdictions would have to have a federal court or agency approve changes to their election and voting procedures.

Candidates trying to become the next Mayor of Atlanta have qualified for the Nov. 2 election. There are a total of 14 candidates in the race according to the qualifying list released by city officials. The five leading candidates include Council President Felica Moore, fellow council members Andre Dickens and Antonio Brown, Attorney Sharon Gay, and former Mayor Kasim Reed.

Atlanta reached an unwelcome mark today of 100 homicides in the city. In 2020, the city of Atlanta did not eclipse 100 homicides until October.

An investigation has been opened by election officials into whether the wife of potential U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker, Julie Blanchard, cast an illegal ballot when she voted in Georgia’s presidential race last fall from her home in Texas. Blanchard owns property in both states, but is accused of violating state election laws requiring voters to be Georgia residents. Walker is a former University of Georgia football star who lives in Texas with his wife.

General Motors is recalling all Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles sold worldwide to fix a battery problem that could cause fires. The recall raises questions about lithium-ion batteries, which now are used in nearly all electric vehicles. The recall announced Friday adds about 73,000 Bolts from the 2019 through 2022 model years to a previous recall of 69,000 older Bolts.

A 127-year old Confederate monument will be removed by the City of Atlanta from Oakland Cemetery. The 127-year-old statue, “Lion of the Confederacy” has repeatedly attracted vandals wielding sledgehammers and been defaced with graffiti and spray paint. The Atlanta City Council voted Monday on a resolution to remove the monument, dedicated to honor the unknown dead confederate soldiers laid to rest in the cemetery, and move it into temporary storage. The lion’s removal follows years of discussion among city leaders about how to address contentious Confederate iconography in Atlanta. 

An MRI of Atlanta Falcons backup quarterback AJ McCarron’s right knee confirmed that he suffered a season-ending ACL injury Saturday against the Dolphins. McCarron will miss the 2021 season and the Falcons now find themselves in the free-agent quarterback market.

Starting on Monday, August 23, Georgia lottery players will get more chances to win a giant jackpot as the Powerball game shifts from two drawings a week to three. Officials say the move will build larger prizes and boost sales. The change is the first expansion to the game since it was launched 29 years ago.

Before he could get comfortable in the job, the new host of “Jeopardy!” has stepped down. Mike Richards, who was to take on this new role for the popular TV show, is stepping down. His departure announcement came Friday on social media and is attributed to past comments from a now-deleted episode of his podcast, “The Randumb Show.” He is under scrutiny after being accused of using offensive language related to women’s bodies and offensive comments about Jewish people. Many fans of the show were disappointed when Richards was selected over fan favorite Lavar Burton to become the permanent host. According to media sources, Richards has apologized for his comments. Though no longer host, Richards will remain the executive producer of the show for now.

August 26 is Women’s Equity Day, formerly known as Woman Suffrage Day. Women’s Equality Day commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, granting the right to vote to women. The amendment was first introduced in Congress in 1878 by Senator Aaron A. Sargent. The bill calling for the amendment was introduced unsuccessfully every year for the next 40 years. Finally, in 1919, Congress approved the amendment and submitted it to the states for ratification. A year later, Tennessee gave the final vote needed to add the amendment to the Constitution. The U.S. Congress designated August 26 as Women’s Equality Day in 1971. The League of Women Voters, an organization dedicated to providing impartial, in-depth information about candidates, platforms, and ballot issues, was founded following the ratification in .

Have a safe and productive week…