The Senate Judiciary Committee just approved U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor by a vote of 13-6. All the Democrats on the panel voted for her while only one Republican (Lindsey Graham of South Carolina) joined them. Sotomayor now heads to the full U.S. Senate for a vote where she is expected to be confirmed in the near future.
Read moreThis article first appeared on the Inter-Press Service at: http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=47846 NEW ORLEANS, Jul 28 (IPS) – Four years after Hurricane Katrina, there have been some significant improvements to the levees of New Orleans. However, even with improvements scheduled to be completed in 2011, advocates say the U.S. government has left the standard of protection at dangerously low levels. The importance […]
Read moreTwo high-profile crimes late Saturday night in Atlanta have once again sparked citizen outcry over public safety and how city officials react to it. State Sen. Kasim Reed, a candidate for Atlanta mayor, released the following statement late Monday: There’s a crisis in this city and no one knows that better than the family of Vernon Forrest. Vernon, a former […]
Read moreA new study from The Sentencing Project finds that 1 out of every 11 inmates serving time in state and federal prisons have a life sentence. “No Exit: The Expanding Use of Life Sentences in America” documents 140,610 persons serving a life term in 2008 out of 2.3 million (9.5 percent) total inmates. The 2008 figure is a four-fold increase […]
Read moreThe Georgia Judicial Council, the policy-making body for Georgia courts, adopted a policy last week clarifying that religious head coverings can be worn in Georgia courthouses. “We are thrilled that the Georgia Judicial Council has decided to adopt this policy, thereby ensuring that no one in Georgia will ever have to choose between their fundamental right to free expression of […]
Read moreWASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to questions by House Republicans, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) today affirms that H.R. 3200, America`s Affordable Health Choices Act, would offer targeted assistance to those in need today and lead to an increase in employer-sponsored health insurance coverage. This conclusion reflects the bill’s goal and the President’s direction to build on what works. The […]
Read moreLocal and state officials in Georgia are scrambling for ideas after a federal judge ruled July 17 that the U.S. Corps of Engineers has been illegally rerouting water from Lake Lanier to meet the drinking water needs of Metro Atlanta. U.S. District Court Judge Paul Magnuson ordered the Lanier withdrawal levels to remain at their current level – but not […]
Read moreThe coalition of conservative congressional Democrats known as the “Blue Dogs” are becoming a key voting bloc and are leveraging their growing strength for more campaign cash, according to a new report from The Center for Public Integrity. The Blue Dog Political Action Committee has raised $1.1 million in the first six months of 2009, more than the PAC raised […]
Read moreThe federal minimum wage is set to increase Friday to $7.25 per hour. The Let Justice Roll Living Wage Campaign said in a press release this week that the increase is good but not enough. Their campaign calls for a $10 minimum wage in 2010. Over 600 faith leaders from 50 states have signed onto a letter the group plans to […]
Read more(APN) ATLANTA — The State of Ohio executed death row inmate Marvallous Keene, 36, on Tuesday, July 21, 2009, marking the 1,000th time in the United States that the government has killed a prisoner by lethal injection. Georgians For Alternatives to the Death Penalty (GFADP) marked the occasion with a rally and march against the death penalty, from Atlanta’s Five […]
Read moreWe’re beginning a project where we’re going to be compiling a Council Member report card for the last four years. One important vote, supported by all but 4 Members, has been putting a damper on our weekends, and has hurt small businesses! For the last couple years, clubs in Atlanta have been required to do last call at 230am and […]
Read moreOn July 15, 2009, State House Speaker Glenn Richardson announced the Georgia House of Representatives will begin furloughs effective August 1, 2009. “As a result of the tough economic times and declining state revenues, we have made tremendous cuts in state spending,” Richardson said in a statement released to APN. “I believe there is an obligation for us, as leaders […]
Read moreBelow is an email obtained by Atlanta Progressive News concerning the recent presentation made by VoterGA to the Georgia Supreme Court: #### Hello all VoterGA Supporters, As you know the Georgia Supreme Court hearing was held yesterday morning and it seem to go very well. Both Mark and I felt that Walker presented our case very clearly. The five judges […]
Read moreThe Metro Atlanta Task Force for the Homeless (Peachtree and Pine) appears to be keeping up with the latest payment plan on its water bill so far. On July 15, 2009, APN obtained a fundraising pitch from the Task Force where they were seeking $8,000 which was due that day, entitled “PLEASE KEEP WATER ON FOR PEACHTREE-PINE!!!” “TODAY IS THE […]
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