Closer Look: Cobb Co. Chair Mike Boyce; On the Rise Financial Center

Wednesday on “Closer Look with Rose Scott”:

• 0:00: Rose gives a news brief on the Georgia Department of Public Health confirming three cases of measles here in the state. All three cases are members of the same family –the family’s county of residence has not been released. In an email to Closer Look, department spokeswoman Nancy Nydam said none of the family members were vaccinated.
• In other news, former Georgia Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams will deliver her party’s response to president Donald Trump’s State of the Union address. Abrams televised response will follow the president, which is scheduled for next Tuesday. The president’s address was initially scheduled for Jan. 29 but was postponed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the government shutdown.
• 3:28: Our County By County series continues with a conversation with Cobb County Commission Chair Mike Boyce. He’ll share his priorities for 2019, from transit to affordable housing and discuss the county’s changing demographics.
• 24:00: The city of Atlanta says it plans to clear out homeless encampments is part of an effort to find long-term solutions for the city’s homeless population. Despite the city’s explanation, the timing of this announcement has left who provide services to the homeless, and advocacy groups, with concerns. A conversation with Sara Totonchi, executive director from the Southern Center for Human Rights.
• Nearly one in four Atlanta residents are “unbanked” or “underbanked,” meaning without access to affordable and responsible banking, according to Invest Atlanta. In areas of the Westside, that number can rise to as high as 75 percent. Since 2017, On the Rise Financial Center has been working to address this problem by providing financial coaching services for the residents of the Vine City, English Avenue and Castleberry communities. The organization works in partnership with local credit unions to increase financial stability in the area, help families and individuals reduce debt, and assist small businesses in accessing capital. Closer Look takes a trip to On the Rise to see this work in action and to discuss the impact that these financial services can have on the Westside community.

Closer Look is produced by Candace Wheeler and Grace Walker. Anastaciah M. Ondieki contributed to this article.