WABE's Week In Review: Georgia's new voting maps approved and new project aims to help Dekalb homeless

December 9th, 2023

Georgia House lawmakers hold up their phones to record the vote approving new congressional maps at the State Capitol on Dec. 7, 2023. (Matthew Pearson/WABE)

GEORGIA REDISTRICTING UPDATE: Governor Brian Kemp signs new congressional & state legislative maps into law.

The Republican-led General Assembly drew them after a judge threw out the current lines for Voting Rights Act violations. #gapol

See the new maps https://t.co/cfSCRdXqVL pic.twitter.com/ocmEzZQtJU
— Rahul Bali (@rahulbali) December 8, 2023

Georgia General Assembly Redistricting Special Session Ends

State lawmakers have approved new congressional and state legislative lines after the current lines were struck down by a federal judge for violating the Voting Rights Act.

The maps go to the Governor's desk. #gapol pic.twitter.com/5F7i3BuxrB
— Rahul Bali (@rahulbali) December 7, 2023

BREAKING: New Georgia political maps now await the governor’s signature, after Republican state lawmakers unilaterally passed revised district lines ahead of a court-imposed deadline on Friday. But uncertainty remains over the fate of the maps. #gapol https://t.co/m475s0kr6C
— WABE News (@wabenews) December 7, 2023

That is one crazy critter…

Slime and snot! On the radio! 📻📸
Earlier this fall @justmattphotoj joined me for a hellbender survey, and the photos speak for themselves- incredible!
If you want to hear more about weird critters and fun fieldwork: https://t.co/RufI19OkcS pic.twitter.com/1Zr947nnsN
— Marisa Mecke (@marisamecke) December 7, 2023

Also in this episode…

–Chamian Cruz looks into how Fulton County Commissioners are still mulling over the $1.7 billion price tag of building a new jail, as they make plans to potentially issue a bond package to fund it.

–Jess Mador reports on congressional Democrats from Georgia backing legislation that would guarantee access to contraception, including a safeguard from any potential U.S. Supreme Court decisions in the future.

–Marlon Hyde has more on Fulton County officials deciding not to to give X, formerly Twitter, more than $10 million in property tax breaks for a data center in Atlanta.

–DorMiya Vance tells us about Atlanta’s City Council pushing Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to provide more resources for the city’s homeless population.

–Emily Jones reports on how more farmers can get help weathering the ongoing drought in North Georgia after federal officials expanded their disaster declaration.