WABE's Week In Review: Georgia's restrictive abortion ban is now in effect

July 23rd, 2022

Abortion-rights activists took to the streets of Atlanta march to protest the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the US Supreme Court on June 25, 2022. (Matthew Pearson/WABE)

The landscape in Georgia for women’s reproductive health has changed.

An 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling has set Georgia’s restrictive 2019 abortion law to take effect, banning abortion upon detection of cardiac activity, around six weeks after conception.https://t.co/VmoT8ED2mI
— WABE News (@wabenews) July 22, 2022

A federal appeals court on Wednesday cleared the way for Georgia’s law banning abortion after six-weeks of pregnancy to take effect. The ruling also grants so called “personhood” rights to embryos and fetuses.

Meanwhile, abortion rights advocates say they’ll continue to support patients seeking the procedure in the state.

Additionally, Georgia’s status as a regional destination for abortion access in the Southeast is likely to change now that the state’s restrictive law is in effect.

Let the politicking continue

Abortion access and enforcement is now likely to be one of the top issues heading into the heated and consequential midterm election in November.

WATCH Governor Brian Kemp's full statement following today’s federal court decision that Georgia's 2019 abortion law should be allowed to take effect. #gapol ⁦@GovKemp⁩ ⁦@wabenews⁩ pic.twitter.com/ZeGfU81tJ0
— Rahul Bali (@rahulbali) July 20, 2022

WATCH part of Democratic candidate for Governor Stacey Abrams' statement on Georgia's 2019 abortion law taking effect after a federal court ruling today.@staceyabrams is joined by about 30 Democratic lawmakers and candidates. #gapol ⁦@wabenews⁩ pic.twitter.com/1OR8SdV2qI
— Rahul Bali (@rahulbali) July 20, 2022

Symbols matter

Jewish rights advocates say a new logo at a Cobb County elementary school could be a good learning opportunity for students. Parents and students were outraged this week, saying the now-removed logo resembles a Nazi war eagle.

Regardless of intent, @CobbSchools should have realized that the new logo for East Side Elementary bears a striking and uncomfortable resemblance to the Nazi eagle.

This only clarifies the urgent need for comprehensive Holocaust education at all levels. pic.twitter.com/7usvoX0FMj
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) July 19, 2022

Cleaning up the Chattahoochee

As it passes by Atlanta, the Chattahoochee River used to be more like an open sewer than any kind of amenity.

That’s changing as the river’s been cleaned up and local governments plan to build parks and trails along its banks. A bipartisan bill in Congress could help move those efforts along.

The Chattahoochee River used to get swamped with sewage, so development along its banks in parts of metro Atlanta was, like, junk yards.

Now it is way cleaner, and development is more like parks, trails, breweries and coffee shops https://t.co/eIlMoAddcA
— Molly Samuel (@mollyis) July 21, 2022

Still stylin’: Walt “Clyde” Frazier

Walt Frazier — A ceremony was held Tuesday to name the basketball court at David T. Howard Middle School after NBA Hall of Famer Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier. (Emil Moffatt/WABE)

The basketball court where Walt “Clyde” Frazier played high school games in Atlanta is now named in his honor.

Hear more of hero’s welcome the NBA Hall of Famer received this week.