WABE’s Week In Review: Voting Law Takes Center Stage In Congress And Vaccine Hesitancy Remains High Among Rural White Communities
Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., testifies during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on voting rights on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, April 20, 2021. (Bill Clark/Pool via AP)
This week Georgia’s new voting law took center stage in Congress when the Senate Judiciary Committee held a 4-hour long hearing on Tuesday focused largely on the state’s new law. Fair Fight founder Stacey Abrams testified along with Senator Raphael Warnock and Republican State Representative Jan Jones.
The controversial voting law also caused a group of Black religious leaders in Atlanta to call for a boycott against The Home Depot. Governor Brian Kemp came out in support of the Atlanta-based company.
Vaccine woes …
And Georgia is still near the bottom of national rankings in terms of total vaccine doses administered per capita, even though adults are eligible and supply is not the issue.
This week Governor Brian Kemp traveled to Charlton County in Southeast Georgia, one of the least vaccinated counties in the state, at less than 10 percent. He encouraged people to listen to doctors and others who have gotten the vaccine and get a shot.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 vaccine reluctance is high among Evangelical Christians, and convincing them to get vaccinated means getting them to trust secular institutions they’re often skeptical of, says Curtis Chang. He is a theologian turned consultant and has released a series of videos to encourage Evangelicals to get vaccinated. Chang Spoke to Health Reporter Sam whitehead for his coronavirus podcast “Did You Wash Your Hands.”
The lone survivor shares his story …
The lone survivor of the Atlanta spa shootings that left eight people dead last month has been released from the hospital. Elcias Hernandez Ortiz shared his story this week with WABE.
Atlanta’s Suburbs have become more racially diverse over the past decade and that’s resulted in more minority representation on some suburban school boards. Education reporter Martha Dalton reported on the new tensions that are rising up in Cobb and Gwinnett counties as these boards face pressures for social justice.
In environmental news this week, the state of Georgia is asking for more information about a controversial mine proposed near the Okefenokee Swamp in South Georgia.
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