(BPT) – Many of us start using our health plan early in the year – visiting doctors, filling prescriptions and managing care referrals – and quickly notice what feels easy or confusing.
The first few months of the year can be a learning curve.
Dual Special Needs plans
People with Medicare and Medicaid may be eligible for a Dual Special Needs plan (D-SNP), a type of Medicare Advantage plan offered by private companies approved through Medicare. With many plans available, it’s important to know how yours works.
D-SNPs help coordinate your Medicare and Medicaid benefits, provide care coordination like help managing doctor visits, and may include more benefits than Original Medicare such as dental care, gym memberships, rides to doctor visits and support paying for groceries and over-the-counter items.
This simple, five-question check-in from UnitedHealthcare is designed to help you better understand how your plan works.
1. Can you see the doctors you need?
Seeing trusted providers matters, especially if you manage ongoing health needs such as heart disease or high blood pressure.
Confirm your primary care doctor, hospitals and clinics are in-network
Review how virtual care works for your plan, if you use it
2. Are your prescriptions covered?
D-SNPs include Medicare Part D drug coverage, but plans may cover the cost of medications differently.
Check that your prescriptions are covered and your pharmacy is in-network
Understand any costs you may pay, such as a co-pay, for your medication
3. Are additional benefits working as expected?
D-SNPs may offer additional benefits beyond Original Medicare, such as dental care or rides to doctor visits for eligible enrollees. Some plans may offer help paying for healthy groceries and utility bills for eligible chronically ill enrollees with a qualifying condition.
Learn which additional benefits you may qualify for
Know how to access benefits when you need them
4. Is it clear how to get help?
D-SNPs provide care coordination to help members support their overall health. Care coordinators may help explain your benefits, remind you of appointments, and connect you to services that support your health.
Know how to get plan support when you need it
Consider if you receive clear and consistent information
5. Are you eligible?
Eligibility for Medicaid varies by state, and D-SNPs are for people with both Medicare and Medicaid coverage. Life changes such as changes in income or disability status can affect eligibility.
Read any notices from your Medicare and Medicaid programs
Complete any steps required to maintain coverage
Where to go from here
Make time for your check-in now so that you’re ready to use your plan when you need it most.
It can be hard to keep up with coverage. That’s why we’re here to help you understand how D-SNPs work, so you feel confident using your plan all year long.
This information is provided for educational purposes only and does not promote a specific Medicare plan or benefit. Benefits, features and/or services may vary by plan and location. Limitations, exclusions and network restrictions may apply.
Plans are insured through UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or one of its affiliated companies, a Medicare Advantage organization with a Medicare contract and a contract with the State Medicaid Program. Enrollment in the plan depends on the plan’s contract renewal with Medicare.
The healthy food and utilities benefit is a special supplemental benefit only available to chronically ill enrollees with a qualifying condition, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, chronic heart failure, chronic high blood pressure and/or chronic high cholesterol, and who also meet all applicable plan coverage criteria. There may be other qualified conditions not listed. Contact us for details.
OTC, food and utilities benefits have expiration timeframes. Call your plan or review your Evidence of Coverage (EOC) for more information.
9to5 Georgia hosted an advocacy day at the Georgia State Capitol to support paid leave.
As many Georgia workers do not have access to paid medical and family leave, far too many employees lack reliable, much-needed time off. Through sickness and important life events, they are forced to choose between caring for themselves and their families or risking their jobs.
“Working women shouldn’t have to worry about losing pay just to care for themselves or their loved ones,” said Jasmine Bowles, executive state director of 9to5 Georgia. “Paid leave policies are long overdue in Georgia’s private sector. For Georgia to be the ‘best state for businesses,’ it must also be the best state for working families. Our elected officials and leaders across the state must listen to the people and take immediate action.”
Advocacy Day, she said, is their biggest event of the year, and it means so much to them because for some women, they get to bring them back and update them on things that they have been advocating for a while.
“We’re bringing women and children who have never been to the state capitol before, and for the first time, they’re getting to see not only who their legislators are, but how to speak with them,” she said. “It’s a cool, exciting day.
She also says it’s important for people to pay attention to paid leave for several reasons, one being people may not be aware they are beneficiaries of paid leave in some cases, or even know what paid leave is.
“It’s important we educate people on what leave is and what they are entitled to, either in their workplaces or just as citizens,” she said. “It’s also important for people to learn about and fight for paid leave because paid leave is a healthcare solution. Some of our biggest problems in society come from an inability to care for ourselves or our loved ones the way they should be.”
Bowles said it normally looks like missed doctor’s appointments that leads to more long, enduring health problems, or missed parent-teacher conferences, which might look like manifested behavior in your child, and so many other different things.
Paid leave, Bowles says, is the ability to care for yourselves, your loved ones, both children and aging elders.
“This is a generation right now where we’ve got people taking care of both their younger children and the aging folks in their community as well,” she said.
During the meeting before the capitol visit, 9to5 discussed the Georgia Coalition for Paid Leave’s efforts to advocate for better leave policies.
In 2021, HB 146 provided three weeks of paid leave to state workers, which was extended to six weeks with HB 1010 in 2024. The coalition, made up of over 35 organizations, aims to expand leave access to more workers.
House Bill 1118, currently under consideration, would offer three additional weeks of leave to birthing mothers.
The coalition emphasizes the need for comprehensive leave policies that cover all workers and urged legislators to fund an actuarial study to explore workable solutions.
One of their outcomes they hope to achieve is letting their legislators know they’re grateful for HB 1118, which was introduced in February 2026 by Rep. Sandy Donatucci and proposes 120 hours (initially 80) of paid maternal birth leave for eligible state and local school employees. The bill passed the House Public and Community Health Committee in Feb. 10 and moves to the House Rules Committee.
“We have a long list of issues we want better for when it comes to black and brown, working women and their families, but we’re picking just one today, and the one issue is to just tell our legislators thank you and to vote yes on HB 1118,” she said. “Which will add three more weeks of paid time off for birthing women.”
Additionally, Bowles said we are in a state with one of the highest maternal mortality rates and infant mortality rates.
“We all know all women deserve this bill, but especially for Georgia’s women. However, this bill is only for state employees, educators of public-school districts, and only adds three more weeks to the six that already weren’t enough, so we are here to say thank you, but we have more work to do,” she said.
One of the things Bowles said they need to know is what this would look like for every woman in Georgia to have this right, and the bill being for birthing mothers adds a little bit to the labor imbalance in a home because this bill only impacts working moms.
Photo by Isaiah Singleton/The Atlanta Voice
“What about that dad, that partner, or working support? So, this bill gives working moms three extra weeks off, and that means they have more time together with their babies, which is a blessing, but we also know that moms can’t do it alone,” she said. “Having a bill that has partners eligible for it also would help and make sure this same expansion applies to all of Georgia’s women.”
As many Georgia workers lack access to paid medical and family leave, far too many employees lack reliable, much-needed time off. Through sickness and important life events, they are forced to choose between caring for themselves and their families or risking their jobs.
“Working women shouldn’t have to worry about losing pay just to care for themselves or their loved ones,” said Jasmine Bowles, executive state director of 9to5 Georgia. “Paid leave policies are long overdue in Georgia’s private sector. For Georgia to be the ‘best state for businesses,’ it must also be the best state for working families. Our elected officials and leaders across the state must listen to the people and take immediate action.”
Advocacy Day, she said, is their biggest event of the year, and it means so much to them because for some women, they get to bring them back and update them on things that they have been advocating for a while.
“We’re bringing women and children who have never been to the state capitol before, and for the first time, they’re getting to see not only who their legislators are, but how to speak with them,” she said. “It’s a cool, exciting day.
She also says it’s important for people to pay attention to paid leave for several reasons, including that they may not be aware they are beneficiaries in some cases, or even know what paid leave is.
“It’s important we educate people on what leave is and what they are entitled to, either in their workplaces or just as citizens,” she said. “It’s also important for people to learn about and fight for paid leave because paid leave is a healthcare solution. Some of our biggest problems in society come from an inability to care for ourselves or our loved ones the way they should be.”
Bowles said it normally looks like missed doctor’s appointments that lead to more long-lasting health problems, or missed parent-teacher conferences, which might manifest as behavior in your child, and so many other things.
Paid leave, Bowles says, is the ability to care for yourselves, your loved ones, both children and aging elders.
“This is a generation right now where we’ve got people taking care of both their younger children and the aging folks in their community as well,” she said.
During the meeting before the Capitol visit, 9to5 discussed the Georgia Coalition for Paid Leave’s efforts to advocate for better leave policies.
In 2021, HB 146 provided three weeks of paid leave to state workers, which was extended to six weeks with HB 1010 in 2024. The coalition, made up of over 35 organizations, aims to expand access to leave for more workers.
House Bill 1118, currently under consideration, would offer three additional weeks of leave to birthing mothers.
The coalition emphasizes the need for comprehensive leave policies that cover all workers and urges legislators to fund an actuarial study to explore workable solutions.
One of their outcomes they hope to achieve is letting their legislators know they’re grateful for HB 1118, which was introduced in February 2026 by Rep. Sandy Donatucci and proposes 120 hours (initially 80) of paid maternal birth leave for eligible state and local school employees. The bill passed the House Public and Community Health Committee on Feb. 10 and moves to the House Rules Committee.
“We have a long list of issues we want better for when it comes to black and brown, working women and their families, but we’re picking just one today, and the one issue is to just tell our legislators thank you and to vote yes on HB 1118,” she said. “Which will add three more weeks of paid time off for birthing women.”
Additionally, Bowles said we are in a state with one of the highest maternal mortality rates and infant mortality rates.
“We all know all women deserve this bill, but especially for Georgia’s women. However, this bill is only for state employees, educators of public-school districts, and only adds three more weeks to the six that already weren’t enough, so we are here to say thank you, but we have more work to do,” she said.
One of the things Bowles said they need to know is what this would look like for every woman in Georgia to have this right, and the bill being for birthing mothers adds a little bit to the labor imbalance in a home because this bill only impacts working moms.
“What about that dad, that partner, or working support? So, this bill gives working moms three extra weeks off, and that means they have more time together with their babies, which is a blessing, but we also know that moms can’t do it alone,” she said. “Having a bill that has partners eligible for it also would help and make sure this same expansion applies to all of Georgia’s women.”
The event, hosted by The Legacy Line in partnership with the Withers Collection Museum and Gallery, brought together legacy families, archivists, and civic leaders to examine how the stories of the movement are protected, and who controls them. Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
As we celebrate the life and legacy of Rev. Jesse Jackson, who passed away early this morning, we must also honor and celebrate the legends that are still with us. Inside The Gathering Spot at Atlanta’s Northyards district, folks from all over gathered to honor another giant still standing, Ambassador Andrew Young.
On Tuesday, January 17, grief and gratitude shared the same room with Young, who headlined “When HIStory Was Watching”, a fireside conversation centered on the preservation, ownership, and ethical stewardship of civil rights archives. The event, hosted by The Legacy Line in partnership with the Withers Collection Museum and Gallery, brought together legacy families, archivists, and civic leaders to examine how the stories of the movement are protected, and who controls them.
The program opened with a moment of silence led by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, who acknowledged the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s passing earlier that morning.
“We started off this morning with the sad news of the passing of the one and only Reverend Jesse Jackson,” Dickens said, calling him “a real freedom fighter” who stood for “justice, freedom, liberation, and opportunity for everyone.”
Former Atlanta mayors Bill Campbell, Kassim Reed, and Keisha Lance Bottoms (above, right) were in attendance, as was Deborah Watts, the cousin of Emmett Till. Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
Dickens then turned to the significance of sharing space with Young, describing the opportunity as both rare and urgent.
“While we may have tragically lost Jesse Jackson, thank God we still have the one and only Ambassador Andrew Young,” Dickens said, noting the importance of connecting directly with those who “marched, organized and memorialized the movement on film and on paper.”
The event coincided with Black History Month and centered on the archive of civil rights photographer Ernest C. Withers, whose collection includes more than 1.8 million images documenting the movement, from sanitation workers in Memphis to historic meetings with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
Memphis Mayor Paul Young addressed attendees via video, describing the Withers archive as one of the nation’s most significant visual records of the movement.
“His photographs stand amongst the most significant visual records of movement in our nation,” Young said. “Through his lens, we see courage, we see resolve, we see faith.”
The archive, housed in Memphis on historic Beale Street, represents not just documentation but economic and cultural capital, Young added, emphasizing the importance of “innovation, ownership and the responsible stewardship of cultural archives.”
The event was moderated by Gathering Spot co-founder Ryan Wilson (above). Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
Moderated by Gathering Spot co-founder Ryan Wilson, the first panel featured Young alongside Rosalind Withers, daughter of Ernest Withers, and Reena Evers-Everette, daughter of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers. Former Atlanta mayors Bill Campbell, Kassim Reed, and Keisha Lance Bottoms were in attendance, as was Deborah Watts, the cousin of Emmett Till.
Wilson framed the conversation around urgency, not simply admiration of history but replication of the discipline and sacrifice that shaped it.
Young responded by challenging the audience to see the photographs not as relics, but as reminders.
“This is not a study of the past,” Young said. “This is reminding you of how we got to where we are.”
Looking out at projected images from the Withers collection, he added, “If you look at these photos, and you realize that we’ve been through many dangers, toils and snares, we’ve already come.”
Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
For Young, the photographs are more than art. They are instructions.
“You don’t have to say a word. You just look at the picture,” he said later in the program, noting that the scenes could just as easily be from Minneapolis, Atlanta, or anywhere people are organizing for freedom. “Freedom is not free. There’s something you have to organize to protect, something you have to vote to implement.”
Rosalind Withers spoke to the intention behind her father’s work, referencing a self-published pamphlet he created following the 1955 Emmett Till trial. The closing paragraph, she read, stated that the photo story was presented “in the hope that this booklet might serve to help our nation dedicate itself to seeing that such an incident need not occur again.”
“My father was 33 years old when this happened,” she said, challenging the audience to consider the foresight and courage required to document such trauma.
Evers-Everette reflected on the personal weight behind public images, reminding attendees that the people captured in photographs were fathers, daughters, and families before they became icons.
“It’s a family affair,” she said. “Freedom is not free, and we need to embrace that and understand that and move forward with the action of making freedom a mainstay.”
Throughout the discussion, speakers emphasized that intellectual property tied to civil rights archives must remain in the hands of legacy families and trusted partners. The Legacy Line, a subsidiary of Memik Inc., works with cultural estates to license and activate historic collections through home décor and augmented reality experiences, transforming archival storytelling into sustainable economic benefit.
As the discussion came to a close, Young returned to the theme of responsibility.
“We’re not starting with nothing,” he said. “We can go even further if we have the same vitality, energy, and vision that you see in these photographs.”
Georgia gubernatorial candidate and former Georgia Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan has received an endorsement from a former leader of one of the country’s oldest civil rights organizations.
Former Georgia NAACP President James Woodall, Sr., endorsed Duncan for governor this morning in a statement obtained by The Atlanta Voice.
“This race is not about party labels, it is about power- who holds it and how it is used,” said Woodall, Sr., a United States Army veteran and associate minister at Lindsay Street Baptist Church in Atlanta. “The Alternative is a return to extremism, retaliation politics, and alignment with Donald Trump’s agenda.”
In West Midtown Atlanta, where industrial corridors have evolved into some of the city’s most bustling hot-spots, one transformation stands out: 42West Entertainment Group. The event venue is housed in a building that once spent years sitting empty, a remnant of the neighborhood’s past. Its vast footprint and staggering ceilings had clear potential, but few could envision a future beyond storage. Thanks to a resourceful event planner with an eye for design, the real estate had a second chance to shine under the ownership of Lauren Pelissier and 42West was born.
“I knew it was a diamond in the rough,” Pelissier says about the space. “It was somewhat of a blank slate and I knew the bones were good. All it needed was my imagination and creative design and I knew it would evolve into something spectacular.”
Pelissier’s career had been defined by the top tier events she planned for decades in her hometown of Los Angeles. In 2020, she took a chance here in Atlanta, her second home, bringing her expertise and stepping fully into venue ownership. Her goal and vision were clear: preserve the heart of the building while redefining its function. Instead of erasing the brutalist identity, renovations were thoughtfully executed to elevate the space. Original concrete floors were restored, a statement brick wall refurbished and steel trusses remained visible— celebrated as architectural features rather than concealed as imperfections. New life was breathed to this historic structure.
Tucked away off Huff Road, 42West boasts three distinct event spaces behind its unassuming storefront. Through the speak-easy style gate entrance guests are instantly transported. The tree-lined walk, framed by the bespoke wooden fence, guides visitors to the massive main entrance. Inside the Main Space natural light pours in through iron doors and oversized windows, softening the industrial interior. A breathtaking brick wall anchors the room as one of 42West’s most striking features. Lounges with timeless furniture, playful throw pillows and eclectic rugs decorate the perimeter of the room, while hand selected raw material and mid-century elements strike a balance between rustic and refined.
Just outside the main entrance, the Patio dissolves the boundary between the interior and exterior. Modern black firepits and a sleek all-weather seating provide an outdoor refuge in the midst of the city’s hustle and bustle. Through an oversized rolling barn door lies the Annex—a cheerful stylistic sibling to to the Main space. The former garage honors exposed beams, covered with boho rope lighting, and a large black block statement wall. Up a few steps in the back of the Annex, you find the Gallery. In stark contrast to the warm eclectic vibe of the rest of the spaces, the Gallery has towering white walls, refinished concrete floors, and a hint of modern with the radiant rows of pendant lighting. Quiet luxury at its finest.
Together the spaces work effortlessly to transition into cocktail hours, corporate gatherings and celebrations alike—never feeling forced. Genres and spaces blend creating distinct moments throughout the evening. The architecture supports energy and socializing, allowing for layered guest experiences between the rooms. The atmosphere at 42West is effortless and organic blending Lauren’s tastes with the historic charm. Elaborating on the thought process behind her vision, the LA-native explains versatility was essential.
“The design is intentional enough for people to see their event in the space, but a blank enough that every event can make it their own. It is a perfect combo—you can walk in and host an event with very little decor or fully lean into the design elements that exist.”
The West Coast roots are subtle but unmistakable, lend a cinematic quality that highlights the artfully crafted mise en scene. The building on Huff Road now stands as both a functional event space and a bold design statement.
Jesse Jackson, civil rights activist and icon, Baptist minister, presidential candidate, author, organizer, orator, husband, and father, passed away on Tuesday, February 17.
He was 84.
The Atlanta Voice featured Jackson (above, right) on its front page numerous times during both presidential campaigns. This issue is from October 1988. All photos courtesy of The Atlanta Voice archives
Public observances of Jackson’s legacy and life are expected to take place in his adopted home of Chicago this week and throughout Black History Month. Jackson played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement as a young organizer working under such luminaries as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ambassador Andrew Young, Dr. Ralph David Abernathy, and others. He then continued his work as one of the voices of Black pride and excellence throughout his personal and professional life. Along with founding People United to Save Humanity (PUSH) in 1971, Jackson ran for President of the United States in 1984 and 1988.
The 1984 campaign can arguably be considered the blueprint for United States President Barack Obama’s successful initial presidential campaign out of Chicago in 2008. Jackson made waves as a serious Democratic candidate during a time when Ronald Reagan-era politics made the idea of a Black President of the United States seem out of reach. His second run for the White House in 1988 may also have ended in defeat, but Jackson managed to take PUSH and merge it with his National Rainbow Coalition, now Rainbow PUSH Coalition, to further advocate for voting rights, social programs, and civil rights.
The Atlanta Voice featured Jackson on its front page numerous times during both presidential campaigns, as he made stops in Atlanta and received support from local political and religious leaders, including the late Civil Rights icon and United States Congressman John Lewis.
The Atlanta Voice, July 1988.
Jackson was born in Greenville, South Carolina, on October 8, 1941, as Jesse Louis Burns. He changed his surname in honor of his stepfather, Charles Henry Jackson, at the age of 15.
He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Jacqueline Brown, and their five children, Santita, Jesse, Jr., Jonathan, Yusef, and Jacqueline.
The Jackson family has not reported the cause of death, but has said Jackson was surrounded by family and passed peacefully. Jackson announced he was battling Parkinson’s disease in 2017.
The Atlanta Voice, March 1988.
Statements from Georgians of all walks of life flooded social media following Jackson’s passing.
Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock said of Jackson’s passing: “America has lost one of its great moral voices. Reverend Jesse Jackson spent his life working to ensure our nation lives up to its highest ideals. As a kid growing up in public housing while watching him run for president, Rev. Jesse Jackson gave me a glimpse of what is possible and taught me to say, ‘I am somebody!’”
New Birth Missionary Baptist Church Senior Pastor Jamal Bryant said of Jackson: “Reverend Jackson was my superhero. While other boys my age wanted to be Michael Jordan, I wanted to be Jesse Jackson. His poise, passion, and purpose were my blueprint.”
For savvy shoppers, estate sales are a bargain and an adventure all at once. You’ll find home decor, appliances, clothing, and everything in between well below the original ticket price. At an estate sale, a homeowner’s belongings are organized for sale, often after they’ve passed or are downsizing to a smaller home. Generally, the sales are managed by a third-party estate sale company, which takes a percentage of revenue in exchange for preparing the home’s contents for sale. They usually take place in the home itself, so you can make your way through rooms full of interesting goods, priced and ready for browsing—all while taking a peep inside midcentury ranches, Victorian manses, and Craftsman cottages across the city.
“I feel like Decatur is kind of more your eclectic, artsy kind of town, and then Sandy Springs is a little bit fancier,” says Kelsey Waterworth, owner of Fresh Start Estate Sales. “Different parts of town obviously have different things, but that’s not true across the board.”
Ruth Hartman, owner of Ruth’s Reselling, has her time-trusted favorites. “Tucker, Avondale Estates, Stone Mountain, Decatur—those are our sweet spots,” says Hartman, who has been in the business for more than a decade. Her client families in these neighborhoods are often the first and only owner of the home. “People have been there for 40 years or more. The basement is full of treasures,” she explains. “The wallpaper is usually still up from when they bought the house. The green shag carpet is still there. It’s going back in time.”
Randall Hudson of Crystal Clear Advisors before a sale at a Decatur home
Photograph by The Sintoses
Part of the magic of estate sales is exploring the world built by the homeowner, says Randall Hudson of Crystal Clear Advisors. “Everything that is in that house is somewhat of a treasure, otherwise it wouldn’t be there,” he says. “The stuff in the junk drawer or the little tchotchkes that a lot of the younger generation doesn’t care about now meant something to them.”
Estate sales aren’t just a bargain; they’re also a way to shop sustainably, giving used goods a second life. Younger shoppers are increasingly drawn to estate sales, according to Modern Retail. It’s part of a larger secondhand trend among Gen Z shoppers, who are motivated by lower prices, sustainability, and the chance to find something unique and special—such as 1996 Olympic merch, a current craze in the Atlanta thrift scene.
Midcentury glassware and ceramics on offer
Photograph by The Sintoses
To make the most of estate sale shopping, try taking a photo of an item in the Google Lens app, which will pull up listings for similar items from eBay and Etsy, giving you an idea of its value, age, and origins. Estate sellers set their own prices, however, and may or may not be open to negotiation.
“If you’re here at the beginning of the first day, don’t start bundling [offering a discounted price for multiple items] or haggling,” says Hartman. Waterworth agrees that on the first day, prices may be less negotiable. But don’t be afraid to ask, she adds: “I wish people would haggle more—come and do the dance with me. But also be within limits. Be respectful.”
To stay in the good graces of the fine people who operate estate sales, it’s important to respect the home you’re in, which doesn’t function like a traditional store. Don’t open closed doors or go behind taped-off areas. “Blue tape means don’t go behind it,” Hartman says she tells first-timers.
Waterworth even locks the doors of bathrooms because of past shoppers’ behavior. “Remember the human element of people’s homes,” she says. “You know, this is someone’s family.”
These experts have seen just about everything, including thwarted theft, fistfights, and requests to purchase unusual items. Hudson even sold a car.
“You know what we sold at a recent sale?” Hartman says. “Dirt from the driveway.” She chuckles. “How do you price dirt?”
Vintage Barbies priced for purchase
Photograph by The Sintoses
Estate Sale Shopping Tips
Find (and carefully read) the listings Most estate sale listings will be found on websites like EstateSales.net, local Facebook groups, or signs posted in the surrounding neighborhood. The listings provide the dates and sale location and generally include helpful information such as hours and parking details, as well as photos of select items to give shoppers an idea of what’s on offer.
Pay attention to details Some sales are cash only, while others allow pay apps or credit cards (many charge a credit card fee). Others have limited parking and allow you to use the driveway only for loading large furniture. The listings can also tell you what kind of discounts you can expect: Most estate sales mark down items by 25 to 50 percent on the last days of the sale.
Follow the rules Some sales have a system for entry, especially if it’s the first day or if there are highly sought-after items. You may have to physically wait in line to enter (sometimes people line up hours before opening) or be assigned a number so that when the sale opens, you can enter when your number is called. And, as previously mentioned, respect the space; this is someone’s home.
Look carefully While the photos in the listing are the best way to understand the “vibe” of a sale, the most unique items may not even be included. Check out the laundry room, garage, and other parts of the house often overlooked by the crowds, if they’re marked open to shoppers: That’s how one recent estate sale visitor found a Hermès scarf in a $2 bin.
Prices aren’t always set in stone While most items are prepriced, there is usually room for negotiation. Some estate sales offer discounts for “bundles,” or several pieces purchased at once; you may see signs listing this option, or feel free to offer the deal yourself. But be respectful with your haggling—don’t throw out ridiculously low offers and expect it to work.
Atlanta Public Schools (APS) audio, video, technology, and film teachers visited The Atlanta Voice to talk about the future of journalism and education. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Atlanta Public Schools (APS) audio, video, technology, and film (AVTF) teachers visited The Atlanta Voice on Monday, February 16, to discuss the business of local journalism, what’s new in the media landscape, and how both institutions can work together to serve future media consumers in Atlanta.
With national newspapers in major American cities cutting staff and gutting entire departments, local newspapers, particularly Black-owned and operated ones, have an opportunity to focus even more on local news. The educators who took part in the discussion work at middle and high schools, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School, Young Middle School, BEST Academy, North Atlanta High School, Benjamin E. Mays High School, Maynard Jackson High School, and Midtown High School. The top priority on all of the educators’ lists was reading, and how to continue to get the message across to their students of how important reading is to their lives.
Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Monday was Presidents’ Day, so school was out, and the educators had the opportunity to gather inside WAREhouse Studios for a two-hour learning day. The discussion touched on how to expose the city of Atlanta, its landmarks, historic neighborhoods, and its Civil Rights legacy to students.
“As a group, you learn more when you get together with your colleagues,” one teacher said about the small gathering at WAREhouse Studios. “So the only time for things like this is when you have a career week or learning day.”
An educator from Maynard Jackson High School answered a question about whether her students are familiar with the legacy left by Maynard Jackson, the first Black mayor of Atlanta and the school’s namesake. The educator wasn’t sure if the students truly understood Jackson’s place in Atlanta’s history.
Social media’s influence and current standing as a news source for students were another concern addressed during the conversation. Educators said students’ short attention spans have also negatively affected reading and writing assignments.
Some solutions that came out of the discussion were getting students in front of The Atlanta Voice journalists for meet-and-greets to give them examples of how journalists look and sound. Another suggestion was to create an internship opportunity where students can shadow reporters on assignments to see how the job is done.
At Mays High School, the AVTF students have been assigned to write stories about a recent “ICE out” protest that area students conducted across multiple campuses in the city.
“It’s just good to see what people are doing and what’s going on out there,” one teacher said.
Editor’s Note: The names of the educators were left out of the story for complete anonymity.
Atlanta United (right, during a preseason match in late January) will return home to Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, March 7, against Real Salt Lake. Photo by Julia Beverly/The Atlanta United
New Season
The 2026 Major League Soccer (MLS) season will begin in less than a week, and for Atlanta United, it will be far from their home turf, Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
On Saturday, February 14, Atlanta United played its third preseason match of the year against Dallas FC in Texas. The match was a draw.
The Five Stripes will start the season in Cincinnati, one of the toughest places to play on the road in MLS. That game will take place on Saturday, Feb. 21 (4:45 p.m.). The following Saturday, Atlanta United will make its first West Coast trip, playing at San Jose (7:30 p.m.).
The month of March will be more favorable to manager Tata Martino and the squad, as all three of their matches will be at home. Atlanta United is scheduled to host Real Salt Lake on Saturday, March 7 (7:30 p.m.), Philadelphia Union on Saturday, March 14 (3:15 p.m.), and D.C. United on Saturday, March (7:30 p.m.).
Atlanta United forward Emmanuel Latte Lath #9 poses for a photo during Atlanta United Media Day at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground in Marietta, Ga. on Thursday, January 14, 2026. Photo by Brandon Magnus/Atlanta United
New Kits
Among the hanging airplanes and memorabilia of flights long past, the new Atlanta United Spirit of ‘96 kit was unveiled on Tuesday night at the Delta Flight Museum.
Live music filled Hangar 1 as season ticket holders wearing jerseys, jackets, and hats emblazoned with the iconic Five Stripes and the golden A filed in and made themselves comfortable an hour or so before the big reveal.
The 2026 regular season was still three weeks away, but as live music filled the hangar, the excitement for a fresh start after last season’s rollercoaster ride could be felt in the air.
The new Atlanta United kit was revealed around 7 pm and was met with round applause from the fans in attendance. The Spirit of ‘96 kit is paying homage to the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, which took place in Atlanta and across Georgia 30 years ago. The primary color is white, with accents of green and gold throughout. The gold continues through the kit on the crest.
Former Atlanta United and United States National Team goalkeeper Brad Guzan modeled the new kit alongside Morehouse College legend and Olympic gold medal 400-meter hurdler Edwin Moses, and Olympic gold medal gymnast Shannon Miller.
“Everyone is going to be coming here to experience Atlanta,” Guzan said. Once his name was announced, the familiar chants of “GUZZZZZZ” were chanted from the crowd. Guzan said the city and Atlanta United will be on display this summer when the FIFA World Cup stops downtown for eight matches, including one semifinal match.
“You talk about being able to host the 1996 Olympics, this will be a chance to show the world how great Atlanta is,” Guzan said.
Following the reveal, a pop-up shop selling the new kit opened in the back of Hangar 2. A five-minute mini-documentary appropriately titled “Spirit of ‘96” played on a loop throughout the night.
Jobina Fortson-Evans in CBS Atlanta’s new virtual-reality studio
Courtesy of CBS News Atlanta
For Jobina Fortson-Evans, joining CBS Atlanta’s newsroom felt less like a career move and more like a homecoming to the city that first ignited her passion for storytelling. As a child, Fortson-Evans loved interviewing people with her camcorder. Years later, she joined the Tucker High School newspaper, which sparked her interest in a journalism career.
As a student at Howard University, Fortson-Evans completed internships at a local radio station and then a television station, where broadcasting caught her attention. “It was the combination of the writing, plus pictures and sound all together, that I enjoyed,” she says. “And I haven’t really looked back.”
Fortson-Evans later held on-camera jobs with TV stations in Maryland, Kentucky, and California. Before joining CBS Atlanta’s new team, she launched and hosted ATL Live, a daily lifestyle show on Atlanta News First. Along the way, she’s navigated the turbulence of the wider journalism industry, as traditional broadcast media looks for ways to incorporate social media into their model.
Her new role embodies this pivot: This year, CBS Atlanta shifted from the news desk model to debut a digitally augmented virtual-reality studio, where anchors interact with immersive visuals via a green screen. “With our set here, every single day is different, from the content to the way the show looks,” Fortson-Evans says.
As a reporter, she says she aims to root storytelling in the community. She points to CBS’s new on-screen QR code and phone number, which allows viewers to submit story ideas during each broadcast. “We are not necessarily going to lead with the news that everybody else is,” she says. “While there are shootings and fires and events that are happening here, our goal is to highlight the stories that are going to impact and help people the most.”
Representation is also a driving force for Fortson-Evans. “There is a legacy [in Atlanta] of Black women anchoring the news,” she says. “Growing up here, I watched Monica Kaufman Pearson, Brenda Wood, and Jovita Moore.” Though that legacy stretches back to the legendary Xernona Clayton, the first Black woman in the South to host a regularly scheduled prime-time television talk show, representation remains limited in the industry: A 2018 study found that nationwide, Black women comprise 2.62 percent of all journalists. Fortson-Evans sees her on-air visibility as a chance to influence the next generation of young reporters, especially women journalists of color.
Now that she’s back in her hometown—with three Emmys to her name—Fortson-Evans looks forward to amplifying the voices that make Atlanta what it is. “There are so many amazing people throughout this region that are doing great things and uplifting others,” she says. “That’s who we want to find to tell their stories.”
Diva Worship: Dionne Warwick (2024). Collage printed with dye sublimation on aluminum 36×24 inches. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
The Hammonds House Museum transformed Friday night from an art gallery into a runway show, reminiscent of the ballroom scenes of the ’80s and ’90s New York City, as it opened “Beau McCall: Divas, Blues, and Memories,” an exhibition that channels decades of friendship, loss, and the healing power of music through dazzling button-encrusted collages.
“I walked around and looked at your work, and it made me want to dance,” Fulton County Commissioner for District 4 Mo Ivory said during the opening reception.
McCall, who has worked with buttons for more than 40 years, created the exhibition as a deeply personal tribute to friends lost to AIDS and other social ills during the early days of the LGBTQ movement.
“All my friends passed on,” McCall said during his opening remarks, “I have one of the guys that’s in the exhibition. We used to have this conversation about who was going to be the last one to tell the story, and I ended up being the last one.”
Diva Worship: Cory Daye (2025). Collage printed with dye sublimation on aluminum 36×24 inches. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
The exhibition chronicles how McCall and his circle of friends bonded through what he calls “diva worship”, finding solace and community in the music of popular and obscure female performers whose songs reflected their experiences of drama, pain, and happiness during the 1970s through 1990s.
“Music is very important to me in my life,” McCall explained. “I grew up with jazz playing through the house 24/7. When I came out and met like-minded guys in the LGBT community, we started diva worshiping. These songs bonded our friendships together through music.”
Diva Worship: The Pointer Sisters (2024). Collage printed with dye sublimation on aluminum 36×24 inches. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
Souleo, McCalls’s partner, was the curator for the exhibit and selected pieces that balance celebration with remembrance, incorporating McCall’s collages alongside sculptural wearable art focused on the blues. The curator emphasized the exhibition’s relevance to contemporary struggles facing the LGBTQ community.
“In the 1970s, particularly, when Bo and his friends were coming of age in the LGBTQ movement, those were the early days,” Souleo said. “We’ve come a significant way in terms of gay marriage, but we see with the government, there’s still a lot of challenges up ahead. This show is a reminder that no matter what the odds are, we can overcome them.”
Halima Taha, artistic director of Hammonds House, noted the exhibition’s universal themes. “What you will see is love of music and verse and memory and motion and spirit,” she told attendees, announcing a panel discussion scheduled for the following day.
David Manuel, representing Fulton County’s FACE program (Fashion, Art, Culture and Education), praised McCall’s innovative use of materials. “His work, his use of fabric, his use of buttons, and the message behind that is outlining what fashion is,” Manuel said. “When you can get people to stand in front of artwork and talk about it days and weeks after, because of the impact and effect, that means we’re doing something good.”
Despite four decades of artistic practice, McCall said recognition has come primarily in the last 15 years, crediting Souleo’s curatorial vision and advocacy. The couple is currently celebrating 16 years together.
“Every generation has a generation before them,” McCall reflected. “I had a generation before me that opened a lot of doors, so I could be comfortable in my journey. Now it’s my turn to open doors so the generation behind me can be comfortable moving through their journey.”
The exhibition employs buttons as a unifying artistic element, which Souleo described as “a way to connect us, to remind us about universality, our common humanity.” The wearable pieces and wall installations demonstrate McCall’s range beyond traditional collage work.
When asked what he hopes visitors take from the exhibition, McCall offered a forward-looking perspective: “I want them to reflect on today, tomorrow, and the possibilities of what the future could bring.”
Souleo distilled the exhibition’s mission even more simply: “Joy and inspiration.”
For Bernard and Pamela Solomon, love is more than a feeling; it’s a foundation. Nearly 34 years into marriage, the couple has built a life rooted in faith, family, and service, now embarking on a new chapter as franchise owners of AtWork in Forest Park.
The Atlanta Voice: Where and when did you meet?
Pamela Solomon (PS): We met at my sister’s wedding. I was coming in from Germany, just for the wedding.
Bernard Solomon (BS): My best friend was the groom, and her sister was the bride. Prior to the wedding, I went with him to visit his girlfriend, and we met unofficially in passing. She didn’t realize that I was going to be her husband.
AV: Do you have any children or grandchildren?
PS: Three children and I am a new Grammy. We had two grandkids last year. One is now 10 months old, and one is nine months old. They live in Houston, Chicago, and the baby lives in Arkansas.
“We also pray every morning before we leave the house,” said Pamela Solomon. Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
AV: What’s the key to a successful marriage?
BS: I think we both will agree that we put God first. That’s the foundation. I attribute a lot of that to Pam, because when we were dating, she came from a family where her father was a pastor, and she sort of laid down the law that if we were going to continue dating, it had to be based on the right stuff. We had a bond based on our spiritual walk from that point forward, because I started getting more serious about my spiritual walk, and it made me a better person, a better boyfriend, and a better husband and father.
PS: We also pray every morning before we leave the house, and if there’s a visitor visiting in the home, they also come into the circle, and he leads us in prayer every morning.
AV: How do you navigate being in business together with married life?
BS: You must be able to take care of business during business time and then cut it off and take care of family and marriage during that time. Sometimes they intertwine, because if something in my marriage happens during business time, I’m going to cut that off and take care of the most important part of my life, which is the marriage and family part.
AV: Why was AtWork the right choice for you all as business owners?
BS: We did a lot of praying about it. First, I retired in 2023, and both of us have been public servants throughout our careers. Pam has worked extensively with the Veterans Administration, helping veterans and making sure that they’re taken care of after their service. And I’ve been in the public-school sector, and that’s a thankless job. Both occupations are about giving back to the community, and we were looking at the possibility of owning a franchise, and AtWork rose to the top based on the mission of that work.
PS: We’ve met and learned about people who started in talent or as employees who came into an industry, started on the ground level, and have management positions today. That’s what we want. More than just to give a person a job. We want to follow that person, so they succeed, their family succeeds, and they change the course of their lives.
Asked how they balance owning a business and marriage, Bernard Solomon said, ” You must be able to take care of business during business time and then cut it off and take care of family and marriage during that time.” Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
AV: What do you think the next 20 years for you all will look like?
BS: It’s about continuing to set the foundation for our family legacy, to make sure that our children, our children’s children, their children, will have some options as they continue through life. The bulk of our lives, most of our years are behind us, so it’s up to me and Pam to really work on how we can help ensure our kids have viable choices and options to continue what we’ve started.
AV: What advice do you have for younger couples?
PS: Put God first and be kind to one another. Marry someone you trust because I trust him, and he trusts me. I love him and like him a lot, so it’s also why we can do business together, because you need to like your partner, and that would be my advice, those things.
BS: Be adaptable. Sometimes life circumstances will throw some things in the mix, and it may not, you may not be able to rationalize in your mind why your partner is doing certain things, but you must adapt. Give your partner the benefit of the doubt, have those conversations, then 99.9% of the time, things will work out, because if you love each other, then you don’t want to hurt your partner, and if you don’t want to hurt your partner, then you’ll have those conversations that will help you steer back toward a meaningful and productive relationship when things have gone awry.
At the end of the interview, Bernard surprised his wife with a Christian version of a Valentine’s song he wrote to promote a life with the Lord.
One year after taking charge of the nation’s health department, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. hasn’t held true to many of the promises he made while appealing to U.S. senators concerned about the longtime anti-vaccine activist’s plans for the nation’s care.
Kennedy squeaked through a narrow Senate vote to be confirmed as head of the Department of Health and Human Services, only after making a number of public and private guarantees about how he would handle vaccine funding and recommendations as secretary.
Here’s a look at some of the promises Kennedy made during his confirmation process.
The Childhood Vaccine Schedule
In two hearings in January 2025, Kennedy repeatedly assured senators that he supported childhood vaccines, noting that all his children were vaccinated.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) grilled Kennedy about the money he’s made in the private sector from lawsuits against vaccine makers and accused him of planning to profit from potential future policies making it easier to sue.
“Kennedy can kill off access to vaccines and make millions of dollars while he does it,” Warren said during the Senate Finance Committee hearing. “Kids might die, but Robert Kennedy can keep cashing in.”
Warren’s statement prompted an assurance by Kennedy.
“Senator, I support vaccines,” he said. “I support the childhood schedule. I will do that.”
Days later, Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, declared Kennedy had pledged to maintain existing vaccine recommendations if confirmed. Cassidy, a physician specializing in liver diseases and a vocal supporter of vaccination, had questioned Kennedy sharply in a hearing about his views on shots.
“If confirmed, he will maintain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ recommendations without changes,” Cassidy said during a speech on the Senate floor explaining his vote for Kennedy.
A few months after he was confirmed, Kennedy fired all the incumbent members of the vaccine advisory panel, known as ACIP, and appointed new members, including several who, like him, oppose some vaccines. The panel’s recommendations soon changed drastically.
Last month, the CDC removed its universal recommendations for children to receive seven immunizations, those protecting against respiratory syncytial virus, meningococcal disease, flu, covid, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and rotavirus. The move followed a memorandum from the White House calling on the CDC to cull the schedule.
Now, those vaccines, which researchers estimate have prevented thousands of deaths and millions of illnesses, are recommended by the CDC only for children at high-risk of serious illness or after consultation between doctors and parents.
In response to questions about Kennedy’s actions on vaccines over the past year, HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon said the secretary “continues to follow through on his commitments” to Cassidy.
“As part of those commitments, HHS accepted Chairman Cassidy’s numerous recommendations for key roles at the agency, retained particular language on the CDC website, and adopted ACIP recommendations,” Nixon added. “Secretary Kennedy talks to the chairman at a regular clip.”
Cassidy and his office have repeatedly rebuffed questions about whether Kennedy, since becoming secretary, has broken the commitments he made to the senator.
Vaccine Funding Axed
Weeks after Kennedy took over the federal health department, the CDC pulled back $11 billion in covid-era grants that local health departments were using to fund vaccination programs, among other initiatives.
That happened after Kennedy pledged during his confirmation hearings not to undermine vaccine funding.
Kennedy replied “Yes” when Cassidy asked him directly: “Do you commit that you will not work to impound, divert, or otherwise reduce any funding appropriated by Congress for the purpose of vaccination programs?”
A federal judge later ordered HHS to distribute the money.
The National Institutes of Health, part of HHS, also yanked dozens of research grants supporting studies of vaccine hesitancy last year. Kennedy, meanwhile, ordered the cancellation of a half-billion dollars’ worth of mRNA vaccine research in August.
A Discredited Theory About Autism
Cassidy said in his floor speech that he received a guarantee from Kennedy that the CDC’s website would not remove statements explaining that vaccines do not cause autism.
Technically, Kennedy kept his promise not to remove the statements. The website still says that vaccines do not cause autism.
But late last year, new statements sprung up on the same webpage, baselessly casting doubt on vaccine safety. “The claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim because studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines cause autism,” the page on autism now misleadingly reads.
The webpage also states that the public has largely ignored studies showing vaccines do cause autism.
That is false. Over decades of research, scientific studies have repeatedly concluded that there is no link between vaccines and autism.
A controversial 1998 study that captured global attention did link the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine to autism. It was retracted for being fraudulent — though not until a decade after it was published, during which there were sharp declines in U.S. vaccination rates.
St. Paul, Minnesota (CNN) — Don Lemon pleaded not guilty Friday to federal charges stemming from his presence at a protest at a St. Paul, Minnesota, church last month.
He appeared in court flanked by his attorneys, wearing a dark suit with a red tie and his signature black-framed glasses.
Lemon is charged with two federal crimes: conspiring to violate someone’s constitutional rights and violating the FACE Act, which prohibits the use of force or threats to intentionally interfere with someone expressing their First Amendment right to practice religion.
Federal prosecutors allege Lemon and another independent journalist, Georgia Fort, participated in a “takeover-style attack” of Cities Church and intimidated congregants, after the two livestreamed a group of anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement protesters rushing into the church on January 18, interrupting the service.
“This isn’t just about me, this is about all journalists, especially in the United States,” Lemon told reporters and a crowd of supporters gathered outside the courthouse following the hearing.
“The events before my arrest and what’s happened since show that people are finally realizing what (the Trump administration) is all about. The process is the punishment with them,” Lemon declared. “I will not be intimidated, I will not back down, I will fight these baseless charges and I will not be silenced.”
Four other defendants were also arraigned Friday for their alleged involvements in the church protest. Each pleaded not guilty.
During the hearing, Lemon’s attorney Abbe Lowell said the defense intends to file a motion to get access to the grand jury materials which led to the indictment. A motion to declare the case unconstitutional is also forthcoming, Lowell indicated.
The journalist and former CNN anchor – who now hosts his own show on YouTube – has vowed to fight the charges. He hired Joseph H. Thompson, a former Minnesota federal prosecutor, to represent him alongside Lowell, according to court records filed earlier this week.
Lemon was arrested in a hotel lobby in Beverly Hills on January 29 while he was in Los Angeles to cover the Grammy Awards. More than two dozen agents from Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI arrested him, according to a law enforcement source familiar with the operation.
He was held overnight in federal custody, and released on his own recognizance the following day.
On Friday, Lowell asked for the return of Lemon’s phone, which he said was seized after the journalist was “tracked” to Los Angeles. Prior to the hearing, federal officials told Lemon’s attorneys the phone was being sent to Minnesota, Lowell said, but its whereabouts are currently unknown.
One of the prosecutors confirmed the federal government obtained a search warrant for the phone but is still in the process of executing it. They could not provide an estimated timeline for when the search would be complete and the phone returned to Lemon.
Ahead of the hearing, a small group of people rallied outside the courthouse, waving flags, carrying signs and chanting, “Drop the charges, support our press!”
Lemon has repeatedly said, even during his live YouTube stream of the church disruption, that he was present at the demonstration as a journalist, not an activist. In footage of the episode, Lemon was heard saying, “I’m just here photographing, I’m not part of the group … I’m a journalist.”
In a statement Friday, the lead pastor of Cities Church said such a disruption “should never happen again.”
“Our church, like countless others around the world, gathers each Sunday to worship Jesus. Until January 18, 2026, we had done so in peace, grateful for the freedoms we enjoy in this nation,” Jonathan Parnell said after the arraignments. “A group of agitators disrupted our service, accosted our members, and terrified our children,” he said, calling it “wrong” and “shameful.”
The Justice Department first attempted to charge eight people, including Lemon. A magistrate judge rejected the charges against five of those people – Lemon among them – saying there was insufficient evidence to charge.
The judge, however, encouraged prosecutors to take the case to a grand jury and seek an indictment. And Lemon on his YouTube show said the government would try again to charge him.
“I have spent my entire career covering the news – I will not stop now,” Lemon said on the steps of the federal courthouse in Los Angeles following his release last month. “In fact, there is no more important time than right now, this very moment, for a free and independent media that shines a light on the truth and holds those in power accountable.”
The closing of the Richmond Free Press marks more than the end of a newspaper.
It marks the quieting of a civic institution.
Founded in 1992 by Raymond H. Boone Sr., the Richmond Free Press was created to provide independent, accountable journalism for Black Richmond. Boone brought deep professional grounding to that mission. Before launching the Free Press, he served as editor and vice president of the Baltimore-based Afro-American Newspaper Group and later as a member of its board. He understood standards, governance and the responsibility that accompanies independent ownership.
The Free Press reflected that understanding.
It was disciplined. It was careful. It did not chase spectacle. It practiced journalism.
After Boone’s passing in 2014, leadership continued under his wife, Jean Patterson Boone, who sustained the paper with steadiness and resolve. Their daughter, Regina H. Boone, an accomplished photojournalist, also contributed to the publication’s work. This was not merely a business. It was a family’s commitment to community accountability.
What Communities Lose
The Free Press closes amid structural pressures reshaping local journalism nationwide — shrinking local advertising revenue, the growth of dominant digital platforms and changing patterns of news consumption. These forces have strained community newsrooms across the country.
But when a Black newspaper closes, the loss is distinct and profound.
Communities lose coverage of church anniversaries and pastoral transitions — the spiritual infrastructure that holds neighborhoods together. They lose the social news documenting graduations, civic honors, small-business openings, fraternity and sorority milestones, neighborhood achievements and community triumphs that rarely appear elsewhere but define local life.
They lose coverage of Black Richmond that exists nowhere else.
When a Black newspaper closes, the loss is distinct and profound.
They lose journalists who understand the context beneath the headline — who know the history of a block, the arc of a congregation, the stakes of a zoning decision.
And they lose something even more consequential.
They lose sustained pressure on elected officials to craft, pass and enforce legislation that serves the entire community — not just the well-positioned few.
Accountability Is Not Automatic
Black newspapers have long monitored school boards, city councils, housing authorities, development commissions, state legislatures and congressional offices with cultural competence and institutional memory. They have asked the follow-up question. They have returned after the cameras left. They have tracked whether commitments were honored.
When that scrutiny fades, accountability weakens.
When accountability weakens, equity erodes.
This moment arrives at a significant crossroads. In 2027, the Black Press will mark 200 years since the founding of Freedom’s Journal in 1827, the first Black-owned and operated newspaper in the United States. For two centuries, Black newspapers have functioned as record-keepers, critics and civic watchdogs.
The Structural Crisis Facing Black Media
The crisis facing journalism is broad. Thousands of local newspapers have shuttered over the past two decades. Entire communities now lack consistent local reporting. Significant portions of local advertising have shifted to large digital platforms, reducing revenue available to community newsrooms. At the same time, corporate and philanthropic commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion have faced retrenchment. As DEI budgets contract or are restructured, Black-owned media often feel the impact directly.
Some suggest that in a digitally connected age, specialized media is less necessary. The evidence suggests the opposite. As media ownership consolidates and local reporting shrinks, independently owned Black newspapers remain among the few institutions with both proximity to community and the will to apply sustained pressure on power.
The Black Press is not relevant because it is historic. It is relevant because the conditions that required its founding have not disappeared.
Policy decisions continue to shape housing access, education equity, voting rights, public safety and economic opportunity. Communities still require culturally competent reporting that understands local institutions and lived experience. Elected officials still respond to sustained public scrutiny.
Narrative sovereignty is not ornamental.
It is civic infrastructure.
A Bicentennial Moment — And a Call to Act
If quality alone guaranteed survival, the Richmond Free Press would still be publishing. Its closing signals not irrelevance, but fragility — even for institutions grounded in credibility and trust.
As the bicentennial of the Black Press approaches, this moment calls for clarity and commitment.
Advertisers must treat Black newspapers as essential civic partners.
Readers must subscribe, donate and engage with the understanding that journalism requires sustained investment.
Philanthropy must support operational capacity, not only short-term initiatives.
Black institutions — churches, fraternities, sororities, civic organizations and nonprofits — must intentionally strengthen the media platforms that document their work.
Publishers must continue adapting for a digital era while preserving editorial independence and mission integrity.
The Black Press has endured for two centuries not because it was sentimental, but because it was necessary.
The conditions that required its founding have not disappeared.
The question is not whether it has a future.
The question is whether we are willing to invest in it.
The opening of Coffee Therapy is a caffeine- and community-driven boost for owners Tamar Telahun and her brother, Simon Gebru. They are best known for Feedel Bistro, an Eritrean and Ethiopian restaurant, which closed in 2023. At that time, Telahun promised a comeback, and in October 2025, they opened their new cafe, which she says is an extension of Feedel.
Coffee Therapy bookends the siblings’ other establishment, Therapy Too!, a bar and lounge that sits at the opposite end of the Briar Clair plaza on Briarcliff Road. When asked about the name, Telahun says, “Because that’s exactly what coffee is for so many of us: a moment to pause, breathe, reconnect, and reset. Coffee Therapy represents the ritual, the comfort, and the conversations that happen over a cup. It’s where coffee meets healing.”
Among the dozen or so coffee selections at this all-day spot: a 100 percent Ethiopian brew, an Ethiopian–Central American blend, a Rwandan coffee, and another from Kenya. Also offered are traditional teas and chai, lattes, and matcha drinks, plus lunch bites, desserts, wine, and specialty cocktails. Morning offerings include assorted pastries (shout-out to the lemon doughnuts) as well as vegan treats (cheddar biscuits, cranberry-orange muffins, and bear claws) from Flour + Time Bakery. A welcome late-afternoon sipper is the uniquely flavored espresso martini, an exquisite tipple served in a crystal coupe glass. “Cardamom is the secret ingredient,” says Telahun.
Her design background is evident in the decor, which features mixed woods, woven basket pendants, tin ceiling tiles, and dramatic black-and-white portraits of individuals in various tribal attire. There is a sunny front room with tables, small booths farther in, and a cozy den in the back.
After 3:00 p.m., more substantial fare is offered, with choices such as salmon bites, beef sliders, truffle-rosemary fries, and Rasta pasta with spicy, creamy jerk sauce. There is also a Senegalese Soul menu with signature dishes served with jollof, jasmine, or brown rice. Start with the chicken or fish yassa (slow cooked with lemon, mustard, and caramelized onions), mafé (peanut stew), or grilled lamb dibi (marinated in Senegalese spices).
(CNN) — A Friday the 13th economic report appeared to deliver some fortunate news: Annual inflation slowed significantly.
However, certain details of the latest Consumer Price Index presented a more sobering picture: Some price pressures aren’t just persisting, they’re accelerating.
The January CPI report capped off a week of new data that underscored a seemingly incongruent US economy: Consumer spending petered out as debt and meager pay gains weighed, but unexpectedly strong hiring fueled some optimism for the future.
“This is one of those tough weeks where spreadsheets and data are cheery, but households still aren’t,” Tyler Schipper, an associate professor of economics at the University of St. Thomas, in St. Paul, Minnesota.“Even a good inflation report from the perspective of economists is higher prices, and that is not going to sit well with a lot of households.”
Here’s a rundown of what the January inflation data shows, what it means in the context of the broader economy and, especially, whether cost of living concerns are abating.
The main monthly numbers
Consumer prices rose 2.4% in January from the year before, marking an eight-month low and a sharp cooldown from the 2.7% rate notched in December, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ CPI report that landed on Friday, two days late because of the brief and partial federal shutdown that ended last week.
On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.2%, slower than the December pace and helped by tumbling gas prices, the continuation of a years-long slowdown in housing-related costs and a more moderate increase in food prices.
Friday’s monthly reading came in better than projected as economists had forecast a 0.3% increase.
Economists had expected the annual rate to slow to 2.5%. But inflation came in even slower, at 2.4%, helped by more favorable prices at the pump grocery store. Math played a role as well – because prices spiked so much in January 2025, this January looked even better by comparison.
Plus, the data could still be affected by disruptions from the historically long federal shutdown last fall, noted Lydia Boussour, EY-Parthenon senior economist.
The underlying trend
The core CPI gauge – a closely watched measurement that excludes volatile food and energy prices – also saw its annual rate of inflation ease.
Core CPI slowed to 2.5%, its lowest rate since March 2021, right before the pandemic-era inflationary spike.
But the underlying trajectory went in a different direction: The core CPI index accelerated to a five-month high of 0.3% from December’s 0.2%.
“While mild topline inflation is encouraging, it would be premature to declare victory on inflation,” Joe Brusuelas, RSM US chief economist, wrote in an email to CNN, “as one can clearly observe beneath the headline sharp turn of the year pricing and sustained increase in tariff-sensitive goods.”
Where price hikes hit hard, and what got less expensive
The CPI, which is the most widely used inflation gauge, measures the average change in prices for a broad basket of commonly purchased goods and services.
The monthly reads on those categories can sometimes be quite volatile; however, they also can be telling for where consumers are feeling pinched or seeing some welcome relief.
Travel, transportation, recreation prices gained: Airfares rose 6.5% in January, their steepest gain in nearly four years; admission for sporting events jumped 5.4% and parking costs rose by 7.4%, their highest-ever. Some of these increases could be tied to new year price adjustments or seasonality; however, economists have noted that discretionary services prices have held strong because of high-income Americans.
Tariff-sensitive items also went up: Economists typically look at “core” goods measures that exclude the influence of food, energy as well as used vehicles. That particular core category rose 0.4% from December, bringing the annual rate to 1.6%, the highest in more than two years. That could go even higher, as “many businesses are still considering passing on higher costs to protect their margins,” Boussour noted.
The essentials edged lower: Gas prices fell 3.2%, their steepest drop in nearly a year; grocery prices rose 0.2%, the smallest increase since July; egg prices fell7% monthly, which brings them back closer to their 2024 price levels; housing-related inflation rose a modest 0.2% and eased to 3% annually, matching a four-year low hit in November.
Gains in housing-related costs, the heaviest-weighted in the CPI, continued a years-long slowdown since the pandemic jacked up those expenses for many Americans. But economists caution that estimates to fill in the blanks during the government shutdown could be making that shelter inflation look better than it actually is.
The price readings should sort out come April (the BLS uses rotating six-month panels for its rent price data), which would likely cause a lift in overall inflation, economists have said.
For the Federal Reserve, Friday’s report combined with the strong January jobs data should keep further interest-rate cuts off the table in March, Schipper said.
But even if inflation is moving in a welcome direction for many Americans, it still might not feel that great, he added, especially for lower- and middle-income households that have seen slower wage and wealth gains than higher-income Americans.
(L-R) Ashley Jordan, Tati Richardson, and Kate Dramis are all participating gin this year’s Love Y’all Fest
Jordan: Greta High; Richardson: Lynda Louis Photography; Dramis: Kate Dramis
A few decades ago, romance novels were stereotyped as bodice rippers with hand-painted covers relegated to a corner of the bookstore. Now multiple romance bookstores have opened across metro Atlanta and fill their shelves for every reader—from sports romance superfans to romantasy (aka romantic fantasy) devotees. Readers of all persuasions will gather in Decatur for the third year of Atlanta’s Love Y’All Romance Book Fest from February 13-15.
On Saturday and Sunday, attendees can hear 80 authors speak on panels about LGBTQIA+ representation in genre, forbidden love, and even how authors can best use social media. In between, there are dozens of book signings to meet favorite writers and chat with fellow fans while you wait in line. A few lucky fans can attend intimate author experiences including high tea and cemetery tours on Friday, February 13.
“I think it’s really important for readers to have an [real-life] space like Love Y’all because it reminds us that we’re not alone,” says Atlanta author Kate Dramis, who has attended every year of the festival and will give the opening keynote with Scarlett St. Clair. “I love that the internet can connect us, but nothing replaces that feeling of getting together in real time and celebrating romance. Additionally, as a queer author, I think it’s so incredibly important that we have a safe space like Love Y’all to come together and celebrate love in all its shapes and forms.”
Atlanta magazine spoke to three local authors who are festival mainstays or debut authors about why the festival matters and what to expect:
How many times have you been to Love Y’all and what makes it special? I’ve been lucky to go every year since it was founded, and I absolutely adore it. I think the thing that makes Love Y’all so special is how it celebrates community. So many local Atlanta indie bookstores come together to help run it and participate, and I’ve never been to a festival like that before. I’m excited to see it continue to grow, and for people to experience how special the Atlanta reader community is.
You made your name in romantasy. What made you want to write a more contemporary book like The Odds of You? The Odds of You snuck up on me. I had the idea for the opening scene while I was on a plane to Comic Con, and by the time I landed in San Diego, I was like, “Oh wow. This is a book!” It really just flew out of me. There are so many influences and inspirations that fueled The Odds of You, from my trip to the Isle of Skye with my best friend to my own fears and neuroses to Noah Kahan’s [song] “Stick Season.” But at its heart, The Odds of You was written with the desire to create something that made me, and hopefully others, feel as consumed as I had felt by my favorite book (Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston).
What’s your favorite trope? My favorite micro trope is a rain scene/rain love confession. I feel like the rain makes everything so dramatic!
As a debut author, what’s your experience with Love Y’all? I went the first year as an attendee right after I got my book deal. It feels a bit like a dream come true to return as an author this year because when I was there in 2024 I was just soaking in what the authors were doing and hoping it would be me one day, and now it will be. I love that these festivals are really about diversity in romance, which I think is really important. Unfortunately, romance is often derided as a silly genre, so to have people who love it and take it seriously and understand it is really important to be able to celebrate in person.
Why is diversity important in the romance genre? Love is a universal thing, so it doesn’t make sense that we had to see ourselves represented in whiteness because that has been what was available for so long. But now Black authors are getting book deals. Kennedy Ryan is the Beyoncé of romance. A lot of us are following in her footsteps and really getting to be out there. What I’ve heard from readers and what means the most to me is when they see themselves in my work, and I think that’s why I wanted to write in the first place—to see myself reflected. And that’s what all of us want really.
Your debut has heavy themes like miscarriage and divorce, but also spice. How do you achieve the right balance? Romance is about reflecting real life. We don’t have light without dark. My book is not a rom-com; it’s contemporary romance. I hope readers cry, and I hope they laugh as well, but I do want to make them feel.
What’s your favorite trope? Second-chance romance. There’s something really interesting and special about a couple together at one time, but they had to be apart to grow and become different and hopefully better people
What do you love about the festival? You can feel the Southern charm when you go. It’s intimate, not like a massive book con. There’s a level of diversity you don’t see with other conferences unless they’re marginalized group specific. It’s also one of the festivals that makes a point highlighting local authors. When people come up to me and say things like, “Your work makes me feel seen,” it reminds me that these books aren’t just words on a page.
What made you want to incorporate magical realism into your books? I wanted to challenge myself creatively, but it’s a disability metaphor because disability representation is really important for me. People don’t think about glasses as disability or losing your voice and amnesia as temporary disabilities. But if a character is not able to see/hear/remember, how do they communicate feelings? And magical realism makes that more fun.
What’s your favorite trope? I think I like to write friends-to-lovers. What I love to read is a good enemies-to-lovers.
The Nissan Leaf entered the electric vehicle well received almost two decades ago, and I have seen it consistently improve during its tenure. But the 2026 version? Whoa! I reviewed the Platinum+ FWD, and it was a stunner when it came to design, spacious interior, and upgrades throughout to reflect the premium trim. Nissan does a successful job of providing us with an energy saving, tech-forward EV vehicle thriving on practicality without looking it like it.
Photos courtesy of Nissan
Presented in a premium two-tone gray with a contrasting black roof, this was a highly recommended color combination exuding a sophisticated, modern look. The Leaf’s exterior frame flaunts Nissan’s mission to be the most aerodynamic version of the car’s legacy, including a curvaceous frame, a sloping rear window crowned with a spoiler, and slanting LED lighting complete with signature daytime running lights and 3D holographic taillights. The 19-inch wheels with a design customized for the Platinum + version, black grille, roof rails, and illuminated Nissan badge provided extra flex. The motorized front door handles that protruded upon arrival added even more elegance.
Photos courtesy of Nissan
Beneath the floor, the 2026 Leaf is powered by a 214-horsepower electric motor delivering 261 lb.-ft of torque. This combo made driving through Atlanta smooth, yet responsive for whatever the streets challenged me with. Highway merging was also effortless, and the new 75 kWh liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pushes the Leaf up to 259 miles of range, so long trips become a lot more worry free. Addressing the actual charging capabilities, the Leaf presents multiple options. flexible than ever. With both a NACS DC fast charging option for all of those Tesla stations and a J1772 AC port, this vehicle can get to 100 percent in about a half an hour. Addressing the aforementioned practicality, Nissan also adds Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capabilities, where you can power small appliances, devices, or even camping gear straight from the car.
Photos courtesy of Nissan
Inside, the Leaf steps up its game with a more upscale feel compared to previous generations. Everything from the dual 14.3-inch displays lighting up the dash, to the Google Built-in with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto combo stays consistent with today’s tech demands. The Bose Personal Plus audio system was one of my favorite features, utilizing 10 speakers including placement directly in the front headrests for premium sound. The ambient multicolor lighting and a panoramic roof elevate complete the cabin’s impressive upgrades.
Photos courtesy of Nissan
Want more? How about heated front and rear seats; a heated steering wheel; power driver seat with memory; and a motion-activated liftgate? The “Divide-N-Hide” cargo system keeps owners organized, 120V outlets bring more versatility for everyone, and the car unlocks when leaving which kept me even more worry free.
Photos courtesy of Nissan
Safety gets some love as always with this automaker, thanks to the Nissan Safety Shield 360, which includes everything from automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, to blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning, and the HD Intelligent around view monitor. With an MSRP starting around $39K and an estimated 103 MPGe combined, the 2026 Nissan Leaf Platinum+ offers legitimate value paired with a sporty look and an overall goal to provide the best efficiency.
Photos courtesy of Nissan
Ultimately, this is one of the most bang-for-your-buck premium EVs on the market.
Price: MSRP$38,990 and $42,365 with as reviewed fully equipped, adding two-tone paint, cargo package, battery heater, and destination charges.
