Source: skynesher / Getty According to a news report by WSB-TV , Atlanta’s HIV problem is now being called an epidemic. The cities rampant HIV issue has some scientists comparing Atlanta to third world African countries and says some residents should be taking daily meds to help prevent the spread of the deadly disease. _____ “Downtown Atlanta is as bad as Zimbabwe,” said Dr. Carlos del Rio, co-director of Emory University’s Center for AIDS Research. Del Rio also stated the disease has shifted from one that affected many gay men and drug users, to a something that affects everyone, but African-Americans with limited health care in particular. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT HIV IN ATLANTA According to the CDC if you live in southeast part of the country, you are more likely to be diagnosed with HIV than any other part of the United States In Georgia, risk of diagnosis is 1 in every 51 people. There are approximately more than 35,402 people living with HIV in Atlanta, Georgia. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE
T he voter suppression outcries heard during Stacey Abram ’s historic run to become the nation’s first Black woman governor all but disappeared in Georgia’s runoff election—now that Brian Kemp is no longer in charge of the state’s voting process. Last month, Georgia Secretary of State Kemp oversaw his own race for governor, which was close but ended in defeat for Abrams. There was damning evidence that pointed to Kemp using a variety of voter suppression tactics to target Black voters. Kemp resigned under pressure on Nov. 8–after he had declared victory over Abrams. SEE ALSO: Georgia Isn’t Even Trying To Hide Its Racist Voter Suppression Efforts With This Video Georgia elected Republican state Rep. Brad Raffensperger as its new secretary of state in Tuesday’s runoff contest against Democrat John Barrow , a former congressman. The Trump-backed candidate won 52 percent to 48 percent . “There was a significant drop in enthusiasm after the general election. That was true on both sides, but it was greater for Democrats,” state Rep. Scott Holcomb told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution . BREAKING: Republican Brad Raffensperger elected Georgia's new elections chief amid debate over access to the polls and election security. https://t.co/C6tCHzaZuD — The Associated Press (@AP) December 5, 2018 Kemp found himself in the middle of a firestorm before Election Day after the Associated Press reported his office had placed more than 53,000 voter registration applications on hold—about 70 percent of them from African-Americans. He also faced multiple lawsuits, including one from a group of voting rights organizations accusing him of using a racially-biased method to purge the names of about 700,000 voters from the rolls. Additionally, voters in predominantly African-American urban districts encountered lots of problems at the polls on Election Day—from faulty electronic machines that switched votes from Abrams to Kemp to excessively long lines because of missing power cords for voting machines. With Tuesday’s election results, Georgia Republicans retained control of all statewide offices. SEE ALSO: Meet Tammy Kemp, The Black Judge Assigned To Amber Guyger Murder Trial For Killing Botham Jean After Bracing For Lawsuit, Hoover Officials Finally ‘Publicly Extend Sympathy’ To EJ Bradford’s Family [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3839191″ overlay=”true”]
Source: Getty Images / Getty F amily and friends of Kim Porter were reportedly planning the model and actress’ funeral just days after her unexpected death last week in California. As her loved ones continued mourning, questions lingered over how exactly the 47-year-old died Thursday. Initial reports pointed to Porter possibly suffering from pneumonia and flu-like symptoms in the days before her death. However, an autopsy performed over the weekend did not reveal any certain cause of death, according to a new report. “The cause of death was deferred pending additional tests,” Sarah Ardalani, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County office of the medical examiner-coroner, told USA TODAY on Monday. An official determination for what caused Porter to die “may take weeks.” BET News seemed to attribute Porter’s death to the flu, but most of the online reports were hinged on speculation instead of fact in a case that has captured the attention of both ardent and casual fans of the mother of four. Members of Porter’s family offered a glimpse into what happened in the days before her death. “She told me she felt better and that the doctor had been to her house and he gave her an antibiotic,” Porter’s grandmother Lila Mae Star reportedly said Saturday while recalling a conversation with her granddaughter on Wednesday. Her oldest son, Quincy, described himself in part as “broken.” The New York Daily News reported that Porter’s body may be flown to her hometown of Columbus, Georgia, where her family could hold her funeral. Porter’s mother was reportedly buried in Columbus. Porter was found unresponsive in her California home on Thursday, sending shock waves across social media and especially resonating with fans of Sean “Diddy” Combs, who had a romantic relationship with Porter. The two had three children together, with Diddy raising Quincy with Porter. Diddy posted a message about Porter to his Instagram account, writing, “For the last three days I’ve been trying to wake up out of this nightmare. But I haven’t. I don’t know what I’m going to do without you baby. I miss you so much. Today I’m going to pay tribute to you, I’m going to try and find the words to explain our unexplainable relationship. We were more than best friends, we were more than soulmates.” SEE ALSO: Jodeci’s ‘Forever My Lady’ Was About Kim Porter See Kim Porter’s Life In Photos [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3769461″ overlay=”true”]
A ndrew Gillum ‘s concession this weekend in the Florida gubernatorial election followed Stacey Abrams ‘ one day earlier in Georgia, leaving their political ambitions unfulfilled … for now, that is. While their midterm election losses by the narrowest of margins were a major letdown for their campaigns and supporters, both races also showed how perhaps with more support from the Democratic establishment and less voter suppression — a major factor in each election — they could, or, at least, should emerge victorious with another run. The question is, do they have any more campaign runs left in them? For Abrams, the answer was clear: A resounding yes. “I’m going to spend the next year as a private citizen, but I do indeed intend to run for office again,” Abrams told said during an interview on CNN Sunday morning. “I’m not sure for what, and I am not exactly certain when. I need to take a nap. But once I do, I’m planning to get back into the ring.” Stacey Abrams: “I do indeed intend to run for office again, I'm not sure for what and I am not exactly certain when. I need to take a nap, but once I do, I'm planning to get back into the ring.” (via CNN) pic.twitter.com/qK5ypZE3LF — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) November 18, 2018 Abrams fought the good fight in the face of clear racial voter suppression by an opponent who was also the sitting secretary of state who seemed to orchestrate a series of “ dirty tricks ” on Election Day, including not supplying power cords for voting machines in polling places with mostly Black residents. Considering how much effort Republicans put into stopping Democratic and Black voters, some might consider her loss by fewer than 55,000 votes a victory. It certainly shouldn’t take any wind out of her sail even if the Blue Wave didn’t prevail in Georgia’s governor race. Gillum’s future was a different story, though. The person who was trying to become Florida’s first Black governor remained the mayor of Tallahassee after he conceded on Saturday night. He was expected to remain in office in the state capital through the end of his term next year. But after that, it was anybody’s guess. A tweet Saturday may have provided a glimpse into what’s next for him, but it was certainly open to interpretation. “We are going to keep fighting. We will keep working,” he said in a post to Twitter that was accompanied by a photo with his wife, both of them clad in orange, the school colors of their alma mater Florida A&M University. “And in the end, I believe that we will win.” We are going to keep fighting. We will keep working. And in the end, I believe that we will win. I am so thankful to each and every one of you. pic.twitter.com/fWCKQysGmZ — Andrew Gillum (@AndrewGillum) November 17, 2018 SEE ALSO: GOP Adviser Rips Into Brian Kemp For Stealing The Georgia Election Wake-Up Call To Democrats: ‘Black Women Get Things Done’ [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3837133″ overlay=”true”]
K ansas Governor Jeff Colyer on Saturday jumped on the bandwagon of voices calling for the removal of a white county commissioner who told a Black woman on Tuesday that he’s part of the “master race.” SEE ALSO: White Georgia County Commissioner Refuses To Resign After Calling John Lewis A ‘Racist Pig’ “Racial and discriminative language have no place in our society, and most especially when spoken by someone holding a public office. The inappropriate remarks made by Leavenworth County Commissioner Louis Klemp are unacceptable and do not reflect the values of the county which he represents. As such, I call on him to step down as County Commissioner,” Colyer, a Republican, said in a statement posted on Facebook. In Kansas, white official tells black woman he belongs to ‘master race’: Leavenworth County Commissioner Louis Klemp says comment to a city planner at board meeting was intended to be a joke https://t.co/8m8ygRTD7c TimesofIsrael pic.twitter.com/bCIUSgoXBJ — Jewish Community (@JComm_BlogFeeds) November 15, 2018 The racist remark came at a Nov. 13 board meeting after city planner Triveece Penelton explained development options for the County Road 1 corridor south of Tonganoxie, The Kansas City Star explained about the context to Klemp’s comment, which was recorded and posted on the county’s YouTube channel. He was dissatisfied with the African-American consultant’s presentation. “I don’t want you to think I’m picking on you, because, we’re part of the master race,” Klemp said, pointing to his own teeth. “You know, you got a gap in your teeth, you’re the masters, don’t ever forget that.” News of Klemp’s remark ignited widespread condemnations on social media. Leavenworth County commissioner Louis Klemp should not just apologize, he should step down. He wasn’t elected and he’s clearly not fit to hold the office even if it is only until mid-January. https://t.co/uHrWi84iZb — Revolution Resolved (@RevResolved) November 16, 2018 The Kansas GOP has not yet repudiated the remarks of Louis Klemp (rhymes with Brian Kemp) an official who made racist remarks at a public meeting https://t.co/0PSuFhMv1U — nonviolence news (@nonviolentnews9) November 16, 2018 Leavenworth County commissioner Louis Klemp needs to be fired immediately. Call. Commission: 855-252-3455 Human Resources: 913-364-5755 County Attorney's Office: 913-684-0480 https://t.co/r8NHnuKtcf — mmarlo (@mmarlo) November 15, 2018 By Friday morning, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas added its weight to the storm brewing against Klemp, calling his comment “abhorrent.” “Mr. Klemp has a First Amendment right to express himself—just as his community has a right to hold him accountable to his toxic words and the ideas behind it,” the organization said in a statement posted to Facebook. “At a time when hate-based violence is on the rise across the country, we must make it clear that we stand together as diverse communities and that we do not tolerate hate-based speech, especially not in local government.” Several local lawmakers also denounced Klemp’s master race statement, calling for his resignation. Apparently, the governor saw which way the wind was blowing. It’s unclear what steps Colyer will take if the commissioner refuses to resign. SEE ALSO: Macy’s Dragged For How It Portrays Black Fathers In New Holiday Ad Kim Porter’s Family Breaks Silence After Her Tragic Death [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3836986″ overlay=”true”]
Source: D-Keine / Getty Kendrick Johnson’s Parents’ Conduct Third Autopsy, Find Foul Play The parents of a Georgia teen who was found dead in a wrestling mat have conducted a third autopsy. The AJC reports that Kendrick Johnson’s parents Kenneth and Jackie Johnson paid for an autopsy that found that the teen died nearly six years ago from non-accidental blunt force trauma between his neck and abdomen. The results match the first autopsy done on Kendrick, also paid for by his family. The AJC adds that the results will make “minimal impact” considering that a federal investigation ruled out foul play As previously reported the state medical examiner’s office said Kendrick’s 2013 cause of death was “positional asphyxia,” after he accidentally became rolled in a gym mat while allegedly trying to retrieve a pair of sneakers. His death was ruled an accident and in 2016 the Justice Department concluded there was “insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that someone or some group of people willfully violated Kendrick Johnson’s civil rights or committed any other prosecutable federal crime.” His parents believe that two sons of a local FBI agent; Brian, and Branden Bell murdered their son. The parents previously filed a whopping $100 million lawsuit against 38 people they believed were involved. A judge accused the Johnsons of fabricating evidence to support their claims and they were ordered to pay attorney’s fees to multiple defendants. SMH…this is all so sad. All these years and still no answers for this family.
Source: Jessica McGowan / Getty Stacey Abrams Ends Georgia Governor Campaign Democrat Stacey Abrams has ended her campaign for governor of Georgia. During her announcement, she said, “This is not a speech of concession.” She shared that she plans to file a federal lawsuit to challenge the “gross mismanagement” of elections in the state of Georgia. “I will not concede because the erosion of our democracy is not right.”
Source: Andy Clement – andyc.com / Getty When is the GA Run-off Election? Tuesday, December 4, 2018 Where is my voting location (poll location)? Find your voting locations on the Secretary of State’s My Voter Page at https://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/MVP/mvp.do How do I find the address and phone number for my county elections office? Contact information for all Georgia county elections offices can be found at the link below. You’ll find phone numbers, fax numbers, e-mail information and office addresses. http://elections.sos.ga.gov/Elections/countyregistrars.do If I have any questions about the elections in my county, who do I call? Call or contact your County Elections Office. Contact information is at this link. http://elections.sos.ga.gov/Elections/countyregistrars.do When can I ask for Absentee/Mail-in Ballot for the Dec. 4 th runoff? Now until November 30, 2018 Where can I download an Absentee Request Application? Get your Absentee Ballot application here: http://sos.ga.gov/admin/files/Absentee_Ballot_Application_2018.pdf What is the deadline to mail in my Absentee Ballot? Your Absentee Ballot must be in your county elections office by December 4, 2018. If you decide to go to the polls on Election Day, bring your Absentee ballot with you and turn it in to the workers at the polls. They’ll check your ID and allow you to vote. Why were so many Absentee ballots rejected for the November election? Many were rejected because voters signed the Oath Envelope but did not sign their birth date. (Remember to put your birthday not the current date on the Oath Envelope.) Other ballots were thrown out because the voters’ signatures did not match the signatures on state records. Can I register to vote for the Dec. 4 th Runoff? No, the voter registration deadline for the December 4 th election has ended. However, you may register to be eligible to vote in the future. What happens if I show up at the wrong polling place? Ask for a Provisional Ballot. You’ll have three days to go to your Elections Office and show them your ID so that your ballot will count. What happens if the poll workers can’t find my name on the voter rolls? Ask for a Provisional Ballot. You’ll have three days to go to your Elections Office and show them your ID so that your ballot will count. NOTE: there is no definitive Early Voting information at this time. The Secretary of State’s office is waiting until after the Election Results have been certified to determine the Early Voting period. If no court ruling interferes, it’ll probably happen the week before the runoff.
Photo By Raymond Boyd/Getty Images A State Senator Is Amongst Those Arrested On Tuesday, 15 people were arrested during a protest at Georgia’s Capitol building in Atlanta, according to NBC News . The protesters were demanding that the uncounted ballots from last week’s gubernatorial race be tallied. Democrat Stacey Abrams is going against Republican Brian Kemp for governor and the race is still too close to call. So far, Kemp holds a lead over Abrams of less than 58,000 votes as of Tuesday. Demonstrators on Tuesday were chanting to “count every vote,” according to law enforcement. Georgia State Patrol told NBC News that the demonstrators were arrested for unlawfully disrupting “orderly conduct of official business” at the state capital building. Amongst the people arrested on Tuesday was Sen. Nikema Williams , who was additionally charged with misdemeanor obstruction of justice. State patrol said that the protestors were taken to the Fulton County Jail. Williams spoke about her arrest to The Washington Post . She said she was apprehended “because I refused to leave the floor of this building where I’m a state senator.” She went on to say that the protest was peaceful. Protestors have set up a bail fund site for anyone who wants to donate to the cause. The race between Abrams and Kemp comes a week after Election Day as Georgia officials continue to tally uncounted ballots in the race. Earlier Tuesday, a federal judge ordered Georgia to guard against the improper rejection of provisional ballots and to hold off until Friday to confirm the state’s election results. Abrams is hoping to narrow Kemp’s lead so that a mandatory recount or a runoff can happen. State law requires a candidate has more than 50 percent of the vote in order to win outright. Kemp currently has 50.3 percent of the overall vote. Meanwhile, Abrams has not conceded the race, despite pressure from Kemp who has already declared victory.
T he problematic design of Broward County’s ballots could have given prominence to the Florida gubernatorial race in which Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum could become the state’s first Black governor. SEE ALSO: Andrew Gillum Fires Back At Wannabe Dictator Donald Trump Controversy over the design brewed as a machine recount of statewide ballots was ordered on Saturday, which prompted Gillum to withdraw his earlier concession of defeat to GOP rival Ron DeSantis on election night. “Let me say clearly, I am replacing my words of concession with an uncompromising and unapologetic call that we count every single vote. I say this recognizing my fate in this may or may not change,” he said at a news conference. DeSantis led Gillum by fewer than 34,000 votes or a margin of .409 percent, which triggered an automatic machine recount under Florida law because the difference was less than half a percentage point, USA Today reported. Mayor Andrew Gillum: “Let me say clearly, I am replacing my words of concession with an uncompromised, and unapologetic call that we count every single vote.” Can we get an amen? pic.twitter.com/fUaeadGbiO — Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) November 11, 2018 Broward County, a Democratic stronghold in South Florida, is at the epicenter of the tightly contested governor race, as well as the U.S. Senate competition between Democratic incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson and Gov. Rick Scott . One puzzling issue surrounds the fact that about 26,000 more voters chose a gubernatorial candidate but not a Senate candidate. The ballot design could explain what happened, NBC News reported. The list of Senate candidates appeared buried at the bottom left column of the ballot, under the list of instructions. Candidates for governor, however, were placed at the top of the center column in a prominent position. There could be tens of thousands of uncounted votes in Broward County, where Elections Supervisor Brenda Snipes is under scrutiny by Republicans . Broward was also at the center of Florida’s botched 2000 presidential election. Meanwhile, DeSantis has declared himself the winner, even though the race is too close to call. His campaign released a video on Saturday restating its view that DeSantis, who had the full support of President Donald Trump , won the race. Gillum dismissed his opponent’s claim to victory given the uncounted votes. “What I do know is that every single Floridian who took time to go out to cast their vote, to participate in this process deserve the comfort of knowing that in a democratic society and in this process, every vote will be counted,” Gillum said. SEE ALSO: Watch Racist White Women Harass An Andrew Gillum Supporter: ‘Go Back To Africa!’ Stacey Abrams Campaign Speaks Out On Trifling Brian Kemp Trying To Claim He Won Georgia [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3835568″ overlay=”true”]
