Georgia gets failing grade for lead in school drinking water

Georgia is among 22 states that have earned a failing grade for their efforts to eliminate lead from drinking water in schools, according to an analysis by the Environment America Research & Policy Center and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund.

The "Get The Lead Out" report said Georgia had no policies related to lead in schools' drinking water. "Outlets at 25 of 60 Atlanta schools tested found lead in water above 15 ppb," it said, citing a 2016 Atlanta Journal-Constitution story.

Stone Mountain college student's beach litter pick-up goes viral

A college student from Stone Mountain has been thanked by Miami Beach Police for picking up litter on a busy beach. His efforts have gained widespread recognition in social media.

Grant to fund Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve viewing platform

DeKalb County has received a $3,000 grant from the State of Georgia for a wildlife viewing platform at the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve.

Commercial zoning sought for residential lots on Deshon Rd. north of Rockbridge

A zoning application has been filed to rezone three wooded residential lots located about 1,000 feet north of the intersection of Rockbridge Rd. and Deshon Rd., where Deshon Plaza is located. The application asks for the zoning at 425, 433 and 441 N Deshon Rd. to be changed from R-100 (residential) to NS (Neighborhood Shopping) for unspecified "commercial uses."

DeKalb County is 16th healthiest in Georgia: report

DeKalb County ranks 16th in the state for health outcomes, according to the annual County Health Rankings & Roadmaps report conducted by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Forsyth County nabbed the top spot as the healthiest county in the state.

Report: ARC official gets bonus after audit scuppers his spending

The Executive Director of the Atlanta Regional Commission official has received a bonus, the year after his profligate spending led the state to cut the agency's budget, according to a joint investigation by WSB-TV and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Lithonia elected officials seek to vote themselves 40-percent pay hikes

City officials in Lithonia have scheduled a April 15 public hearing and vote on giving themselves an approximately 40 percent pay increase. The city of 2,000 residents has a mayor (Deborah Jackson) and five council members.

More late-night bars sought in central DeKalb

Two applications have been filed for Special Land Use Permits that would allow late-night establishments on Memorial Dr. and Rockbridge Rd.

DeKalb legislators object to proposed new voting machines

Legislation that would call for new touchscreen voting machines in Georgia has been sent to Georgia's governor. The Georgia House passed a measure approved one day earlier in the state Senate, the Associated Press reports.

Public invited to DeKalb County SPLOST open-house meetings in April

DeKalb County officials plan three meetings on successive nights during the second week of April to answer citizen questions about the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax approved by voters last November.

DeKalb County seeks new emergency ambulance provider

Less than a year after DeKalb County extracted a $596,000 cash payment, new ambulance units for Dunwoody and Stonecrest, and another $1.3 million in service improvements from American Medical Response, the county is now looking for a new emergency ambulance transport provider.

Federal lawsuit over DeKalb election problems

A federal lawsuit has been filed in Atlanta over voter registration delays and problems that occurred in DeKalb County and three other metro Atlanta counties on Election Day last November, the Associated Press reports. The American Civil Liberties Union filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court on behalf of the group Georgia Shift.

County tax assessor criticized in Dunwoody for business increases

Business owners in Dunwoody are seeing their property tax assessments quadruple unexpectedly because of a change in Georgia law, the chief of staff for DeKalb County Commissioner Nancy Jester has told a homeowners' association. The aide, former Dunwoody Mayor Mike Davis, says small business owners are being hard hit.

Development bringing higher costs to Doraville and Chamblee - report

Development is bringing rising rents to Doraville and Chamblee as affordable housing is being destroyed around the Atlanta Beltline and elsewhere, according to a Curbed.com article written by freelance journalist Adina Solomon. One resident says: "We're just all stunned by the sudden rise in housing prices, both cost of people's houses but then the impact of that on rent."

PRISM meeting postponed until April

Dear PRISM friends:

We had scheduled our next PRISM meeting for Thursday, March 7, at St. Timothy United Methodist Church.

However, the guests we had invited to speak at the meeting have suddenly become unavailable.

As a result, we are postponing our next PRISM meeting until April. We will let you know when we have a firm date.

We apologize for the inconvenience and for this short notice.