🌱 Atlanta City Council Approves Abortion Fund + Cop Stops Assault

Hello, Atlanta! I'm here in your inbox this morning to tell you everything you need to know about what's going on around town. Without further ado...

First, today's weather:

A thunderstorm in the p.m. High: 89 Low: 73.

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Here are the top five stories today in Atlanta:

1. The Atlanta City Council has approved a $300,000 donation to Access Reproductive Care Southeast, an abortion fund. The fund is intended to help pay for abortions as well as out-of-state travel or childcare expenses. Allison Coffman from the Amplify Georgia Collaborative said, “This funding will help those who are able to get services early enough to still access care in Atlanta at one of our 11 abortion clinics. For those who can’t, this will support them to cover the costs to access care outside of Georgia.” (WABE 90.1 FM)
2. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens announced a $3.5 million grant program for the city’s small businesses and property owners. The Commercial Property Improvement Grant program allows small businesses to apply for grants of up to $50,000. Awardees must match at least 10 percent of the grant and hold a current City of Atlanta business license. The commercial properties must be smaller than 15,000 square feet and at least 10 years old. (The Atlanta Voice)
3. The Atlanta City Council has also approved $7.6 million to relocate Forest Cove residents after their apartment complex was condemned. Back in May, the council authorized $1.5 million from the American Rescue Plan Act funds. The first four families were successfully moved into new homes in early June. (Reporter Newspapers)
4. Georgia officials say unborn babies can now be claimed as tax dependents. After Roe v. Wade was overturned, the federal appeals court overturned a lower court ruling that allowed Georgia's restrictive abortion law to take effect immediately. The tax decision aims to alleviate the financial pressure on pregnant people and families in hopes of minimizing the necessity for abortion in the first place. (Patch)
5. An Atlanta detective stopped a mid-morning assault near Pryor Street and Trinity Avenue SW around 9 a.m. on Aug. 1. The detective was working a separate case when she noticed two men fighting. After detaining both men, she found that 28-year-old Carlton Hall had apparently approached the victim and squirted him with a water gun before punching him. The victim received minor injuries from the assault, and Hall was charged with battery and simple assault. (CBS 46 News)

Today in Atlanta:

• Curated Book Bundles At DeKalb County Public Library (All Day)
• Beginning Spanish for Seniors At Virtual (11:00 AM)
• Stories from the Stacks At Wesley Chapel-William C. Brown Library (6:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Atlanta History Center is welcoming guests to the Goizueta Gardens. Every Saturday, you can explore the 33-acre landscape, which includes nine distinct gardens. (Atlanta History Center via Instagram)
• The 2022 Music Midtown festival has been cancelled. Atlanta City Council president Doug Shipman points to Georgia's gun laws as reason for the cancellation. (Atlanta City Council via Facebook)
• The Atlanta Zoo has announced a substantial commitment to the Golden Lion Tamarin Association. Found only in a coastal rainforest 40 miles northeast of Rio de Janeiro, the Golden Lion Tamarin faces habitat destruction. (Atlanta Zoo via Facebook)

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You're all caught up for today. I'll see you around!

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a senior writer with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.