Over 90,000 Georgia residents taking shelter after chemical fire as haze, smell spreads to Atlanta

Smoke billows from a fire at the BioLab facility in Conyers, Ga., Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (Ben Gray/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) CONYERS, Ga. (AP) - More than 90,000 residents east of Atlanta were told to keep sheltering in place Monday a day after a chemical plant fire sent a massive plume of dark smoke high into the sky that could been seen for miles. The haze and chemical smell had

Supplies rushed to communities isolated by Helene as death toll passes 100

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) - Desperate residents isolated by washed out roads and the lack of power and cellular service in western North Carolina lined up for fresh water Monday, days after Hurricane Helene ripped through the Southeastern U.S. and killed more than 100 people. Government officials and aid groups were working to bring basic supplies by airlift and truck to the hard-hit tourism hub of Asheville and surrounding mountain towns. At least 120

HBCU Week Spotlight: Kristy Daughtry

  By Elaina Smith Office of the Secretary Following the Civil war, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU's) began to emerge as a pathway to education for Black Americans. Although the first was established in 1837, HBCU's were not officially  designated by the U.S. Department of education  until 1965. Today, these colleges and universities are marked by their strong academic programs, affordability, & their unique sense of community. They are

Chemical Plant Fire In Georgia

CONYERS, Ga. (AP) — Some residents east of Atlanta were evacuated while others were told to shelter in place Sunday to avoid contaminants from a chemical plant fire that sent dark, billowing gray smoke into the air.  Interstate 20 was shut down in both directions in the area, the Georgia Department of Transportation said in a post on X.  The fire ignited when a sprinkler head malfunctioned around 5 a.m.

FEMA Assistance After Hurricane Helene

RALEIGH - North Carolina homeowners and renters in 25 counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians who had uninsured damage or losses caused by Hurricane Helene may be eligible for FEMA disaster assistance. FEMA may be able to help with serious needs, displacement, temporary lodging, basic home repair costs, personal property loss or other disaster-caused needs. Homeowners and renters in Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland,

NC Governor: Unprecedented tragedy will require an unprecedented response

Storm claims more than 30 lives, hundreds of roads remain closed in western North Carolina BY: CLAYTON HENKEL, NC Newsline Gov. Roy Cooper and the state's top emergency management officials provided an update Sunday to the ongoing, massive response to Tropical Storm Helene. Helene dropped from 10 to 29 inches of rain across the mountains on Friday, causing life-threatening floods and landslides. The storm initially claimed 11 lives in North Carolina,

Michigan State Football’s Armorion Smith Is Raising 5 Siblings

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Armorion Smith pressed his palms together over the bridge of his nose, closed his eyes and leaned against the kitchen sink. The 21-year-old Michigan State defensive back needed a moment in the four-bedroom, two-bathroom home he shares with five younger siblings. He has a lot on his plate, more than most college students and certainly more than most student-athletes. His mother, Gala Gilliam, died of breast

Black Church Leaders Brought Religion To Politics In The ‘60s – But It Was Dramatically Different From Today’s White Christians nationalism

The Conversation -Fifty-eight years ago in the summer of 1966, a group of Black church leaders took out a full-page advertisement in The New York Times titled "Black Power." Their densely worded statement called on national leaders, "white churchmen," Black citizens and the mass media to correct the country's racial power imbalance. In essence, they asked their fellow citizens to support Black power. Prominent church leaders such as Rev. Paul

Health Gap Between Urban And Rural America Is On The Rise 

By Taylor Sisk The Daily Yonder When Janice Probst read a report released in March by the federal Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service confirming that the health disparities gap between rural and urban Americans is widening, substantially, she was dismayed but not surprised. According to the report, between 1999 and 2019 the gap in rural/urban natural-cause deaths for those aged 25-54 surged from 6 percent to 43 percent. Researchers

Reminders About Voter Registration in North Carolina

NCSBE-Presidential election years, like 2024, are busy times for voter registrations in North Carolina. Many voter registration drives are being conducted across the state this year. The State Board of Elections offers the following eight tips and reminders to voters and prospective voters during this time: Check your registration. The State Board encourages all voters to check their voter registration using the Voter Search tool. This will ensure that voters