Georgia politics turned historic this week as 21-year-old Akbar Ali prepares to become the youngest member of the Georgia General Assembly, pledging to focus on affordability, education and civil rights. The Atlanta Community Food Bank is getting a major upgrade to its food rescue program thanks to a $750,000 grant from Walmart and Feeding America, funding new trucks to collect fresh groceries directly from local stores.

Georgia’s U.S. senators are challenging new Trump administration restrictions on access to federal detention facilities, calling the policy a violation of federal law and a barrier to oversight. And state lawmakers are considering a new needs-based aid program for college students after a Senate committee found HOPE alone is no longer enough to cover rising costs.

A new analysis shows traffic deaths outpaced homicides across metro Atlanta last year, with the highest rates in predominantly Black neighborhoods, underscoring calls for stronger seat belt laws and youth driving limits. And a national report from The Just Trust says Georgia’s criminal justice system continues pulling people in without offering enough support when they return home, despite recent policy shifts.

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