April 4 – Anniversary of MLKJr Assassination

Numerous events were held today in Atlanta to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assasination 50 years ago.  The events included:

1) A short service was held at the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Churchbon Auburn Avenue.

2) Two of MLKJr.’s children, Rev. Bernice King and Martin L. King, III; his sister, Christine King Ferris, and other family members gathered at the King Center.  Together they rang a bell 39 times.  Once for each year he lived.

3) WAOK Radio Station 1380 AM broadcast the Derrick Boazman live from The King Center.

4) The IBEW Union Hall at 501 Pullman Street showed the film, “I Am Man” free to the public.

I heard one of Rose Scott’s series on NPR station, WABE 90.1FM, on MLK,Jr. It looks at April 4, the anniversary of King’s assignation, as more than the bullet that took his life.  She said, ‘We need to know more about the man and the work he did.  King positively impacted lots people of today who never met him.’  Use this link to hear this incredible story packed with incredible interviews from today’s “Closer Look”:

https://www.wabe.org/episode/closer-look-50th-anniversary-assassination-dr-martin-luther-king-jr/

Use this link to see some of today’s MLK50 events. It includes a panel in Memphis with Marian Wright Edelman, Bernard LaFayette and Rev. Jesse Jackson:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.commercialappeal.com/amp/488063002

 

800,000 Still Without Power in Metro Atlanta

 

 

While crews scramble to restore power in metro Atlanta and across Georgia, it was good to spot this Georgia Power truck in the area!!

Other signs of normalcy as the winds and rain decrease:  the U.S. Post Office has resumed mail delivery, MARTA buses are back in service, and Xfinity (cable company) is out handling cable outages.

While many are venturing out, it is still treacherous with so many areas still without power.  Those headed back to Florida are being warned there are no hotel rooms and availability of gas between South Georgia and Orlando is not good. So, stay put where you are to give service crews more time to safely clear ALL roadways. The more cars out on the streets, the less safe it is for  GDOT, GA Power and service crews to restore

According to the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) Commissioner today on NPR radio 90.1FM (via my battery powered radio), there are about 150 traffic signals still in need of being repaired or replaced.  There are still trees in roadways and power lines down creating dangerous situations. Georgia Power says every region in the state has had outages and they have over 6,000 people out working to restore service which could still take up to a week to get everyone’s restored.

My friends in West End and my cousin in East Point had their power restored early morning or late afternoon, yet now their internet is down.  Meanwhile, I am patiently waiting and praying for my power to be restored before dark.

Stay safe.