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Megan Thee Stallion Twerks Out the Vote for Harris in Atlanta: 'We're About to Make History!'

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Megan Thee Stallion Twerks Out the Vote for Harris in Atlanta: 'We're About to Make History!'


“I want to start off by saying Hotties for Harris!” Megan Thee Stallion announced as she took the stage at the Georgia State Convocation Center in Atlanta.

The three-time Grammy winner was there to perform at Vice President Kamala Harris’s first campaign rally in the city as the presumptive Democratic nominee. Naturally, Megan wore a bright blue pantsuit fit for a Hottie – complete with a cropped blazer and button down, skin-tight bottoms, and a necktie to match. She took care to sensor her tracks and keep the twerking modest as she and a crew of dancers burst into “Girls in the Hood,” her 2020 flip of an Eazy-E classic. 

As she performed her viral hit “Mamushi,” the crowd sang along, but soon, the real reason the rap star was there emerged as she transitioned into “Body.”

“Now I know my ladies in the crowd love their bodies,” she said fresh out of the Mamushi dance break. “And you want to keep loving your body — you know who to vote for!” As she performed the “Savage” remix, she told the crowd that “real savages” vote.

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“I’m so happy to be here Atlanta! We’re about to make history with the first female president,” the artist declared. “The first Black female president! Let’s get this done!”

Megan is no stranger to advocacy. In 2021, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who died on July 19, presented Megan with a Humanitarian Award from their district. When Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, she called out the decision while performing at Glastonbury Festival in the U.K, and led the crowd in a chant of “My body, my motherfucking choice,” echoing a lyric in her 2022 song “Gift & A Curse.”

The rapper has continued to highlight the line on the road, giving it a standout moment at Washington D.C.’s Broccoli City Festival on Sunday, just two days before the rally.

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In 2020, when she made her Saturday Night Live debut as a musical guest, Megan spotlighted the killing of Breonna Taylor, a Black emergency medical technician in Kentucky who was shot by police when plainclothes officers executed a no-knock warrant at her home obtained with a falsified affidavit. A backdrop for Megan’s performance at the time read “Protect Black Women” and she used vocal clips of activist Tamika Mallory condemning Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s management of the case. It also included a portion of a famous 1962 speech by Malcolm X, in which the civil rights leader says: “The most disrespected, unprotected, neglected person in America is the Black woman.”

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Soon after that Saturday Night Live performance, she published an op-ed in the New York Times titled “Why I Speak Up for Black Women.” In it, she connected being shot by Tory Lanez to other instances of misogynoir — a term for misogyny specific to Black women — in acts of violence, as well as health care, pop culture, and politics. “I’m not afraid of criticism,” she wrote. “We live in a country where we have the freedom to criticize elected officials. And it’s ridiculous that some people think the simple phrase ‘Protect Black women’ is controversial.”



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Atlanta, GA

Critically missing: 11-year-old missing in Atlanta after running away

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Critically missing: 11-year-old missing in Atlanta after running away


Omari James. Photos provided by Atlanta police

Atlanta police are asking for the public’s help locating 11-year-old Omari James, who has been classified as critically missing.

What we know:

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Investigators said Omari ran away from his home around 9:30 p.m. Thursday after getting into an argument with his parents over his cell phone.

Police said Omari was last seen wearing a black shirt, red, white and blue shorts, black Nike slides and a Nike ski hat.

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What you can do:

Anyone who has seen Omari or knows where he may be is asked to call 911 or contact the Atlanta Police Department’s Special Victims Unit. The investigation remains ongoing.

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Atlanta, GA

Georgia Secretary of State opens investigation into voter registration mailers sent to deceased residents

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Georgia Secretary of State opens investigation into voter registration mailers sent to deceased residents


Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced Thursday that his office has opened an investigation into Ready to Register and other third-party organizations after reports that voter registration mailers were sent to deceased Georgians and other ineligible recipients.

According to the Secretary of State’s Office, election officials have received numerous complaints about voter registration solicitations being mailed to people who have died. In one unusual case cited by the office, a deceased family dog reportedly received one of the mailers.

State officials said they are reviewing whether the mailings violate Georgia law or otherwise undermine confidence in the state’s election system.

ATLANTA, GA – JUNE 09: A stack of “I’m a Georgia Voter” stickers are seen at a polling location on June 9, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)

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The Secretary of State’s Office said third-party voter registration groups frequently conduct mass mail campaigns ahead of major elections but often rely on commercial databases that can contain outdated or inaccurate information, unlike Georgia’s official voter registration system.

“Groups like this highlight the unreliability of commercial data,” Raffensperger said in a statement. “Georgia maintains one of the cleanest voter rolls in the nation through continuous list maintenance and citizenship verification. These outside organizations don’t use those standards. Instead, they flood mailboxes with inaccurate solicitations that confuse voters and waste election officials’ time.”

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Raffensperger also thanked voters who alerted his office to the mailings.

“I want to thank the voters who have flagged the inaccurate mailings and sent them to our office,” he said. “Whether checking their ballots for accuracy or keeping their own registration information up to date, voters are a crucial line of defense in election security.”

Georgia officials said the issue mirrors problems recently identified in North Carolina, where election officials warned residents about similar mailings from Ready to Register. According to the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office, North Carolina officials said the organization mailed registration forms to deceased individuals, used outdated forms, listed incorrect election office addresses and included QR codes that raised privacy concerns.

Raffensperger criticized the mass mailing campaigns, saying they create confusion while increasing the workload for local election offices.

“Whether intentional or simply reckless, these mail campaigns operate like a grift — raising money and generating activity while shifting the costs onto taxpayers, election officials, and voters,” Raffensperger said. “Georgia taxpayers should not have to clean up the mess created by organizations that prioritize volume over accuracy.”

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The Secretary of State’s Office is encouraging Georgians to verify their voter registration through the state’s My Voter Page and says voters who are already registered at their current address should disregard unsolicited voter registration mailers.



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Mosquitoes in Atlanta neighborhood test positive for West Nile Virus

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Mosquitoes in Atlanta neighborhood test positive for West Nile Virus


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Mosquitoes in the Grant Park neighborhood of Atlanta have tested positive for West Nile Virus, according to Fulton County health officials.

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Fulton County Board of Health Environmental Health mosquito control staff say the mosquitoes were tested following trapping in Fulton County.

“Mosquitoes can be dangerous if infected and may pose a serious health risk to people in our area,” Environmental Health Director at the Fulton County Board of Health, Brandon Leftwich, said in a statement from the agency. “We want to make sure communities are aware and take necessary precautions to protect themselves.”

Grant Park is in southeast Atlanta, south of Old Fourth Ward and west of East Atlanta.

Here’s what to know.

What is West Nile Virus?

West Nile Virus is the illness caused by infections from a pathogen in the Flaviviridae family. Mosquitoes are hosts for the pathogen, meaning they can spread it to people and other animals without dying.

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It is the leading cause of mosquito-borne illness in the contiguous United States, infecting more than 2,000 people each year. About 1,300 people develop a severe illness, and more than 130 people die annually in the U.S. from the infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It spreads during mosquito season, or the period between June and October each year. Infections typically peak in late August and early September.

Many people infected may never show symptoms, and others will only experience mild, flu-like symptoms. It can take between 2 and 6 days after a mosquito bite to feel poorly, and then people may experience headaches, body aches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea or a rash. Those with mild illness can recover completely, but some fatigue and weakness can last much longer, even weeks or months.

In cases of severe illness, West Nile Virus attacks their central nervous system and can result in hospitalization or death. Patients may experience a very high fever, headaches, neck pain, stupor, disorientation, muscle weakness and other serious symptoms. Recovery can take weeks or months, and some effects could become permanent.

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How is West Nile Virus treated?

There is no medicine that can treat West Nile Virus, so those with mild symptoms can take over-the-counter medication like acetaminophen to manage pain, fever or headaches. Those with West Nile Virus should not take ibuprofen or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, according to the CDC. Patients should stay hydrated and take lots of rest to let your body fight the virus and recover.

Those with severe illness may need intravenous fluids, pain medication and nursing care at the hospital level, though there is still no medication that can be taken to cure the infection.

It is believed that those who have been infected by West Nile Virus develop a lifelong immunity or protection, meaning they can’t get the virus again, according to the CDC.

How to prevent mosquito bites

Fulton County health officials recommend following the “5Ds of mosquito bite prevention” to keep yourself safe from mosquito-borne illnesses.

  1. Dusk/Dawn: Avoid being outside during periods when mosquitoes are most active, including in the early morning and as the sun is setting.
  2. Dress: Loose-fitting clothes and items with long sleeves or pants will reduce the amount of exposed skin for a mosquito bite and make it difficult for a mosquito to bite through clothes.
  3. DEET: Insect repellant should contain DEET. It is the most effective ingredient in mosquito repellant.
  4. Drain: Standing water is a great place for mosquitoes to breed, so make sure to dump out water from buckets, barrels, flowerpots and tarps outside that could harbor mosquito larvae. You should also cut overgrown grass or weeds.
  5. Doors: While it might be nice for a breeze to pass through your house in the evenings, make sure doors and windows are closed and sealed to keep mosquitoes out of the house.

Irene Wright is the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.



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