Monthly Archives: January 2010

Sea Island Co. to hire investment banker, could be prelude to possible sale

Date: January 31st, 2010, 9:24 pm

By J. Scott Truby and Maria Saporta Wednesday, January 27, 2010 Embattled Sea Island Co. said Wednesday it will hire an investment bank to review its “strategic options,” which could include new ownership for the exclusive Georgia coastal resort and … Continue reading →

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To build hope out of rubble, Haiti will need aid from France, others

Date: , 9:20 pm

By Guest Columnist JOE BEASLEY, director of human services at Atlanta’s Antioch Baptist Church North

PORT-AU-PRINCE — The stars in heaven over Haiti this week remind me of the strength of hope I have for the people of this island, just as the stars always have reminded me of hope during my 15-plus years as a volunteer servant in this country.

Our small mission to Haiti slept in a host home in Delmas, located between downtown Port-au-Prince and Pationsville. Well, we didn’t actually sleep in the home. Although I could have slept in the same beautifully appointed room where I’ve enjoyed countless comfortable nights over the years, our members decided to sleep on pads under the open sky with our awesome God as our watchman.

This sky and country is familiar to me. My work here Continue reading →

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My parents come back to life with co-location of Alliance Francaise and Goethe center

Date: January 28th, 2010, 9:49 pm

By Maria Saporta

How sweet it is. Comme c’est bon.

Earlier this evening, I attended the grand opening of the new home for the Alliance Francaise D’Atlanta and the Goethe Institute Atlanta at Colony Square.

It was a celebration on so many levels.

This is the first time in the United States (if not the world) that the French and German cultural organizations have come together under one roof — showing a spirit of cooperation between two countries that often have been at odds for several centuries.

One of the most uplifting moments of
Continue reading →

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Dynamic duo Joe Lowery, Bill Shipp enter Georgia Trend’s Influential Hall of Fame

Date: January 27th, 2010, 5:43 pm

By Maria Saporta

Two of Georgia’s most notorious figures were inducted today to Georgia Trend’s Most Influential Georgians Hall of Fame — enlivening the lunch with their uniquely seasoned personalities.

What other way can one describe longtime political journalist Bill Shipp and Civil Rights leader and activist Rev. Joseph Lowery.

First Shipp was introduced by Georgia Trend Publisher Neely Young, who called Shipp a “franchise.”

After receiving a standing ovation, Shipp spoke from a wheelchair while sitting at one of the front tables in the the Ritz Continue reading →

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Column: McKinsey study sets goals for state research

Date: , 5:06 am

By Maria Saporta
Friday, January 22, 2010

One way to measure Georgia’s success as a bioscience center of measure is by how many federal research dollars it attracts.

Back in 1990, Georgia ranked 26th among states in its share of National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation research and development funds. Continue reading →

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Hartsfield-Jackson manager Ben DeCosta says “It’s time to try something else.”

Date: January 25th, 2010, 10:08 pm

By Maria Saporta

It just was time for him to move on.

That’s how Benjamin DeCosta, general manager of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, explains why he would not be seeking to renew his contract when it runs out at the end of June. DeCosta sent a letter to the Atlanta City Council and Mayor Kasim Reed on Monday to let them know of his decision.

DeCosta has been general manager of the Atlanta airport since June, 1998. Before coming to Atlanta, DeCosta worked for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and he served as general manager of the Newark
Continue reading →

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Study: Arts worth $387M to state

Date: January 24th, 2010, 11:03 pm

By Maria Saporta
Friday, January 22, 2010

The arts are an integral part of the state’s economy. That’s the conclusion of a new economic impact study that surveyed 380 arts organizations in more than 70 counties across Georgia.

Using a conservative set of criteria, the study Continue reading →

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Former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin comments on crime stats and gun control laws

Date: , 10:49 pm

By Maria Saporta

Former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin was pleased that news outlets reported the facts about how violent crime has decreased in the city.

But she felt that stories “missed the significant role of public engagement in learning and exercising safety tips” as ways to combat violent crime. She also said the lower violent crime stats were a result of “increased investment in professional training of Atlanta’s police officers from top to bottom.”

(Click here to read WXIA’s report on the new crime numbers).

Franklin mentioned several other Continue reading →

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Hello. Good-bye. Atlantans can only wave as rail car follows the future to Charlotte, NC

Date: , 9:59 pm

Tracks were being laid in front of the Metro Atlanta Chamber this week so Georgians could see an actual light rail car — making a stop in town for a couple of days.

The light rail vehicle, which also can operate as a streetcar, was on its way to Charlotte, N.C. as part of the North Carolina city’s second phase of its public transit system.

The symbolism was eerily ironic. The closest Atlanta was to seeing light rail was a two-day stop for a vehicle headed to our biggest competitor — Charlotte.

Of course Siemens, the German firm that designed and manufactured the light rail car, wanted Atlantans to see what they could have if they got their act together.

Proposals exist. The Atlanta streetcar. The BeltLine. But all those plans are just lines on paper. In Charlotte, permanent rail lines have been built, light rail vehicles have been purchased Continue reading →

Posted in Maria's Metro | 42 Comments

Surprisingly, Georgia leads the way in green affordable housing

Date: , 8:58 pm

By Guest Columnist DENNIS CREECH,
executive director of the Southface Energy Institute

Did you know that Georgia leads the nation in green affordable housing?

Just last week, Global Green USA released its fifth green building rating summary of state qualified allocation plans (QAP) which guide the annual distribution of federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) – a vital program that encourages developers to build affordable housing. And yet again, Georgia ranks at the top of the list, tied for first place with Connecticut!

Because of the outstanding efforts of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA), which is responsible for establishing the QAP for Georgia, our state has ranked at the top of the Global Green list for the past five years.
Continue reading →

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