Latest Reports

By Maria Saporta

The environmentally-focused law firm — GreenLaw — has hired a new executive director.

Stephanie Stuckey Benfield, a DeKalb representative of Georgia General Assembly since 1999, will become GreenLaw’s executive on April 9.

The news was announced in an email to GreenLaw’s friends Wednesday by Greg Presmanes, who is chairman of GreenLaw’s board.

“I am so excited that Stephanie will be leading our team forward into its third decade of giving Georgia’s environment its day in court,” Presmanes said.
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By Maria Saporta

One of Atlanta’s grand dames — Veronica Biggins — was inducted Tuesday morning into the Atlanta Business League’s Women of Vision Hall of Fame.

The Women of Vision breakfast honored 100 African-American women from Atlanta, but it Biggins who received the top award for her decades of involvement in local business community.

Biggins described her career as having had three different chapters.
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By Maria Saporta

The executive committee meeting of the Metro Atlanta Chamber turned into a pep rally to pass the regional one-cent sales tax Thursday morning.

Several of the business executives who have been raising money for the transportation sales tax campaign attended the meeting and urged executive committee members to put a full-court press to get it passed on July 31.

Tom Bell, a past chairman of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, explained that about 350,000 and 400,000 people are expected to vote on the July 31 primary.

“We need to identify 250,000 people who will come out and vote,” Bell said. “We have the capability of doing that.”
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By Maria Saporta

Georgia voters are strong believers in water conservation.

That’s the overwhelming sentiment according to a recent survey by the polling firm — The Schapiro Group — which was released today.

Nearly three our of every four Georgians (73 percent) believe that it is very important for people to take steps to conserve water in their homes while another 25 percent think it is somewhat important to take these actions.
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By Maria Saporta

Georgia has some catching up to do to re-energize its economy.

Several efforts have been underway to do just that — such as Gov. Nathan Deal’s Competitiveness Initiative and the Metro Atlanta Chamber’s New Economy efforts.

Georgia Forward, a coalition of business, civic and government leaders, also has been shining the spotlight on what the state needs to do to adapt to tomorrow’s economy.
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By Maria Saporta

With the launch of Southwest Airlines in Atlanta on Sunday, the company’s executives announced a “LUV Grants for Good” program on Monday where Georgia nonprofits would be able to apply for grants.

Gary Kelly, CEO of Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, gave a “sneak peak” of the announcement at a breakfast meeting of the Latin American Chamber of Commerce at the Buckhead Club.

The formal announcement is scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday at a press conference with Gov. Nathan Deal and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed.
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By Maria Saporta

The Atlanta Spirit ownership team is doing a fine job overseeing the Atlanta Hawks, according to NBA commissioner David Stern

Stern came to Atlanta Wednesday to see the Atlanta Hawks beat the Indiana Pacers. Before the game, he held a press briefing, gave a host of one-on-one interviews and spoke to local civic and business leaders at a VIP reception before the game.

The message was the same. The Atlanta Hawks are in good shape. They are no longer for sale. And the Atlanta Spirit is dedicated to the team and to Philips Arena.
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By Maria Saporta

Roswell Mayor Jere Wood would like to see metro Atlanta create “a unified transit system” rather than creating another planning agency that would keep the current “multitude of agencies” delivering transit services to the region.

Mayor Wood sent over a “letter to the editor” explaining his position. We thought it would be good to share it with all of you (with just a few stylistic edits).
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By Maria Saporta

This story has been updated to include a response from the Atlanta City Council.

It’s a David versus Goliath story — Atlanta style.

On Monday, Matthew Cardinale, news editor of the Atlanta Progressive News website, won a case in the Georgia Supreme Court against the City of Atlanta.

Cardinale, who is not an attorney, filed a case against the Atlanta City Council for failing disclose which council representatives voted for and against an action at a retreat in February 2010. He argued that not disclosing those names was in violation of Georgia’s Open Meetings Act.

To read the ruling, click here.
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By Maria Saporta

Updated version

If a judge’s ruling stands, it will be the end of era for homeless advocates — Jim and Anita Beaty.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Craig Schwall ruled late Friday afternoon that the Beatys have to vacate the Peachtree-Pine homeless shelter downtown by noon on Wednesday, Feb. 15.

Schwall also ordered that the shelter, which has housed between 300 and 1,000 homeless men each night since 1997, be closed by Aug. 31, 2012.
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