On the eve of its annual conference, Park Pride announced a $12.8 million capital campaign – its first-ever multi-year comprehensive effort.
Author Archives: Maria Saporta
Maria Saporta, executive editor, is a longtime Atlanta business, civic and urban affairs journalist with a deep knowledge of our city, our region and state. From 2008 to 2020, she wrote weekly columns and news stories for the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Prior to that, she spent 27 years with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, becoming its business columnist in 1991. Maria received her Master’s degree in urban studies from Georgia State and her Bachelor’s degree in journalism from Boston University. Maria was born in Atlanta to European parents and has two young adult children. She launched SaportaReport in February 2009.
Posted inColumns, Maria's Metro
Woodruff Foundation $6 million grant to deepen Winship-ACS Atlanta ties
For decades, the Atlanta-based American Cancer Society (ACS) has been collecting data from more than 1.5 million Americans as part of its Cancer Prevention Study.
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Community Foundation installs Doug Hooker as board chair
Regional leader Doug Hooker is the new board chair of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, assuming the role after serving one year as vice-chair. He will serve as chairman for a three-year term.
Posted inColumns, Maria's Metro
When it comes to Five Points MARTA station redesign: ‘Let’s get it right’
MARTA currently is planning to spend $259.4 million to rebuild the downtown Five Points station with more than $200 million coming out of the limited More MARTA revenue. But the proposed redesign is getting pushback from key stakeholders.
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International Women’s Day in Atlanta features Barbara Bush, mothers
Mothers were celebrated at the 2023 International Women’s Day breakfast gathering of the World Affairs Council of Atlanta on March 8.
Posted inColumns, Maria's Metro
Less is less with More MARTA projects
As a lover of transit – especially rail, my heart has been broken repeatedly by the unrealized opportunities metro Atlanta has had over several decades.
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Atlanta Mayor Dickens and ACP relieved Buckhead City bill defeated
A relieved Mayor Andre Dickens met with the highly influential Atlanta Committee for Progress Friday morning following the Thursday vote in the Georgia Senate that defeated efforts for Buckhead to split off from the City of Atlanta.
Posted inColumns, Maria's Metro
BGCMA ‘Rising Together’ campaign gets $10 million boost from Whitehead Foundation
By Maria Saporta Thousands of children in our region will benefit from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta’s $27.5 million capital campaign – which has received a $10 million grant from the Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation – part of the Robert W. Woodruff family of foundations. The thrust of the “Rising Together: More […]
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Plaza Theatre’s Chris Escobar reopening Tara cinema
Chris Escobar, owner of the Plaza Theatre, announced Tuesday evening at the closing night of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center, that he will be reopening the beloved Tara in the near future.
Posted inColumns, Maria's Metro
Fires at Gaines Hall and Furber Cottage ‘a wake-up call’ for Atlanta
By Maria Saporta Enough already. Two of Atlanta’s most historic buildings – Gaines Hall and Furber Cottage – were victims of two separate fires this past week. Yet again. Gaines Hall, built in 1869 as part of Atlanta University (now Clark Atlanta University), was the victim of a major fire in 2015. And Furber Cottage, […]
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Saying farewell to Bunnie Jackson-Ransom
An outpouring of friends, family and civic leaders came to honor the life of Bunnie Jackson-Ransom on Monday.
Posted inColumns, Maria's Metro
Georgia Research Alliance is an unsung economic treasure
The Georgia Research Alliance, now more than 30 years old, has been an integral force in developing Georgia’s knowledge-based economy by partnering with the state’s research universities and investing in promising technology ventures coming out of those institutions.
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Mayor Dickens reveals his governing strategies to Atlanta Press Club
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens hopes the state will help the city fulfill its top priorities, and he is working hard to have good relations with Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, House Speaker Jon Burns and other elected leaders.
Posted inColumns, Maria's Metro
Seeking peaceful green solutions for training center in South River Forest
The controversy over building a public safety training center on the site of the old Atlanta Prison Farm continues to fester.
Posted inColumns, Maria's Metro
Small church with ‘big vision’ bringing vibrancy to downtown College Park
Tears were flowing freely on Jan. 28 at a ground-breaking ceremony for Tapestry Development’s 60 affordable housing units in downtown College Park next to the MARTA station.
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Public safety a prominent theme at Buckhead Coalition lunch
Although the name “Buckhead City” was barely mentioned during the annual meeting of the Buckhead Coalition on Thursday, Jan. 26, the issue was definitely present in the room.
Posted inColumns, Maria's Metro
Westside Future Fund offers lessons on building communities from the ground up
The Westside Future Fund has a delicate balancing act. How can one revitalize a community without displacing legacy residents because neighborhoods have become unaffordable?
Posted inColumns, Maria's Metro
Tyler Perry willing to buy FORSCOM building at Fort Mac
Media mogul Tyler Perry is interested in acquiring the prominent Forces Command (FORSCOM) building at Fort Mac upon learning that the laboratories for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would emit fumes into the atmosphere.
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Rodney Bullard: Beloved Benefit will now be part of new entity – The Same House
The Beloved Benefit, championed by Chick-fil-A’s Dan Cathy, is shifting to a new entity called: “The Same House.”
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Gov. Brian Kemp at Georgia Chamber breakfast says housing is economic development issue
At Wednesday’s Eggs & Issues breakfast hosted by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, newly reelected Gov. Brian Kemp opened the door for the state to start tackling the issue of housing affordability as an economic development issue.
