Another slice has occurred in the “death by a thousand cuts” that threatens rural Georgia. This one involves the downgrading of bonds issued for a college that was to lead a swath of southeast Georgia into a brighter future.
Category: David Pendered
Articles by David Pendered
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Proposed sand mine in Wayne County could pump up to 11.5 million gallons of water a day
A proposed surface mine in Wayne County, near Georgia’s coast, will be allowed to withdraw up to 11.5 million gallons of water a day from the Altamaha River basin, according to draft permits announced June 23 by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.
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Perdue blocks Brazil beef imports amid bribery scandal over rotten meat
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on Thursday blocked the import of beef from Brazil. Brazil’s meat industry is embroiled in a corruption scandal involving $150 million in bribes paid by the world’s largest meat handler to presidents and state officials.
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U.S. Ag Sec. Sonny Perdue lauds NAFTA in Savannah meetings with reps from Canada, Mexico
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue emphasized the value of NAFTA as he met this week in Savannah with senior government representatives of Canada and Mexico. Perdue’s support was evident in his tweets and his support of the joint statement released at the conclusion of the trade meeting.
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Proposed efforts to combat heroin, opiate use delayed for review by Fulton commissioners
Fulton County’s board of commissioners voted Wednesday to further refine its planned assault on the usage of opiates and heroin. The board voted unanimously to hold two items pending review – a proposed opiate abuse plan and a proposed $40,000 study recommended by Fulton District Attorney Paul Howard.
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Metro Atlanta’s drought: Far from Dust Bowl, but far from healthy
As the drought of 2016 extends into 2017, metro Atlanta remains under the same set of water restrictions that have been in place since November. Potential relief stems from forecasts of higher than average summer rainfall in north and central Georgia, as predicted by Accuweather forecasters.
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Atlanta to honor amputee who rolled his wheelchair to Chicago to draw attention to gun violence
The Atlanta City Council on Monday is slated to honor an Atlanta native who propelled himself in a wheelchair from Atlanta to Chicago to draw attention to gun violence. The man’s legs were amputated after he was wounded in a shotgun attack in what was then a crime infested public housing complex.
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Study shows manatees use Intracoastal Waterway, at risk of collisions with boats
Manatees, it turns out, share something in common with recreational boaters – both use the Intracoastal Waterway to traverse the Georgia coast. This is one discovery of a manatee-tracking project that was renewed this spring.
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Uber, Lyft crush taxies at Atlanta’s airport; cargo expansion underway: ATL GM
As expected, Uber and Lyft trounced the traditional taxi industry at Atlanta’s airport during the first three months they operated at the airport, the airport’s general manager said Wednesday.
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Toshiba’s loan guarantee at Plant Vogtle may be hollow: Moody’s
The agreement announced by Georgia Power regarding a loan guarantee of $3.68 billion by the parent of the Plant Vogtle contractor may be hollow because of the parent’s weak financial position, according to a comment by Moody’s Investors Service.
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Ted Turner honored by the rarefied founders of the America’s Cup
By David Pendered
Ted Turner is now formally honored by the blue-blazer crowd of the yachting world. The New York Yacht Club marked the 40th anniversary of Turner’s victory in the America’s Cup, in 1977, by awarding Turner the highest individual honor the club bestows.
This is a significant bow from a club with an autocratic reputation, one that took its time in even extending a membership offer to Turner. Evidently, back in the day, the club’s leadership had determined that Turner wasn’t a good fit in a private club founded in 1844 by a scion of one of the nation’s founders and led since by a host of mostly Northern bluebloods.
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Atlanta poised to help Tech construct super-environmentally friendly building
Atlanta is entering the final stage of its role in helping Georgia Tech build what Tech bills as, “the most environmentally advanced education and research building ever constructed in the Southeast.” The city intends to sell an acre of land for the site of Tech’s planned Living Building.
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Gov. Deal creates commission to improve children’s mental health programs
Gov. Nathan Deal on Wednesday established a commission to evaluate Georgia’s approach to children’s mental health and recommend ways to improve it. The commission can pick up a study where a study completed in 2015 by a House committee left off.
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A section of Spring Street to be retooled with bike lane, trees, better sidewalks
Atlanta and Midtown Alliance are collaborating on an effort to make the northern stretch of Spring Street more inviting for pedestrians and bicyclists. The city issued a request for engineering proposals Monday and Midtown Alliance released it Tuesday.
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Atlanta BeltLine tax values: Vacant tract more than doubles, homes up more than 50 percent
Talk about rising tax values for property near the Atlanta BeltLine. Fulton County’s tax assessor this year more than doubled the value of a vacant lot near the Westside Trail. The value of some homes near the BeltLine was increased by more than 50 percent over last year’s values.
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Manatees thrive as water clouds in latest skirmish over water resources
Florida fights a lot over water. Florida is fighting Georgia in the U.S. Supreme Court for more water from the Chattahoochee River basin. Last week, some Florida residents lost their battle to prevent more water from being pumped from a basin north of Tampa that’s home to more than 700 West Indian manatees.
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Mayor Kasim Reed joins 186 mayors in supporting Paris climate accord
When Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed announced May 31 that Atlanta remains committed to the Paris Climate Agreement, despite President Trump’s decision to pull out of the accord, Reed was in a group of 187 U.S. mayors who represent some 52 million Americans.
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Employee complaints stall program to keep birds from flying into Atlanta City Hall
The effort to prevent birds from flying into the windows of Atlanta City Hall and hurting or killing themselves has run into problems and is delayed. New measures are to be considered.
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Slowdown noted in multifamily construction as lenders tighten credit, oversight
The once white-hot construction market for multifamily residences in the Southeast is showing signs of cooling, according to builders cited in the Beige Book released Wednesday by the Federal Reserve’s Atlanta District. Lenders report they are increasing their oversight of loans for multifamily projects.
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Hero or villain of Plant Vogtle could be billionaire pioneer of high risk junk bonds
The hero or villain of the effort to save Plant Vogtle could prove to be the head of a private equity firm who pioneered junk bonds and was nearly scuttled in 1990. Georgia Power protested terms of the loan deal, but a New York judge provided some protection and last week ordered that the entire $800 million in loan funds should flow.
