Latest Reports Archives - SaportaReport

Maria Saporta

Atlanta seeking to push back its clean energy goals

June 25, 2018, 6:10 am/0 Comments

Back in May 2017, the Atlanta City Council voted unanimously for the city to transition to 100 percent clean energy for municipal operations by 2025 and 100 percent clean energy for the entire city by 2035.

Now the city is saying – “Not so fast.”

The Atlanta City Council will consider a resolution by its Utilities Committee to push back those deadlines to 2035 for municipal operations and for the entire city by 2050.

Camden Spaceport wins major political support as public comment period ends

June 24, 2018, 9:05 pm/0 Comments

The proposal to build a spaceport in Camden County that would launch space vehicles over Cumberland Island has drawn support from a wide cadre of backers, including Georgia’s two senators, the entire House delegation, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Andrew Young on the road to recovery

June 23, 2018, 5:00 pm/2 Comments

Former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young views the past 45 days as a needed break from the ultra-busy life he has led as a global leader for more than six decades.

Young fell ill in May during a trip to Nashville where he was to give a speech at the baccalaureate at Fisk University – immediately getting admitted to the Vanderbilt Medical Center and then transferred to Emory University Hospital.

MARTA board votes to maintain $1 streetcar fares

June 22, 2018, 4:36 pm/2 Comments

The MARTA board won’t make the Downtown Atlanta streetcar fares free, as was discussed by the agency — it’ll remain $1 to ride.

Atlanta, DeKalb to square off over annexation DeKalb says ‘smacks of backroom’ politics

June 22, 2018, 4:36 pm/1 Comment

Atlanta and the DeKalb County School District officially engage their two-front battle next week over DeKalb’s opposition to Atlanta’s annexation of Emory University and surrounding land. DeKalb says it will lose more than $2 million a year in school taxes. But more than money is at stake.

Three tax incentive deals for big developments divide Atlanta board

June 21, 2018, 4:11 pm/0 Comments

The board of Atlanta’s investment authority on Thursday approved deals that include tax breaks worth $16.1 million over ten years meant to help jumpstart three big developments. But with an eye toward property tax bills going out soon to homeowners, critics asked whether the city needs to be handing out breaks for these works.

Today’s Census report: Non-Hispanic whites are only cohort that’s shrinking

June 21, 2018, 12:10 am/0 Comments

The nation’s population is becoming older and more diverse, according to a Census report released Thursday. The only cohort that reported more deaths than births from July 2016 to July 2017 was non-Hispanic whites. The report adds fuel to the ongoing debate over President Trump’s immigration policy.

Atlanta executive order closes city jail to ICE detainees pending assurance that family separation has ended

June 20, 2018, 5:45 pm/1 Comment

Atlanta’s jail will close its doors to detainees held by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement — at least for a while — under an executive order signed Wednesday by Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

No ATL senators on committee to study potential state take-over of ATL airport

June 20, 2018, 4:41 pm/8 Comments

Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle on Wednesday appointed 13 members to a Senate committee that is to recommend by Dec. 1 ways the state could take over management of Atlanta’s city-owned and city-managed airport. Cagle, a candidate for governor, did not appoint a senator from Atlanta.

Ebenezer and partners bail out 10, for start of campaign

June 20, 2018, 1:44 pm/0 Comments

Campaigners looking to cut the nation’s incarceration rate say cash bail policies unjustly punish poor people who sit in jail awaiting trial as wealthy people bond out. Over the last few days, those campaigners in Atlanta have stepped up the action, starting by bailing out about 10 folks.

$100 million state transit bond marked for Ga. 400 rapid bus works

June 19, 2018, 4:20 pm/

A state that’s been reluctant to bankroll buses and the train in its biggest metro has announced a major mass transit spend by Georgia standards — $100 million. That’ll be a substantial downpayment on rapid bus service along Ga. 400.

Roy Cooper, 91, helped create modern Atlanta

June 17, 2018, 11:17 pm/1 Comment

For more than three decades, Roy B. Cooper was an economic development icon working at the Metro Atlanta Chamber.

Cooper, 91, died on June 11. A service in his honor was held Sunday at the A.S. Turner & Sons funeral home in Decatur.

Trump administration rewrites clean water rule, environmentalists vow to push back

June 17, 2018, 5:02 pm/1 Comment

The Trump administration has submitted to the White House a new definition of the “Waters of the United States,” a proposal the Southern Environmental Law Center contends could remove environmental protections from up to 60 percent of the nation’s streams and more than 90 percent of wetlands.

Peregrine falcons prefer nesting in Atlanta high-rises to North Georgia canyons

June 15, 2018, 7:47 pm/0 Comments

Peregrine falcons have joined the back-to-the-city movement that has brought thousands of new residents into Atlanta. A new state survey shows that peregrines are likely nesting in high-rise buildings from Midtown to Buckhead, rather than on the faces of canyons in the mountains of North Georgia.

Questions on housing and more at Westside summit with mayor

June 15, 2018, 5:18 pm/0 Comments

It was a big crowd for 7:15 on a Friday morning — probably about 300 people eventually squeezed their way into the meeting room. That shows the hunger of the west side’s most committed partisans to hear what Atlanta’s still-new mayor would say about their neighborhoods and its struggles.

Atlanta locks in savings on sewer debt even as market shrinks for municipal bonds

June 13, 2018, 6:41 pm/0 Comments

Atlanta expects to save about $500,000 by refinancing a loan taken out in 2008 to help pay for upgrading the city’s water and wastewater system, a city finance official said Wednesday. The transaction is of note because the city secured a beneficial rate as municipal bonds face a swirl of headwinds.

Chamblee, Gwinnett County win grants to devise smart transportation technology

June 12, 2018, 6:09 pm/2 Comments

The next generation of transportation technology is to be developed in Chamblee and Gwinnett County, which on Tuesday were awarded cash grants and year-long technical support from a Georgia Tech research team. They were among the four winners of the first Georgia Smart Communities Challenge.

Wheelchair users sue Atlanta, saying they’re denied equal public access

June 11, 2018, 5:02 pm/3 Comments

Three people who use wheelchairs are taking Atlanta to federal court, claiming that sorry sidewalks deny they and others equal access to the city.

Georgia advises patience with Canada geese; feds want to destroy nests, eggs year-round

June 10, 2018, 4:55 pm/3 Comments

Georgia wildlife officials are asking the public to exercise patience with Canada geese when they are land-bound in early summer. The federal government is seeking permission to destroy nests and eggs of resident Canada geese at any time of year.

MARTA officers out in management reorganization

June 8, 2018, 9:20 pm/3 Comments

By Maggie Lee MARTA is going to do without a chief operating officer and a chief marking and communications officer, as the new boss reorganizes the transit agency and eliminates the two positions. The incumbents, Rich Krisak and Goldie Taylor have been let go, said MARTA communications head Stephany Fisher. “It was 100 percent related […]

Sp 60 Excellent article. I would take the truck item one step further hand have an outright ban on trucks between 6-10 AM and 3-7PM. You could... –
On: Let’s use technology to better address metro Atlanta’s 21st century traffic ills

Mason Epeneter (@MasonEpeneter) "too eager to please" This quote is complete idiocy to Barnum's beliefs “The noblest art is that of making others happy” - P.T. Barnum That... –
On: ‘The Greatest Showman’ – Hugh Jackman’s P.T. Barnum almost makes something out of nothing

Chris Johnston If the State paid the City FMV and owned the airport, why would they pay rent in addition? –
On: No ATL senators on committee to study potential state take-over of ATL airport

Chris Johnston The City has entertained previous offers to sell the airport to private operators. –
On: No ATL senators on committee to study potential state take-over of ATL airport

Chris Koch The fair market value of the airport must be in the billions. Imagine if the state paid the city FMV plus annual rent. That would... –
On: No ATL senators on committee to study potential state take-over of ATL airport

Chris Johnston William Washington, just imagine how great the airport could be if it didn’t (1) serve as a slush fund for the City, (2) serve as... –
On: No ATL senators on committee to study potential state take-over of ATL airport

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