By Maria Saporta The CF Foundation, which spearheaded the revitalization of the Villages of East Lake community 20 years ago, has been unable to get the Atlanta Housing Authority to vote on refinancing the development to allow for the renovation of the property. Lillian Giornelli, president of the CF Foundation, has sent a letter to […]
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Atlanta’s youth gangs: Police trying to get a grip before firefights occur with officers
Two teenagers who pleaded guilty to murder last year are founding members of a street gang, Down 4 Whatever, that continues to worry Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields. Atlanta’s youth gangs are such an issue that a shoot-out with police could happen, Shields said.
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Solarize Carrollton effort moves ahead with local support
The West Georgia city of Carrollton is seeking contractors to install residential and commercial solar energy systems in a program that aims to both spur interesting solar energy systems and reduce the average cost of installations through bulk purchasing agreements.
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State House moves three Atlanta tax bills in a row: property tax cap, sewer renewal and BeltLine
Atlanta voters may choose to cap rises in their property tax bills, and might be asked to extend a sewer tax that was supposed to end in 2020 — if legislation endorsed by the state House gets state Senate approval.
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Delta Air Lines gets strong support from Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms expressed strong support for Delta Air Lines Wednesday during the annual awards luncheon of the regional chapter of the Anti-Defamation League.
“We are grateful for the partnership we have with Delta,” Bottoms said in an impromptu interview. “So much of what we do in Atlanta is with the corporate community, including Delta. Atlanta will remain a city that’s welcoming, inclusive and diverse.”
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BeltLine seeks self-taxing district for buying land, building trail
Looking to speed up the day when the BeltLine becomes a loop, the agency and some top property owners along it are looking to set up a selective property tax to bankroll land acquisition and trail-building.
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An update: Roswell City Council approves Mimosa Hall renovation plans
Roswell’s Mimosa Hall on Monday night got the green light to go green.
“The Roswell City Council has just unanimously passed a resolution to approve the installation of solar panels in the replacement roof for Mimosa Hall,” wrote an excited Steve Gibson in an email.
Gibson is the president of Friends of Mimosa Hall & Gardens, which helped put together a proposal to make the historic home into the oldest “net zero” house in the country.
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Kasim Reed appointed to board of University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics
Former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed has secured what may be his first board appointment since leaving office. Reed was named to the advisory board of a non-partisan institute founded at the University of Chicago by a former advisor to President Obama.
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North Georgia hiking trails to be improved by public/private partnerships
During the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the federal law that created the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, the federal government has started a program to use volunteers and partners to maintain more than 6,300 miles of trails in national forests in the southern Appalachian Mountains.
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DeKalb CEO calls bill “strange” that would eliminate his job after his term
By Maggie Lee The CEO of DeKalb County has called a plan to eventually eliminate the post he now holds “strange.” “It appears to be an attempt to controvert and nullify the will of the voters of DeKalb County,” said Michael Thurmond, speaking to reporters at the state Capitol on Thursday, just after he briefed […]
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More than one thousand people rally in Atlanta for tighter gun laws
The giant red cardboard letters spelling the word “moms” stood out in the gray Atlanta drizzle Wednesday, held up between the state Capitol and more than one thousand people rallying outside, demanding that the lawmakers inside tighten up gun laws.
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Amazon HQ2: Virginia county’s top LEED certification nets high readership from Amazon site
It’s not just tea leaves that folks are reading to guess where Amazon may locate its second headquarters. The folks at a news site in Arlington, Va. are tracking readers and found that a story about the county’s Platinum LEED certification drew high readership from a group believed to be Amazon insiders.
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Bill to remake DeKalb government speeds from filing to committee approval
Among DeKalb County’s many uniquenesses is how its government is set up: its top official is a powerful CEO. A state House bill that would eliminate the CEO job was filed on Tuesday and got remarkably speedy committee approval.
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Former Georgia AG Sam Olens joining Dentons law firm
Former Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens is starting a new chapter in his life – joining Dentons, the largest law firm in the world.
Before joining Denton’s, Olens served a relatively brief stint as president of Kennesaw State University, a role he held for about year before he resigned under pressure last December.
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U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson intends to run for re-election in 2022
U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) plans to run for re-election in 2022.
Isakson was the luncheon speaker for the Atlanta Press Club’s newsmaker series on Tuesday when he addressed a variety of topics – from school shootings, mental illness, immigration and the political climate in Washington, D.C.
When he was asked whether he planned to run for re-election, Isakson quickly answered: “Of course.”
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Atlanta schools plan property work and sales, as disputed deeds begin leaving city hands
With the signature and and stamp of Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on Tuesday on an ordinance passed by Atlanta City Council just yesterday, dozens of long-disputed properties are closer to belonging to Atlanta Public Schools.
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UN affiliate recognizes new regional center for sustainability in metro Atlanta
An affiliate of the United Nations has recognized a new Regional Center of Expertise in metro Atlanta as just the sixth such regional sustainability network in the United States. The RCE Greater Atlanta aims to advance education for sustainable development related to the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, through smart sharing of information and collaborative programming among universities, governments, communities and the private sector.
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Final meetings on five library renovations in Atlanta; Central Library’s redesign continues quietly
The Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System has scheduled its final round of meetings to provide information about construction projects at seven library branches. Five branches in this round of renovation work are in Atlanta and construction on some is to begin in April.
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Atlanta lawmakers work on plan to phase in property assessment spikes
Atlanta state lawmakers are working on a bill to phase in property tax assessments slowly, help protect residents with a bigger homestead exemption, but also force the Fulton County tax assessor’s office to value properties correctly.
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Georgia recognizes three companies for environmental stewardship
Two timber companies and Georgia Power were honored Wednesday by Gov. Nathan Deal for their environmental stewardship and land management practices. The Forestry for Wildlife Partnership recognizes the importance of private landowners in preserving the state’s wildlife and landscape.
