Moody’s Investors Service has reduced the credit outlook of Southern Co. from stable to negative as a result of Southern’s decision to purchase AGL Resources. Moody’s affirmed Southern’s current ratings, but expects to reduce ratings if the AGL deal goes through as announced.
Category: Latest News
Posted inLatest News, Maria Saporta
John Grant leaving 100 Black Men of Atlanta to run new Celebration Bowl
John Grant, CEO of 100 Black Men of Atlanta, will soon become the executive director of the new “Celebration Bowl.”
Grant, who has led 100 Black Men of Atlanta for 14 years, will be leading the new post-season college football bowl game, owned and operated by ESPN Events. The inaugural Celebration Bowl is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 19 at the Georgia Dome, and it will air live on ABC at noon.
Posted inDavid Pendered, Latest News, Main Slider
Atlanta Streetcar to accept Breeze Card despite reports of conflict, to get new interim director
It turns out that the Atlanta Streetcar will utilize the Breeze Card, despite an earlier report by a top city official that Breeze isn’t cost efficient and resulted in no fares being collected this year. In addition, the streetcar has a new interim executive director, according to a statement issued Thursday by Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed’s office.
Posted inDavid Pendered, Latest News, Main Slider
Red Cross properly manages relief programs in Haiti, says Atlanta’s Joe Beasley
Atlanta human rights activist Joe Beasley has returned from a site tour of Haiti and determined that the Red Cross has properly managed its earthquake-relief programs in Haiti, despite published reports to the contrary.
Posted inDavid Pendered, Latest News, Main Slider
Home prices rise 5.4 percent in metro Atlanta over past year: Case-Shiller index
Prices of homes sold in metro Atlanta rose by 5.4 percent during a 12-month period ending in June, according to the Case-Shiller index released Tuesday. The results help offset values lost in the ongoing stock market plunge.
Posted inLatest News, Maria Saporta
Coca-Cola on track to reach water neutral milestone by year end
In 2007, the Coca-Cola Co. pledged to return 100 percent of the water it uses by 2020.
The soft drink company is announcing on Tuesday at the World Water Week in Stockholm that it expects to meet that ambitious goal by the end of the year.
Its combined efforts have put Coca-Cola on track to be the first global food and beverage company to replenish all the water it uses back to communities and nature.
Posted inLatest News, Main Slider, Maria Saporta
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed: We are going to find a way to preserve Gaines Hall
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed pledged to do all he could to preserve the historic Gaines Hall on the Morris Brown campus.
Gaines Hall, which was built in 1869 and was one of the original buildings in the Atlanta University campus, caught on fire last Thursday evening. Gaines Hall currently is owned by Invest Atlanta, the city’s economic development agency which acquired the building earlier this year as part of the Morris Brown College property sale.
Posted inLatest News, Main Slider, Maria Saporta
Mercedes Benz putting its name on new Atlanta football and soccer stadium
Mercedes Benz and the AMB Sports & Entertainment (owner of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United) announced a 27-year naming rights agreement Monday morning.
But neither side disclosed the dollar value of the deal – which will extend through 2042 – two years between now and when the stadium opens in 2017 plus 25 years.
Posted inLatest News, Main Slider, Maria Saporta
Southern Co. acquiring AGL Resources in $12 billion deal
Atlanta’s two largest utilities – the Southern Co. and AGL Resources – are becoming one.
Southern Co. announced Monday morning that it is acquiring AGL Resources in a $12 billion transaction – one that will create a leading electric and gas utility in the nation.
Posted inDavid Pendered, Latest News, Main Slider
Manuel’s Tavern: First steps begin toward surrounding it with mixed-use project
Manuel’s Tavern could be surrounded by an array of homes, shops and offices if the Atlanta City Council approves the first step in a rezoning process that is to get its first hearing Tuesday at the council’s Community Development Committee.
Posted inDavid Pendered, Latest News, Main Slider
Georgia’s quail recovery program wins kudos, promotes important hunting industry
Georgia’s population of Northern Bobwhite Quail has declined by 90 percent since 1966, and the state has won national recognition for a program to promote the bird’s recovery – and to stabilize the $125 million quail-hunting industry clustered around Albany.
Posted inLatest News, Maria Saporta
Preservationists: Save Gaines Hall – one of Atlanta’s most significant buildings
Gaines Hall – one of the most significant historic buildings in Atlanta – must be saved.
That is the “rallying cry” from two leading preservationists about the 1869 vacant dormitory on the Morris Brown campus that went up in flames Thursday night.
Mark McDonald, president and CEO of the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation; and Sheffield Hale, president and CEO of the Atlanta History Center; went together to see Gaines Hall on Friday to see for themselves the extent of the damage.
Posted inDavid Pendered, Latest News, Main Slider
New GSU report shows charter schools raise home values in attendance areas
Proximity to a charter school increases home values in three metro Atlanta school districts, according to a new report released by Georgia State University.
Posted inLatest News, Main Slider, Maria Saporta
President Jimmy Carter – a man at peace with his life
A calm and composed President Jimmy Carter faced the media Thursday morning to update the world about his cancer and answer as many questions as he could.
The briefing attracted an onslaught of national and local media attention – probably more than the Carter Center has seen in decades – despite all the significant initiatives that the former president has launched from his base in Atlanta.
Posted inLatest News, Main Slider, Maria Saporta
Atlanta reaches milestone – 100 million square feet in Better Buildings Challenge
Thanks to several new partners, the City of Atlanta’s Better Buildings Challenge has passed a milestone – 100 million square feet.
That means owners of buildings totaling 100 million square feet have agreed to reduce energy and water consumption by 20 percent by 2020 – using 2010 as a baseline.
Posted inDavid Pendered, Latest News, Main Slider
Every GRTA Xpress bus route to be affected by first holistic overhaul of routes in a decade
Starting in spring 2016, every GRTA Xpress bus route will be affected by an overhaul of bus routes that’s intended to increase bus ridership.
Posted inDavid Pendered, Latest News, Main Slider
Atlanta to move on Peachtree Pine shelter as Obama administration intervenes on behalf of homeless in Idaho
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed has said Atlanta will condemn a homeless shelter located at the corner of Peachtree and Pine streets because controversy has lingered, “too long.” Meanwhile, the Obama administration has filed a brief in a federal lawsuit in favor of the rights of homeless persons.
Posted inLatest News, Main Slider, Maria Saporta
Coca-Cola names James Quincey as president and COO; stops short of saying he will succeed Muhtar Kent as CEO
The Coca-Cola Co. Thursday named James Quincey, president of its Europe Group who has spent 19 years with the soft-drink company, as its new president and chief operating officer.
“We haven’t had a president since 2007,” Coca-Cola’s Chairman and CEO Muhtar Kent said in a media conference call Thursday morning. “It’s great to have someone of James’ caliber to take over.”
But Kent stopped short of naming Quincey the heir apparent of the company.
Posted inDavid Pendered, Latest News, Main Slider
Three Georgia campuses among greenest in nation: Emory, Spelman, West Georgia
Three higher ed campuses in Georgia rank among the greenest schools in the nation, according to the ninth annual rankings of colleges and universities released Tuesday by Sierra magazine.
Posted inLatest News, Main Slider, Maria Saporta
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed seeking higher price for Civic Center site
By Maria Saporta A sale of the Civic Center will not happen unless Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed gets an offer he can live with. The city has acknowledged that there are two finalists still in the running to buy and redevelop the 20-acre site that includes the Atlanta Civic Center. But after a luncheon speech […]
