Do you have what it takes to become a Mortgage Loan Originator? This week we discuss MLO certification and what it takes to get into the rewarding industry.
Posts
Posted inMaria's Metro
Saving the Fox Theatre showed the value of preserving Atlanta’s history – a lesson we must never forget
Forty years ago, Atlanta faced its biggest preservation battle in its history.
The telephone company — Southern Bell — wanted to build a new headquarters building on the site of the Fox Theatre. They claimed the neglected theatre had outlived its usefulness and needed to be demolished to make way for a fancy new skyscraper.
And so Atlanta’s preservation movement was born with the passionate “Save the Fox” movement that began at the grassroots with students from Georgia Tech and other young activists to progressive business leaders who worked behind the scenes to come up with a solution that saved the Fox and permitted Southern Bell to build its tower next door.
One of those activists was Beauchamp Carr, a young banker who quit his job to volunteer full-time for the Save the Fox campaign by raising funds for the effort. Carr went on to become campaign coordinator for the annual Woodruff Arts Center campaign, a role he had for about 35 years – raising $177 million for the organization.
But throughout the decades, Carr has always had a passion for preserving Atlanta’s history.
Posted inDavid Pendered
Sustainability’s next generation flexes young wings of new ideas in Atlanta
A nascent movement in the sustainability arena flexed its young wings in Atlanta last week.
The movement involves the merging of issues including renewable energy, green buildings, and consumer products free of toxic chemicals. Apple CEO Tim Cook epitomizes the new concept for one advocate who spoke at a panel discussion sponsored by Southeast Green.
Cook drew headlines for this Feb. 28 remark to shareholders who criticized Apple’s green investment strategy: “If you want me to do things only for ROI [return on investment] reasons, you should get out of this stock.”
Posted inSaba Long
Creating Atlanta’s “third places” for all – rich, poor and every one in between
Earlier this week, I took advantage of a rare evening of sunshine to enjoy sushi and sake outside at Strip in Atlantic Station. While dining, I watched young children playing tag, couples chatting on benches, a photo shoot taking place, amongst other activities.
My thoughts drifted to a recent The Urbanist podcast from Monocle featuring Dr. Ray Oldenburg, who coined the term, the “third place.” Our private home is considered our “first” place while our “second” place is the work environment.
“Life without community has produced, for many, a life style consisting mainly of a home-to-work-and-back-again shuttle. Social well-being and psychological health depend upon community.
Posted inRegion Matters, Thought Leader, Uncategorized
Living Beyond Expectations
Atlantans are living longer than ever before, yet the region’s physical environment and infrastructure investments continue to be made with little consideration for this newfound longevity.
Posted inUncategorized
The boys of Currahee: they stood alone (Part 2)
In part one of this story, I talked about the origins of Easy Company — the boys of Currahee — and their training at Camp Toccoa, Georgia, and their participation in the Normandy invasion of June 6, 1944.
By November 1944, the Allied push toward Germany had stalled in the hills and valleys of France and Belgium. German defenses along the Rhine River were seemingly impenetrable. Then, on December 16, at the onset of winter, the enemy launched a massive counteroffensive that caught the Allies by complete surprise.
A German force of seven tank divisions, 250,000 Wehrmacht soldiers and Waffen-SS infantry pushed through the Allied lines in the Ardennes forest of Belgium—the first step in a daring lightning strike to the Meuse River. If successful, it would divide the American and British forces and quite possibly lead to their defeat.
Posted inTom Baxter
Bo Callaway and the crossroads of modern Georgia history
If Bo Callaway had become governor in 1966, it’s quite possible the obituaries of the past weekend would have proclaimed him the most important political figure of his time in Georgia. But by losing the race in which he got the most votes, Callaway’s real impact on our state may have been far deeper than it would have been if he had occupied the governor’s office.
Twice since the Second World War — a cynic might say at least twice — the leadership of Georgia has been determined by something other than the pure will of the people. One episode — the chaotic period following the death of Eugene Talmadge, the governor-elect, in 1947 — led directly to the other in 1966.
A court ruled the state legislature acted improperly when it elected Herman Talmadge to replace his father in 1947, so after the younger Talmadge was elected governor by the people in 1948, he passed legislation formally ratifying the legislature’s power to elect the governor if no candidate got an absolute majority in the general election — the law that would deny Callaway the governor’s office in 1966.
Posted inGuest Column
Offering quality childcare saves taxes and helps poor reach middle class
By Guest Columnist PAM TATUM, executive director of Quality Care for Children
Upward mobility is not as elusive as it is sometimes presented. In fact it is no more elusive than good public policy and wise investments.
As Maria Saporta pointed out in her February article “City of Atlanta’s income divide of rich and poor – it didn’t have to be this way,” Atlanta leaders recognized that a strong middle class was in the city’s interest decades ago and actually had a pretty good plan for making it happen. Unfortunately, no one implemented the plan – or even parts of it.
What struck me most about the Atlanta Renaissance Plan was the proposed initiative to provide more assistance to help single moms find work and get ahead. Single moms are often misunderstood and, at times, even demonized in our society.
Posted inEleanor Ringel Cater
A belated Happy Birthday to the Internet – from the movies
The Net, the Web, the World-wide Web, the Internet, the Information Highway, Cyberspace…
I could keep going but, as someone once said, the Eskimos have a hundred words for snow. Or something like that.
Anyway, the Web recently turned 25, so attention must be paid, as Arthur Miller once wrote. (Question: How many words did he have for ex-wife Marilyn Monroe?)
My hands-down favorite Internet movie is: “The Social Network,” which has cemented an, um, unkind version of Mark Zuckerberg in the public mind forever, thanks to Aaron Sorkin’s dead-on script, David Fincher’s dead-on direction and Jesse Eisenberg’s dead-on…let’s switch it up and say uncanny…performance.
Posted inAccounting, Thought Leader, Uncategorized
11 Ways to Help Yourself Stay Sane in a Crazy Market
Keeping your cool can be hard when the market goes on a roller-coaster ride. It’s useful to have strategies that prepare you to handle market volatility.
Posted inDavid Pendered
Atlanta to condemn land for BeltLine rather than risk losing $18 million in federal funds for southwest trail
Atlanta plans to condemn property to build an Atlanta BeltLine trail so the project doesn’t lose federal funding.
The Southwest Corridor Trail is to be built with an $18 million TIGER V grant. Atlanta has until June 30 to acquire rights of way and complete other pre-construction activities, according to terms of the grant.
The Atlanta City Council, at its Monday meeting, is slated to authorize Mayor Kasim Reed to acquire land needed for the southwest trail. The legislation provides for purchase or condemnation. The paper, 14-O-1145, does not specify the amount of land involved.
Posted inDavid Pendered
New intrigue in proposed remake of Fulton County tax commissioner
The perennial proposal to do something, anything, about the Fulton County tax commissioner is bottled up in the Georgia legislature.
The state Senate on Thursday tabled a proposal, filed by ranking House members, that contains two big provisions. At this stage in the legislative session, there’s no telling if the proposal has a chance of being passed this year.
Posted inDavid Pendered
AHA after Renee Glover: No new initiatives for residents; but provide land for Falcons parking lot
The Atlanta Housing Authority proposes no new initiatives in the first forward-looking report it has prepared for HUD since former CEO Renee Glover left last year following a public two-year dispute with Mayor Kasim Reed.
The report does say AHA intends to provide the Falcons with land near the new stadium for a surface parking lot. This site is part of the now-demolished housing project, Herndon Homes.
Posted inLatest News
Invest Atlanta CEO Brian McGowan to join Metro Atlanta Chamber as COO
By Maria Saporta
The Metro Atlanta Chamber announced today that Brian McGowan is being named executive vice president and chief operating officer — a new position for the business organization.
McGowan has been serving as president and CEO of Invest Atlanta, the economic development arm for the City of Atlanta, since 2011. He was lured to the city by Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed. Since coming to Atlanta, he has been leading the city’s economic development and job growth initiatives.
His start date with the Metro Atlanta Chamber will be April 28.
Posted inLatest News
Council committee puts Atlanta-BeltLine streetcar plans on hold
By Maria Saporta
Atlanta’s future streetcar lines may need further review.
The Atlanta City Council’s Community Development Committee on Tuesday decided to table a proposal presented by the Atlanta BeltLine Inc. that would have outlined the next four phases of the development of streetcars in Atlanta.
The goal had been to get the committee to recommend the Atlanta BeltLine/Atlanta Streetcar System Plan as a supplement to the city’s Connect Atlanta plan. Then that recommendation could have been voted on by the full City Council at next Monday’s meeting.
Instead, the plan has now been placed on an indefinite hold.
Posted inDavid Pendered
Getting around without a car: Transportation funding proposals promote transit, walking, biking
Bicycling, walking and transit are getting more attention as metro Atlanta planners prepare to adopt the proposed update of the region’s short- and long-term transportation plans. The plans are to be approved within 30 days.
“We will see this discussion grow more robust: How can we ensure a transit network and pedestrian network that improves moving people to regional job centers,” the ARC’s David Haynes said at Wednesday’s GRTA board meeting.
Posted inATL Business Chronicle, Maria's Metro
Column: ‘Old friends’ raise $6.8 million for Marcus Jewish Community Center
By Maria Saporta
Published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on March 7, 2014
The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta could adopt the song “Old Friends” by Simon & Garfunkel as its soundtrack.
It is the “old friends” who have come together to raise $6.8 million of the Center’s $7.5 million campaign since November 2012 to reinvest in the 52-acre facility that serves about 55,000 individuals a year.
Posted inLatest News
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed still hopeful federal funds are coming for deepening of Savannah port
By Maria Saporta
Don’t panic. That was the basic message that Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed shared about the lack of funding for the deepening of the Savannah port in the President Barack Obama’s budget that was released last week.
Reed spoke to local business and civic leaders Tuesday during a luncheon speech at the Commerce Club — where he said the news of President’s budget failure to include the federal share of had been misrepresented.
By tapping his Democratic connections within the Obama administration in Washington, D.C., Reed has been one of Georgia’s leading advocates for the deepening of the Savannah port. He has been working closely with Republican Gov. Nathan Deal on those efforts — highlighting their cooperative bi-partisan relationship.
Posted inHome Mortgages, Thought Leader
February Cal-Culator Remains Unchanged
The Cal-Culator hit a record-high last month. But with extreme winter weather and global unrest, was the Atlanta housing industry strong enough to hold on in February?
Posted inLatest News
Business leader John Wilson, who helped make Atlanta more international, has passed away
By Maria Saporta
A behind-the-scenes Atlanta business leader who led key organizations at a sensitive time in the city’s history — John C. Wilson — passed away on Saturday night at Piedmont Hospital.
Wilson, a fifth generation Atlantan, served as the president (a position now called chairman) of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce in 1970 — helping foster the idea of Atlanta as the next great international city. He was chairman of the International Air Routes Task Force in 1971 — which helped open Atlanta’s airport to inaugural international service a couple of years later.
Wilson also served as chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta as well as several other corporate and civic boards.
