It’s gotten to be a thing… What hat is A.J. Robinson, president of Central Atlanta Progress, going to wear at the organization’s annual meeting. At CAP’s meeting on March 14, Robinson wore a model of the Hyatt Regency Atlanta – complete with the blue Polaris lounge on top. They made the hat to commemorate the […]
Tag: Maria Saporta
Posted inSubmitted Photos
Photo Pick: Commemorative Service for Martin Luther King Jr by Maria Saporta
At Ebenezer Baptist Church’s 2017 Commemorative Service for Martin Luther King Jr. on what would have been his 88th birthday weekend. Missionary Anne Breedlove was one of the more enthusiastic and patriotic attendees.
Posted inWABE
Commentary: Atlanta leaders ‘Sleep Out’ for the homeless
The Covenant House, a refuge for homeless youth, holds a unique fundraiser every year.
It invites community leaders to sleep outdoors so they can get a taste of what it’s like to be homeless. The fifth annual “Sleep Out” happened Nov. 17, when a hundred Atlanta leaders slept outdoors on the campus in Northwest Atlanta.
Posted inWABE
Commentary: The transit divide widens with election
The Nov. 8 election produced a major win for MARTA. Nearly 130,000 Atlanta voters, or 71.34 percent, approved a half-penny sales tax to expand MARTA within the city limits.
At the same time, the city voted to increase overall transportation funding by a .4 of a penny sales tax.
This is in addition to the one-cent sales tax that the city of Atlanta has been investing in the MARTA system since 1971 – when Fulton and DeKalb counties also voted in favor of the regional transit system.
Posted inWABE
Commentary: ‘Friendship Initiative’ bridging cultural divide
Two Atlanta business leaders have launched a new effort – the Atlanta Friendship Initiative – aimed at bridging divides in our community.
The idea is for two people of different races or ethnic backgrounds to agree to become friends. They pledge to see each other once a quarter and bring their families together once a year in fellowship.
Posted inWABE
Commentary: Cartooning for peace integral to free speech
As part of France-Atlanta, an exhibition and program is being presented called “Cartooning for Peace: The of Art of Democracy.” Three world-renowned press cartoonists participated in the program – Jean “Plantu” Plantureux with Le Monde, France, Michel Kichka with Courrier International who is based in Israel, and our own Mike Luckovich with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Posted inWABE
Commentary: Marcus Trauma Center ‘Destiny’ for Philanthropist
Grady Hospital dedicated the Marcus Trauma and Emergency Center on Oct. 5 in recognition of philanthropy of Billi and Bernie Marcus, a co-founder of the Home Depot.
In all, the Marcus couple have given a total of $50 million to Grady, which also went to the establishment of the Marcus Stroke and Neuroscience Center.
Posted inWABE
Commentary: Fernbank Museum vision realized with expansion
Original Story on WABE by Maria Saporta – (Audio file not available) The Fernbank Museum of Natural History opened in October 1992 as a place where people could learn about their natural environment. On Sept. 24, the museum opened its doors with a $21.7 million expansion spotlighting the natural environment outside of the building. The […]
Posted inSubmitted Photos
Photo Pick: Midtown Celebration by Maria Saporta
The American Planning Association on Monday declared Midtown Atlanta as one of five neighborhoods to make the APA’s 2016 list of Great Places in the country. The City of Atlanta and the Midtown community held a pop-up celebration on this designation on Tuesday at the northeast corner of 10th and Peachtree streets. APA’s Great Places list […]
Posted inWABE
Commentary: Momentum building for MARTA to Gwinnett County
For decades, Gwinnett County has had opportunities to join MARTA and build rail service, but voters have turned down every proposal so far.
Rev. Harriett Bradley missed her bus transfer to get from Norcross to Lawrenceville so she ended up taking Uber to get to the Sierra Club transit forum earlier this month.
Posted inWABE
Commentary: ‘Roadbusters’ kept city from being a parking lot
Atlanta was divided from 1960 to 1991 – the road builders versus the road busters.
Plans existed to build Interstate-485 through the heart of Virginia-Highland and to build a Stone Mountain Tollway that would have cut through the Druid Hills community and the historic Olmsted Linear Parks on Ponce de Leon.
Posted inWABE
Commentary: Perceptions about downtowns are changing
Original article on WABE by Maria Saporta More than 700 people from around the country descended on Atlanta from Sept. 7 to Sept. 9 to attend the International Development Association meeting at the Westin Peachtree Plaza. The event harkened back to 1977 – the last time the IDA came to Atlanta. At the time, Dan […]
Posted inWABE
Commentary: Atlanta wins dispute over Hank Aaron statue
When the Atlanta-Fulton County Recreation Authority announced a deal to sell the 67-acre Turner Field property, it chose to make the announcement next to the statue of Hank Aaron hitting his 715th home run.
Although the Atlanta Braves will be moving to Cobb County after this season, the Hank Aaron statue will remain in the city.
Posted inATL Business Chronicle
Column: Coca-Cola Foundation’s Helen Smith Price working to make Atlantans ‘feel the benefits of our presence’
By Maria Saporta
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on Aug. 12, 2016
Helen Smith Price could not have been more prepared when she was tapped in April to become the new president of The Coca-Cola Foundation.
Price has served as executive director of the foundation since 2001, joining the company in 1993. As the protégé of her predecessor, Ingrid Saunders Jones, she also has seen how the Foundation has evolved over the years.
Posted inWABE
Commentary: Atlanta’s need for a Peachtree Streetcar
The city of Atlanta and MARTA are planning major transportation investments in two separate sales tax referendums that will go before voters in November.
If approved, both taxes would generate hundreds of millions of dollars a year for a myriad of improvements including expanded streetcar or light rail lines, improved bus services, new multi-use trails and road upgrades into complete streets.
Posted inFinancial Inclusion, Thought Leader, Uncategorized
700 Credit Score Communities Don’t Riot
By John Hope Bryant, Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Operation HOPE, Inc. There has never been a riot by a 700-credit-score community in American history. Only 500-credit-score communities riot. Traditionally, these have been urban, inner-city, left behind black and brown communities, but in the current political landscape we’ve seen the fabric of civility tear in 500-credit-score […]
Posted inWABE
Commentary: Manuel’s Tavern Coca-Cola sign a Community Icon
Original Story on WABE by Maria Saporta Manuel’s Tavern is being refurbished inside and out. The Coca-Cola Company is restoring the painted Coke sign that has graced the tavern’s wall for decades. A hundred years ago, one of Coca-Cola’s top advertising tools was painting larger-than-life signs on the sides of buildings all over the country. […]
Posted inWABE
Commentary: PATH Foundation trails are good for Atlanta
Since the PATH Foundation was established in 1991, more than 235 miles of multi-use trails have been developed in metro Atlanta. And PATH is showing no signs of slowing down.
Posted inWABE
Commentary: Central Library echoes former landmark’s fate
For decades, I have looked at the Breuer-designed Central Library and longed for the building that used to stand at that same corner, the Carnegie Library: a statuesque building that had adorned that site from 1902 until it was demolished in 1977. Leaders at the time said the building was too old and would cost too much to renovate.
What were we thinking?
Posted inWABE
Commentary: The importance of Maynard Jackson documentary
Atlanta’s first African-American mayor, Maynard Jackson, was elected in 1973 when he was only 35. He went on to become a national pioneer – establishing affirmative action and joint venture programs to better integrate the economy – both in Atlanta and throughout the United States.
And producers are working a documentary about his life.
