JOURNALISM
Atlanta’s sewers releasing rising amounts of hazards into waterways, city says
- Atlanta’s Watershed Department cited this chart to illustrate the increase in the release of bacteria and chlorine from the city’s combined sewer overflow facilities. Click on the graphic for a larger version. Credit: City of Atlanta Fecal bacteria and residual chlorine flow at “problematic” levels from Atlanta’s sewer system into waterways and the repair bill could hit $40 million, according to new legislation to be discussed this week by a committee of the Atlanta City Council. An additional $11 million expense ...more
Unlike New York, Atlanta’s mayoral inauguration expected to be mild
- Controvery surrounded the inauguration of Bill de Blasio as New York City's mayor, pictured here as former President Bill Clinton administered the oath of office while the de Blasio family watched. Credit: nydailynews.com Unlike New York City’s mayoral inauguration last week, little controversy is expected to surround Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed as he takes the oath of office Monday. Atlanta has a history of low-key mayoral inaugurations. It’s just not the Atlanta way for politicians to swing for the fences at ...more
SCLC joins effort to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. with statue at State Capitol
- The SCLC will announce Friday its support of a bill filed in December by state Rep. Tyrone Brooks (D-Atlanta) to place a statue of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Georgia State Capitol. Credit: Donita Pendered The SCLC is adding its voice to the call for Georgia to install a statue of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the State Capitol, on the site left vacant by the removal of a statue of Tom Watson. Friday at 11 ...more
Atlanta pays about $1 million a month in worker’s comp claims, a higher rate than national average
- The Atlanta Police Department files a high number of worker’s compensation claims, a city audit shows. Credit: David Pendered Atlanta taxpayers have paid more than $44 million over a 45-month period for a worker’s compensation program that is significantly more generous than other state and local governments, according to a city audit. The cost per worker is 58 percent higher than the national average. The number of claims filed by city employees also exceeds the national average for local governments – ...more
Chickamauga Battlefield to benefit from “complete streets” project in Fort Oglethorpe
- Chickamauga veteran J.J. Dackett was photographed wearing a hat with bullet holes made during the historic battle. Credit: Library of Congress via civilwar.org Sacred ground in the Chickamauga Battlefield in northwest Georgia will be accessed along an enhanced gateway in Fort Oglethorpe once the state completes a project that’s just received a $3 million federal grant. Casualties numbered 34,000 in the three-day Battle of Chickamauga in September 1863. The losses were second during the Civil War only to the 51,000 recorded ...more
Mayor Reed’s success over next four years may hinge on who did, and didn’t, vote in November election
- Click on the graphic to see a larger version of the scope of victory within an electorate of 249,711 registered voters in Fulton County. Credit: David Pendered Former Mayor Andrew Young said with apparent pride at Monday’s inauguration ceremony that Mayor Kasim Reed was “overwhelmingly reelected” to his second term of office. While the scope of Reed’s victory is accurate – Reed won 84 percent of the votes – the turnout was the lowest it’s been since at least 2001. Fewer ...more
Atlanta’s inaugural ceremony raises hopes for 2014 and beyond
- Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed takes the oath of office from Robert Benham, the first African American justice of the Georgia Supreme Court. Credit: Donita Pendered Atlanta will continue to serve humanity as a “city on a hill,” one that nurtures prosperity as it cares for the humble. This is the aspiration for the coming four years as proclaimed by Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and council President Ceasar Mitchell in their separate inaugural addresses Monday. Reed vowed specific programs regarding public education and ...more
Unlike New York, Atlanta’s mayoral inauguration expected to be mild
- Controvery surrounded the inauguration of Bill de Blasio as New York City's mayor, pictured here as former President Bill Clinton administered the oath of office while the de Blasio family watched. Credit: nydailynews.com Unlike New York City’s mayoral inauguration last week, little controversy is expected to surround Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed as he takes the oath of office Monday. Atlanta has a history of low-key mayoral inaugurations. It’s just not the Atlanta way for politicians to swing for the fences at ...more
MARTA recruiting bus drivers who possess “excellent customer service skills”
- MARTA's advertisement for bus drivers emphasizes customer service. Credit: MARTA MARTA is beginning the New Year with a job fair to hire full-time bus operators. The jobs provide benefits and pay from $13.68 to $19.54 an hour. The jobs fair, for an unspecified number of drivers, is slated from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday at MARTA’s headquarters, located adjacent to the Lindbergh Station. The hiring program is part of MARTA’s focus on restoring levels of customer service that were trimmed to ...more
Former EPA administrator discusses Georgia Power rate case, nuclear power
- Christine Todd Whitman Georgia’s utility regulator made the right decision in allowing Georgia Power to raise rates to pay for power plant upgrades before the work is complete, according to former EPA administrator Christine Todd Whitman. “What that does is prevent a cliff from developing, where you have to recover costs all at once,” Whitman said. “We have aging infrastructure. That’s a challenge everyone is facing across the country.” Whitman spoke with SaportaReport.com discuss her concerns about a guest column on solar ...more