JOURNALISM

  • Wheat export through port rises as Atlanta fosters role as logistics hub

    July 25, 2013
    • Georgia’s port in Brunswick is benefiting from a rise in the export of Georgia-grown wheat to Mexico, and the first vessel of the season sailed from Brunswick Thursday. Georgia farmers have bet heavy on wheat this year. The idea that Atlanta has an interest in Georgia’s wheat exports through a state port is fueled in part by Mayor Kasim Reed. Reed has linked Atlanta’s stature as a global logistics hub with a seaport capable of handling the world’s largest cargo vessels. To read ...more

  • Army corps installs new Savannah commander who will guide harbor deepening project, two ports

    July 19, 2013
    • The Army colonel who will take over the Savannah district Friday, and the sensitive task of the harbor deepening project, brings a wealth of experience managing complex engineering scenarios, according to his military resume. The change in command is a routine event, but it comes at a sensitive time. Federal funding for the planned harbor deepening project hangs in the balance, even as Georgia has committed $230 million toward the project. To read more, see the SaportaReport.com blog roll to the ...more

  • DeKalb County’s interim CEO: Works with Republicans, funded by Democrats, educated as a cleric

    July 17, 2013
    • The Democrat chosen by Gov. Nathan Deal to serve as interim CEO of DeKalb County wrote a piece with a Republican colleague that appeared last week on Shirley Franklin’s website calling for the position of CEO – and DeKalb’s entire form of government – to be eliminated. Although DeKalb County Commissioner Lee May will reach across the aisle, he has strong backing from the state’s leading Democrats. Former Gov. Roy Barnes’ law firm contributed to May’s 2012 reelection campaign, along with ...more

  • Plan to have Atlanta Streetcar planning done by BeltLine hits snag over who’s to pay for the research

    July 14, 2013
    • Atlanta’s effort to bring more of the planning for the expansion of the Atlanta Streetcar under the wing of the Atlanta BeltLine has hit a snag at Atlanta City Hall. This particular situation is not expected to be significant. But it is the latest in a series that has led to the delay of at least a year in the planned opening of the Atlanta streetcar’s current route. For more on the story, see SaportaReport.com blog roll to the right more

  • Atlanta Mayor Reed announces new film office one day after council committee calls for it to report at least seven times a year

    July 11, 2013
    • Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed’s office announced Thursday that the mayor has created an Office of Entertainment to oversee the film industry, in accordance with an ordinance approved July 1 by the Atlanta City Council. The announcement came one day after the council’s Finance Committee approved legislation that would require the new office to report at least seven times a year to two of the council’s standing committees. For more on this report see the SaportaReport.com blog roll on the right. more

  • Atlanta City Council wants monthly accountability reports on business incentives offered by Invest Atlanta

    July 10, 2013
    • The Atlanta City Council is trying to get a handle on the incentives offered in business relocation packages negotiated by Invest Atlanta, the city’s development arm. The council's Finance Committee approved a measure Wednesday that comes as the council wrestles with the increasing independence exercised by the leaders of Invest Atlanta, which is chaired by the mayor. For more on this report see the SaportaReport.com blog roll to the right. more

  • Mayor Reed has $1.6 million in campaign cash, buys office furniture from liquidator

    July 10, 2013
    • Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed continues to attract campaign contributions at a rate that shows no signs of cooling as he prepares for election to a term increasingly appears to be his second in office. Reed’s financial prudence may be evident in the office furniture purchased for the campaign office. Reed’s campaign bought it from a liquidator for $3,562 and the next day, April 16, the campaign received a credit in the amount of $65.68, according to the report. To read ...more

  • Peachtree Street bridges to enhance Atlanta's Downtown Connector

    July 8, 2013
    • A long-awaited effort to create iconic bridges across Atlanta’s Downtown Connector is culminating this summer and a final design is due before the year’s end. The first two projects involve Peachtree Street, Atlanta’s signature boulevard. The working draft for the enhancements is evocative of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, a world famous bridge that’s located in the host city of the 2000 Summer Olympic Games that came right after the Atlanta games. - See more at: http://saportareport.com/blog/2013/07/beautification-of-peachtree-street-bridges-first-step-in-vision-for-downtown-connector/#sthash.sVdghwxJ.dpuf more

  • Tollway authority dips into reserve

    July 7, 2013
    • The latest budget from the State Road and Tollway Authority shows the high cost of ending tolls on Ga. 400, a loss the authority intends to cover with reserve funds and other sources. SRTA projects a shortfall in its operating budget of 36.7 percent, or $7.6 million, in an expense budget of $20.7 million. - See more at: http://saportareport.com/blog/2013/07/tollway-authority-uses-reserves-to-cover-first-budget-without-tolls-from-ga-400/#sthash.8BGl7oTv.dpuf more