Fresh Loaf

PROTEST IN L5P: Despite a chronic police shortage, Atlanta still managed to have three cops available to ticket a peaceful protestor on Tuesday. (Photo by Joeff Davis)

Last Tuesday in Little Five Points, Amnesty International held another of its public “Tuesdays for Troy” rallies – an effort to draw attention to and stop the pending execution of Troy Anthony Davis.

Davis was sentenced to death for the 1989 murder of a Savannah police officer. Although seven of nine witnesses who identified Davis as the killer have changed their testimony and there is no physical evidence linking Davis to the murder, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled four-to-three in March not to grant him a new trial. The day before the rally, the state affirmed its decision. Because of Wednesday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision on Wednesday lifting a nationwide moratorium on lethal injections, Georgia can now set a date for Davis’s execution.

The demonstration was small, only about seven or eight people holding up signs and distributing flyers along Moreland Ave. The event ended abruptly after a protester was surrounded by police and ticketed for standing in the road while handing flyers to drivers in stopped cars.

(Additional text by Andisheh Nouraee)

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BLONDIE STILL IN ACTION: The Clermont Lounge’s infamous beer-can-crusher will be available for your viewing pleasure. (Photo by Joeff Davis)

We heard back from Inman Park properties agent Danny Glusman and he tells us that, while the company has been marketing the Clermont Hotel, the idea is to attract investors, not buyers.

Inman Park Properties bought the 1940-era hotel nearly five years ago from its longtime owner, Lillian Loudermilk, for an undisclosed price that likely was between $3 million and $4 million. But the company, which owns a number of historic buildings in Atlanta and Savannah, kept the hotel’s veteran management team in place and, apart from putting up a few new signs, seemingly hasn’t changed so much as a curtain.

Glusman says he’s shopping for a “renovation partner to invest in the hotel” so his company can make some much-needed repairs and bring the property up to code. The hotel, for instance, is possibly the last building in Atlanta to employ full-time elevator operators. (And, speaking as a former short-term resident, I wouldn’t be surprised if simply replacing the carpeting qualifies as a Superfund project.) Glusman, however, wouldn’t reveal how much money is needed to fix up the property.

As for the beloved Clermont Lounge, Glusman says there are no plans to fix what ain’t broke: Blondie and crew are welcome to keep gyrating downstairs as long as their pelvic joints hold out.

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City of Atlanta Councilmember Carla Smith is inviting all who possess old televisions and electronic devices — what are these VCRs of which they speak? — to haul their goods down to Turner Field on April 26 and bid them adieu. As part of its Earth Day celebration, the city will be accepting all things electronic — from keyboards to stereo speakers — from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Last year, the city collected 75,583 pounds of electronic items during the one-day e-waste recycling event. First 100 folks get a Best Buy gift card. Seriously.

That same day from 9 a.m.-noon, City Council member Natalyn Archibong and residents of her district, which includes communities from East Lake to Cabbagetown, will scour the area and look for discarded tires. Since 2002, the annual event has removed more than 6,000 tires from vacant lots, waterways and the roadside. If you’re interested, head to 815 Old Flat Shoals Rd. to participate. Residents who live in the district and wish to dispose of old tires can also do so free of charge at the location.

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ALL SHOOK UP: Illinois quake measured 5.4 on the Richter scale, was felt in Georgia and as far south as north Florida.

GWCC: Tornado damage is about $100 million, but officials say it will open April 28.

ASPHALT MAKES THE HEART GROW FONDER: As Thomas reported yesterday, DOT chairman and commissioner are in love, and the former has resigned. Now Gov. Perdue has to grumble back into town to handle things.

SHOT IN THE DARK: Entire Charter cable TV, phone and Internet service knocked out Wednesday night in Hall County by a single bullet.

COAST IS CLEAR: Vidalia emergency room doctor is one of several volunteers being honored for working to fill potholes and doing other maintenance on coastal wildlife refuges that might otherwise not get done due to budget cuts.

FLU OFF THE HANDLE: Bad vaccine-mixing made 2007-08 the worst flu season in several years.

HONEYTASED HAM: Cops Tase a frenzied pig on I-75 after it falls off the back of a truck, the second time in two weeks a hoofed animal has caused an uproar on the interstate.

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From the Gainesville Times:

Those being mentioned as possible successors to Evans include Chris Riley, chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal, R-Gainesville, and state Sen. Eugene “Chip” Pearson of Dawsonville. Pearson has reportedly told legislative leaders that he would not seek re-election to his Senate seat this year.

Pearson, as you may recall, was one of this year’s distinguished recipients of a Golden Sleaze award. He got the nod for blocking Jekyll Island legislation, pushing a bill that would exempt the DOT from forcing contractors to pay soil erosion fines, and other pieces of past legislation that would’ve placed the environment at risk.

(Photo courtesy of the Senate Press Office)

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I just want to thank my colleague Thomas Wheatley for reporting about the drama at the Georgia Department of Transportation today.

I finally have an explanation for all of the weird road signs I’ve been seeing around Atlanta lately.

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If you’ve arrived in Atlanta on an international flight, you’re no doubt familiar with Hartsfield-Jackson’s annoying international luggage “re-check” requirement.

If you’re not, it goes like this:

1. Land.

2. Claim your luggage in Concourse E.

3. Clear U.S. Customs with your luggage.

4. Re-check your bag to have it shipped across the airport to one of the main baggage claim areas.

5. Mutter something to someone, anyone, about how stupid this system is.

6. Take the airport’s train to one of the main terminals and collect your luggage again.

Yesterday, I picked up my future missus at the airport. She was out of the country for work. (more…)

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From the DOT:

STATEMENT BY BOARD CHAIRMAN MIKE EVANS

The following statement was made at today’s meeting of the State Transportation Board by Chairman Mike Evans in announcing his resignation:

“In the past five months, I have worked closely with Commissioner Abraham to work towards change within the Department. Over the course of those five months, I have grown to admire her and respect her more and more every day. Her sense of integrity and work ethic is well known throughout state government and I can see why. Over the last month or so we have grown to care for each other more than on a professional level, she became my friend. As our friendship developed, we realized that there was the possibility of something more than friendship. At this point we met with the Vice-Chairman, Garland Pinholster, to discuss and determine the best direction and concluded that it was best to also inform the Board, which was done in Executive Session yesterday.

DOT Policy does not permit relationships other than professional or friendship within the direct chain of command. As Chairman of this Board, I strongly believe that I should be the model for respect and adherence to policy that I wish to see in all GDOT employees, especially with the challenges that we face. In doing so, I must therefore tender my resignation today as Chairman and a member of the Georgia Department of Transportation Board.

I have served as a member of this Board for five years and it has been my honor and privilege to do so as a representative for District 9. My heart is heavy today because I know that in tendering my resignation, I am also disappointing a great number of people who have supported me throughout the years, in particular, during my re-election to the Board this year. There are those who suffered great losses in support of me. I will be eternally grateful for their support.

I will spend the rest of my days trying to restore their trust and in gaining their forgiveness for having stepped down at this point in my term.

I want to thank my colleagues on the Board who have been a support to me as well. As I leave my seat and return to my daily routine, I will still remain an advocate for systemic reform for Transportation in Georgia. It is still a worthwhile and noble cause that I will always believe in.

To the employees of the department, I have said how great they are and what dedicated public servants they are. I hope the board and senior staff will honor their service by doing everything they can to give them the department they deserve.

To the board, I hope you will continue the momentum and change that I have been pushing for the last five years, and that has accelerated over the last five months.

To the cities, counties and individuals whose dedicated support helped me win re-election I apologize for my untimely departure and will never forget their loyal support.

As always, I am honored to serve the people of the 9th District and the state of Georgia.

Again, I thank everyone for the opportunity to serve.”

At this time, there will be no further comment from the Department on this matter.

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Far be it from Gov. Sonny Perdue to decline an invitation to travel. A weekend in Connecticut might’ve even been a nice change of scenery for the state’s chief executive.

On Friday, Yale University will host the centennial Conference of Governors on Climate Change. The first event, organized by President Theodore Roosevelt, is largely credited for kicking off the conservation movement. Eight governors — ranging from nearby New Jersey to far-flung California — and R.K. Pachauri, chairman of the Nobel Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, will be in attendance. But not Perdue, even though he was invited.

Now, Perdue’s not alone. Judging by the number of governors scheduled to attend the event, 42 others declined the invitation. The event’s organizers say Perdue even sent a polite letter informing them he would not make it. Chief Rainmaker instead went to the annual Republican Governors Association conference in Texas to jawbone about energy policy. In June, he’ll moderate a forum in Atlanta for the association that’ll discuss “how pro-environmental policies are good for business.”

Plus, Perdue’s got a good reason. On Friday, the governor will host Aga Kahn. Who is Aga Khan? He’s the spiritual leader of more than 20 million Ismaili Muslims and, according to CNN, is considered by his followers to be the final authority on interpretation of the Quran.

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People For The Ethical Treatment of Empty Beer Cans is giddy.

The rest of us are nervous.

The Clermont Hotel and its property are for sale.

We do not yet know if this means the Clermont Lounge, which resides at the bottom of the hotel, is going to close.

We’ll let you know as soon as we find out.

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After Pope Benedict XVI gave a speech at the White House yesterday, President Bush stood up and complimented him.

“Thank you, Your Holiness,” he said. “Awesome speech.”

I’m all for mocking President Bush for his inappropriately fratty demeanor.

But in fairness to Bush, there’s clearly something about Pope Benedict XVI that overwhelms people with feelings of awesomeness.

Check out this short clip from National Public Radio, which aired shortly after Benedict ascended to the Pope-osphere in 2005.

Play it loud because, it’s, well, awesome.

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Love will tear us apart … from our positions on powerful state agencies!

Georgia Department of Transportation Chairman Mike Evans admitted to the state agency’s executive board today that he and new Commissioner Gena Abraham have been “dating,” a DOT spokesperson says. Evans will resign from the chairman position and the board effective immediately. Evans was elected to the DOT board in 2003 and was elected chairman in 2006.

No word as to how long they’ve been dating and how much their relationship played a role into Evans joining Gov. Sonny Perdue to support Abraham over state Rep. Vance Smith, R-Pine Mountain. Speaker Glenn Richardson wanted Smith in the job. That battle was a nasty one, resulting in House members who opted for Abraham to be stripped of their prized office spaces and placed on committees for not kowtowing to the Speaker’s wishes.

Lots of unanswered questions. Why now? Apparently, Abraham and Evans both came to DOT Board Vice Chairman Garland Pinholster two weeks ago and informed him of their budding relationship. They wanted to disclose it, Evans says, and move forward appropriately. Will Abraham face any punishment or penalty? We’ll find out April 21. The board has scheduled a special meeting for that date. Why does Mike Evans remind me so much of Huey Lewis? Unfortunately, this is more of a personal issue that I prefer to allow figure itself out.

We’ll have more on this as the day unfolds.

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UNHAPPY AS A CLAM: Mussels, north Floridians will suffer from Corps of Engineers’ new water proposal, says a Florida congressman, while Lake Lanier Association president says the plan doesn’t go far enough.

LEGAL INJECTION: SCOTUS dismisses challenge to constitutionality of Kentucky’s lethal injection procedure, freeing up other states to kill their prisoners again. Two Georgia death-row inmates are now back on track to be executed.

SEPARATE BUT DIESEL: Ga. DOT explains the problems with bringing truck-only lanes to Atlanta, while the idea’s sponsor stubbornly soldiers on.

BURDEN OF PROF: Two still-unidentified Ga. Tech professors are being investigated for fraud and theft.

LEATHERHEADS: Georgia State is expected to announce today its plans to start a football team in 2010. AJC’s Tony Barnhart lists five things the Panthers must do to succeed. Around this time last year, Mark Bradley wrote why they won’t succeed.

LACROSSE-CULTURAL: Toli, the 500-year-old Native American predecessor of lacrosse, is big in Athens, where on Saturday UGA’s team will host the 21-time world-champion Conehatta Skunks, who are Choctaw.

THE PAYBACK: The Augusta Metro Spirit lists what will be available at James Brown’s estate sale in August.

PRO-STRIFE: Yale art student artificially inseminates herself “as often as possible,” takes drugs to induce miscarriages, collects the blood, and presents it along with videos of her miscarriages as her senior art project.

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Apparently something big is going down at a Georgia Department of Transportation executive meeting being held right now.

Word from a source at DOT says that it’s related to at least one of several developing stories coming out of the beleaguered state agency in recent weeks. Those include the $1 billion shortfall, the DOT board elections, toll roads, etc. The list goes on. This follows on the tensions over Gena Abraham’s appointment to the commissioner’s office.

Apparently someone’s in trouble. Watch this space for more info.

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