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1) Jill Scott is performing at Chastain Park with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
2) Karin Traviss discusses her newest book at Wordsmiths.
3) The Earl plays host to Adron, Molotov Pipedream and DJ Chris Devoe.
4) Deborah Hill reads and signs Unlimited Life: Limiting Beliefs and Belief Busting Power Truths at Phoenix and Dragon Bookstore.
5) Britpop Wednesdays at MJQ.
Georgia’s primary runoffs are a week from today. And early voting takes place though this Friday at a handful of voting stations.
The stakes are high — higher maybe than they were in July 15 primary. The big three races inside the Perimeter — Democratic contests for U.S. Senate, DeKalb CEO and Fulton sheriff — all went into runoffs. And one of the runoffs (actually, most likely two) will determine who takes office in January.
A quick, comprehensive Loafer’s guide to the runoffs comes after the jump. We’ve endorsed in bold where we figured we knew enough about the race to offer good advice. (more…)
CL’s news staff provides up-to-the-minute coverage of the U.S. Senate debate and unlike what you see on TV, you get to participate!
Reading the headlines today (aside from the one about the Braves’ inevitable loss) was a little bit like reading about a crime wave on the Island of Dr. Moreau.
The animals have turned on us. All of us. Even ex-American Idols. Sounds like a case for Marcus Livengood.
Damn, Stan!
Viewers tuning into the Atlanta Press Club debate for DeKalb CEO on GPB this coming Sunday will see a rather one-sided affair. The debate was taped earlier today, but State Rep. Stan Watson wasn’t there, apparently having called to cancel last night. That left only Commissioner Burrell Ellis, an empty podium and three print journalists – myself included – trying to make things look as interesting as possible in the absence of any real debating.
Watson missed more than his share of the numerous CEO debates before the July 15 primary, but then he was in good shape to make the runoff over several less well-funded opponents. Now, however, he’s the apparent long shot against Ellis, who took a solid 46 of the primary vote.
Remember The Clone Wars? Those pitched interstellar battles between Count Dooku’s separatist forces and those of the Galactic Republic? Yoda and the other Jedi leading armies of identical clones against those remarkable ineffectual battle droids? Anyone? Bueller?
Perhaps you’ve repressed memories of the past two Star Wars movies, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, but George Lucas is betting you haven’t. On August 15 he’s releasing a CGI animated feature film called The Clone Wars, which takes place between Attack and Revenge. Some Star Wars actors, including Christopher Lee, Anthony “C-3PO” Daniels and Samuel L. Jackson will even reprise their roles by voice. To whet your appetite for more clone-based fare, Wordsmith Books hosts an author appearance by Karen Traviss, who has written the hardcover adaptation of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Traviss will be at Wordsmith at 7:30 p.m., July 30, and Wordsmith encourages fans to come dressed in costume — so if you want a chance to Beta-test your outfit for next month’s Dragon*Con, here’s an opportunity.
Incidentally, The Clone Wars movie works as a lead-in to a new CGI series called, of course, “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and scheduled to debut on Atlanta’s Cartoon Network on Oct. 23. These clones sure know how to replicate themselves…
Today’s Air Loaf features CL’s Chanté LaGon and Chad Radford chatting about singer/songwriter and Decatur native Adrienne McCann, aka Adron. Adron will be playing with Benji Hughes, Telenovela, Molotov Pipedream and DJ Chris Devoe at The Earl tomorrow, Wed., July 30 at 9 p.m.
Air Loaf is broadcast weekdays on 1690 WMLB-AM at approximately 8:10 a.m., 12:20 p.m. and 6:20 p.m.
This is a Soapbox submission by a guest blogger.
By Hannah Palmer
When you drive south on I-75 from Atlanta, heading out of the city and into the sprawl, you’ll pass Southlake Mall on your right. This is “The Mall” of my childhood – destination for Christmas shopping, gift certificate spending, giant-cookie-cake pickup and Glamour Shot sessions. There is no lake at Southlake, but there is a patch of woods between the mall and the interstate.
Over the past few years, and many trips down 75, I’ve watched the progress of a strange development on this site. One by one, these huge historic-looking houses were wheeled in on flatbed trucks and reassembled in the swampy no-man’s land between the Sears parking lot and the expressway.
They seemed so forlorn and out of place. Who was doing this? I wondered. And what for? I stopped to take a photo in September of 2006.
So I just got back in town after 6 weeks in the mountains, and had to make the rounds of Stumptown: Anne & Bill’s Restaurant, the Library, and of course, I pulled over to check out the progress at “Olde Morrow.” It’s fancy!
I called the City of Morrow’s Economic Development office to get the lowdown. Lawanda told me it’s going to be a 17-acre development that will include taverns, retail, restaurants and a bed and breakfast. The central fountain and gardens will host receptions and outdoor events. Here’s the craziest part: they’re building the lake. As in “Southlake.” It’s about goddam time! (more…)
Just a hunch, but that’s what one person is whispering. U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Mary Peters is in town today to make an announcement. Ariel Hart of the AJC provides a solid write-up about the official’s visit and background and focuses, but she focuses more on Peters’ penchant for public-private partnerships.
We’re all about rumors here, so here’s another take from a source on why Peters visited our tiny hamlet:
We are told that Transportation Secretary Mary Peters today will unveil proposed “reforms” for consideration next year by Congress, when it takes up transportation legislation.
Among those “reforms,” we are told, includes elimination of a much-needed program to reduce congestion and clean up air pollution. (The Transportation Dept. boasts of it here: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/cmaqpgs/index.htm ) This program goes by the ugly acronym of CMAQ.
It was revised a few years ago by Congress, which ordered DOT to focus more spending on cleaning up dirty diesel engines – absolutely the most cost-effective use of such money. DOT, unfortunately, has basically tried to sandbag the program, and now wants to kill it altogether.
This would be a missed opportunity to clean up dirty diesel pollution and improve air quality across much of the nation.
We are told that DOT also may propose weakening or the Clean Air Act program aimed at making sure that transportation projects don’t worsen air quality. (Known in the jargon as conformity) and may seek to weaken the National Environmental Policy Act as well.
Under the Bush administration, DOT has often been viewed as an arm of the car industry. (You may recall that DOT lobbied Congress to try to block California’s attempt to enforce its greenhouse gas standards for motor vehicles.) Now it appears to be a leg of the asphalt lobby.
Again, it could be totally wrong. But don’t be too surprised if it’s right. Congress has the final say in the matter.
U.S. Senate hopeful Vernon Jones will announce several endorsements at 2 p.m. outside the Old DeKalb County courthouse in downtown Decatur.
PRESS RELEASE
For more information contact:
Camille Kesler
Phone: [redacted
Email: [redacted]Vernon Jones to Announce Endorsements Today at 2pm
Vernon Jones, Democratic candidate for the United States Senate, will hold a press conference today, July 29, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. E.D.T. on the steps of the Old DeKalb County Courthouse in downtown Decatur. Jones will announce the endorsement of elected officials. “No one becomes successful alone; that is why I am so grateful to the community leaders who have endorsed me and my message of hope and positive change for Georgia,” said Vernon Jones.
The Old DeKalb County Courthouse is located at 100 East Court Square, Decatur, GA 30030 near the intersection of East Court Square and East Ponce de Leon Ave.
Just a heads up, Jones campaign: It helps to get the word out about such events a little earlier than an hour or two beforehand.
Are you eager to voice your thoughts about Jim Martin and Vernon Jones in a family-friendly forum? Maybe you’re angry about U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss? Fear not, fellow Georgians, you’re among friends here on Fresh Loaf.
I’ll be liveblogging tonight’s Georgia Public Broadcasting debate at 7 p.m. between the two Democrats vying to take a shot at incumbent Chambliss in November. There’ll be quips, comments, updates, tidbits and lots of super-scientific polls.
Drinking game rules are as follows:
That’s all I have right now. There might be more. Regardless, skip your weekly capoiera practice early and stop by just before 7 p.m. If you don’t, I’ll be lonely and frightened, all alone in the Internet.
(Photo courtesy of Megatonik.com)
Last fall we asked the musical question: “Will a new venue provide Atlanta Opera’s spring board to success?” Well, based on a recent press release from the company, the answer appears to be yes. The company reports that, for the third time in four years, it has finished its season with a surplus — this time in the neighborhood of $200,000. According to Dennis Hawthorn, who took over as the Zurich General Director for the company in 2004, the move to the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre was a key to the success.
Also according to the press release, the Opera raised $4.56 million, about $100,000 over the original goal, thanks to a strong fundraising drive. (It’s a helluva lot easier to sell the community on the opera when it’s housed in the more intimate and acoustically appropriate venue like the Cobb as opposed to the Atlanta Civic Center.) That money comes from a mix of support from corporations, members of the company’s Society for Artistic Excellence, and local foundations, the release said.
The Atlanta Opera closed its season in April with a production of Puccini’s The Marriage of Figaro, and opens the 2008-2009 season with Madama Butterfly on Oct. 4.
(Photo by Joeff Davis)
A MILLION TO ONE: Natural-gas discoveries in northwest Louisiana have sent the price of an acre in some places from a few hundred dollars to $30,000 in a few months, creating a sudden class of millionaires in the middle of nowhere.
LYNCHING RE-ENACTMENT: The victims’ surviving family members say they’re “troubled” by an Atlanta civil rights group’s four-year-old re-enactment of the 1946 Moore’s Ford lynching, and especially by this year’s installment.
CLAYTON: The BOE barely approves its official response to send to SACS regarding the accreditation stripping.
RETENTION: A report released today details the problems the Atlanta Police Department is having retaining officers; 9 percent of the 1,600-member police force left last year, and on one day last August, each zone of the city had one uncovered beat.
SIX-LEGGED DEER: Will go to live with an Athens woman who has a permit to keep unusual animals.
KANGAROO ATTACK: A Zoo Atlanta visitor records on cell-phone video a kangaroo attacking a zoo worker over the weekend.
JASON ELAM: The metro Atlanta native, who’s spent the last 15 years in Denver as one of the NFL’s premier kickers, says he’s happy to now be a Falcon.
JOE HORN: Probably not a Falcon for much longer.
STOLEN THUNDER: Angry at a local radio station for leaking its new Oklahoma City team’s mascot (the Thunder), the NBA hurriedly registers a list of alternates, one of which is misspelled.
— Daily newspapers are struggling to keep readers and to find ways to make money via the Internet. Travis Fain at Lucid Idiocy speaks to all the people who no longer subscribe to the paper and, instead, read it for free on the Net.
— At Tondee’s Tavern, it’s noted that Vernon Jones has little or no union support. And that must not bother him too much because he didn’t show for the AFL-CIO candidate screening.
— Meanwhile, Georgia Women Vote! talks about the old-fashioned fish fry Jim Martin is going to have in Macon this weekend to garner grassroots support.
— It’s obvious on the blogosphere that we are entering the dog days of summer. For you non-Southerners, that’s the time of year when it’s so hot that even dogs don’t want to be outdoors. That fact must account for all the personal issues that have surfaced this week. At Mingaling, Lori talks about her bouts with anxiety-driven depression, and gives a pep talk to everyone who suffers from it.
— Hopefully she’ll share that pep talk with
