Fresh Loaf

Last year, the northwest segment of the Beltline that stretches between West End and Washington Park was overgrown and nearly impossible to explore. Urban hikers were promised scratches to the legs and tree limbs to the face.

That was before volunteers and work crews cleaned up west and northwest Atlanta’s portion of the proposed 22-mile loop of parks, trails and transit. Now urban hikers will find a clear-cut, 12-foot-wide walkway that offers an uncommon perspective on the city.

On Sunday, an acquaintance and I walked approximately two miles of the segment, some of which cuts behind single-family residential neighborhoods, winds past a mature hardwood forest, and passes through several bridges that decades ago served trains.

After starting at the Martin Luther King, Jr., Drive overpass — now lined with guardrails and covered with plywood to prevent tumbles to the roadway below — we traveled south under I-20 as far as the old Alterman Foods warehouse (now it’s a Czarnowski location). Along the way, we encountered a family of stray dogs lounging in the middle of the walkway, asleep in the sun.

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As a mayoral candidate, Kasim Reed regularly blamed pension obligations for bleeding Atlanta dry. During his inaugural address, he was blunt:

The stark reality is that one out of every five tax dollars is currently going to fund a pension system that is strangling our city. We need to face this challenge head on, being mindful of the responsibility to taxpayers who fund that pension system, without breaking the faith with the public servants who have dedicated their lives to Atlanta.

Well, the Pension Review Panel has now been named. Its first meeting is scheduled for Feb. 22.

Who are these solons, these brave, private-sector volunteers tasked with saving the city budget from death by annuity? The chairman, former AJC publisher John Mellott, was named weeks ago, but here’s the rest of the list:

• Jim Wells, Chairman and CEO of SunTrust Banks
• Ed Hays, Deputy Managing Partner for Deloitte & Touche
• Ben Johnson, retired managing partner of Alston & Bird
• Richard Anderson, CEO of Delta Air Lines
• Carol Tome, CFO of Home Depot
• Calvin Vismale, an investment consultant
• Rod Edmond, an attorney who also chairs the police Citizen Review Board
• Dan Kolber, partner in the law firm Baker Donelson, who oversaw the recent restructuring of the Grady Health System

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KEITAI: A modern quill and scroll

>> Forty-seven percent of registered voters are not happy with President Obama’s performance — his lowest rating since taking office. Independents polled that approve of the president dropped from 53 percent last April to barely a third. The jocks, nerds and outcasts are all disapproving — but there’s always the drama kids, Barack! (the Huffington Post)

>> The President met with House and Senate leaders of both parties today to discuss issues like the economy in a bipartisan setting. Two bucks says this publicity stunt ended in a food fight. (ABC News)

>> A Colorado Wal-Mart is being accused of firing 10 West African employees in order to give jobs to “local” people. The Muslim Africans were refused short prayer breaks, though other workers were allowed to take unscheduled cigarette breaks. Don’t they get it — cigarette breaks are blessings. (the New York Times)

>>A 15-year-old Japanese girl who goes by the alias “Bunny” wrote a three-volume “keitai” or cell phone novel that has gone on to sell more than 110,000 paperback copies — grossing more than $611,000! See, print isn’t dead! (the LA Times)

>> And finally: Researchers found that a 40-year-old woman’s risk of having a child with autism was 50 percent greater than that of a woman in her 20s, but being a father 40 or older is only at significant risk when the mother is under 30. Sounds legit since autism studies are always true. (Reuters)

(Photo courtesy Flickr)

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Good morning! Here’s a very awkward story to help you start off your day:

Asian-American activists offended that MARTA re-named the train line into the heart of Atlanta’s Asian community the “yellow line” will take their objections to the transit agency’s chief on Friday.[...]

MARTA officials were warned by an employee before the name change last October that Atlanta’s burgeoning Asian community would find the term for the line to Doraville offensive.

Concerned community members want MARTA to change the name from “yellow” to “gold.” And some folks on Facebook are already saying that might offend the large Jewish population that lives in the surrounding area. Damn this melting pot!

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Here’s the good news: Only days after the Clermont Hotel was condemned by county health inspectors for a staggering array of gag-inducing infractions, work began to clean up and restore the 1920s-era building for future operation as a newly renovated hotel, complete with a restaurant.

Here’s the bad news: The company that’s apparently doing the renovation and will manage the property, Cobb-based Kronos Hotels, has one of the worst reputations in the entire industry.

In fact, it’s already off to a bad start. Although work began on the hotel in early January — as evidenced by the huge dumpster for construction debris out front — it appears that nobody bothered to get a building permit. A spokesperson for the planning department confirmed to me earlier today that the work going on at the hotel was violation of city ordinance and that a stop-work order would be issued soon, if it hadn’t been already.

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Actually, they’re being announced over at City Hall as I write this, but since I already had the press release I figured I’d blog it. From the release:

The Atlanta Police Department Chief Search Committee will be chaired by Georgia State University Police Chief Connie Sampson, who will serve with Rev. Joanna Adams, Lou Arcangeli, Rosel Fann, Rev. Walter Kimbrough, Lt. Scott Kreher, Robin Loudermilk, Kyle Keyser, Tiffany Williams, Philip Rafshoon, Irene Richardson, Earl Williamson and Dave Wilkinson.

OK, what I find most interesting are the folks who don’t work in law enforcement, such as Atlantans Together Against Crime activist Keyser and Outwrite Books owner Rafshoon. I’m guessing his appointment may have been a reaction to backlash from the Eagle raid. Loudermilk is the head of the Buckhead Alliance, the group of business leaders that helped shut down the Buckhead party zone. Kreher is the police union rep. And Arcangeli is the well-known retired deputy police chief.

On to the AFD:

The Atlanta Fire Rescue Search Committee will be chaired by Cobb County Chief Sam Heaton, who will serve with East Point Deputy Chief William Ware, David Allman, Professor Bahareh Azizi, Marcia Bansley, Johnny Dixon, Vonda Henry, Charles Johnson, former State DHR Commissioner Jim Martin, Helene Mills, Hon. Mary Norwood, and Ken Prince.

Allman is chairman of Regent Partners, one of the city’s top commercial developers. Azizi is the chemistry professor of Persian descent who recently ran for City Council. Bansley is founder of Trees Atlanta. And Mary Norwood … well, you remember her.

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WABE’s Denis O’Hayer recently spoke with Al Williams, D-Midway, about legislation he and other lawmakers plan to push this week that could revive the debate over whether Georgia should follow the example set by other states and apologize for the state’s participation in the African slave trade.

“I’m absolutely amazed,” Williams told O’Hayer. “I look at the words of the governor of Alabama, the governor of Florida, and how they were very enthusiastic in their support. And we can get absolutely no movement from leadership here in Georgia.”

You can read the lawmaker’s resolution here. Williams last pushed for a state apology in 2007 but discussions fell apart in the state Senate. Gov. Sonny Perdue told the Associated Press at the time that “repentance comes from the heart” and that he’d yet to meet someone who didn’t frown on “man’s inhumanity when you talk about owning one another.”

Williams says he’s prepared to negotiate with concerned lawmakers, but hesitant to say if there’s a “bare minimum” when it comes to language. He says he doesn’t just want an acknowledgment. He wants to see an expression of regret. Listen to O’Hayer’s interview with Williams here.

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PALIN'S CHEAT SHEET: "Smile. Say, 'You betcha!' "

>> Speaking at the National Tea Party convention, Sarah Palin first criticized President Obama as a “charismatic guy with a teleprompter” only then to constantly look at the notes she scribbled on her palm like a high schooler. The points she wrote on her hand in case she forgot: “Energy,” “Budget cuts,” “Tax” and “Lift American spirits.” If you think that’s bad, just imagine what was scribbled on the bottom of her shoes. (Gawker)

>> Since computer geeks are renowned for their fashion sense, Google has teamed up with designers Gary Graham and Ohne Titel to create clothes inspired by the Internet search, including a $85 T-shirt and a $300 scarf. No one loves Google that much. (the Independent)

>> U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said today that the international community has no choice but to imposing new sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program after the nation rejected previous measures from the West. Well, since there’s no other choice, we should probably just invade. (Reuters)

>> More military tactics: A 27-year-old U.S. soldier from Washington has been accused of “waterboarding” his 4-year-old daughter because she would not recite her ABCs. (Fox News)

>> And finally: Taiwan reported its biggest monthly growth in exports in more than three decades as the world economy continues to suffer. Hmm … I wonder if Taipei has any blogging jobs for scrappy Atlanta reporters? … (the Wall Street Journal)

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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'Go forth to Facebook, fellow foot soldiers, and type your thoughts'

Community activist and former Atlanta mayoral candidate Kyle Keyser’s been tapped by Mayor Kasim Reed to help search for a new chief of the Atlanta Police Department.

And Keyser wants to know what qualities you’d like to see in the force’s new leader. He’s accepting suggestions and comments on the Atlantans Together Against Crime website and Facebook.

Former Deputy Chief Lou Arcangeli is also on the search committee, Keyser says. Additional members are scheduled to be announced at a City Hall press conference today at 2 p.m.

Interim Chief George Turner serves at the pleasure of the mayor, although he’s said he’d like to have the job.

(File photo by Joeff Davis)

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The Associated Press reports that a rumored sex tape starring John Edwards is safe and sound in an Atlanta bank vault.

The original sex tape is in an Atlanta safety deposit box along with possibly two other copies, according to an affidavit filed by [former Edwards aide, not former Atlanta mayor, Andrew Young] on Friday night. The judge has asked for all of the copies Young has.

And people say New York gets all the popular and “artsy” films before we do.

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What say he, indeed! A Georgia man traveled to Nashville, Tenn., for some sort of Tea Party convention and decided to dress up as Button Gwinnett, the patron saint of sprawl and sudden demographic shifts one of Georgia’s two signers of the Declaration of Independence! Or as this guy refers to Gwinnett, one of the signers of the “American Revolution.” He’s up there to help make sure attendees of The Movement That Will Save America© are “all united” for the 2010 and 2012 elections. Go get ‘em, you Scottish-sounding inhabitant of coastal Georgia!

(H/T Wonkette)

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Fulton County Commissioner and tireless self-promoter Robb Pitts has sent out a release lambasting his colleagues for putting the ixnay on his proposal to “make meetings more accessible for citizens.”

Specifically, he’d suggested holding commission meetings during evening hours in locations around the county. The board had even tried it twice last year — at the North and South county annex buildings — but apparently decided it didn’t like being so close to the rabble.

Frankly, I think Pitt’s proposal would’ve been a great idea — 10 years ago.

It’s still not a bad idea, but now what’s the point? Fulton’s government is all but vaporized, its functions and authority having been absorbed by start-up cities on both ends of the county. Hell, it doesn’t really do zoning anymore, which is the issue that most compelled people to attend meetings.

The timing of Pitt’s proposal suggests that he’s trying to derail the effort to split Fulton asunder to create Milton County. Sorry, but that train has left the station. If it gets stopped, it will be due to heroic efforts by Atlanta state lawmakers and Mayor Kasim Reed, not by Fulton commissioners pretending they suddenly care about what the folks up in Alpharetta have to say.

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The assets of former LGBT publications Southern Voice and David are scheduled to be sold for $8,000 at a Feb. 25 hearing in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Northern District of Georgia.

The bidder for the SoVo/David assets?  The Georgia Voice, LLC of course — the corporation formed by SoVo founder Chris Cash and former editor Laura Douglas-Brown.  The Georgia Voice, LLC will debut a new LGBT news publication in March called GA Voice, with Douglas-Brown as editor.

Project Q Atlanta has the rundown, which also includes details on the bids for the other LGBT papers across the country that folded with the Window Media collapse on Nov. 16.

So what does that eight grand get GA Voice?  Douglas-Brown told CL that the assets include the SoVo/David archives, rights to the names, web addresses, newspaper boxes and the contents of their old office — furniture, computers, file cabinets, etc.

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A damn good find by Amanda Hess of the Washington City Paper, CL’s sister publication.

Yesterday, Hess pointed readers of The Sexist blog to the Valdosta State University police department’s tips for female students avoid being sexually assaulted. Unfortunately, the advice was atrocious.

Among the pearls of wisdom (and we’re only paraphrasing a few of these): Women, stop being so damn sympathetic — y’all “always are.” If you’re confronted by a gun-wielding attacker, run your ass off. (Statistics say the shots will probably miss a vital organ.) If you don’t have a cell phone, well, then “shame on you.” The most confusing: “‘Never let yourself or anyone that you know be in any type of business (bar, store, restaurant, gas station).”

The list was poorly planned and executed, to say the least.

Sexual assault policy group SAFER Campus called the list of tips “deeply offensive” and said it did nothing to address rape culture, date rape or acquaintance rape — which Hess says is the most common form of sexual assault on college campuses. Add to the fact that the advice essentially blamed the victim and were only geared toward women, and you can see why VSU apparently pulled it from its Web site sometime between yesterday afternoon and this morning. Hess commends them for no longer endorsing the tips, and we do too. But we’ve gotta say… Valdosta… c’mon, y’all.

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>> Leaders of the “Tea Party” movement met in Nashville today for their first convention to unveil a national strategy concerning this year’s midterm elections. Their main strategy: pay Sarah Palin $100,000 to spout bullshit. (the Washington Post)

>> The unemployment rate actually fell to a five-month low of 9.7 percent, though 20,000 jobs were cut last month. It’s this kind of kooky math that got us into this trouble! (Reuters)

>> Winter storms hit the mid-Atlantic today with as much as two feet of snow in Washington D.C. Just a little news to make today’s rain storm seem a little better. (USA Today)

>> In the pressures of young Hollywood: A Chinese woman wants to undergo extensive plastic surgery to look like actress Jessica Alba to win her boyfriend back who always wished she looked like the star. He sounds like a keeper. (Reuters)

>> And finally: Reports come that the producers of “American Idol” are pursuing foul-mouthed radio DJ Howard Stern to replace departing judge Simon Cowell. If that’s the case, I may finally tune into the show. (the NY Post)

(Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

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While walking the grounds of the West Paces Ferry duplex at 3:14 a.m. in his jammies, Gov. Sonny Perdue had a wonderful idea. “I’m leaving office in less than a year,” he very loudly said to himself, waking up next door neighbor Arthur Blank’s hounds. “I need to restructure the state government. It is decided. Now I will go and watch bass fishing blooper videos.”

Aaron Gould Sheinin of the AJC reports:

Perdue’s plan, which would require approval of voters in November, would allow future governors to appoint the state’s insurance, labor and agriculture commissioners, as well as the state school superintendent.[...]

Georgia is one of only five states that elect a labor commissioner and one of only nine states to elect its agriculture commissioner. Twelve other states elect an insurance commissioner and 14 vote for state school superintendent.

Georgia voters would ultimately decide this fall if the governor’s proposal passes. Some folks oppose plans similar to Perdue’s because they fear it could open the offices up to cronyism. But Perdue and supporters think it’ll allow officials to focus on policy matters rather than just getting re-elected. And sometimes the departments suffer because the head honcho was decided via popularity contest. The money quote comes courtesy of state Sen. Bill “Silver Fox” Heath, R-Bremen. The 2008 Golden Sleaze recipient supports the proposal.

“Those offices are offices that require or deserve expertise,” Heath said. “In the election process it’s not always the most qualified person who wins the election.”

You don’t say.

UPDATE: Attorney General Thurbert Baker, a 2010 Democratic gubernatorial candidate, says hell-to-the-no to Perdue’s proposal:

“The Governor’s proposal to take away people’s right to vote for four constitutional offices is simply wrong.  In a state where the right to vote was fought for and advanced, it is insulting to propose taking that right away from people, especially for critical policy making positions that affect so many lives.  These offices exist to serve the people, not to be political trophies for the politicians who would like to control them.”

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Yesterday, CL graphic designer, occasional cover model and all-around chuckles machine Brooke Hatfield drove to her grandmother’s house in Clayton County. She had her eyes set on a table she plans to paint and put in her new apartment. After Brooke removed the drawers, she found an old Atlanta Journal newspaper delivery bag. Inside was someone’s pay stub from the 1970s and lots of old match books — most of which are Atlanta-related. Here’s a link to some scans of the discovered treasure.

Our favorite matchbook — which warned of moonshine’s dangers and advised smokers to rat out offenders to “state revenue agents” — is above.

(Scan by Brooke Hatfield)

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Kshitij "Badger" Shrotri is the accused samurai sword stabber

Bad news coming out of Georgia Tech.

From the AJC:

A man believed to be a former grad student stabbed a post doctoral fellow with a sword at Georgia Tech this afternoon, a school spokesman said.

The attack happened at the Weber [Space, Science and Technology] Building shortly before 1:20 p.m. The victim was taken to Grady Hospital.

A police officer was slightly hurt while arresting the attacker, the school spokesman said.

WSB-TV reports that suspect Kshitij “Badger” Shrotri used a samurai sword. On Feb. 5, Shrotri waived a hearing on aggravated assault charges. Both victims are recovering from their injuries.

(Photo courtesy Fulton County Sheriff’s Department)

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Meet your new local eyesore

Last August, some Atlantans were puzzled by a massive Holiday Inn billboard that wrapped around the exterior of the Medical Arts Building on Peachtree Street.

Some folks thought the historic landmark — which has sat vacant since the late 1990s — was finally being redeveloped. Turns out the fabric wrap-around was merely used to promote the hotel chain’s other projects in Atlanta. In other words, it was a giant, gaudy ad wrapped around a beautiful and unused building.

It was also a violation of city code. After Central Atlanta Progress raised a red flag about the Holiday Inn billboard, the ad was removed. Jennifer Ball of the downtown civic organization told the AJC in August that building advertisements can be no larger than 200 square feet. They must also be related to the business on which they’re installed.

Well, on Sunday, a new advertisement was installed. This one’s for Metro PCS. And yes, it appears it’s just a tad bit larger than 200 square feet. And, the city tells CL, it too violates city code.

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Former NFL quarterback Bobby Hebert (coincidentally pronounced “A-bear“) may have spent his final years in the league in a Falcons uniform, but he’s always been a Louisiana boy at heart.  He was born and raised there, went to college there, spent the majority of his pro career there with the New Orleans Saints and hosts a popular radio show there.

And apparently does spastic gender-bending dances there.

With the Saints making the Super Bowl this year for the first time ever, Hebert took up his former broadcast partner (the late)  Buddy Diliberto’s promise to parade through the French Quarter in a dress if the Saints made it to the big game.

Here are the results.

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The biggest threat to media today

>> President Obama attended the National Prayer Breakfast this morning, a networking event for D.C,’s who’s who, sponsored by the organization “the Family.” Groups know as “the Family” can either be: New Jersey mafioso, Messianic cults, or a combination. Out of the two, I almost hope it’s the mafia. (the New York Times)

>> At the breakfast, Obama went on to tell those there including “the Family,” which may have ties to those in Uganda trying to pass laws making homosexuality punishable by death, that “We may disagree about gay marriage, but surely we can agree that it is unconscionable to target gays and lesbians.” We disagree about one thing but agree on one vague thing. How powerful. (BBC News)

>> The White House announced it will not have a regular Q&A session between the President and Congress like previously suggested. Damn–that had the potential of being even more entertaining than “Teen Mom.” (Huffington Post)

>> Afghan authorities, along with NATO, are preparing for an assault on a Taliban enclave. We’ll see how this whole “cooperation” thing goes. (Reuters)

>> And finally: Fourteen percent of teens say they blog, down from 28% in 2006. Yay–the media is saved! (Pew Center)

(Photo courtesy Flickr)

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Georgia, you’re killing us here.

From the AJC:

The Federal Transit Administration on Tuesday published a list of 27 transit projects recommended for $1.8 billion in federal funding. Georgia wasn’t on it.

It couldn’t be. Georgia had no proposals up for consideration, FTA spokesman Paul Griffo said.

In contrast to the high-speed rail grants last week, these recommendations would fund development of local transit projects such as new bus and streetcar lines. Those types of projects have usually been in the works for some time and require local investment to win federal funds.

According to transportation wonks we’ve spoken with, it’s the lack of local investment — or even willingness to invest — that’s been Georgia’s biggest obstacle to winning much-needed federal dollars.

It’s looking like Atlanta’s best hope for the next round federal transit funding — which is expected to be announced on Feb. 17 — is the Peachtree Streetcar.

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While perusing the State Ethics Commission’s website last night — what, doesn’t everyone do that? — we noticed a new trend among lobbyists who treat lawmakers to a lunch or the occasional Monster Truck event ticket. Not only are the handshake artists spending less on lawmakers’ perks, they’re getting hilariously specific about the gifts.

Here’s perhaps the most glaring example:

Ya know, back in the day, our ancestors had a simple name for fifths of “grain-based distilled coffee additives:” vodka. (Not that we’re suggesting an insurance industry lobbyist gave the good senator from Ochlocknee a bottle of Mr. Boston. We’re just, ya know, being a bunch of rascals.)

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Say goodbye to your pond, turtles. You're going to space!

>> New York lawmakers are trying to change the 2010 Census’s method of counting inmates from the current method of counting in the towns they’re incarcerated rather than where they used to live. Essentially rural shitholes with large prisons are listed similar in size to urban areas without prisons. Everyone’s a loser in the 2010 Census. (Fox News)

>> Senior intelligence officials told Congress today that Al-Qaeda can be expected to attack the U.S. in the next three to six months. At least it won’t be a surprise. (USA Today)

>> Iran announces today the launch of a powerful rocket carrying a rat, two turtles and worms into space on the country’s Space Day next week. The West has long been alarmed by the nation’s missile technology, and now we’re all just worried about those cute little critters. (the LA Times)

>> Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi spoke today of the “urgent” need for talks over the Iranian nuclear issue. That’s right, China — divert the attention from you. (PressTV)

>> And finally: The medical journal the Lancet has retracted the 1998 paper that said vaccinations could increase children’s risk of developing autism. As if Jenny McCarthy couldn’t become less relevant. (ABC News)

(Photo courtesy Flickr)

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Build your own security force and get a tax break.

If you’re an Atlanta homeowner, this might sound familiar: You pay high property taxes, yet don’t feel adequately protected by the city’s short-staffed and overworked police force. So you cough up extra cash for your neighborhood’s private security patrol. You have to pay extra for your safety, but it is what it is.

A state lawmaker thinks he might be able to ease that financial burden.

State Rep. Rashad Taylor, D-Atlanta, has introduced legislation that would offer an annual income tax credit of up to $1,200 to single-family homeowners who participate in their neighborhood’s private security patrol.

Taylor says the bill could benefit homeowners throughout the city and across the state who live in areas that lack adequate police coverage thanks to public safety cutbacks or coverage gaps.

“I thought this would be a good way to give those homeowners some relief,” Taylor told CL. “Those who have to supplement what their government should be doing, they ought to be given a break on their taxes for that.”

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