Morning headlines
Friday, May 16th, 2008CHINA EARTHQUAKE RELIEF: Fourteen Atlanta Chinese organizations have banded together and will hold various on-site donation drives this weekend and next. Another 5.5-magnitude aftershock hit the China quake zone today, causing landslides.
MOTHER’S DAY TORNADOES: Damage in Georgia has already reached $100 million, may exceed $125 million. The tornadoes also caused environmental damage, such as an industrial park in McIntosh County that was leveled, leaking fuel, oil and acid into the soil.
SOUTH RISING: Record black voter turnout for Obama could loosen the GOP’s decades-long stranglehold on the South.
TRIGGER MORTIS: Now that guns are the new iPod in Georgia, police are gearing up for a trigger-happier public, especially now that we don’t have to hide our guns in our glove compartments while driving anymore.
BODIFORD: Can stay on the Brian Nichols case, despite comments he made to the Marietta Daily Journal shortly after the deadly shootings.
ATLANTA TRAVEL PROFILE: Aw shucks, St. Pete Times.
LIZARD MAN: After a mystery animal chews up the bumper of someone’s car in Sumter, S.C., residents assume what anyone would — Lizard Man. They’re also willing to consider Bigfoot as a suspect, though, as a “renowned Bigfoot hunter” tells the local paper that there are more than 3,500 “Bigfoot creatures” nationwide.
SUSPICIOUS PACKAGE: Closes Indian Creek MARTA station.
BRAIN TRUST: Scientists are studying the only three known hyperthymestics, or people with superhuman memories, to learn more about how memory works, hoping to help those with failing memories.







Radiohead plays Thursday at Lakewood Amphitheater and, being the eco-conscious angst-ridden gents they are, have suggested fans use public transit if possible.
From MARTA:
With lawmakers eyeing reelection in November, many were hesitant to pass any solution to Atlanta’s transportation mess that might remotely sound like a tax increase. So Sen. Curt Thompson, D-Norcross, had the clever idea that counties hugging MARTA’s service areas be allowed to contract for the transit agency’s services and live up to its connectivity potential in the auto-oriented region. His bill made it through the Senate and was struggling at press time to get to the House floor.