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The AJC says Forsyth County police have arrested the President Barack Obama supporter who claims she stopped short a trip to the inauguration after her home was set on fire. Police said “racially-charged graffiti” was also spraypainted on her fence.

Turns out she’s now a suspect in the crime.

Investigators arrested the homeowner Pamela Graf and her boyfriend late Tuesday, while executing a search warrant as part of their investigation into the Jan. 18 fire, said Steve Anderson, chief of investigations for the Forsyth County Fire Department.

“She is a suspect,” Anderson said today , “I look for something to be coming in the next day or two.”

“We were in search of fruits of the crime of arson,” the chief said. He declined to discuss specifics.

Graf was charged with possession of cocaine, and her boyfriend, identified as Steve Strobel, was charged with obstruction for giving statements “that were not truthful,” Anderson said.

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Approximate number of people who gathered in Centennial Olympic Park to watch the presidential inauguration: 1,000

Temperature in degrees, with wind chill included, at 9:05 a.m. on Jan. 20 in Atlanta: 11

Number of people who attended the Georgia Democratic Party’s inaugural brunch in Washington, D.C.: 700

Approximate number of people who watched the ceremony at Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church: 250

Time people began lining up Tuesday morning outside Manuel’s Tavern to watch the ceremony: 9

Time the restaurant normally opens on weekday mornings: 11

Number of extra copies the AJC printed of its Jan. 21 edition to meet collectors’ demand: 225,000

Price in dollars of a limited-edition bottle of Hennessy cognac issued for the inauguration: 60

Price in dollars of a limited-edition Spiderman comic book featuring President Obama at Oxford Comics: 75

Price in dollars of an inauguration ceremony ticket offered on the Atlanta Craigs List: 1,000

Number of ads on Atlanta Craigs List offering sex in D.C. port-a-potties on inauguration day: 1

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Yesterday, the nation’s first African-American president was sworn into office. Today, a chance to reflect on the moment.

Here’s a glimpse:

For older blacks, inauguration a dream fulfilled (Associated Press)

Across Atlanta, a sense of pride and deep reflection (Wall Street Journal Blogs)

Metro Atlantas celebrate Obama inauguration (AJC)

Watching change (Gawker)

News sites see massive demand for online news (The Boston Globe)

Today’s front pages from around the country and world (Newseum)

A tale of two prayers: Rick Warren’s and the Rev. Joseph Lowery’s (Crooks and Liars)

The first blog entry at the White House’s official website (WhiteHouse.gov)

Bush to Obama: A private letter (Los Angeles Times)

Bush daughters offer advice, in the form of a letter, to Obama daughters (Associated Press)

After a day of crowds and celebrations, Obama turns to a sober list of challenges (New York Times)

And finally, a view of yesterday’s ceremony, from way up high, in breathtaking detail (Popular Science)

(Photo from Popular Science)

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Gov. Sonny Perdue on President Barack Obama’s swearing-in ceremony:

“Today’s inauguration of President Obama marks yet another peaceful transition of power in our nation’s great history. Mary and I were honored to attend today’s ceremony and our prayers are with President and Mrs. Obama as they take on this awesome responsibility. Georgia looks forward to continuing to work closely with the incoming administration as we address our softening economy and the impact it is having on our citizens. I also want to thank President Bush for his service to our country and for his support and friendship during his time in the White House.”

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As Paul noted in the comments of CL’s inauguration live blog, President Barack Obama’s speech is now online.

The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

Read the entire speech over at CQPolitics.

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NOT FUNNY Aides recently told Obama about our unicorn cover

Tomorrow, CL staffers will hunker down in front of TVs and laptops to witness and participate in a historic moment in our nation’s history — Rick Warren leading a large crowd of people in  prayer. No wait, I mean, we’ll be liveblogging the inauguration of Barack Obama, the nation’s first African-American president!

If you’re stuck at work or sitting at home and looking for a place to comment, make snide remarks, celebrate, or even commiserate, this is it. We go live at 10:45 a.m. and plan to type until we’re so full of hope and change we’re inspired to become decent, law-abiding citizens.  We’ll have polls, funny photos of large men on mopeds, and maybe even some special guests. (Vernon Jones, call us back!)

It’s been a long eight years. And the next four — hopefully eight? — will be tough. But regardless of your politics, it’ll be a ceremony you won’t want to say you missed.

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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Barack Obama, flanked by Dexter King, visiting the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial January 20th, 2008.

The Newsdome takes a few links of its daily pessimistic rundown to honor the man about to become our 44th President in light of this historic day:

• AJC’s Martin Luther King Jr. page.
• ABC News interviews various civil rights leaders: From ‘I have a dream’ to Obama Inauguration.
• The view from abroad: Obama honours Martin Luther King on last day before presidency begins.
• Schedule of events for tomorrow’s inauguration.
• Lifehacker’s guide to catching the inauguaration from anywhere, from your phone to your desktop … this time, productivity can take a backseat to a good cause.
• Just because: The Obama inauguration … in Legos!!!

As for the rest of the news:

• More join milittary as job prospects dwindle.
• A Windows worm affects 8 million business PCs.
• Gaza in relative calm after both Hamas and the Israeli army hold ceasefire — relative being the operative word. A mere day later, European leaders are all smiles with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert … Meanwhile in Gaza, there are more than 1,000 civilian casualties, of which, 315 are children…
• On this side of the pond: In the last three months, at least 24 detainees have been declared improperly held at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba (that’s nearly 10 percent of the population in detention, where about 245 men remain).
• Finally: Revisiting The Onion’s predictions for a Bush presidency in 2001 … not funny haha, funny holy shit.

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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GLUE GUN: "Evereman Wheatpaste" by Evereman

On Tues., Jan. 20, the nation will swear in the president with the catchiest catch phrase since Eisenhower’s “I like Ike.” If ever there was a time for art to explore political language, it’s now.

Beep Beep Gallery’s Popaganda attempts to tackle the visual language of politics without all the messiness of actual politics. Organizers Mark Basehore and James McConnell have brought together work designed to promote itself, promote nothing, or promote promotion with no ties to real campaigns or parties. Unfortunately, this group show is long on promise and short on delivery.

Popaganda squeezes 15 artists’ works into Beep Beep’s intimate, studiously lo-fi space off Ponce. The exhibit consists mostly of small paintings, drawings and mixed-media works by a young stable of gallery regulars including Ben Goldman and Sat Kirpal Khalsa. Themes depicted range from Goldman’s hyperpatriotic portrait of the gallery’s founders to Evereman’s early Soviet-style print of a worker mounting a poster by, who else?, Evereman. The spirit of Shepard Fairey hangs low over all.

What should have been a provocative look at how art shades into marketing shades into manipulation, instead too often degenerates into a series of easy jokes. But irony eats its young. And the down-at-the-heels, hipster aesthetic of snarky irony evinced by most of the show’s works is already starting to feel dated.

A missed opportunity is forgivable, but Popaganda takes a step down from there. (more…)

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