Fresh Loaf

Atlanta Unsheltered’s Jeanne Bonner says there’s preliminary talk of using magnetic levitation trains to ferry Atlanta Braves fans from Five Points to Turner Field.

The issue came up yesterday at a meeting of MARTOC, a joint committee of the Georgia House and Senate that oversees MARTA’s budget.

I’m waiting for more details from the MARTA folks. There’s talk of lots of things, but where are we on this? I think the very preliminary stages.

What’s cool is if the project were to get off the ground, it could involve a Powder Springs company called American Maglev Technology. The company has a test track near its headquarters where it tests out a lighter vehicle version of the maglev technology.

Atlanta Unfiltered’s Jim Walls has more:

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1) Farmer Jason performs at Red Light Café.

2) The Atlanta Braves play the Boston Red Sox at Turner Field.

3) Comedian Lisa Landry performs at the Punchline.

4) Corndogorama continues at East Atlanta Village.

5) Gil Robertson signs Family Affair: What It Means to Be African American Today at Greater St. Stephen Full Gospel Baptist Church.

See more Atlanta events.

(Photo © Lawson Little)

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Here’s a pitfall of privatization: Sometimes the company hired to perform some public task goes kaput. That’s the Atlanta-related footnote to today’s big business news, summed up here by the New York Times:

General Growth Properties, one of the largest mall operators in the nation, filed for bankruptcy early Thursday morning in one of the biggest commercial real estate collapses in U.S. history.

What’s the ATL connection? Well, last summer, the City Council finally hit upon a solution for dealing with the motley collection of street vendors that operate around the Five Points MARTA station, Turner Field and other locations. For years, local business owners had complained that raggedy-ass vendors’ booths made a poor impression on visitors and made downtown look shabby (or perhaps shabbier). The city, however, had never managed to muster the political will to force vendors to shape up.

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An usher for the Braves since 1966, Banks is a well-known personality at Turner Field. He’s legendary among fellow attendants for his extensive knowledge of numbers and baseball, as well as for his humble personality.

What is a typical day like for you?

I try to give the fans a real Braves experience — making them feel welcome, talking to them, and just making them feel at home. [Depending on] the way they’re treated, there’s a chance they’ll bring somebody back with them, and then that person will bring somebody back. A real Braves experience is just rolling the red carpet out and making them feel at home.

Can you describe what happened when Hank Aaron set the record?

Of all the big events I’ve witnessed, that was one of the biggest. That was a centerpiece of the Braves franchise. On every aisle seat, there’s a logo of Hank Aaron.

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Whether it’s with sparklers at a backyard cookout, or choreographed explosions lighting up the night sky, most people enjoy heading outside to watch fireworks on the Fourth of July. Here at CL we are no exception, so we went ahead and put together a roundup of where you can calm your fireworks craving this Fri., July 4.

Not one to disappoint, Stone Mountain will celebrate the Fourth with a dual lasershow and fireworks display. Come early to enjoy all the park’s attractions for the day and then find a comfortable spot on the Memorial Lawn to check out the new and improved Lasershow at 9:30 p.m., followed by fireworks from the top and bottom of the mountain. $10 parking fee per vehicle. 770-498-5690. www.stonemountainpark.com.

The annual Fourth of July event at Centennial Olympic Park is becoming a tradition for its family-friendly and fun activities. From noon to 5 p.m. bring the kids to enjoy arts and crafts, face painting, performances, stilt walkers, inflatables and more. Beginning at 5 p.m., local band Stokeswood will put the evening in high gear, with a performance from 911 Band following. The Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra headlines the musical event at 8 p.m. and will feature solo performances by actor Ric Reitz, vocalist Wendy Bennett and string trio True Dixon. The AirTran Airways Fireworks Spectacular will wrap up the event with an amazing show framed by the downtown skyline and synchronized to a selection of patriotic music. Can’t make it to the show? 11 Alive (WXIA-TV) will broadcast the show live, and the music will be broadcast on radio station Star 94 (WSLC-FM). 404-223-4090. www.centennialpark.com. (more…)

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OK, baseball fans, the last-place Chicago Cubs (5-8) begin a two-game series with the division-leading Braves (9-4) tonight, so I thought a small comparison of the team histories was in order — that is, considering they are so drastically different.

Being a Braves fan has been easy. It’s like being a baby: Every time we open our mouths, someone shovels more food in; when we take a shit, someone else cleans it up. There are no curses, no bad joo-joo, nada. The only thing difficult, it would appear, about being a Braves fan is showing up to the games! This is not true for Cubs fans.

All of that said shit has been dumped on the Cubbies, those lovable losers from the North Side of Chicago. Not since 1908 have the Cubs won a World Series — the longest dry spell in all of baseball and of every major sport in the United States. I’d list the huge events that have occurred since the last time the Cubs won the championship, but you are probably planning on going to bed tonight before 3 a.m. (If not, well, maybe you should get a job.)

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