Commentary: Only transit investment—not tech hype—can solve Gwinnett’s transportation woes
"In communities like Gwinnett’s around the nation, we’ve also seen Uber, automated vehicles, hyperloop, and even flying cars offered as reasons not to commit to long-term transit planning. These expectations are wildly inflated." An automated vehicle specialist defends the need for conventional rail and bus service.
Commentary: The joy of self-destruction as a UMass fan at Sanford Stadium
"There’s something deranged about watching the University of Georgia playing the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in football." An Atlantan UMass alum heads to Athens to watch the Minutemen get completely destroyed by the Bulldogs.
Commentary: Why Oprah’s appearances with Stacey Abrams resonated so loudly—especially with Georgia women
Publications as geographically and ideologically diverse as the Guardian, Fox News, Variety, the Hill, and others ran stories or segments about Oprah Winfrey’s campaign appearances with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. Yet regardless of the depth of coverage, the two events held in auditoriums in the Atlanta suburbs likely impacted the local crowds in a much deeper way than what could be conveyed to national viewers.
Commentary: Criminal justice reform in Georgia cannot end with Governor Deal
Sara Totonchi and Marissa McCall Dodson of the nonprofit law firm Southern Center for Human Rights on how the next governor of Georgia must continue Governor Nathan Deal's mission of criminal justice reform.
Commentary: Connecting MARTA’s proposed light rail to the current Atlanta Streetcar is a mistake
Back in November, voters overwhelmingly approved a sales tax increase to fund transit expansion in the City of Atlanta. MARTA just released its ideal expansion plans, which include bus rapid transit crisscrossing the city, late night and weekend bus service, and 21 miles of light rail. But there is a fatal flaw: the light rail infrastructure goes through one of the most congested part of town, the downtown path of the Atlanta Streetcar.
Commentary: Before we knock holes into Central Library, we should be certain that’s what Atlantans really want
The problem isn’t that residents have chosen not to participate in the process of renovation downtown Atlanta's Central Library; it’s that they weren’t given the opportunity to truly engage in the process.
A modest proposal to get Amazon’s HQ2 in Atlanta: Make stuff up
Atlanta really, really, wants to be the site of Amazon’s HQ2, but we've got some problems that could halt that. How do we fix our issues before the Amazon delegation arrives to inspect our city? Like a steel plate over a pothole, let's cover 'em up.
Commentary: The Gulch could connect downtown—and more. We can’t squander that opportunity.
Done right, CIM Group’s redevelopment of the Gulch could stitch together more than 200 acres in downtown, creating a new chunk of the city core. The opportunity to build a new grid, one that’s open to pedestrians and transit users, doesn’t come along often. We can’t design and develop for one tenant or one use. We’ve got one chance to do it right.
Goodbye to the Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead and the celebrity gossip I used to uncover there
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Buckhead was ground zero for gossip, celebrity sightings, and the city’s social scene. And when you were responsible for banging out 30 inches of Atlanta’s bold-faced names for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s popular "Peach Buzz" column, you scoured for scoop 24/7.
Commentary: With the Trump travel ban, Americans face an important choice
As an Iranian-American, the travel ban hits close to home. My husband, Maysam, came to this country from Iran in 2000 through a student visa to get his PhD in electrical engineering. Today he is a professor at Georgia Tech, where his research focuses on helping people with disabilities lead independent lives.
