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.
Commentary: The legacy of Cornelia Walker Bailey, the griot of Sapelo Island
Cornelia Walker Bailey knew Sapelo Island’s history and was determined to get it straight. As the unofficial griot (a West African term for a historian or storyteller) of Hog Hammock, the last remaining of the original African American communities founded by the island’s population of freed slaves and their descendants, she taught it every chance she got.
Commentary: With Tom Petty gone, I’ve lost the best friend I never met
Tom Petty's final concert was my 88th show. He ended the encore with “American Girl.” The band took a bow, and exited stage left. Then, uncharacteristically, Petty looped back around, solo, and waved to fans once again. Did some part of him know?
Commentary: Goodbye and good riddance to bland Atlanta airport development
Most southside Atlanta residents aren't shedding any tears for the demise of the airport Sheraton, and nor should they. Future developers would be wise to build hotels and offices that integrate with both the airport and the communities it sits smack in the middle of.
