Soapbox: Fresh Loaf, Creative Loafing Atlanta

Shirley Franklin: APS 'public lynching mob mentality' is 'barbaric' (Update)

Max Blau — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 17:24:10 -0400

On a day when nearly three dozen former Atlanta Public Schools educators began turning themselves in to the Fulton County Jail, former Mayor Shirley Franklin (also a former Fresh Loaf commenter) implored the general the public to avoid a "public lynching."

Franklin, now a visiting professor at the University of Texas, wasn't the only one critical of the way former APS teachers and administrators have been treated following charges of racketeering, making false statements, and theft by taking. Her calls for restraining judgement were accompanied by the Revs.…

Opinion: Process to approve stadium deal was rushed, not transparent

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:55:00 -0400

On Monday night, the Atlanta City Council approved a plan to provide at least $200 million from the city's hotel and motel tax revenues to help fund a new Atlanta Falcons football stadium. William Perry of Common Cause of Georgia, a government watchdog group, says the vote was rushed - and that talk of a "big public conversation" about the deal never came to fruition.

As the head of a nonprofit government watchdog group, I hear comments about people's cynicism toward elected officials all the time.…

Charter school amendment opponent calls ballot measure the 'T-SPLOST for Education'

Max Blau — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 10:00:00 -0400

On Nov. 6, Georgia residents will vote on the proposed charter school amendment — which seeks to reinstate the state's power to authorize the creation of charter schools. Yesterday, we ran an op-ed from Gov. Nathan Deal, who explained why passing amendment one would lead to increased choice and competition throughout Georgia's education system.…

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Gov. Deal: proposed amendment will make charter schools more like 'grocery stores'

Max Blau — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 09:30:00 -0400

On Nov. 6, Georgia residents will vote on the proposed charter school amendment — which seeks to reinstate the state's power to authorize the creation of charter schools. We asked to speak with Gov. Nathan Deal in hopes of having a conversation about the issue, but sadly, he declined our request.…
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Councilman Kwanza Hall: Cancel ParkAtlanta contract

Thomas Wheatley — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 10:06:00 -0400

For years, Atlanta City Councilman Kwanza Hall has fielded constituents' complaints about ParkAtlanta, the private company that enforces the city's on-street parking. Hall, who represents some of the cities' most dense neighborhoods including downtown and Old Fourth Ward, says in an op-ed that it's now time to cancel the deal.…
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A bicycle advocate's argument for the T-SPLOST

Thomas Wheatley — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 14:39:39 -0400

Look over the list of transportation projects to be funded by the T-SPLOST, which voters will decide on July 31, and you'll find plenty of road and transit projects. But there's plenty for bicyclists and pedestrians to be happy about as well, says Rebecca Serna, executive director of the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition.…
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A Millennial's argument for the T-SPLOST

Thomas Wheatley — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:51:00 -0400

Saba Long is a downtown Atlanta resident, serves on the board of Neighborhood Planning Unit M, and is a spokeswoman for Citizens for Transportation Mobility, the business community's campaign to pass the July 31 regional transportation tax referendum. Long, like many Millennials, uses transit to move around the city and wants more options.…
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Why we're sticking with Occupy Atlanta

Thomas Wheatley — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:01:00 -0400

Yesterday CL published a column by metro Atlanta journalist and researcher George Chidi about why he's leaving the Occupy Atlanta movement. We're happy to give members of the group a chance to respond.

Many of us in Occupy Atlanta were deeply saddened by George Chidi's article, "Why I'm leaving Occupy Atlanta," published yesterday in Creative Loafing, and several of us have come together to pen a collaborative response.…
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Why I'm leaving Occupy Atlanta

Thomas Wheatley — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:22:38 -0400

George Chidi, a metro Atlanta journalist and researcher who's participated in several Occupy Atlanta demonstrations, says he's finished with the leaderless movement. After Occupy met last night at Woodruff Park to discuss next steps, Chidi penned the following "break-up letter" to the group, which he's given us permission to publish.

Tonight, I quit Occupy Atlanta for good.…
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Judge: Municipal court isn't a 'waste of time'

Thomas Wheatley — Wed, 11 May 2011 12:14:00 -0400

CL's editorial board in April echoed the findings of a city audit recommending the Atlanta Municipal Court cut the number of active courtrooms and reduce the number of charges that require defendants to appear before judges, among other cost-saving measures. Like many of his colleagues, Atlanta Municipal Court Judge Gary Jackson took issue with that view.

I write to respond to your column entitled "City court should waste less of our time.…
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Local ministers: HB 87 is NOT what Jesus would do

Gwynedd Stuart — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 15:46:04 -0400

A group of nine North Georgia ministers submitted the following editorial to CL urging Gov. Nathan Deal not to sign HB 87, Georgia's controversial anti-illegal immigration legislation. Email editorial submissions and suggestions to editorialboard@cln.com.

What’s good for Georgia is that we base our social policies on traditional spiritual values of compassion and hospitality.…
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Relying too much on sales taxes would be 'radical idea with dangerous consequences'

Thomas Wheatley — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 10:29:00 -0500

A panel tasked with overhauling Georgia's tax code will reveal its recommendations today to lawmakers. The 11-member group's remained tight-lipped throughout the process but is expected to propose reductions on income taxes — and increases to sales taxes on some goods and services.…
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Building a Center for Civil and Human Rights for the future

Soapbox Editor — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:53:00 -0400

Last week, CL news editor Scott Henry criticized the decision-making process — and the ultimate decision — to locate the planned National Center for Civil and Human Rights next to the World of Coca-Cola and Georgia Aquarium near Centennial Olympic Park. Doug Shipman, the center's executive director, responds.

Questions arise from time to time about the selected location of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, a prime swath of land in Downtown Atlanta on Pemberton Place.…
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What are the rules of artwork existing in the public sphere?

Web Editor — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 10:13:00 -0400

Last week, CL columnist Cinque Hicks wrote an opinion piece about a Beltline artwork (a collaboration between local artists, Refugee Family Services youth, and a group of volunteers) that had found "itself at the center of a minor art-world scuffle" after covering up a longstanding piece by local street artist BORN. In response to Hicks' column, local artist and Refugee Family Services volunteer Joe Tsambiras wonders, "Who says what graffiti art is good enough to live on in the 'street gallery?,'" and why street art by children would be considered less valid than that of someone like BORN?

I feel that the article, “Graffiti wars” by Cinque Hicks, published in the June 10-16 paper edition and online blog, raises some issues that are not to be ignored.…
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Privatizing MARTA makes no sense

Soapbox Editor — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 15:02:00 -0400

In May, the AJC's Kyle Wingfield penned a multi-part opinion series about MARTA's financial woes. One possible solution the conservative columnist proposed was to privatize the cash-strapped transit agency's operations.…
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Soapbox: Perdue should veto tax-cut bills

Web Editor — Wed, 19 May 2010 18:54:23 -0400

In the final days of a legislative session marked by deep cuts to Georgia's budget, state lawmakers found the opportunity to pass tax cuts that would benefit select residents — and eliminate a tax credit that offers relief to the poorest of Georgians. Sarah Beth Gehl of the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute says Gov. Sonny Perdue still has time to stop legislation that will only add to the state's budget mess.

The Georgia House of Representatives and Senate took some positive steps to address the $5 billion budget deficit, such as passing bills to raise almost $375 million in new revenues and to improve tax collections and transparency.…
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Soapbox: Russia’s invasion of Georgia

Web Editor — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:29:13 -0400

Guest blogger Charles McNair gives his eyewitness report from the front.

The little community of Flounder sits only a few miles off I-75. Here, short weeks after the Russians pulled out of Georgia, signs of invasion remain widespread.…
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Soapbox: Palin takes the stage

Web Editor — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 21:30:04 -0400

Zac Farber, a junior at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn., gives his impressions of the on-going Republican National Convention.

Hurricane Gustav subsided, the Republicans were able to step off the political tightrope of balancing convention festivities with catastrophe sympathies Wednesday night and turn their efforts toward calming the storm surrounding their vice presidential nominee, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska.

The Republicans tried to turn Palin’s string of scandals—firing a state trooper, soliciting pork for her hometown, mothering a pregnant 17-year-old—into minor peccadilloes.…
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Soapbox: Theatrics at the RNC

Web Editor — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:00:38 -0400

Zac Farber, a junior at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn., gives his impressions of the on-going Republican National Convention.

Do not let the politicians fool you; it wasn’t their convention.…
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DNC Diary: Celebs and celebrations

Web Editor — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:34:17 -0400

Edward McNally is a guest blogger for CL and is blogging about his experiences as a runner for the press at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver. This is his report on day 3 of the convention. You can read about the first 48 hours here.

Standing surprisingly close to the podium when Barack makes his surprise appearance in the Pepsi Center.…
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DNC diary: Feiler's Day 3

Ken Edelstein — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:23:00 -0400

Andrew Feiler, a member of the Georgia delegation to the Democratic National Convention, is filing daily reports from Denver. Click for Day 1 and Day 2.…
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DNC Diary: Running the gamut

Web Editor — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:05:31 -0400

Edward McNally is a guest blogger for CL and is blogging about his experiences as a runner for the press at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver.

The past 48 hours are a blur of faces, sounds, sights and physical extremes.…
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Diary from the DNC: Day 2

Ken Edelstein — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:29:57 -0400

Andrew Feiler of Atlanta is an a member of the Georgia delegation to the Democratic National Convention. Here's his diary entry from Tuesday, Day 2, in Denver:

In the wake of opening night there’s been a lot of play about James Carville and company complaining about lack of “red meat.” I believe that’s indeed been missing in past conventions and that clear messages for Obama and against McCain are one of the things I’m most looking for this time around, but I actually feel that Monday night was played well.…
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Diary from the DNC: Day 1

Ken Edelstein — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:26:36 -0400

Andrew Feiler of Atlanta is a member of the Georgia delegation to this week's National Democratic Convention. He's been sending friends his daily journal from Denver.…
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Soapbox: Reality estate

TL Pixley — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:31:53 -0400

This is a Soapbox submission by a guest blogger.

Trouble in Paradise

By Hannah Palmer

When ABC’s "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" came to Stumptown, I was just as excited as everyone else at the office. The project site was one block from my high school, on a street where I had trick-or-treated, babysat and toilet-papered houses.…
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