Tuesday, May 21, 2013
News Georgia Supreme Court reprimands Democratic Party chairman for ethics violations
Posted by Max Blau on Tue, May 21, 2013 at 5:13 PM
- Max Blau/CL File
- Mike Berlon speaks to Democratic supporters on election night last year
The Loganville lawyer, who chalks the matter up to a minor disagreement, says he asked Georgia's highest court to issue the reprimand, considered the least severe punishment for lawyers who violate State Bar of Georgia rules. The state Supreme Court approved the request because Berlon, a member of the bar since 1993, "had no prior disciplinary sanctions," according to court documents.
Berlon says he was "surprised" by the media's reaction to the news, as he's been dealing with the complaint for several years. He tells CL he accepts responsibility but thinks that the court's decision showed that the complaint wasn't that serious and won't affect his work for Georgia Democrats. "This has been going on from a lot of years," says Berlon. "I'm glad it's resolved."
From 2004 to 2009, Berlon represented Richard Rauch in a child custody battle. According to the complaint, he didn't file an action for a change of custody at his client's request and failed "to maintain truthful communication" with Rauch on the matter.
The court's reprimand doesn't prohibit Berlon from practicing the law. However, he was recently suspended, the AJC reports, for failing to "respond to a State Bar of Georgia notice of investigation in another case, the details of which remain confidential." According to the paper, the bar recently asked a court to lift that suspension.
News Falcons land $200 million NFL loan to build new shrine to bone-crushing injuries and fleeting glory
Posted by Thomas Wheatley on Tue, May 21, 2013 at 1:22 PM
- Georgia World Congress Center Authority
- All hail the 'Pantheon'
In addition to the hundreds of millions of dollars in public funds that the team will receive to help construct a new stadium, it will also enjoy some financial help from the NFL. The football league's team owners today approved a $200 million loan to Blank and company. Reporteth the Associated Press:
Blank, speaking at the NFL's spring meetings, called the decision by the team owners an "important milestone" in moving the project forward."The NFL has supported new stadium construction through various means for decades," he said. "Our club owners understand that investments ... are important to the long-term strength of the league, and we thank them for their support."
Still no word on which stadium design Falcons executives prefer: the more conservative airplane hangar/British soccer stadium or the Stargate/portal to hell.
5 things to do 5 things to do: Gianna Angelopoulos
Posted by Alicia Carter on Tue, May 21, 2013 at 10:03 AM
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1. Gianna Angelopoulos at the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum |
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2. Colonel E H Taylor Tasting at Mac McGee's Irish Pub |
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3. BET's "Sunday Best" Live Taping at Turner Studios |
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4. Six Time Losers, Some Kind of Nightmare, and more at Smith's Olde Bar |
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5. Extreme Mammals continues at Fernbank Museum of Natural History |
News First Slice 5/21/13: Group plans to supply Georgia parks with atheist books
Posted by Max Blau on Tue, May 21, 2013 at 8:29 AM
Atlanta Police say that a man recently raped an autistic female student at North Atlanta High School. No charges have been filed yet, but principal Howard Taylor said that educators would "remain vigilant" in the days to come.
Following last week's controversy over bibles in state park lodges, a group will now send the Georgia Department of Natural Resources enough atheist books to place one in every cabin. "American Atheists does not believe the State of Georgia should be placing Bibles or atheist books in state park cabins; however, if the state is going to allow such distribution, we will happily provide our materials," American Atheists President David Silverman said.
Five finalists were chosen as potential builders for the new Falcons stadium. Among them were Skanska, Holder Construction Group LLC, Turner Construction Company, Clark Construction Group, and Hunt Construction Group.
ICYMI: Downtown Atlanta will soon get its very own 18-story "Skyview" Ferris wheel.
Atlanta's VA Medical Center has found a new director following its recent struggles with patient mismanagement.
In national news, a devastating tornado yesterday has killed as many as 90 people in a community just outside Oklahoma City.
UPDATE, 2:00 p.m.: The New York Times reports that 24 people, including nine children, are confirmed dead. Hospitals have treated more than 175 people.
Monday, May 20, 2013
News City Council OK's Downtown Ferris wheel construction, allows Atlantans to forge memories that will last a lifetime
Posted by Max Blau on Mon, May 20, 2013 at 5:23 PM
The age of the Ferris wheel in Downtown may soon be upon us, Atlanta.
The Atlanta City Council voted unanimously today to pave the way for a private developer to build an 18-story tourist attraction in the Tabernacle's parking lot.
"It will be a unique, affordable experience," City Councilman Kwanza Hall told the Associated Press. "And while Ferris wheels have been around for years, it is still a very innovative idea."
Today's decision will allow St. Louis-based company Pacific Development, LLC to construct the "Skyview" Ferris wheel, which will extend into the public rights of way on both Luckie and Nassau streets.
The project won't cost taxpayers any money. "There is no city money, no public money whatsoever going toward the project. It's 100 percent privately financed," Jason Evans, a spokesman for the project, told CBS Atlanta.
It's estimated that between 1,000 and 3,000 passenger will ride the Ferris wheel every day. Plans call for the ride to be open from 10 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week. The attraction, which would last for nearly 15 minutes and cost around $13 per ride, would be similar to other Ferris wheels that the company built in Paris and Pensacola.
The fun - yes, oodles of fun - could start as soon as next month.
Politics Obama to Morehouse Men: Get your grind on and give back, excuses be damned
Posted by Rodney Carmichael on Mon, May 20, 2013 at 1:51 PM
- Joeff Davis
- Because of security requirements the crowd at the Morehouse graduation waited for hours in the pouring rain, huddled together wrapped in ponchos, for the commencement program to begin.
More photographs from the Morehouse graduation ceremony
The Marines' special umbrella brigade would've come in handy at Sunday's Morehouse College commencement. Not for President Obama, who remained dry onstage during his 30-minute address to the graduating class of 2013, but for more than 500 graduates with drooping graduation caps, hundreds of alumni, family members, and others lucky enough to procure tickets to the historic event.
The White House circulated word two days in advance of the event that no umbrellas would be allowed in the case of rain. Instead, transparent ponchos were passed out to the sea of onlookers that came hours in advance to get through security lines. Drenched but undaunted, they attempted to Ziploc themselves against the elements while waiting for the ceremony to begin.
The president apologized to the mothers and grandmothers forced to endure the rainy commencement at the cost of their hair. "Michelle would not be sitting in the rain" he said to knowing laughter. "She's taught me a lot about hair."
For Obama, it was a brief respite from the seemingly perfect storm of scandal that hit the White House last week. Unlike the past 14 commencement addresses he's given since becoming president, however, he chose to forego his typical State of the Union-style graduation speech for something much more focused on the State of Black America. And it wasn't just "Morehouse Men" he encouraged to be an example and forego excuses, but black men in general.
"I have to confess, sometimes I wrote off my own failings as just another example of the world trying to keep a black man down," he said, using his youthful outlook as a personal example. "But one of the things you've learned over the last four years is that there's no longer any room for excuses."
Crime City Council President Ceasar Mitchell to field questions about Atlanta crime on Twitter
Posted by Max Blau on Mon, May 20, 2013 at 11:54 AM
Atlanta City Council President Ceasar Mitchell thinks that the perception of crime is "worse than ever," in part thanks to recent iPhone thefts and other petty crimes. He plans to explore that discussion with Atlantans during a "Twitter Chat," which will take place tonight at 5 p.m.
"Monday's Twitter Chat is an invitation from me for anyone on Twitter to participate in an open exchange about how we can all work together to reduce crimes that rob us of our basic quality of life," Mitchell said in a Facebook post.
Got a question about "apple picking?" Or perceived gun violence? Or even corrupt cops? Shoot your questions over to @ceasarcmitchell.
News First Slice 5/20/13: Would you like to buy land with pristine views of congested I-75? Call GDOT.
Posted by Thomas Wheatley on Mon, May 20, 2013 at 8:51 AM
- Joeff Davis/CL File
- You could build a nice little bungalow right there under the MARTA tracks
Heavy rains this weekend overwhelmed metro Atlanta - and created a freakishly large sinkhole.
This is how you piss off parents.
C'mon, Georgia Republicans. We were hoping the delegates at the state GOP convention would vote on whether Georgia should withdraw from Common Core standards, the latest example of the federal guvmint's overreaching.
Imagine being (allegedly!) high on LSD in an Athens, Ga., hotel and being restrained by a man named "B.J. Van Gundy."
Yahoo is buying Tumblr for more than $1 billion. That's roughly $1 for every gif and inspirational quote posted on the sharing site.
Regular CL readers might have noticed that we didn't post First Slice yesterday. We blame Obama tech hiccups! We did, however, use this fancy new World Wide Web startup to share links. View those here, here, here, here, and here.
5 things to do 5 things to do: Larry Colton
Posted by Alicia Carter on Mon, May 20, 2013 at 7:00 AM
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1. Larry Colton book discussion at the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum |
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2. Simple Abundance Cooking Class with chef Linton Hopkins at Cook's Warehouse in Brookhaven |
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3. City Mouse, Scooter McGavin, and more at Smith's Olde Bar |
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4. Franklin Pond Chamber Music's Fall Into Spring Finale Concert at Heritage Green |
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5. "What is Your Passion?" Conversations at Binders Art Supplies and Frames |
Sunday, May 19, 2013
5 things to do 5 things to do: Atlanta Streets Alive
Posted by Alicia Carter on Sun, May 19, 2013 at 7:00 AM
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1. Atlanta Streets Alive takes over nearly three miles of Peachtree Street |
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2. Great Atlanta Bicycle Parade through downtown |
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3. Music in the Park at Howell Park |
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4. Xperimental Puppetry Theater at the Center for Puppetry Arts |
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5. Second annual Asian-American Heritage Day at Turner Field |
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