• Derrick Grayson for U.S. Senate
• 'The Minister of Truth' runs for Senate

We're slowly starting to lose count of the Republican candidates vying to run for Saxby Chambliss' Senate seat in 2014.

Now enters Minister Derrick Grayson, a MARTA senior network engineer. The Stone Mountain conservative plans to run on a platform that includes small government, Second Amendment rights, reduction of the national debt, and boosting the economy. He plans to address pretty much the War on Everything, as well. That ranges from repealing all gun control laws for law abiding citizens to legalizing and regulating hemp and marijuana to keeping the government "out of our bedrooms."

"The erosion of personal freedom and liberty as a result of federal policy and legislation is alarming," Grayson said today in a statement. "Instead of encouraging job creation, current policies promote a culture of dependence on big government and welfare programs."

The DeKalb County resident joins U.S. Reps. Paul Broun of Athens, Phil Gingrey of Marietta, Jack Kingston of Savannah, and former secretary of state Karen Handel as official challengers in the 2014 U.S. Senate race. Former Dollar General CEO David Perdue, former Governor Sonny Perdue's cousin, has also formed an exploratory Senate committee.

Grayson, who calls himself "The Minister Of Truth," thinks many "out of touch" politicians struggle to help Americans in need. If elected, he says he would change that.

"The days of self serving politicians and those who seek enrichment by special interest are over," said Grayson. "Americans are capable of making decision for ourselves. We don't need more so-called leaders. We can determine our own destiny. What we need now are strong and principled voices that will stand and represent the will of 'We the People' and who will honor the oath to support and defend the Constitution."

As part of that effort, he wants education policy to be decided at the local level and to give families the choice to opt out of the public school system. "Not every parent wants to push their 3 or 4 year old's off to a government run daycare," he writes about the "cradle-to-career" education system on his website.

Grayson only has nine Facebook fans, which is sad. Join his grassroot network if you inclined to do so.

• Perimeter CID
• The Georgia 400/I-285 interchange moves closer to a makeover

One couple's day at Atlanta Traffic Court: "One woman had flown to Georgia from another state for her mandatory court appearance, only to be told she would have to reschedule."

Veterans Park, a 1-acre greenspace along West Paces Ferry adjacent to the Atlanta History Center, will open this weekend.

Former Atlanta Beltline Inc. CEO Brian Leary has a new job.

Atlanta City Councilman Alex Wan says he plans to keep pushing his proposal that would give some adult businesses on Cheshire Bridge Road the boot.

ICYMI: CL yesterday was nominated for two Association of Alternative Newsmedia Awards.

• David Schick
• Debbie Dooley of the Tea Party Patriots addresses the crowd

About 200 people attended yesterday's rally, one of many held across the country to protest the IRS. Among those in attendance: Gov. Nathan Deal; Bob Barr, a former Republican Georgia Congressman who's running to return to the U.S. House of Representatives; and Karen Handel, the former Georgia secretary of state and current U.S. Senate hopeful.

"Where there is smoke, there is fire," said Barr, who described the IRS' activities as "unlawful." "There's plenty of smoke in Washington."

Deal said the IRS needs to rehabilitate its image, which he thinks will be difficult because the agency stepped "across the line" in a way that most people wouldn't think possible.

"I think it's going to take a very thorough system of putting in restraints and instructions," Deal said. "And following up on those instructions to make sure that the policies that are put in print are actually the policies that are practiced. And that takes constant vigilance."

In addition to the scandal, protesters armed up with "Dismantle the IRS" picket signs cried foul over Obamacare and former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's role in the explanation of several diplomats' deaths in Benghazi. Protesters also passed around a petition urging Deal to not opt in to the expansion of Medicaid.

• Georgia Tech

Atlanta Police say that Wells Fargo bank teller Daniel Araujo stole around $10,000 from a 90-year-old Buckhead woman's bank account. "I worked all my life and tried to save my money because I knew when I got older, I couldn't work," Mary Massey tells Fox 5.

Dunwoody Police arrested 17-year-old Chicago rapper Chief Keef for disorderly conduct, which could be his second probation violation this year. The charge came after hotel security smelled weed coming from the rising hip-hop star's room.

Georgia's high school graduation rates are slowly on the rise.

U.S. Senate candidate Karen Handel doesn't support Common Core, in case you were wondering. "There's a very big difference in saying we want to have our children in this country to have a good level of education versus having federal intrusion in how that education occurs," said the former secretary of state and gubernatorial candidate.

A Savannah Port official thinks that the federal government will "step up to the plate in a big way" in the coming years and help make the project a reality.

• 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.

• 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.

• CL File

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.

• Joeff Davis/www.Joeff.com

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.

• 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.