Monthly Archives: June 2019

jeff

Beltline/ Business/ Opinion

Editor’s note: A new direction for Atlanta Loop

Jeff Cochran

 

Dear Atlanta Loop readers,

Nearly a year ago, we welcomed Derek Prall as the new editor and publisher of Atlanta Loop. Hyperlocal publishing is a thankless job, but Derek dedicated himself to the work and kept Loop running these past 10 months. Like many of us, Derek has other professional obligations and over the last few weeks it’s become clear that those other obligations need to take priority in his life.

Derek will be leaving Loop as of July 1. That’s not a reflection on him or his work. We mutually agreed that it was the right decision for all of us. We thank him for the job he did and hope he will contribute articles to Loop in the future. He’s a talented journalist. We would love to work with him again.

Loop isn’t going away, though. On July 8, Jeff Cochran will take over as publisher.

Jeff is the current ad sales director for Decaturish who has a lengthy publishing resume.

In the ’70s he wrote for The Great Speckled Bird, Creative Loafing and The Atlanta Gazette. From the mid ’70s until the early ’80s, he was the Regional Advertising Director for Peaches Records and Tapes. In 1981 he began a 27-year career in advertising at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since then he has served as the Advertising Director at Arts Atl and Decaturish. He is also a contributing editor to Like the Dew and Beatlefan magazine.

In the five years we’ve worked together, Jeff has become a trusted partner and friend. He has business savvy and integrity. He is passionate about the future of journalism and he has big plans for Atlanta Loop.

Under his leadership, Loop will become more thoughtful and introspective. The breaking news beat in Atlanta isn’t covered like it used to be, but it’s still covered well. We think there’s more room in Atlanta for deep analysis of the issues affecting the city and its residents, as well as stories that take an inventory of the city’s past with an eye toward its future.

Jeff has passion and if you love what you do, it shows. I’m confident he can take Loop to the next level.

Please join me and welcoming him to Loop and thanking Derek for his months being a good steward of this publication.

The journalism world needs more people like Jeff Cochran and Derek Prall.

– Dan Whisenhunt, owner of Decaturish.com and Atlantaloop.com.

Mobile Police Ask Atlanta Resident to Help Locate Murder Suspect

Crime and Public Safety

Mobile Police Ask Atlanta Resident to Help Locate Murder Suspect

Demetrius James Anderson. Image via Mobile, Ala., police.

The Mobile, Ala., police are asking residents of Atlanta for help locating a suspect believed to be in the Atlanta area. Demetrius James Anderson, a 34-year-old man who goes by Dirk, is wanted for murder.

On Friday, April 5, at about 1:30 a.m., Mobile police responded to a call at a sports bar where a man had been shot, according to police materials. The victim, later identified as 42-year-old Tito Smith, was dead when they arrived.

Anderson, who police believe to be the gunman, is 5 feet 10 inches and weighs approximately 170 pounds. He has a scar between his eyes, and is heavily tattooed, according to police documents.

Anyone with information on Anderson’s location is encouraged to call 251-208-7211 or send an anonymous tip through Mobile’s online portal.

Mayor Announces Comprehensive Affordable Housing Action Plan

Metro ATL/ Politics

Mayor Announces Comprehensive Affordable Housing Action Plan

Image via City of Atlanta.

Earlier this week, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced the city’s Housing Affordability Action Plan. The city says the plan will serve as a roadmap to increase housing accessibility for all Atlanta residents.

The 45-step plan lays the framework to significantly increase the number of Atlanta residents who can afford the costs of housing by addressing the problem on a variety of fronts, according to city materials. It will be a collaborative effort between non-profits, philanthropic organizations, faith-based organizations, educational institutions, private companies, residents, and community members

“Affordability is the foundation of any livable and thriving community,” Bottoms said in a statement. “Creating and preserving affordable housing is critical to the future of all those who call Atlanta home. For too many residents, their zip code determines their opportunities. This action plan is a vision for a more equitable city where each Atlantan has access to quality, and safe affordable housing. As our city continues to grow, we want to ensure neighborhoods in the north, south, east, and Westside remain welcoming and inclusive places for all.”

The 45 steps are part of 13 initiatives based on four strategic goals. They are, according to city materials:

Create or preserve 20,000 a­ffordable homes by 2026 and increase overall supply

  1. Leverage vacant public land for housing
  2. Create and expand housing affordability tools
  3. Revise the zoning code

Invest $1 billion from public, private, and philanthropic sources in the production and preservation of aff­ordable housing

  1. Maximize existing funding sources
  2. Develop new funding sources
  3. Increase philanthropic and private investment in affordable housing

Ensure equitable growth for all Atlantans and minimize displacement

  1. Prevent involuntary displacement
  2. Explore the expansion of property tax programs for the creation and preservation of affordable housing
  3. Expand awareness of and increase participation in housing affordability programs

Support innovation and streamline processes

  1. Establish a Housing Innovation Lab
  2. Continually improve building and zoning codes
  3. Improve our system for developing and delivering affordable housing
  4. Enhance community engagement

Several of these items might require additional legislation to achieve, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, but Bottoms, in a press conference, said these measures would be drafted as necessary. The mayor’s plan is another step twoards fufilling one of her central campaign promises – to invest $1 billion in public funds to prevent the displacement of long-term residents and stem the tide of rising housing costs.

“How to tackle affordability and meaningfully address inequality are at the forefront for every major American city,” said Sarah Kirsch, Executive Director of the Urban Land Institute. “Although the problem is significant and accelerating in Atlanta, the data suggests we have a window in time to make a difference.

Kirsch says this is why the City’s Housing Affordability Action Plan is so important. “It comes at a critical time, creating a playbook for us to work together to achieve our goals of creating and preserving 20,000+ affordable homes by 2026,” she says. “The approach of unlocking existing resources, particularly publicly owned land, while lining up new policies and funding is ambitious but achievable.”

To learn more, visit Atlanta’s Affordable Housing Wesbsite, or click here to download the full plan.

Ammazza Offering New Vegan Menu

Food

Ammazza Offering New Vegan Menu

photo courtesy of Brian Wilson.

Atlanta-based pizzeria and restaurant Ammazza announced today it’ll be offering a new, all-vegan menu on top of their traditional fare. It features five antipasto dishes, eight pizzas, desserts and a kid’s section.

The pizzas feature vegan takes on old favorites like the vegan margherita with fresh basil and extra virgin olive oil as well as new creations like the vegan inferno – a fiery selection topped with spicy Calabria peppers and roasted tomatoes.

The new menu also features several new salads, vegan cheese bread and a seasonal vegan fruit tart. For the meat-free kiddos, Ammazza offers a vegan glitter pizza, topped with vegan cheese and edible sparkles.

Ammazza has two locations – one in Edgewood and one in Decatur. Both will be serving the new vegan options in addition to their original menus.

 

MARTA to Hold Police Department Job Fair

Crime and Public Safety

MARTA to Hold Police Department Job Fair

Image via MARTA.

Looking to protect and serve the community? MARTA wants to hear from you.

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority is holding a police job fair tomorrow, June 22, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at their downtown headquarters. Available positions are eligible for full benefits, opportunities for advancement, competitive pay and a one-time signing bonus of up to $3,000, MARTA materials indicate. Base pay starts at about $37,800 annually.

The transit authority indicates applicants must meet these requirements:

  • Must be at least 21 years-old and have a valid driver’s license
  • Must pass all required tests, including a criminal background check, a credit checks, a polygraph test, drug and alcohol screenings, as well as meeting psychological and physical benchmarks
  • Must have completed one of the following: two or more years of college, one term honorable military service, two years as a certified peace officer, corrections, or jailer or pre-service academy.

MARTA officers are responsible for the safety and security of all MARTA properties, including buses, trains and stations, authority materials indicate. Precincts are located at Lindbergh, College Park, Indian Creek, Five Points and Dunwoody Stations as well as in Clayton County.

For more information, click here, or watch the following video:

City Council Unanimously Passes Atlanta FY2020 Budget

Politics

City Council Unanimously Passes Atlanta FY2020 Budget

Image via Twitter.

The city council unanimously voted to approve Atlanta’s $677 million budget for FY2020.

The budget includes no increases to the city’s millage rate, a 3.1 percent pay increase for all fire rescue department sworn personnel, a 3.1 percent pay increase for 911 dispatchers, and an increase to the minimum wage of city employees to $15 per hour, according to council materials. Additionally, $800,000 was allocated to fund the Office of Independent Compliance and $150,000 will be used to enhance the programming of senior services.

“I commend the Council, including our City Council Research and Policy staff, along with the mayor’s team, for their collaboration toward making this another relatively seamless budget process,” City Council President Felicia Moore said in a statement. “The due diligence required to address many of the more complex budget issues was performed during the departmental hearings and an interactive public hearing. As always, the budget represents a substantive investment in service areas that directly impact the quality of life for citizens of Atlanta, and we look forward to continually serving the needs of our city.”

The council also approved a resolution authorizing a five-year cooperative purchasing agreement for public safety cameras and other equipment for the police department, a resolution to create a commission to determine how to best honor Lonnie King Jr., and an ordinance to name the community garden in Sara Gonzalez Park after fallen police officer Edgar Flores, according to council materials

City Council Approves Atlanta Department of Transportation

Transit

City Council Approves Atlanta Department of Transportation

Image via Wikipedia.

The mayor’s plan for Atlanta’s first dedicated Department of Transportation (DOT) was approved today by the city council.

The new DOT will be a consolidated transportation agency that will combine the road construction and repair functions of the Department of Public Works with the planning capacities of the Department of City Planning’s Office of Mobility, according to city materials. Additionally, this two-fold effort will be integrated with the infrastructure investment functions of Renew Atlanta Bond/TSPLOST.

“Every aspect of our mass transit system must be improved in order for our city to meet the demands of our growing communities,” Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said in a statement. “Improving mobility not only makes it easier to get around Atlanta — it helps level the playing field for all Atlantans to thrive and get ahead in a 21st century economy. This newly created office provides a space for experts to convene and strategize how we can implement greater efficiency and support the transportation needs of residents.”

Plans for the new agency began last spring, according to city materials, and was allocated $750,000 to develop a strategic transportation plan and set key goals and accountability measures, according to city materials. It’s hoped that the new unified department will be in a better position to acquire funding for transportation projects from state and federal partnerships.

“I’m excited that Mayor Bottoms and I teamed up for over a year with several community leaders to form this department that will bring greater efficiency and effectiveness for transportation in our city,” City Councilman Andre Dickens, who sponsored the legislation to study the effectiveness of transportation department, said in a statement.

Census Block Party Tomorrow

Entertainment

Census Block Party Tomorrow

The Dunbar Recreation Center. Image via Google Maps.

The first Census Community Block Party and Job Fair will be tomorrow afternoon.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, in partnership with Atlanta’s Complete Count Committee, Bottoms will be throwing the celebration in order to educate and mobilize Atlanta residents ahead of the 2020 Census, according to program materials. The first event will take place in Mechanicsville, which, according to the U.S. Census Bureau has been historically undercounted.

The U.S. Constitution mandates everyone living in the United States needs to be counted every 10 years. An accurate count is important, because it ensures Atlanta receives its fair share of public resources according to city materials.

“This is more than just a count,” Mayor Bottoms said last April about the formation of the Atlanta Counts initiative. “The Census is about representation of each resident and ensuring our communities are reflective of the Atlanta we see every day. We have put together a team that represents the diversity of all Atlantans to ensure no one is left behind. I am confident that with everyone working together, we can get to an accurate count.”

Thec elebration will take place tomorrow, June 15, from 12 to 2 p.m. at the Dunbar Recreation Center. The event is open to the public, and free food, games, entertainment and employment resources will be provided.

Several Upcoming Beltline Community Meetings

Beltline

Several Upcoming Beltline Community Meetings

The future Northeast Trail. Image via the Atlanta Beltline.

There are several upcoming meetings throughout the remainder of the month to inform the public and receive input on upcoming expansions to and improvements of the Atlanta Beltline.

The first will present the results of public input to the Subarea 5 Master Plan Update, according to Atlanta Beltline materials. The purpose of the meeting is to share findings from previous sessions and the draft final recommendations for land use, mobility parks and greenspace in Beltline Subarea 5. The meeting will be held at The Church at Ponce & Highland from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on June 20.

The next meeting, which will be held June 24 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Cosmopolitan AME Church on Vine Street, will be a discussion on the design of the Westside Trail Extension. Atlanta Beltline materials indicates this will be an opportunity for residents to give their input on the expansion, including trail alignment and the overall design process.

Finally, on June 25, a meeting will be held at the Rock Spring Presbyterian Church on Piedmont from 6:30 to 8 p.m. to discuss the Northeast Trail Design process. Here the public will learn about updates to the project and discuss the design process, According to Atlanta Beltline materials.

To learn more about these upcoming meetings and general Beltline progress, click here.

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