Buckhead News - Reporter Newspapers

New Atlanta street racing law does not ban all spectators, raises civil liberties concerns

by John Ruch | Aug 12, 2020 | Buckhead Reporter, News, Politics, Public Safety, Top Stories | 0

A new Atlanta city ordinance widely reported by media and public officials as outlawing all spectators at illegal street races actually does no such thing due to the quiet removal of key language that could have violated the civil liberties of journalists, bystanders and others. The ordinance — which does not even contain the word “spectator” — may still outlaw certain types of race observers who do more than just watch, such as those who pay an admission fee or even just cheer for a driver. But one prominent civil liberties attorney says the ordinance is so vague and...

Fulton runoff election results: Challengers set to take DA and sheriff offices

by John Ruch | Aug 12, 2020 | Buckhead Reporter, Politics, Sandy Springs Reporter, Slideshow, Top Stories | 0

Challengers were set to take the district attorney and sheriff’s offices in unofficial results from the Fulton County Aug. 11 runoff election. With about 91% of precincts reporting on the morning of Aug. 12, challenger Fani Willis had a landslide lead, 73.4% to 26.6%, over incumbent Paul Howard for the DA’s office. In the Sheriff’s Office race, challenger Patrick “Pat” Labat was well ahead of incumbent Theodore “Ted” Jackson, 58.9% to 41.4%. Willis and Labat both had received backing from Buckhead community and political figures, including Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods chair Mary Norwood. Momentum for change came as the...

Children’s Healthcare doctor to speak about COVID-19 in children in virtual event

by Bob Pepalis | Aug 11, 2020 | Brookhaven Reporter, Buckhead Reporter, Coronavirus, Dunwoody Reporter, Sandy Springs Reporter | 0

The Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber of Commerce plans to host a virtual “Conversation about COVID-19 in Children” on Aug. 18 with Dr. Matt Linam. Linam, a physician specializing in pediatric infectious disease at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, will speak on “Challenges and Solutions: Pandemic 2020 COVID-2019 from 11 to 11:45 a.m., the chamber announced in a news release. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Linam joined Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University as Associate Professor in 2017. He completed his internship and residency at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, where he...

Atlanta Public Schools to hold virtual meetings on five reopening topics

by John Ruch | Aug 11, 2020 | Buckhead Reporter, Coronavirus, Education | 0

Atlanta Public Schools will hold a series of virtual meetings to discuss five different topics as the district heads towards its virtual start of the school year on Aug. 24. The topics include high schools, early learning/kindergarten, Back-to-School Bash, ESOL and technology. The following is the list of meetings and topics. All meetings will be streamed on the APS Facebook page at facebook.com/AtlantaPublicSchools. Zoom and call-in information is in each listing. Thursday, Aug. 13, 5 p.m.: High Schools Fireside Chat Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/94782473476 (A Spanish presentation will be available in the Zoom Room.) Call-in: US: +16465588656, 94782473476# Thursday, Aug. 13,...

Aug. 10 Atlanta/Sandy Springs COVID-19 report: 379 more diagnoses; 14-day trend is down

by John Ruch | Aug 11, 2020 | Buckhead Reporter, Coronavirus, Public Safety, Sandy Springs Reporter, Top Stories | 0

The cities of Atlanta and Sandy Springs together saw 379 new COVID-19 diagnoses between Aug. 7 and Aug. 10 update reports from the Fulton County Board of Health. The number of cases increased in all of the main local ZIP codes. The 14-day trend declined in both cities and in all local ZIP codes. As of Aug. 10, the part of Atlanta within Fulton County had COVID-19 diagnoses, up from 8,749 on Aug. 7. Sandy Springs had 1,756 diagnoses, up from 1,687. Atlanta remains the number one city in the county for COVID-19 diagnoses at 44.3% of the total,...

Aug. 7 Atlanta/Sandy Springs COVID-19 report: 404 more diagnoses; 14-day trend is down

by John Ruch | Aug 10, 2020 | Buckhead Reporter, Coronavirus, Public Safety, Sandy Springs Reporter, Top Stories | 0

The cities of Atlanta and Sandy Springs together saw 404 new COVID-19 diagnoses between Aug. 5 and Aug. 7 update reports from the Fulton County Board of Health. The number of cases increased in all of the main local ZIP codes. The 14-day trend declined in both cities and in all local ZIP codes. As of Aug. 7, the part of Atlanta within Fulton County had 8,749 COVID-19 diagnoses, up from 8,391 on Aug. 5. Sandy Springs had 1,687 diagnoses, up from 1,641. Atlanta remains the number one city in the county for COVID-19 diagnoses at 44.6% of the...

Runoff Election Day arrives Aug. 11

by John Ruch | Aug 10, 2020 | Brookhaven Reporter, Buckhead Reporter, Dunwoody Reporter, Politics, Sandy Springs Reporter, Top Stories | 0

Runoff Election Day arrives Tuesday, Aug. 11, where voters will decide some key races and choose Democratic nominees in others. The runoff follows the June 9 primary and special elections. That election was marred by long lines and other delays, partly due to coronavirus pandemic precautions, and had long-delayed results. Those precautions will be in place again for the runoff. For information about polling places and voter registration status, see the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office website here. Fulton County has changed the polling place for two precincts in Buckhead; see our story for details. DeKalb County In DeKalb...

Worth Knowing: TurningPoint helps breast cancer survivors with ‘support puzzle’ of pandemic era

by Carol Niemi | Aug 9, 2020 | Brookhaven Reporter, Buckhead Reporter, Commentary, Coronavirus, Dunwoody Reporter, Making a Difference, Sandy Springs Reporter | 0

One day in 2015, while riding in the car with her mother, eighth-grader Lauren Scalise overheard her mother Stephanie take a phone call. “She got this random phone call, and we pulled over so she could answer it,” said Lauren. “I was confused until she hung up the phone, looked me in the eyes and told me she had breast cancer.” The two sat by the side of the road in silence while processing what they had just learned, and then the tears flowed. “I couldn’t believe that my strong and resilient mom would be the one going through...

Robin’s Nest: Finding our true selves in the pandemic

by Robin Conte | Aug 8, 2020 | Brookhaven Reporter, Buckhead Reporter, Commentary, Coronavirus, Dunwoody Reporter, Sandy Springs Reporter | 0

Faced with the COVID changes in our lives during these past months and how much time we have been left to our own without external distractions, many of us are learning a lot about ourselves. We might have discovered that we are extroverts who thrive on social interaction, or introverts who are recharged by solitude, or omniverts who are a sort of crossbreed of the two. I, for one, have realized that I am more of an “cawnfigovert,” which is to say, a person who is Content Alone When Nothing Fun Is Going On. Anyway, I liken this period...

Transform 285/400 traffic changes through Aug. 17

by John Ruch | Aug 7, 2020 | Brookhaven Reporter, Buckhead Reporter, Dunwoody Reporter, Public Safety, Sandy Springs Reporter | 0

The Georgia Department of Transportation has announced the latest round of lane and ramp closures and other traffic changes for Transform 285/400, its massive project to reconstruct the I-285/Ga. 400 interchange. Schedules may change based on the work and the weather. Abernathy Road lane closures Aug. 14, 9 p.m., through Aug. 17, 5 a.m., eastbound between Barfield Road and Ga. 400, two right lanes. Ga. 400 ramp closures Aug. 12-14, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., northbound ramp to I-285 westbound closed. Aug. 14, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., southbound ramp to I-285 eastbound closed. Ga. 400 lane closures Aug....

Atlanta unveils program recommendations for young water-sellers

by John Ruch | Aug 7, 2020 | Buckhead Reporter, Politics, Public Safety, Top Stories | 0

The city of Atlanta has unveiled the incentive part of its carrot-and-stick approach to dealing with youths who sell bottled water in the streets. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on Aug. 7 released recommendations from a Youth Entrepreneurship Advisory Council on ways to steer youths into safe and legal ways to make money. The report says that many youths are making $100 to $300 a day selling the water, so actual money-making has to be the core of an alternative program. And some youths will choose to continue selling water regardless, the report said. “The main way to steer them...

Buckhead Ritz-Carlton hotel and residential tower plan draws density and parking questions

by John Ruch | Aug 7, 2020 | Buckhead Reporter, Perimeter Business, Slideshow, Top Stories | 0

An early look at plans for a Ritz-Carlton hotel and residential tower in Buckhead was full of colorful descriptions of its “elevated lifestyle” away from the “burden” of Downtown Atlanta. But a zoning review group was looking for numbers, not words, on density, parking and traffic impacts that likely will loom large if the plan moves ahead. The proposal for the tower, a companion to an existing residential and office tower at 3630 Peachtree Road, made a preliminary appearance Aug. 5 at the Development Review Committee of Special Public Interest District 12, a zoning area with design rules and...