by Tedra Cheatham, Clean Air Campaign Executive Director On Monday, April 29, we will kick off Air Quality Awareness Week with Governor Deal to educate Georgians about the health effects of air pollution. It is a time to consider the meaningful actions we all can take to improve outdoor air quality. Although air quality in Georgia is improving, population growth has put more demand on energy use and more cars on the roads. With half of smog-forming emissions in many areas throughout the state coming from vehicle tailpipes, it’s up to all Georgians to do their part to reduce poor air quality…

by Joseph Pond One year ago this week I was given a Notice of Violation by the Cobb County Code Enforcement for having a dozen hens in my backyard. In Cobb County, you must have at least two acres of land to own poultry; I have only a half-acre. The neighbor that lives behind me in a different neighborhood was looking over my six foot privacy fence and saw my enclosed chicken coop and hens. She had unsubstantiated fears that the poultry would ruin her property value and notified her County Commissioner. In the year since, I have worked hard to change the 40-year-old law that essentially bans …

Dear Friend of The Lyric, Five years ago this month, I began my journey as the newly installed artistic director and general manager of Atlanta Lyric Theatre. It was an awesome opportunity for both me and the company, and, as I reflect over the past five years, I am overwhelmed by how much we have grown and what we have accomplished together. In 2007, The Lyric was facing a critical time organizationally, financially, and artistically. With the resignations of the long-time Artistic Director and the General Manager and Development Director, The Lyric was void of leadership. The business model…

In February, Rep. Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs) introduced the Right to Grow Act to the Georgia Assembly. The bill, which would have prohibited cities and counties from banning gardens, chickens, and honeybees for personal consumption, sailed through the Agriculture Committee only to be killed by the Rules Committee after very aggressive lobbying by the cities and counties. They felt that it violated Home Rule granted to them by the Georgia Constitution and grumbled about potential lawsuits. They said that the cities and counties are better able to legislate their areas without state …

My name is Bill Clements, and I am running as an independent candidate for the Cobb EMC Board of Directors. I stress “independent,” because the candidates who are getting the most attention are backed by powerful special interest groups fighting to gain control of Cobb EMC to serve their own special interests. Those groups are using their immense resources—especially, money—to get their candidates elected. That’s why their hand-picked candidates are getting the most publicity. We need to know more about those money flows. Where is all the money that is sloshing around the Cobb EMC election …