Atlanta Progressive News

Dr. Beth Farokhi, a progressive, is considering a run for State Education Superintendent in 2010, she tells APN.   “I’m in the throes of trying to make a firm decision,” she said.  The position is still held by Kathy Cox.  In 2006, APN supported Carlotta Harrell for the seat, but former US Rep. Denise Majette (D-GA) was the Democratic candidate, […]

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported this afternoon that Atlanta City Councilman Ceasar Mitchell has decided not to run for mayor and is instead running for Atlanta City Council president. Mitchell filed the proper forms Tuesday. From the AJC: Mitchell said in a telephone interview he changed course after a recent reexamination of his background, experience and desire for public service. “Given where we […]

Vermont became the second state in one week to legalize same-sex marriage after its Legislature voted to override Gov. Jim Douglas’s veto of a bill allowing same-sex couples to wed. Nine years ago, Vermont became the first state to allow civil unions. Now it is the fourth U.S. state to allow same-sex marriage, along with Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Iowa.  (Not counting […]

Councilwoman Felicia Moore recently told me in a phone conversation that she is expecting some opposition this year from someone named Darryl Moore.  Felicia worried the same last name thing might be confusing.  She did not know much about Darryl Moore and said she was not sure whether he had an organized campaign; only that he had simply filed an […]

The City Council of Washington, DC, has approved recognition of same-sex couples who get married in other states where it is already legal.  According to the Washington Post newspaper’s website, the Council will have to finalize their vote by voting again next month (why is not immediately clear). This sets up a likely constitutional battle with the US Congress, which […]

Doesn’t former US Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) feel crunchy now? Four months later, Minnesota has only one US Senator; Coleman has dragged out this process through first a recount and then a court challenge; and now, with the court ruling that more absentee ballots be opened, Franken’s lead has GAINED from 255 to 312. According to reports, Coleman still plans […]

Former US Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) told Atlanta Progressive News in a recent instant message conversation that people seem to be expecting that she is going to run for US Congress as a Green Party candidate, possibly in California.   MC: My question for you is whether u’ve thought about a Green Party run for US Congress (perhaps in CA?) […]

An employee for a nonprofit agency that responds to crisis calls on behalf of the State of Georgia to people who are suicidal, told Atlanta Progressive News about their recent visit to Bankhead Courts.  Bankhead Courts is one of the public housing communities currently being emptied for demolition by the Atlanta Housing Authority. The source told APN that an elderly […]

  APB recently reported Councilwoman Clair Muller was not expected to run for her Council seat again. But now we know she’s planning to run for Council President, out-going Lisa Borders’s former seat (Borders is now running for Mayor).  Creative Loafing’s Fresh Loaf blog reported Muller’s plans like last week.  Writer Scott Henry seemed to think Muller would be a great […]

The Georgia General Assembly just wrapped up its 40 day 2009 session on Friday but the MARTA Board of Directors on Monday asked Gov. Sonny Perdue, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, and Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram) to bring lawmakers back for a special session. Why a special session? Because state lawmakers once again failed to pass any legislation […]

According to Georgia STAND UP, the MARTA Board is meeting today (Monday) to discuss service cuts.  These cuts could possibly include cutting service one day a week.

  APN has been following the VoterGA lawsuit against electronic voting in Georgia for the last 3 years.  After a lengthy lawsuit and discovery process, VoterGA lost its most recent ruling. Now, the group has filed a notice of appeal to the Georgia Supreme Court, Atlanta Progressive News has learned. According to VoterGA, “The appeal is expected to contend that: ·        The […]

 New information obtained by Amnesty researchers this week confirmed a massive shipment of U.S. weapons was delivered to Israel on March 22nd. The administration allowed the delivery, despite clear evidence of Israeli human rights violations, some amounting to war crimes, including the controversial use of U.S. made white phosphorous munitions over densely populated areas. That’s the white phosphorous that sticks to flesh […]

On the final day of the 2009 session of the Georgia General Assembly, lawmakers in both chambers have agreed on a compromise on an $18.6 billion budget for 2010. The budget uses federal stimulus dollars to fill gaps in the state Medicaid program and avoids new health insurance premium increases for 225,000 teachers and state employees, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. […]

The Supreme Court of Iowa on Friday unanimously ruled that a 1998 state law that defines marriage between one man and one woman is unconstitutional. The decision effectively makes gay marriage legal in Iowa. Read the Iowa Supreme Court’s opinion. From a report in The New York Times: The decision was the culmination of a four-year legal battle that began […]