DeKalb Commission actions indicate to me that some of the members' votes are totally selfishly political and they care not for the welfare of the animals. If they did, the "dog pound" would not still be a debacle. Only citizen pressure has brought them this far. Without that outside pressure, I doubt any movement toward a modern animal facility and adoption services would have even occurred to them. Lifeline was a very bright spot in the quest to improve the animal situation in DeKalb and I applaud the Commission and the CEO for approval of their contract - even after a long period of …
Many of you know that up until now, I have been silent on the DeKalb County School Board issue as this a VERY complex situation and a case of first impression for Georgia. There are multiple players and "what ifs" but I feel comfortable enough to make a brief statement about the Governor's recent decision to suspend (he hasn't actually removed them yet as they have a 30 day appeal process) six (6) duly elected DeKalb County Board Members. I truly believe that the ONLY goal that any legislator in the DeKalb county delegation has is to maintain accreditation for DeKalb's school system. We …
by Chuck Eaton Georgians have made it clear that attracting and retaining jobs should be the No. 1 priority of every elected official. Removing this tax as an impediment to job growth and creation is a great first step. Late last fall, my colleagues on the Georgia Public Service Commission and I sent a letter asking the Georgia General Assembly to consider removing the sales tax manufacturers pay on energy, including electricity, used in the manufacturing process. Governor Nathan Deal supports this idea, as do Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and Speaker David Ralston.Manufacturing is of major …
Dear Editor, The recent coverage by the news media of uncollected accounts receivable in DeKalb County is both incorrect and misleading. The coverage distorts the facts and falsely states that there is a substantial amount of recoverable debt. The facts of the matter are as follows: 1. The County does have appropriate procedures in place to address accounts receivable on an on-going basis, including the placement of liens against property for unpaid services. 2. The County’s collections ratios are generally equal or higher than the average for comparable jurisdictions. The County’s…
Now that the DeKalb School Board has no remaining finalists for superintendent, it’s time to take a serious look at Interim Superintendent Ramona Tyson. Her handling of the CRCT “cheating scandal,” which has rocked other metro districts, actually received praise from Kathleen Mathers, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement. Mark Elgart, the president of AdvancEd, also had high praise for Ms. Tyson in his letter outlining eight required actions for the school system. Ms. Tyson put in place a redistricting plan that has eluded superintendents for 10 years; appointed …
Dear Editor: Thank you for photo and article, “Adopt a Greyhound Atlanta Gives Hope to an Adaptable, Easygoing Breed”, March 24, 2011. Congratulations to all involved at Adopt a Greyhound Atlanta, Inc. for devoted and tireless work promoting greyhound adoption. Special kudos to Carl Viener for extolling greyhounds’ virtues and for informing the public of their needs as they begin well-deserved better lives in loving homes. Greyhound racing is cruel and inhumane. Racing greyhounds endure lives of nearly endless confinement in small cages. While racing, they suffer and die from injuries such as…
