Crime Stoppers Successfully Celebrates First Anniversary
Atlanta residents helped to make city streets safer in 2007 by providing tips to the Crime Stoppers hotline number, which assisted Atlanta Police in apprehending 31 criminals wanted for homicide and robbery.
In its first year, Crime Stoppers Atlanta received 682 tips. These tips helped clear 64 cases, including 47 cases with the Atlanta Police Department (APD).
“Crime Stoppers works,” said Atlanta Police Chief Richard J. Pennington. “It provides a perfect avenue for anyone – including those who don’t want to be identified – to give us information to help get perpetrators off the streets and bring closure to victims of crime.”
One of the highest profile arrests made through Crime Stoppers was the apprehension of the two men charged with the murder of nine-year-old Annaijh Rolax who was struck and killed by an errant bullet on July 25 in her home. Crime Stoppers received a call that aided police in their investigation and subsequent arrests.
In total, almost $21,000 in reward money was approved for dispersal to tipsters in 2007. The public is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers with information about any crime in the metro Atlanta area. Callers remain anonymous and can qualify for a cash reward up to $2,000.
About Crime Stoppers Atlanta: This is a program of the Atlanta Police Foundation (APF). APF supports the public safety efforts of the APD through fundraisers, donations and other events. APF programs include recruitment, training, in-town affordable housing and scholarships. For more information, visit www.atlantapolicefoundation.org
Crime Stoppers is a program of the Atlanta Police Foundation. |
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City Announces $1 Million Toilet Rebate for Atlanta Residents
Mayor Shirley Franklin proposed - and last Tuesday the Atlanta City Council approved – the allocation of $1 million to be used toward a toilet rebate program for Atlanta residents to replace older, water-wasting toilets with new, low-flow models.
The City’s $1 million contribution could fund as many as 12,000 rebates. Customers who replace their old toilets with 1.6-gpf toilets can receive a $50 rebate; those who install 1.28-gpf toilets can receive a $100 rebate. There is a limit of two rebates per household. Only toilets purchased after September 27, 2007 are eligible.
Toilets purchased prior to 1993 use between 3.5 and seven gpf. Replacing a 3.5-gpf toilet with a 1.6-gpf model saves about two gallons a flush or 54 percent of an average household’s water use. Replacing a 7-gpf toilet with a 1.6-gpf model saves 5.4 gallons a flush or 77 percent of an average household’s use. There are an estimated 46,000 structures within Atlanta’s service area with pre-1993 toilets.
To receive a rebate, Atlanta water/sewer customers must:
- Own/rent a residence that was built prior to 1993 and have fixtures not currently in compliance with current water efficiency plumbing code standards.
- Have a water account in good standing.
- Purchase and install a toilet from an approved list of 1.6- or 1.28-gallon-per-flush (gpf) toilets.
- Provide the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District with their most recent water/sewer bill.
- Provide the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District with proof of purchase (showing make, model, flow rate and installation.)
“Atlanta is making a major commitment to this project,” said Mayor Franklin.
“We are putting our money on the line for a program that we believe will ultimately prove beneficial not just for our City, but for all of North Georgia. This program, along with the MOST which is up for reauthorization by the voters on February 5, will enable residents to conserve water and save money on their water bills.”
More information on the rebates is available at www.atlantawatershed.org and at www.northgeorgiawater.com/html/315.htm
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BeltLine News: West End Trail Gets Underway
Last week the PATH Foundation began construction on the West End Trail, the first section of the BeltLine trail system to be built.
Along its 2.3 miles, the West End Trail will link three City of Atlanta parks (Rose Circle, Gordon White and Enota), Westview Cemetery, Joseph Brown Middle School and the Kroger Village Shopping Center. It will also provide pedestrian and bicycle access under I-20 and through the West End and Westview neighborhoods. Construction includes the first mile of an arboretum along the BeltLine and upgrades to Gordon White Park.
The first phase of construction will last six to eight months. The second phase - which will connect Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. up to I-20 and out to Westview Cemetery – will begin in March and be completed in summer 2008.
This is an important step forward in bringing the tangible benefits of the BeltLine and connectivity to the neighborhoods of Southwest Atlanta. Financial support to the BeltLine Capital Campaign has come from public and private partners, including the Georgia Department of Transportation, City of Atlanta, PATH Foundation, Trees Atlanta and the Coca-Cola Company.
For More Information on the West End Trail and Other Beltline Developments, Visit www.beltline.org
The West End Trail is the first part of the BeltLine trail system to be developed. |
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Connect Atlanta Transportation Plan Public Meeting Dates
Last fall, the Bureau of Planning began a yearlong process to develop the Connect Atlanta Plan, the first comprehensive transportation plan for the City of Atlanta which will guide the next 25 years of transportation policy and investment.
Residents and stakeholders are invited to provide their input by attending the first series of Connect Atlanta workshops. Visit www.connectatlantaplan.com or call the Connect Atlanta helpline at 404.330.6800 for workshop locations and more information.
Connect Atlanta Plan Public Meeting Schedule:
- February 11-14 (NPUs A, B, C, D, G, J, K, L)
Georgia Pacific Center - 133 Peachtree Street, NE
Kick-Off: Monday, February 11th at 6:30pm (Georgia Pacific Center Auditorium)
Recap: Thursday, February 14th at 6:30pm (Georgia Pacific Center Auditorium)
Workshops: Open Monday through Thursday from 10:00am to 8:00pm (Suite 3100, Floor 31)
- February 25-28 (NPUs H, I, Q, P, R)
Location: Adamsville Recreation Center - 3201 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, SW
Kickoff: Monday, February 25th at 6:30pm
Recap: Thursday, February 28th at 6:30pm
Workshops: Open Monday through Thursday from 10:00am to 8:00pm
- March 10-13 (NPUs S, T, V, X, Y, Z)
Location: Atlanta Metropolitan College - Academic Building #500, 1630 Metropolitan Parkway, SW
Kickoff: Monday, March 10th at 6:30pm
Recap: Thursday, March 13th at 6:30pm
Workshops: Open Monday through Thursday from 10:00am to 8:00pm
- March 24-27 (NPUs E, F, M, N, O, W)
Location: City Hall East - 675 Ponce de Leon Avenue, NE
Kickoff: Monday, March 24th at 6:30pm
Recap: Thursday, March 27th at 6:30pm
Workshops: Open Monday through Thursday from 10:00am to 8:00pm
Connect Atlanta will host its first series of public meetings to develop Atlanta’s first citywide transportation plan. |
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ADVISORY: Techwood Drive, 14th Street Ramp To Close February 9
As part of the 14th Street Bridge Improvement Project, Techwood Drive - between 16th and 10th Streets – will close to traffic on February 9, 2008 and will remain closed until summer 2009.
Drivers traveling southbound on I-75 or I-85 wishing to access 14th or 10th Streets will be detoured to 17th Street. The Georgia DOT will also be encouraging vehicles traveling south on I-75 to exit at Northside Drive.
These closures are a necessary part of the ongoing project to replace the 14th Street Bridge. When completed, this project will provide greatly improved access and mobility for Midtown residents, workers, and visitors.
To obtain detailed information on the 14th Street Bridge Improvement Project - including weekly lane closure updates, detour routes, and commuter resources - please visit www.14thstreetbridge.com
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A few years ago it was only a thought, but now work is well underway on the rehabilitation of Atlanta's ailing water and sewer infrastructure. The results of the $3.9 billion project are already apparent and making a difference. Click here to watch the video.
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Rave Reviews!
- The Clean Air Campaign has named the City of Atlanta a “Gold Partner” for setting exemplary standards in creating a workplace commute alternatives program. To make employees aware of their commute options, the City of Atlanta has hosted Commuter Fairs with information on the FlexCar, MARTA, Segways, and more. The City also offers discounted MARTA, CCT and GRETA mass transit cards to employees, which over 1,300 employees are currently taking advantage of. The City is also testing a tele-work program in the Judicial and Planning Departments. “The City of Atlanta has joined the top employers in the region and helped significantly to reduce traffic congestion and reduce air pollution,” said Governor Sonny Perdue and Harold Reheis, Clean Air Campaign, in a certificate honoring the City.
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Upcoming Events & Volunteer Opportunities
- The BeltLine Partnership is now accepting reservations for a new year of BeltLine tours. Regularly scheduled tours are available Now through Saturday, March 15. Tours are conducted on Friday and Saturday mornings beginning at the Inman Park MARTA Station. Participants should arrive at the station no later than 9:15 am. Tours depart at 9:30 am and return by 12:30 pm. To reserve a seat, visit www.beltline.org or call 404.446.4400.
- On the February 5 presidential primary ballot, Atlanta residents will have the opportunity to reauthorize the municipal option sales tax (MOST) - a tool the City uses to keep water and sewer rates low while financing the replacement of Atlanta’s water and sewer systems. The MOST allows the City to spread the financing of the $3.9 billion Clean Water Atlanta program to visitors and business travelers who use Atlanta’s infrastructure, but do not pay City water/sewer bills. For more information on the MOST, visit www.atlantawatershed.org
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Job Announcements
With the City of Atlanta’s online application system, you are able to create an account and select a Username and Password and then log in to your account.
After your account has been established, you can create an application by clicking on the “Build Job Application” link. Once your application is completed, it will be stored in the system and can be used to apply for future job openings. To get started by viewing current open positions, click here.
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Weekly Features
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