- Created on 13 June 2013
‘Pacman’ Jones Pleads Not Guilty to Slapping Woman
Cinncinati Bengals cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones pleaded not guilty to assault charges, stemming from his arrest Monday for allegedly striking a woman in the face after she threw a beer bottle at him. The plea was entered a day after he was jailed then released on his own recognizance, according to The Washington Post.
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- Created on 12 June 2013
Calvin Johnson to Award Six College Scholarships at Atlanta Benefit
Calvin Johnson, a standout wide receiver for the NFL's Detroit Lions and former Georgia Tech star, will be hosting his Calvin Johnson Jr. Foundation gala in Atlanta at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center.
The event – which alternates between Detroit and Atlanta – will take place on June 22. The event honors six student-athletes who play high school football and awards them with college scholarships. It will begin with a silent auction which features autographed memorabilia signed by Hall of Fame players, Johnson and his Lions teammates.
"We actually may have some sightings from some big-time players in the league from now and the past," said Johnson.
Johnson was a business management major at Georgia Tech but was drafted into the NFL as a junior. He plans on finishing his degreeas soon as he gets the chance.
Until then, Johnson says the scholarship program is his way of giving back and bringing awareness to young people about the importance of a college education.
"(These kids) might play on the next level somewhere, but they've got to understand how important education is," Johnson said. "That's one thing that we are striving to push on those kids is how important it is to get those good grades. Especially in high school, that's when it really counts. I'm hoping it strikes a chord with them."
(Photo: Calvin Johnson, center, with previous scholarship recipients.)
- Created on 11 June 2013
Atlanta Braves Announce Fifth Annual All-American Blood Drive
The Atlanta Braves Tuesday announced the fifth annual All-American Blood Drive, in conjunction with the American Red Cross. The blood Drive is co-sponsored by WSB-TV, 680 The Fan and ROCK 100.5. This year it will be held on Monday, June 24 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Turner Field's 755 Club with free parking available in the green lot at Turner Field the day of the blood drive.
All donors will receive:
A pair of tickets to watch the Braves take on the Miami Marlins on August 10
A commemorative t-shirt
A buy one, get one ticket offer to select Braves games
A chance to win a Braves Family Four Pack, which includes four game tickets and a batting practice field visit, autographed baseball memorabilia, tomahawk or Braves insulated pilsner beer.
"Summer is a challenging time to collect enough blood to meet patient needs," said Jerry J.K. Tillery, CEO of the American Red Cross Southern Blood Services Region. "Patients don't get a summer holiday or vacation from needing blood, and we need all eligible donors to help us ensure a sufficient blood supply is available."
The Red Cross Southern Blood Services Region provides blood to patients in more than 120 hospitals. Approximately 1,200 people need to give blood or platelets each weekday to meet hospital demands.
The American Red Cross reminds those thinking about donating, blood can be safely donated every 56 days. Platelets can be given every seven days, up to 24 times a year. Most healthy people who are 17 years of age (or 16 with parental consent) and weigh at least 110 pounds are eligible to donate blood to the Red Cross. Donors who are 18 years and younger must also meet specific height and weight requirements.
For more information or to schedule an appointment to donate, please call 1-800-RED CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org and use sponsor code BRAVES. For more information about the Atlanta Braves, you may also visit www.braves.com.
- Created on 11 June 2013
Former Dream Guard Ivory Latta Endures Setbacks, Earns Player of the Week Honor
Ivory Latta of the Washington Mystics, and formerly of the Atlanta Dream, was recently named the WNBA's Eastern Conference Player of the Week. The one-time point guard for the Dream's 2008 inaugural team was given the league's weekly honor for games played June 3 through June 9. Rebekkah Brunson of the Minnesota Lynx was named the Western Conference Player of the Week for the same span.
Just days after the passing of her grandfather, Latta, a six-year veteran, scored 17 points, pulled down seven rebounds and dished out three assists en route to a 66-62 road victory over Connecticut on June 7. She then led all scorers with 24 points in a win over Minnesota on June 8, adding five assists and two rebounds in the 85-80 victory. Latta currently ranks second in the league in scoring with 20.5 points per game.
"Man, these last couple days have been by far the most emotional time in my whole entire life, my whole basketball career," Latta said following the game against the Lynx.
Minnesota was the 2012 WNBA runner-up.
In 2006, the high school All-American and Univ. of North Carolina standout led the Tar Heels to the first of two consecutive Final Fours, but since joining the WNBA has shared more than her fair share of disappointments.
Latta was traded to Atlanta by Detroit following her rookie season, then released by the Dream before the start of the 2009 season only to be re-signed in July and released again in March 2010. She then played for the Tulsa Shock from 2010-13 before settling in Washington this season.
In May, Latta was voted the most underrated player by the league's general managers during the 11th annual WNBA.com GM Survey, sharing to top honors with Indiana's Briann January.
Other candidates for WNBA Players of the Week were Atlanta's Sancho Lyttle, Chicago's Elena Delle Donne and Connecticut's Tina Charles in the East, as well as Los Angeles' Kristi Toliver and Lindsey Harding, San Antonio's Jia Perkins and Tulsa's Glory Johnson in the West.
- Created on 11 June 2013
Common Cause Georgia Kicks Off Petition Drive For Citywide Vote on New Atlanta Falcons Stadium
On the steps of City Hall Tuesday, members of Common Cause Georgia (CCGA) gathered to announce their petition drive for a public referendum on a proposed new $1 billion Atlanta Falcons stadium.
The stadium has already received approval votes from the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, Atlanta City Council and Invest Atlanta, but Common Cause is looking to amend the city charter to block more than $200 million from Atlanta's hotel/motel tax from going toward the stadium.
"We just want to hold our government [accountable]," said William Perry, executive director of CCGA. "It's not about if we think the new stadium is a good idea or bad idea, it's about giving the citizens the right to vote on it."
Common Cause has been engaged in a contentious back and forth with Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, who has accused the organization of attempting to derail progress and singling out his administration like no other in history.
"William Perry is sacrificing the reputation of a once venerable and well-respected organization for the sake of furthering his own personal ambition," Reed said in a statement about CCGA's petition. "His attempt to derail the stadium development is a losing proposition."
Common Cause pressed on despite the mayor's objections and today held a petition kick off featuring State Senator Vince Fort, Atlanta Citizens Review Board member Maceo Williams and a number of CCGA supporters. After the kick off, the group began canvassing local neighborhoods to get signatures from Atlanta citizens who want to see the issue put to a vote.
"The challenge is not finding enough people to sign," said Perry, "literally the challenge will be finding the man power and woman power to help hit the streets. If we can do that this will be an easy task to accomplish."
CCGA received an official copy of the requested petition from Atlanta Municipal Clerk Rhonda Johnson at 9:30 a.m. and will have 60 days to get the 35,000 signatures from registered Atlanta voters needed for a referendum.
"We try to do everything we can to promote transparency with our government and with the voters of Atlanta," Ryan Splitlog, Assistant Director of CCGA, told the Daily World. "I think we see stadiums being built across the country and those specific citizens are allowed to have a referendum to vote yes or no, we just want that same right."
Prior to the announcement of a deal between Reed, Gov. Nathan Deal and Falcons owner Arthur Blank, public opinion of the proposed stadium had been mostly negative. Around the state, polls showed 70 percent of the public opposed to the idea of using public funding for the stadium.
A 2012 poll by the by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research for the AJC found disapproval expressed by 75 percent of men, 61 percent of women, 59 percent of Democrats, 71 percent of Republicans and 70 percent of independents.
Reed announced an initial bonding capacity contribution from the city of no less than $200 million, but published reports suggest the cost could be more than $900 million contributed from the public to the stadium. The actual agreement calls for 39.3 percent of 7 cents collected from the hotel-motel tax over a 30 year period.
If the hotel-motel tax generates more than the estimated $200 million, the excess taxes would go into a fund that is held directly by the Falcons that would legally be mandated to pay for other debt on the project or for refurbishment and capital improvements to the stadium.
(Photo: Common Cause Georgia Executive Director William Perry speaks during press conference; far left State Sen. Vince Fort; right of Perry Common Cause Ryan Splitlog. Photo courtesy of Common Cause Georgia.)
