News - a New bridge For Midtown

Much debate has centered on the look and impact of Midtown’s proposed 14th Street bridge, which will replace the current bridge spanning the I-75/85 Connector. Attend an open house Tues., Feb. 15, to learn about the compromise reached between the Georgia Department of Transportation and the Midtown Alliance Executive Committee, a neighborhood group. The bridge’s original blueprint was rejected by the committee because residents felt it was not pedestrian-friendly enough. Both sides feel the new plan successfully addresses aesthetic, pedestrian and traffic issues. Come decide for yourself whether the $86 million redesign will be worth it - especially seeing as how construction will redirect traffic to the 17th Street bridge for at least 18 months.

The open house will be held at Georgia Centers for Advanced Telecommunications Technology, 250 14th St., Room 119, from 4-7 p.m.; free and open to the public. For more info, visit www.dot.state.ga.us/specialsubjects/whats_new/index.shtml. Note: Those arriving before 4 p.m. will be charged $4 for parking, while those who arrive after can park for free.

DEATH PENALTY ALTERNATIVES: Georgians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty will meet Thurs., Feb. 10, 7 p.m., at Amnesty International, 730 Peachtree St., Suite 1060. Please call ahead to be placed on the building security list. For more info on the group, which meets the second Thursday of every month, call 404-248-9020 or visit www.geocities.com/gfadp/.

WELLNESS FOR WOMEN: The DeKalb/Decatur chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women will sponsor its first Wellness Day for Women on Sat., Feb. 12, at Victory Baptist Church, 1170 N. Hairston Road, Stone Mountain. Speakers include chef Marvin Woods of the “Home Plate” cooking show and cardiologist Dr. Elizabeth Ofili of Morehouse School of Medicine. Heath screenings are scheduled from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The all-day event costs $20, which covers lunch and all materials. For more info or to make a reservation, call 770-322-8049.

FREE BEER: Attend the “Sierra Club and Beer” event on Wed., Feb. 16, to get involved in the club’s efforts to protect the planet. The meeting will take place at Teaspace, 1133 Euclid Ave. For more info, call 404-607-1262, ext. 222, or e-mail anna.swinson@sierraclub.org.

HUMAN RIGHTS CRISIS: The “Human Rights in Crisis” conference will be held at Georgia Tech on Fri.-Sat., Feb. 18-19. Speakers from the Carter Center, Planned Parenthood, the University of Georgia and other organizations will explore questions on the status of human rights since the start of the War on Terror. The event will be held at Tech’s Wardlaw Center, 177 North Ave., from 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Friday, and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Free. For more info, call 404-894-4233 or visit www.humanrights.gatech.edu/hrconference.php.

PLANNED PARENTHOOD: Planned Parenthood of Georgia is hosting “Real Life Deserves Real Talk,” a free workshop that will discuss the benefits of sex education programs and provide participants with the tools to have healthy conversations about sex. The workshop will take place Sat., Feb. 19, at Planned Parenthood, 100 Edgewood Ave., Suite 1604, at 9:30 a.m. For more info, call 404-688-9305 or e-mail leigh.croft@ppfa.org.

DEFEATING GAY PANIC: The Fulton County district attorney’s office and the Atlanta Police Department will host a symposium, “Defeating the Gay-Panic Defense,” to combat the bogus criminal defense of homophobia. The three-day training course will take place Wed.-Fri., Feb. 23-25, at the Sheraton Midtown Atlanta Hotel at Colony Square, 188 14th St. Speakers will include Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker, Atlanta Journal-Constitution Editorial Page Editor Cynthia Tucker, and Atlanta Police Chief Richard Pennington. Registration fee $225, For more info, call 404-730-0195 or e-mail jada.dawkins@co.fulton.ga.us.

AFRICAN-AMERICAN OUTREACH: The annual African-American Outreach Initiative will be held at the Renaissance Concourse Hotel, 1 Hartsfield Centre Parkway, on Sat.-Sun., March 19-20. Info about HIV insurance, housing, nutrition, and legal issues will be provided. Free. To register, call 404-589-9040 or e-mail sandra.muckle@positiveimpact-Atl.org.

EARTH DAY: A planning session for the 35th annual Earth Day Celebration will be held Sat., April 2, with half-day green work projects followed by lunch. The 2005 Earth Day party will take place Sat., April 23, at the Interface Showroom, at Spring and Fifth streets. For more info, visit www.earthsharega.org or call 404-873-3173.

SOLID WASTE MEETINGS: Public meetings will be held in several Atlanta communities to help create a 10-year plan for waste reduction, collection and disposal. To find the time and place of your local meeting, visit www.atlantaga.gov/Calendars/PublicMeetings.aspx.

VOLUNTEER FOR THE ELDERLY: Senior Connections is looking for volunteers to help prepare and deliver meals to home-bound seniors. For more info, visit www.srconn.org or call 770-455-7602.

CALLING FOSTER PARENTS: Creative Community Services is urging residents to consider opening their homes to abused and neglected children. Foster parents receive monthly financial assistance for the living and medical expenses of each foster child. For more info, call 866-618-2823 or visit www.ccsgeorgia.org.

GOOD FOR GRADY: Grady Health System is recruiting volunteers to help in hospice, guest services, rape crisis and Hughes Spalding Children’s Hospital. Spanish-speaking volunteers are especially needed. Volunteers are asked to commit for at least three months. For more info, call 404-616-4360 or visit www.gradyhealthsystem.org.

NEW ORDER: The youth empowerment group New Order will be speaking at the Metro Youth Detention Center in Atlanta every Tuesday, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. For more info and to find out how you can be a part of New Order, call 678-887-2752.

CL EVENTS

POLITICAL PARTY: Creative Loafing’s next town hall meeting takes place Wed., March 9, 8 p.m., at Dad’s Garage Theatre, 280 Elizabeth St.

Want to publicize a political or civic event? E-mail publicagenda@creativeloafing.com.??