Health Briefs

Visiting Nurse Health System will hold its 25th annual BIG-TO-DO on April 24 at Zoo Atlanta. The event benefits the organization’s Pediatric Hospice Program, which is the only nonprofit pediatric program in the state of Georgia. For more information, visit bigtodo.org.

Registration is now underway for the Atlanta Women’s Foundation second annual Yogathon on May 21 from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chastain Horse Park. This day of yoga will focus on raising support and awareness for programs that benefit the 320,000 metro Atlanta women and girls living in poverty. In this twist on a traditional walk or run fundraiser, 500-700 participants will roll out their mats in the morning under an open air, covered arena for opening remarks by internationally known yoga teacher Seane Corn, followed by nine of Atlanta’s top yoga instructors leading an energizing day of yoga. The event will conclude with a keynote speech from Corn about the links between yoga and social change. Individual tickets for the event are $81. To learn more or register as a participant, visit atlantawomen.org.

Dr. Naima Lewis will be leading a unique yoga/ fitness program called Shaping Shades of Gray for active seniors, healthcare providers and yoga teachers. The program focuses on selfempowerment and rekindling vitality of the rapidly growing population of 55-75 year olds using age-specific exercises. Classes begin April 23 at Calvin Court Senior Center, 479 East Paces Ferry Rd. For more information, call 678-565-8800.

The Georgia Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is now registering walkers for the annual Great Strides fundraiser on May 21 at 8 a.m. at Georgia Tech. In addition to the 5K walk there will also be children’s activities, food and festivities. For more information, visit greatstrides.cff.org.

Meetings

The Atlanta City Council will be in spring recess from April 4-15, meaning only one meeting will be held this month: April 18 at 1 p.m. Meetings are held at City Hall, 55 Trinity Ave. For agendas and more information, visit citycouncil.atlantaga.gov.

The Midtown Review Committee meets the second Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the fifth floor conference room at 999 Peachtree. For more information and to see agendas, visit midtownatl.com.

Neighborhood Planning Unit-N (NPU-N), Cabbagetown, Candler Park, Druid Hills Civic Association, Inman Park, Lake Claire, Little Five Points, PonceyHighland and Reynoldstown, meets the fourth Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Little Five Points Community Center, 1083 Austin Ave.

The Decatur City Commission meets in open session on the first and third Mondays of each month at City Hall, 509 North McDonough Street, at 7:30 p.m.

News

INRIX 2015 Traffic Scorecard

Guide to congestion in the U.S.

Fueled by continued economic growth, higher employement rates and declining gas prices, the U.S. still faces large challenges to solve congestion

At press time, Gov. Nathan Deal had still not made a decision on whether he would veto or sign House Bill 757, the so-called “religious liberty” bill approved by the Georgia Legislature. Deal has until May 3 to sign or veto the bill. Opponents of the bill – originally designed to protect clergy or churches from performing same sex weddings, but morphed into a bill that would allow faith-based organizations to deny service based on religious beliefs – say the legislation would allow discrimination against gays and lesbians, unwed couples, single mothers and those who follow other faiths. Local, national and international backlash has been swift with more than 400 businesses (including Delta, Home Depot, Coca-Cola and Salesforce) urging veto of the bill. The NFL said passage of the legislation could jeopardize the Super Bowl being held in Atlanta. Mayor Kasim Reed said the legislation would “irreparably damage our economy and diminish the city of Atlanta’s standing as the business and cultural center of the Southeast.” The Human Rights Campaign urged a boycott of the state’s booming film production economy if the bill becomes law.

Transportation analytics company Inrix released a new “Traffic Scorecord,” (above) ranking the Top 10 cities with the worst traffic. It might come as little shock to motorists that Atlanta is at number 9 with an average of 59 hours wasted in traffic in 2015. Los Angeles, as usual, topped the list.

Mayor Kasim Reed and the Invest Atlanta Board of Directors unanimously approved a resolution to issue up to $150,000,000 in lease purchase revenue bonds to finance major renovations to the GeorgiaPacific building in downtown Atlanta. GeorgiaPacific will reconfigure 23 floors of its headquarters building. The company cited the ability to acquire, reconstruct and install the improvements as a major factor in its decision to maintain 2,600 employees in Atlanta and add up to 600 new jobs.

BeltTour , a new iPhone app, has been launched for the Eastside Trail of the Atlanta BeltLine. The location-aware app offers audio tours of points of interest along the1.5 mile route from Piedmont Park to the Old Fourth Ward. The audio tour features local artists like muralist Kyle Brooks, artist Dan Hagerty (aka King Ping) Tiny Doors ATL director Karen Anderson and Greg Levine from Trees Atlanta. Visit BeltTour.com for more.