News Roundup State Farm Arena becomes mega voting precinct

State Farm Arena in Downtown has become the state’s largest voting precinct after a partnership was formed between Fulton County and the Atlanta Hawks.

Early voting began at the venue last months and will continue for the runoff on Aug. 11 and the November presidential and general election.

The partnership will allow thousands of voters to cast their ballots for upcoming elections while maintaining CDC-recommended social distancing requirements at the state-of-theart facility. In addition, Fulton County Registration & Elections will conduct other elections support operations at the site, including absentee ballot processing and more.

Leadership from the Hawks offered use of State Farm Arena to Fulton County as a venue for early voting and other elections operations as part of their commitment to serving the community. The Atlanta-Fulton County Recreation Authority is the owner of the property and leases the site to the Atlanta Hawks organization. In addition to offering the venue, hundreds of Atlanta Hawks & State Farm Arena full-time and part-time employees will be trained to serve as election workers to further support the operations.

The Hawks Foundation will provide free parking to individuals accessing the venue to vote. More than 1,500 parking spots surrounding the arena will provide complimentary parking for voters.

MARTA has also approved reopening the MBS / State Farm Arena / Georgia World Congress Center / CNN Center MARTA station, providing additional access.

Collin Kelley

Julian Conley, 19, was arrested and charged with felony murder in the shooting death of 8-year-old Secoriea Turner on July 4. The child was a passenger in her parent’s vehicle, which was shot at by a group of armed men on University Avenue. The search continues for additional suspects.

Two teens were arrested for flashing guns and Atlanta Police are looking for a third who wounded a motorist when drivers refused to buy water at local intersections. The city said it working on a solution to help teens selling water on street corners and off-ramps.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has announced the One Atlanta: Economic Mobility, Recovery and Resiliency Plan for residents and businesses. The plan is in partnership with Invest Atlanta and WorkSource Atlanta designed to ensure that Atlanta families and local businesses have the tools needed to survive the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

As COVID-19 cases surged in July, Atlanta Public Schools once again postponed in-person graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2020. Superintendent Lisa Herring has promised ceremonies will be held when possible.

Ansley Golf Club temporarily closed down in July after 67 employees tested positive for COVID-19. Free virus testing was offered to members and their families.

City rolls out new guidelines as e-scooters return

By Collin Kelley

Electric scooters disappeared from the streets of Atlanta back in March as the COVID-19 pandemic ramped up. Now e-scooters are back, along with a new set of guidelines issued by the city’s department of transportation.

The Atlanta Department of Transportation (ATLDOT) said its 2020 Shareable Dockless Mobility Devices Program will be deployed in four phases depending on ridership.

Back in early March, the Atlanta City Council limited the number of permits issued to dockless device companies after outcry from the community over the proliferation of scooters. A number of companies left the market in the wake of the city crackdown, which also included a nighttime curfew and speed limit along the Atlanta BeltLine’s busy Eastside Trail.

According to a press release from the city, ATLDOT conducted a competitive permit application process resulting in the selection of four device companies: Bird, Helbiz, Spin, and Veoride. Each company offers stand-up scooters for rent. In addition, Helbiz provides e-bikes and Veoride offers sit-down scooters.

“Atlanta, like many major cities, understands the need to present options of various modes of transportation,” said ATLDOT Commissioner Josh Rowan. “Dockless mobility devices are just one part of this equation. Our goal is to ensure we adhere to the input we received under our previous program and to improve our delivery in addressing the city’s transportation needs.”

Bird scooters returned to the streets of Atlanta on July 1 and were joined by newcomer, Spin.

ATLDOT said fleet would increase over the second and third phases of the new program, while the fourth and final phase will see an adjustment of the fleet based on operations and public health needs.

In the first phase, the city will allow 2,000 stand-up scooters, 500 bicycles and 500 sit-down scooters. In the second stage, the city will allow 4,750 stand-up scooters and the same numbers of bicycles and sit-down scooters.

In response to COVID-19, each company is providing the city with an operations protocol, including a commitment to sanitizing devices regularly, implementing distancing protocols for staff, and communicating to customers the importance of following CDC guidelines. Operations will be monitored daily, with fleet size and staged implementation timelines adjusted should any public health concerns emerge.