Historic Westside News

Celebrating African American History; Vine City’s Historic West Hunter Street Baptist Church

March 13, 2017April 29, 2017 adminCivil Rights Movement, Community, Culture, Dr. Martin Luther King, Historic West Hunter Baptist Street Church, history, Hosea Williams, Jr, landmark, National Parks Service, Ralph D. Abernathy III, Rev. A. Franklin Fisher, Rev. Martin Luther King Sr, Rev. Ralph David Abernathy Sr, Southern Christian Leadership Conference0 comment

In December 2014, the late Honorable Ralph D. Abernathy III spoke to congress on behalf of his foundations and the Vine City community and stakeholders desire for the preservation of the Historic West Hunter Street Baptist Church. On December 19, 2014, Congress passed Public Law 113-29, setting in motion a study. The Vine City NPU-L Historic Westside News featured an article on these efforts in a 2008 edition of the paper. Now nearly ten years later with the exemplary leadership of our brother Ralph D. Abernathy III foundation and his…

Community

Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. and the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership: Working Together to Deliver the Atlanta BeltLine Vision

March 4, 2017April 29, 2017 adminAdair Park, Atlanta Beltline, Atlanta BeltLine Partnership, Community, neighborhood, Washington Park, Westside Trail0 comment

By John Becker, Communications Coordinator, Atlanta BeltLine Partnership The Atlanta BeltLine is the most comprehensive transportation and economic development effort ever undertaken in Atlanta. It is among the largest, most wide-ranging urban redevelopment projects currently underway in the United States. The project will ultimately connect 45 intown neighborhoods via a 22-mile loop of multi-use trails, light rail transit, and parks using railroad corridors that formerly encircled Atlanta. The newest section of the Atlanta BeltLine – the Westside Trail which will run between Washington Park and Lena Ave. to the north…

Education Youth

Feeling the Love at Hollis – An Interview with Dr. Diamond Jack

February 14, 2017February 14, 2017 adminBethune Elementary, Community, Education, Hollis Inovation Academy, STEM, Youth0 comment

By Sigele Winbush Sigele Winbush is an Atlanta native and true believer in the power of connected communities. She serves the Westside through her work with the Westside Future Fund, supporting the organization’s PR and communications efforts. While the doors of Hollis Innovation Academy have only officially been open for less than eight months, the results would suggest otherwise as students at the Westside’s newest K-8 public school are thriving and seem right at home. The STEM-focused Academy is one of the first of its kind in the state –…

Education Youth

The Wren’s Nest Helps Groom Young Authors

February 14, 2017February 14, 2017 adminCommunity, neighborhood, West End, Wren's Nest, Youth, Youth Program0 comment

Author Byline: Kalin Thomas is Program Director of the Wren’s Nest and an active resident of Historic West End. Kalin studied Broadcast Journalism at Howard University and she is a former on-air reporter and producer for CNN. The Wren’s Nest, Atlanta’s oldest house museum, is helping to groom young authors in our community. The museum’s Scribes writing program is sponsoring students at Brown Middle School and KIPP STRIVE Academy. The 12-week program pairs the middle school students with writing professionals and semi-professionals, who help them learn how to…

National Politics Politics Youth

Education Secretary Confirmation Hearing for Betsy DeVos

January 31, 2017February 14, 2017 adminBetsy Devos, Community, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Politics, Senate Confirmation, Senate Health0 comment

Via C-SPAN January 17, 2017 Betsy DeVos testified before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on her nomination for secretary of education in the Trump administration. ]She answered questions on a wide range of issues, including the nation’s public education system, charter schools, school choice and vouchers, post-secondary education, student loan debt, special education programs and funding, and her financial holdings and potential conflicts on interest. Ms. DeVos was introduced by Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) and former Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT). Committee Chair Lamar Alexander (R-TN) limited the…

Ashview Heights Community

Ashview Heights Community Call to Action

January 31, 2017February 14, 2017 adminCommunity, Community Association, neighborhood0 comment

What would you like to see for Ashview Heights in 2017? Kids playing in the front yard, adults hanging out on the front porches and dogs running freely in their own park…… ALL of that is possible in Ashview Heights when there’s a sense of community. It starts with a simple “Hello” as you pass by or an invitation to a neighbor to walk along with you or a stop to chat or becoming a member of the Ashview Heights Community Association and by attend our monthly meetings. Membership is…

Community English Avenue Local Governmet

"Self Determination, Mayor Maynard Jackson Legacy: The NPU Process"

January 9, 2017January 31, 2017 adminCommunity, history, Local Government0 comment

I have been a resident of English Avenue, by choice, for nine (9) years. I have been African American since I was 29 years old. I have been a descendant of enslaved Africans for 78 years. I have been a political activist for 50 years: 25 as a Marxist, 25 as a Christian. I speak on behalf of the disempowered, disenfranchised, the least, the less and the lost with a priority on the African American community. I believe that former, deceased Mayor Maynard Jackson, reigned over a City of Atlanta…

Uncategorized

Bringing Old-Fashioned Christmas Caroling to Ashview Heights

December 5, 2016February 14, 2017 adminashview heights, Christmas, Community, events, holiday, neighborhood0 comment

Author: Melody Blount Ashview Heights Community Association will host the First Annual Ashview Heights Christmas Carol Crawl on Saturday, December 17th. We will sing, fellowship, drink, eat, be merry and spread holiday cheer in this season of love by singing some of the greats from our childhood such as Jingle Bells, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, and Do You Want to Build a Snowman? Oh wait, that’s from Frozen! AHCA is seeking singers, shower performers, karaoke stars, etc. to meet and greet our neighbors in Ashview Heights while providing…

Community

Shrinking Thinking

December 1, 2016February 14, 2017 adminCommunity, neighborhoods, traffic0 comment

Author: Jesse Phillips Some people say “less is more” and other people say “less is just less.” Two major roads on the Historic Westside are about to get a facelift with aesthetic and pedestrian improvements while being narrowed down from four lanes to two. Why are they doing this, and what are the implications? I spoke to some neighbors and city employees (and did a lot of googling) to find out. First, here are the projects: 1) Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Mayor Reed has said MLK Drive should…