Andre Dickens

I'm Rose Scott.

Coming up on today's program, in just a moment, a conversation with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, recorded from earlier in the week inside the Auburn Avenue Research Library.

We'll tell you all about that.

And later in the program...

It was called Racial Zoning Divided by Design, and it took place inside the Auburn Avenue Research Library.

This documentary short traces the origins of racial zoning in Atlanta and explores how it has shaped the city's landscape.

Afterwards, I spoke with Atlanta's 61st Mayor, Andre Dickens, about this history of racial zoning, including redlining, and how the city plans to ensure similar practices don't continue to take place.

While tonight's event is more than a history lesson, it is about the power of the message and what we do with it and how we move forward.

And I just think that Billy Linville, unfortunately, hasn't proven that he has a consistent track record of that.

The other thing I just wanna remind you about Billy Linville, and this is v- very important for your listeners to know, Billy Linville went against Andre Dickens.

Um, and people forget he supported another candidate in that race for mayor.

He also went against Keisha Lance Bottoms, um, with, with another candidate in that race.

I was with some folks just last week for breakfast who worked for the Atlanta Beltline And the Beltline was a project that was launched when Mayor Shirley Franklin, in her first term, started to hear from community about this incredible project that could build this 22 mile uh ring around the city of atlanta encourage folks to get out and exercise to walk to bike um you know provide access to additional trails and then also spur economic development and the beltline has done all those things and more in spades and so uh i don't know five or six years ago right at the beginning of the pandemic we realized that the beltline needed acceleration financially specifically and uh the folks there called our firm and engaged us to help build a special services district which would infuse an additional 300 million dollars in the completion of the beltline um and we were successful in both getting the right partners on board getting both the philanthropic and the sales tax dollars that would help accelerate the development.

And I'm proud to say my mayor today, Andre Dickens, the man that I helped elect in 2021, will get to cut the ribbon on the completed Beltline before he leaves office at the very end of 2029.

And that wouldn't have happened without the work that we did on the Special Services District.

So I could tell a story about that in pretty much any industry you can find.

I think if we give a shout out to my mayor, who I got to work to elect in 21, but he also wrote the foreword to Accelerating South, and he has his own tremendous story these last five years in economic development.

A lot of my friends are like, you should run for office one day.

Just to give Andre Dickens a break, I would trade jobs with Andre Dickens as mayor of Atlanta.

I bet that'd be

We did Culture Con Atlanta.

What year? Had Mayor Andre Dickens and everything.

That was 2023.

Now listen.

We

sold out three culture cons, but we were in Atlanta.

Had Mayor Andre Dickens, had Stacey Abrams, had Troy and Rashad.

Yeah, we were right down the street.

People don't usually run against it.

You saw Andre Dickens ran for office in his second term.

Nobody ran against him.

Why? Because he had done such a wonderful job and continues to do a wonderful job.

So this idea is going around by Bottoms supporters and sorry gets that, well, it wasn't that bad.

It's a ridiculous contention.

Because a prominent city council member who got to a runoff against Mayor Andre Dickens announced in January of that year that she was running against Keisha Lance Bottoms.

And a single talking point for that campaign and Sharon Gay's campaign was rising crime.

And the Eastern Melburnian reports that Monash, Borendara, Whitehorse and Knox councils currently have no plans for a specific ban, citing difficulties with enforcement in public spaces and a need for higher level governmental regulation.

Monash Mayor Stuart James says the issue is bigger than council and a broader consistent response is needed from other levels of government.

Boroondara Council has reportedly been hit with a $900,000 legal payout.

According to the Herald Sun, it follows the firing of a local laws officer who could not fit into the municipality's small fleet cars due to a workplace injury.

The decision followed a roster reorganisation by the Council following safety concerns over a nuisance member of the public which meant staff hours had to directly align with public opening times.

HRleader.com reported that the decision confirmed that operational requirements and staff safety measures ultimately took priority over the employee's personal flexible working preferences.

The Victorian Government has decriminalised begging across the state, sparking concern from Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Rees over a lack of consultation.

The Herald Sun reported the decision has left the city searching for municipal bylaw options to regulate begging and connect vulnerable individuals with support services.

For GPB News, I'm Jillian Magtohto.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens says his office and the city council will introduce legislation that would establish standards for public safety camera technology.

The announcement yesterday comes after the Atlanta Police Department audited more than 100,000 flock license plate reader searches.

APD flagged 79 instances for additional investigation.