The ongoing saga of the MV Hondius cruise ship that had to be quarantined after passengers showed symptoms of the deadly hantavirus is touching down in Georgia, as two patients from the ship have been taken to Emory Hospital in Atlanta – renowned for its work on communicable diseases. One of the passengers, who showed hantavirus symptoms, is in Emory’s biocontainment unit, while the other is being monitored. Gov. Brian Kemp expressed confidence in Emory, saying “We’re as prepared as any state in the country to do this. And it’s just the right thing to do.” Emory’s vaunted health system taking on this high profile case has its reputation RISING…
Atlanta, Fulton Co. square off in tax fight
The City of Atlanta has long used tax allocation districts (TADs) as an economic development tool, leveraging property tax increases to pay for local infrastructure projects. But the Fulton County Commission has slammed on the brakes, voting 4-1 to reject a proposed 30-year extension of Atlanta’s TADs. That sets up a major budgetary clash, as the Fulton TADs would be expected to generate over a billion dollars over that period. Now the county will vote on TADs on a case by case basis, with stricter oversight and enforcement, leaving Atlanta’s money faucet DRIFTING…
