Atlanta Cheating Scandal Draws to a Close
Judge Jerry Baxter at the sentencing for the APS cheating trial
The Atlanta Public Schools cheating scandal, which began in 2009 when the AJC uncovered suspicious gains in standardized test scores at multiple APS district schools, finally drew to a conclusion this year with the sentencing of eleven of the teachers and administrators most responsible. The story gained national notoriety over the past 5 years, as former Superintendent of the Year Beverly Hall was investigated for her role in the scandal. Hall, who was diagnosed with cancer in late 2014, passed away in March before she could take the stand.
In April eleven of the twelve teachers and administrators accused of being involved in the scandal were sentenced to jail time on racketeering charges. The trial and sentencing were public and the focus of a great deal of both local and national media attention.
New Homes for Braves, Falcons
Mercedes-Benz Stadium rose from the ground in 2015
Sports and politics often go more hand in hand than most people think. Never has that been more true than with the new stadium sagas for Atlanta’s two most popular sports teams – the Braves and Falcons. Between Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and Cobb Commission Chairman Tim Lee, the deep and occasionally suspect relationship between teams and the taxpayer dollars they need to build their stadiums has been on display throughout the process. Both teams made great progress on their new homes in 2015, and naming announcements, (Suntrust Park for the Braves, Mercedez-Benz Stadium for the Falcons) and construction concerns, (Braves parking, anyone?) were all part of the fun.
On the flip side of the coin, Georgia State was announced as the winning bidder for Turner Field and the surrounding area, though those details still need to be hammered out in 2016. 2015 was a year of progress – look for 2016 to be much of the same as both franchises work toward opening day(s) in 2017.
Isakson Commits to Reelection Bid
U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson in October announced his intention to run for a third term despite a Parkinson’s diagnosis earlier in the year. The senior Senator from Georgia boasted a war chest of over $5 million, an impressive sum considering how far out the election is – and his lack of credible challengers on the horizon.
With that in mind, don’t expect to see as wild a Senate race as we had in 2014, when David Perdue emerged from a crowded Republican field in the primary and then won a competitive race over Michelle Nunn in the General Election.
