Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Jim Strickland, who spent nearly 20 years at WSB-TV as a consumer investigative reporter before retiring in 2019, died Monday night, according to the station. He helped launch the station’s consumer investigative franchise in 1999. Strickland’s investigations over the years have shut down unscrupulous medical clinics, led to federal raids of illegally run businesses and facilitated sweeping regulation of the city of Atlanta’s car booting industry. Read about his life and time at WSB 🕊️ https://lnkd.in/eYeu4rbd

Are you in the market for a new car in 2025? It’s a good time to take stock of what new and used car buyers can expect this coming year. Lower interest rates may provide relief to those who need to borrow money to buy a car, and the new presidential administration could clamp down on electric vehicle tax credits. Erin Keating, executive analyst and senior director of economics and industry insights for Cox Automotive Inc., shares her thoughts with Steering Column writer Renee DeGross Valdes on what buyers can expect in the new year. https://lnkd.in/ePJgyPWy

The 16-story hotel that pokes Macon’s skyline was, for a while, a shimmering touchstone for a midsize Southern town aspiring to new heights. It rose along the Ocmulgee River as one of the tallest buildings visible on the interstate ride between Savannah and Atlanta — a sure draw, developers thought, for business travelers, convention planners and vacationers. But the hotel never delivered on its promise. Conventioneers failed to flock. Overnight guests proved too few. And low occupancy, coupled with financial woes and mismanagement, doomed Macon’s once-sparkling Hilton, which was designed by architect Morris Lapidus, whose works include the Fontainebleau and the Eden Roc in Miami Beach. Empty since 2011, it soon it will be no more. On New Year’s Day, the 307-room structure will be demolished, felled by dynamite blasts. https://lnkd.in/eAPq6J2J

When Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian hosts a keynote event at the iconic Sphere venue in Las Vegas in early January for Delta’s centennial, musician Lenny Kravitz will be the headliner. But 100 top employees will be there in Sin City on an all-expenses-paid trip in a special category of guests. In November, the 100 workers were named to the carrier’s Chairman’s Club, employee awards that are unlike many in Corporate America. Members are recognized at a red-carpet event at Delta’s museum and receive perks like international travel, with many serving as ambassadors for the brand. The AJC’s Kelly Yamanouchi takes you inside how Delta does it’s annual employee honors a little differently, and how it pays dividends for the carrier. https://lnkd.in/eKnF2kGb

They’re back. After a brief stint in the suburbs, one of the country’s largest cancer-fighting charities has its offices back in downtown Atlanta and wants everyone to notice. The American Cancer Society on Thursday installed a 43-foot-long sign atop the 22-story office tower at 270 Peachtree St. The charity, which provides support for cancer research and advocacy efforts, began occupying 42,000 square feet across three stories of the high-rise last year, relocating from a single-story office building near Kennesaw. More 🏢: https://lnkd.in/ek3_pwAg

The earliest mention of James Earl Carter, Jr. in the pages of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was in 1938. For the last nine decades, our reporters and editors have documented the life and legacy of the peanut farmer who became President like no other news organization. As the world mourn's the passing of America's 39th president, I hope you will join The AJC in remembering a man who will always be remembered for his character and dignity, and who devoted his life to making the world a better place for the next generation. Our thoughts and prayers are with The President's family and his colleagues at The Carter Center who will continue to spread his ideals around the world. https://lnkd.in/eqKsm295

Peanut farmer. Naval officer. Nuclear engineer. Governor. President. Peacemaker. Nobel laureate. Champion of voting rights and global health. Jimmy Carter’s journey from tiny Plains, Georgia, to the White House and back left an imprint on the world in many ways. But those who observed and worked with him say his environmental record lives on as one of the most significant — and perhaps most underrated — parts of his legacy. Carter oversaw a huge expansion of the National Park System and protected rivers across the country, plus millions of acres of Alaska wildlands. He was also the first U.S. president to address the dangers of climate change to the American people, staking his place as one of the most influential environmental leaders in U.S. history, experts say. Read more about Carter's legacy 🕊️ https://lnkd.in/ez5sbZKn

Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, has died. Chip Carter, a son of the former president, said his father died about 3:40 p.m. on Sunday in his Plains home. Carter, who lived longer than any other U.S. president, entered home hospice care in Plains, Georgia in February 2023 after a series of short hospital stays. He was 100 years old. ✒️: Christopher Quinn and Ernie Suggs | AJC https://lnkd.in/eWC48nWQ

Many in Atlanta still remember AirTran Airways, the low-cost carrier with a hub in Atlanta. After being acquired by Southwest Airlines, AirTran flew its final flight ten years ago, on Dec. 28, 2014. For many former AirTran employees and passengers, there’s still nostalgia for the airline that gained a loyal following among road warriors and other travelers. In a back to the future moment, Southwest now has plans for a new strategy to add some of the same types of services that AirTran once had, including premium seats.

By the end of 2026, the Southern Poverty Law Center hopes to transform contaminated land in the English Avenue neighborhood into a sustainable, community-facing campus. One year after acquiring 2½ acres on Atlanta’s Westside, the nonprofit organization has selected a developer and architect to oversee the project, which will create a campus with space for use by both the law center and the public. Quest Community Development Corporation, which is active in building affordable housing on the Westside, has been tapped as the developer, while Cooper Carry is the architect, according to an announcement from the SPLC. Read more: https://lnkd.in/edau8ffj