The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • B2

Filename: B2-METRO-AJCD1123-AJCD DateTime created: Nov 22 2010 Username: SPEEDDRIVER14 Magenta Black 2B AJCD Tuesday, Nov 23, 2010 METRO 2B B2 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2010 Metro Court: Provide interpreter Ruling: Those who need one must get one for fair trial. proceed in a criminal matter and rendered effectively absent at trial if no interpreter is provided," the Supreme Court said. Civil liberties groups had submitted a brief saying that denying people with limited English proficiency access to interpreters violates the U.S. Constitution and civil rights laws.

Chief Justice Carol Hun-stein wrote the majority opinion and was joined by justices Robert Benham, Harold Melton and David Nahmias. Justices George Carley, Hugh Thompson and Harris Hines dissented. cause her lawyer didn't secure an interpreter. Ling was accused of physically abusing her two young children, and a Spalding County jury convicted her of one count of first-degree cruelty to children. After a 2008 trial, she was sentenced to 15 years, with 10 to serve in prison.

Ling filed a motion for a new trial, but the trial court denied the motion and an appeals court upheld that decision. We hold that one who cannot communicate effectively in English may be effectively incompetent to Choir gives families a helping hand bring House GOP total to 113 mm By Kate Brumback Associated Press Georgia's top court ruled Monday that a person with limited English proficiency is entitled to an interpreter at trial. The Georgia Supreme Court's 4-3 decision Monday said that native Mandarin speaker Annie Ling, who is from Malaysia, is entitled to a new trial be LEGISLATURE 2011 Party switchers The final shoes from the Nov. 2 election in Georgia may have just dropped. According to the office of House Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, state Reps.

Ellis Black and Amy Carter announced Monday that they are joining the House Republican Caucus and resigning from the House Democratic Caucus. With Monday's announcements, the Geor marta II; u.ipl i. ij Members of the New Advent Choir filled more than 300 boxes of food Monday each with enough to feed a family for a week at Cascade United Methodist in Atlanta. They started working at 6 a.m. Right: Gail Buster of Lithia Springs loads turkeys in a shopping cart at the church.

Families who need clothing will also receive those items. "It makes me feel good and blessed to be able to give back to the community," Buster Said. Photos by Johnny Crawford jcrawfordajc.com on the News Are there any nonpartisan county commissions in Georgia? If not, could there be? -John Fountain, Conyers The only counties that can hold nonpartisan elections for county commission seats are consolidated governments, officials with the Association County Commissioners of Georgia told on the News. There are seven in Georgia: Athens-Clarke County (1990); Augusta-Richmond County (1995); Columbus-Muscogee County (1970); Cusse-ta-Chattahoochee County (2003); Georgetown-Quitman County (2006); Preston-Weston-Webster County (2008); and Statenville-Echols County (2008). The authority comes from the state Legislature, so it would require a legislative change for the other counties to have nonpartisan elections.

Why is there so much vegetation growing on Stone Mountain? Bill Johnston, Norcross This is a major feature of granite outcrop-pings. Robert Edward Wyatt, a retired professor in the Odum School of Ecology at the University of Georgia, writes in the New Georgia Encyclopedia that an unexpectedly large number of plant species occur only on Piedmont granite outcrops, of which Stone Mountain is the largest. The very nature of how the granite weathers allows a unique set of plants to grow. Uneven weathering of the rock surface results in shallow depressions, called weathering or solution pits, where the most distinctive granite-outcrop plants occur. Lori Johnston wrote this column.

Have a question? Call 404-222-2002 ore-mail (include name, phone and city). The Vent Wow! Gov. Sonny's staff gets huge pay raises. Dummy me, I thought the GOP was supposed to be fiscally responsible. Not! When will the world recognize that the Vatican's ban on birth control is the single biggest oppressor of poor people everywhere? Vick redeemed? Not in my eyes.

The bar just gets lower and lower. So one in five Americans is mentally ill? Guess that explains it. At Thanksgiving, north Fulton wants to sell south Fulton to Atlanta for a handful of beads. OMG! I like what Neal Boortz has to say except for his bragging. I hope that voters will remember that Georgia's entire Republican congressional delegation voted against extending badly needed unemployment benefits, but strongly support extending tax breaks for the wealthy, i.e., themselves.

The majority in Congress are millionaires. No wonder they are against taxing of the rich. Don't really want people shooting crossbows or guns at the deer or me in my neighborhood. Is there a third choice? Your children know when you have lost your moral compass. Do not act surprised when you detect thattheyare ashamed of you.

There is a book, a rather large book, filled with words, their meanings, and how to pronounce them. It's called a dictionary. Obviously, some people prefer to attend megachurches. Live and let live. Remember.God is the judge, not you.

gia House has 113 Republicans, 66 Democrats and one independent. Black and Carter said they felt they could serve their constituents best as Republicans. Black, who was elected to the House in 2000, represents the residents of District 174, which includes Brooks and Echols counties, and portions of Lowndes and Thomas counties, in South Georgia. i. i 1 I I 1 I 1 i 2B Carter, who was elected to the House in 2006, represents District 175, which includes portions of Lowndes County.

In a statement, Ralston said he was "very pleased to welcome" Black and Carter, calling them "outstanding Georgia leaders who have chosen to put the interests of their districts ahead of party." JIM GALLOWAY l'i AJCD Public Hearings in December! The City of Atlanta, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District and the Midtown Improvement District invite you to attend public hearings to review and comment on the Environmental Assessment for the Atlanta Streetcar Project. The Environmental Assessment analyzes the potential environmental impacts of proposed rail transit along Peachtree Street, Auburn and Edgewood Avenues. During the meeting you will have the opportunity to view displays and documents, ask questions, listen to a presentation on the project, and share your opinions and ideas. Thursday December 9, 2010 Redeemer Lutheran Church 731 Peachtree Street NE Rudisill Hall Atlanta, GA 30308 5:00 PM PM Monday December 13, 2010 Auburn Avenue Research Library 101 Auburn Avenue NE 4th Floor Auditorium Atlanta, GA 30303 5:00 PM (Presentations will begin at For more information visit our website: www.qeorgiatransitconnector.org Submit comments between November 24, and December 23, 2010: By mail to: Paul Grether, Manager of Regional Service Coordination, MARTA, 2424 Piedmont Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30324-3330 Email: streetcaritsmarta.com: phone: 404.848.5299 fax: 404.848.5132 TTY: (404) 848-5665 Monday through Friday from 6:00 AM to 1 1 :00 PM; weekends and most holidays from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM Flag waving andor wearing a lapel pin does not make you patriotic. I would like each of you who say that those receiving unemployment benefits whom you claim are lazy and undeserving go and meet with them eye to eye and let them know howyou feel.

Be sure their little children hear also. Just like some people are not made to be opera singers, some are not made for the military service. My son served, and my two grandsons are in the service now. Nobody is an opera singer. Waited 30 minutes on Johnson Ferry yesterday and it wasn't even rush hour.

Umm money trickles down from the wealthy? Ronald Reagan proved that didn't work in the '80s. You must beyoung and noveau riche. May I remind you that the Statue of Liberty has inscribed on tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearn ing to be free." What do you th ink that means? I love the idea of a subdivision that bans pickup trucks! Great idea. The problem with education is not the curriculum, or the teachers, or the amount of money. It is the students.

They are lazy, ill-mannered and have an entitlement attitude. Of course you should pay teachers a livable wage. Are you nuts? How can one tell how much good Bev Hall did with the statistics of 58 schools skewed by cheating allegations? Leaving is the right choice. There's a lot of hate here. Hate the Northerners.

Hate the French. Hate the Jews. People here aren't very Christian at all. 2010 User- Magenta Black Filename: B2-METRO-AJCD1123-AJCD DateTime created: Nov 22.