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District Attorney Paul Howard Page 6
Volume 85 • Issue 45
Ga. Governor, Atlanta Mayor Forge Rare Partnership
By Christina A. Cassidy Associated Press
As the last few minutes of Georgia’s busy legislative session ticked off the clock, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed was hanging out with Gov. Nathan Deal and his staff to watch the action unfold. It may not sound unusual until you think about the fact that, in this era of hyper-partisan rhetoric, Deal is a conservative Republican and Reed a key Democratic ally of President Barack Obama. The friendship between Deal, 70, and Reed, 43, has its roots in a shared interest in economic development and has blossomed into a powerful political alliance that is already paying dividends with a number of major corporations heading to Atlanta and neither man yet to face a significant re-election challenge. The mayor and governor frequently appear together at events, introduce each other as “my friend’’ and praise each other’s accomplishments. The two recently joined U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan to talk about the benefits of early childhood education. A few days earlier, they shared the stage at a conference and spoke about their friendship. Reed noted his office was just 300 steps or so from the governor’s office at the Capitol, ``but you would have thought in Georgia over the last 30 or 40 years, regardless of party, that walk was a 10K.’’ In fact, when Deal walked to City Hall for a news conference earlier this year to announce a deal on funding a new NFL stadium, his staff was told a governor hadn’t been across the street in 30 years. Reed, who runs the state’s largest city, with 423,000 residents, said there are a number of issues on which they find common ground. The two traveled to Washington to lobby the Obama administration on behalf of a project to deepen the Savannah River port, which Reed argues is essential to Atlanta’s success as a global business hub with companies including Home Depot and UPS. “We don’t have time to play games, and we don’t play
games with each other,’’ Deal said. There are mutual benefits as well. Reed offers the Republican governor access to a Democratic president’s administration, and Deal offers the Democratic mayor an important relationship with state leaders making decisions that affect the city. A critical moment came in 2011 when the state was looking to persuade Porsche to stay in Georgia and build its new North American headquarters in Atlanta. Deal had recently taken office, and the project quickly became a top priority for him and the mayor, who had a site in mind near Atlanta’s airport, the world’s busiest. It became clear to Porsche’s leadership that not only were the governor and mayor communicating, they were speaking in one voice. “You could tell from their interaction that these were not two people who had to be nice to each other,’’ said Joseph Folz, general counsel for Porsche Cars North America Inc. “This was a far smoother negotiation process than any prior site search for which I have been involved. I do think that is because every organization gets its character from the top.’’ Folz credited Deal and Reed’s partnership with the confidence to move forward and said company officials have shared their positive experience with others in the business community. State Rep. Calvin Smyre, a longtime Democratic lawmaker who has known Reed for years, said Reed is pragmatic and focused on being a “responsive and progressive leader.’’ As mayor, Reed oversees a strongly Democratic city with a majority Black population in a state where all the statewide elected officials are Republicans. “He believes in working across political aisles, across race relations and across cultural relations,’’ Smyre said. “Mayors have to get things done.’’
Cicely Tyson Page 7
June 13 - 19, 2013
New Dads Learn That Their Lives are Forever Changed By ADW Staff
First-time fathers experience many emotions: love, responsibility, protectiveness, and even fear. And whatever the father’s relationship is with the baby’s mother, both parents’ lives are forever changed. But it’s important to remember that while much of the attention may be on new mothers, fathers can -- and do -perform all aspects of child care (except breastfeeding). According to the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse (NRFC), fathers of infants face special challenges. These tips, when followed, can help reduce stress and build healthy routines. Tip #1: Learn to survive without sleep. Babies do not have established sleep patterns that align with yours. Especially during the first few months. Sleep whenever you can. Tip #2: Manage stress. Your baby is 100 percent dependent on others for all of his or her needs. And many of your caregiving responsibilities may be brand new. This can be stressful. Do your best to eat well, exercise, and accept help from others family members. Tip #3: Share in the feeding. Even if the baby’s mother is breastfeeding, you can participate by bringing the baby to her or changing the baby’s diaper. If it is a late-night feeding, you can take the baby afterwards until he has gone to sleep. Tip #4: Establish a routine. We are all creatures of habit. The sooner you establish a routine for the baby, the sooner he or she will adopt regular sleeping habits, which will be good for the entire family. Tip #5: Give Mom a break. Take the baby out of the house for an hour or so -- for a walk, to the grocery store, wherever -- to ensure that Mom has some down time. Tip #6: Invest in your relationship. While each of you is getting used to your new role --“father” or “mother”-- don’t forget that you are parents together. Continue to support each other. And dads, recognize that you likely will no longer be the #1 focus in the family. Tip #7: Build trust. When an infant cries, your response will begin to establish trust. Providing a consistent, timely response shows the baby that you care and can be counted on. Tip #8: Live with imperfection. No one is perfect. Neither are you. Being a parent is a new adventure. Learn from your experiences and talk to other dads to gain other perspectives. As long as you provide a safe, nurturing environment for your baby, you will learn how to become a better parent. Tip #9: Keep good records. It’s important to ensure you have key information that you will need to refer to throughout the years. This includes your pediatrician’s contact information, as well as the baby’s immunization schedule, birth certificate, and Social Security Number. Tip #10: Enjoy today! Learn to enjoy this unique time in your baby’s life when the most basic things -- riding in the stroller, watching a ceiling fan, or trying new foods -- are both new and exciting. “Learning from other fathers and sharing your own experiences results in children who have more engaged, positive relationships with their dads,” says NRFC Kenneth Braswell. “The larger the circle of caring adults the more likely children will know that they are loved.” For more information, visit www.fatherhood.gov or call 877-4DAD411. Those interested can stay in touch with the NRFC on Facebook and Twitter.