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A PORTRAIT OF POISE: City Council President Felicia Moore says she as focused as ever on transparency, accountability

ATLANTA VOICE — There are some people who love to bask in the spotlight. And, then, there are others that prefer to do their jobs from the comfort of working behind the scenes. Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore’s ascension to the gavel has been more of the latter.

After all, she began her civic service as the president of her Riverside neighborhood association. She then served as Chair of the Neighborhood Planning Unit-D, becoming a strong advocate for economic community development, which led to her election as City Councilmember for District 9, where she served 20 years before becoming President of the Atlanta City Council in January 2018.

Published

7 years ago

September 15, 2019

Oakland Post

Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore speaks upon taking the oath of office on Jan. 2, 2018 in the MLK Auditorium at Morehouse College. (Photo by: Itoro N. Umontuen | The Atlanta Voice)

By Itoro Umontuen & Marshall Latimore

There are some people who love to bask in the spotlight. And, then, there are others that prefer to do their jobs from the comfort of working behind the scenes. Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore’s ascension to the gavel has been more of the latter.

She said that becoming Council President had been her goal and that it’s an honor to serve in this position.

“There have been few (challenges) along the way. One, I was the new president and a new president comes with their own way of wanting to do things,” said Moore candidly about a number of the challenges she has faced. “My vision for City Council comes from my love for rules, order and parliamentary procedure.”

“One challenge was trying to change the way things were done before I became President,” she continued. “Also, the council members have embraced having a Parliamentarian and operating with order and making sure the public is respected and welcomed to our meetings.”

With that in mind, Moore has asked for a forensic audit of former City of Atlanta Chief Financial Officer James “Jim” Beard, after it was reported by an Atlanta newspaper Beard spent $2,600 in city funds on two AR-15 assault rifles, spent $60,000 on business management courses at Harvard University, used a city-issued credit card for a $10,000 hotel stay in Paris and racked up an $8,000 tab for a going-away party for outgoing Mayor Kasim Reed in 2017.

“Findings from the ongoing investigations continue to be disturbing,” Moore said in a news release. “As it pertains to the most recent allegations against the former CFO, these revelations highlight the need for both the public and city council to fully understand the scope of actions taken by the former CFO wherein internal controls were overridden.

“This is the reasonable next step toward identifying where our processes are deficient and determining the corrective action needed to ensure fiscal responsibility,” her statement continued.

Beard served as the chief financial officer under Reed. He resigned when Keisha Lance Bottoms took over as mayor in early 2018. When Bottoms took office, she requested all of her cabinet members resign and reapply for their positions.
Beard was not hired back, but he was allowed to continue drawing his $274,000 salary while attending a six-week taxpayer-funded training class at Harvard University, according to local reports.

Last month, Moore and a number of fellow councilmembers supported an executive order from Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms that would effectively ban the use of e-scooters after 9 p.m. in the city. Four people have died—three since May—as the result of collisions with vehicles under low visibility.

Similar to the sentiment expressed by Bottoms, Moore said the scooters do not have the visibility to be safely operated in the evening.

“The administration is looking at other ways to approach it and it’s not just the fact the unfortunate piece,” she explained. “We do send our hearts out to those that were affected, but you have injuries; you also have issues of pedestrian safety, being able to get around the scooters, how they’re being disposed of in our creeks and waterways and being recklessly placed.”

“There are even other issues when people rent them and making sure that if an accident occurs, the people who rent them have access to the information from these companies,” she continued.

Three days ago, Uber announced plans that it would be removing its e-bikes, but would retain the use of its scooters available through the app. The pedal-assist e-bikes will no longer be available beginning this Friday, Sept. 13. However, JUMP e-scooters will stay.

Uber started testing JUMP bikes in Atlanta just over a year ago, but officially launched in early 2019. In April, there were around 1,000 JUMP bikes in the market.

“We are winding down our current JUMP e-bike operations in Atlanta,” an Uber spokeswoman Evangeline George said. “We will continue to offer JUMP scooters and look forward to continuing conversations with city leaders on how we can work together to expand transportation options.”

But transportation was only one of Moore’s priorities.

The longtime councilwoman also issued kudos to District 3 Councilmember Antonio Brown, who in partnership with the Mayor’s office, was instrumental in the creation of a Community Loan Fund through Invest Atlanta.

In mid-July, Bottoms introduced legislation that requested Invest Atlanta to establish a new Community Loan Fund designed to encourage micro and small business development within the City of Atlanta. The fund is designed to target business development that has been unserved by Invest Atlanta’s small business loan tools.

“The community loan fund will help boost the economic and social fabric of our city,” Brown said. “When we work together, we see the kind of transformational change that revitalizes our neighborhoods and empowers our constituents. This initiative will help provide equitable access to resources and create more opportunities, which truly benefits our communities.”

The Community Loan Fund will develop policies and guidelines to prioritize direct lending to credit-disadvantaged entrepreneurs using non-traditional underwriting standards.

Essentially, it acts as a funding tool for Atlanta businesses that have experienced credit challenges in the past to still have access to capital, with the end goal of residents possessing the ability to live and work in one of the city’s most historic neighborhoods.

“This is the center people are looking at with regards to gentrification and affordable housing. We are able to reserve the neighborhood, increase its value at the same time, make sure we’re able to drive it forward,” Moore said.

Additionally, Moore doubled-down on her interest in ensuring that the City of Atlanta maintains control of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. She said that any threat to the city’s control of that asset becomes a top priority.

In February, State Senator Burt Jones (R-Jackson) introduced Senate Bill 131 (SB 131), legislation that would seek to create a state authority to oversee the City of Atlanta-controlled Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

John Selden, the general manager of Hartsfield-Jackson, said the passage of SB-131 would have posed a huge disruption to the airport and Georgia economy and also a huge distraction to the incredible reputation it enjoys among its peers.

“To disrupt this model, where we have this wonderful relationship with our airline stakeholders, our federal partners, the City of Atlanta, the region, our economic partners that we do business with, and all of the employees—the 63,000 employees that work here at this airport—I don’t know what they are trying to (accomplish),” he said. “The airport is a magnificent, efficient running, complex operation, and to almost capriciously make a ruling to take the entire thing over, is problematic.”
Selden wasn’t alone in his opposition. The mayor, as well as leaders from both the City of Atlanta, the Metro Atlanta Chamber, and Delta Air Lines—the airport’s largest airline—vocally opposed the takeover discussions.

Moore joined the rest of the council in the adoption of a unanimous resolution, introduced by Council President Pro Tem Andre Dickens, that opposed any state action that would have changed the existing governance structure of the airport.

“The citizens of Georgia support local control over state regulation,” Dickens said. “The City of Atlanta and airport are excelling in terms of economic growth and opportunity for the region. We don’t need an extra layer of oversight.”

With transparency, ethics, and accountability as the pillars of Moore’s tenure, she continues to work towards building and maintaining the trust of Atlanta’s citizens, “because if there are more eyes on what we do, how we do and how we spend the money, causes leadership to do better.”

To that end, Moore said she is active on social media because she believes there’s no excuse for Atlanta to not be informed.

“We are focused on making our office to be a resource to the public,” Moore said. “We want to show individuals how to navigate City Hall, we want our small businesses to be heard. We want to give them the resources they need to be successful.”

This article originally appeared in The Atlanta Voice.

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

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2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

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2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

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2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

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