Information on the car below from the Ferrari Club of America.
Our 50th Anniversary celebration – “Passione” kicked off at Concorso Italiano 2012! This was the launch of our 599 Relay car as it began a 20,000-mile journey across North America to visit every Region and Chapter and to both the Palm Springs and Elkhart Lake Annual Meets.
The relay is led by a special, one-off Ferrari 599GTB-HGTE built specially for Passione. This unique Ferrari, the very last North America specification 599 produced, has been made possible by Jim Taylor, FCA member and Patrono Principale of the FCA’s 50th Anniversary, and by Ferrari North America. The 599 has a unique paint scheme and interior design, as well as custom graphics representing the 50-year history of the FCA.
It stopped by the Rome, GA headquarters of Pirelli before heading to downtown Rome for a photo-op.
Here’s the write-up from the Rome News-Tribune:
The very last Ferrari North American Specification 599 car will be in town for a ceremonial tire change at the Pirelli Tire North American headquarters.
Continue Reading..
At 9 AM Tuesday, March 19th in Room 450 of the Capitol, a Senate Rules Committee Subcommitee will hold a hearing only on House Bill 142 and HB 143 by Speaker David Ralston.
Members of the Rules Subcommittee include Senators Gloria Butler, Steve Gooch, Bill Jackson, Fran Millar, Jack Murphy, Cecil Staton and Chairman Jeff Mullis.
Cherokee County is the center of the universe in Georgia Republican politics this week.
Add to that Bob Barr’s similar non-announcement preannouncement, and we’ve got politicians stacked up and waiting for word from Rep. Gingrey.
Are State Rep. Edward Lindsey and former candidate for Chairman of the Georgia Republican Party Tricia Pridemore also considering runs if Gingrey decides to go for an upgrade, or did I just make that up?Continue Reading..
History Lesson: Sunday, March 11, 2013 was the 100th anniversary of the death of Harriet Tubman. The Harriet Tubman Museum is located at 340 Walnut Street, Macon, Georgia 31201. Here’s some more information. A Fulton County elementary school bears her name.
Sometime between 1820 and 1822, Tubman was born Araminta Ross to slaves in Dorchester County, Md. She was nicknamed “Minty.”
Around 1844, she married John Tubman, a free man, and took her mother’s name of Harriet.
Fearing she would be sold away from her family after the death of her owner, she escaped with her two brothers, some accounts say.
The men got cold feet and wanted to turn back.
With a strong determination, she escorted them home and set out alone, leaving her the only one to cross into freedom.
Tubman would put her life in jeopardy at least 19 times as she crossed back into the South to lead others away from bondage.
In her documented excursions on the Underground Railroad, Tubman led at least 300 others to the North via safe houses along the way.
She helped countless others by sharing survival secrets, such as using sap to throw off the bloodhounds and following the North Star.
By 1856, there was a $40,000 bounty on her head.
The wanted poster stated she was illiterate, so when Tubman overheard men reading it, she pretended to be reading a book and avoided capture.
Election Alert – Jinkies, another election! – Cobb County voters head to the polls on March 19th to vote for the E-SPLOST IV, but some fear not enough voters are aware of the upcoming vote.
Tom Cheater, the school board’s vice chair, said what he has heard from Marietta City voters has been favorable to SPLOST IV passing.
“They view it as a continuation of an existing tax, and one they feel has demonstrated value to the city and the county over the past five years,” he said.
He also said that while previous SPLOSTs have passed by wide margins, he anticipate the results on March 19 will be close.
“It’s important that everyone gets their voice heard when it comes to SPLOST IV,” Cheater said. “There is a lot of information available and voters should evaluate it carefully – on both sides.”
If the referendum is approved, Marietta City School Board Chair Randy Weiner said it would be the first time in quite a while that their district has been debt free.
And if it doesn’t pass?
“We still must pay off our old debt, and debt right now for the next five years would be $3 million each year,” Lembeck said. “Likewise, technology is a given and an expectation by students, families and educators and right now just to refurbish … that would be about $2.4 million a year.”
Members of both the Georgia Tea Party and Cobb County Taxpayers Association have been very outspoken against the referendum.
“This is the first time I’ve ever directly opposed an e-SPLOST,” said Tom Maloy with the Georgia Tea Party.
He has been a Cobb resident for more than 40 years.
“SPLOSTs are supposed to be temporary, and they are getting a real feel of permanence,” Maloy said.
On Sunday afternoon, they will be joining forces with the Cobb Taxpayers Association to host a “Rock the E-SPLOST” rally on the Marietta Square to speak out about their opposition.
“One of the things that bothers me is that they’ve had a SPLOST in place for 15 consecutive years and they still talk about infrastructure needs that have not been met, like roofs leaking and inadequate HVAC, toilets that need to be repaired and clearly things that need to be taken care of but why weren’t they fixed in the past?” asked Lance Lamberton with the association.
They have invited former Cobb Commission Chair Bill Byrne and former Cobb School Facilities and Technology Committee chair Kimberley Euston to speak, and live music will be performed by Mark Augustyn of Atlanta.
I suspect that last paragraph refers to the same Mark Augustyn who was elected Vice Chair for Events at the DeKalb County Republican Party Convention on Saturday.
Here are some FAQs from those both opposed to and supporting the E-SPLOST IV renewal.
Republican David Stover will be sworn in today as the new State Representative from the 71st District, representing parts of Coweta and Fayette Counties. For the first time this year, Speaker Ralston will be playing with a full deck leading a State House with every seat filled. From the Times-Herald in Newnan,
Stover was up at the Georgia Capitol building Thursday getting organized.
“I’ve got my office and parking,” he said. “Just getting all the housekeeping things done.”
“Right now I’m sitting on the floor watching the activities,” he added.
Stover will be sworn on the House floor in the well by a judge at 9 a.m. Monday.
Stover won 10 of 11 precincts in Coweta County and one of two precincts in Fayette County.
Today is Legislative Day Thirty One in the Georgia General Assembly. The upcoming days will focus on each house hearing bills that crossed-over from the other chamber in committee, and continued work on the FY 2014 Budget (the “Big Budget”).
HB 101 by State Rep. Bubber Epps, Senate sponsor John Wilkinson – Nonprofit organizations; exclude certain events from “food service establishment” definition
HB 198 by State Rep. Richard Smith, Senate sponsor Tim Golden – Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; licensing of health insurance navigators; provide
HB 202 by State Rep. Bubber Epps, Senate sponsor Steve Gooch – Highways, bridges, and ferries; performing value engineering studies; provide requirementsContinue Reading..
This is the second Ferrari FF I’ve seen in Atlanta. Here’s the first.
And a couple gratuitous photos of birds from my neighborhood.
