Gov. Nathan Deal and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, political partners who have helped shape the state’s agenda, sought to calm infuriated residents as they confronted a snowstorm that brought metro Atlanta to a standstill and laid bare flaws in the government’s response.
Speaking at a late-night press conference, Deal ordered state government shut down Wednesday and urged drivers to stay off the roads paralyzed by snow, portraying the weather as an “unexpected storm” that developed so quickly amid changing forecasts that officials struggled to respond.
And Reed promised transparency while also urging motorists to stay home and let emergency crews respond to stranded drivers. Road crews will treat icy highways and snow-covered streets throughout the night, he said.
Both politicians said they had learned valuable lessons from the 2011 ice storm that brought metro Atlanta to its knees, and that closer coordination and more resources have prevented the gridlock from becoming worse.
via Gov. Deal shuts down government Wednesday, tries to calm city… | www.ajc.com.
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