LAKE CITY REPORTER LOCAL & NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2009 Atlanta Olympic Park: 3 museums, 5 years By DORIE TURNER Associated Press ATLANTA - New York City has Times Square. New Orleans is known for the French Quarter, and in San Francisco, cam- era-toting tourists flock to Fisherman's Wharf. Now, city .leaders in Atlanta hope to add Centennial Olympic Park - and the growing roster of museums dotting it - to the list of popular urban tourism corridors. The downtown district, once home to rundown, buildings and dark streets, was transformed in the mid- 1990s into the town square for the 1996 Olympic Games. Now the 21-acre park is bordered by the world's largest aquarium, the international headquar- ters for CNN, the World of Coca-Cola, a children's museum and the National Museum of Patriotism. In the next five years, three 'new museums will open around the park - the Center for Civil and Human Rights, the National.Health Museum and the National College Football Hall of Fame (which is moving from its current location in South Bend, Ind.). And the Georgia Aquarium will ASSOCIATED PRESS In this photo taken Nov. 19, a couple walks in Centennial Olympic Park near CNN's head- quarters in downtown Atlanta. premiere its $100 million dolphin wing. Meanwhile, a private investor is considering opening a pirate museum on the park, capitalizing on a surge in the 'popu- larity of swashbuckling culture thanks to Disney's ubiquitous "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie fran- chise. "It is really spectacu- lar," said William Pate, president of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau. "Whether you're coming for college football or with kids or just with your spouse to relax, we've really got this wonderful compact set of assets at the park that really gives you a starting point." With the museums have come other, improvements to the district: restaurants like Boston's famous Legal Seafood, nearly 15,000 hotel rooms within walk- ing distance and the disap- pearance of the seedy strip JASON MATTHEW WAlKER/Lake City Reporter An angel spreads holiday cheer at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park's Festival of Lights. joints that once ruled the area. Much of the most recent evolution started in 2001 when Home Depot co- founder and philanthropist Bernie Marcus announced he wanted to build the w6rld's largest fish tank in Atlanta, He envisioned cre- ating a district like Harbor Town in Baltimore, which. began with the National Aquarium. That aquarium opened in 2005 and has drawn millions of people. LIGHTS From Page 1A park's gift shop, which will remain open until 9 p.m. The festival and lights will be on display from dusk until 9 p.m. through Dec. 31. Admission is $2 per per-, son and children younger than three will be admitted free. Call (386) 397- 4331 or visit www. FloridaStateParks. org/ StephenFoster. The& Ni~ Patch a C Your Pet's Favorite Spot Christmas Gift . Lots of Sweater To Your Pet I & Christmas DOFF I Outfits OFF I a i Grooming! for s ) Dec. 9^-Dec. 30" "J 388-754-5553 - Advertise in over 100 papers One Call - One Order - One Payment www.national-classifieds.com info@national-classifieds.com 1-866-742-1373 Put US to work for you! ANF ,. " " ,, ,, H , , - , , LEADER: Throughout the county, friends recall Continued From Page 1I "She was a great person, a great community lead- er," said District 1 County Commission Ron Williams. "She always spoke up for what was best for the com- munity and not just her- self. She was one of the first to speak up about the injustices. in northeast and northwest Lake City when � it came to paved streets and things of that nature. She was always at the forefront of that." "She was known through- out Columbia County, not as a black lady or as a mor- tician, but as a human being who stood up for what was right," he said. Funeral arrangements had not been made as of press time Monday. SOLICIT: Scams intensify during holidays Continued From Page 1A iting donations for the Fraternal Order of Police, said Sgt. John Blanchard, City of Lake City Police Department public informa- tion officer. False solicitation calls come in throughout the year, but there are typically more during the holidays, Hunter said. Anyone receiving a solic- iting phone call should ask for a call back number to verify who the person rep- resents, Blanchard said. Roseanna Bondi Ratliff Mrs. Roseanna Bondi Ratliff, 55, of Lake City, died early Friday morning December 11, 2009 in Shands at the University of Florida Hospital following an extended illness. A native of San Diego, California, Mrs. Ratliff had been a resident of Lake City for the past year having returned here from Macclenny, Florida. Mrs. Ratliff was a member of the 1972 graduating class of Columbia High School. She worked for many years as a book keeper in several different industries until her ill health forced hef to retire. Mrs. Ratliffwas an avid gardener and was of the' Catholic faith. She was preceded in death by her father, Peter Bondi. Mrs. Ratliff is survived by her husband, Dennis "Wayne" Ratliff; her mother, Martha Walker Bondi of Live Oak, Florida; a daughter, Jennifer of Naples, Florida; two sisters, Penny Howell (J.D.) and Anja Kitchings (Wallie) both of Lake City, Florida; two brothers, Peter Bondi (Kim) of Sevierville, ' "Certainly be very skepti- cal and ,ask who they rep- resent," he said. "If people won't give you contact information to verify, then you should not donate to them." Residents can report soliciting phone calls by calling the sheriff's office at (386)752-3223 and e- mail to eseifert@columbi- asheriffcom or the police department at (386)752- 4344. Also call Columbia County Crime Stoppers Tennessee; and Vincent Bondi of Florida and by her beloved dog; "Caesar" Two grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews and other family members and friends also survive. A memorial service for Mrs. Ratliff will be conducted at 11:00 A.M., Wednesday, December 16, 2009 in the chapel of the Dees- Parrish Family Funeral Home with Rev. Walter Bowman officiating. Interment services will be private. The family will receive friends for one hour prior to the service in the chapel of the funeral home. Arrangements are under the direction of the DEES- PARRISH FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 458 South Marion Avenue, Lake City, Florida 32025 (386)752-1234. Please sign the family guest book at www. parrishfamilyfuneralhome. com. Obituaries are paid advertise- ments. For details, call the Lake City Reporter's classified depart- ment at 752-1293. at (386)754-7099 with tips about crimes in the area. "If anybody gets solicited or approached about some- thing that seems unusu- al, please give us a call," Blanchard said. "Let us be nosy for (you)." CONNIE M EADIE rF .... -. " 1 ts (386) 752 6058 4447 NW AMERICAN LANE LAKE CITY a040579uallstate.comrn G@AllState, You're in good hands. c 2009 Allstate Insurance Company allstate.com "Thank you for voting us Best of the Best" 4 boost is here! mobile 20 Off All Cell Phone Accessories Baker's Communications Inc. Established In 1973 386-752-6494 2627 SW Main Blvd S' LJ Bg and tough enough fo power tools S AE OVR P300mu Iea fl n Co" n e n s Ton l dod wh e rSayli Last HOTHDEAL .W 550 19 19 YOUR CHOICE A. 11-Pc. Comhiattlon Wreni Slet Chrome vanadium SAo m 2B% reg. S.4 with tn- markings SA or metric. R 117 829, 99 3l ulg Sat ictades 830 B2 While supplies last.n aYu two 150-lght snngs. Clear or B 50-fc. 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