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[ethercat]

http://www.reporternewspapers.net/Articles-c-2009-12-31-168240.113118_Top_10_stories_of_2009.html

Scientology debate

The Church of Scientology's request to relocate to 5395 Roswell Road in Sandy Springs was by far the city's most heated rezoning battle of the year. Over its 10 months of discussion, the case drew more than 700 opposing residents and saw four deferrals from City Council. Although a final vote was taken Dec. 15 — which allows the church to worship in Sandy Springs but forbids it to increase the size of its building — the issue is far from over as the Scientologists have announced their intention to sue the city.

And from "Stories to Watch in 2010":

Scientology lawsuit: The Church of Scientology intends to sue Sandy Springs over its rezoning application. Will the judge find the city guilty of religious intolerance?

[Lorelei]

Where did this fall in the ten rankings? Just curious.

Also, should we point the reporter (if bylined) to the videos of the meetings so s/he can see that the only people bringing up religion AT ALL during these hearings were Scientologists, NOT residents? Residents and activists stuck to the ZONING issues. Are the Scienos going to sue THEMSELVES for dragging religion into a mere ZONING dispute?

[ethercat]

Where did this fall in the ten rankings? Just curious.

They didn't put numerical ranks on them, but if you want to see where it falls in the list and what the other 9 stories were, it's at the link.

Also, should we point the reporter (if bylined) to the videos of the meetings so s/he can see that the only people bringing up religion AT ALL during these hearings were Scientologists, NOT residents? Residents and activists stuck to the ZONING issues. Are the Scienos going to sue THEMSELVES for dragging religion into a mere ZONING dispute?

I don't know if she compiled the list, but Amy Wenk, the reporter on the scientology zoning meetings, knows.  She was at the meetings.  Amy has gone to India for a while, and won't be reporting for SS again until she returns: http://www.reporternewspapers.net/Articles-c-2009-12-31-168204.113118_My_passage_to_India.html

December 31, 2009
You might miss my byline in the Reporter Newspapers over the next six weeks.

I won't be covering Sandy Springs City Council or writing my 17th piece on the Church of Scientology rezoning saga.

On Jan. 1, the first day of a new decade, I depart for Gujarat, India with four local professionals: Buckhead resident Bill Barney, owner of Play It Again Sports on Roswell Road; Brookhaven resident Blake Beyer, consultant with the The North Highland Company in Buckhead; Midtown resident Whitney Miller, marketing and communications specialist with Jackson Spalding; and Atlanta resident Renee Nelson, also a consultant with The North Highland Company.

We are members of a program called Group Study Exchange (GSE) that is sponsored by Rotary International, a volunteer organization of business leaders who engage in humanitarian activities to promote global goodwill. There are about 1.2 million Rotary club members in 33,000 Rotary clubs worldwide.

More at the link.  And unlike the scientology volunteer ministers, I bet they actually do real humanitarian activities.  There's a blog for them: www.gsegujarat.com  (I hope they don't encounter any scientology activity there!)