Decatur, GA — Here’s a quick look at business news in our community.

— CrossFit Decatur will now be known as Decatur Strength & Conditioning following racist remarks made by the former CEO, Greg Glassman.

According to CNN, during a video call, the owner of a CrossFit gym from Minneapolis asked why the company didn’t make a statement about George Floyd, who was killed by a white police officer there.

“We’re not mourning for George Floyd. I don’t think we or any of my staff are,” Glassman said on the call, according to CNN. “Can you tell me why I should mourn for him?”

After the remarks became public, Crossfit Decatur owner Eric Willis, who is Black, said he could no longer be associated with the company.

In a Facebook post, Willis said, “As a Black Gym owner, born and raised in the South, I’m devastated by what has happened in the last week and can no longer financially or intellectually support an organization that is owned by someone who is so callously insensitive to the black lives matter movement.”

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Here is the full statement:

 

— In a press release, the Georgia Power Foundation announced a donation of $10,000 to The Empty Stocking Fund, Inc., to support partnerships with local school systems during the COVID-19 school closures and into summer break.

The Empty Stocking Fund has been distributing At-Home Learning Kits that consist of pencils, pens, crayons, paper, markets, notebooks and note cards to 50,000 students in DeKalb, Fayette and Forsyth counties. These resources have been beneficial to students as they practice distance learning and prepare for summer vacation.

To learn more about how you can support local students, visit www.emptystockingfund.org

In a separate press release, the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) announced its approval of Georgia Power’s plan to reduce its fuel rates by 17.2 percent and total billings by approximately $740 million over a two-year period. This reduction will lower the total monthly bill by approximately $5.32 for the typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month beginning June 1.

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This implementation of a special interim reduction is also meant to provide customers some relief during the COVID-19 pandemic through even lower fuel rates over the upcoming summer months. When paired with the new lower fuel rates, the temporary reduction will lower the total bill of a typical residential customer using an average of 1,000-kilowatt hours by a total of $10.26 per month from June through September of this year, the press release said.

In other Georgia Power news, the company’s regional leadership recently provided a $20,000 donation to the Atlanta BeltLine project to continue to provide stretches of parks, trails and transit across 45 neighborhoods in the city, a press release said.

— Avondale Estates-based lighting artists Crosland + Emmons recently won the NYCxDesign 2020 Award. 

Here is the full press release:

AVONDALE ESTATES, GA (June 04, 2020) – What began as a desire to combine a knowledge of architecture and design with a passion for art, form and function is growing into a burgeoning reality for Atlanta-based sculptural lighting artists, Crosland + Emmons. Fresh into its sophomore year, the company was recently honored with an NYCxDesign 2020 Award in the Best Pendant Fixtures Category for its striking Bone Collection. Presented by Interior Design magazine, the NYCxDesign 2020 Awards acknowledge outstanding products and projects submitted by both local and international designers. Interior Design magazine editor-in-chief Cindy Allen announced the award winners during a virtual ceremony on May 18th.

Founded by two marketing and advertising veterans who saw a gap in the interiors market, Crosland + Emmons was formed from the belief that sculpture and light can be one. Each piece —from globe to accent—pays homage to the human touch, having the imprint of the maker rather than being machine made.

“When the idea for Crosland + Emmons first emerged, we wanted to create pieces that felt human – raw, real, and imperfect,” said Dana Castle Duguay, Managing Partner for Crosland + Emmons. “We wanted to steer away from the utilitarian feel that we were seeing in the industry and create pieces that are truly one-of-kind and personal to both the artist and the user.”

Duguay and co-founder Michele Emmons custom make each lighting and object piece in their Avondale Estates studio. The two work side-by-side on everything from sketching designs to shaping and firing the forms for the sculptural lighting pieces and accessories to wiring the lighting for installation. The team’s hands-on approach ensures that no two pieces will ever be the same. Crosland + Emmons pieces are made from white stoneware and fired to create a beautiful sculptural object that brings light to any space.

“The Bone Collection was the inaugural collection for Crosland + Emmons, and it has continued to progress over time,” said Emmons. “As an evolution of our Bone Collection, we introduced a multi-faceted linear lighting installation that speaks to the state of being. Built on the premise that life is unsettling, unbalanced, and sometimes isolated, each bone-like ceramic piece represents our individuality within a community that creates strength and light together.”

“We have been fortunate to have the opportunity to grow our passion during challenging times. As a part of the Atlanta art and design community, we feel inspired by those around us and enjoy sharing the results of that inspiration with the national and international design community. We are honored to have our work recognized with an NYCxDesign 2020 award and by artists and designers worldwide,” continued Duguay.

Interior Design will be promoting all NYCxDesign 2020 award winners across various social media platforms including, Instagram, Pinterest, and a Facebook gallery that honors all product winners. The winners have also been featured on WantedDesign.

For more information about the award-winning Bone Collection and to see Crosland + Emmons complete range of sculptural lighting and objects collections, visit www.croslandandemmons.com.

— Martin Hoover, owner of Decatur-based Empire Heating and Air Conditioning Inc., was recently awarded the 2020 Distinguished Service Award by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA).

According to the press release:

ACCA is a national trade association that furthers the interests of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) contracting businesses and the broader HVACR industry. The association depends on the dedicated efforts of hundreds of its volunteers who devote thousands of hours to committee service, providing leadership and guidance on everything from standards development to membership programs.

Each year, ACCA presents the Distinguished Service Award to a volunteer who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in service and distinguished him or herself in a manner that calls for additional recognition.

According to ACCA, Hoover was selected for this honor due to his high energy and enthusiasm to help ACCA and its members be better businesspeople by becoming more active in the industry. He has served on the ACCA board of directors for three years and is currently the chairman for the membership committee.

“It is an honor to be recognized for this award in the company of so many other skilled and dedicated ACCA and HVAC industry peers,” Hoover said. “I am humbled and grateful for this acknowledgement.”

For 35 years, Hoover has owned and operated Empire, a local heating and cooling company servicing metro Atlanta areas in Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Forsyth and Gwinnett counties.

To learn more about Empire, call 404-294-0900 or visit empirehvac.com.

About Empire Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. – Empire Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. is based in Decatur, Ga. and was founded in 1985 by Martin and Gila Hoover. Empire services, installs and repairs all makes and models of heating and air conditioning equipment, including boilers, hydronic heating, heat pumps and water heaters. All of its senior technicians are NATE (North American Training Excellence) certified. Empire has been a recipient of the Angie’s List Super Service Award for 15 consecutive years.

— Atlanta Sports Recovery will move to Oakhurst.

Co-owner Amy Bouchard said, “We first opened our doors in Decatur in January 2019 inside CrossFit Decatur’s Church St. facility. On July 1st we will be relocating our offices to 409 Mead Road and become part of the Oakhurst community.

“Atlanta Sports Recovery is a treatment facility specializing in soft tissue therapy, therapeutic modalities and corrective exercises to help treat pain and improve performance. We offer treatment and recovery sessions, telehealth appointments and one on one personal training sessions. My husband, Johnny Bouchard, runs the practice. He is a licensed musculoskeletal therapist, ART Certified, Fascial Distortion Model Certified and a CrossFit Level 3 Trainer (CCFT).”

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