Super wait in Atlanta
Shutdown spurs airport concern
A day after travelers waited nearly 90 minutes in snailspeed security lines at the world’s busiest airport, Atlanta’s mayor is concerned about the waits that could result when the city hosts the 2019 Super Bowl.
The ongoing partial government shutdown is “uncharted territory” amid planning for one of the world’s biggest sporting events, Mayor Keisha Lance
Bottoms said Tuesday. “Obviously, we are in uncharted territory with the shut- down that’s gone on this long, and we are preparing as best we can from our vantage point,” Bottoms said.
The mayor and others at a Tuesday news conference said two years of planning have them well prepared to protect the public.
But the government shutdown is a wild card that arose relatively late in that planning process.
“Certainly there are factors that we don’t control, such as what’s happening with our federal government shutdown and with the long TSA lines,” Bottoms said. “We are continuing to encourage people to get to the airport very early.”
ROLLING SLOANE
Sloane Stephens advanced at the Australian Open at the expense of her former doubles partner, Timea Babos, in a second-round match the women’s tour billed as a battle of the socalled “frenemies.” Fifthseeded Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open champion, dominated the Rod Laver Arena opener, 6-3, 6-1, on Wednesday.
WENTZ IS DOUG’S MAN
Eagles coach Doug Pederson reiterated Tuesday that
Carson Wentz will be the team’s starting quarterback in 2019.
Wentz missed the final three games of the regular season and two playoff games because of a back injury. Nick Foles led Philadelphia to four straight wins and was 27 yards away from taking the Eagles to the NFC championship game before his final pass bounced off
Alshon Jeffery’s hands and was intercepted to seal a 20-14 victory for the New Orleans Saints. “Yes, Carson is the quarterback going forward,” Pederson said.
STOTTLEMYRE SERVICES
The family and friends of late Yankees pitcher and Yankee and Met pitching coach Mel
Stottlemyre will hold a service next Tuesday to celebrate his life. The service will be at Sunset Hills Memorial Park in Bellevue, Washington.