Sam Massell, Atlanta mayor who drove MARTA creation, dies

ATLANTA (AP) — Sam Massell, who was the first Jewish mayor of Atlanta and the driving force behind the creation of the region’s transit system, has died. He was 94. Massell’s wife Sandra told WXIA-TV that Massell died Sunday morning in his sleep. No cause of death was given. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens lauded Massell in a statement. It noted his role in promoting women and minority participation in the city’s government as well as his role in creating the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. MARTA officials also praised Massell’s contributions, saying the commuter transit system wouldn’t exist without him.