Atlanta News

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

Atlanta is known as the “Hollywood of the South,” and in our “City Lights” series, “Speaking of Y’allywood,” we amplify the voices of local professionals who keep Atlanta’s film industry […]

From WABE Local News:

Reuters reports the U.S. Justice Department cut around 370 grants, totaling more than $800 million in funding. A nonpartisan analysis by the Council on Criminal Justice estimates the cuts at […]

From WABE Local News:

This article was originally published by Healthbeat, a nonprofit newsroom covering public health published by Civic News Company and KFF Health News. Public health, explained: Sign up to receive Healthbeat’s […]

From the Atlanta Daily World:

Local 528 Drivers Demand Fair First Contract at Forest Park Fulfilment Center   Drivers at Kroger’s Forest Park fulfillment center have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike in response to the company’s repeated refusal to negotiate a fair agreement. The workers, represented by Teamsters Local 528, are demanding a first Teamsters contract with strong wages, good … Continued

The post Teamsters Local 528 Authorizes Strike at Forest Park Kroger’s appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

Studio reimagines abandoned Atlanta stadium as green, urban oasis Josh Green Tue, 05/27/2025 - 14:45

Some of the brightest design minds at Georgia Tech have birthed ambitious, fantastical, and perhaps unrealistic ideas such as the MARTA Mountain concept at Krog Street Tunnel. But big ideas for Atlanta’s pockmarked urban fabric aren’t exclusively homegrown.  

As part of a year-end show that recently concluded, students at the University of Pennsylvania’s Stuart Weitzman School of Design dreamed up inventive new uses for a historic Westside property that’s devolved into one of Atlanta’s largest vacant eyesores: circa-1948 Herndon Stadium, now abandoned for more than a decade. 

The studio of graduating students at the private research university in Philadelphia homed in on growing Atlanta as “one of America’s complicated urban landscapes,” where modernity is consistently juxtaposed with important history dating back through the civil rights movement to the Civil War. The broader analysis focused on a four-mile-long transect of Atlanta stretching from Cabbagetown to the former Gulch, Herndon Stadium, and Washington Park. 

“[Atlanta] is uniquely American and cosmopolitan—both emblematic of the South—and a national center of commerce with a lasting focal point in the American sociopolitical discourse,” wrote the studio participants, in summation. 

Herndon Stadium in the analysis is reimagined as a green, urban oasis with both active (see: sports courts) and passive uses. 

University of Pennsylvania, Stuart Weitzman School of Design/Kaustabh Banerjee

Overview of ideas hatched for the empty Westside stadium as part of the Weitzman School of Design studio exercise, with MLK Jr. Drive at bottom and Rhodes Street at top University of Pennsylvania, Stuart Weitzman School of Design/Kaustabh Banerjee

Specific aspects call for the graffiti-covered grounds to feature a kids play area, “stadium hammocks,” wading pools, a boardwalk with wetlands, a “MARTA viewing room” for watching trains pass underneath, plazas, waterfalls, lawns, an artist residency building, and workshops for job training. 

Herndon Stadium was built in 1948 and remains the only double-sided stadium among the HBCUs of Atlanta University Center. The 15,000-seat venue was named for Alonzo Herndon—founder of Atlanta Life Insurance Company and the city’s first Black millionaire—and hosted many notable events during its nearly 70-year run. 

Those included Olympic field hockey finals for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta. A multitude of concerts, including one that became a live Ray Charles album. One of heavyweight boxing legend Joe Louis’ bouts. The home turf of professional women’s soccer team Atlanta Beat. And, according to Atlanta History Center, a filming location for the 2006 football flick, “We Are Marshall.”

How the 1948 stadium could be infused with life, per the studio's concept. University of Pennsylvania, Stuart Weitzman School of Design/Kaustabh Banerjee

But 11 years after Morris Brown College sold the stadium to Clark Atlanta University, the historic grounds of Herndon Stadium remain vacant and crumbling. Atlanta City Council member Byron Amos, who represents Vine City, and FIFA officials spoke excitedly in 2023 about tentative plans to revive the stadium and open it in time for Atlanta’s month of 2026 FIFA World Cup matches next year. But those plans haven’t produced results. 

Is converting the stadium to a public-accessible greenspace a bit farfetched, for a number of reasons (such as, we’re guessing, liability?) Perhaps. Could the conversion be more cost-effective and reverential than bulldozing it? Probably. Would it beat the alternative of letting the stadium rot? Absolutely. 

Looking north across the ghostly grounds today, toward English Avenue, Georgia Tech, and Buckhead beyond.

Juxtaposition of Herndon Stadium and Mercedes-Benz Stadium (middle distance), both situated along M.L.K. Jr. Drive west of downtown.

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Vine City news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

41 Sunset Ave. Herdon Stadium Atlanta University Center AUC Alonzo Herndon Atlanta Life Insurance Company Atlanta Beat We Are Marshall 1996 Olympics Atlanta Olympics Olympics Centennial Olympic Games Atlanta Filming Locations 2026 FIFA World Cup Atlanta World Cup World Cup 2026 World Cup Atlanta aerial tours ruin porn Direct Invest Stuart Weitzman School of Design University of Pennsylvania Bureau of Big Ideas

Images

Overview of ideas hatched for the empty Westside stadium as part of the Weitzman School of Design studio exercise, with MLK Jr. Drive at bottom and Rhodes Street at top University of Pennsylvania, Stuart Weitzman School of Design/Kaustabh Banerjee

How the 1948 stadium could be infused with life, per the studio's concept. University of Pennsylvania, Stuart Weitzman School of Design/Kaustabh Banerjee

University of Pennsylvania, Stuart Weitzman School of Design/Kaustabh Banerjee

Subtitle Sound like a plan?

Neighborhood Vine City

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

As she tours with her most theatrical show to date, genre-blurring artist Raveena is turning inward, sharing not just music but a raw emotional journey. Her latest live production unfolds […]

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

This summer will see a series of rumbles and tumbles for metro Atlanta wrestling fans. WWE announced on Tuesday that State Farm Arena will host a highly anticipated “weekend takeover” […]

From the Atlanta Daily World:

  For the last two decades plus, the words “YEAHHH,” “OKAYY,” and “WHATTT” have been synonymous with multi-platinum, Grammy award winning artist Lil Jon. He has been one of the most prominent figures in music and pop culture alike, performing for hundreds of thousands of fans with Usher & Ludacris, Afrojack, Steve Aoki, Pitbull, TLC … Continued

The post Lil Jon Receives Prestigious Beacon of Industry Award from BESLA appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From the Atlanta Daily World:

The  (BESLA) will host its highly anticipated 2025 Mid-Year Conference in Atlanta on May 29-31, 2025, bringing together legal and industry professionals from across the entertainment and sports sectors. This year’s theme, “Bridging the Gap: Advocacy, Artistry & Access,” explores the vital connection between legal advocacy, creative industries, and equitable opportunity. The Mid-Year Conference features dynamic … Continued

The post Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Association Heads to Atlanta for Major Conference appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From the Atlanta Daily World:

Sunday evening, local American Red Cross volunteers from the Greater Atlanta Chapter responded to a fire at Parkwood Village apartments on Winters Chapel Road. Red Cross volunteers, part of the Disaster Action Team, were on the scene to help coordinate emergency aid to those affected. They assisted at least 24 people. The Red Cross provided comfort kits, direct client assistance, and … Continued

The post Red Cross Responds to Apartment Fire in DeKalb County appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From the Atlanta Daily World:

Patrick McMullan ArchivesSource: Patrick McMullan / Getty By bawintern1 on May 26, 2025 As Diddy is currently undergoing trial for sex trafficking and racketeering in New York City, conspiracy theories of his alleged activities with other celebrities have run rampant. Jamie Foxx made it a point to dispel one that claimed the mogul tried to … Continued

The post Jamie Foxx Refutes Claim Diddy Allegedly Tried To Kill Him appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

Letter to Editor: Why cost of buying in Alpharetta has more than doubled Josh Green Tue, 05/27/2025 - 12:33

Editor’s note: Much has been written on these pages about recent, mind-boggling growth trends in Alpharetta, whether it be $4-million condos, European-inspired density, or the immense, made-from-scratch “urbanburb” that is Avalon.

But what’s really driving the appetite to live in what could be Atlanta’s preeminent suburb—and does that show signs of cooling? For a boots-on-the-ground perspective, we turned to two agents with years of experience selling the Alpharetta dream. In the following joint Letter to the Editor, Connie Cunningham, a HomeSmart Realtor, and Mary Connell, a HomeSmart associate broker, lend context and perspective on what stands out today about the metro’s other A-town.

...

Dear Editor,

Located about 25 miles north of Atlanta, the City of Alpharetta has seen significant growth and development throughout the past decade. Set across approximately 27 square miles, this bustling hub has experienced a recent real estate market boom, making it one of the most sought-after investment destinations in Georgia.

Take, for example, the comparative cost of homes sold from March 2018 to January 2025. 

The average sales price of detached Alpharetta homes in March 2018 was $422,386; in January 2025, it had climbed to $937,917—a more than 50 percent increase over nearly seven years. 

Today, inventory in the city is still tight, with investors flocking to the area and homes selling quickly. 

A central residential green at Avalon today. Courtesy of Toro Development Company

Currently, there are less than 100 townhomes and condos available with prices ranging from $345,000 to $3.5 million, and a little more than 50 detached single-family homes with prices ranging from $570,000 to $7.75 million. 

That showcases just how competitive the market is in Alpharetta. 

High-profile developments in the area, good walkability, and a vibrant business community have contributed to the increased market value. 

Notable developments

While home to modern developments, Alpharetta still maintains a small-town feel. With nearly 700 tech company hubs in the area and excellent education districts, the city has seen a surge in relocations over recent years, driven in part by community features and desirable housing options. 

Developments like Avalon and the downtown Alpharetta City Center, which offer urban-style living and opportunities for resident engagement, number among several popular local attractions.

Avalon, in particular, has greatly contributed to the city's growth. 

The scope of Avalon's 86 acres today. Courtesy of North American Properties

Across its 86 acres, residents and visitors alike can enjoy a walkable, connected community with shopping, dining, and entertainment as well as offices and residential living. It hosts regular events, including Avalon Nights Live!, AvalOM (seasonal outdoor fitness gatherings), and Little Acorns. 

Residents are thrilled to have direct access to live music and interactive family and specialty events, including children’s activities and group fitness opportunities.

Downtown Alpharetta features local shops, cafes and restaurants, as well as community events like farmers markets and the free Wire & Wood Songwriters Festival.

Community and walkability

Alpharetta is also home to more than 25 parks, offering some 775 acres of greenspace. 

A city favorite, the Wills Park Recreation Center, features sports fields with everything from disc golf to pickleball and a state-of-the-art equestrian center. There’s also the 26-mile Big Creek Greenway (nine miles of that being in Alpharetta), complete with miles of pathways for biking, walking, or rollerblading. 

The recently opened Alpha Loop segment—linking downtown Alpharetta, Avalon, Northwinds Summit, and North Point Mall—offers a more urban trail network with scenic views.

Full scope of the planned Alpha Loop and progress as of 2023. Alpha Loop Foundation

Future outlook

Alpharetta will be even more desirable when the Horizon 2040 plan is executed, focusing on key areas like walkability, sustainability, housing, and activity centers. 

As this subsection of the Georgia market maintains its growth trajectory, it will continue to be a lucrative investment opportunity.

With nods to traditional Tudor design, the 92 Thompson condo project in Alpharetta started at $2.5 million for white-boxed, unfinished spaces. Courtesy of Terminus Design Group

We’ve worked alongside many clients, helping them find homes in Alpharetta that meet their discerning tastes and real estate goals. Whether they’re drawn to the area’s fantastic schools, food scene, or community-wide events, Alpharetta offers something for everyone. 

We’d consider it one of the best locations in the metro Atlanta market—truly somewhere you’d want to live, play, and invest in.

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Alpharetta news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

Alpharetta Avalon OTP Atlanta Suburbs North Atlanta Suburbs Northern Suburbs Suburbs Fulton County Alpharetta City Center Alpha Loop Big Creek Greenway HomeSmart Letter to the Editor Letters to the Editor Letters to Editor

Subtitle Perspectives on North Fulton County city’s “boom,” perennially tight market, development perks

Neighborhood Alpharetta

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Arts Atlanta:

Since its opening in 2004 and its win of the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt: A Parable has been a stage staple for theater companies large and small. It has four characters, provides grand acting challenges for all the performers, requires minimal sets and deals with big themes. The script also...

From the Atlanta Daily World:

H. J. Russell & Company (Russell) announces Kevin Johnson as its Senior Director of Marketing and Sales Enablement. In this executive leadership role, Johnson leads the company’s marketing and brand strategy, reporting directly to Michael B. Russell, CEO, Russell. With more than 20 years of experience in creative marketing leadership across construction and economic development … Continued

The post J. Russell & Company Welcomes Kevin Johnson as Senior Director of Marketing and Sales Enablement appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

Arts Atlanta:

To most casual observers, medusai — a car-sized sculpture comprising steel panels, colored lights, sophisticated electronics and processors, seven cleverly articulated appendages and instrumental strings — is an object, complex and perhaps even beautiful, but an object nonetheless. PhaeMonae and Nadya Zeitlin, who have spent dozens of hours in a Goat Farm Arts Center studio...

From WABE Politics News:

National Public Radio and three of its local stations filed a lawsuit Tuesday against President Donald Trump, arguing that an executive order aimed at cutting federal funding for the organization […]

Atlanta picked as first U.S. city to see inclusive new e-bike fleet Josh Green Tue, 05/27/2025 - 11:11

Describing Atlanta as “one of the leading micromobility cities in North America” with a growing bike infrastructure network, leaders of the world’s largest shared electric vehicle company have decided to debut their latest transportation invention in ATL before all other U.S. cities. 

Lime has deployed a limited number of new e-bike models in Atlanta called LimeBikes that aim to be more accessible, repairable, and enjoyable for riders in numerous ways, per the company.   

Lime officials say the number of LimeBikes on Atlanta streets will be ramped up to more than 700 in coming weeks, replacing the company’s full current fleet. The models are geared toward making micromobility more accessible for women, older riders, and commuters who need extra room for storing items such as groceries, per company leaders. 

Atlanta was picked as the first U.S. city for LimeBike’s launch “thanks to the city’s continued investments in new infrastructure that make active travel safer and more accessible—from protected bike lanes to pedestrian-friendly paths like the Beltline,” according to an announcement today. 

Courtesy of Lime

Courtesy of Lime

Lime has good reason to be bullish on the Big Peach and its growth prospects. 

The company has seen a 62 percent year-over-year total ridership spike in Atlanta over the same months in 2024; in the same period, e-bike ridership has grown more than 105 percent, per the company. (Lime, the largest micromobility provider in Atlanta, has logged 650,000 e-scooter trips and 86,000 e-bike trips in the city so far this year—and more than 5.5 million rides since the company launched here in 2018.) 

Key changes to LimeBikes will help riders who struggle to pedal for extended periods or those looking for more comfortable replacements for car trips, per company officials. Those include: 

• Smaller, 20-inch wheels meant to feel more compact and approachable, with a step-through frame that makes mounting and dismounting easier;
• Wider front baskets for carrying larger items; baskets are also positioned lower for better turning when they’re full;
• Repositioned battery for a lower center of gravity to help with maneuverability and stability;
• Enhanced onboard tech that improves location accuracy and helps quickly identify location-based parking spots, in addition to low-speed, restricted-access, or no-parking zones;
• Tires that are 2.5-inches wide for stronger traction, especially in when conditions;
• Ergonomic hand grips designed to reduce fatigue;
• A new ergonomic clamp design that makes it easier for riders to change seat heights;
• A modular design that makes LimeBikes the company’s “most repairable vehicles to date,” per Lime.

Carol Antúnez, Lime’s senior manager of government relations, said additional investments in the Atlanta market—including more staff, “smarter operations,” and “continued rider education to promote safe use and tidy parking”—will be geared toward beefing up services here. 

More broadly, Lime plans to deploy more than 10,000 LimeGlider e-scooters and LimeBike vehicles in coming months across about a dozen cities in Europe and North America. The costs of riding Lime vehicles vary in each city. 

Courtesy of Lime

Courtesy of Lime

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Atlanta keeps climbing in national, annual ranking of city parks (Urbanize Atlanta)

Tags

Lime LimeBike Alternate Transportation Alternative Transportation Atlanta Bike Infrastructure Atlanta Bike Lanes Atlanta Bike Paths Atlanta Bicycling Bicycle Infrastructure Bicycling Bicycling Infrastructure Beltline Atlanta BeltLine

Images

Courtesy of Lime

Courtesy of Lime

Courtesy of Lime

Courtesy of Lime

Subtitle LimeBike selects ATL for “continued investments in new [bicycling] infrastructure,” ridership growth

Neighborhood Citywide

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

From WABE Politics News:

The Democrats’ 2028 podcast primary is well underway. From Govs. Gavin Newsom of California, Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan to former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, potential […]

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

Celebrating 100 years in the sky, the Delta Flight Museum in Atlanta reopened after recent renovations, unveiling new art, exhibitions and interactive experiences for its big centennial. The new feature […]

Arts Atlanta:

Restaurants have secrets. Small towns have secrets. Add sugar, butter and flour and you end up with Waitress The Musical, a Tony-nominated production written by Jesse Nelson, with music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles and based on the 2007 independent film written and directed by Adrienne Shelly. On stage at Aurora Theatre through June 15...

From WABE Local News:

Atlanta’s cocktail culture is expanding beyond traditional spirits, with the rise of zero-proof beverages and non-alcoholic drinks. In this month’s Beverage Beat segment on “City Lights,” Beth McKibben, editor in chief and […]

From the Saporta Report:

By Kala Farrare, LCSW-C, LCSW, Sr. Director of Clinical Operations At Hope Atlanta, we are building a behavioral health program rooted in the realities of homelessness, where safety, stability, and trust must come first. Traditional outpatient models assume a baseline of security. But for someone living on the streets or in survival mode, behavioral health […]

The post Housing Is Health Care: How Hope Atlanta Is Redefining Behavioral Health for People Experiencing Homelessness appeared first on SaportaReport.

From the Atlanta Daily World:

American Artist Chris Brown Performs In South AfricaSource: Gallo Images / Getty According to BBC, Chris Brown was let out on bail this week after being charged with seriously hurting someone in a London nightclub last year. By bawintern The person he’s accused of attacking is music producer Abe Diaw. Brown had been in custody … Continued

The post Breezy Is Free : Chris Brown Granted Bail By London Court appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From WABE Local News:

The Georgia Public Service Commission is set to hold a second round of hearings on Georgia Power’s controversial long-range plans. The five-member utility regulator is set to vote July 15 […]

From the Saporta Report:

Georgia finished in early April, but around the country a number of state legislatures are concluding their sessions about now. They may not know it yet, but these could have been the happiest days this generation of state legislators will ever know.

The post For states, happy days may be over appeared first on SaportaReport.