Atlanta News

From WABE Politics News:

President Donald Trump’s administration on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to allow enforcement of a ban on transgender people in the military, while legal challenges proceed. Without an order from the nation’s highest […]

From the Saporta Report:

The Piedmont Park Conservancy launched its first comprehensive plan in 25 years on April 24 at the 28th annual Landmark Luncheon, kicking off a decades-long effort to turn the city’s iconic park into a true “crown jewel.” It’s a major plan to maintain and update Atlanta’s signature park, which sees over 6 million visitors every […]

The post Piedmont Park aims for expansion, transformation with first major plan in 25 years appeared first on SaportaReport.

From WABE Local News:

Moments after Daniris Espinal walked into her new apartment in Brooklyn, she prayed. In ensuing nights, she would awaken and touch the walls for reassurance — finding in them a […]

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

As a new generation of ambitious independent films grace the big screens at this year’s Atlanta Film Festival, one new feature poses the question – just how far will a […]

Arts Atlanta:

The nonprofit humanities council needs community support to keep invaluable programming afloat despite cuts. :: At the beginning of April, Georgia Humanities, the state’s official nonprofit humanities council, received notice that its National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) funding had been canceled, effective immediately. The announcement, which affected an estimated 1,200 grants nationwide, threw small,...

Arts Atlanta:

Kim Chong Hak: Painter of Seoraksan, at the High Museum of Art through November 2, delivers a timely gift to Atlanta and a great reason to celebrate. This is the first American museum exhibition dedicated to the Korean artist, and it informs and delights with paintings of such breadth, beauty and sheer exuberance that you...

Neighbors near Piedmont Park taking bike-lane installation into own hands Josh Green Thu, 04/24/2025 - 08:44

In the following Letter to the Editor,Hugh Malkin, Midtown Neighbors’ Association Infrastructure Chairperson and an Atlanta tech entrepreneur, details how an example of “tactical urbanism” is striving to make an intown neighborhood safer for a vulnerable demographic: little kids on bikes.

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Dear Editor:

The Midtown Neighbors’ Association, Virginia-Highland Civic Association, and Atlanta Department of Transportation are joining forces to create a safer route to school for students of Virginia Highland Elementary and Midtown High School.

Our collaborative effort has produced a design for a two-way protected bike lane on Virginia Avenue, from Monroe Drive, and now we need your support to make this vision a reality.

Imagine a daily commute where students can independently and safely bike to school. For the majority of VHE families, school is less than a mile away, the perfect distance for a 5 to 11-year-old to cycle. Beyond the sheer joy of riding, the benefits of incorporating cycling into a child’s routine are profound. 

But this project could be beneficial to drivers in the area, too. 

Courtesy of Hugh Malkin

Courtesy of Hugh Malkin

Physical activity is a powerful catalyst for cognitive development, boosting focus and concentration in the classroom. Starting the school day with exercise provides an energizing jolt, enhancing alertness and learning readiness. Exercise also triggers the release of endorphins, naturally elevating mood, while time spent outdoors demonstrably reduces stress and anxiety. 

Biking also fosters a sense of independence and responsibility, nurturing self-confidence. Moreover, biking with friends and family strengthens social bonds and cultivates a sense of community. Finally, an increase in cycling to school helps alleviate traffic congestion around the school during drop-off and pick-up times, creating a smoother flow for everyone.

Virginia Avenue is the shortest, flattest, easiest route to school for many VHE and MHS children. The problem is Virginia Avenue’s 40-foot-wide, two-lane road is a dangerous place for all riders but especially our 5 to 11-year-olds who've just learned to ride their bike. 

The school’s crossing guard, Sabrina, has witnessed this firsthand, recently stating: “It’s dangerous out here. These drivers don’t respect the kids, even when they have the right-of-way.”

With its extra-wide lanes, Virginia Avenue's drivers often don’t realize they’re traveling well over the 25-mile-per-hour speed limit. So when they unexpectedly come across a child biking—just a bit faster than walking—right in the middle of their lane, it’s a shock. The driver either slams on the brakes or tries to squeeze around the novice rider, darting into the oncoming lane. 

It’s a heart-stopping sight—and only a matter of time before someone gets hurt.

Courtesy of Hugh Malkin

To address this critical safety issue, the Midtown and Virginia-Highland neighborhoods have worked with ATLDOT to design a tactical urbanism project that creates a temporary two-way protected bike lane along Virginia Avenue from Monroe Drive to Park Drive/Ponce Place. The beauty of tactical urbanism projects is that they let the community test a concept (reviewed and approved by ATLDOT) quickly and affordably, giving us a real-world glimpse of how the concept could permanently improve safety—not just for drivers, but for everyone. 

If the neighborhoods decide it's not working, we can easily modify it or remove it. 

MNA and VHCA are aiming to raise $12,000 and install the roadway amendments in two days for a 12-month test. 

Optional extension

This project can be extended both toward and up 8th Street, creating a safe way for highschoolers to get to Midtown High, and all the way to North Highland Avenue, connecting the Beltline to the many businesses in the heart of Virginia-Highland. 

Courtesy of Hugh Malkin

MNA welcomes your input on the 8th Street extension and VHCA encourages your feedback on the Virginia Avenue extension to North Highland. 

Most of VHE’s students live less than a mile from school, and being a few hundred feet from the Beltline, VHE has the opportunity to be the most bikeable elementary school in Atlanta and maybe even Georgia. 

This temporary bike lane will demonstrate that VHE and MHS can provide a healthy opportunity to bike to school while reducing the need for cars on the road and in the pick-up line. 

You can help by donating to the project and/or volunteering to help with its installation.

Courtesy of Hugh Malkin

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• Virginia-Highland news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)

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Midtown Atlanta Virginia-Highland News Hugh Malkin ATLDOT Atlanta Department of Transportation Alternative Transportation Alternate Transportation Midtown Neighbors Association Midtown Neighbor’s Association Midtown news Virginia-Highland Civic Association Midtown High School Virginia Highland Elementary Atlanta Bike Infrastructure Atlanta Bike Lanes Atlanta Bike Paths Atlanta Schools Letters to the Editor Letters to Editor Letter to the Editor Tactical Urbanism

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Courtesy of Hugh Malkin

Courtesy of Hugh Malkin

Courtesy of Hugh Malkin

Courtesy of Hugh Malkin

Courtesy of Hugh Malkin

Subtitle Letter to Editor: Virginia Avenue project could create "the most bikeable elementary school in Atlanta and maybe even Georgia"

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From WABE Politics News:

There may be a lot fewer likes, comments and subscriptions coming out of Georgia schools next summer when a ban on cell phones for all elementary and middle schoolers is set to […]

From the Atlanta Daily World:

By Leigh-Ann Jackson  Whether they want to streamline their beauty regimen, add some gorgeousness before vacation, or prepare their little ones for a few weeks at sleepaway camp, many Black people will pick braided hairstyles as their go-to. Braids can deliver a look that’s chic, versatile, and no-fuss. Well, there’s some fuss, if you factor in the hours-long installation … Continued

The post Dangerous Chemicals Detected in 100 Percent of Tested Braiding Hair appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From the Atlanta Daily World:

Mayor Khalid Kamau, who is often referred to as “Mayor Kobi” has announced he is dropping out of the mayoral race for City of South Fulton and will not seek reelection to the office The City of South Fulton County, located just east of Atlanta took action against its beleaguered mayor, Khalid Kamau who became … Continued

The post City of South Fulton Mayor Khalid Kamau Will Not Seek Reelection Following Abuse of Office Charges appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From the New York Times:

Atlanta is a movie production hub and the home to prominent rappers, so the Hawks have dedicated resources to recruit famous faces like Anne Hathaway and Gucci Mane.

From the Atlanta Daily World:

APRIL 23 1856—One of the greatest inven­tors in American history, Granville T. Woods, is born in Columbus, Ohio. During his life he received 65 patents for electrical, mechan­ical and communications devic­es. Among his inventions was an advanced telephone transmitter. The transmitter was so advanced that the Alexander Graham Bell Company purchased the rights to it … Continued

The post This Week In Black History April 23-29, 2025 appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

Photos: 'Avatar'-inspired space marks latest Underground Atlanta addition Josh Green Wed, 04/23/2025 - 16:16

The latest addition to Underground Atlanta’s roster of restaurants, nightspots, event spaces, and galleries isn’t technically underground, but project leaders hope it adds oomph (and visibility) to the district as next year’s FIFA World Cup hoopla draws closer.

Atlanta real estate company Lalani Ventures officially cut the ribbon Saturday on Utopia, an otherworldly Latin fusion restaurant, during an event attended by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and other dignitaries. 

With its patio-lined, standalone space overlooking Underground’s fountains, Utopia now anchors the district’s Upper Alabama Street section and helps boost its daytime offerings, according to Lalani Ventures reps. 

How Utopia's standalone building on Upper Alabama Street looked while vacant in September. Google Maps

Remade exteriors of the Utopia space at Underground Atlanta’s Upper Alabama Street. Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

The eatery and lounge will be open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to “late,” serving brunch, lunch, dinner, and late-night fare. It carries a futuristic theme throughout—a nod to the “lush, bioluminescent world of Pandora in ‘Avatar.’” Expect an elevated menu (sample dish: Wagyu beef served on a hot stone for interactive guest experiences) alongside vegan options, hookahs, and cocktails and mocktails, as Underground officials relayed this week. 

Shaneel Lalani, CEO of Lalani Ventures, said Utopia marks the beginning of a new push to activate Upper Alabama Street and draw more pedestrian traffic to Underground all day and night. 

“We are transforming the experience here,” Lalani noted in a concept announcement, “and we’ll be ready and excited for the World Cup and other exciting events coming to our city.”

Utopia's distinctive interiors today. Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Underground made waves earlier this year with the opening of legendary, relocated Atlanta nightclub MJQ in what had been Dante’s Down the Hatch's space a quarter-century ago. A new art gallery featuring the works of George F. Baker III (aka, GFB3) is also scheduled to open soon at Underground, serving as the brick-and-mortar location for Baker’s brand FOSTER, a goods shop and event space. 

Underground in 2024 tallied more than one million visitors and is on pace to eclipse that this year; meanwhile, Lalani Ventures is in talks with additional dining concepts to keep bringing life to the district’s above-ground area, per officials. 

For now, head up to the gallery for a quick photo tour of Utopia’s intergalactic downtown space. 

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• Downtown news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)

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50 Upper Alabama Street Underground Atlanta Peachtree Fountain Plaza Haralson Bleckley HGOR Smith Dalia Architects Moody Nolan tvsdesign Goode Van Slyke Architecture Kimley-Horn & Associates Shaneel Lalani Billionaires Funding Group Art & Industry Lalani Ventures Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs 86 Pryor Street Historical Markers Shape Paris on Ponce Pigalle by Paris on Ponce Pigalle The Masquerade Kenny's Alley MJQ MJQ Concourse Altar Atlanta Music Atlanta Music Venues Atlanta Nightlife Atlanta Nightclubs Utopia

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Remade exteriors of the Utopia space at Underground Atlanta’s Upper Alabama Street. Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

How Utopia's standalone building on Upper Alabama Street looked while vacant in September. Google Maps

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens leads Saturday's grand opening at Utopia. Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Futuristic signage helps set the tone for the downtown concept. Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Social spaces extend outdoors at Utopia, overlooking Underground's fountains. Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Utopia's distinctive interiors today. Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Atlanta's mayor hobnobs with attendees at Saturday's event. Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Subtitle Above-ground Utopia Latin fusion restaurant, lounge now anchors district’s Upper Alabama Street

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From the Saporta Report:

The Atlanta Beltline celebrated Earth Day with a groundbreaking ceremony set to transform a long-standing 0.3-acre play lot into Enota Park, an 8-acre recreational destination in Westview on April 22.  Enota Park will feature three distinct areas: a spacious lawn with a performance pavilion and boardwalk, a pedestrian connection from the park to the beltline, […]

The post Enota Park construction kicks off at Earth Day groundbreaking appeared first on SaportaReport.

From WABE Local News:

An energy audit is an inspection that assesses how much energy a home consumes to better determine how it can be more energy efficient. An energy audit can help new […]

MARTA: Don’t pay out the a@%, Atlanta; take trains to airport Josh Green Wed, 04/23/2025 - 13:48

Across Atlanta, the buzziest news this week doesn’t concern what happened on Easter, the Falcons upcoming draft, or Beltline-adjacent development in high-dollar neighborhoods. It has to do with airport parking rates, which are set to (gulp) triple in some cases—and climb as high as $100 per day in others. 

Atlanta’s transit authority is promoting a simple solution: Take the train, silly. 

In a message similar to the one MARTA issued in February when a federal clampdown on work-from-home policies sent employees flocking back to government buildings downtown, the transit agency this week is tempting Atlanta air-travelers to skip high parking costs and traffic jams and swoop to the airport on MARTA trains before their next flight.

Roundtrip fare to the airport is $5, and parking is available at MARTA stations from Dunwoody to College Park and Decatur for as low as $5 per day, equating to the cheapest, least stressful means of reaching the world’s busiest airport, per MARTA. 

The Red or Gold Line southbound leads riders directly to the airport’s doorstep. 

“MARTA is one of only a few public transit systems in the world that take customers directly into the airport,” Collie Greenwood, MARTA CEO and general manager, said in an announcement today. “[O]ur fares and daily parking rates have remained the same for well over a decade… in a time of rising prices, [customers’] best option is let MARTA do the driving to the airport.”

One of the new CQ400 railcars on MARTA's tracks. Courtesy of MARTA

According to airport officials, the parking-rate increases are the first in eight years and come as the transit hub aims to modernize parking facilities while inflation rages on. Hourly parking rates will climb to at least $10 per hour (up from $3), while travelers who leave vehicles in the international hourly lot for multiple days will have to fork over up to $100 per day. Prices will hike in all domestic parking lots, too, by up to $14 extra per day, as the AJC reports. 

Meanwhile, according to MARTA’s calculations, rideshare costs from downtown Atlanta to the airport average $74 per roundtrip.   

Daily parking is available at nine MARTA stations for either $5 per day (Dunwoody, Medical Center, Kensington, Lenox, and Sandy Springs stations) or $8 per day (North Springs, Doraville, Lindbergh Center, and College Park stations).

MARTA is also reminding Atlantans the agency has completed extensive renovations to its Airport station that included new terrazzo flooring and platform pavers, along with concourse and track wall repairs, in preparation for a new canopy. The Breeze Mobile 2.0 app, available for download on all major platforms, also offers riders a generally swifter way to purchase train fare, per the agency. 

An added bonus will be sleek new MARTA trains scheduled to start rolling out this year; as others have pointed out, maybe a good power-washing of stations throughout the system will follow. 

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• Why is transit ridership sinking in Atlanta and not other cities? (Urbanize Atlanta)

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MARTA MARTA news Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority Collie Greenwood Airport Airport News Airport Park MARTA Airport Station Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Alternate Transportation Alternative Transportation

Subtitle $5 fare to, from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport hasn't changed in decade

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Arts Atlanta:

The award-winning musician will make two visits to Atlanta this year, first at Spivey Hall and, later this fall, at Symphony Hall. :: Synesthesia is the fascinating psychological phenomenon that causes some people to associate musical pitches with specific colors. Piano phenom Pavel Kolesnikov claims not to have the condition, but his sense of musicality...

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

Musical scores enrich the content they accompany, whether in film, television or even video games. Composers write music to support or enhance emotional moments and to help establish an overall […]

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

An epic Atlanta Opera adventure through Richard Wagner’s colossal, four-part “Ring Cycle” of operas continues this spring with the third in the series, “Siegfried,” after last year’s “Die Walküre” and […]

Arts Atlanta:

Each week, ArtsATL curates a selection of the most exciting arts and culture events happening in Atlanta this weekend, highlighting nine must-see experiences.  :: Thursday Deep Fried Folk: A Celebration of Southern Folk Art Deep Fried Folk brings together some of the South’s most celebrated self-taught artists, including works by Howard Finster, R.A. Miller, Purvis Young, Mose...

Arts Atlanta:

Professional musician Alexandra Shatalova Prior guides readers through the nuances of some of the world’s best-known classical music. Each embedded video below offers a clip of the passage she discusses. Compared to the foundational “Big Five” violin concertos of Brahms, Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Bruch and Tchaikovsky, Jean Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in D Minor stands out not only...

From WABE Politics News:

Georgia state Sen. Bill Cowsert of Athens announced Wednesday that he would run for state attorney general, becoming the second Republican to join the race. Current Republican Attorney General Chris […]

From the Atlanta Tribune:

The tech company’s funding will boost the energy workforce and bring healthy home upgrades to more than 100 households across the city. Mayor Andre Dickens announced a major boost to the City’s WeatheRISE ATL program, thanks to a generous $300,000 donation from Google. Launched in 2024 and managed by the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and […]

The post Google Donates $300,000 to Support WeatheRISE ATL appeared first on Atlanta Tribune.

From the Atlanta Tribune:

Today, Georgia State Senator Jason Esteves (D) launched his campaign to become the next Governor of Georgia. Before representing Georgia families in the State Senate, Sen. Jason Esteves worked as a public school teacher and later served on the Board of Education for Atlanta Public Schools for nearly a decade, leading the board as chair […]

The post Georgia State Senator Jason Esteves Launches Campaign for Governor of Georgia [Video] appeared first on Atlanta Tribune.

Arts Atlanta:

April 24 The Magnolia String Quartet will perform as part of the Candlelight Concerts series at 6:45 and 8:45 April 24 at The Chapel on Sycamore in Decatur. The program is ”From Bach to the Beatles,” and the title is true to the content, with works that span the careers of these two musical titans....