Atlanta News

From WABE Politics News:

On the rooftop patio of the General Services Administration headquarters, an agency staffer recently discovered something strange: a rectangular device attached to a wire that snaked across the roof, over […]

From WABE Local News:

An unsung hero of the San Francisco folk music scene sings the story of her life in an intimate new documentary, “Singing for Justice.” Ten years in the making, the […]

From WABE Local News:

The state-of-the-art Sandy Springs Police Headquarters and Municipal Court gives the city and its largest public safety department legitimacy on the North End, according to city officials. A few hundred […]

From the Atlanta Daily World:

Photo: Getty Images Celebrities are speaking out about their connection to Black Dandyism ahead of this year’s Met Gala. This year, the Met Gala is set to highlight Black menswear with its exhibition “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” The exhibit is inspired by Monica L. Miller’s book, “Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of … Continued

The post Met Gala First Look: Celebs Detail Their Connections To Black Dandyism appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

Afrobeats may be the hot sound of the moment, but Davido remembers a very recent past when music from Africa wasn’t embraced globally, amid a perception the continent was one […]

Arts Atlanta:

Atlanta gallerists assess the October 2024 inaugural Atlanta Art Fair and, with the next Atlanta Art Fair on the horizon, contemplate whether sales and exposure will be worth the cost. :: About a third of the 63 galleries that participated in the inaugural Atlanta Art Fair at Pullman Yards in October 2024 were based in...

From WABE Local News:

Bill Edwards was elected the city of South Fulton’s first mayor in 2017, after a referendum where 59% of residents voted in favor of incorporation. He served until 2021. Now […]

From WABE Local News:

During a tense City Schools of Decatur board meeting on Tuesday, the board voted to amend and pass the 2026 fiscal year tentative budget with a half-mil tax increase.  The […]

From WABE Local News:

University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue is bemoaning an increase in online classes in the state’s colleges and universities. “It’s somewhat concerning to me as we look at this […]

From the Atlanta Daily World:

FIFA President Gianni Infantino announces FIFA’s one-millionth global volunteer – volunteer opportunities are still available at FIFA.com Tickets to the 2025 Club World Cup are available at FIFA.com/tickets FIFA today issued a call for volunteers in Atlanta ahead of the FIFA 2025 Club World Cup™, which includes matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The announcement follows President … Continued

The post FIFA Seeking Volunteers for 2025 World Club Cup in Atlanta appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From the Atlanta Daily World:

In January, President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning the Defense Department from promoting its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) content resulting in the removal of web pages dedicated to prominent people of color, including General Charles C. Rogers, a Black recipient of the Medal of Honor. Black veterans are now raising alarms that … Continued

The post Black Veterans Raising Alarms of Anti-DEI in Military Can Affect Recruitment appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

Officials: Congestion-solving roadway, bike lanes have broken ground Josh Green Thu, 04/17/2025 - 08:01

Following more than a decade of planning, design tweaks, fundraising, and more planning, a project meant to create a new corridor for cars and bikes in one of Atlanta’s most affluent, growing suburbs is officially underway. 

City of Roswell officials, construction heads, and other dignitaries hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking this week for the initial phase of Big Creek Parkway. 

In the works since at least 2013, the parkway project is designed to ease congestion at traffic pinch points in Roswell that are only getting worse—and to improve east-west connectivity for drivers, bicyclists, and people using other forms of alternative transportation, according to city officials. 

Breakdown of Big Creek Parkway's two phases. Courtesy of City of Roswell

Back in 2016, Big Creek Parkway was approved by Roswell voters as a major, tier-one project in a Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, or TSPLOST, referendum.

Another goal of the ambitious project is to ease the traffic burden on often-clogged Holcomb Bridge Road, which currently provides the only access to Ga. Highway 400 in Roswell. Along with Riverside Road, it’s also the only option for traveling east and west in the city. 

According to official estimates, Holcomb Bridge Road sees more than 70,000 vehicles per day. 

Big Creek Parkway Phase I, estimated to cost about $8.4 million, calls for easing congestion at the busy intersection of Holcomb Bridge and Warsaw roads by adding dual left-turn lanes on three of four intersection approaches, and widening Warsaw Road from two to four lanes north of Bainbridge Road. The project will also include an eight-foot-wide multi-use trail and new sidewalks, per the city. 

The initial phase will eventually be just a fraction of the broader Big Creek Parkway’s scope. 

Phase II calls for extending the parkway over Ga. Highway 400 with a new bridge and then connecting with Old Alabama Road, creating an arching roadway just east of Roswell’s historic downtown. 

No timeline for the future phase has been specified. 

Big Creek Parkway's location in Atlanta's northern suburbs. Google Maps

A scene from this week's Big Creek Parkway ceremonial groundbreaking. Courtesy of City of Roswell

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• Roswell news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

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Big Creek Parkway Big Creek Greenway Roswell Mayor Roswell News Roswell Construction Alternative Transportation Alternate Transportation Atlanta Suburbs OTP North OTP City of Roswell Atlanta Bike Lanes Bike Infrastructure Atlanta Bike Infrastructure

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Big Creek Parkway's location in Atlanta's northern suburbs. Google Maps

Breakdown of Big Creek Parkway's two phases. Courtesy of City of Roswell

A scene from this week's Big Creek Parkway ceremonial groundbreaking. Courtesy of City of Roswell

Subtitle Roswell’s Big Creek Parkway called east-west connectivity upgrade

Neighborhood Roswell

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From the Atlanta Daily World:

After serving the public for over three decades, William “Bill” Edwards will officially announce his bid for Mayor of the City of South Fulton, GA, on Thursday, April 17th at The Enon Ranch. The City’s first Mayor will also launch details of his upcoming listening tour which provides citizens an opportunity to share their thoughts, concerns, and ideas about how … Continued

The post South Fulton’s ‘Inaugural Mayor’ Announces Bid for 2025 Mayoral Race appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From the Atlanta Daily World:

Let’s keep it a buck—tariffs ain’t just boring political talk for CNN and policy nerds. Nah, tariffs hit the streets, your shopping cart, and your stock portfolio like a freight train. Case in point: recent tariffs slapped on Vietnamese imports by former President Trump caused chaos in the markets, shook Nike to its core, and … Continued

The post The Carr Report: Tariff Trouble…What it means for your pockets appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From the New York Times:

Despite some attempts to create controlled environments aimed at thwarting disruptions by protesters, congressional Republicans who are holding town halls are catching continued heat from their constituents.

From the Atlanta Daily World:

Edward “Duke” Ellington   APRIL 16 1862—President Abraham Lin­coln signs a bill ending slavery in Washington, D.C. Approximately nine months later he would issue the Emancipation Proclamation which had a highly emotional and symbolic impact but actually freed very few slaves when it was first pronounced. The Proclamation tar­geted slaves in the South. But at … Continued

The post This Week In Black History April 16-22, 2025 appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From WABE Local News:

Small businesses across metro Atlanta are raising concerns about the Trump administration’s new and rapidly-changing tariffs. Democratic U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson of DeKalb County said he’s been meeting with local […]

From WABE Local News:

Federal authorities arrested five individuals in Norcross early Tuesday morning for allegedly laundering over $1 million into Jalisco New Generation — a Mexican drug cartel that’s been designated as a […]

From WABE Local News:

The University System of Georgia Board of Regents approved Wednesday the naming of a Georgia Tech school after former President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter. Georgia Tech’s School of […]

In Bankhead, mixed-use Transformation Center project tops out Josh Green Wed, 04/16/2025 - 16:23

Ten months after breaking ground, a mixed-use Bankhead project with a unique purpose and architectural design has reached its max height. 

The City of Refuge Transformation Center—a multifunctional housing and support facility designed to spur lasting improvements in underserved Westside neighborhoods—hosted a ceremonial topping-out ceremony this week to mark the construction milestone. 

Punctuated by archways, curving walls, and an abundance of windows, the latest concept from nonprofit organization City of Refuge calls for a broad range of uses (including affordable housing) in the three-story, 37,000-square-foot building. The project’s goal is to fill gaps in wellness, economic, and health services in Bankhead and surrounding neighborhoods. 

City of Refuge officials broke ground on the $15.2-million venture in July at 1343 Joseph E. Boone Boulevard, a former American Legion lot.

A scene from this week’s City of Refuge Transformation Center topping-out ceremony. Courtesy of City of Refuge

Courtesy of City of Refuge

Development plans call for 25 units of affordable housing geared toward legacy residents, with 13 of those reserved for renters earning 30 percent of the area median income or less.

Expect a mix of two and three-bedroom apartments, with one four-bedroom unit in the mix.

On the least expensive end, the 13 units planned to rent at 30 percent AMI would go for between $689 for a two-bedroom option (826 square feet) and $796 monthly for three-bedrooms (up to 1,343 square feet), according to Invest Atlanta.

The building, as designed by Rickman Architecture + Design, would also see 7,640 square feet of commercial and amenity space at the ground level.

Plans call for a market or grocery store, a social club, a medical and mental health clinic, and a credit union included at the building’s base level. 

Another planned component is the Entrepreneurship Hub, which will offer classrooms, offices, and a lab in hopes of training 100 budding entrepreneurs per year as a means of economic stimulus on the Westside.

Beyond the commercial portion, the building's amenities will include a community room, washer and dryer connections, and an outdoor sitting space.

The 1343 Joseph E. Boone Boulevard site, prior to groundbreaking.Invest Atlanta

Courtesy of City of Refuge

The site is due south of Westside Park and adjacent to The 345 project—a remake of the abandoned, 1950s Danzig Hotel—that City of Refuge opened in 2023 as 31 units of supportive housing for men. 

Project officials say the Transformation Center is just a two-minute walk from City of Refuge’s Westside campus, which is considered the headquarters of several satellite campuses across the country.

The Transformation Center is considered the main objective of City of Refuge’s “Breaking Barriers. Building Momentum.” capital campaign, which launched in late 2022 and quickly eclipsed its $25 million goal. (That campaign eventually raised $33 million over three years, City of Refuge leaders relayed this week.)

The project's construction schedule calls for opening this fall.   

City of Refuge’s first Atlanta project, a rental community called The 1300, finished in summer 2020. Alongside GROWTH Homes, the agency also recently built five new standalone houses for families adjacent to its Joseph E. Boone Boulevard campus, with prices starting at $279,000.

Base-level breakdown of proposed uses in the Bankhead building, shown with a credit union (green) and clinic (turquoise). City of Refuge

The City of Refuge Transformation Center site in relation to Westside Park and Midtown. Google Maps

A significant portion of Transformation Center funding was sourced from donations, including $3 million from the Chick-fil-A Foundation and $2 million from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and TogetherATL to help build affordable housing. The project also received a $3 million federal New Market Tax Credit through Atlanta Emerging Markets and Capital One.

Invest Atlanta also approved $2 million in funding in the form of a Beltline TAD Increment Improvement Grant.

In the gallery above, find the latest renderings and more context for Bankhead’s forthcoming Transformation Center. 

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• Bankhead news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)

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1343 Joseph E. Boone Boulevard NW City of Refuge Rickman Architecture + Design Mixed-Use Mixed-Use Development Multifamily Westside Park Historic West End Heights West End Heights Affordable Housing affordable housing affordable apartments affordable Westside Joseph E. Boone Boulevard Flippo Civil Design New Market Tax Credit Capitol One Atlanta Emerging Markets TogetherATL Atlanta Architecture

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The City of Refuge Transformation Center site in relation to Westside Park and Midtown. Google Maps

The 1343 Joseph E. Boone Boulevard site, prior to groundbreaking.Invest Atlanta

A scene from this week’s City of Refuge Transformation Center topping-out ceremony. Courtesy of City of Refuge

A scene from this week’s City of Refuge Transformation Center topping-out ceremony. Courtesy of City of Refuge

Courtesy of City of Refuge

Courtesy of City of Refuge

Courtesy of City of Refuge

Courtesy of City of Refuge

Courtesy of City of Refuge

Base-level breakdown of proposed uses in the Bankhead building, shown with a credit union (green) and clinic (turquoise). City of Refuge

Subtitle Westside facility geared toward community support replaces former American Legion lot

Neighborhood Bankhead

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1343 Joseph E. Boone Blvd NW

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From the Saporta Report:

The Georgia Chamber of Commerce is urging businesses across the state to prepare for disruptions stemming from ongoing trade tensions and shifting tariff policies in Washington. In a virtual press conference Wednesday, Chamber President and CEO Chris Clark said the state’s economy is already beginning to feel the ripple effects of trade uncertainty, with multiple […]

The post Georgia Chamber advises businesses to be prepared for disruptions amid tariff uncertainty appeared first on SaportaReport.

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

Visual artist and music enthusiast Kosmo Vinyl bought his first LP when he was nine. He spent the next several decades immersed in music and began his professional career at London’s pioneering […]

From WABE Local News:

President Donald Trump’s 100-day mark for his second term is April 30. Since taking office, the Trump administration has already taken several executive actions on education, immigration and more. Wednesday’s […]

From WABE Local News:

Georgia’s highest court waded Wednesday into a fight between Black landowners and local officials who have weakened long-standing protections for one of the South’s last Gullah-Geechee communities founded by freed slaves. Residents […]

From the Saporta Report:

Last February, during a packed city council meeting in Union City, residents urged officials to reject more data centers and warehouses in their community. They asked for walkable neighborhoods, shopping, restaurants, and amenities similar to Alpharetta in north Fulton County. But reaching that goal isn’t easy for cities on the south side of Fulton County. […]

The post Chattahoochee Hills Mayor talks south Fulton County’s development challenges and pathways appeared first on SaportaReport.