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The conspiracy-driven culture that helped Donald Trump rise to power is now targeting him, as the president faces a surge of outrage over the Justice Department’s release of a report that debunks years of lurid claims about Jeffrey Epstein. For years, Trump and Attorney Gener­al Pam Bondi repeatedly promised that they would expose an explosive … Continued

The post Stacy Brown: Epstein memo ignites MAGA backlash appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

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Atlanta has long been recognized as a hub of entrepreneurial energy, yet it continues to struggle with a persistent challenge: not enough investors to fund its early-stage companies. The Southeast is full of promising startups, but without a steady pipeline of investors, many struggle to secure the funding they need to grow. This problem isn’t […]

The post Atlanta needs more angel investors. This new conference aims to build them. appeared first on SaportaReport.

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Frank Blake, former CEO of Home Depot, shares nuggets of wisdom Kathy Waller knew the speaker she wanted to kick off her year as president of the Rotary Club of Atlanta, Frank Blake. Waller worked closely with Blake when she joined the board of Delta Air Lines in 2015, when she was CFO of the […]

The post Reporter’s Notebook: New Leadership at Park Pride, Former Home Deopt CEO speaks, Atlanta Opera tickets go on sale appeared first on SaportaReport.

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A Republican candidate for Georgia governor asked a state ethics body Thursday to determine whether his GOP rival illegally lent $10 million to a campaign committee to evade restrictions under […]

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Protests and events against President Donald Trump’s controversial policies that include mass deportations and cuts to Medicaid and other safety nets for poor people have started Thursday at more than 1,600 […]

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Citing "advocacy", MAGA leaning moderators controlling the Facebook group of the overwhelmingly Democratic and liberal Atlanta neighborhood, purged messages referencing the record voting turn out for a Democratic candidate primary for the Republican dominated Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) election.

The Republican dominated Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) has come under criticism after years of rubber stamping rate hikes on residential homeowners and renters on the behalf of Georgia Power for years, while offering deep discounts to data centers and corporate customers. Georgia residents see one of the most regular, consistent rate hikes year over year of any state, and Georgia Power has been accused of aggressive policies for the continuation of fossil fuel power generation, irresponsible cost overruns on new power generation, and suppression of residential renewable programs.

This follows Georgia Power instituting a non-binding rate freeze in an apparent attempt to undermine a groundswell of public voters calling for investigation and ousting of the current PSC elected officials. Many see the measure as a temporary concession by Georgia Power to distract from potential regulation and anti-corruption action.

When criticized for their moderation abuse in the past, Ormewood Parks' moderators have summarily banned or muted members for mentioning topics such as protests, demonstrations, civil rights, racial inequality, women's rights, voter suppression, anti-authoritarianism, political corruption, anti-fascism, police/crime issues, general equality/equity, and other "progressive" topics, deeming them objectionably "controversial"

During a Thursday meeting, Invest Atlanta — the city’s development authority — took another step toward increasing affordable housing options in local neighborhoods, approving funding measures tied to new mixed-use developments. The board approved a $5 million acquisition loan for a 26-acre redevelopment project located across from Greenbriar Mall.  Mural Real Estate Partners is planning […]

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Images: Three cheers for Hapeville's artful placemaking push Josh Green Thu, 07/17/2025 - 15:17

Call it a sign of the times for this creative, southside downtown district. 

The City of Hapeville officially unveiled a brightly lit, bold, and tastefully vintage-style new Arts District sign last month—bedecked with neon and an arrow that looks plucked from 1950s Las Vegas—completing one aspect of a placemaking project that’s been years in the making. 

It reads “Welcome to Hapeville Arts District” with a billboard for special messaging, standing next to the ATL Printmakers Studio fashioned from a long-shuttered, 1950s gas station.  

The new sign speaks to Hapeville’s longstanding goal of establishing itself as a more vibrant southside artists’ mecca. The $67,000 project, led by the Hapeville Main Street Program, was mostly funded by a $50,000 GM on Main Street grant awarded last year, according to Nikki Cales, the city’s Main Street and grants coordinator. 

Prior condition of the Hapeville corner in question. Google Maps/submitted

The 748 Virginia Ave. signage and 1950s former Amoco station that’s been reborn as creative studios.Courtesy of City of Hapeville

Hapeville—a south ITP city of 6,600 residents known for its airport proximity, historic downtown, and abundance of Porsches—was one of five recipients picked for the GM on Main Street Grant last summer. The awards go to nonprofits and municipal government entities near General Motors facilities that are aiming to boost placemaking in local districts. 

Hapeville’s project consists of the fabrication and installation of two sculpted metal, neon signs that harken back to the city’s past and early 1900s buildings, while also providing wayfinding and whimsical color, per program leaders.

The second installation will be an “Arts Alley” sign at the entrance to Hapeville’s Arts Alley from Dearborn Plaza. That formerly blighted alleyway behind historic downtown buildings has been remade over the past decade into an artsy focal point of the city.

The welcome signage in prep stages last winter. Submitted

Unmissable lighting scheme of Hapeville's new landmark signage. Submitted

The placemaking push is working in conjunction with Arts District initiatives such as the newly launched Main Street Artist Residency Program and recurring Downtown Hapeville Gallery Crawls. (The next crawl is scheduled from 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4.) 

The grant program favored applicants whose ideas were focused on placemaking with an emphasis on pedestrian safety, inclusion, and scalability for other Main Street initiatives. 

Beyond Hapeville, cities that received $50,000 grants in 2024 included Bowling Green, Ky., Columbia, Tenn., and both Holly and Pontiac in Michigan.

Courtesy of City of Hapeville

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Just behind the visitor center and National Park Service offices at Island Ford Park, the park’s trail begins.  “It has just sustained so much erosion, mostly from water, but also […]

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There’s no mistaking the urgency in today’s State of Black America report from the National Urban League: America is in a state of emergency when it comes to civil rights. Released at the League’s annual conference in Cleveland, the report asserts that President Trump’s policies and agency reshuffles are actively rolling back hard-won gains made … Continued

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As Atlanta prepares to host the 2026 World Cup, city leaders are moving forward with an ambitious goal: reaching a zero homeless population in downtown Atlanta. The plan, called “Downtown […]

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The Atlanta Community Press Collective has published documents obtained by the news outlet in an open records lawsuit against the Atlanta Police Foundation. The private nonprofit helps recruit and raise […]

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A federal judge has dealt another blow to former Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill, who was convicted in 2022 of violating the rights of six detainees in the county jail, […]

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This story was updated on Thursday, July 17, 2025, at 3:22 p.m. MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood stepped down from his position Thursday, citing concerns about his immigration status and “personal […]

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A group for descendants of Confederate Civil War veterans is suing to stop an exhibit at Georgia’s Stone Mountain Park focused on the site’s connections to white supremacy, slavery and […]

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MARTA General Manager and CEO Collie Greenwood is leaving the transit agency.  Greenwood, who has served as GM and CEO since 2022, is taking early retirement due to “immigration and personal matters,” according to the resolution approved by the MARTA board of directors at their meeting on Thursday.  The board has agreed to a mutual […]

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Atlanta Beltline building bags Rivian’s East Coast headquarters Josh Green Thu, 07/17/2025 - 13:45

Atlanta’s 22-mile loop of trails, commerce, and villages of new housing is again proving itself a magnet for high-profile companies and job creation. 

California-based electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian announced today it will plant its new East Coast headquarters along the Atlanta Beltline in Old Fourth Ward, opening offices as soon as late 2025. Rivian’s decision—described as a “landmark investment” for the Peach State in an announcement—was applauded by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. 

Rivian plans to occupy the top floor and lobby level of Portman Holdings’ Junction Krog District, a modernistic, mixed-use structure bordering the Eastside Trail at 667 Auburn Ave. that opened in late 2023. 

“Atlanta embodies so much that makes Georgia great—top talent, exceptional creativity, and a desire to always be moving forward,” said Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe in a statement.

The mixed-use Eastside Trail corridor in question, prior to the recent addition of restaurants. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Rivian’s plans call for locating roughly 100 employees at the Portman building by the end of this year; the company expects 500 employees will eventually be stationed at the new HQ complex when it’s fully built out. 

The location is described in a press release as “easily accessible by public transportation,” though the city has pivoted away from building an extension of the Atlanta Streetcar through the area, which would have linked downtown to Ponce City Market. 

According to Rivian officials, the Old Fourth Ward office will open in late 2025. It will expand next year as construction ramps up at Rivian’s massive, 7,500-person manufacturing facility in the pipeline east of Atlanta near Social Circle. Rivian reportedly plans to resume site work on the Georgia plant next month in preparation for vertical construction in the first quarter of 2026. 

Retail spaces and office patios fronting the Eastside Trail, as seen in fall 2023. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

“Atlanta continues to lead in EV innovation and technology integration, and Rivian’s growing presence here reinforces our city’s role in shaping our future economy,” said Mayor Dickens in the announcement.  

“We’re glad to see Rivian will soon join the growing list of brands not only operating in our state but also wholly or partially based in our capital city,” added Kemp. 

Rivian won’t be the only recent addition to Junction Krog District. 

As part of a mini restaurant boom on the Beltline between Irwin Street and Edgewood Avenue, Japanese-modern concept Yuji opened at Junction Krog District earlier this year. It’s situated on the building’s ground floor and connected with what Portman calls the “expansive public porch” of its contemporary, black-painted building. The Kaiseki-inspired concept from the creator of MF Sushi, Kinjo Room, and other restaurants includes two outdoor bars, along with a 1,700-square-foot patio. 

That was followed in May by the second location of Italian concept Yeppa & Co., which took an expansive, largely open-air space at the southernmost base of Junction Krog District. Yeppa & Co. debuted in Buckhead Village in early 2023, and its breezy Beltline digs are meant to evoke the Italian coastal town, Rimini, that inspired the concept. Outdoor components include a large bar, sidewalk tables, and covered and heated year-round seating. 

Coffee and cocktail purveyor Brash Coffee Roasters also opened in a kiosk-style space next to Yuji last fall.

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Fulton County health officials confirmed that mosquitoes trapped in two locations in the county have tested positive for West Nile virus. The traps were located at the Atlanta Virtual Academy in the Grove Park neighborhood and the Hoyt Smith Recreation Center in Hapeville. To combat the threat, county officials said in a press release that […]

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For head coach Rich Freeman, Morehouse College’s 2014 football season wasn’t getting off to a great start.  Just a few days before the season officially started and classes began, he learned he had lost his starting kicker.  Desperate for a replacement, the athletic director convinced the coach to take a look at a kid in […]

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials will be given access to the personal data of the nation’s 79 million Medicaid enrollees, including home addresses and ethnicities, to track down immigrants who […]

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West End’s Lee + White district welcomes slew of new openings Josh Green Thu, 07/17/2025 - 12:03

A winning streak of tenant openings continues at West End’s buzzy Beltline district, where a blend of company headquarters, service providers, high-tech businesses, and new experiential offerings is resulting in a uniquely mixed-use lineup, per developers. 

Two interactive concepts and a three new retailers have recently opened at Lee + White, an 11-building former warehouse row that counts a half-mile of frontage and four direct entrances on Atlanta Beltline’s Westside Trail. 

New offerings include a live, gameshow-inspired experience called The Game Show Challenge, which has claimed a 3,889-square-foot space in Lee + White’s Building 1000, next to Monday Night Brewing and Grady’s new neighborhood health center.

The setup includes a live host, 60-minute sessions, and two studios where “contestants”—typically six to 14 people (or more) at a time—can play interactive games in styles that mimic famous gameshows. Think: trivia, word puzzles, spin-the-wheel challenges, and more. 

The West End location marks the fourth for the gameshow concept, which is aiming to open 30 more over the next five years. Others are in Charlotte, Columbia, and Greenville, S.C.

The Game Show Challenge

That opening follows on the heels of public, indoor golf club Atlanta Golf & Social’s debut in April. The concept’s second location—the first is tucked off Peachtree Road in Chamblee—occupies 3,767 square feet in Lee + White’s food hall. It combines Trackman simulator technology with laidback bar vibes, a full restaurant, and spaces geared toward hosting MLS and F1 watch parties. 

According to cofounder Jeremy Williams, Atlanta Golf & Social marks the city’s only locally owned indoor golf club with multiple locations. 

Atlanta Golf & Social

Other Lee + White additions include three new retailers in the property’s container village, which debuted in 2023 with five containers and is now adding four more, with goal of helping launch small businesses and startups in more affordable spaces. Seven of those containers are currently leased.  

New container concepts include Afrentic (authentic African apparel and accessories), Bloom Box Collective (customized flower arrangements), and Joyful Jarra (described as a “refillery” with package-free personal care and cleaning goods). 

Overview of major tenants at the Beltline-adjacent warehouse district. Lee + White; MDH Partners/Ackerman & Co.

The additions follow the April debut of Dill Dinkers, just north of Lee + White. The pickleball concept claimed 36,000 square feet of former industrial space at 1200 White St., an ongoing warehouse redo by Lee + White owners Ackerman & Co.  

Lee + White, acquired by Ackerman and MDH Partners in 2019, has seen a post-pandemic comeback that added a 19-vendor food hall, a Great Lawn central events and gathering space, and a number of new office tenants in more than 200,000 square feet of additional space. Several large spaces, including Best End Brewing’s former digs, remain available.  

Property owners recently announced that a fundamental change and potentially risky move in car-addicted Atlanta—the end of totally free parking—is bound for Lee + White soon. 

Starting Sept. 1, the first two hours of parking at Lee + White’s large surface lots will be free, as always. But after that, parking from two to five hours will cost $5, and from five to 12 hours $10. 

Sound fair, ATL? 

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The City of Atlanta is mourning the loss of William H. Hamer, the city’s first Black fire chief and one of its first Black firefighters. According to an obituary published […]

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In a state where mental health care access can be limited, especially for Black communities, one nurse is serving Black Atlantans in an unconventional way – by running a clinic on wheels.  Psychiatric nurse practitioner Joanne Patterson launched a virtual practice in 2019 and served over 6,000 patients during the past six years. But after […]

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Georgia’s governor on Thursday announced the appointment of a new justice to fill a vacant seat on the state’s highest court. Gov. Brian Kemp said Georgia Court of Appeals Judge […]

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Councilmember Marci Overstreet, vice chair of the Council’s Transportation Committee, is demanding a comprehensive investigation into Monday night’s Vine City MARTA Station incident, where an escalator malfunction caused a mass stampede and injured at least nine concertgoers leaving Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter concert.             Around midnight on July 15, 2025, at least 11 people were … Continued

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