Atlanta News

From the Atlanta Daily World:

  On Tuesday, June 3, Democrats in South Carolina and Mississippi clinched victories, improving Democrats’ special election winning and overperformance record to a whopping 24 elections in 2025 alone. In South Carolina, 24-year-old Keishan Scott overperformed the top of the 2024 ticket by 36 points, and in deep-red Mississippi, Democrats won mayoral elections across the … Continued

The post Democrats Improve Performance Record After Sweeping Victories in South Carolina and Mississippi Local Elections appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

Arts Atlanta:

The afternoon sun shone on the sprawling Emma Darnell Aviation Museum & Conference Center when I arrived at the front doors today. That glow wasn’t limited to the facade — a vibrant array of colorful artworks awaited me just inside the doors. Established in 2010, the 16,200 square-foot facility was initiated by a community advisory...

From WABE Politics News:

Derek Dooley, a former University of Tennessee football coach, said Friday that he is considering a Republican run for U.S. Senate in Georgia in 2026 against Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff. […]

From WABE Politics News:

This week in Atlanta news, WABE has a deeper dive on the complex and controversial case at Emory Healthcare where a pregnant woman declared brain-dead is being kept on life […]

From the Saporta Report:

It took $40,000, a 700 square-foot house, four months of rehearsals, years of preparation and a do-it-yourself spirit to make Aaron Strand’s standout feature-length debut “Withdrawal.”  Now the Georgia independent film is headed to its New York premiere.  “Withdrawal” will have its New York premiere at the Art of Brooklyn Film Festival on June 6, […]

The post Atlanta indie ‘Withdrawal’ heads to New York festival scene appeared first on SaportaReport.

From WABE Politics News:

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whose mistaken deportation to El Salvador became a political flashpoint in the Trump administration’s stepped-up immigration enforcement, was being returned to the United States to face criminal […]

Clearer picture emerges for 'game-changer' Atlanta bike park Josh Green Fri, 06/06/2025 - 15:51

Plans for an outdoor amenity like metro Atlanta has never seen are coming into clearer focus—and they look pretty bodacious. 

Atlanta Beltline Inc. officials have shared with Urbanize Atlanta the most detailed visuals to date for what’s been described as an inclusive, world-class “game-changer” of a bike park for the city’s Westside. 

The skills course, jump lines, asphalt pump track, and bicycle playground illustrated in new renderings would be just one section of broader biking facilities at Shirley Clarke Franklin Park (formerly Westside Park). But they show promise of being a key attraction for Atlanta’s largest greenspace. 

The official name of the project is now Bike Park at Shirley Clarke Franklin Park.

Beltline officials hope to break ground on the bike park section by the end of 2025, but that’s contingent on a fundraising campaign that’s now collected well over half of its $15-million goal.  

Courtesy of Atlanta Beltline Inc.

Challenging course features and an architectural section that echoes the park's existing "ribcage" gateway. Courtesy of Atlanta Beltline Inc.

The bulk of that came in September from the Chestnut Family Foundation, a charitable organization led by billionaire Mailchimp cofounder and former CEO Ben Chestnut and his wife Teresa. (Chestnut, a noted mountain biking enthusiast, stepped down as CEO of Intuit Mailchimp for a business advisory position in 2022, following Intuit’s acquisition of the Atlanta-based e-marketing giant.)

Beltline designers have said the bike park will be installed across roughly 45 wooded acres at the northeast corner of the park. The 280-acre greenspace—considered the largest in Atlanta—opened its first phase in 2021. 

The bulk of the project will see 2.25 miles of mountain biking trails that designers say will be catered to all skill levels—all minutes from the urban settings of Midtown and downtown.

Those will include beginner and intermediate routes with bridges, boardwalks, natural obstacles, rollers, berms, and switchback trails.

Courtesy of Atlanta Beltline Inc.

For more experienced (and daring) riders, a steeper gravity trail will be designed to challenge, with large rocks, tight switchbacks, technical rock gardens, steep drops, and other natural and built obstacles, according to Atlanta Beltline Partnership.

That section will also see more serene hiking trails weaving through the forest at various levels of difficulty. 

Other planned features of the park have been described in greater detail as follows:

• Start area and overlook: The park will feature a dual-purpose start area integrated with an overlook, providing a stunning view of the bike park and surrounding landscape. This area will serve as a starting point for adventures and a spot for relaxation and social interaction.
• Bicycle playground: Tailored for beginners, particularly children, this area will feature low-risk elements such as balance beams, small rollers, and gentle turns to help new riders build confidence and basic bike handling skills.
• Jump lines: A range of jump lines will be available, from beginner-friendly to advanced, featuring clear signage for difficulty levels and safe landing zones to encourage progression and skill development.
• Skills course: This area will present technical challenges such as narrow bridges, rock gardens, and tight switchbacks, designed to simulate real trail conditions and help riders of all levels improve their technical skills.
• Pump track: Available for a variety of wheeled sports, this state-of-the-art asphalt pump track is designed for riders of all skill levels to practice momentum, balance, and agility. The track includes berms and rollers, allowing riders to refine their technique and bike control without pedaling.

The Atlanta Beltline Partnership has taken on the role of raising money for the bike park, while Atlanta Beltline Inc. will build it.

Courtesy of Atlanta Beltline Inc.

Designs call for protecting the area’s mature tree canopy, minimizing environmental impact, and keeping bikers and hikers separate for safety, Beltline officials have said.

Pedal up to the gallery for more context and a closer look. 

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Grove Park news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

Bike Park at Westside Park Westside Park Westside Mountain Biking Pump Track Mystery Donors Atlanta BeltLine Inc. Atlanta Mountain Biking Atlanta Bicycling Bicycling Bentonville HGOR Sherwood Engineering Ben Chestnut Chestnut Family Foundation Atlanta Mountain Bike Park Atlanta Pump Track Atlanta BeltLine Partnership MTB Atlanta Parks and Rec Atlanta Parks Parks and Recreation Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association Shirley Clarke Franklin Park

Images

Courtesy of Atlanta Beltline Inc.

Challenging course features and an architectural section that echoes the park's existing "ribcage" gateway. Courtesy of Atlanta Beltline Inc.

Courtesy of Atlanta Beltline Inc.

Courtesy of Atlanta Beltline Inc.

Courtesy of Atlanta Beltline Inc.

Courtesy of Atlanta Beltline Inc.

An overview of Bike Park at Westside Park with a legend. Courtesy of Atlanta Beltline Partnership

The scope of the Westside Park corner in question, situated between a hilltop greenspace (left) and the park's reservoir. Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

Subtitle Westside project at city's largest greenspace aims to be inclusive, for all skill levels

Neighborhood Grove Park

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

From WABE Local News:

Points of Light, the Atlanta-based nonprofit founded by Former President George H.W. Bush, will lead an effort to double the number of people who volunteer with U.S. charitable organizations from […]

From WABE Politics News:

A federal judge heard arguments this week on a Georgia law aimed at restricting social media use for minors and requiring Georgians to confirm their age before viewing adult websites. […]

From the Saporta Report:

Four former College Park employees who were fired on May 20 came forward during public comment at a recent city council meeting, demanding answers and alleging wrongful termination. Rose Stewart, the city’s former director of human resources and risk management, spoke on behalf of herself and three other former employees: Jerry Silver, a former code […]

The post Fired College Park staffers speak out during city meeting, challenge dismissals appeared first on SaportaReport.

Options emerge for block-changing Beltline project in Reynoldstown Josh Green Fri, 06/06/2025 - 13:21

The scope of what could be a transformative redevelopment project beside the Atlanta Beltline is starting to come to light. 

As revealed on these pages last month, Star Metals developer Allen Morris Company is seeking to transform two blocks in Reynoldstown along the popular Southeast Trail (formerly Eastside Trail), just north of Memorial Drive.

The Florida-based developer and its partners brought early design concepts before the Reynoldstown Civic Improvement League Zoning Committee this week, lending the first glimpses of what one block in question could become—and how it might function next to the multi-use trail. 

The two Reynoldstown blocks poised for redevelopment on Mauldin and Holtzclaw streets, as shown prior to more recent development at the neighboring Stein Steel project. Allen Morris Company; submitted

Allen Morris’s presentation was meant to start the process of working with the neighborhood to change the property’s zoning from a C-1-C industrial designation to MR-4A-C to allow for multifamily development. 

Early visuals show what appears to be the same Z-shaped designs in place for the more northern block, 930 Mauldin St., that initially started coming to light in 2022. 

Immediately south of that, at 205 Holtzclaw St., three massing options have emerged for a multifamily building that appears larger, though designs aren’t finalized. 

Massing for what's described as Option 1 for the Allen Morris-led project on the 205 Holtzclaw St. block, with the Beltline's Eastside (now Southeast) Trail shown at right. Allen Morris Company; submitted

One option for how the 205 Holtzclaw property would relate to (but not connect with) the Beltline corridor. Allen Morris Company; submitted

Two of the massing concepts presented would include stair-stepped facades, echoing designs on the 930 Mauldin block. 

Allen Morris now owns the southernmost site, which houses an empty lot and low-rise, warehouse-style buildings formerly home to the DooGallery.

RCIL’s feedback will help determine construction timing, scope, and other details, but Allen Morris plans to build both retail and multifamily residential on the southernmost block, officials said last month. “We look forward to working with the neighborhood,” a rep noted, “to develop a project that inspires, impresses, and improves the lives of all who interact with it.”

For the more northern block, development ideas have been kicked around for nearly two decades but haven’t moved into construction. Allen Morris officials told Urbanize Atlanta last month they’re entering a joint partnership with that block’s longtime property owners, developers Metzger & Co. 

Massing Option 2 presented this week. Allen Morris Company; submitted

Massing Option 3, which excludes stair-stepped features. Allen Morris Company; submitted

Metzger & Co.’s development plans for Mauldin Street have been proposed, off and on, for more than 17 years, long before Beltline hysteria swept over the historic eastside neighborhood.

Metzger & Co.’s most recent, retooled plans called for 142 apartments (15 percent reserved as affordable housing) and 2,700 square feet of retail spaces fronting the Beltline, in a 140,000-square-foot building that would top out at six stories. 

Those designs were approved by NPU and other neighborhood groups as part of a successful rezoning process in 2022. 

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Reynoldstown news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

930 Mauldin Street SE Metzger & Co. BeltLine Development Reynoldstown Civic Improvement League Beltline Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail Cabbagetown 90 Mauldin Associates Cathy Woolard Stein Steel Perkins & Will Perkins&Will Flippo Civil Design Watts & Browning Engineers Allen Morris Company The Allen Morris Company BeltLine Construction Reynoldstown Development Reynoldstown Construction

Images

The two Reynoldstown blocks poised for redevelopment on Mauldin and Holtzclaw streets, as shown prior to more recent development at the neighboring Stein Steel project. Allen Morris Company; submitted

Massing for what's described as Option 1 for the Allen Morris-led project on the 205 Holtzclaw St. block, with the Beltline's Eastside (now Southeast) Trail shown at right. Allen Morris Company; submitted

One option for how the 205 Holtzclaw property would relate to (but not connect with) the Beltline corridor. Allen Morris Company; submitted

Massing Option 2 presented this week. Allen Morris Company; submitted

Massing Option 3, which excludes stair-stepped features. Allen Morris Company; submitted

Overview of the 930 Mauldin St. and 205 Holtzclaw St. properties in question alongside the Beltline's Eastside Trail. Google Maps

According to previous renderings, how the completed 930 Mauldin St. project would look to Beltline patrons, with retail spaces depicted at left. Perkins & Will; via City of Atlanta Office of Zoning and Development

Subtitle Star Metals developer Allen Morris Company seeks to transform two blocks along popular trail

Neighborhood Reynoldstown

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

From WABE Local News:

The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) confirmed on Friday that a new case of measles has been detected, marking the fifth documented case of the virus in the state this year. The […]

From WABE Politics News:

As transgender service members face a deadline to leave the U.S. military, hundreds are taking the financial bonus to depart voluntarily. But others say they will stay and fight. For many, […]

Tower project near East Lake Golf Club seeks muralist for giant wall Josh Green Fri, 06/06/2025 - 11:48

A massive canvas—and a $30,000 payout—awaits the right artist in East Lake. 

A $35-million renovation project for Legacy at East Lake (formerly known as East Lake Highrise) recently wrapped at 380 Eva Davis Way.  

Neighboring Charles Yates Golf Course and Drew Charter School, just west of East Lake Golf Club, the eight-story, 1970s tower now offers 149 units for residents 55 and older, all at rates deemed affordable. 

But an important component of the project remains TBD. 

Project developer Columbia Residential has issued a call for artists capable of completing a mural with dimensions of nearly 60 by 72 feet—at least. It’s a $30,000 commission, with a goal of celebrating East Lake’s history and traditions (and seniors) through art.   

The roughly 4,200-square-foot brick canvas in question at the Legacy at East Lake project today. Courtesy of Columbia Residential

The mural’s themes—Family, Hope, Identity, and Community Unity—shouldn’t totally obscure the building’s original 1971 red-brick north face, according to Columbia reps. 

“Artists are encouraged to thoughtfully incorporate the building's original red brick masonry, allowing portions of the historic façade to remain visible as part of the artistic composition—a powerful blend of preservation and innovation,” reads a project description. 

To apply, and for full details, artists age 18 and older are asked to email murals@columbiares.com. Deadline for submissions is June 30, and the mural's unveiling will coincide with Legacy at East Lake's grand opening this fall. 

Columbia partnered on the tower renovation with Atlanta Housing, Georgia Department of Community Affairs, and Invest Atlanta, aiming to preserve affordable housing in the area while boosting the quality of life for the property’s tenants. (Of 121 residents temporarily relocated, Columbia officials say 74 are expected to return, with help from Dash & Dwell services.) 

The Legacy at East Lake project as construction entered final phases in January. Google Maps

All units are reserved for tenants earning between 30 and 60 percent of the area median income, and project-based vouchers ensure that no resident has to pay more than 30 percent of their income to rent, according to project officials.

Along with replacement of most major systems, refreshed apartment interiors, and energy-efficient additions, the renovation added and updated amenities, including a theater, a computer and business center, a wellness room, and a community garden, among other perks. 

According to Columbia, the East Lake venture marks the company’s 10th renovation and preservation project since 2020 focused on quality affordable housing. 

Google Maps

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• East Lake news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

380 Eva Davis Way SE Legacy at East Lake East Lake Highrise Affordable Housing senior housing Columbia Residential Atlanta Housing Georgia Department of Community Affairs Invest Atlanta Atlanta Murals Murals East Lake Golf Club Drew Charter School Dash & Dwell

Images

Google Maps

The Legacy at East Lake project as construction entered final phases in January. Google Maps

The roughly 4,200-square-foot brick canvas in question at the Legacy at East Lake project today. Courtesy of Columbia Residential

Subtitle $35M Legacy at East Lake renovation wraps; all units capped at 60 percent AMI or less

Neighborhood East Lake

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Arts Atlanta:

For a season that saw the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra tackling eight of Beethoven’s nine symphonies and all the raging fury they contain, Thursday’s concert was the orchestra ending the season not with a bang but a contented sigh. The ASO closes out its 2024-25 season with Concerto No. 1 in C minor for Piano, Trumpet...

From WABE Politics News:

Georgia businesses that rely on steel and aluminum will face higher costs after import taxes on these metals were doubled to 50% on Wednesday. This all comes within a week […]

Arts Atlanta:

ArtsATL’s new series, Set Life, focuses on local creatives who work in Atlanta’s film and television industry. We’ll talk to those who work on both sides of the camera and explore their struggles and successes in navigating Georgia’s volatile film and TV scene. :: “Any time the camera is moving, there’s a grip standing beside it,” says...

From WABE Local News:

Georgia’s state Senate will have a new face when lawmakers return to work next year, and seven people are vying to be the one posing for photos under the Gold […]

From the Saporta Report:

When Bjørn Lund (Michael Cera) jumps into a pit of quicksand to save Zsa-zsa Korda (Benicio del Toro) in “The Phoenician Scheme,” he’s not doing it because he really cares about Zsa-zsa.  Who he really cares about is Liesl (Mia Threapleton), the business tycoon’s daughter, who is so desperate to separate herself from her ruthless, […]

The post ‘The Phoenician Scheme’ and a goofy second chance appeared first on SaportaReport.

From the Atlanta Daily World:

  President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation banning nationals from a dozen countries from entering the U.S., primarily targeting Africans and Asians. On Wednesday (June 4), Trump announced that nationals from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen would be barred from entering the … Continued

The post Internet Reacts To Trump Announcing Travel Ban On 12 Countries appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From the Atlanta Daily World:

Photo: Getty Images A California elementary school community is outraged after a newspaper clipping with racist language was published in the yearbook, per ABC 7. The racist article from the 1940s was recently printed and distributed in the 2024-2025 Montclair Elementary School yearbook. One portion of the book features local newspaper articles about events previously … Continued

The post Elementary School Yearbook Featuring Article With ‘N—r Babies’ Sparks Outrage appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From the Atlanta Daily World:

Photo: Getty Images Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has revealed what he plans to do with his $200 billion fortune, saying most of the money will go to Africa. On Monday (June 2), Gates appeared at the Nelson Mandela Hall at the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he revealed that he intends to donate … Continued

The post Bill Gates Vows To Give Most Of His $200 Billion Fortune To Africa appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From WABE Local News:

Atlanta is the largest city in the U.S. without an LGBTQ community center, despite being home to the South’s largest LGBTQ population. That may soon change, thanks to a city-led […]

From the Saporta Report:

This year’s elections for the Public Service Commission (PSC), a little-known board of five people who regulate our utilities and railroads, are must-win races for the future of Georgia.  In a January AJC poll, voters ranked “Cost of Living” as our state’s most critical issue. Combined with “Jobs/Economy,” nearly half of all voters who make […]

The post We will never have a better chance than this appeared first on SaportaReport.

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

Dr. Karida Brown says her new book “The Battle For the Black Mind” is much more than a history lesson for readers — it’s personal. Brown told “Closer Look” host […]