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Axios Atlanta
The Stitch's next steps: Master plan and long-term funding
The city-shaping plan to cover the Downtown Connector with a 14-acre park has the cash and timeline to begin its ambitious first phase, project officials said Wednesday.Why it matters: Once completely built, The Stitch would reconnect predominantly Black neighborhoods sliced apart in the 1940s and '50s by the interstate highway system and spark development in Downtown's northern edge.Federal funding to build the $200 million first phase requires that the project be under construction by September 2026. Work on Atlanta's next public-private mega-project will be here sooner than you think.Driving the news: On Wednesday, Central Atlanta Progress leaders briefed Downtown...
Atlanta weekend events: Jelly Roll, Doggy Con, fall festivals
Here are some events to check out this weekend around Atlanta: 🎭 Out Front Theatre Company brings the Broadway musical "Hairspray" to audiences. (through Nov. 9)😆 Two comedy legends will be at the Fox Theatre this weekend: Larry David (Thurs.) and Jerry Seinfeld. (Sat.)🏀 The Hawks play their second game of the season against the Charlotte Hornets at State Farm Arena. (Fri.)🎥 The Tara Theater hosts the ninth annual Atlanta Greek Film Expo. (Fri.–Sun.)🎤 Jelly Roll brings his Beautifully Broken Tour to State Farm Arena. (Sat.)🐶 Doggy Con features lots of pup-friendly activities, including yoga, an agility course workshop and...
Pickleball club to open in Atlanta's West End
A pickleball club franchise will open its first Atlanta location in West End, bringing the first set of courts dedicated to the game to the southwest side of the city. Why it matters: Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association's 2024 Topline Participation Report.
Georgia Supreme Court blocks election rules reinstatement
The Georgia Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hear Republicans' arguments for reinstating controversial rules that would've changed how voters' ballots are tabulated in the 2024 election.Why it matters: The three-sentence, unanimous ruling is a win for critics who said the rules could sow distrust in the election in this important swing state.The rules, passed by the state board of election's Republican appointees earlier this year, would've required poll workers to hand-count ballots and county officials to conduct a "reasonable inquiry" into vote counting before certifying results won't take effect this election.Catch up quick: On Oct. 17, lawyers representing state...
Redistricting, high-profile races play roles in reduced election competition
Georgia's a swing state that could make or break the White House hopes of Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Trump. But you might not find many competitive or even contested races further down the ballot.Why it matters: Competition makes better athletes, gas-station taquerias and politics.Challengers can keep incumbents on their toes and, by extension, can create a more motivated and representative government.Catch up quick: Since 2020, more than half the races in the Georgia House and Senate seats were uncontested, according to a Fair Districts Georgia analysis. 2024 is no different.In 2022, "competitive" state House races — those...
Trump gains slight edge over Harris in poll of likely Georgia voters
Data: AJC poll; Chart: Dani Alberti/Axios VisualsThe race to succeed Joe Biden as the 47th president remains close, but a new Atlanta Journal-Constitution/University of Georgia poll shows former President Trump with a slight edge over Vice President Kamala Harris in the Peach State.Why it matters: Trump leads Harris 47% to 43%, outside the margin of error of 3.1%, among the 1,000 likely voters in Georgia who participated in the poll.8% of those surveyed said they are still undecided with two weeks to go before Election Day.What they're saying: UGA political scientist Trey Hood told the AJC that "neither side has this...
Fulton County considers asking state for help taking over Atlanta jail
A battle is brewing over whether the Georgia General Assembly should step in and push Atlanta to give up the city's Downtown detention center to ease an overcrowding crisis at Fulton County's troubled jail.Why it matters: Fulton's perpetually troubled lock-up on Rice Street has seen a spike in inmate deaths, violence and contraband, some of which is smuggled in via drones.Frustrated over Atlanta's refusal to sell or transfer the city's Downtown detention center to the county, Fulton leaders want to ask state lawmakers for leverage during the upcoming legislative session.Catch up quick: In August, a state Senate subcommittee recommended that...
Sweet Auburn Curb Market primed for upgrades
The old-school Downtown market where you can grab lunch and fresh produce and meat for dinner is blowing out 100 candles. Driving the news: Mayor Andre Dickens will join city officials and merchants from the past and present to pay tribute and discuss the market's future on Friday morning. Catch...
Why you should plan your fall wedding around UGA football in 2025
If you've contemplated skipping somebody's big day because it's game day, you're not alone. Why it matters: Fall wedding season's clash with football season means two things: Your loved ones will reveal their true loyalty, and your guests will be sneaking peeks at their phones throughout the service. Driving the...
Atlanta's trails and greenway plan wants your input
Everybody loves trails. Now's your chance to make Atlanta's growing network of greenways and side paths even better.Why it matters: Riding a bike on paths through Atlanta's forests and neighborhoods is one of the best ways to experience the city.Plus, we can't expand the roads for cars anymore. There's just not enough room.Driving the news: On Thursday, the PATH Foundation and Atlanta's Parks and Recreation Department are holding a virtual public meeting to help craft the project list for Trails ATL, the citywide trail plan.The meeting focuses on paths proposed for southeast Atlanta. Previous presentations covered west and north Atlanta.State...
Weekend events: Porchfest, Halloween parade, Usher
Check out what's happening around Atlanta this weekend:. 🎤 Usher brings his Past Present Future tour to State Farm Arena this weekend. (Thurs., Fri. & Sun.) 👻 Dress up the little ones and venture over to the Smyrna Market Village for the Spooky Festival. (Fri.) 🏴 Don your...
Atlanta to host Super Bowl LXII in 2028
The NFL announced Tuesday that Super Bowl LXII will be held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.The big picture: It will be Atlanta's fourth time hosting the Super Bowl, and the second time at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Atlanta last hosted the Super Bowl in 2019.Before Mercedes-Benz opened in 2017, the Georgia Dome hosted the games in 1994 and 2000. What they're saying: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement that Atlanta is a "natural fit for Super Bowl 62," adding that Falcons owner Arthur Blank played a critical role in lobbying to bring the Super Bowl back to the city.Blank said...
Last-minute Atlanta-themed Halloween costumes
You promised yourself you'd remember those clever Halloween ideas tied to Atlanta memes and news come October.Reality check: Well, it's now October, and you forgot.Halloweekend is here, and you've got parties to attend, but have nothing to wear.Yes, but: It's OK, we've helped you before and we've got you covered now.We rounded up six easy, low-cost, last-minute locally inspired Halloween costumes for you, free of charge.Print the infamous Microsoft blue error screen. Boom, you're Delta's epic IT outage.Buy a sack of hamburgers and offer to sell them to everyone you meet. Boom, you're the Kirkwood cheeseburger bandit.Make a bunch of "I voted" stickers and put them all over your chest. Boom, you're widespread election fraud.Tape a bunch of photos of Steve Harvey to an umbrella. Boom, you're the Steve Harvey drone light show over Downtown.Wear comfortable clothes and a nametag that simply says "Juror No. 3." Boom, you're a juror in Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' Young Slime Life racketeering case.Wrap a gray piece of poster board around your body. Splash people with a water bottle and generally ruin the party. Boom, you're an Atlanta water emergency.Or, you can go as the Corey Tower. 🎃 Happy Halloween, folks.
How much of FEMA direct aid has gone to Georgians
Data: Carnegie Disaster Dollar Database; Map: Alex Fitzpatrick/AxiosFEMA has sent more than $46 million to Georgia for individual disaster assistance since 2015, with more coming to the state by the day as residents grapple with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.Why it matters: FEMA checks are a top talking point as the agency faces a funding shortfall while dealing with dueling disasters: the devastation of Helene and the destruction Hurricane Milton left in Florida.The big picture: The numbers illustrate Americans' urgent financial needs immediately after a disaster — a painfully obvious point in Georgia and throughout the Southeast.The latest: More than...
Ocmulgee Mounds national park effort moves ahead in Congress
Roughly 90 miles south of Atlanta, an effort to elevate the Muscogee Nation's hallowed grounds to national parks status is reaching a crucial stage. Why it matters: Georgia is home to national recreation areas, wildlife refuges and heritage areas. But not a national park. Earning that top-tier designation could be...
Fulton judge's YouTube gives inside look at courtroom
Forget about Court TV. For legal eagles who want gavel-to-gavel access, nothing hits quite like Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney's livestream. Why it matters: Justice is served and history is altered by what happens in courtrooms every day. Greater transparency can create more accountability — and in a YouTube chatroom, it has managed to nurture an online community.
Mom of son killed by Atlanta police officer outside bar is seeking justice
The mother of a man who was shot to death by an off-duty Atlanta Police Department officer is demanding answers surrounding the circumstances of her son's killing.Driving the news: Valerie Anderson made her latest appeal Monday at the Atlanta City Council meeting, two months after officer Melvin Potter fatally shot 38-year-old Devon Anderson.What they're saying: "It has been two months since I've heard anything…about my son's murder, and I am here today to talk about how I and my family have been feeling, how distraught I am as a mother," she said."You may not know my son or don't care...
Older homes dominate metro Atlanta housing landscape
Data: US Census American Community Survey; Chart: Axios VisualsDon't let the cranes fool you: The bulk of metro Atlanta homes were built in the booming 1990s and 2000s leading up to the housing market crash, per the latest census data.Why it matters: Keeping metro Atlanta affordable for people living on low and middle incomes requires smart policy, funding and an ever-increasing supply of new housing units. Even though Atlanta has outpaced the national average since the 1980s, the share of homes built in the past five years is roughly equivalent to those still standing from the post-war 1950s.Zoom in: 24% of the metro's housing units were built during the 2000s, nearly double the national average for that decade. The big picture: Existing homes aren't getting any younger and sellers are still feeling the rate-lock effect. This opens the window for a remodeling wave, according to the National Association of Home Builders.Yes, but: Buyers are keen on new builds, given existing supply constraints and (sometimes) better deals to be found.What we're watching: Energy efficiency, kitchen and bath upgrades, and maximizing utility are among the top renovation trends.
Rare rustic Beltline segment eyed for paved path
A long-rustic stretch of the Beltline's Westside Trail will soon become a paved path.Why it matters: The development of the roughly half-mile segment behind a collection of warehouses just north of the popular Lee + White development could save bicyclists and joggers from hopping on an adjacent trail along White Street.Driving the news: In the most recent construction update, Beltline officials said they're preparing to seek a designer for the path. Construction could be completed in 2027, with landscaping improvements following.Context: Currently, the undeveloped segment in question is a dirt path accessible by the Westside Trail near Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard and Lawton Street.Though open to the public, the segment is usually isolated and prone to staying muddy after heavy rain events.The intrigue: Connecting the path to the paved portions could also spark redevelopment of the warehouses and buildings adjacent to the trail.Read more construction updates
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