McIntosh Reserve grows by 327 acres along the Chattahoochee
Carroll County and Trust for Public Land have added 327 acres of riverfront property to McIntosh Reserve, bringing the park to 1,750 acres. It is the third time in five years the two have partnered to expand the reserve.
The new land adds nearly two-thirds of a mile of Chattahoochee River frontage and makes possible a future 8-mile trail connecting McIntosh Reserve to Moore’s Bridge Park.
“Expanding McIntosh Reserve means more opportunities for Carroll County residents to get outside and enjoy the Chattahoochee River close to home,” said Michelle Morgan, chair of the Carroll County Commission.
The property protects habitat associated with 19 rare and priority species, including the state-protected bluestripe shiner, highscale shiner and bald eagle. It also holds archaeological evidence of human presence dating to 8000 B.C. and has ancestral ties to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.
A $1.46 million grant from the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program helped fund the expansion.
McIntosh Reserve is the southernmost campsite and take-out point on the 48-mile Chattahoochee RiverLands Camp + Paddle Trail, which runs from Atlanta to Carroll County. The broader RiverLands plan calls for a 100-mile greenway linking 20 metro Atlanta cities and seven counties to the river.
— Derek Prall
Atlanta-made AI thriller ‘Artist I Am’ premieres Saturday at the Tara
“Artist I Am,” a mystery thriller about artificial intelligence, deepfakes and what they mean for human creativity, will premiere Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Tara Theatre in Atlanta. The independent feature was filmed entirely in metro Atlanta in eight shooting days.
The 80-minute film follows Nick Sterling, a former FBI forensic accountant and INTERPOL regional director who is drawn back into an investigation after a priceless work of art is mysteriously destroyed. Cryptic digital clues suggest the destruction may be the start of a larger technological threat.
Atlanta filmmaker and technologist Taz Lake wrote and executive produced the film, which he began developing nearly three years ago. Daniel Sagona directed and produced it in his directorial debut. The crew included art department members with credits on major Marvel and DC productions.
Gio Martinelli, whose credits include “Richard Jewell” and “The Naked Gun,” stars as Sterling, alongside Emalie Noelani (“Magnum P.I.”) and Cassie Brown and Rachel O’Hara, both of “Will Trent.”
Doors open at 6 p.m., and the screening begins at 6:30 p.m. Afterward, Donnie Beamer, senior technology advisor to Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, will moderate a discussion and audience Q&A with Lake and Sagona.
A limited number of tickets are available on Eventbrite. The Tara Theatre is at 2345 Cheshire Bridge Road NE.
— Derek Prall
Paddlers to celebrate Okefenokee’s World Heritage status with 95-mile trip
More than 300 canoeists and kayakers will paddle out of the Okefenokee Swamp next June to celebrate its designation in July as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the first in Georgia.
The Paddle Georgia trip, set for June 18-25, will begin at Okefenokee State Park and follow about 5 miles of the Okefenokee Wilderness Canoe Trail in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. It then covers roughly 95 miles of the Suwannee River from Fargo, Georgia, to Live Oak, Florida, passing limestone bluffs, springs and a short stretch of Class II whitewater.
Paddlers will travel about 14 miles a day and stay at Okefenokee State Park, the Suwannee River Eco Lodge in Fargo and the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park near Live Oak. The week includes nightly educational programs, catered meals, river cleanups and water quality testing.
“Because of the World Heritage Site designation, the world will soon come to the Okefenokee and surrounding areas in even greater numbers,” said Rena Ann Peck, executive director of Georgia Rivers, which organizes the annual trip.
Registration opens in early February. Fees range from $70 to $480, with meals up to $460 extra. Two-, three- and four-day options and scholarships are available. More information is available here.
— Derek Prall
