On Wednesday, June 1, community leaders gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate Parkside Apartments, an affordable housing community nestled in the Bankhead/Historic Westin Heights neighborhood. Parkside features 182 units — including one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments — with each unit priced at an affordable rate. In the new building, 57 units are priced at […]
Author Archives: Hannah E. Jones
Hannah Jones is a Georgia State University graduate, with a major in journalism and minor in public policy. She began studying journalism in high school and has since served as a reporter and editor for two newspapers. Hannah managed the Arts and Living section of The Signal, Georgia State’s independent award-winning newspaper. She has a passion for environmental issues, urban life and telling a good story. Hannah can be reached at hannah@saportareport.com.
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The Okefenokee Experience: A tri-county effort to boost ecotourism around the swamp
Want to take a walk on the wild side? Head down to South Georgia, home to one of Georgia’s Seven Natural Wonders. The Okefenokee Swamp — 428,000 acres of wetlands — hosts 424 animal species and 620 types of plants and, famously, around 13,000 alligators. Under a new initiative, the swamp’s special attributes will be […]
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Chattahoochee Rec Area announces plans for a $11.8 million rehab of the Paces Mill Unit
Summertime is approaching, and for many folks living in the metro area that means it’s time to shoot the ‘Hooch. And one popular stop along the Chattahoochee will soon be getting a facelift. Paces Mill Unit, part of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA), is a hotspot for folks paddling or floating down the […]
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Reporter’s Notebook: Avondale’s Blast Beats & Brews, lifelong learning at the High, 200 YMCA summer positions
Looking for plans this weekend? Kick off the final days of May with the Atlanta Jazz Festival at Piedmont Park. Festivities will go from Saturday to Monday with performances from 15 jazz musicians, which are all free to the public. On to other local news: New metal and craft beer festival to be annual event […]
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Grant Park Conservancy releases conceptual plans for new Loomis Plaza
Spring cleaning is underway at Grant Park, the city’s oldest public greenspace, and the Grant Park Conservancy (GPC) team has plans to spruce up its northern entrance. GPC has drafted a proposal to renovate the park’s entrance by Sydney Street and Loomis Avenue, calling the new space Loomis Plaza. The proposed plans include a new […]
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Grady, GSU receive $23.6 million to fight “critical nursing shortage”
Thanks to a $23.6 million gift from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, Georgia State University (GSU) and Grady Hospital have established a partnership to strengthen the pipeline of education to employment for nursing students. Currently, GSU has a higher demand of applicants to the Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions than the […]
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New 48-mile Camp and Paddle Trail in the works along Chattahoochee River
Residents of Atlanta and the metro area have likely been hearing a lot of buzz about the city’s neighboring river — the Chattahoochee — and local leaders’ visions of how to better use the natural oasis. Their solution? The Chattahoochee RiverLands, including its Camp and Paddle Trail. The Chattahoochee RiverLands is a multi-generational initiative by […]
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Reporter’s Notebook: BeltLine’s Northwest Trail, lantern parade, $100,000 to Morris Brown College
Attention, Georgia voters: The statewide primaries are just a few days away. If you haven’t voted already, be sure to visit the My Voter Page to find your polling place for Tuesday, May 24. Early voting runs through Friday, May 20. So far, Georgians are submitting their ballots early in record numbers, with over 380,000 […]
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Giant metal origami-inspired sculptures debut at the Atlanta Botanical Garden
From now until October 16, Midtown’s Atlanta Botanical Garden will be the home not only to a sea of blooming and thriving flora, but also a new outdoor art exhibit featuring large, metal origami-inspired sculptures. “Origami in the Garden” is an all-new art exhibition including 18 installations with over 70 sculptures inspired by origami, the […]
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Nature POP! at the Zoo — The “perfect union” between art, science and nature
When taking a walk through Zoo Atlanta this summer, visitors will notice some animals that weren’t there before. But unlike their furry and feathered neighbors, these animals are crafted from tens of thousands of LEGO bricks. That’s right, your favorite toy from childhood has come to life. Featuring 40 sculptures of animals and nature scenes […]
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The green footprint Frederick Olmsted left on Atlanta
Activist, maverick and visionary — Those are a few words used to describe Frederick Law Olmsted, the iconic landscape planner. Even if you don’t know him by name, if you’re an Atlantan, you’ve almost certainly visited one of his parks. On the bicentennial anniversary of Olmsted’s birth — April 26 — landscape, history and park […]
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Reporter’s Notebook: Princeton partners with Spelman, $45M in transit and road funding, Porchfest
Something spooky is in the air! Friday the 13th is upon us, marking the only Friday the 13th of the year. If you’re a lover of all things creepy, this is not a day to overlook. To celebrate the infamous date, consider visiting the Plaza Theatre for a showing of “Friday the 13th III,” or […]
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Midtown punk bar The Highlander celebrates 30th anniversary
The folks at The Highlander — an eclectic punk bar in Midtown — just rang in the joint’s 30th anniversary with a birthday bash that left owners closing shop around seven in the morning. At The Highlander, having a good time is a full-time job. Sitting at 931 Monroe Dr. NE, the bar is open […]
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Reporter’s Notebook: BeltLine trail gets $30M donation, funding completion of trail
Georgia voters — Early voting is underway for the state’s upcoming primaries on Tuesday, May 24. If you intend to cast your ballot, be aware of these key dates: To learn more about the candidates on the state ballot, click here to watch the Atlanta Press Club’s recent debates. Visit your Georgia My Voter Page […]
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Thanks to increased park investment and access, Atlanta secures no. 27 spot on latest ParkScore index
By Hannah E. Jones The City of Atlanta has secured its spot as number 27 on the 2022 ParkScore Index from The Trust for Public Land (TPL). Atlanta sat at number 49 last year, but thanks to recent improvements in park access and increased investment, the city jumped 22 spots within the past year. Atlanta […]
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Cut a tree, plant a tree to preserve the city in the forest this Arbor Day
By Hannah E. Jones The Atlanta-based Peachtree Arborists are on a mission to protect the city’s tree canopy with the help of Trees Atlanta and the Arbor Day Foundation. On Friday, April 29 — the 150th National Arbor Day — Peachtree Arborists kicked off the holiday with a new environmental initiative: plant a tree for […]
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Trust For Public Land’s 2022 Earth Day celebration: All in for the Outdoors
With roughly 82 percent of the U.S. living in urban areas — and an estimated 89 percent by 2045 — it’s becoming increasingly essential to honor and protect our environment, as each plant or insect plays a vital role in the larger picture of Mother Earth. In celebration of the 52nd annual Earth Day, The […]
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Reporter’s Notebook: Celebrating Piedmont Park designer Frederick Olmsted’s 200th birthday
With Earth Month 2022 coming to a close, be sure to take a moment this weekend to enjoy all that Mother Nature has to offer. With adventures like hiking at Arabia or Panola Mountain, kayaking down the Chattahoochee River or just soaking up some sun at your local park, you’ll find a good way to […]
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Blue Heron’s outdoor art exhibit pays homage to “invisible constituents” of the forest
Instead of your usual walk or run with music blaring, what if you listened to the birds chirping and the leaves rustling? What else would help you be more present and integrated with nature? That’s local artist K. Tauches’ approach to Light as a Feather, an outdoor exhibition immersed in Atlanta’s Blue Heron Nature Preserve. […]
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Chattahoochee National Rec Area plans to rework trail network, adding 33 miles
Between leisurely hikes, runs with your dog and, of course, shooting the ‘Hooch, it’s hard to be bored near the Chattahoochee River. Now, after about six years in the works, the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (NRA) — the 22nd-most-visited national park in 2021 — is finalizing its first-ever Comprehensive Trails Management Plan. The park, […]
