The residents of “The City in a Forest” have been fiercely reminded of its nickname since late March, with the yearly Spring pollen covering the outdoors and with allergy season blooming just as fast as vegetation. This year has seen a particularly high pollen season; on March 29, the pollen count for Atlanta was over […]
Author Archives: Mark Lannaman
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Georgia Tech student rents fraternity house to bring ‘hacker house’ to the school
Often at the forefront of innovation in science and technology, Georgia Tech is again home to innovation in the cybersecurity and technology world — this time through a student’s initiative. Yamil Quispe Silva, a senior studying computer science at Georgia Tech, announced last week that he is bringing a “hacker house” to Georgia Tech. A […]
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Atlanta Documentary Film Festival celebrates 20 years of showcasing documentaries and kicks off 2025 slate of festivals from Atlanta Film Series
The Atlanta Documentary Film Festival (Docufest), part of a slate of festivals put on by the Atlanta Film Series every year, celebrated its 20-year anniversary with a successful event this past weekend — with one of their best turnouts in years. Docufest was held from March 22 and 23 at the Limelight Theater in Atlanta. […]
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As eyes converge on South Downtown’s potential, a new nonprofit sets its sights on guiding those visions into a neighborhood for all
The nonprofit launched earlier this month called the Heart of South Downtown is advocating for the area where it gets its namesake and what the future of it looks like. South Downtown is one of the most unique places in the city, serviced by several MARTA train stations, including the only one that goes in […]
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Ranked Choice Voting is back on the chopping block, but how effective will a ban be?
Ranked choice voting (RCV) — also called instant runoff voting — is at the center of a bill to ban the voting system that has been gaining popularity around the country. The Senate Bill, SB 175, would effectively “prohibit the use of ranked choice voting” in the state — with some exceptions, like the bill […]
Posted inMark Lannaman
Captain Planet Foundation hosts annual benefit gala and honors environmental stewards, raising over half a million
The Atlanta-based nonprofit Captain Planet Foundation hosted its annual Benefit Gala on Saturday, March 15 — complete with an on-brand “green carpet” for guests’ arrival — and raised more than $500,000 through the night. The gala, one of the largest environmental fundraisers in the city, honored three awardees: The Captain Planet Foundation nonprofit has been […]
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Atlanta Science Festival returns to the city with something for everyone
For two weeks in March, science is taking center stage in Atlanta. Atlanta Science Festival (ASF) is making a return to the city, with the kickoff starting on March 8, 2025. The festival will feature over 140 exhibitions and events for people of all ages. It’s facilitated by Science ATL and has over 80 partners, […]
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Atlanta’s e-bike program pedals through a successful first year
Atlanta is putting the pedal to the metal — bike metal, that is. The Atlanta Regional Commission’s (ARC) e-bike rebate program, which officially launched in July 2024, released the Atlanta E-Bike Rebate Program 2024 Year-End Report earlier this week detailing the early outcomes of its program — and found that most recipients are “riding often […]
Posted inColumns, Mark Lannaman
Congestion pricing runs into a speedbump, leaving it with an uncertain future
New York City’s congestion pricing — the policy that puts a toll on entering one of New York City’s historically most traffic-afflicted areas — has been met with strong reactions from residents. Now, one of the city’s most famous residents and current president is weighing in on the policy. President Trump has long been on […]
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Zoning out: Cambridge, MA delivers huge win for urbanists and residents worried about housing
The City of Cambridge, Mass., home to multiple colleges, including two of the nation’s most prominent universities, Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, just voted to end what it calls exclusionary zoning. To the delight of urbanists around the country, Cambridge City Council voted 8-1 for proposed zoning reform, which will clear the way […]
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Cam Kirk Studios finds new home on the Beltline
A household name in the Atlanta creative scene is bringing his studio onto the Beltline. Cam Kirk Studios, named after its founder and Morehouse alum photographer Cameron Kirkland, who goes by Cam Kirk, completed its move from its previous Downtown space and opened its new studio location on the Beltline near Krog Street Market On […]
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Park Pride starts the year with more than $3 million in grants allocated to parks
Park Pride is flexing its green thumb — both in park stewardship and the funding behind those parks. The nonprofit announced today that it awarded over $3 million in grants to 23 park projects across the city, with over 60 percent of that funding to parks in historically underinvested communities. This comes as Park Pride enters […]
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Game changer: City of Atlanta opens hi-tech computer lab and e-sports gaming center
On Jan. 17, the City of Atlanta opened the MLK Jr. Recreation & Aquatic Center’s Hi-Speed Hi-Tech Computer Lab and E-sports Gaming Center with the goal of making a space to have fun and to learn technical skills in game development and design. The project was a joint effort between the Department of Parks and […]
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Latinos in Georgia make gains in electoral power in 2024 election
As the Georgia Latino community continues to grow, so too does its voting presence. A new 2024 Georgia Latino Vote Report was released earlier this month by GALEO, a Georgia nonprofit advocating for greater civic engagement from the Latino community, and the GALEO Impact Fund. The report details that the state added more than 113,000 […]
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Bold action from the Big Apple sparks mixed responses in congestion pricing: a pedestrian’s paradise or a driver’s nightmare?
Never one to shy away from the big moment, New York City is kicking off 2025 with bold action to curb the traffic in its streets: congestion pricing. It’s been over a week since New York City began its congestion pricing policy on Jan. 5 — officially called the Central Business District (CBD) Tolling Program […]
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It’s official: Last year was the hottest year on record — again
In what seems to be becoming a yearly tradition as constant as wishing someone a happy new year, last year — just like the year before it — was the hottest year on record. NASA confirmed late last week that 2024 now holds the title for the warmest year on record, knocking 2023 from the […]
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Mayoral climate coalition announces 2025 leadership team, includes Mayor Dickens as vice-chair
Climate Mayors, a nationwide coalition of over 350 mayors dedicated to climate action, announced their 2025 leadership team on Monday, Jan. 6 — which includes Atlanta mayor Andre Dickens as a new vice-chair along with Mayor Lauren McLean of Boise, Idaho. The coalition started in 2014 and has mayors representing 46 states. Six other mayors […]
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife announces plans to expand Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge by 22,000 acres
On Jan. 3, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced it is moving forward with a plan to expand the acquisition boundary of one of Georgia’s most precious natural resources — the Okefenokee swamp. The expanded acquisition boundary authorizes the FWS to purchase or conserve additional land around the Okefenokee. However, the decision remains […]
Posted inColumns
The cost of holiday shopping goes beyond the price tag
The holiday season is in full swing, with Halloween and Thanksgiving in the rear-view mirror and Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year’s in the weeks to come. And with it, trash. A lot of trash. We tend to be excellent at throwing things “away,” but many would be challenged to truly describe what “away” looks […]
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Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park approaches official status as Georgia’s first National Park, 64th in the U.S.
Georgia is one of 20 U.S. states without a National Park, but that may soon change. The state is on the verge of getting its very own National Park through the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, located in Macon, Ga., which looks to become a National Park pending final approval from Congress. Georgia has several […]
