Momentus Capital, a community development financial institution (CDFI) branded family of organizations that includes CDC Small Business Finance and Capital Impact Partners and Momentus Securities, announced a $50 million investment in Metro Atlanta through 2027 last month. The investment will focus on the core Metro Atlanta counties of Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Clayton and Gwinnett. The […]
Category: Mark Lannaman
Mark Lannaman is a current graduate student at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He holds a B.A. from Georgia State University and an M.S. from Georgia Tech. He has previously worked with WABE as an intern for the Atlanta Press Club. Mark was a 2021 National Association of Hispanic Journalists mentee, 2021 Every Learner Everywhere fellow, & 2022 Society of Environmental Journalists fellow. He enjoys reporting on topics including sustainability, environment, education and urban development. Born and raised in Metro Atlanta, his family comes from Jamaica and Colombia. One of his favorite quotes is, “You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore” -André Gide.
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Citizen science: New York resident looks to fill the gap in heat data at subway stations
The East Coast heat wave in late June may have come and gone — everywhere but the subway stations, that is. There, the heat was more of the same. With one of the most extensive train systems in the country, New York City’s subway stations are also some of the oldest. For the country’s most […]
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Cinema for the Global South: Alma Film Festival looking to make a big debut in early 2026
With over twenty years in the film industry, veteran actor-writer-director-producer Anthony Page, based in Atlanta, is looking forward to his latest project: bringing to life Alma Film Festival in the Dominican Republic from March 17 to March 22, 2026, where media and filmmakers from the Global South are centered and celebrated. Tallying over 300 productions […]
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Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield to get a 21-acre expansion
Late last month, the Trust for Public Land (TPL) announced it closed on over 21 acres of private land next to Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, effectively expanding the park. The newly acquired land was reportedly under consideration for residential development before the TPL acquisition. Instead, it will now be owned and operated by the […]
Posted inColumns, Latest News, Mark Lannaman
June 2025: A tale of two primaries and runoffs
Despite increases in electricity rates over the last few years, turnout in the primary election for those ratemakers did not increase accordingly. The Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) primaries took place earlier this month, with some thinking this year could be bigger than most because of a host of topics ranging from delayed elections, multiple […]
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Atlanta continues cementing itself as a hub for science and technology through Science Square expansion
Science Square, which opened Phase I in 2024 south of Georgia Tech’s main campus on the Westside, is expanding its capabilities with the relocation of seven biomedical research labs to “Southeast’s premier life sciences district.” The seven-lab relocation is in partnership with Emory University, a renowned school for its life sciences research, as well and […]
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Atlanta’s tech scene has a big week with Atlanta Tech Week and Render ATL
The tech space in Atlanta, an evergrowing industry for the region anchored by dozens of colleges both in and around the city, saw enthusiasm for the growing space on full display last week. Atlanta Tech Week, which ran from June 8 through 13, wrapped up its programming on Friday for its third year filled with […]
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Lights, camera, taxes: Georgia looks to maintain production powerhouse status as Kemp signs new tax break into law
Gov. Brian Kemp signed House Bill 475 (HB 475) earlier this month, ushering in a new age of tax credits that reflects the ever-changing film and TV industry. The bill goes into effect at the start of next year and was sponsored by Rep. Matthew Gambill (R) and Sen. Matt Brass (R). Notably, it made […]
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The unheard win for public health
A long-standing powerhouse in public health, Atlanta is now home to another public health initiative that’s been making strides in eliminating the debilitating disease lymphatic filariasis: Global Alliance for the Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis (GAELF). Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a tropical parasitic infection, which is usually transmitted through mosquitoes. It is sometimes called ‘elephantiasis’ because […]
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Atlanta tax relief initiative seeks to help senior homeowners avoid displacement
The City of Atlanta is again looking to bring some relief to its senior resident homeowners facing rising property taxes. The Anti-Displacement Tax Relief Fund, which opened on May 1 this year, is an affordable housing initiative from Invest Atlanta and the City of Atlanta seeking to give homeowners with the highest risk of displacement […]
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The first American pope comes at a critical time
White smoke rose above the Vatican Thursday last week, a signal that Catholics around the world recognized as the end of the conclave to elect a new pope as a successor to the late Pope Francis. Not long after, the Vatican announced to eagerly-awaiting crowds that Cardinal Robert Prevost — now Pope Leo XIV — […]
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De-extinction: A colossal exaggeration, or a key step forward in conservation just in time for Earth month?
Dire wolves have not walked this Earth for over 10,000 years; the closest they’ve come to being seen by people has been through the popular “Game of Thrones” series by HBO. In other words, they’re extinct. At least, they were. Colossal Biosciences, a genetic engineering company started in 2021, has been dominating headlines and social […]
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Austin continues to be a shining example in fight for affordable, denser housing stock
Austin, the southern city leading the charge for bringing down housing costs, just hit another milestone. The capital of the Lone Star State approved a resolution for five-story single-stair apartment buildings throughout the city earlier this month — a game changer for housing density and driving housing costs down, advocates say. The city released a […]
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Touching grass while in class
Nestled beneath the shade of a 26-acre old-growth forest and adjacent to a creek in Westside Atlanta now sits an outdoor classroom, standing as a symbol and resource for environmental education and stewardship — while honoring the surrounding neighborhood. On Saturday, April 12, West Atlanta Watershed Alliance (WAWA) held its ribbon-cutting ceremony for its outdoor […]
Posted inColumns, Mark Lannaman
Plans for a plastic waste recycling mega facility were scrapped; why some environmentalists see this as a win
Plans for a facility in Erie, Pa., that would process plastic into smaller pieces to be burned in Gary, Ind., were thrown away earlier this month. The project would have been one of the largest such facilities in the U.S., taking in plastic from a 750-mile radius. International Recycling Group (IRG) announced the cancellation of […]
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‘City in a Forest’ lives up to its nickname as Atlanta experiences record pollen — but pollen may be the least of our concerns
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 […]
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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 […]
