As the year comes to a close, here are seven stories that you may have missed. They raised questions and amplified voices of residents and leaders across Metro Atlanta.
The stories ranged from local government accountability to education, faith, culture and housing.
A year of scrutiny in College Park
Throughout the year, I reported extensively on the city of College Park, where residents and current and former officials continued to raise concerns about transparency, governance and internal operations.
1. An October story captured many of the controversies surrounding city leadership, including a social media post by former finance director Terry Jackson, who alleged criminal acts within College Park’s administration. Jackson said, he contacted the Anti-Corruption Unit of the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office.
2. In July, a separate story delved into College Park’s efforts to figure out how nearly $500,000 was paid in error to Keller Williams without proper oversight and authorization.
3. Earlier, in May, then–City Manager Emmanuel Adediran, along with four other employees, was terminated. Those employees later alleged wrongdoing by the city.
Adediran’s successor Lindell Miller was also terminated less than a month ago.
Who shapes Atlanta’s cultural future?
4. Not all of this year’s stories were about conflict. A profile on Atlanta’s new Executive Director of Cultural Affairs, Adriane V. Jefferson, explored how culture intersects with equity, economic development and community identity as the city evolves.
Jefferson was hired in February, succeeding Camille Love, who had led the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs since the 1990s. Jefferson previously served as New Haven, Connecticut’s director of arts, culture and tourism, and says she is focused on listening closely to local artists to help shape Atlanta’s creative future.
A pastor’s week of homelessness
5. Another profile featured Pastor Mayo Sowell of LIIV Atlanta church who spent a week living on the streets without money, a phone or clothes beyond what he was wearing.
During the week, he encountered people who shared their personal paths to homelessness, and Sowell gained a deeper understanding of the fear, isolation and loneliness faced by the unhoused community.
Roswell condemns hotel and relocates families
6. In May, Roswell condemened a hotel operating with significant safety hazards and dangerous living conditions for the low-income families residing there. According to police, sex trafficking activity had also occurred on the site.
Among the 159 adults living there, several had disabilities. The hotel also housed 50 children and 46 animals amid unsafe and unsanitary conditions including rusted stairwells, inoperable elevators and more.
Permanent school closures
7. In 2025, Fulton County Schools closed Spalding Drive Elementary in Sandy Springs and Parklane Elementary in East Point, despite vocal opposition from parents and community members.
Sandy Springs parents have said they are exploring legal options and the possibility of forming a charter school. The idea also surfaced during Councilwoman Jody Reichel’s unsuccessful bid for mayor in November.
These stories offer a snapshot of a year marked by transition, tension and voices seeking to make a difference.
Last time I checked both Atlanta and College Park were mainly INSIDE the perimeter.