Works still needs to be completed on the multimodal aspects of the Mt. Vernon Highway bridge, but its opening has improved traffic flow. (GDOT) The Mt. Vernon Highway bridge opening has already made a positive impact on commute times, according to the Sandy Springs Police Department. “Traffic is lighter on Heards Ferry Road and Riverside Drive. This has drastically improved commuting time within the city,” Sgt. Leon Millholland, the department’s spokesperson, said. Construction on Mt. Vernon Highway and Johnson Ferry Road just east of City Springs has had minimal impact on travelers, he s ..read more

Gov. Brian Kemp signed a series of public safety bills Wednesday, including a controversial measure aimed at illegal immigration. House Bill 1105, which the Republican-controlled General Assembly passed primarily along party lines, requires local sheriffs and the Georgia Department of Corrections to notify the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) when they have a suspected illegal immigrant in custody. The bill gained momentum after Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student, was murdered on the University of Georgia campus in Athens. A 26-year-old Venezuelan man allegedly in ..read more

A band shell for the lawn at Heritage Springs would get partial funding of $1.75 million if the Sandy Springs City Council adds it to the city’s FY 2025 capital budget. (Provided by Sandy Springs) Sandy Springs City Council began its budget deliberations by hearing staff recommendations to give all employees a 5 percent cost of living pay increase. The budget would also cover an estimated 12 percent increase in employee health insurance premiums. Those budget assumptions were part of the $37.3 million FY 2025 operating budget. “As you all are aware each year we are very conservative budgeters ..read more

The Hambidge Center in Rabun Gap, Georgia. (Photo by Isadora Pennington) The hot sun beat down on my arm through the open window of my Subaru. Wind whipped my hair across my forehead and around my neck like a wild improvisational dancer. With music barely audible over the rush of my car’s tires on the pavement, I had plenty of time to think and reflect on my journey. I was on my way to The Hambidge Center. As I neared my destination, the weather outside cooled and the roads became increasingly hilly. I had been forewarned that I’d lose reception as I neared the Center so I relied on my GPS to ..read more

Bryan Schmitt’s attorney, Don Samuel, makes his oral argument before the Georgia Supreme Court on Jan. 9. (Georgia Supreme Court) The Georgia Supreme Court reversed the malice murder conviction of a Sandy Springs man sentenced to life in prison for the death of a resident with whom he had a heated argument before being struck by the defendant’s car. Bryan Keith Schmitt challenged his malice murder conviction of September 2022 for the death of Hami Jahangard, 60, who died after being hit by Schmitt’s car. The Supreme Court’s April 30 ruling agreed with his argument that the trial court erred by ..read more

(Provided by Fulton County) The Fulton County Department of Senior Services has scheduled a series of events and virtual programs throughout the county for Older Americans Month to showcase the talents of older adults and encourage community engagement. The events are part of the county’s observance of Older Americans Month in May, which the Fulton County Board of Commissioners will proclaim during its May 1 meeting, according to a press release. The 2024 national theme of “Powered by Connection” was chosen to recognize the impact that meaningful relationships and social connections have on he ..read more

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee spoke to the Sandy Springs Rotary Club on Monday afternoon. (Bob Pepalis) Fulton Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee told the Sandy Springs Rotary Club on Monday that keeping up with and clearing court dockets requires good time management skills. McAfee is presiding over a high-profile case involving former President Donald Trump over alleged 2020 election interference brought by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. McAfee couldn’t discuss cases on his docket, but he did elaborate on what its like to be working inside a courtroom. He said ..read more

The dining room at Nam Phuong in Norcross. (Photo by Angie Webb) Canopy Atlanta produced this story in partnership with Rough Draft Atlanta.  For many people living inside and outside Atlanta’s perimeter, Norcross—located around 20 minutes north of Atlanta along I-85 —has become a destination worth traveling to for food. Like many metro Atlanta cities, Norcross benefited from the passage of the Hart-Celler Act, also known as the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which eliminated immigration quotas based on national origin that previously excluded Asians and “non-whites” from enteri ..read more

Solidarity Sandy Springs founder Jennifer Barnes and Mayor Rusty Paul cut the ribbon to signify the opening of the nonprofit organization’s new home in the back of Sandy Springs Plaza. (Bob Pepalis) Solidarity Sandy Springs celebrated its new location at Sandy Springs Plaza with a ribbon cutting on April 24. The organization provides nutritious food for families in need. Solidarity board members and volunteers, city and community leaders, and supporters gathered at 6315 Roswell Road, the seventh home for the organization in its four years. Mayor Rusty Paul said it has been a bit of a vagabond ..read more

Kamayan means ″by hand” in the Filipino Tagalog dialect. (Photo by Isadora Pennington) Mia Orino and Carlo Gan founded Kamayan ATL in 2018 to reconnect with the food of their native Philippines and the small population of Filipino people living around Atlanta. They named the pop-up after a traditional feasting style in the Philippines called “kamayan” where those gathered spread food along a table dressed from end-to-end with verdant banana leaves. Groups of people then stand or sit around the table and use sticky rice and their hands to scoop up bites of food. “Kamayan is coming together with ..read more