The names of all the victims from the March 16 mass shootings in Atlanta and Cherokee County have been released by officials in both communities. The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the four Asian American women killed at the Gold Spa and Aromatherapy Spa on Piedmont Road as Soon C. Park, 74; Hyun J. […]
Posted inAtlanta Intown
Atlanta’s Asian American community mobilizes as investigation continues in spa shootings
As investigators continue to probe the motive behind the mass killing of eight people at spas in Atlanta and Cherokee County, the city’s Asian American community is mobilizing to fight a nationwide increase in violence and anti-Asian racism. A #StopAsianHate March & Rally is set for Saturday, March 20, at 1 p.m. at Liberty Plaza […]
Posted inAtlanta Intown
Authorities consider hate crime charges against confessed spa shooter; first court appearance cancelled
A first court appearance for the 21-year-old Woodstock man who confessed to gunning down eight people at spas in Atlanta and Cherokee County was cancelled with no explanation on March 18. According to a report from 11 Alive, no details were provided surrounding the cancelation. A clerk at Cherokee Magistrate Court said the information was […]
Posted inAtlanta Intown
News Briefs: Westside Park affordable housing; Kemp ends bar capacity rule; MARTA to resume all bus routes
An ordinance requiring affordable housing in new neighborhoods around Westside Quarry Park was approved by the Atlanta City Council on March 15. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms proposed the ordinance ahead of Microsoft announcing its nearby 90-acre campus and the park, which contains the city’s newly-completed reservoir, nearing completion. “With our new Westside Quarry Park opening […]
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UPDATE: Spa gunman confesses, says ‘sex addiction’ motivated the shootings
The FBI has joined the investigation of the March 16 mass shooting that left eight dead at massage parlors in Acworth and Atlanta. Authorities told the Associated Press on Wednesday that the suspect, 21-year-old Woodstock resident Robert Aaron Long, confessed to the shootings, and that they were not racially motivated. He allegedly planned to drive […]
Posted inAtlanta Intown
Midtown Connector park kicks off community conversation series with video
The MCP Foundation has released the first in a series of virtual community conversations on the Midtown Connector Transportation Improvement Project (MCTIP), which envisions a 25-acre park capping I-75-85 from North Avenue to 10th Street. The first video, called “A Greener Heart for Atlanta,” provides an overview of the project. You can watch the video […]
Posted inAtlanta Intown
Atlanta City Council approves BeltLine tax, short-term rental regulations
The Atlanta City Council approved two major pieces of legislation – a new BeltLine tax district and short-term rental regulations – during a marathon meeting on March 15 that included three hours of public comment, a dozen amendments, and flaring tempers. The Atlanta BeltLine special service district (SSD), which will see a 2-mill increase in […]
Posted inAtlanta Intown
‘Fireworks’ expected over potential Atlanta City Council vote on short-term rentals
A proposal to license and register short-term home rentals will go before the Atlanta City Council this afternoon, March 15, for a possible vote that could spark “fireworks,” according to one council member. Short-term rentals through Airbnb and other platforms have generated plenty of controversy as the source of many nuisance complaints for parties and […]
Posted inAtlanta Intown
Public Safety Briefs: Armed robbery suspect sought; homicide arrest; police reform survey
Police believe that two armed robberies and a carjacking Feb. 11 in Buckhead and the Westside were committed by the same person. According to the Atlanta Police Department, the first incident happened around 7:15 p.m. at the AMLI Piedmont Heights apartment complex. The victim was walking toward her parked car when she was approached by […]
Posted inAtlanta Intown
Controversial tax district to finish BeltLine trail headed for possible city council vote
A controversial proposal to create a new tax district along the Atlanta BeltLine to fund completion of the trail component could be voted on by the City Council at its March 15 meeting. The proposed special service district (SSD) that would see a 2-mill increase in taxes for commercial properties and apartment complexes located 0.5 […]