Author: ATL Direct Staff

In a spirited show of community support, the Department of Aviation joined forces with leaders from the ATL Aviation Education Advisory Committee to welcome students back to school across metro Atlanta on Monday morning. As part of the airport’s ongoing commitment to education and community engagement, dozens of airport professionals volunteered as greeters at five Aviation Education Partner Schools: Crawford Long Middle School, Morrow High School, Pebblebrook High School, Lithonia High School, and The Promise Career Institute. Arriving just after sunrise, the team brought warm smiles, encouraging words, and school supplies in tow. The initiative, which supports the 2025–2026 school…

On Saturday, Aug. 2, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), in partnership with Atlanta Technical College, hosted its latest Community Hiring Event — a day dedicated to connecting job seekers with employers from across the airport enterprise. The event drew a steady stream of attendees from the moment the doors opened, many arriving early with résumés in hand and a clear sense of purpose. The atmosphere was charged with optimism as candidates explored opportunities with 22 employer partners offering 824 open positions across a variety of fields, from customer service and concessions to security, operations and skilled trades. By the end…

The City of Atlanta’s Department of Parks and Recreation has kicked off the design phase for the Memorial Drive Greenway, a future linear park that will transform underused land into a lush, welcoming space for everyone to enjoy. Stretching from historic Oakland Cemetery to the edge of Downtown, the Greenway will offer new ways to walk, gather, and connect with nature right in the heart of East Atlanta. Led by design firm Pond & Company, the process will be shaped by the voices of residents, community partners, and local stakeholders. The 2016 Memorial Drive Vision Plan will guide the work,…

Hey Atlanta—did you know the City has a program that can make your home more energy-efficient, healthier, and less expensive to maintain? It’s called WeatheRISE ATL, and it’s run by the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and Resilience. Since its launch in 2024, the program has been working in neighborhoods with high energy bills to help owner-occupied, single-family homes get critical repairs, weatherization upgrades, and healthy-home improvements. The goal is simple: lower utility costs, improve safety, and keep residents comfortable year-round—while also building a skilled local energy workforce. Back in April, WeatheRISE ATL received a major boost. Google donated $300,000 to…

Atlanta’s neighborhood business districts are more than just places to shop—they’re the heart of community life, reflecting the character, history, and pride of the people who call them home. Since 2019, the City’s Department of City Planning has partnered with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs to bring the nationally recognized Main Street program to some of Atlanta’s most iconic neighborhoods. The program’s four-point approach—promotion, organization, economic vitality, and design—guides work in East Atlanta Village, Sweet Auburn, Little Five Points, Historic West End, and Virginia-Highland. Each Main Street blends commerce with culture: local businesses that know your name, historic buildings…

Last month,  the City of Atlanta took a meaningful step forward by closing the Old Wheat Street encampment, not as a mere cleanup, but as part of a broader, compassionate strategy shaped by the City’s 90‑Day Homelessness Task Force. This was about lifting up neighbors, not just clearing a site. Over three months of thoughtful outreach, teams from Restoring One’s Hope of Atlanta and InTown Cares met with each resident, connecting them to housing options, transportation, and critical resources. Many transitioned to Welcome House, where they received transitional or long-term housing along with wraparound services and personalized support. Signs had…

Three years after voters approved the $750 million Moving Atlanta Forward infrastructure package, real progress is happening all across the city — and did you know there’s a dashboard to show it. The City has an online tool where you can track the status of all 311 projects funded through Moving Atlanta Forward. From sidewalks and street repairs to new pools, parks, and public safety facilities — it’s all in one place. Here’s what’s exciting: 46% of projects are already completed — either finished construction or in the final closeout phase 26% of projects are in closeout alone You can…

In the late afternoon heat of July 31, Mayor Andre Dickens traded his suit jacket for sturdy shoes and joined developers, architects, nonprofit partners, and City staff for a hard hat tour of the future Waterworks housing site in West Midtown. The site is home to a major piece of the Mayor’s Rapid Housing Initiative—a commitment to build 500 new units of deeply affordable housing by the end of 2025. Once complete, Waterworks will offer 100 studio units for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness, each paired with on-site wraparound services like mental health care and case management. “Waterworks is about more…

On July 17, neighbors, community leaders, and City officials gathered in the Sweet Auburn district to celebrate a milestone for food access in Atlanta—the grand opening of the Goodr Community Market and Little Loaf Deli on Edgewood Avenue. Mayor Andre Dickens joined Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari, Jasmine Crowe-Houston of Goodr, Invest Atlanta, and BeOnEdgewood partners for the ribbon cutting, marking the launch of Goodr’s very first public community grocery store. “This is the blueprint for what can happen when local government, business, and community all come together,” said Mayor Dickens. “That’s the group project I’m always talking about.” Located at 381…

If you’ve been through Downtown lately, you might’ve noticed things are looking a lot smoother around MLK and Forsyth—and that’s because the Ted Turner Bridge is officially back open. Earlier this week, Mayor Andre Dickens joined Councilmember Jason Dozier, the Atlanta Department of Transportation, state leaders, and neighborhood partners for a ribbon-cutting celebrating the bridge’s full reconstruction. After months of hard work, the stretch between Mitchell Street and Spring Street has been completely rebuilt, making it safer, wider, and more accessible for everyone. “This newly reconstructed viaduct and roadway is now safer, stronger, and better connected for everyone moving through…