Latest news with #metroAtlanta
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
This county saw the highest rate of growth across metro Atlanta over the past year
The metro Atlanta area gained approximately 64,000 new residents over the past year, with Forsyth and Cherokee counties leading the growth at a rate of 2.4%. Forsyth County, in particular, saw an increase of 6,700 people, bringing its population to over 282,000. This growth rate is significantly higher than the region's overall growth rate of 1.2%, highlighting the county's appeal. Forsyth County is known for its low property taxes and family-friendly atmosphere, which are significant draws for new residents. Michael Fox, a resident who recently moved back to Forsyth County from Los Angeles, appreciates the area's blend of rural and urban environments. 'Wanted always to come back here and be around the grandkids. And Forsyth County was the place we wanted to be,' Fox said. Fox commutes daily to his job at Lockheed-Martin in Marietta and enjoys the county's youthful energy. TRENDING STORIES: Road rage incident in Atlanta leaves 2 kids shot at East Point gas station, police say Chick-fil-A restaurant bans kids from eating without an adult Man not guilty of killing 24-year-old Fulton deputy 'It's growing right. We really wanted to be around kind of a growing community. It's really easy access to a lot of things around here,' he added. Forsyth County's low property taxes and family-friendly atmosphere are significant draws for new residents. The county has more land available for development compared to areas closer to the urban core, which contributes to its rapid growth. Russell Brown noted the unique character of Forsyth County. 'On the northern end of the county, it still feels very rural, so there's definitely a ying and a yang kind of situation going on here,' Brown said. As Forsyth County continues to grow, local leaders are taking measures to manage the influx of new residents while maintaining the area's appeal. The combination of safety, good schools, and available land makes it an attractive destination for families and individuals alike. Solve the daily Crossword
The Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Florida wildlife officials consider reopening bay nationally known for its oysters
Florida wildlife officials have given preliminary approval to a plan to reopen Apalachicola Bay for oyster harvesting, five years after the waters were closed due to dwindling shellfish populations. The closure of the bay along what's known as Florida's 'Forgotten Coast' dealt a blow to an area that historically produced 90% of the state's oysters and 10% of the nation's. Around the world, fish and shellfish populations have dwindled to dangerously low levels, as one of society's oldest industries faces warming seas, global appetites and overfishing. In recent years, waves of drought and the water demands of metro Atlanta and farmers upstream have sapped the Apalachicola River and the bay it flows into. Those factors, as well as predation and overharvesting, helped push oyster production into free-fall and triggered the five-year closure of the fishery in 2020. Now, state regulators say populations have recovered enough to allow a limited reopening for commercial and recreational harvesting, with rules set for the number and size of oysters that can be taken and from which reefs. For Ricky Jones, chair of the board of county commissioners for Franklin County, which includes the bay, the reopening can't come soon enough. 'Tomorrow would be a good day," Jones said, 'but I know that's not possible.' The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is expected to finalize the terms of the potential reopening at a meeting in November, with the next oyster season slated to open Jan. 1, 2026. The once-booming oyster industry is part of the lifeblood of the town of Apalachicola, which has had to reinvent itself over the past two centuries. In the 1830s as the cotton industry grew, the town became the third-largest port on the Gulf of Mexico, trailing only New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama. The town still has one of the last historic working waterfronts in a state where much of the picturesque coastline has long given way to high-rise condos and strip mall souvenir shops, but a way of life for generations of commercial fishermen in Apalachicola Bay is disappearing. The sweet, plump mollusks synonymous with the town are prized well beyond the region, and tourists have long flocked to Apalachicola — population 2,341 and known to locals as Apalach — to enjoy waterfront views at restaurants that serve the freshly shucked shellfish. Lately, those oysters have most likely been shipped in from Texas or Louisiana. Jones is hopeful reopening the bay will help bring the local fishermen back. 'It's part of who we are,' Jones said, adding, 'we want to see people working and doing that again.' ___ Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
New York Times
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
It's Piña Colada Weather
I started drinking piña coladas as a child. They were alcohol free, obviously, and my parents allowed me to order as many of them as I wanted at Frankie's, our local red-sauce Italian restaurant. Why did a red-sauce spot in metro Atlanta serve piña coladas? I don't know. But I was hooked from that first sip — and I still am. I simply love coconut in every iteration, even its divisive seltzer form. (A coconut La Croix sipped right out of the fridge is so life-affirming, don't @ me.) Piña coladas taste exactly how the best summer days feel: sweet and sunny and easygoing. I would love to solely dedicate this newsletter to the cocktail, but I've been instructed by my editor, Mark, to include food options as this newsletter is apparently about dining. You win, Mark. When in search of a piña colada, a bar espousing tiki culture is usually your best bet. That's what brought me to Tiki Chick, an airy corner spot that looks like it just washed up onto Amsterdam Avenue, though it's been around since 2019. It's from the same restaurant group behind Jacob's Pickles, so expect a fair amount of kitsch and the inappropriate use of pickle juice. You're going to be tempted to order the restaurant's viral pickle painkiller. But it's actually too pickle forward — and this is coming from someone who swears by the pickle brine margarita. Just stick to the piña colada served in a tall, curvy glass and made with two kinds of rum. It put me into a bit of a tipsy stupor that even a saucy and surprisingly affordable ($5!) hot honey chicken sandwich with an appropriate amount of pickles on it couldn't ward off. Then again, what's better than riding the subway with a bit of a buzz going? 517 Amsterdam Avenue (West 85th Street) Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
