News
Appen Media Publisher Hans Appen Named to Georgia Trend’s 2025 “40 Under 40”
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Appen Media Group Publisher & CEO, Hans Appen, has been selected for Georgia Trend magazine’s 2025 “40 Under 40” list. This distinction recognizes young professionals across the state who are making significant contributions in business, the arts, public service, and other fields. The Georgia Trend 40 Under 40 award is one of the most prestigious honors for emerging leaders in Georgia. Appen’s inclusion underscores his influence in the media landscape and his commitment to both
Sandy Springs sets Picnic in the Park
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — After the final Sandy Springs Farmers Market of the season Nov. 22, the city is transforming Blue Stone Road into a giant picnic table to honor its 20th anniversary. Sandy Springs is inviting all residents to celebrate Saturday, Nov. 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. along the City Green, marking two decades of community, connection and civic pride. “Picnic in the Park,” is one celebration in a series of community gatherings in honor of the city of Sandy Springs incorporating
DeKalb County Commission approves real-time crime center
DECATUR, Ga. — DeKalb County will get a real-time crime center to track data and deploy more cameras and drones. At its Sept. 23 meeting, the DeKalb County Commission approved an $18 million contract with Flock Safety for the technology. The contract will be paid for over the next 10 years. Since the contract is for 10 years, there will be layers of deployment strategies using crime data, identifying troubled areas, and focusing on tire dumping and street racing. In a newsletter, DeKalb County CEO
Critically-acclaimed hit film ‘Weapons’ puts DeKalb County on screen
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — While the latest film by director Zach Cregger and Warner Bros. Pictures is set in the fictional town of Maybrook, Pennsylvania, some DeKalb County residents might see things differently. The film “Weapons” was released on Aug. 8, and with a $38 million budget, the film has made significant profit with over $239 million at the worldwide box office thus far. Critics gave it a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 3.8 out of five stars on Letterboxd. The horror film follows characters in a
Atlanta International School celebrates its 40th anniversary
ATLANTA — Atlanta International School marks its 40th anniversary this year, representing a journey from 51 students in a converted army barracks on Powers Ferry Road to 1,350 students across two campuses. The school says the anniversary will be marked by year-long activities, including student-driven retrospectives, future-facing talks and celebrations with flair. The AIS community represents over 90 nationalities across two campuses in Buckhead and Sandy Springs. Read more here
‘Best of Decaturish’ to celebrates community favorites
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Decaturish and its parent company Appen Media Group are proud to announce the launch of Best of Decaturish, a community-driven contest designed to celebrate the people, businesses and organizations that make DeKalb County thrive. For over a decade, Appen Media has hosted a similar contest - Best of North Atlanta, that allows readers to vote for their favorite restaurants, shops, professionals and service providers. Now, the company is bringing that same tradition of recognition and
Dunwoody officials explore ways to bring contractor services in-house
DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody City Council discussed a major rebidding of municipal services during its Aug. 25 meeting that would bring 12 contracted city positions in-house as full-time employees. Dunwoody’s five-year contracts for city services are set to expire at the end of December. Elected officials voted 6-1 to table a decision until the Sept. 8 meeting, giving the city plenty of time to approve something before contracts expire at year’s end. City Councilwoman Catherine
Audit finds DeKalb County struggles with outdated systems
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — DeKalb County solicited an operational assessment in July, and the report found that overall, the county departments still struggle with inefficiencies and outdated systems. Mauldin and Jenkins performed the assessment, which includes 60 pages with more than 200 recommendations to improve county operations. Most of the report indicates there are inconsistencies and issues with numerous operations, CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said at the Operations Committee meeting Aug. 5. She
