Georgia
Atlanta City Council members block controversial skybridge for new Georgia legislative building
(Georgia Recorder) — The state government and Atlanta City Council are at odds over a proposed skybridge connecting the state Capitol with a new legislative office building currently under construction across the street.
The Georgia General Assembly last year approved spending $392 million on the new office building to house government offices and committee hearings and for other refurbishments to the Capitol campus.
But the state needs authorization from Atlanta to build the skybridge, which would extend over Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, because part of its footing takes up some of the city’s right of way, and they also need air rights. Members of the city’s transportation committee voted 5-0 to table the project Wednesday.
David Mitchell, executive director of the Atlanta Preservation Center, said the Capitol is one of Atlanta’s most iconic buildings and the state hasn’t done enough to work with the city.
“To do this, to allow them to have this in perpetuity basically diminishes Atlanta’s autonomy, diminishes what Atlanta stands for and it allows the state to come in and basically say they can do whatever they want,” he told committee members. “It is offensive.”
Council members expressed concerns that the skybridge would interfere with efforts to revitalize downtown Atlanta.
“I’m a big believer that these sorts of pedestrian bridges – or as like to call them, hamster tubes – don’t do much or do anything to get people on the street and patronizing businesses because they’re able to go from building to building without really interacting with the street in a way that breaks the vibrancy that we’re looking for,” said Councilman Jason Dozier, whose district includes the Capitol.
Councilman Amir Farokhi agreed.
“Our friends from Dalton and Thomasville and Macon and Swainsboro, et cetera, we welcome them on our streets, and as you spend time during the legislative session at the Capitol and the state buildings complex, downtown Atlanta and the area around the state Capitol will be made better by folks walking around the footprint,” he said.
But Gerald Pilgrim, chief of staff at the Georgia Building Authority, said lawmakers, lobbyists and members of the public attending legislative hearings won’t pass any small businesses between the Capitol and the new legislative building whether they cross Martin Luther King Jr. Drive at the crosswalk or high above traffic.
“The state of Georgia, we own the blocks around this area,” he said. “There are no private businesses within multiple blocks of this location. The closest restaurants to the area are both owned by the Georgia Building Authority, so we really weren’t sure, we didn’t understand those (comments).”
“It’s just to connect the Capitol and the legislative office building,” he added. “You would still have to walk to get to the Capitol from a parking lot or parking deck or MARTA. You would have to walk to get to the legislative office buildings from those things. So it’s still the same.”
Pilgrim said the skybridge will improve accessibility to the Capitol and to committee hearings for young people, seniors and people in wheelchairs. He said his agency is ready to answer any questions the council has and hopes they can come to an agreement.
“Ultimately, the new legislative office is being built. It will be open October 31st, 2026, and hopefully we’ll have a bridge. If not, that’ll be something that somebody can add at a future time,” he said.
ATHENS, Ga. – Designated hitter Daniel Jackson and centerfielder Rylan Lujo combined for nine RBI Sunday, leading fifth-ranked Georgia to a 12-1 win over LSU at Foley Field.
Georgia improved to 41-11 overall, 21-6 in the SEC, while LSU dropped to 29-24 overall and 9-18 in conference play.
The Tigers return to action at 6:30 p.m. CT Thursday when they play host to Florida in Game 1 of a three-game SEC series in Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field. Thursday’s game will be broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network and streamed on SEC Network +.
“Georgia won the moments in this series,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson. “They’re going to score, so you’ve got to capitalize against them when you have scoring opportunities on offense.”
Georgia starting pitcher Caden Aoki (8-0) was the winner, limiting LSU to one run on four hits in 5.0 innings with two walks and seven strikeouts.
LSU right-hander Casan Evans (2-3), making his first appearance since April 17 versus Texas A&M, started the game Sunday and was charged with the loss, working 1.2 innings and allowing four runs on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
“I thought Casan’s stuff looked great, and that’s good for him from a health standpoint,” Johnson said. “He’s a guy that the more he pitches, the better he is, so there might have been a little bit of rust, but I thought he competed fine.”
Georgia struck for four runs in the bottom of the second inning in an outburst highlighted by Jackson’s two-out, two-run single and an RBI single by second baseman Ryan Black.
The Tigers narrowed the gap to 4-1 in the third when designated hitter Omar Serna Jr. delivered an RBI single.
Georgia extended its lead to 7-1 in the fourth as Jackson launched a two-run homer and centerfielder Lujo lined a run-scoring single.
Lujo unloaded a grand slam in the fifth, giving the Bulldogs an 11-1 advantage.
The Georgia baseball team had long since poured out of the Foley Field home dugout and the water bottles that were thrown on the field in jubilation had been cleaned up.
The Bulldogs celebration that carried into center field after a 13-8 victory on Saturday night over LSU on May 9 had ended and players had doused coach Wes Johnson with blue sports drink.
Now, some 20 minutes later, it was postgame photo time for the freshly minted 2026 SEC regular season champions.
They gathered in front of the spot on the right field wall where the previous seven seasons of Georgia SEC championships were listed, the last in 2008. Above them on the video board was a graphic that recognized this year’s team as SEC champions.
“Watching the program grow in such a shot amount of time, it’s awesome,” said pitcher Paul Farley, who has been with the Bulldogs for all three seasons with Johnson and got the win in relief Saturday. “We’ve got four SEC games left and to be able to hang that up there the SEC champs already it’s amazing.”
Farley was speaking figuratively because the 2026 numbers weren’t on the outfield fence just yet.
Fifth-ranked Georgia (40-11, 20-6 SEC) still has a chance to put a College World Series trip up there in left field for the first time since 2008 and in a best case scenario add another national championship year in right field with the 1990 season.
“SEC champs is great, but obviously we want to do bigger and better things,” Farley said.
LSU, the team that won it all last season, was still around having a postgame talk on the artificial turf field long after the game ended.
Johnson was with LSU in 2023 as pitching coach when it won another College World Series.
“It’s massive,” Johnson said of this latest championship. “Anytime you can win this league, man, it’s so hard. Then win it outright. It’s something you want to check off on your list of things you’ve ever accomplished. It’s 10 weekends of just meat house grinding.”
Johnson said he didn’t know that the dominoes had fallen Saturday to set up Georgia being able to clinch except that he saw that Texas lost at Tennessee as the result flashed on the scoreboard.
Texas A&M also lost twice at Ole Miss to set up the clinch for Georgia.
“I’m calling pitches, I’m locked in,” Johnson said.
He said assistant coach Will Coggin told him when the game ended that ‘We’re champs.’”
Many of the players knew.
“We had a few inside operatives, I’d say, tell us,” Farley said.
Shortstop Kolby Branch said he didn’t know “until the water bottles started flying.”
Branch said another Georgia team loaded with transfers grew closer in the fall and built relationships that have turned into wins this season.
Johnson said winning the regular season title in his third season as coach in the age of the transfer portal and NIL “means a lot.”
Johnson mentioned Farley, Branch and Tre Phelps being at Georgia for all three of his seasons.
“Seeing where we were in the first fall, we forget this used to be dirt and grass,” Johnson said standing on on turf field. “And we didn’t have the cool building and we only had one batting cage, all the stuff we’ve been able to do since we’ve been here. The other side is just understanding true belief and understanding what guys can do.”
CHARLOTTE, N.C. –Georgia Tech softball (30-27, 10-14 ACC) collected its second postseason conference honor as first baseman Addison Leschber was named to the 2026 ACC All-Tournament Team, as was announced by the conference following the 2026 ACC Softball Championship game on Saturday.
Leschber is Tech softball’s first All-Tournament honoree since Emma Kauf during the 2023 season. During the First Round of the ACC Championships, Leschber was nothing short of exceptional as she went 2-for-4 with one home run, one double, and five RBI. Leschber’s first-inning home run brought her to 13 home runs this season, the third most of any Yellow Jacket this season. In Tech’s fourth meeting of the season with Notre Dame, Leschber saw her 12th multi-RBI game and ninth multi-hit game of the season. The senior finished the season with 26 runs, 37 hits, seven doubles, 13 home runs, 42 RBI, and 83 total bases.
2026 ACC Softball Championship All-Tournament Team
Jessica Oakland, Duke
Addison Leschber, Georgia Tech
Bri Despines, Louisville
Madison Pickens, Louisville
Bree Carrico, Virginia Tech
Michelle Chatfield, Virginia Tech
Emma Mazzarone, Virginia Tech
Jasyoni Beachum, Florida State
Ashtyn Danley, Florida State
Jazzy Francik, Florida State (MVP)
Isa Torres, Florida State
UP NEXT
The Yellow Jackets will await their fate in the NCAA Tournament Selection show on Sunday, May 10, at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.
For the latest information on the Georgia Tech softball team, follow us on Twitter (@GaTechSoftball), Facebook, Instagram (@GaTechsoftball) or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com.
-
Nevada4 minutes ago‘I just believe in Michele.’ Undaunted as ever, Fiore plans return to Pahrump bench – The Nevada Independent
-
New Hampshire10 minutes agoBuilding back history: Program trains young people to help preserve NH’s landmarks
-
New Jersey16 minutes agoNJ Burglars Target These 10 Hiding Spots First
-
New Mexico22 minutes agoFuture of free childcare for all families in New Mexico remains uncertain
-
North Carolina28 minutes agoPerspective | What North Carolina gets right about workforce: Progress beyond politics
-
North Dakota34 minutes agoND Guard officer in charge of DC special mission
-
Ohio40 minutes ago
Ohio Lottery Pick 3 Midday, Pick 3 Evening winning numbers for May 10, 2026
-
Oklahoma46 minutes ago
Tulsa Race Massacre reparations is soul-redeeming work for the US, Oklahoma civil rights lawyer says
