What North Atlanta Should Know Today

Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026

The remnants of Hurricane Isaias are bringing North Atlanta its most dangerous weather of the week, with strong winds, flooding and power outages expected through today. A Sandy Springs trafficking investigation and two major local development decisions also lead this morning’s briefing.

1. Isaias brings North Atlanta’s highest-risk weather today

The remnants of Hurricane Isaias are moving across North Georgia after the storm made landfall near Destin, Florida, as a Category 2 hurricane Friday night.

A high wind warning remains in effect through 8 a.m. Sunday, while a flood watch covers Cherokee, DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton and Gwinnett counties. The latest North Georgia forecast calls for 1 to 4 inches of rain, gusts of 30 to 50 mph and isolated tornadoes, particularly along and southeast of Interstate 85.

More than 14,000 customers in DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties were already without power by 5:20 a.m. Saturday. Conditions are expected to worsen from south to north through the morning.

The storm has also closed Fulton County’s public-facing services, including libraries and the county animal shelter. Brookhaven offices, parks facilities and events are closed, and Alpharetta has canceled Saturday’s Wire & Wood performances.

2. Sandy Springs trafficking operation rescues four victims

A coordinated human-trafficking investigation in Sandy Springs has resulted in four arrests, the rescue of one adult and the placement of three children into protective custody.

The operation took place around Morgan Falls Overlook Park and the Hammond Drive area. Charges include trafficking a person for sexual servitude, pimping, prostitution, solicitation, false statements and cruelty to children.

The police activity drew wider attention after a woman posted that she believed officers at Morgan Falls had racially profiled her. Police later disclosed that officers were conducting the trafficking operation at the time. The investigation remains active, and all charges remain allegations unless proven in court.

3. Gwinnett teenager survives alleged DUI hit-and-run

A 14-year-old Collins Hill High School student suffered fractures to his arm, leg and pelvis after being struck while walking to school along McKendree Church Road.

The teenager had missed his bus and was walking shortly before sunrise Sept. 28 when a pickup hit him from behind. He remained in a wooded ditch for approximately three hours before a nearby resident heard him calling for help.

Police followed leaking fluids from the crash scene to a damaged truck nearby. The driver has been charged with felony hit-and-run, serious injury by vehicle, DUI and other offenses. He was being held without bond on the two felony counts when details of the investigation became public.

4. Milton weighs $26.25 million cash purchase of Verizon campus

Milton could spend $26.25 million in cash to purchase the former Verizon campus in South Deerfield, creating a combined 75.74-acre site for recreation and possible private development.

The property includes more than 51 acres and three vacant buildings at One, Two and Three Verizon Place. Milton already owns another 24.42 acres nearby.

The city is considering athletic fields, trails, open space and compatible private investment, but no final plan or purchase decision has been approved. Its 60-day due-diligence period ends Nov. 20, making a council vote most likely in mid-to-late November.

The proposed Verizon campus purchase would be paid for without issuing debt under the current plan. Renovation, demolition and long-term maintenance costs have not been released.

5. Sandy Springs schedules hearings on property-tax rate

Sandy Springs plans to keep its city property-tax rate at 4.731 mills, but higher assessments mean the unchanged rate would collect more revenue.

Georgia law classifies the proposal as a 0.26% tax increase over the rollback rate. Individual bills can still rise or fall depending on changes to each property’s assessed value.

The first Sandy Springs millage hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. Oct. 20. Two additional hearings will be held Nov. 3 at 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Fulton County property-tax bills are due Thursday, Oct. 15. Final calculations will be made after local rates are set, with revised bills or refunds issued only when necessary.

6. Atlanta Dream advances to first WNBA Finals since 2013

The Atlanta Dream swept the New York Liberty and advanced to the WNBA Finals for the first time in 13 years.

Atlanta completed the best-of-five semifinal series with an 85-83 victory Friday night in Brooklyn. Angel Reese scored 22 points, Rhyne Howard added 21, and the Dream held New York to 15 points in the fourth quarter.

The championship series against the Golden State Valkyries begins Saturday, Oct. 17, in San Francisco. Both franchises are seeking their first WNBA championship.

7. Synchrony opens Alpharetta hub serving more than 650 employees

Financial-services company Synchrony has opened a new workplace at Avalon in Alpharetta for more than 650 local employees.

The office is designed around hybrid work, shared meeting areas and collaboration rather than a conventional arrangement dominated by individual workstations. Its Avalon location places employees within walking distance of restaurants, stores and residential buildings.

The new Alpharetta hub expands the city’s financial-services and corporate employment base. Synchrony has not disclosed how many of the workers are new hires or whether additional positions will be created.

8. Sandy Springs confronts a widening housing gap

Typical Sandy Springs home prices have moved beyond what the city’s median household can afford, while new housing construction continues to trail employment growth.

The city has experienced little population growth since the COVID-19 pandemic as household sizes shrink and some families move elsewhere. Fewer than 600 multifamily units have been completed since 2021, compared with 2,084 units delivered in 2017 alone.

Much of the recent single-family construction consists of multimillion-dollar homes replacing older properties. With vacant land scarce and some sites costing approximately $1 million an acre, lower-priced detached homes are increasingly difficult to build.

The findings from the city’s updated housing-needs review will help shape land-use and housing policies in the next comprehensive plan.

9. Downtown Alpharetta project adds shops, restaurants and music venue

A 34,000-square-foot commercial development is taking shape along Roswell Street between Marietta Street and Old Milton Parkway in downtown Alpharetta.

Alpharetta District Places is planned around restaurants, gathering areas and smaller retail spaces rather than a conventional shopping center. One building will offer storefronts of approximately 400 to 500 square feet, creating options for businesses that cannot support a larger downtown lease.

Plans also include a restaurant and live-music venue seating approximately 300 to 350 people. The 2.4-acre site sits near the Alpha Loop, providing a direct walking and cycling connection to the rest of downtown.

Construction has begun, but the first businesses in the new downtown Alpharetta development are not expected to open until late 2027.

10. Crossing a county line can add $60 to the cost of a library card

Library cards are free for residents using their home county’s system, but North Atlanta residents can face annual charges of $35 to $60 when seeking full privileges elsewhere.

Forsyth County has the region’s highest nonresident rate at $60. DeKalb charges $50, while Fulton and Gwinnett each charge $40. The Sequoyah Regional Library System serving Canton and Woodstock charges $35.

The fees can affect residents who live near county borders, work closer to another system or want access to a neighboring county’s digital collection and equipment. The North Atlanta library-card comparison also explains exceptions available to some property owners, students and employees.