Authorities file murder charges in Sandy Springs infant death ► PAGE 3 M ay 2 5 , 2 0 2 3 | A p p e n M e d i a . c o m | A n A p p e n M e d i a G r o u p P u b l i c a t i o n | 5 0 ¢ | Vo l u m e 2 , N o . 2 1
Appen Media files suit in Sandy Springs open records case By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Appen Media Group has filed a lawsuit against the City of Sandy Springs over access to information from police reports. In an official complaint filed in the Superior Court of Fulton County May 12, Appen Media Group, which
publishes the Sandy Springs Crier, Alpharetta-Roswell Herald and four other weekly newspapers in north Metro Atlanta, alleged that it has repeatedly been denied access to initial police officer narratives that are routinely filed during investigations. Excerpts from police reports included in the complaint involve cases of aggravated assault, street racing
and reckless driving, indecent exposure and weapons law violations. But in each case, the investigative report narrative contained one sentence with limited details about what allegedly occurred during the incident. The newsgroup alleges that despite guidance from the Georgia Attorney General’s Office, the Georgia
City Council gives approval to newly redrawn districts
Association of Chiefs of Police and multiple other state agencies that initial narrative information must be released under Georgia law, Sandy Springs has denied records requests under the pretense that releasing narrative information would hinder police investigations.
See REPORT, Page 2
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Some residents will have new representation By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. —Sandy Springs officials recently approved a measure to rework local City Council districts and increase the salaries of elected city officials. At its May 16 meeting, the City Council heard a presentation from Mayor Rusty Paul on House Bill 601, which the Georgia General Assembly approved during the 2023-24 legislative session. Paul said the legislation redistricts Sandy Springs to be more in line with the 2020 Census, which showed a 15 percent increase in the city’s population. “This is something that happens every 10
years,” he said. “The request to the General Assembly this year was that we would make as minimal changes as possible to the traditional districts that we've always had since the start of the city and adjust those boundaries, simply to bring them in as close as possible to the population balance as guided by court decisions.” A map of the new districts shows District 2 in north Sandy Springs will gain a portion of District 1 and District 3, while District 3 will gain portions of District 4 and District 5, District 6 in South Sandy Springs will also gain a large portion of District 3 north of I-285.
See CITY, Page 10
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CITY OF SANDY SPRINGS/PROVIDED
Maps approved by the Georgia General Assembly show how Sandy Spring City Council Districts have been redistricted to accommodate the 2020 Census.