Alexander Popp

Alexander Popp is an award-winning reporter with Appen Media in Alpharetta, Georgia. Popp previously worked for Dawson County News, Forsyth County News, The Gainesville Times and Flagpole Magazine, and graduated from the University of North Georgia's Journalism program in 2016. He can be reached at alexpopp482@gmail.com.  

‘System-wide failure’ creates water outage within Sandy Springs

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Thousands of homes in Sandy Springs were left without water for more than 24 hours last week after a water line breach caused low water pressure and water boil advisories throughout the entire city. The City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management announced a water boil advisory for nearly all of Sandy Springs at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, June 18, so a transmission main breach near Riverside Road and Don White Memorial Park could be investigated. Watershed Management officials discovered the water transmission line that feeds Sandy Springs water from the City of Johns Creek was breached at a point under the Chattahoochee River, which required divers to fix.

State leaders stand up for antisemitism hate crime bill

ATLANTA — State lawmakers and leaders from Georgia’s Jewish community stood together under the gold dome Wednesday, Feb. 22 to support House Bill 30, which creates a standard definition for antisemitism under Georgia law. According to state Rep. John Carson (R-Marietta) who co-sponsored the bill with Rep. Esther Panitch (D-Sandy Springs), HB 30 would have Georgia adopt the internationally recognized definition of antisemitism and strengthens protections for those who might be affected by discrimination and hate crimes. The bill has received wide bipartisan support from state lawmakers and passed out of the house judiciary committee Tuesday, Feb. 21.

Special Report: Dunwoody obscures documents in prostitution arrests

DUNWOODY, Ga. — This summer, a series of prostitution arrests in Dunwoody had a peculiar similarity – the police reports all said they took place at City Hall. It wasn’t the only occurrence. In the past three years there have been at least 51 police reports involving prostitution using the location ID of 4800 Ashford Dunwoody. It turns out, there was no underground brothel operating out of City Hall. Instead, officers follow an “informal policy” meant to preserve the department’s ability to conduct sting operations at local hotels.

Atlanta Mayor joins city bloc, "gravely concerned" over sales tax stalemate

ATLANTA — Mayors from 12 Fulton County cities gathered in Atlanta Monday to share growing concerns over negotiations with the county to reach an agreement on the distribution of countywide sales tax revenue. Speaking before a backdrop of firetrucks from Atlanta, South Fulton and Sandy Springs, the mayors said hopes of a resolution continue to fade following the latest round of talks with Fulton County officials. For months, city officials have been at odds with Fulton County over how the estimated $3 billion in revenue from the local option sales tax will be apportioned over the next 10 years.

'Welcome home': How the Rainbow Family of Living Light gathering comes together

The gathering begins with a seed. Just a dozen or so people enter the woods like explorers, searching out campsites, kitchen locations and mountain springs, in preparations for the horde of yearly revelers following behind them. And in the coming days and weeks, thousands of people travel from all over the nation to the Bull Mountain area of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, a quick 10-minute drive outside of Dahlonega, to live, love, pray, heal, serve and witness the creation of a community at the Rainbow Family National Gathering.

Safety measures proposed by Forsyth County residents following traffic fatality

Just days after 42-year-old, Siriam Sundaram was killed in a wreck along Peachtree Parkway in south Forsyth, the local community has sprung into action, mobilizing in the thousands to raise funds the grieving family and petitioning local elected officials to affect change in the county. According to a news release from the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, at about 6:20 p.m. Thursday night, deputies and firefighters responded to the scene of a wreck between a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado and a 2012

'He just never came back': First responders commit to serve their community, but the job can take a psychological toll

For the longest time, all Matthew Jones wanted out of life was to be a firefighter. From a young age, Jones was inspired by the men of his family to help, serve and protect others. His grandfather was a firefighter. His dad was a medic in the Vietnam War. “As a kid, most want to be a policeman, astronaut or fireman. I only wanted to be a firefighter, the others meant nothing to me,” Jones said. “The big red trucks, the sirens, the way they helped anyone in need, knowing my grandfather was one and what he meant to me.”

Local fishing guide accused of fraud

In March of 2017, Scott Lindy, a Forsyth County resident, texted a man he had known casually for years, a man who he had heard sold new Carolina Skiff boats for a fraction of their cost. According to an incident report from the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, on March 28, 2017 Lindy made a deposit of $9,000 to the man and was guaranteed that a 2017 Sea Chaser 26LX Bay Runner would be delivered to him in February 2018.