🌱 Paulding One Of Metro's Fastest Growing + ATL Tops Busiest Airports

Hello, everybody. It's me, Linda Marlow, your host of the Dallas-Hiram Patch newsletter — back in your inbox with all the most important things happening in our community today. Today we'll cover these stories and more:

• Paulding is among the fastest-growing areas in metro Atlanta.
• Georgia ranks in the top 10 states with the highest rates of vehicle theft.
• Atlanta's Hartsfield Jackson International Airport retains its position as the world's busiest.

But first, today's weather: Cloudy with a thunderstorm. High: 83 Low: 56.

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Here are the top stories in Dallas-Hiram today:

1. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, Paulding County is one of the top population gainers in the metro Atlanta area, with over 4,500 new residents in the last year. Paulding County, along with Douglas, Carroll, and Coweta counties, is the hub of suburban growth to Atlanta's west, with a growth rate of just over 5.2 percent from 2020 to 2022. While Fulton and Gwinnett counties are still growing in raw numbers, Atlanta's suburbs and exurbs are growing at much faster rates, such as Forsyth County, which gained more than 14,000 residents in the last two years. (11Alive)
2. According to data released by the Airports Council International World, Atlanta's Hartsfield Jackson International Airport has once again been named the world's busiest airport. More than 93 million passengers passed through ATL in 2022, a 24 percent increase over 2021 but still a decrease from 2019. Dallas Fort Worth Airport took second place with more than 73 million passengers, but the volume gap between ATL and DFW widened from 13.2 million in 2021 to 20 million in 2022. Five of the top ten airports in the world are in the United States, with ATL, DFW, and Denver taking the top three spots. (GPB News)
3. Lionsgate Studios Atlanta, a new 500,000-square-foot film and television production complex in metro Atlanta, will be located in Douglas County. The full-service entertainment complex will include 12 sound stages, office and support space, a restaurant, and 400 car and 100 truck parking spaces. Lionsgate will be the complex's lead tenant when it opens later this year, and the complex is expected to support Georgia's film, television, and streaming industries. Gov. Brian Kemp says the new project will help hardworking Georgians while also ensuring that the state remains a top producer of television shows and feature films for many years to come. (WSB-TV)
4. According to new research, Georgia is among the top 10 states in the United States with the highest rates of vehicle theft. The state has the joint sixth highest rate of vehicle theft, with seven stolen vehicles for every 1,000 registered. Pick-up trucks, such as Chevrolet and Ford models, were discovered to be the most frequently stolen. CarVertical, a vehicle history check platform, analyzed NICB data and discovered an alarming upward trend in vehicle theft, with an average 13 percent increase in thefts in the ten states where the crime was most prevalent in 2022. (Valdosta Today)

Today in Dallas-Hiram:

• Spring Break — Paulding County School District (All Day)
• Baby-palooza — Maude P Ragsdale Hiram Library (10:00 AM)
• Bookworm Book Club — Dallas Public Library (1:00 PM)
• Crochet Club — New Georgia Public Library (2:00 PM)
• Karaoke — The Box Sports Bar & Grill (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• County Libraries: If you want to visit your county library before the end of the week, today is the last day. All county libraries have announced that they will be closed April 7-8. They will reopen for regular business hours on Monday, April 10. (Dallas via Facebook, Hiram via Facebook, New Georgia via Facebook)
• Patch Real Estate News: Looking for a home in the Dallas-Hiram area? Check out these five recently listed homes and their upcoming open houses. House shopping online can be tricky, so take advantage of the opportunity to see the properties in person. The listings include homes with prices ranging from $280,000 to $425,000 and featuring 2-3 bedrooms and 2-3 baths. (Patch Real Estate News)
• City of Hiram: Hiram is proud to support The Paulding Child Advocacy Center's mission to raise awareness about child abuse prevention and support. The city hopes to spread vital information about how to protect children who have been abused by participating in the Paint Paulding Blue initiative. We can work together as a community to assist children in need and ensure that they have access to the resources and support they require to thrive. Please visit the center's website to learn more about how you can get involved and help. (City of Hiram via Facebook)
• City of Dallas: City government offices will be closed Friday, April 7, for Good Friday. Offices will reopen Monday, April 10, for regular business hours. (City of Dallas via Facebook)

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Featured events:

• FREE Easter Egg Hunt, Petting Zoo and MORE at Living Hope Church! (April 9)
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Alrighty, you're all caught up for today! I'll see you soon.

— Linda Marlow

About me: Linda Marlow is an experienced writer and communications professional with a diverse background in industries such as healthcare, education, publishing, and performing arts. She is a Dallas resident who is passionate about sharing the latest news and events happening in Paulding County through her writing. Linda is currently serving as a contributing writer for the Dallas-Hiram Patch newsletter, where she continues to use her storytelling skills to inform and engage the local community.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Dallas-Hiram Patch newsletter? Contact me at Dallas-Hiram@Patch.com