Wednesday heat wave
June 26 — Today is World Refrigeration Day (no, we didn’t make that up!), and with the temperature soaring to near the century mark, we need all the cool we can get. The City of Atlanta has opened cooling centers for those in need.
🥵 Sunny and 99° today. The Code Orange Air Quality Alert continues.
🚨 The soon-to-close Walmart in Dunwoody averages two police calls per day for criminal activity. Staff writer Cathy Cobbs takes a closer look at the statistics.
⚖️ A Douglas County judge arrested and charged with a felony following a fight at a Buckhead nightclub was removed from her position by the Georgia Supreme Court due to unrelated violations.
🚒 The Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation has acquired two new Rivian R1T trucks to provide the first-ever electric vehicles to serve as AFRD quick response units. (Related: Rivian shares soared after VW announced a $5 billion investment.)
🩸 A sharp decrease in donations since late spring has prompted the American Red Cross to seek donors of all blood types, especially type O blood and platelets.
🍽️ Pullman Yards plans to start a restaurant residency program called Brick & Mortar in August.
🎓 Thirty-nine students from eight local high schools recently graduated from Leadership Perimeter’s Youth Leadership Sandy Springs program.
🏀 The Atlanta Hawks have the first pick in the NBA Draft, which begins tonight.
ELSEWHERE
⚖️ A Manhattan judge modified former President Donald Trump’s gag order, allowing him to comment on witnesses and jurors in his hush money trial, but maintained restrictions on others.
🇰🇪 At least 13 people were killed after protests against new tax proposals in Kenya escalated with demonstrators storming and setting fire to parliament.
PICTURE THIS: The Fox Theatre’s community partnership program, Fox Gives, has awarded a $70,000 preservation grant to the Grove Park Foundation for the ongoing renovation of the historic Grove Theatre on Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• Brookhaven community garden
• Election integrity effort
• MARTA Five Points Station
AND
• Concert Picks
Have a good day,
Collin & Sammie
🎉 Join Ponce City Market for Ponce Goes Inside Out, a neighborhood kickback event with live music, delicious food, and family fun. Mark your calendars for Thurs., June 27 from 5-8 p.m. and join us on The Yard!
SPONSOR MESSAGE
🐌 Although it is still in its infancy, the Garden at Brookhaven Park is bursting with marigolds to keep bugs away from 13 plots of okra, squash, eggplants, herbs, beans, and other summer veggies. The organic garden opened on June 3 for its first season, and there’s plenty of room to expand.
The Garden at Brookhaven Park has come a long way in a few short months. The land, which was used as a garden years ago, was overgrown when Siegler & Blackburn Community Garden co-manager Luke Kelley started the process of developing the space.
Kelley may have started the process, but he had a lot of help along the way. From the City of Brookhaven and DeKalb County to plenty of volunteers, it took a lot of work to get this garden up and growing.
🫑 For more on this story, click here.
Skip the Pie; Push the Pop!
SPONSORED BY GEORGIA PECAN GROWERS ASSOCIATION
🍦 What’s better than a slice of pecan pie?
How about Georgia pecan ice cream in a push pop? To celebrate freedom during the upcoming July 4th holiday, Georgia Pecan Growers have teamed up with YOM Ice Cream to give away free Georgia Pecan push pops from July 3-7 across Atlanta.
😅 So skip the pie, and push the pop! It’s the perfect way to cool down while enjoying one of Georgia’s iconic treats and supporting Georgia farm families!
🗓️ Watch this space for details and locations, and learn more about Georgia Pecans on Instagram!
2. Bipartisan group of former elected officials launches effort to restore trust in democracy
🗳 Prominent former elected officials in Georgia from both sides of the aisle are banding together to launch a new group focused on restoring trust in democracy and defending the state election system.
The Democracy Defense Project, which was announced Tuesday, will consist of some former heavy hitters in Georgia politics: former Republican Gov. Nathan Deal, former Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes, former Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, and former Democratic Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin. The new group is part of a national effort focused on battleground states like Georgia.
A press release announcing the launch of the group described the effort as a “counterweight to attempts to undermine and sow distrust in election integrity.” They plan to do that through public statements pushing back on election disinformation and defending those who have sworn to uphold the rule of law.
➡️ More on this story from Georgia Recorder’s Jill Nolin here.
3. City leaders, stakeholders rally against MARTA Five Points Station renovation plan
🚆 City leaders, stakeholders, and transit advocates continue to put pressure on MARTA to pause its $230 million renovation plan for Five Points Station.
During a lunchtime rally hosted by transit and pedestrian advocacy nonprofit Propel ATL, multiple speakers – including Atlanta City Council President Doug Shipman, City Councilman Jason Dozier, and Central Atlanta Progress President A.J. Robinson – urged MARTA to reconsider its renovation plan.
The revamp, which is being paid for by the More MARTA sales tax collection, would close the station for four years. An audit of the More MARTA program demanded by the city is still ongoing, with a final report expected in July.
Propel ATL’s Rebecca Serna said in her opening remarks at the rally that the renovation would lengthen trips for the 17,000 riders who use the station daily. Thousands more would be impacted by the station’s closure during the World Cup matches in 2026.
🎉 Join Ponce City Market for Ponce Goes Inside Out, a neighborhood kickback event with live music, delicious food, and family fun. Mark your calendars for Thurs., June 27 from 5-8 p.m. and join us on The Yard!
SPONSOR MESSAGE
4. Concert Picks
VIA HOW DO YOU ATLANTA?
Wed., June 26
🎛️ That Girl Lay Lay @ Coca-Cola Roxy
🎧 How Long Gone @ Terminal West
Thurs., June 27
🕶️ Neighborhood Kickback @ Ponce City Market
🤠 Cole Swindell @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
🎤 Brandi Carlile @ The Eastern (SOLD OUT)
🌹 Them Dirty Roses @ Vinyl
🚬 Nicotine Dolls @ Terminal West
😎 Joey Fatone and AJ McLean @ Coca-Cola Roxy
Fri., June 28
🔊 K. Michelle @ The Eastern
⚡Your Stepdad @ Vinyl
🤠 Whitey Morgan and the 78s @ The Loft
⭐ Marty Stuart @ Variety Playhouse
Sat., June 29
🕶️ Cody Johnson @ Fifth Third Bank Stadium
🎉 T-Pain’s Mansion in Wiscansin Party @ Lakewood Amphitheatre
🎺 Southern Soul Blues Celebration @ Candence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park
🇲🇽 Grupo Firme @ State Farm Arena
🎶 Ryan Adams @ Tabernacle
⑤ Five Iron Frenzy @ The Loft
☄️ Of Montreal @ Variety Playhouse
🔥 All The Feels (21+) @ Buckhead Theatre
Sun., June 30
🎹 Cavetown and Mother Mother @ Coca-Cola Roxy
🎙️ Sarah McLachlan @ Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park
Tues., July 2
🧒 Los Angeles Children’s Chorus (pictured) @ Ebenezer Baptist Church (FREE)
Wed., July 3
🤩 D. Savage @ The Loft
TUNE IN
🎙️ Don’t miss Sammie with the AJC’s Mike Jordan every Thursday at 9:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. as they preview the top events in town on WABE.
📧 Today’s newsletter was edited by Julie E. Bloemeke.
