Monday musings
Oct. 21 — Our “Above the Waterline” columnist and the first Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, Sally Bethea, will be honored with the Charles L. Weltner Freedom of Information Award by the Georgia First Amendment Foundation tonight. Bethea is being recognized for using the state’s Sunshine Laws to rally journalists in “her fight to make the river cleaner, safer, and more enjoyable for Georgians.” Congratulations, Sally!
☀️ Sunny and 77° today and every day this week.
ELECTION 2024
🗳️ Georgia surpassed one million early votes on Friday and set a Saturday record with more than 100,000 casting ballots.
🫏 Vice President Kamala Harris appeared at Atlanta-area events on both Saturday and Sunday. Yesterday, she spoke at a rally at two local churches, including one in Jonesboro, where Stevie Wonder sang “Happy Birthday.”
🐘 At a Saturday rally, former President Donald Trump set social media ablaze after regaling a rally with a story about the size of golf legend Arnold Palmer’s genitalia. Yesterday, he worked the fry station at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s.
LOCAL NEWS
🔎 A “catastrophic” structural failure of an 80-foot gangway at the Sapelo Island ferry dock killed seven and critically injured three on Saturday. A state official said the 2021 installation received “almost daily inspections,” but residents questioned that.
🐐 A runaway goat led police on a chase around Dunwoody on Friday night before he was finally captured.
🔔 Legendary Atlanta businesswoman Jenny Pruitt will be remembered in a Celebration of Life service today at 10:30 a.m. at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church. Pruitt died last month at age 85.
➡ Spelman College President Dr. Helene D. Gayle is taking an immediate personal leave of absence. Former board chair Rosalind Brewer has stepped in as interim president.
💰 Trust for Public Land received a $2.5 million contribution from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation to support the Chattahoochee RiverLands, a planned 100-mile linear park through the heart of Metro Atlanta.
🍴The fourth annual Atlantic Station Restaurant Week is set for today through Oct. 27 to mark the shopping and dining destination’s 19th birthday.
⚽ Atlanta United clinched an MLS Playoff spot at the last possible moment. They’ll play at CF Montreal in a single elimination game tomorrow at 7:30 p.m., with the winner facing Inter Miami.
🏈 Georgia climbed to No. 2 behind Oregon in the AP college football poll after defeating previously top-ranked Texas 30-15. Texas was fined $250,000 after fans threw trash onto the field during the game.
ELSEWHERE
🏀 The New York Liberty won their first WNBA championship, defeating the Minnesota Lynx in five games.
⚾ For the 12th time in MLB history, the Los Angeles Dodgers will face the New York Yankees in the World Series starting Fri., Oct. 25.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• ‘Where the Weird Things Are’
• American Legion in Tucker
• Morehouse professor wins fellowship
• Global Headlines
AND
• Look & Listen
Have a great week,
Collin & Sammie
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1. ‘Where the Weird Things Are’ brings monsters and storytelling to O4W
🎉 This Saturday, local lantern parade legend Chantelle Rytter and her Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons will bring an upside-down parade to Historic Fourth Ward Park. Isadora Pennington had the opportunity to speak with Rytter about the concept and how it has evolved from the OG Beltline Lantern Parade.
“Many of our monsters are here, putting their finishing touches on it, making their tiny ghosts. The studio is rocking,” Rytter said.
So what does it mean that the parade is upside down? Turns out that refers to an event wherein the characters are stationary and the spectators move through the space, interacting with the parade on their own time.
➡️ Learn more about the upside-down parade here.
Experience säje: The GRAMMY-Winning Jazz Revolution!
SPONSORED BY RIALTO CENTER FOR THE ARTS
🎶 säje, (pronounced “sage”), a GRAMMY-winning female vocal supergroup, is revolutionizing the jazz scene with their innovative approach to music. Comprised of four accomplished vocalists, säje has quickly gained recognition for their intricate harmonies, creative arrangements, and captivating live performances by incorporating elements of pop, R&B, and folk into their jazz foundation.
When säje hits the stage, it’s not just a concert — it’s a full-on immersive experience! Expect powerful vocals, electrifying improvisation, and storytelling that not only entertains, but buzzes with inspiration and passion.
➡ Tickets are on sale at rialto.gsu.edu.
🔥 Tucker resident and former Marine Scott Brady is on a mission to rebuild an American Legion Post building that was destroyed in a fire in 2019, but he has set his sights far beyond bricks and mortar.
With the support of the public and Home Depot volunteers, that mission is moving toward success.
In 2019, the 70-year-old American Legion Post #207 building burned to the ground, due to, according to investigators, faulty wiring. The rebuilding process was plagued with disaster, including the refusal of the post’s insurance company to pay, and the resultant supply chain issues and labor shortages brought about by COVID-19.
🇺🇸 The project languished until Brady got involved in 2022. Learn more about this story here.
3. Morehouse professor wins Alex Trebek Legacy Fellowship opportunity
🏫 Dr. Stephane Dunn – a Morehouse professor and the college’s Cinema, Television, and Emerging Media Studies department chair – was recently selected for the Alex Trebek Legacy Fellowship.
Dunn was one of 18 professors chosen for the 2024 fellowship program, which is put on by the Television Academy Foundation. Named for the late host of the quiz show “Jeopardy!,” the fellowship offers financial support to those attending the Foundation’s annual Media Educators Conference.
✍️ Dunn went to Los Angeles to attend the conference from Oct. 9-11. Click here for more on this story.
4. Cuba power crisis; Royals visit Sydney
🇨🇺 Cuba’s electrical grid collapsed yesterday for the fourth time in 48 hours as Hurricane Oscar made landfall, exacerbating the island’s energy crisis. Millions remained without power, and schools were canceled through Wednesday.
🇮🇱 An Israeli air strike on northern Gaza is among the deadliest in months with at least 87 people dead or missing, according to the Palestinian health authorities. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was the target of a failed assassination attempt.
🇮🇷 U.S. officials are investigating the unauthorized release of classified documents outlining Israel’s plans to attack Iran. The documents, marked top secret, were posted on Telegram and appear legitimate, according to anonymous sources.
🇲🇽 A Mexican Catholic priest known for speaking out against organized crime was killed Sunday after officiating mass, marking the latest death in a recent wave of violence.
🇷🇺 Russian President Vladimir Putin hosts the 16th BRICS Summit in the Russian city of Kazan. BRICS – which stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – is an informal grouping of emerging economies hoping to increase their sway in the global order.
🇬🇪 Voters in Georgia, which borders Russia, go to the polls this week to elect members of Parliament. Opponents of the ruling Georgian Dream party say the vote will determine whether the country joins the European Union or falls deeper under Russian influence.
🇲🇩 Voters in Moldova, which borders Ukraine, also go to the polls this week amidst allegations of Russian meddling.
🇨🇦 A human rights lawsuit brought by a group of young people against Canada’s largest region of Ontario will get a new hearing. Seven plaintiffs ages 17 to 29 claim Ontario’s targets to reduce the negative effects of climate change aren’t strong enough to protect them.
🇬🇧 King Charles and Queen Camilla visited Australia for the first time as monarchs. The sails of the Sydney Opera House were illuminated with pictures of the royals.
🏈 As the NFL expands its global footprint, Commissioner Roger Goodell said he wouldn’t rule out an international Super Bowl in the future.
🗓️ Join the World Affairs Council of Atlanta for a Young Leaders International Potluck on Wed., Nov. 6. Share your cultural heritage through music and special culinary delights. This social is not just about sharing food; it’s about breaking down cultural barriers, fostering understanding, and celebrating the vibrant tapestry of cultures that make up our community.
📲 Join the Generation Data Education Fund for a FREE, bilingual – English & Spanish – training, “Combating Election Misinformation with Tech,” on Tues., Oct. 29 at the Loudermilk Conference Center in Downtown Atlanta. Get more info & sign up here! SPONSOR MESSAGE
5. Shaken and stirred
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HANDS ON ATLANTA
Our senior food editor Beth McKibben’s new monthly segment, “The Beverage Beat” debuts on WABE’s City Lights with Lois Reitzes tomorrow at 1 p.m. Beth will kick off the program by discussing the always fashionable martini and where to find the best ones in Atlanta. Just typing this puts us in the mood for some potent cocktail podcasts.
🎙️ 52 Martinis delivers the goods on the best Parisian cocktail bars, events, and global cocktail news.
🎧 Jonathan and Jeffrey Pogash talk about food, drink, hospitality, and entertainment with a mission to preserve the history of cocktails and mixology on The Cocktail Guru.
🎙️ Cocktail College looks beyond the recipe and explores every aspect of mixology from ingredients and ice to shaking techniques, garnishes, and glassware.
🎧 The Cocktail Lovers samples the best new bottles, highlights books to add to your drinks library, and shines a light on the bars to have on your radar while traveling.
🛍️ Looking for an easy way to support local journalism? When you shop on Amazon via this link, a portion of your purchase goes to Rough Draft. Click here! SHOPPING VIA ROUGH DRAFT
📧 Today’s newsletter was edited by Julie E. Bloemeke.
