May Day
May 1 — Early yesterday morning, a black bear that wandered onto GA-400 was struck by a car and found in the northbound lanes near Pitts Road.
🌞 Sunny and 85° today.
➡ An 18-year-old Lakeside High School student was jailed on charges including vehicular homicide and DUI, following a February car crash that killed her friend.
⚖️ The Georgia Supreme Court overturned a Sandy Springs man’s life sentence for murder, agreeing his trial lacked proper jury instructions.
🚨 A Johns Creek man who worked with children at Dunwoody Baptist Church has been arrested by Roswell Police and charged with nine counts of possession of child sexual abuse materials.
🏳️🌈 Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens appointed Pierce Hand Seitz to the city’s Municipal Court. The Atlanta native is the first openly LGBTQ judge to serve on the court.
🌳 Betty Young Park is now open in Buckhead. An April 25 ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the transformation of a once-flooded residential lot into a new neighborhood pocket park.
🖋️ Gov. Brian Kemp signed a package of bills aimed at supporting Georgia’s agriculture businesses, including prohibiting the ownership or acquisition of farmland by agents of foreign adversaries. Kemp also signed “Austin’s Law,” which makes it a felony to manufacture or sell any substance containing fentanyl that causes death.
👍 Friends of Rough Draft – including Mike Jordan, The Bitter Southerner, and Toni Tipton-Martin are among the nominees for the James Beard Foundation’s 2024 Media Awards. The winners will be announced on June 8.
ELSEWHERE
➡ Protests against Israel’s war with Hamas at Columbia University’s Hamilton Hall were broken up by NYPD officers who arrested dozens of people last night. Police were also deployed overnight at UCLA.
🇮🇱 U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today. Earlier this week, Blinken urged Hamas to accept what he called “a very generous” ceasefire deal that would release hostages currently being held in Gaza.
🤔 House Democratic leaders said they will support Republican Speaker Mike Johnson against removal efforts by far-right GOP members who oppose his support of aid to Ukraine.
📉 Stocks plunged on Tuesday, with inflation fears driving the Dow to its worst month since 2022. Better-than-expected results from Amazon pushed shares of the Internet giant higher in after-hours trading, while Starbucks fell sharply on shrinking same-store sales data.
PICTURE THIS: At last week’s Grady Salutes luncheon, UGA’s Grady College honored distinguished alumni with a series of awards and recognition. Above, Dean Charles Davis (center) with some of the honorees (L to R): Ed Grisamore, Meredith Dean, Mark Schlabach, Cynthia Graubart, Rick Dunn, and Lianne Sinclair.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• Sundance x Atlanta
• West Paces Racing runs for the roses
• Eating through Norcross
• A month of jazz
AND
• Concert Picks
Welcome to May,
Collin & Sammie
💡 Join Neighborhood Studios to enhance your community with innovative tech! Seeking Atlanta beta testers for exclusive product trials. Sign up to receive monthly updates on upcoming tests—no commitment required. Enjoy perks while shaping products that benefit your neighborhood. Learn more about becoming a beta tester today!
SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. Sundance x Atlanta?
🎞️ After roughly 40 years in Park City, UT, the Sundance Film Festival is looking for a new home – and Atlanta might be in the running.
On April 26, ahead of the Atlanta Film Festival, Chris Escobar – executive director of the Atlanta Film Society and owner of the Plaza and Tara Theatres – announced the decision to put Atlanta’s name in the ring to be the new home of Sundance to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Founded by actor and director Robert Redford, the major independent film festival has called Utah home for decades.
❓ Sammie explores the question, How real is the possibility of Sundance Film Festival moving to Atlanta?
Shop the farmer’s market at home
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2. Locals run for the roses
🏇 Our colleague Bob Pepalis has the unique story of a group of locals who have two horses racing in this weekend’s Kentucky Derby.
Buckhead’s Larry Connolly and Sandy Springs resident Keith Mason will be watching the Kentucky Derby on Sat., May 4 with more interest than most. The syndicate they formed, West Paces Racing LLC, owns one-third of both Dornoch and Society Man.
“We’re the only ownership group that has that,” Mason said.
3. Canopy and Rough Draft explore Norcross
🌐 For many people living inside and outside Atlanta’s perimeter, Norcross – located around 20 minutes north of Atlanta along I-85 – has become a destination worth traveling to for food.
Like many Metro Atlanta cities, Norcross benefited from the passage of the Hart-Celler Act, also known as the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which eliminated immigration quotas based on national origin that previously excluded Asians and “non-whites” from entering the United States.
The 1996 Olympics also resulted in a boom in business and immigration due to the expansion of construction sector services. Today, 30.2 percent of the population in Norcross are foreign-born, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
🔗 In this reporting collaboration between Rough Draft and Canopy Atlanta, learn why restaurateurs are flocking to the diverse food scene in Norcross.
4. A month of jazz
🎷 For the entire month of May, there will be jazz performances in clubs, restaurants, parks, concert venues, arts centers, and MARTA stations leading up to the Atlanta Jazz Festival in Piedmont Park over Memorial Day weekend.
“We’ve got a fabulous lineup of artists performing in venues around Atlanta and at our Neighborhood Jazz Series,” said Camille Russell Love, executive director of the Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “Bring your family and friends and come join us!”
🎵 Check out the schedule here.
💸 Join Decide DeKalb in celebrating local businesses during this year’s Economic Development Week, May 6-10! Decide DeKalb will be uplifting DeKalb businesses and hosting events starting on Mon., May 6 with Business Resources 101. This free, in-person event is focused on funding and educational resources available to support your business growth. Learn more and RSVP here.
SPONSOR MESSAGE
5. Concert Picks
SPONSORED BY FRESH HARVEST
🗓️ Big show alert: Billie Eilish announced two November shows at State Farm Arena.
Wed., May 1
☄️Sadie Jean @ The Loft
👑 One Night of Queen: Gary Mullen & The Works @ Atlanta Symphony Hall
🇨🇦 Jesse Roper @ Aisle 5
🏴 The Langan Band @ Eddie’s Attic
Thurs., May 2
🐈 Low Cut Connie with Fantastic Cat @ The Garden Club at Wild Heaven West End
🧑🎤 Me First and the Gimme Gimmes @ Center Stage
🎻 Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony @ Atlanta Symphony Hall (through Sat.)
🎙️Brenn! @ Aisle 5
Fri., May 3
🎶 Shaky Knees Music Festival @ Central Park Atlanta (through Sun.)
🎼 Die Walküre (“The Valkyrie”) @ Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre (also Sun.)
🎛️ Ruby Velle & the Soulphonics @ Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
🧪 Mariah the Scientist @ Tabernacle
⚡ Anycia @ The Loft
🐕🦺 Three Dog Night @ Atlanta Symphony Hall
💅 Legally Blonde @ Byers Theatre (through May 19)
🤩 Loony @ Aisle 5
🇲🇽 Gloria Trevi @ Gas South Arena
🇬🇧 Chris Lake @ The Eastern
🎵 Austin Millz @ Believe Music Hall
❄️ Miike Snow @ Center Stage
🪙 Quarters of Change @ Vinyl
Sat., May 4
🥁 Jacob Collier @ Coca-Cola Roxy
👑 Casting Crowns @ The Fox Theatre
🤫 The Shhh Show @ Buckhead Theatre
🦕 Dinosaur Jr. @ The Loft
🎸 Arcade Fire @ Masquerade (late night)
Sun., May 5
🔊 Oglethorpe University Symphony Spring Concert @ Conant Performing Arts Center
🎓 Prof @ Center Stage
🐢The Wild Kratts Live! @ The Fox Theatre
🎯 Midwxst @ Vinyl
🇯🇲 Sean Paul @ Coca-Cola Roxy
Mon., May 6
✨Iniko @ Variety Playhouse
Tues., May 7
🐎 Neil Young + Crazy Horse @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
🎸 Combo Chimbita with Pachyman @ Terminal West
😴 Sleep Token @ Coca-Cola Roxy
Wed., May 8
💸Rich Amiri @ The Loft
🎧 Craig David @ Tabernacle
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.
🎧 The segment is also a podcast. Listen to the full conversation by subscribing to the How Do You Atlanta? podcast at wabe.org or wherever you get your podcasts.
📧 Today’s newsletter was edited by Julie E. Bloemeke.
