Christmas (& Hanukkah) Eve
Dec. 24 — The Rough Draft elves are scaling back over the holidays, but your daily newsletter will still arrive with some of our favorite features of the year and any breaking news.
☀️ Clear skies and 56° today. Slightly warmer for Christmas Day. Here’s who can expect a white Christmas.
? Georgia quarterback Carson Beck underwent successful elbow surgery and will miss the College Football Playoff. Gunner Stockton will start against Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1.
?️ A topping-out ceremony was held for the 292-room Hotel Phoenix, which is expected to open next summer at Centennial Yards.
? Workers who assist Georgians with disabilities are starting to see a long-awaited pay bump.
? A man was shot at a gas station, and a family narrowly escaped a house fire, in separate incidents in Brookhaven yesterday.
? New research has revealed that Georgia is the number one state in the country for reported HIV cases.
ELSEWHERE
⚖️ Luigi Mangione pleaded not guilty to state terrorism and murder charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
➡ The House Ethics Committee released its report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz, alleging statutory rape, solicitation of prostitutes, and illegal drug use.
?? Honda and Nissan announced plans to explore a merger to create the world’s third-largest automaker.
?? If you want to watch Santa Claus’s progress tonight, check out Google’s Santa Tracker.
? Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• 32 top dishes of 2024, mapped
• Kwanzaa & NYE events
• Around the State: Shaq smiles
• MLK Days of Service
Happy Holidays,
Collin & Sammie
? Giving Kitchen has helped over 26,000 food service workers in crisis and awarded over $14 million in financial assistance since 2013. As the year ends, demand is unprecedented. Your year-end donation can make a significant impact. Please support us today! SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. 32 top-notch dishes of 2024, mapped
?Senior food editor Beth McKibben spent the year grazing across the Metro and has prepared this interactive guide to 32 of her favorite dishes of 2024.
We’ve mapped out where and what Beth ate while dining on the clock for her column “The Move” – from Summerhill to Doraville and Sandy Springs to Tucker.
➳ See Beth’s full list of must-try dishes here.
RESTAURANT R.I.P.
? According to an Instagram post, Best End Brewing closes on Jan. 1, 2025, after five years at Lee & White in West End. A community farewell party takes place Sat., Dec. 28, starting at 7 p.m. You can RSVP here.
? Pour Taproom’s Interlock location closed earlier this month after just two years. The Shumacher Group is now listing the space for sale. Two other locations in Midtown and on the Eastside Beltline remain open.
? The AJC reports that Mexican restaurant El Torero closed over the weekend after 44 years in Chamblee. Owners Manuel and Carol Magana plan to retire. The couple owned nine locations of the restaurant, selling all but the Chamblee location over the last four decades.
Orthopedic issues? This is how you Get Better.
SPONSORED BY PEACHTREE ORTHOPEDICS
? Peachtree Orthopedics has 38 leading physicians – with specialists in every body part – providing expert, focused care that is designed for the quickest recovery and the best outcome.
Even better, our UrgentORTHO Clinics offer same-day, evening, or even Saturday hours. So come by when it works for you, get seen quicker, and incur less cost. Best of all, you get to avoid the E.R.
Peachtree Orthopedics has served Atlanta for 70 years with a commitment to helping you return to feeling your best. So you can be confident that – no matter your orthopedic challenge – they can help you Get Better too.
➡️ Learn more or book an appointment here.
2. Where to celebrate Kwanzaa and NYE
? With sugarplums and dreidels whirling in your head today, don’t forget that Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve are also upon us.
We’ve put together a roundup of events, dining options, and parties to help you mark these two final holidays of the year – including the Peach Drop at Underground, a Kwanzaa celebration hosted by the Auburn Avenue Research Library, and a final farewell to Java Jive with a pajama brunch.
3. Shaq brings big smiles to Georgia kids for the holidays
? NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal recently spread some holiday cheer in a big way through his 23rd annual Shaq-a-Claus event in McDonough, GA.
More than 600 students at Wesley Lakes Elementary School received toys, coats, bikes, and other essentials, plus a visit from Shaq himself.
“If I controlled the world, every kid would wake up with five to 10 toys,” O’Neal said. “I just want them to be happy.”
➡ Read more in this story from GPB.
? With a 39% increase in Ask For Help requests in 2024, Giving Kitchen needs your support now more than ever. Your year-end donation will prevent homelessness and hunger for food service workers in crisis. Make a difference today! SPONSOR MESSAGE
4. Looking Ahead: MLK Days of Service
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HANDS ON ATLANTA
? Mark your calendars for Jan. 10-20 when tens of thousands of Atlantans will honor the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during Hands on Atlanta’s annual MLK Days of Service.
This year’s events will culminate in a day of action, reflection, and community as the country transitions to new leadership and Atlanta hosts the College Football Playoff National Championship.
? Learn more and register here.
? Today’s newsletter was edited by Julie E. Bloemeke.
? Don’t miss our new, daily word game – you have six chances to guess a five-letter word connected to a news story.
