Monday motivation
Feb. 3 — At the 67th Grammy Awards last night, Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” won album of the year and best country album, Chappell Roan snagged best new artist, and Kendrick Lamar won five awards, including record of the year. President Jimmy Carter won posthumously for a recording of Sunday school lessons. See the complete list of winners.
☀️ Today will be sunny and 69°, which is also known as “Optimist’s Spring.”
✊ Hundreds of protesters gathered Saturday along Buford Highway to rally for immigrant rights, forcing a quarter-mile closure as demonstrators waved Latin American flags and chanted in solidarity.
⚖️ A $75 million project to clear Fulton County court cases that were stalled during the pandemic has cleared 93 percent of the 148,209 open and active cases.
? The City of Atlanta announced Friday that it has opted out of the statewide homestead exemption program to maintain local control over property tax policies.
? Starting today, motorists can expect four weeks of nightly lane closures on I-285 between Roswell Road and Riverside Drive.
? Dunwoody has installed SaveStations with life-saving defibrillators at city parks including Brook Run, Two Bridges, and Pernoshal.
? You wouldn’t know it from today’s weather, but famous rodents in Pennsylvania and Georgia predicted six more weeks of winter on Groundhog Day.
? The Hawks have lost eight games in a row. They play at Detroit tonight at 7 p.m.
ELSEWHERE
➡ Tech billionaire Elon Musk announced plans to shut down USAID, claiming he has President Donald Trump’s support. Legal experts are questioning the authority to close the agency without congressional approval.
? Los Angeles officials said that the Palisades and Eaton fires are 100% contained.
? Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• Unhoused policy review
• Newly opened restaurants
• Global Headlines
AND
• Look & Listen: Black History Month
Have a great week,
Collin & Sammie
❤️ Have a sentimental fur, stole, jacket, or coat not being worn? Let Restyle Your Fur make a “trans-fur-mation” at Magnolia Moon in Alpharetta, Feb. 5 and 6 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at our recycle fur and mink restyling event. SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. Atlanta City Council to reevaluate policies after fatal encampment sweep
?️ The Atlanta City Council is expected to vote today on reevaluating its policies on clearing homeless encampments after Cornelius Taylor was crushed in his tent by a city front loader during a recent sweep.
Taylor’s funeral will also be held today at Ebenezer Baptist Church. After the service, a horse-drawn carriage will carry his coffin to city hall as a call to action for city leaders to make systemic changes in how Atlanta treats unhoused people.
“He’s worthy of being known [as] more than a homeless man,” said his cousin, Darlene Chaney. “We want to march there silently, almost like silent anger, so they can all see us stand together … and they can see who they killed.”
➳ Read Dyana Bagby’s full report here.
The Drifters, The Platters, and Cornell Gunter’s Coasters at the Rialto
SPONSORED BY RIALTO CENTER FOR THE ARTS
?️ On Feb. 8, The Drifters, Platters, and Cornell Gunter’s Coasters perform at the Rialto Center of the Arts in Atlanta.
? Together, they’ve amassed over forty top classic songs and are pivotal to the Rock and Roll/Doo Wop sound. These three Rock and Roll Hall of Fame acts bring Motown’s iconic sound and old-school flavor with recognizable hits like “This Magic Moment,” “Under the Boardwalk” and “Only You” for an unforgettable musical evening. Turn back the clock with a feel-good show that will have your toes tapping!
?️ Tickets for the show are available at rialto.gsu.edu.
2. Restaurant openings you might have missed
?? Here’s a brief roundup of recent restaurant openings you might have missed in January.
The list includes Jamaican food from Irie Mon Cafe at Colony Square, SKOL Brewing in Downtown Atlanta, and New Zealand-style hand pies at Heaps in Decatur (pictured).
3. Trade war looms after Trump announces tariffs; Bibi in Washington
? President Trump announced steep tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada, and China, citing border security and drug trafficking concerns. The duties, ranging from 10% to 25%, take effect tomorrow.
? Global stock markets sank today on fears of a trade war. U.S. futures are down sharply.
?? Canada announced retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods starting Tuesday, as Prime Minister Trudeau urged Canadians to buy local products and skip American vacations. Canadian sports fans booed the U.S. national anthem at basketball and hockey games.
?? Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum says her country has “a plan A, a plan B, and a plan C” in response to American tariffs on imports from Mexico.
➡ Canada and Mexico are the State of Georgia’s two largest export markets.
?? China announced it will take “countermeasures” against Trump’s 10% tariffs on Chinese imports.
➡ Confused about all of this? Read: What are tariffs?
OTHER GLOBAL HEADLINES
?? Six Americans detained in Venezuela were released after American envoy Richard Grenell met with President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, marking a rare diplomatic exchange between the two nations.
?? Earthquake tremors in Greece have prompted schools on the island of Santorini to close out of safety concerns.
?? The worst floods in 60 years are soaking Queensland, Australia. At least one person is confirmed dead after 39 inches of rain fell over the region.
?? The U.S. military executed air strikes on suspected ISIS terrorists in Somalia.
?? Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington today as Israel and Hamas continue to release prisoners and hostages under the ceasefire agreement.
?? The world’s most popular TikTok star, Senegal-born Khaby Lame, is now a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF.
?️ Join the World Affairs Council network on Thursday for a conversation with two leading experts, Dr. Nimrod Goren and Alex Vatanka, on the changing Middle East and what to expect next. Register for “A Conversation on Israel, Iran, Syria, and the Shifting Geopolitics of the Middle East” here.
❤️ Have a sentimental fur, stole, jacket, or coat not being worn? Let Restyle Your Fur make a “trans-fur-mation” at Magnolia Moon in Alpharetta, Feb. 5 and 6 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at our recycle fur and mink restyling event. SPONSOR MESSAGE
4. Black History Month
?️ February is Black History Month, which began as a week-long celebration of African American achievements in 1915 and gained federal recognition in 1976. Here are some essential podcasts, reads, and videos.
? Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. continues to expand America’s sense of itself with the PBS series Finding Your Roots, creating a national conversation about identity with humor, wisdom, and compassion.
? Hosted by journalists of color, NPR’s Code Switch podcast explores how race affects every part of society – from politics and pop culture to history, food, and everything in between.
?️ Questlove Supreme is a fun, irreverent, and educational weekly podcast that digs deep into the stories of musical legends and cultural icons.
? Parade has a list of 25 books to read during Black History Month (and beyond), including classics like Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man” and James Baldwin’s “The Fire Next Time,” as well as Stacey Abrams’ “Our Time is Now” and Michelle Obama’s “Becoming.”
❤️ Have a sentimental fur, stole, jacket, or coat not being worn? Let Restyle Your Fur make a “trans-fur-mation” at Magnolia Moon in Alpharetta, Feb. 5 and 6 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at our recycle fur and mink restyling event. SPONSOR MESSAGE
? Today’s newsletter was edited by Julie E. Bloemeke.
? Don’t miss News Word Atlanta, our new, daily word game – Presented by Oglethorpe University, Atlanta’s premier undergraduate learning experience.
