Drafty Thursday
April 25 — The Atlanta Falcons pick eighth in tonight’s NFL Draft. Live coverage begins at 8 p.m. on ESPN.
🌞 Sunny with a high of 79° today.
🛣️ Access from North Druid Hills Road to Buford Highway and I-85 is taking a major turn this week as the Peachtree Creek bridge closes on Friday for an expected 90-day replacement.
🚙 The intersection of Cheshire Bridge and Lavista roads has reopened to traffic more than five months after a fire destroyed an apartment complex at the busy intersection.
💵 Gov. Brian Kemp signed school voucher legislation yesterday to give parents $6,500 toward private tuition.
🚨 Kemp also signed three bills on Wednesday that toughen Georgia’s human trafficking laws.
🙏🏽 A private memorial service for hip-hop and rap legend Rico Wade will be held on Friday at Ebenezer Baptist Church.
ELSEWHERE
🪧 Anti-Israel protests roiled campuses at universities across the country again yesterday, including dozens of arrests of students in California and Texas.
➡ On the second day of Passover, Hamas released a three-minute scripted video suggesting that American-Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was injured in the Oct. 7 terror attacks, is alive.
⚖️ The U.S. Supreme Court will hear former President Donald Trump’s appeal for immunity over actions taken during his presidency to overturn the 2020 election result.
🐴 There was chaos in central London yesterday when five military horses ran away after being spooked during a routine exercise. Four people were injured.
🎸 Taylor Swift’s “Tortured Poets Department” set new records for Spotify streams and vinyl sales.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• BeltLine timetable
• Ree de la Vega reboots Sound Table space
• Women Who Code’s legacy
AND
• Quick Bites
Have a good day and enjoy the weather!
Collin & Sammie
🏔 Explore this serene sanctuary for anglers and nature enthusiasts in Suches, GA, listed with Mountain Sotheby’s International Realty. Nestled on 6+/- acres, this retreat boasts 2,000+/- feet of pristine Toccoa River frontage, two ponds full of trout, gentle waterfalls, and a custom home with stunning views of the valley.
SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. 17.9 miles of BeltLine trail to be completed in time for 2026 FIFA World Cup
🏞️ Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Atlanta BeltLine Inc.’s President and CEO Clyde Higgs announced today at a press conference that 17.9 miles of the 22-mile trail are expected to be complete for the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches.
Dickens said construction will start earlier on two Southside Trail segments – helping to move up the completion timeline. Originally slated to be completed in June 2026, these segments are now set to be finished in the first quarter of 2026.
“By accelerating the completion of the longest continuous stretch of the BeltLine trail yet, we are accelerating equal access to economic prosperity and some of the best natural beauty Atlanta has to offer,” Dickens said. “From our federal and nonprofit partners to our engineers and contractors, this has truly been a group project. Thank you to everyone involved in creating safer, healthier, and more connected communities in our city.”
⚽ More on this story here.
Mediterranean masterpiece in Historic Brookhaven
SPONSORED BY ATLANTA FINE HOMES SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY
🏡 Nothing compares to this Mediterranean masterpiece in the coveted Historic Brookhaven neighborhood. Designed by architect Yong Pak and listed with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty, this villa blends indoor and outdoor living.
Discover panoramic golf course views, a stunning chef’s kitchen, a spa-inspired primary en suite, exquisite landscaping, and elevated outdoor entertaining spaces in this meticulously crafted home.
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👉🏼 Check out our current listings here.
2. Atlanta DJ opening music-driven restaurant Pisces
🐟 Atlanta DJ Ree de la Vega will add restaurant owner to her resume when she opens Pisces later this summer in the former Sound Table space on Edgewood Avenue.
Calling it the “scariest thing I’ve ever done,” Pisces will operate as a multipurpose dining and drinking space spread out over two stories in the Old Fourth Ward with music at its core.
Upstairs in the century-old storefront on Edgewood, people will dine on tacos and street food from Vice Taco while sipping cocktails and listening to vinyl records. Downstairs, drinks will flow while people dance to DJs mixing tracks during nightly sets.
♓️ Read Beth McKibben’s exclusive report here.
3. Women Who Code shuts down, but Atlanta members look to carry on legacy
💻 Women Who Code (WWC), an international tech community headquartered in Atlanta, announced late last week that it was abruptly shutting down operations.
The organization was started by a group of engineers in San Francisco in 2011 with the express goal of bringing more women into the tech community. After cementing a partnership with The Home Depot, WWC moved its headquarters to Atlanta in late 2018.
Erica Stanley, who co-founded the Atlanta chapter of WWC, told Hypepotamus that she was “shocked” to learn about the announcement, and that local leaders were not made aware of the Board’s plan beforehand. She said the decision was made even more challenging because there was no talk of transition planning, which left local city leaders scrambling to figure out how to support community members moving forward.
➡️ Read the full story on Hypepotamus here.
🐎 Imagine owning a turn-key mini farm nestled on 5.89+/- acres in Milton. Listed with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty, this outdoor oasis features an updated European-inspired farmhouse, an eight-stall barn, a covered arena, a lush garden, a saltwater pool, and an outdoor fireplace for entertaining.
SPONSOR MESSAGE
4. Quick Bites
VIA SIDE DISH, A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER| SUBSCRIBE HERE
🌮 Let’s Taco Bout It, a popular Atlanta-based food truck known for its eclectic mix of traditional and fusion tacos, is joining Chamblee Tap & Market as a new food vendor, according to a recent press release from terra alma.
🥗 Z!EATS, a soup, salad, and sandwich restaurant with Turkish influences, opened yesterday on the Upper Westside. They are hosting a grand opening celebration week, so pop in today for their Thursday special: first responders receive 20% off. The remaining deals include Friday’s buy-one-get-one-50%-off entrees and Saturday’s kids-eat-free special. For more details visit here.
🦪 TWO Urban Licks (pictured), on the BeltLine in OFW, is hosting an afternoon champagne and oysters patio party on Sat., April 27. Get ready to enjoy live music, raw and grilled oysters, seafood specials, and more. Reservations are required; order your tickets here.
🇮🇹 Alpharetta’s Casa Nuova Italian Restaurant is hosting its annual Community Block Party Sun. from 2-6 p.m., rain or shine. The event is Casa Nuova’s way of thanking the community for their 26 years of support. Expect a complimentary buffet, music, and games. Donations to Purple Pansies, an organization focused on fighting pancreatic cancer, are welcome.
🦐 Chamblee’sDistillery of Modern Art is now open for Sunday brunch starting at 11 a.m. throughout April and May. The curated menu – in collaboration with Chef Alphonso Betty of Betty Box ATL – features highlights like shrimp rolls, salmon hash, and a double-patty smash burger with chips.
💃 Johnny’s Hideaway, the renowned Buckhead nightclub, is raising a glass to 45 years in business today starting at 11 a.m. Be sure to stop by for drink specials including $10 cocktails. For more details, visit their Instagram here.
🥑 Join Chichería at The Works ATL every Tuesday for $10 taco plates. Choose from chicken tinga, carnitas, or smoked maitake mushroom tacos, all served on handmade blue corn tortillas with rice and beans. Reserve your table here.
🧑🍳 Westside’s The Woodall has appointed Matt Marcus as its new executive chef. Marcus, formerly with Atlanta’s Watershed and Wyoming’s The Farm at Brush Creek Ranch, is focused on sustainable, community-driven cuisine and has garnered attention from National Geographic, Food & Wine, and the New York Times.
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📧 Today’s newsletter was edited by Julie E. Bloemeke.