Monday holiday
Feb. 16 — It’s Presidents’ Day, which means banks, the stock market, post offices, and some government offices are closed in observance of the federal holiday. Most public schools in the Metro are also on winter break.
⛅ Partly cloudy and 66° today.
💥 The facade of Fashionaid Dry Cleaners on Piedmont Avenue in Midtown was heavily damaged by a vehicle crashing into the building on Sunday morning.
🚨 Atlanta Police are investigating a Saturday incident where a local dentist fatally shot an unhoused man he found inside his former dental office on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
🚲 Nearly 100 Dunwoody residents shared their thoughts last week on the second phase of the Winters Chapel Path, which will eventually connect neighborhoods in east Dunwoody to nearby commercial areas and city parks.
🎨 The Tucker-Northlake Community Improvement District approved the creation of a $75,000 dedicated public art fund.
🏆 Atlanta Public Schools’ Executive Director of Athletics Gregory Goodwin was named a recipient of the 2026 Congressional Pioneer Award.
AT THE WINTER OLYMPICS
⛷️ Italy’s Federica Brignone, 35, who was unable to walk last summer due to injury, won her second gold of the games, with a giant slalom victory. American star Mikaela Shiffrin finished 11th.
- Norway – 26
- Italy – 22
- U.S.A. – 17
ELSEWHERE
🔎 The FBI doubled the reward in the Nancy Guthrie case after investigators found a glove with DNA evidence near the Tucson home of the missing 84-year-old mother of “Today” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie.
🏁 Tyler Reddick stunned the field with a final-lap pass to win the Daytona 500, giving 23XI Racing owner Michael Jordan his first victory.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• New tech company
• DBF’s new director
• Global Headlines
AND
• Look & Listen
🏡 Tucked along one of Druid Hills’ most beloved streets, this custom home overlooks a flowing brook and features walls of glass, soaring ceilings, a chef’s kitchen, a secret room, and an entertainment deck. Listed with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty, discover rare new construction in this historic neighborhood. SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. Disguise opens new interactive tech center in West Midtown
🖥️ Disguise, the award-winning technology company behind the immersive tech at venues like Illuminarium, unveiled its new 8,000-square-foot office and Experience Center in West Midtown on Feb. 12.
Designed for creators, technologists, and production teams, the center is a hands-on space for the creative community to test, learn, and build skills with the technology trusted on the world’s biggest concert tours and live productions.
“This expansion gives us the ability to be closer to our clients in the Southeast and offer a more dedicated, in-person experience for exploring creative ideas, testing technology, and collaborating on ambitious projects together,” Disguise SVP of Customer Excellence Sarah Lewthwaite said.
➡ Find out more about the company here.
Experience Atlanta’s COOLEST Adventure
SPONSORED BY FERNBANK MUSEUM
🦣 Discover mammoths, saber-tooth cats, and Neanderthals as you explore how the Ice Age shaped our planet at Fernbank Museum.
Immersive galleries, incredible specimens, and interactive experiences bring history back to life in this limited-time exhibit, on view until May 3.
2. Decatur Book Festival appoints Bailee Yarbrough as new executive director
📚 The Decatur Book Festival appointed Bailee Yarbrough as its new executive director.
A Decatur resident, avid reader, and dedicated festival volunteer, Yarbrough holds a Ph.D. in chemical engineering and previously led large-scale initiatives at ExxonMobil and Dow Chemical Company.
“At its heart, the Decatur Book Festival is about the community coming together to share stories and ideas,” Yarbrough said. “I am honored to steward DBF forward and continue creating welcoming spaces where readers and writers of all ages can gather, spark curiosity, and explore new perspectives.”
➡ Find out more about Yarbrough’s appointment.
3. Rubio in Munich; Ramadan begins this week
🇩🇪 The EU foreign policy chief rejected U.S. claims that Europe faces “civilizational erasure,” pushing back at criticism from the Trump administration following Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s address at the Munich Security Conference.
🇵🇸🇮🇩 Indonesia said up to 8,000 troops will be ready by June for a potential peacekeeping deployment to Gaza, the first firm commitment to President Donald Trump’s postwar reconstruction plan. The Trump Board of Peace meets on Thurs., Feb. 19, in Washington.
🇷🇺 Justice officials of five European countries have concluded that late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned by a lethal toxin found in frogs.
🇷🇺 Meta, the owner of the mobile messaging application WhatsApp, said Russia tried to cut off access to 100 million users inside the country.
🇳🇬 Two hundred American troops will be deployed to Nigeria to join local soldiers combating Islamic State militants.
🇮🇹 The government of Italy’s right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is moving to use naval blockades against boats carrying migrants from Northern Africa.
🇨🇳 As China marks the Lunar New Year on Feb. 17, a record 9.5 billion people are expected to travel home during the nation’s 40-day holiday period.
☪️ As the holy month of Ramadan begins for the world’s two billion Muslims, a Turkish charity opened three mosques in Gaza.
🇨🇺 Habanos, Cuba’s state-owned cigar company, cancelled its popular annual cigar festival as fuel shortages plague the island following the U.S. crackdown on importing Venezuelan oil.
🇦🇷 A team of scientists in Argentina discovered a school bus-sized jellyfish in the Argentine Sea.
🗓️ This year, celebrate International Women’s Day with Georgia native and soccer icon Kelley O’Hara – a two-time World Cup champion, Olympic gold medalist, television commentator, and podcast host. O’Hara joins the World Affairs Council of Atlanta on Fri., March 6, for a breakfast program dedicated to amplifying women’s achievement and leadership. Reserve your seat or table today.
🏡 Tucked along one of Druid Hills’ most beloved streets, this custom home overlooks a flowing brook and features walls of glass, soaring ceilings, a chef’s kitchen, a secret room, and an entertainment deck. Listed with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty, discover rare new construction in this historic neighborhood. SPONSOR MESSAGE
4. Catching up with the Olympics
There’s been plenty of drama at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics – both on and off the ice and snow. With the games continuing until Feb. 22, here are a few podcasts to help you catch up with medal winners and see what’s next.
🎙️ The official“Olympic Podcast” will get you up to speed and offers inspiring stories about the athletes competing in the 2026 Games.
🎧 “Two Guys, Five Rings” is an NBC Sports and iHeartRadio podcast hosted by Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers (of Las Culturistas infamy) with funny looks into the culture of the Games.
🎙️“Keep the Flame Alive” is a fan podcast covering both the Olympics and Paralympics, sharing stories about athletes, coaches, and history.
🎧 “The Athletic” from the New York Times has schedules, coverage, and briefings on all things Milano Cortina.
🏀 Bring the whole family out and celebrate Kids Day, presented by Georgia Aquarium, on Feb. 22 as the Hawks hit the court against the Nets. The first 3,000 kids through the gates will enjoy a shoe charms giveaway. Lock in tickets here! SPONSOR MESSAGE
🔤 Don’t miss News Word Atlanta, our daily word game.
📤 Have a friend or colleague who would enjoy getting this newsletter? Forward them this link to subscribe.