Waltz into Wednesday
May 15 — Former President Jimmy Carter is “doing OK” despite entering home hospice care more than a year ago. Carter’s grandson, Jason Carter, said that he and his 99-year-old “Pa-Pa” recently watched a Braves game in Plains, GA.
🌤️ Mostly sunny and 77° today.
💿 Gov. Brian Kemp vetoed a bill Tuesday that would have suspended a tax exemption for data centers, a booming industry in Georgia that’s raising concerns over energy and water use.
📬 The U.S. Postal Service will pause restructuring plans that have caused massive mail delivery delays in Georgia and elsewhere.
✏️ More Georgia colleges are set to require standardized test scores for new applicants, reversing a policy put in place in the early days of the pandemic.
🎭 The Atlanta Fringe Festival has announced its biggest lineup yet for June 3-9 featuring live theater, dance, puppetry, comedy, storytelling, and more.
🏳️🌈 Out on Film has chosen the filmmakers who will benefit from its first annual filmmaker fund.
💃🏻 Atlanta is hosting the Red Bull Dance Your Style national finals this weekend featuring performances by Soulja Boy and Dem Franchize Boys.
🍕 Nicky’s Undefeated will bring Philly cheesesteaks and Jersey-style pizza to Main Street in Tucker this summer.
🏐 The Pro Volleyball Federation playoffs start tonight with the top-seeded Atlanta Vibe facing the Grand Rapids Rise at 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
ELSEWHERE
🚨 A bus carrying migrant farm workers crashed on a highway near Ocala, FL yesterday, leaving eight dead and 45 injured. The driver of the pickup truck that hit the bus has been charged with DUI and manslaughter.
🐩 Sage, a miniature poodle, won Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
PICTURE THIS: SaportaReport celebrated its 15th anniversary last week and also bid farewell to longtime Atlanta film critic, Eleanor Ringel Cater. We’ll miss Eleanor’s amazing reviews, but the civic journalism site will now regularly feature our film critic Sammie Purcell’s work. Above, Eleanor presents Sammie with a mini-Oscar. Read more here.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• Asian Square construction
• Amsterdam Walk update
• Local eight-year-old author
AND
• Concert Picks
Have a good day,
Collin & Sammie
🗣️Hasan Minhaj: Off With His Head tour is coming to The Fox Theatre on Sat., May 18! As one of the most vital voices in comedy today, Minhaj continues to take on challenging themes like politics, parenting, and therapy with irreverent wit and insight. Tickets are available now.
SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. Iconic Asian Square restaurants losing money due to ongoing parking lot construction
🚧 Owners of shops and restaurants at Buford Highway’s iconic Asian Square plaza estimate they’ve lost thousands of dollars caused by years of ongoing parking lot construction.
In 2021, the ownership group behind Asian Square set out to repair and upgrade the stormwater system, meet ADA standards, resurface and re-stripe the parking lot, and add planter islands and vegetation.
Ming’s BBQ, Sweet Hut Bakery, Kamayan ATL, La Mei Zi, and Quóc Huong Bánh Mì are just a few of the restaurants at Asian Square. Sapphire Karaoke & Restaurant will open soon in the middle corner of the complex. While noise and dust often disrupt businesses like BBQ Corner 2 on the Buford Highway side of Asian Square, businesses toward the back of the retail center are dealing with a much bigger problem.
Customers can’t easily access the restaurants and shops close to Shallowford Road because of construction near that entrance and within the complex itself.
👷 Read more on this story here.
SCAD presents SCAD FASHION 2024
SPONSORED BY SCAD
💃🏼 SCAD FASHION 2024 will debut live Fri., May 17 at 8:30 p.m. from the SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah.
Opening the event will be the world premiere of the university’s latest fashion film, “Déjà Rêvé,” directed by illustrious SCAD alum Paris Mumphower and featuring imaginative original fashions, accessories, jewelry, and sneaker creations from over 80 SCAD School of Fashion students.
Following the film will be a runway show highlighting the talents and artistry of more than 60 designers with 120 exceptional looks.
🪡 Fashion enthusiasts from around the globe can witness the university’s unparalleled talent via livestream.
2. Neighborhood associations vote to support Portman’s Amsterdam Walk redevelopment
🏗️ The boards of the Morningside Lenox Park Association (MLPA) and Virginia-Highland (Va-Hi) Civic Association voted Monday to support Portman’s plans to redevelop Amsterdam Walk. Their recommendations of support will be considered by NPU-F today.
The boards’ recommendations include support for Portman’s rezoning application for the site and the developer’s request for a land use amendment to the city’s comprehensive development plan.
The vote to support includes 39 zoning conditions, such as Portman’s agreement to scale back the size of the office and high-rise apartment buildings.
➡️ More on this developing story here.
3. Eight-year-old author shares inspiring story of helping grandmother recover from stroke
📖 A High Point Elementary School second-grader has written and illustrated a book about how she helped her grandmother recover from a stroke.
Kaiya Desai’s “My Life: Dida and the Stroke,” offers the message that you are never too little to help.
Kaiya, eight, shares a special bond with her grandmother – nicknamed Dida – who always picked her up from school each day. That special bond is depicted in Kaiya’s book, which went on sale on Amazon on May 1, the start of Stroke Awareness Month. Kaiya has a special book launch on Sat., May 18.
➡️ Read more about Kaiya and her grandmother here.
💎 Ahlers & Ogletree Auction Gallery invites you to their auction featuring the collection of iconic television writers Bridget and Jerome Dobson. Between writing award-winning scripts, the couple collected treasures from around the world, including original works by Pablo Picasso. Join us May 16 at 1788 Ellsworth Industrial Blvd. or bid online.
SPONSOR MESSAGE
4. Concert Picks
VIA HOW DO YOU ATLANTA? SPONSORED BY SCAD
Wed., May 15
🎚️ Girls Gone Bible @ Center Stage (SOLD OUT)
🎶 THEARTI$t @ Vinyl
🐰 Bad Bunny @ State Farm Arena
🎙️ tana @ The Loft
🎹 Klimchak @ Rialto Center for the Arts
Thurs., May 16
🔮 George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic (pictured) @ The Eastern
🎯 Sarah and the Safe Word @ Vinyl
🎧 The Polish Ambassador @ Terminal West
🔊 Chris Kasper @ Eddie’s Attic
💰 Tank @ Tabernacle
💐Robert Spano + Rite of Spring @ Atlanta Symphony Hall (also Sat.)
Fri., May 17
🥽 Slowdive @ The Eastern
😎 Livingston @ The Loft (SOLD OUT)
🔥 Kaya’s Embrace @ Vinyl
😂 We Them One’s @ State Farm Arena
🕶️ Cory Henry @ Variety Playhouse
✨ Diljit Dosanjh @ Gas South Arena
Sat., May 18
🤠 Kenny Chesney @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium
🤩 Hasan Minhaj @ Fox Theatre
🎤 Luis Miguel @ State Farm Arena (also Sun.)
📍Thievery Corporation @ Tabernacle
Sun., May 19
🪄 Michael Carbonaro @ The Eastern
🇰🇷 CIX @ Variety Playhouse
🚀 DeeOhGee @ Vinyl
🎻 Music of John Williams with the ASO @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
⚡ The Allman Betts Band @ Buckhead Theatre
Mon., May 20
💡 Phosphorescent @ Terminal West
🎛️ Sawyer Hill @ The Loft
🍺 Madison Beer @ Tabernacle
Tues., May 21
🧒 Wild Child @ Vinyl
Wed., May 22
🎸 Leo Kottke @ Variety Playhouse
🥁 G Flip @ Terminal West
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.
