Dreamy Thursday
May 16 — The top-seeded Atlanta Vibe were upset by the Grand Rapids Rise in last night’s Pro Volleyball Federation semifinals 3-2. Congrats to the Vibe, Atlanta’s newest pro sports team, on a great first season!
🌞 Sunny and 85° today.
🗳 President Joe Biden and presumptive GOP nominee, former President Donald Trump will hold their first debate at CNN in Atlanta on June 27. Dana Bash and Jake Tapper will moderate. Biden and Trump also agreed to debate on ABC on Sept. 10.
📍 Members of NPU-F voted against Portman Holding’s controversial plans to redevelop Amsterdam Walk. The recommendation to deny will now go to the Atlanta City Council, which will have the final say on the project.
💰 Sandy Springs allocated $21.4 million in its 2025 budget for planned capital projects, including a new park and annual repaving projects.
📚 Stacey Abrams will launch her latest children’s book at the revitalized Decatur Book Festival in October.
🎥 Post-production company Moonshine Post has awarded grants to filmmakers who won recent Atlanta Film Festival awards.
⚾ Georgia State University will build a new baseball stadium on the former site of Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.
🏀 The Atlanta Dream began the 2024 season with a 92-81 win over the Los Angeles Sparks last night.
⚽ Atlanta United’s struggles continued last night in Cincinnati. The Five Stripes fell to FC Cincinnati 1-0, and both Thiago Almada and Giorgos Giakoumakis left the game early with injuries.
🏈 The 2024 NFL schedule was released yesterday and the Falcons open on Sept. 9 at home against the Steelers. Of note, the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will visit Atlanta on Sunday night Sept. 22.
ELSEWHERE
🇸🇰 Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico suffered critical injuries on Wednesday when he was shot and wounded in an assassination attempt.
⚓️ A barge hit a bridge in Galveston, TX yesterday, spilling oil into surrounding waters and closing the only road to a small island.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• Most Valuable Kids honored
• New O4W greenspace
• AI to aid I/DD community
AND
• Quick Bites
Have a good day,
Collin & Sammie
🧥 Do you have a sentimental fur, stole, jacket, or coat hanging in your closet, collecting dust and not being worn? Let Restyle Your Fur perform an unforgettable “trans-fur-mation” at Potpourri in Sandy Springs on Tues. May 21 and Wed. May 22 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. during our recycle fur and mink restyling event. Learn more here.
SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. Nonprofit helps Atlanta youth experience the arts and sports through donated tickets
🎫 Zuri Nicole Byrd, a student at Atlanta Youth Academy, has seen 10 shows through Most Valuable Kids of Greater Atlanta’s (MVK) partnership with The Power of Girls. Her favorite, so far, is the Michael Jackson-themed “MJ The Musical” because she met the cast after the show.
“MVK is fueling my passion for my future and my interest in the arts,” Byrd shared with 200+ attendees at MVK’s April 10 fundraiser at The Temple that raised more than $40,000.
Since 2017, MVK has distributed 62,000 tickets for sporting events, plays, ballets, museums, and more – each with an inspiring story like Byrd’s.
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2. 54 Columns Park, Path Greenspace set to open in Old Fourth Ward
🏞️ The Old Fourth Ward Neighborhood Association has announced the opening of two transformative parks on Highland Avenue: 54 Columns Park and the Path Greenspace.
54 Columns, located at the intersection of Highland Avenue and Glen Iris Drive, has been a landmark in O4W for 24 years. World-renowned artist Sol LeWitt’s public art installation of 54 concrete columns has been reimagined as a park featuring a winding pathway, seating areas, a terraced wall, landscaping improvements, new entry points, and improved signage.
There will be a community celebration to mark the opening of the 54 Columns Park today at 5 p.m.
The Highland Avenue Path Greenspace is a pocket park located at the entrance to Freedom Path offering green space with a seating area for neighbors and visitors.
⛲ Learn more about these new parks here.
3. Zerodivide sees AI as tool to help the I/DD community
💻 Zerodivide.ai, an Atlanta-based startup, officially launched this year as an AI-powered platform to empower individuals in the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities community.
Its Cognitive Writing Assistant helps users unlock the thoughts and ideas in their heads in order to write a compelling, personal essay.
The project is personal for entrepreneur Bradley Dick, but it has also become a family affair. His son, who has autism and inspired the platform, has been involved in the early testing process to ensure zerodivide.ai is the most efficient AI algorithm for high school students.
➡️ Read more about the project in Maija Ehlinger’s report.
💡 Interested in having your child or teen take their Spanish to the next level over the summer? Register for a free, trial Spanish class with Atlanta Spanish Immersion. Sign up for a package before May 31, and receive two complimentary hours. Aprende más.
SPONSOR MESSAGE
4. Quick Bites
VIA SIDE DISH, A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER| SUBSCRIBE HERE
🌮 Ford Fry’s fast-casual Northern Mexican concept Little Rey will open its second Atlanta location in Buckhead on May 20 at 3705 Northside Pkwy. NW. A pre-opening party will take place this Saturday at 5 p.m. More details are available on their Instagram here.
🍽️ Martha Stoumen of Martha Stoumen Wines will host the final wine dinner of the season at Buckhead’s Lucian on Thurs., May 23. Reservations are available here.
🐟 In the mood for caviar? Be sure to check out selections at C&S Seafood & Oyster Bar at their Vinings, Sandy Springs, or Brookhaven locations. Options include a classic White Sturgeon or the more briny Imperial Golden Osetra.
🍳 Egg Harbor CafĂ© opened its newest location this week in Brookhaven, the fifth in Georgia. With an extensive gluten-free menu, classic breakfast offerings, and lunch selections, the storefront will have hours from 7 a.m.-2 p.m.
♨️ Chicheria’s’ Chef Alejandro Tamez and Chef Pete Amadhanirundr of Puma Yu’s in Athens are hosting “From Baja to Bangkok” on Sun., June 2. Expect a menu and cocktail pairing of unique Mexican and Thai flavors. Reservations can be made here.
🍷 Buckhead’s Le Colonial (pictured) is hosting a Duckhorn Vineyards wine pairing and dinner on Thurs., June 5. To view the dress code and make a reservation, follow the link here.
🎳 Do you live within three miles of Your 3rd Spot on Chattahoochee Row in Atlanta? If so, they are now offering a special monthly membership to their neighbors. Pop in for small plates and cocktails in addition to over 80 games including bowling, board and table games, and arcade options. Visit here for more details.
📖 To celebrate the release of the new cookbook “Koreaworld,”
Meherwan Irani and the Chai Pani Decatur crew are hosting chef Deuki Hong and journalist Matt Rodbard for a cookbook dinner on Tues., June 25. Tickets include a signed copy of the book, dinner, and additional specials. You can register here.
🍸 NoliQ, founded by Nyina Muigai, offers canned alcohol-free beverages that are low-calorie, gluten-free, vegan, vitamin-infused, and pack a punch of flavor. Choose from selections like Amaretto Sawa – an amaretto alcohol-free cocktail that highlights notes of caramel, almond, maraschino, and lemon – or MargnoliQa, a fiery twist on a margarita with a kick of jalepeño. More details on how to order can be found here.
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📧 Today’s newsletter was edited by Julie E. Bloemeke.