Election Tuesday
July 15 — Hello, Silver Streak readers!
This week we have news on the proposed tax hike for Fulton County – including opposition to a millage rate proposal that would raise an additional $78.9 million in property tax revenue. Scroll down for further details.
We also have more on Diego, the pup who has been frequenting award-winning Summerhill restaurant, Little Bear. You can read more about him and the legacy of his predecessor, Fernando, below.
And, GPB has a story on updates to anticipated changes for Medicaid following the passage of President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill.”
But first, a few headlines:
⚾ The American League meets the National League at Truist Park tonight at 8 p.m. for the MLB All-Star Game (Fox). There are still some tickets available via Ticketmaster.
🗳 Today is also the Democratic primary runoff between Peter Hubbard and Keisha Sean Waites for the District 3 seat on the Georgia Public Service Commission. Polls are open through 7 p.m. Find your voting location here.
🩺 Lenbrook, Buckhead’s senior living community, has announced a new partnership with Emory Integrated Memory Care (IMC) to bring dementia-sensitive primary care to seniors.
🏢 The Dunwoody Planning Commission approved a controversial low-income senior housing project on Ashford-Dunwoody Road.
🚔 It’s a good week to observe speed limits as “Operation Southern Slow Down” runs through Sunday across Georgia and four other states, targeting speeding and aggressive driving.
📓 The City of Atlanta and nonprofit Showcase Atlanta have launched a vendor directory to connect local businesses to economic opportunities that are tied to major events, including the FIFA World Cup.
🕓 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter.
• Fulton County tax hike proposal
• Little Bear’s new pup
• Anticipating Medicaid changes
AND
• Stories of Atlanta | Lance Russell
Enjoy!
Fulton property owners oppose tax hike proposal
🗣️ Fulton County taxpayers resoundingly told the Board of Commissioners they cannot afford a property tax increase during millage rate hearings on July 9.
On a 4-3 vote by commissioners at their June 18 meeting, the millage rate proposal was set at 9.87 mills. That would raise an additional $78.9 million in property tax revenue compared to what county finance staff proposed. The 8.87 millage rate staff proposed would raise an additional $7.89 million in taxes and fund the budget the commissioners passed in February.
Residents claimed that inflation and high housing costs make it too expensive to live in the county.
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Owners of Summerhill restaurant Little Bear and their new rescue dog find a second chance together
🐕 Fernando Stieber wasn’t just a Great Pyrenees. He was one of Atlanta’s favorite dogs and the face of the award-winning Summerhill restaurant Little Bear.
A Fernando sighting in Atlanta was common. He became a local celebrity, often greeting people at coffee shops like Chrome Yellow or on restaurant patios like Staplehouse. But on Feb. 17, after 10 years and hundreds of photographs with the Stieber family and Little Bear guests, Fernando succumbed to osteosarcoma.
The last thing the Stiebers were thinking of was getting another dog, but the universe had other plans. Diego, another Great Pyrenees, joined their family earlier this year.
🧸 Learn more about Diego here.
How will Georgia manage changes to SNAP and Medicaid rules? State leaders are figuring it out
🍎 More than 3 million people in Georgia participate in Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
All of those programs will face historic cuts following the passage of President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill.” Estimates suggest Georgia could lose $7 billion in federal Medicaid funding and $8 billion for SNAP over the next decade.
State lawmakers face a choice: Use their own budgets to fill in losses from the federal government, or cut programs because there isn’t money to fund them.
🩺 Read more here about how these changes may affect Georgia residents.
‘Bad Blood’: Stories of Atlanta by Lance Russell
VIA SAPORTAREPORT
⭐ This week on Stories of Atlanta, we step back into a city caught between battle lines and internal conflict. Whitt Anderson, a former Deputy Sheriff wounded at Antietam, had returned to Atlanta to recover – and reclaim his old job. But the badge now belonged to Tom Shivers, a fiery former stagecoach driver who had no plans to step aside.
Their first encounter ended with a pistol-whipping and a bottle to the head. The second encounter? That one involved guns drawn at point-blank range in Muhlenbrink’s Saloon.
It’s a story straight out of the Old West – except it happened right here, in the middle of Atlanta history.
🍾 Check out how the tale ends in this week’s Stories of Atlanta.
Explore more of our newsletters
💡 Did you know Silver Streak has other newsletters that go deeper into what’s happening across metro Atlanta?
➡ Stacks: Our newest newsletter covering Atlanta’s literary scene, author profiles, book reviews, and more comes out the second Sunday of each month.
➡ Sketchbook: All about Atlanta’s art scene. Artist profiles, art openings, museum events. Wednesdays.
➡ Side Dish: News about the food scene. Beyond just openings and closings, Side Dish includes recipes and a regular feature on pop-ups. Thursdays.
➡ Scene: The only newsletter focused on the movie world. Reviews, interviews, podcasts. Fridays.
📧 All of our newsletters are free, you can unsubscribe at any time, and we never sell your data. Subscribe here.
🖋️ Today’s Silver Streak was edited by Julie E. Bloemeke.
