Feels like Friday
July 18 — MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood resigned yesterday, citing issues with his immigration status (he’s Canadian) and “personal matters.” The transit agency’s chief customer experience officer, Rhonda Allen, has been named acting CEO until an interim is chosen.
☔ A chance of afternoon storms and 91° today. More of the same throughout the weekend.
⚡ Electric vehicle maker Rivian will open its East Coast headquarters later this year at the Junction Krog District building on the Atlanta Beltline’s Eastside Trail.
📈 The number of jobs in Georgia topped five million last month for the first time in history, the state Department of Labor reported.
🎭 A historic Westside movie theater will reopen as the Grove Park Performing & Cultural Arts Center in 2027.
🍔 The Sandy Springs Planning Commission recommended that the new Whataburger opening on Roswell Road be allowed to operate 24 hours a day.
💸 Fulton and DeKalb counties have put after-school and professional training programs on hold in the wake of the federal government freezing the distribution of education funds.
🎒 A digital donation drive for back-to-school supplies is underway by supporters of Cross Keys High School in Brookhaven.
ELSEWHERE
🏛️ The House narrowly passed a $9 billion spending clawback from public media and foreign aid programs. (Here’s how you can support WABE and GPB.)
😮 CBS has cancelled “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and will end its run next May after more than a decade.
🇮🇱 Israel’s prime minister apologized after an air strike killed three Palestinians sheltering at Gaza’s only Catholic church.
🎤 Connie Francis, best known for her 1960s hits “Pretty Little Baby” and “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool,” died Thursday at the age of 87.
⚕️ After photographs appeared of President Trump’s swollen ankles, the White House announced he had been diagnosed with a “common” vein condition called chronic venous insufficiency.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• Pets & Their People
• Film Review: ‘Sorry, Baby’
• The Sports Section
AND
• Top Stories of the Week
Have a good weekend!
💡 While his classmates were filling out college applications, Eddiver Rodriguez was learning to splice underground power cables with Georgia Power. He’s an example of how Georgia’s Work-Based Learning program connects students to careers before they graduate. Learn how here. SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. ‘Pets & Their People’ showcases readers and their furry friends
🐹 We put out the call for photos of you with your beloved furry friends, and you answered!
Our annual “Pets & Their People” feature is one of our favorites because it gives us a great opportunity to showcase our readers. And this year, our readers didn’t disappoint! With all these furry friends to enjoy, you’re in for a real treat.
🐕 Check out our “Pets & Their People” feature here.
Indulge in Buckhead Restaurant Week
SPONSORED BY LIVABLE BUCKHEAD
🍽️ From July 21-26, explore Buckhead’s vibrant dining scene with curated menus and chef specials. Enjoy upscale meals or casual favorites at nearly 40 top restaurants!
🌟 Savor tasting flights, shareable platters, and sweet samplers. Discover new flavors and make unforgettable memories. Don’t miss out, reserve your table today!
🥂 Head to our website for the full Buckhead Restaurant Week lineup and follow us on social for updates.
2. ‘Sorry, Baby’ and the nonlinear road to healing
WEEKLY FILM REVIEW | BY SAMMIE PURCELL
🐈 In life, bad things happen all the time. Sometimes they’re small, relatively harmless bad things, like burning the roof of your mouth on your coffee, or getting a flat tire. But sometimes, they are very bad things – the kinds of things that forever change your worldview.
“Sorry, Baby” revolves around the second type of bad thing. Written and directed by Eva Victor in their feature debut, “Sorry, Baby” also stars Victor as Agnes, a college professor struggling in the aftermath of sexual assault.
Through their specific sensibilities and a sensitive directorial style, Victor explores how experiencing assault fundamentally shifts the way you interact with the world. It’s a searingly honest portrayal of the healing process, rife with pain, humor, and tenderness, just as intent on exploring the ways in which we help each other as it is the ways in which we hurt.
🥪 Click here to read Sammie’s review. You can also read her review of Embeth Davidtz’s “Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight” here.
🍿 Stay in the picture with Scene by Rough Draft, our weekly newsletter about Georgia’s film industry. Subscribe for free.
3. Gray to compete in WNBA All-Star game; British Open continues in Northern Ireland
🏌️♂️American Harris English was among five players tied for the lead after the first round of the Open Championship in Northern Ireland. Play has already begun this morning on the USA Network and throughout the weekend on NBC. Here’s the live leaderboard.
🏀 WNBA All-Star festivities in Indianapolis begin tonight with the game tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. (ABC). The Atlanta Dream’s Allisha Gray is competing, but hometown hero Caitlin Clark will miss the game due to an injury.
⚾ After a successful MLB All-Star Weekend, Truist Park will host the Yankees as they take on the Braves in a weekend series, starting tonight at 7:15 p.m.
⚽ After a draw against the Chicago Fire on Wednesday, Atlanta United takes on Charlotte FC on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
⛹️♂️ Pace Academy alum Matthew Cleveland recently signed a two-way contract with the Dallas Mavericks.
🍽️ Indulge in Buckhead Restaurant Week, July 21-26! Savor exclusive menus and chef specials from Atlanta’s top spots. Book now for a culinary journey that will ignite your taste buds. Click here for details! SPONSOR MESSAGE
4. Top Stories of the Week
A look back at this week’s most-read stories from our website. Follow @RoughDraftATL on Instagram for regular updates.
① Concert Review: Beyoncé stuns at first night of Cowboy Carter Tour
② Small businesses, restaurants talk about operating amidst challenges on Atlanta’s west side (pictured)
③ How will Georgia manage changes to SNAP and Medicaid rules?
④ UPS closes Sandy Springs office building, relocates 500 employees
⑤ Democrat Peter Hubbard wins primary runoff for PSC
🍽️ Indulge in Buckhead Restaurant Week, July 21-26! Savor exclusive menus and chef specials from Atlanta’s top spots. Book now for a culinary journey that will ignite your taste buds. Click here for details! SPONSOR MESSAGE
💭 Test your knowledge of the week’s news in tomorrow’s News Quiz. Keep an eye out for our email at 8 a.m. or bookmark this page!
🔤 Don’t miss News Word Atlanta, our new, daily word game.
