Thursday on a tear
Nov. 20 —The Falcons’ Michael Penix Jr. suffered a partially torn left ACL and will undergo season-ending surgery, putting Kirk Cousins back in as the starting quarterback.
☁️ Cloudy and 74° today.
🔎 An explosion at an apartment complex near Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Tuesday night was caused by someone trying to steal copper pipe, according to property management.
💼 Tech giant Salesforce committed $15 million to expand its Atlanta operations, saying it will add more than 250 jobs by 2028.
🗣️ Rough Draft is hosting candidate forums today at 3 p.m. for the runoff elections for Sandy Springs Mayor and City Council District 4. Learn more and register here.
🚑 The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to spend $78 million on a new, five-year contract with American Medical Response for ambulance services.
💰 The Lovett School received a $30 million gift – the largest in the school’s history – to build Rita Anne Rollins Hall, which will become a campus hub.
💼 Steve Fortenberry, founder of the Dunwoody High School Finance Academy, is retiring in December.
🚰 The Georgia Water Coalition’s 2025 Clean 13 report highlights individuals, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and governmental agencies whose efforts have led to better sustainability.
ELSEWHERE
📈 Stock futures are up this morning after Nvidia’s strong quarterly earnings reignited enthusiasm across the AI sector.
✍️ President Trump last night signed the bill mandating that the Department of Justice release the Epstein files within 30 days.
⚖️ Justice Department lawyers disclosed that prosecutors failed to present a revised indictment against former FBI Director James Comey to a full grand jury, a procedural lapse that could jeopardize the case.
🎤 Lainey Wilson dominated last night’s 2025 CMA Awards, winning entertainer of the year, album of the year, and best female vocalist. Cody Johnson won best male vocalist.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• Midtown growing pains
• Jazz radio fundraiser
• Breathwork meets tech
AND
• Quick Bites
🧶 The Cashmere Sale POP UP has returned! Get ready to shop the coziest fall trends, timeless styles, exceptional quality, and a little seasonal magic. We offer luxury cashmere at prices you’ll love. Open now until Dec. 14 at 3872 Roswell Rd., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. every day. SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. Midtown Atlanta safe streets projects causing headaches; advocates say growing pains worth it
🚧 Midtown is one of the fastest-growing urban centers, with 65 buildings delivered in the last 10 years across the 1.2 square-mile district. Home to world-class arts and culture events, restaurants, and historic sites, Midtown is the hub of Atlanta.
Six transportation projects are currently under construction in Midtown, including the installation of bike lanes on three parallel roads: Spring, Juniper, and Piedmont. Five more street projects are in the planning stages.
While the city’s goal is to increase pedestrian safety, bike lanes, and green space, critics say the construction is congesting streets and affecting access to businesses. Car-free advocates are patiently awaiting the improvements. Rough Draft Atlanta’s Logan C. Ritchie dives deeper into Atlanta’s ongoing construction woes.
Extraordinary $25 million estate nestled in Buckhead
SPONSORED BY ATLANTA FINE HOMES
🏡 Priced at $25 million, this rare 16.9±-acre Buckhead estate sits hidden beyond a gated drive and offers unmatched privacy and scale. The French Neoclassical limestone residence spans 15,000± square feet with six bedrooms and 11 bathrooms.
The grounds include spring-fed lakes, formal gardens, trails, an equestrian stable, a limestone guesthouse, and a resort-style pool. Inside, the home offers a grand foyer with cantilevered staircases, a private media salon, and a complete in-law suite.
Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty is Metro Atlanta’s No. 1 residential real estate company and No. 1 in luxury home sales above $1 million.
👉 Check out our current listings here.
2. Jazz 91.9 WCLK raises money lost by national public broadcasting cuts
📻 Jazz 91.9 WCLK, Clark Atlanta University and Atlanta’s jazz radio station, is fundraising to make up for lost federal funding.
WCLK, one of the largest jazz radio stations in the country, is working to raise $300,000 after the Trump administration eliminated over $1 billion in national public broadcasting funds in July.
WCLK has raised over $175,000 of its $300,000 goal, which will supplement the 13% of its anticipated budget lost with the federal cuts, helping maintain a staff of 11 full-time and 12 part-time employees.
3. Could this egg help you combat stress and improve sleep?
🥚 Atlanta-based Seesaw Health is out with their first product, the Egg, designed to give users an on-demand breathwork coach.
Users simply breathe into the Egg and play a quick, one-minute online game. With a combination of the physical Egg product and an app, users track their Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and respiration rate. The Egg’s biosensor measures a user’s frequency and rhythm and then guides them on how to change their breathing.
This technique is important in helping people understand their body’s stress response.
😴 Read the whole story from Hypepotamus here.
🎸 The Bloom Effect presents Holidaze! Smith’s Olde Bar is the place to be on this festive night of Rock ‘n’ Roll on Fri., Dec. 12 featuring artists Five Eight and The Ladies Of…featuring James Hall. Doors open at 7; show starts at 8 p.m. 18+ only. SPONSOR MESSAGE
4. Quick Bites
VIA SIDE DISH, A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER| SUBSCRIBE HERE
😋 For this week’s Quick Bites, Rough Draft Dining Editor Beth McKibben brings you details on two big openings, including award-winning pastry chef Claudia Martinez’s dessert and cocktail bar, Bar Ana, and a new health-conscious restaurant on the Eastside Beltline with a coffee bar and rooftop bar. Plus, some dining events to add to your calendar, like the Atlanta Halal Fall Festival in Grant Park and the Atlanta Chili Cook Off in Dunwoody.
➳ Here is the latest from Beth.
🎸 The Bloom Effect presents Holidaze! Smith’s Olde Bar is the place to be on this festive night of Rock ‘n’ Roll on Fri., Dec. 12 featuring artists Five Eight and The Ladies Of…featuring James Hall. Doors open at 7; show starts at 8 p.m. 18+ only. SPONSOR MESSAGE
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