Merry Monday
Dec. 22 — A programming note: We’ll be looking back at some of our favorite stories and bringing you breaking news throughout the holiday season in your daily newsletter. Do you have a friend who would like Rough Draft? Send them this link to subscribe.
🌤️ Partly cloudy and 61° today.
👮 Channel 2 Action News reports that a man found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport yesterday afternoon has been charged in connection with the shooting.
🚨 Atlanta police are investigating an interstate shooting that wounded a 21-year-old man and an 18-year-old pregnant woman, and killed her unborn child.
🎭 The Woodruff Arts Center added five new trustees, tapping leaders from Emory University, Edible Brands, New City Properties, Mercedes-Benz USA, and SureCost.
🚚 Atlanta Technical College has broken ground on its new Center for Transportation and Logistics.
🎶 The Londzell Performing Arts Theatre will open in Tucker with a New Year’s Eve funk-and-soul showcase.
👑 Sammie Purcell reflects on the legacy of Rob Reiner, especially “The Princess Bride,” which she calls “an exercise in romance and adventure that never gets old.”
🏈 The Falcons won their second straight game, beating the Cardinals 26-19 in Phoenix.
ELSEWHERE
📺 After CBS News pulled a “60 Minutes” report on alleged brutal conditions at El Salvador’s CECOT prison, correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi assailed the decision as politically motivated, not editorial.
💰 Tonight’s Powerball jackpot is an estimated $1.6 billion – one of the largest prizes in U.S. history.
✌️ Bowen Yang is leaving “Saturday Night Live” midseason after eight years.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• Priah Ferguson on ‘Stranger Things’
• Top 10 dining stories of 2025
• Global Headlines
AND
• Look & Listen
✨ Join Brendan Murphy, Director of the Bearing Witness Institute, for a three-part series exploring Jewish-Christian relations – from early antisemitism to the Holocaust and modern reconciliation. Featuring survivor George Rishfeld, this program deepens understanding and strengthens our shared moral responsibility. SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. Priah Ferguson on growing up with ‘Stranger Things’
VIA SCENE, A WEEKLY FILM NEWSLETTER | SUBSCRIBE
🎥 Priah Ferguson might be starring in one of the biggest shows in the world, but she still tries to stay as grounded as possible.
The 19-year-old Georgia native stars as Erica Sinclair, the wise-cracking younger sister of Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), on “Stranger Things.” She also graduated from Fayette County High School earlier this year, refusing to miss out on real-life teenage experiences.
While Erica didn’t start out as one of the main crew of kids on “Stranger Things,” over the past couple of seasons, she has become a fan favorite. The first four episodes of the last season of “Stranger Things” premiered on Nov. 26. Episodes 5-7 will be released on Christmas Day, and the series finale will come out on Dec. 31. Ahead of the release of new episodes, I spoke with Ferguson about her time on the show.
🥧 Check out Erica’s conversation with our Sammie Purcell here.
A Gilded NYE at Waldorf Astoria
SPONSORED BY WALDORF ASTORIA ATLANTA BUCKHEAD
🥳 Ring in 2026 with unmatched sophistication at Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead.
Inspired by the iconic New York flagship, The Greatest of Them All: A Gilded New Year’s Eve unveils an evening of radiant glamour across the hotel’s grandest spaces. Enjoy a live band and DJ, flowing Veuve Clicquot, and chef‑driven culinary stations throughout the night. VIP enhancements, a dazzling champagne tower, and bespoke touches, including tarot readings by local favorite Modern Mystic, set the stage for an unforgettable celebration.
➞ Continue the festivities with a lavish New Year’s Day brunch in the Astor Ballroom. Reserve now.
2. Our top 10 Atlanta food and dining stories of 2025
🍽️ As we prepare to say goodbye to another year, we’re looking back at 10 stories that really had Rough Draft readers buzzing in 2025.
Our most-read food and dining stories this year centered around big restaurant openings, budget-friendly menus, Your DeKalb Farmers Market, Michelin, and The Colonnade’s loyal regulars.
3. Spain Christmas lottery; Denmark to stop mail delivery
🇮🇱 Israel’s Cabinet approved19 new Jewish settlementsin the occupied West Bank, a move pushed by far-right ministers.
🇦🇺 Australia marked anational Day of Reflectionafter the recent Bondi Beach Hanukkah terror attack. Candles were lit nationwide, vigils drew thousands, and leaders pledged memorials and tougher anti-hate laws.
🇿🇦 Gunmenkilled nine people and wounded at least 10in a Sunday morning shooting at a pub outside Johannesburg.
🇺🇦🇷🇺 Russia brushed off reports of progress in Miami peace talks, calling U.S.-backed proposals unconstructive, while Ukraine described the same meetings as productive, underscoring the gulf as President Vladimir Putin insisted victory was inevitable.
🇸🇾 The U.S. launchedlarge-scale strikes on Islamic State targets in Syriaafter an ambush killed two American troops and a civilian interpreter, with the White House vowing swift retaliation and warning more could follow.
🇻🇪 U.S. forces stopped asecond oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast, escalating the pressure campaign on President Nicolás Maduro.
🇩🇰Denmark’s postal service will stop delivering letterson Dec. 30, ending a 400-year tradition as Danes went fully digital and mail volumes have fallen more than 90%.
🇪🇸 Spain officially kicked off Christmas as children sang outEl Gordo lottery numbers, bringing the country to a standstill for a shared ritual of hope, superstition, and collective joy.
🗓️ Atlanta’s World Cup moment is here. Join the World Affairs Council of Atlanta for a dynamic fireside chat on Jan. 27 with Katie Kirkpatrick, President & CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, discussing this once-in-a-generation opportunity to showcase the city on the global stage. Reserve your table today.
✨ Join Brendan Murphy, Director of the Bearing Witness Institute, for a three-part series exploring Jewish-Christian relations – from early antisemitism to the Holocaust and modern reconciliation. Featuring survivor George Rishfeld, this program deepens understanding and strengthens our shared moral responsibility. SPONSOR MESSAGE
4. A few of Collin’s favorite things
Rough Draft’s Collin Kelley has compiled a list of his favorite looks and listens from 2025 – including music, movies, and streaming – to check out over the holidays.
🎸 David Byrne’s latest album, “Who Is the Sky?”, is full of the Talking Head frontman’s quirky observations and musings, plus hisrecent concertat The Fox was brilliant.
🧹 I know, I know … it got very mixed reviews, but I loved“Wicked: For Good “more than the first installment. Cynthia and Ariana– chef’s kiss.
🗣️ “Andor” is the best storytelling in the “Star Wars” franchise since the original trilogy. Mon Mothma’s speechto the Galactic Senate will forever give me goosebumps: ‘The distance between what is said and what is known to be true has become an abyss.”
🎷 Beloved UK jazz/pop outfit Swing Out Sister’s box set, “Certain Shades of Limelight, “features five albums from the band’s later career that are arguably their best.
✨ Join Brendan Murphy, Director of the Bearing Witness Institute, for a three-part series exploring Jewish-Christian relations – from early antisemitism to the Holocaust and modern reconciliation. Featuring survivor George Rishfeld, this program deepens understanding and strengthens our shared moral responsibility. SPONSOR MESSAGE
🔤 Don’t miss News Word Atlanta, our daily word game.
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