Happy New Year!
Jan. 1 — From all of us at Rough Draft, we wish you a happy and prosperous 2026!
☀️ Sunny and 63° today.
🏈 The No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs face the No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels in New Orleans tonight at 8 p.m. (ESPN / 95.5 FM). UGA beat the Rebels earlier this year and is a six-point favorite tonight.
📺 In other College Football Playoff Quarterfinals action today (all on ESPN):
- Orange Bowl: No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 4 Texas Tech – Noon
- Rose Bowl: No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 1 Indiana – 4 p.m.
- No. 10 Miami beat No. 2 Ohio State 24-14 last night in the Cotton Bowl.
ELSEWHERE
🇨🇭 Dozens of people are feared dead after a fire tore through a crowded bar in a Swiss ski resort.
📈 U.S. stocks finished lower yesterday, but all three major indexes ended 2025 higher, with the S&P 500 up 16%, the Nasdaq soaring 20%, and the Dow gaining nearly 13%.
🪖 President Donald Trump said he would withdraw National Guard troops from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland after the Supreme Court questioned the administration’s legal authority.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• Legislative preview
• New restaurants
AND
• Super South conference
⚡ A smarter way to move around Atlanta. Lime is expanding safe, sustainable micromobility with free e-bike lessons, dynamic speed zones, and new vehicles – helping residents and World Cup visitors travel confidently on and beyond the Beltline. Ride, learn, and explore Atlanta differently. SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. State income tax, education, and voting reform on agenda for legislative session
🏛️ As the Georgia General Assembly prepares to convene on Jan. 12, lawmakers, advocates, and business groups are lining up priorities that promise to shape policy across education, taxes, public safety, and more when legislators return to the Gold Dome.
Among the top anticipated topics is tax reform, including proposals to further reduce Georgia’s income tax and advance property tax cuts championed by House Speaker Jon Burns.
A bipartisan group of state senators said they will recommend extending Georgia’s cellphone ban to high school students, while industry supporters are hoping for expanded gaming or sports betting to generate new revenue.
Ready, Set, AGLOW!
SPONSORED BY FERNBANK MUSEUM
🌟 When the sun sets, the woods come alive at WildWoods: AGLOW.
This after-hours experience combines art, nature and music at Fernbank Museum, featuring scenic trails aglow with light outdoors and nighttime access to museum exhibits inside.
🌙 Select nights through Feb. 28, 2026.
2. The most anticipated Atlanta restaurant openings of 2026
🍴 With the whole of 2026 ahead of us, it’s difficult to gauge the number of new restaurants that will eventually open around Atlanta this year.
But these eight upcoming restaurants launching over the coming months have already captured our attention in 2026.
3. Where To Be In 2026: Super South in Atlanta
💻 As we look ahead to 2026, there are several events and conferences that are on our radar.
If you are looking to connect with tech leaders across sustainability, CleanTech, and the circular economy, you’ll want to be in Atlanta from March 30-April 1.
Super South, the Summit for Sustainable Innovation and Impact, is back for its second year. Last spring, over 500 corporate leaders, early-stage founders, investors, researchers, and policymakers came together at Super South.
➡ Read the whole story from Hypepotamus here.
⚡ A smarter way to move around Atlanta. Lime is expanding safe, sustainable micromobility with free e-bike lessons, dynamic speed zones, and new vehicles – helping residents and World Cup visitors travel confidently on and beyond the Beltline. Ride, learn, and explore Atlanta differently.
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⚡ A smarter way to move around Atlanta. Lime is expanding safe, sustainable micromobility with free e-bike lessons, dynamic speed zones, and new vehicles – helping residents and World Cup visitors travel confidently on and beyond the Beltline. Ride, learn, and explore Atlanta differently. SPONSOR MESSAGE
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