Tuesday grind
Jan. 13 — The newest location of Grindhouse Killer Burgers opens tomorrow across from Topgolf in the Underwood Hills neighborhood of Atlanta. The two-story burger joint features indoor seating, a covered patio on the ground floor, and a 21+ rooftop bar with TVs for watching sports.
☀️ Sunny with a high of 61° today.
🏛️ The 2026 session at the Georgia State Capitol opened yesterday with new lawmakers being sworn in and the beginning of tax cut debates. Sen. Larry Walker III was elected Senate president pro tem.
🚨 Commissioner Ted Terry is calling for a withdrawal of all ICE operations from DeKalb County in the aftermath of the fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis last week. For their part, Minnesota and Illinois sued to block the actions of immigration agents.
🎓 The president of Morris Brown College said he was fired without cause weeks before an accreditation review.
🚗 Sandy Springs residents are calling for local leaders to act on traffic safety after a car flipped off the road and split a telephone pole in half.
🚰 A DeKalb County Superior Court Judge ruled that the City of Atlanta is justified in charging residents outside of its jurisdiction a 21% water surcharge.
🎻 The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra said that former Music Director Yoel Levi will conduct performances of music by Franz Schubert this week. Separately, the ASO announced a series of concerts to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.
🌮 Yumbii, the Korean-Mexican fusion restaurant owned by Carson and Katy Young, is for sale.
🤝 If networking makes you cringe, but you need to build relationships, local marketing executive Joe Koufman’s new book “The Connector’s Compass” is for you.
ELSEWHERE
💸 A judge ordered the Trump administration to restore nearly $12 million in pediatric health grants, ruling the funding cuts were retaliatory.
⚖️ The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments today in two cases testing state bans on transgender girls competing in school sports.
🪖 Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona sued the Pentagon and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over efforts to reduce his military rank.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• Atlanta Jewish Film Festival lineup
• TrustDALE on scams
• Around the State: GPB
AND
• Volunteer Opportunities
🏀 Hey, Atlanta! Come out and celebrate the legacy and influence of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with the Atlanta Hawks for their MLK Game vs. the Bucks on Jan. 19. Get tickets today. SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. Atlanta Jewish Film Festival announces lineup for 26th annual festival
📽️ The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival has announced the lineup for its 26th annual event, which will run in person at multiple theaters across Atlanta from Feb. 18-March 3.
The opening night film is the French dramedy “Once Upon My Mother,” which will play at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center on Feb. 18. This year’s festival lineup includes 49 feature films and 16 shorts.
After the in-person festival, select films will be available for streaming online from March 6-15. The full film schedule and ticket information can be found on the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival’s website. Member presales begin on Jan. 21 and tickets go on sale to the public on Feb. 4.
🍿 Learn more about the festival lineup here.
RELATED
🎥 Rough Draft movie critic Sammie Purcell has some unfiltered reactions to the Golden Globe winners on our Instagram.
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2. The influencer scam putting consumers at risk
TOGETHER WITH TRUSTDALE
📱 Social media has become a go-to place for financial advice. From budgeting tips to debt payoff strategies, influencers promise shortcuts that sound smarter and faster than traditional money management. When it comes to credit, those promises can feel especially tempting.
But the Federal Trade Commission is warning consumers about a growing viral trend that crosses from bad advice into criminal behavior. Influencers are encouraging people to file false identity theft reports to remove legitimate debts. The result, as you can imagine, can be disastrous.
Beyond the significant damage to your credit score, we’re talking real-life legal consequences and extensive financial harm.
💳Learn more about what to look out for from TrustDALE.
3. Volunteers assemble thousands of opioid overdose kits for schools across Georgia
💊 Legislators recently joined a team of volunteers to assemble opioid overdose kits for Georgia’s public schools.
Over 2,300 schools in Georgia will receive opioid overdose kits with four doses of naloxone, the overdose reversal drug. The effort is a collaboration between the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, the state Department of Education, and the Metro Regional Educational Service Agency.
The kits are part of Wesley’s Law, which took effect last year. It requires all schools and most government buildings to make naloxone available in a secure location.
➡ Read more in this story from GPB.
🏀 Hey, Atlanta! Come out and celebrate the legacy and influence of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with the Atlanta Hawks for their MLK Game vs. the Bucks on Jan. 19. Get tickets today. SPONSOR MESSAGE
4. Volunteer Opportunities
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HANDS ON ATLANTA
🌾 The Wylde Center (pictured) is looking for volunteers on Wednesday morning in Atlanta to help with weeding, planting, and mulching at Hawk Hollow Garden.
👗 The Welcome Co-op needs volunteers to sort clothing donations for refugees at The Shop of Hope on Thursday morning in Tucker. Plan to help organize and prepare garments.
✂️ New Life Community Alliance seeks volunteers for their Praise Salon on Saturday morning in Decatur. Roles include stylist, washing assistant, braider, and front desk receptionist.
🌱 West Atlanta Watershed Alliance is looking for volunteers on Monday morning in Atlanta for MLK Day of Service. Gardening, trash pickup, and trail restoration will all be areas of focus.
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