MLK Monday
Jan. 19 — It’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which means government offices, the post office, banks, and schools are closed in observance. Events are happening around the city, including this morning’s annual Rustin/Lorde Breakfast. Check out our MLK Day guide here.
☀️ Sunny and cold with a high of 48°. Lows below freezing again overnight tonight.
❄️ Snow dusted central Georgia and even the Florida Panhandle yesterday, with reports of up to three inches near Macon and flurries in Pensacola.
🚨 Devon Q. Horton, the former DeKalb County School District superintendent, was arrested Saturday on child cruelty and strangulation charges.
💰 City of Refuge has received a $1.25 million grant from Delta Community Credit Union to help fund the construction of affordable housing in Metro Atlanta.
🗣️ The Breman Museum will open its 2026 “Bearing Witness” series on Jan. 25 with a program centered on a Holocaust-era connection that was discovered in Atlanta.
ELSEWHERE
🚨 U.S. troops are on standby, and the FBI asked agents to take temporary assignments in Minneapolis, as President Donald Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act amid protests over immigration enforcement.
🏆 Twenty million viewers are expected to watch No. 1 Indiana and No. 10 Miami play for the CFP National Championship tonight at 7:30 p.m. (ESPN). Tickets for the game in Miami are selling for an average of $4,320.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• Falcons’ new coach
• World Cup prep
• Global Headlines
AND
• Look & Listen
🏠 Listed with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty for $2.375M, this 1905 Greek Revival estate sits on 5.6± acres in Madison. Fully updated, it features soaring ceilings, heart pine floors, a chef’s kitchen, a saltwater pool, and a guest space. Private grounds include historic rock walls, manicured lawns, and indoor-outdoor entertaining.
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1. Falcons hire Stefanski as head coach
🏈 The Atlanta Falcons announced Saturday night that Kevin Stefanski has been named the franchise’s 20th head coach. He replaces Raheem Morris, who was dismissed following consecutive 8-9 seasons in 2024 and 2025.
“We have found a coach with the right vision, focus, and demeanor to lead our team into the future,” owner Arthur Blank said.
The Falcons will continue their search for a general manager who will work alongside Stefanski and President of Football Operations Matt Ryan to rebuild the roster and end the franchise’s extended playoff drought.
📋 Read more about the hire here.
RELATED NFL NEWS
🏈 In the NFL Playoffs, the Rams, Seahawks, Patriots, and Broncos advanced to their respective Conference Finals.
🎸 The NFL announced that Green Day will perform during an opening ceremony for the 60th anniversary of the Super Bowl on Feb. 8.
Join the America @ 250 Symphony Celebration
SPONSORED BY ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
🇺🇸 America @ 250 celebrates our country’s birthday and heritage with sounds that define our nation. Join the celebration this January with works by Duke Ellington, Bernstein’s West Side Story, Copland, and more. Plus, leading guest artists performing concertos by Barber and Artie Shaw, and new compositions by great American composers Leonard Slatkin and Valerie Coleman.
🎶 Your Orchestra tells the American story with prominent works commissioned and premiered in America, works by expats living in America, and works that shine a light on our multicultural tapestry.
🎟️ Visit here for tickets and information.
2. Atlanta Host Committee provides update on city’s 2026 FIFA World Cup preparations
⚽ With less than 150 days to go until hundreds of thousands of spectators descend on Atlanta for the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches, the city’s host committee provided an expansive overview of preparations.
Much of the focus is on host venue Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which will get a natural sod playing field, upgraded sound system, and cover up brand logos, including the giant Mercedes-Benz emblem.
Officials said they are working with FIFA to make sure local restaurants that operate at the stadium will be able to serve fans, although menus and concepts may change.
➵ Read more about the preparations here.
3. Denmark pushes back on Trump; ‘Chip wreck’ leaves English beach covered in fries
🇩🇰 Thousands protested in Copenhagen against President Donald Trump’s push to acquire Greenland, with opponents warning it strained NATO ties and sparked fears of retaliation.
🇨🇭 The impact of the U.S. pursuit of Greenland will be front and center at this week’s annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where Trump is expected to speak for the first time in six years.
🇮🇷 Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei acknowledged that thousands were killed in recent protests, blamed the U.S., as human rights groups put the death toll above 3,000.
🇪🇸 At least 39 people were killed after two high-speed trains collided in southern Spain.
🇨🇱 Wildfires across central and southern Chile killed at least 18 people and forced tens of thousands to flee.
🇯🇵 Newly elected Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called for February snap elections, which require dissolving the Lower House.
🇰🇷 Yoon Suk Yeol, the ousted former president of Korea, was sentenced to five years in prison on charges related to his declaration of martial law in December 2024.
🇺🇬 Yoweri Museveni, Uganda’s 81-year-old President, won a seventh term in an election marred by violence, abductions, and government censorship.
🇪🇺 The European Film Awards, Europe’s Oscars, saw Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value” sweep major categories, and lead actor Stellan Skarsgård won Best Actor.
🇬🇧 Thousands of uncooked French fries washed ashore on a beach near Eastbourne, England, after shipping containers spilled food and packaging, in what the British press called a “chip wreck.”
🇸🇳 Senegal won a chaotic Africa Cup of Nations final over Morocco after briefly leaving the field in protest, then sealing the title in extra time.
🇦🇺 The Australian Open, tennis’s first Grand Slam of the year, is underway in Melbourne. Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz are the top seeds, with Atlanta-natives Coco Gauff and Ben Shelton the highest-seeded Americans.
🗓️ Individual tickets are now on sale for “The World Cup in Atlanta: Unlocking Economic Opportunity in 2026 and Beyond” on Jan. 27. Katie Kirkpatrick, CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, will share how Atlanta can seize this once-in-a-generation moment. Secure your seat today.
🏠 Listed with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty for $2.375M, this 1905 Greek Revival estate sits on 5.6± acres in Madison. Fully updated, it features soaring ceilings, heart pine floors, a chef’s kitchen, a saltwater pool, and a guest space. Private grounds include historic rock walls, manicured lawns, and indoor-outdoor entertaining.
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4. MLK Day pods
In honor of MLK Day, here are some pods and reads to help reacquaint you with the Atlanta-born civil rights icon behind the holiday.
🎙️”The First Name Basis” podcast has an episode called“The Untold Story of Martin Luther King Jr.”that offers tools for teaching kids about MLK.
🎧 NPR’s “Throughline” podcast spotlights MLK lieutenant Bayard Rustin, the architect of the 1963 March on Washington, in an episode called “The Man Behind the March.”
🎙️ National Geographic Kidsoffers an overview of MLK’s life and work to end racism.
🎧 “The MLK Tapes” offers rare recordings of eyewitness testimony and delves into the lingering conspiracy behind Dr. King’s assassination in Memphis.
🏠 Listed with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty for $2.375M, this 1905 Greek Revival estate sits on 5.6± acres in Madison. Fully updated, it features soaring ceilings, heart pine floors, a chef’s kitchen, a saltwater pool, and a guest space. Private grounds include historic rock walls, manicured lawns, and indoor-outdoor entertaining.
SPONSOR MESSAGE
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