Thursday thoughts
Feb. 5 — The Decatur Library will be closed for the rest of the week as the search continues for the suspect who shot a man at the facility on Monday evening.
🌤️ Partly cloudy with a high of 46° today.
👋 Georgia U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk won’t seek reelection, citing a desire to spend more time with his family after more than a decade in Congress.
🔎 Police are still searching for DJ Young Slade, the 27-year-old son of rapper Lil Jon, who disappeared on Tuesday.
⚖️ Fulton County filed a motion in federal court seeking the return of 2020 election records, which were seized last week by the FBI.
📚 A Georgia bill could allow librarians to face criminal charges for distributing “harmful materials” to minors, raising concerns about censorship of LGBTQ-themed books.
🏠 One of Atlanta’s top real estate agents, Harvin Greene, launched her own boutique firm, DOSSIER.
👠 After more than a decade of creating space for Atlanta’s burlesque community, Metropolitan Studios, Candybox Revue, and the Atlanta School of Burlesque will close this summer.
ELSEWHERE
📺 NBC’s Savannah Guthrie and her siblings made a plea for the safe return of their 84-year-old mother, who vanished from her Tucson, AZ home Sunday and is believed kidnapped.
➡ Border Czar Tom Homan said 700 ICE agents will leave Minnesota after local officials agreed to turn over arrested immigrants.
🏛️ The U.S. Supreme Court greenlit a newly redrawn congressional map backed by California Democrats.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• FMO nail salon
• Family Diary 2026
• Slip Robotics
AND
• Quick Bites
🎉 Celebrate Food Service Workers! Join Giving Kitchen on Sun., March 15, at Truist Park for THE culinary tasting of the year! Team Hidi 2026, fueled by Georgia Natural Gas, brings nearly 100 top food & beverage partners together. Get details and tickets here. SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. For Men Only nail salon creates a sanctuary for men to relax and rejuvenate
💅 Stereotypes and taboos often keep most men away from salons. Going in for a manicure, with two dozen sets of eyes glued to a male customer and a symphony of whispers, rarely encourages return visits either. Nikiya “Cali” West wanted to change that.
So, she founded For Men Only Fine Grooming, a place where men can feel comfortable engaging in a little rest and relaxation.
FMO Sandy Springs offers pedicures and manicures, barbering of all styles, massages, straight-razor shaves, facials, and a complimentary drink.
💈 More on this story from Hayden Sumlin here.
Private island estate on Lake Burton
SPONSORED BY ATLANTA FINE HOMES
🏝️ Set on its own private island in Lake Burton’s coveted big basin, this remarkable Yellowstone-inspired mountain lodge offers 360-degree lake and mountain views, complete privacy, and timeless rustic elegance.
Offered at $10,000,000, the estate is crafted from reclaimed timbers and stone and features a soaring great room, multiple guest retreats, expansive flagstone patios, a putting green and winding island trails leading to a two-story covered boathouse – creating a truly unforgettable lakeside experience defined by craftsmanship, serenity, and epic sunsets.
Mountain Sotheby’s International Realty proudly serves North Georgia’s mountain and lake communities.
👉🏼 Explore our current listings.
2. ‘Family Diary 2026’ at Atlanta Photography Group
VIA SKETCHBOOK, A WEEKLY VISUAL ARTS NEWSLETTER | SUBSCRIBE
📸 Opening earlier this week at Atlanta Photography Group gallery in Piedmont Heights, “Family Diary 2026” brings together more than 20 photographers working in documentary, archival, and serial modes, each examining how family takes shape.
The exhibition runs through Feb. 27, with an opening reception tonight starting at 7 p.m.
Among the featured photographers is Damien Jackson, whose four images document his grandmother’s funeral. Made at her request, the photos move through the day: a family member holding a funeral program, a casket carried through the congregation, relatives seated together in mourning, and gravediggers preparing the burial site. The stills are a quiet case study in what “Family Diary 2026” seeks to uncover – the ways family reveals itself.
3. A new Atlanta-made robot is targeting last-mile delivery
🤖 Slip Robotics, Atlanta’s growth-stage robotics company focused on the logistics industry, is out with a new product that will grow its customer base into new verticals.
The company announced today the launch of its new robotics platform, SlipLift. The platform decouples the robot from the payload, allowing it to handle longer delivery routes, heavier loads, and last-mile deliveries – going well beyond the quick, back-and-forth trips its first product was designed for.
The system requires no Wi-Fi, software integration, or infrastructure changes, using cameras and sensors to navigate autonomously.
➡ Read the whole story from Hypepotamus here.
🫶 The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation has fueled every major IBD breakthrough. Think of someone you love living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Honor them by giving today and supporting our Torch Gala on Sat., Feb. 7. SPONSOR MESSAGE
4. Quick Bites
VIA SIDE DISH, A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER | SUBSCRIBE HERE
💌 In this week’s Quick Bites, get intel on some recent restaurant openings, a few Valentine’s Day events worth checking out, and new restaurants arriving later this year. We’ve also got details on Commune’s final dinner service, a Madeira Park wine tasting, and El Ponce’s Bad Bunny party in honor of his Super Bowl halftime performance.
🏈 Check out the latest ATL dining news here. And, in case you missed it, here’s a list of new restaurants that hit Atlanta in January.
🫶 The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation has fueled every major IBD breakthrough. Think of someone you love living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Honor them by giving today and supporting our Torch Gala on Sat., Feb. 7. SPONSOR MESSAGE
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