Stormy Monday
March 16 — Duke, Arizona, Michigan, and Florida are the No. 1 seeds in the men’s NCAA Tournament, while UConn, UCLA, Texas, and South Carolina top the women’s bracket. Georgia’s men and women are both in the field, as are the Kennesaw State men. In Division III, Emory’s men’s basketball team advanced to the Elite Eight.
⛈️ Severe storms this morning will give way to a dramatically colder day, with afternoon temperatures in the 30s and a freeze warning in effect into tomorrow.
🏫 Here are some updates on local school systems:
- Atlanta Public Schools will operate on a remote learning schedule today.
- DeKalb County Schools have a 15-minute hold on all bus schedules.
- City Schools of Decatur will open on a two-hour delay.
✈️ The weather is leading to ground stops and delays at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and Delta is offering flexible rebooking options for customers flying through Atlanta today.
🪪 Long security lines formed at Hartsfield-Jackson over the weekend, as TSA agents missed their first full paychecks amid a partial DHS shutdown, with wait times exceeding an hour at the main checkpoint.
🚨 DeKalb County is considering building its own public safety training center for its police and fire departments.
🚓 A second victim died from a triple shooting in downtown Athens, bringing the death toll to two. A suspect is in custody; a third victim remains critical.
📺 Students from North Springs High School earned national recognition for their work on “North Springs News,” a weekly broadcast program.
⚽ Atlanta United picked up its first win of the season, beating the Philadelphia Union on Saturday.
🏀 The Hawks beat the Bucks for their ninth straight win. Atlanta hosts Orlando tonight in a game, formerly known as “Magic City Night,” that has made national headlines.
🏅 At the GHSA Basketball Championships on Saturday, Murray County and North Paulding won girls titles, and Morgan County and Wheeler won for the boys. The Houston Co. Sharks won the Wheelchair competition.
ELSEWHERE
🎬 At the Oscars, “One Battle After Another” won six awards, including Best Picture and Director, while Michael B. Jordan took Best Actor for “Sinners” and Jessie Buckley won Best Actress for “Hamnet.” “KPop Demon Hunters” won twice, including best animated feature. Here’s the complete list of winners.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• PAWS Atlanta @ 60
• RARE Steak Championship
• Global Headlines
AND
• Look & Listen
🏡 In Downtown Alpharetta, this elegant three-bedroom townhome features light-filled living spaces, a chef’s kitchen with quartz island, spa-inspired primary suite, and private deck. Listed with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty, it offers a lock-and-leave lifestyle in one of Metro Atlanta’s most desirable areas. SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. PAWS Atlanta celebrates its 60th anniversary
🐾 Georgia’s oldest no-kill shelter, PAWS Atlanta, is marking 60 years of aiding animals in 2026.
In honor of the occasion, PAWS launched a $1 million fundraising campaign and created a new five-year strategic plan for the shelter, including renewed mission and vision statements.
With rising housing, pet supply, and veterinary care costs, the organization has seen yearly increases in the number of surrendered and abandoned pets. Three key strategies – long-term financial sustainability, leadership and innovation in animal welfare, and emphasizing community partnerships – will be enacted to better help pets now and in the future.
Experience Atlanta’s COOLEST Adventure
SPONSORED BY FERNBANK MUSEUM
🦣 Discover mammoths, saber-tooth cats and Neanderthals as you explore how the Ice Age shaped our planet at Fernbank Museum.
Immersive galleries, incredible specimens and interactive experiences bring history back to life in this limited-time exhibit, on view until May 3.
2. RARE Steak Championship makes Atlanta debut at Pullman Yards
🥩 More than 25 local restaurants will square off in a judged steak competition at Pullman Yards on April 9, when the nationally touring RARE Steak Championship heads to Atlanta for the first time.
Produced by DiningOut, the event includes live music, cocktails, and unlimited steak tastings, building up to an awards ceremony that crowns the evening’s winners.
Restaurants compete in two judged divisions: Best Traditional Steak and Best Creative Steak. All cuts of steak are sourced from Buckhead Meat & Seafood. A panel of culinary professionals will also hand out Critic’s Choice awards, while event attendees vote for People’s Choice. Participating bartenders vie for Best Cocktail.
🍷 Learn more details and find out which restaurants are in the running here.
3. Iran vows to fight ‘as long as it takes;’ China-North Korea train
🇮🇷🇮🇱🇺🇸 Here are updates from the war in Iran:
- Iran’s Foreign Minister said the country was “ready to defend ourselves as long as it takes,” and denied President Donald Trump’s claim that Iran sought a deal.
- Four members of Iran’s women’s soccer team who defected last week decided to return home.
- Follow live updates here.
🇨🇺 Cubans took to the streets in protest of island-wide blackouts, even as Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel announced that members of his government held bilateral negotiations with members of the Trump Administration.
🇯🇵 Two people, including a 17-year-old student, died after boats carrying a Kyoto high school group capsized off Henoko, a controversial U.S. military base relocation site in Okinawa.
🇳🇵 Balendra Shah, the 35-year-old former rapper and former mayor of Kathmandu, is set to become Nepal’s next Prime Minister after a “Gen Z” uprising led to the collapse of the former government.
🇺🇬 Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine said he has fled the country to escape a military-organized search aimed at silencing him.
🇭🇹 Haiti’s first election in a decade attracted 280 parties to register to run.
🇫🇷 Parisians head to the polls this week to choose a new mayor from among six leading candidates, in a race that is poised to end 25 years of socialist leadership in the French capital.
🇨🇳🇰🇵 After a six-year hiatus, North Korea and China are resuming cross-border travel with a passenger train between Pyongyang and Beijing.
🇧🇪 An anonymously held artwork in Belgium was most likely painted by the Renaissance master Michelangelo.
🇪🇨 Conservationists released more than 100 giant tortoises to live in the wild of the Galápagos for the first time in 150 years.
🏴 Arsenal’s Max Dowman, 16, became the youngest scorer in Premier League history with a goal in a 2-0 win over Everton.
🗓️ One of America’s most seasoned, respected, and clear‑eyed diplomats, Ambassador David M. Satterfield, will join the World Affairs Council of Atlanta and the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at Georgia Tech for “Strategic Challenges and Opportunities for the United States: Is the Post-War Order Over?” – an in‑depth examination of the global landscape facing the United States in 2026. Free and open to the public. Register today.
🏴☠️ The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra presents Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” Live in Concert. Get ready for the ultimate cinematic experience as you watch the full movie on a 40-ft screen while the ASO performs the score live! March 28 & 29. Get your tickets now! SPONSOR MESSAGE
4. World Cup prep
With less than 100 days to go until the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins, we’ve got a roundup of podcasts that will help keep you up to speed on all the preparations.
🎙️“Tharon’s Take” host Tharon Johnson sits down with Dan Corso, President of the Atlanta Sports Council, to discuss the upcoming World Cup matches and what they mean for the city’s future.
🎧 The“Soccer Down Here” podcast has frequent discussions on the forthcoming World Cup and its impact on local infrastructure and youth soccer in the city.🎙️ Roger Bennett, founder of the soccer-centric media company Men in Blazers, outlines the challenges and upside facing MLS during the World Cup on“The Varsity” podcast.
🎧“The Authoricast” speaks with Chief Operating Officer of the Atlanta World Cup Host Committee, Georgia O’Donahue, on what it takes to host the tournament’s eight matches.
🏥 Join Move For Grady on April 25! Three intown biking distances and two run/walk options means there’s something for everyone. Come to move, stay for the party – plenty of food and drinks to celebrate at GSU’s Center Parc Stadium. SPONSOR MESSAGE
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