PAWS for Tuesday
March 17 — Happy St. Patrick’s Day! If you are looking for ways to celebrate tonight, check out some of these eating and drinking options around town.
👓 This week, we have more on the $1 million fundraising campaign launched by animal aid organization PAWS Atlanta, a report on the high rate of flu-related deaths in Georgia, plus a new barbecue joint to check out in McDonough.
🎊 March 3 was the fifth anniversary of the launch of the Rough Draft newsletter. What began as a three-times-a-week email we sent to 100 friends and family has grown into a portfolio of more than 20 newsletters and over 1.2 million email sends a month. Read the latest Publisher’s Note from Keith Pepper here.
And now for a few headlines:
💰 With a unanimous vote yesterday, the state Senate gave final approval to a bill that will distribute tax rebates worth $250 to individuals and $500 to married couples.
✈️ As the partial federal government shutdown approaches 30 days, the City of Atlanta is offering meal vouchers and free MARTA rides to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at the airport who are now working without pay.
🚨 DeKalb County is considering building its own public safety training center for its police and fire departments.
🗳️ Georgia lawmakers are considering a bill that would create a homelessness prevention program by drawing on flexible grants that local governments and nonprofits can match.
⚕️ March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month – and as colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death among adults under 50 – the Colorectal Cancer Alliance is spreading the word about home screenings and early symptom identification. Learn more here.
🌱 The next installment of “Grow Virtually,” a virtual event series through Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County, is tonight from 7-8 p.m. Attendees will learn more about cost-saving measures for lawn health and maintenance. Register for the webinar here.
🕓 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter.
• PAWS celebrates 60
• Flu deaths on the rise
• BBQ in McDonough
AND
• Stories of Atlanta | Lance Russell
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.
Don’t miss THE event of the spring – Move For Grady!
SPONSORED BY GRADY HEALTH FOUNDATION
🏃 It’s time to register for Move For Grady on April 25, Atlanta’s best ride/run/walk event supporting Grady! Choose one of three fully supported cycling routes or 5K or 10K run/walk courses that will show you Atlanta from a new point of view. Then stay to celebrate with great food, drinks and music at Georgia State’s Center Parc Stadium.
❤️ Move For Grady raises funds to support Grady’s mission to build a healthier Atlanta. Register today, start training and join the party on April 25!
Georgia flu deaths highest in five years as RSV, other respiratory viruses rise
🤒 Deaths from flu in Georgia – 243 since the season started in October – are the highest they’ve been in five years, according to data released Friday from the Georgia Department of Public Health. The deaths include five children.
Meanwhile, respiratory syncytial virus and human metapneumovirus, a lesser-known respiratory illness, have also been on the rise, said Dr. Andrew Thornton, a doctor with Wellstar in Cobb County. Those two conditions, while typically mild, can be more serious in children and the elderly. Covid rates remain low.
“We are still seeing plenty of flu cases, and we don’t know for sure that we’re not going to get any more spikes during the spring, so I would definitely still recommend it if a patient has not been vaccinated,” Thornton said.
While RSV is typically mild, it can be serious in young people and older adults, especially those with risk factors like lung and heart diseases, a compromised immune system, or residence in a nursing home.
The CDC recommends that all adults over age 75 get an RSV vaccine and those with risk factors for serious illness who are over 50 get an RSV vaccine.
Veteran Atlanta chef Todd Richards opens Southern barbecue restaurant and grill room in McDonough
🍖 The next restaurant from veteran Atlanta chef and cookbook author Todd Richards opened in McDonough.
Called Que-Riosity, the restaurant’s menu centers on grill room classics, barbecue, and the Southern and soul food dishes for which Richards has become known for over the last 20 years in Atlanta.
After getting married three years ago, Richards moved to McDonough, 30 miles south of Atlanta. On a good day, his commute to Atlanta takes about an hour. Richards realized other people make that same drive daily for work, or to eat at one of Atlanta’s many independent restaurants. Opening Que-Riosity in McDonough provides locals with another option closer to home.
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‘After the Journey’: Stories of Atlanta by Lance Russell
VIA SAPORTAREPORT
🎡 Some stories rise with the skyline. Others whisper from the past.
Whether it’s bringing in biography, illuminating history and legacy, or sharing more on a tale we thought we knew, this week’s Stories of Atlanta reminds us that when the journey ends, it’s the stories we tell that remain.
🍑 Check out some of the highlights here.
🖋️ Today’s Silver Streak was edited by Julie E. Bloemeke.