Good Friday
Friday, April 3 — Today is Good Friday, commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus, leading up to the celebration of his resurrection on Easter Sunday. It’s not a federal holiday, but the stock markets are closed.
☁️ It will be cloudy with a high of 78° today, with possible rain over the weekend.
➡ Lawmakers worked late into the night to pass a slew of bills outstanding in the 2026 Georgia General Assembly session, including a $38.5 billion budget for the next fiscal year. Here are some other highlights:
- A bill that would have delayed a July 1 deadline to eliminate QR-code ballots fizzled, potentially forcing a rapid switch to hand-marked paper ballots before November’s midterms.
- HB 1138 will allow pharmacists to dispense birth control without a prescription if Gov. Brian Kemp signs it into law.
- A bill rounding cash purchases to the nearest nickel passed.
- The bill to move Georgia to Atlantic Time died in the House without a vote.
- Lawmakers passed an income tax cut bill, but a sweeping property tax relief proposal was dramatically scaled back.
✈️ Today is expected to be the busiest travel day of the month at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, with 94,487 passengers passing through. Check ATL.com for TSA wait times.
💉 The Atlanta-based CDC paused dozens of types of routine diagnostic testing, including for monkeypox and rabies.
🎉 The City of Tucker is collecting feedback about a community-focused time capsule that will honor the city’s history for its 10th anniversary this year.
⚾ The Braves used an eight-run fifth inning to rout the Diamondbacks 17-2 in Arizona last night. The teams play again tonight at 9:45 p.m. (Apple TV; 92.9 FM).
🏈 The Falcons unveiled a redesigned uniform yesterday, featuring red as the dominant color, and a modern-classic aesthetic that draws from multiple eras of team history.
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⚖️ President Donald Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi yesterday, announcing her exit on social media. Deputy AG Todd Blanche will lead the Justice Department in an acting capacity.
🇬🇧 The U.K. hosted a summit of 40 nations to coordinate reopening the Iran-blockaded Strait of Hormuz, with the U.S. notably absent after President Trump said other countries should “just take it.”
🎬 A judge dismissed most of Blake Lively’s claims against “It Ends With Us” director and co-star Justin Baldoni, but allowed three claims to proceed to trial.
🏀 The NCAA Women’s Final Four tips off tonight at 7 p.m. in Phoenix, AZ, featuring the same four No. 1 seeds as last year: UConn, South Carolina, Texas, and UCLA (ESPN).
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• Tayari Jones
• Film review: ‘The Drama’
• Easter roundup
AND
• Top Stories of the Week
🏥 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
1. Tayari Jones overcame writer’s block to pen her acclaimed new novel ‘Kin’
📖 Award-winning Atlanta author Tayari Jones earned an even more unique distinction earlier this year when she joined the elite club of writers who’ve had more than one book chosen for Oprah’s Book Club.
Oprah Winfrey had already chosen Jones’ lauded fourth novel, “An American Marriage,” in 2018, but then surprised her in February by selecting the newly published “Kin.” The novel debuted at number three on The New York Times bestseller list.
Jones will discuss “Kin” with Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Jericho Brown on Mon., April 6, at 5:30 p.m. at Glenn Memorial Chapel at Emory University. The book launch event is free to attend.
✍️ Collin Kelley recently spoke with Jones about overcoming writer’s block and getting the story out. Check out that conversation here.
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!
2. Performativity and perception are our ruination in ‘The Drama’
WEEKLY FILM REVIEW | BY SAMMIE PURCELL
💒 Early on in “The Drama,” Charlie (Robert Pattinson) and Emma (Zendaya) are practicing for the first dance at their wedding. They’re doing one of those old-timey, heavily choreographed routines. You know the type – the kind where you’re too busy thinking about the next step to worry about the fact that everyone is watching you during what’s meant to be an intimate moment.
They’re good, their instructor says, but still have a lot of room for improvement. It’s here where Emma breaks, wondering out loud why they can’t just dance normally to a song they love. The whole thing just feels a little performative. The instructor shoots back with the unfortunate truth that all weddings are performative – less about the bride and groom than the hundreds of people they’ve invited to witness just how perfect and in love they are. And for Charlie, that performativity is kind of the point.
There are little nods to Charlie’s obsession with how others see him leading up to the first act reveal in Kristoffer Borgli’s black comedy, the reveal that forces Charlie, for the first time seemingly ever, to consider how he feels about something rather than how the world at large does. When a game of sharing secrets goes a little too far, “The Drama” becomes a darkly funny, cringe-tastic and chaotic takedown of humankind’s obsession with the way we’re perceived.
🍷 Click here to read Sammie’s review. You can also check out her review of the new film “Two Prosecutors” here.
🍿 Stay in the picture with Scene by Rough Draft, our weekly newsletter about Georgia’s film industry. Subscribe for free.
3. Easter weekend egg hunts, brunches, and special events around Atlanta
🐰 Easter weekend is upon us, and there are plenty of egg hunts, special holiday brunches, and events to take part in this year.
Whether you’re in Dunwoody, Brookhaven, Norcross, or anywhere else in the metro area, we’ve got your Easter plans covered. Gather eggs and goodies, eat delicious food, and celebrate with friends and family.
🪺 Check out our guide to Easter weekend here.
📍 More walkable. More to do. More coming. Find out what’s next for Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, and Brookhaven on Tues., May 5 at Envision Perimeter, the only event that brings it all into focus. SPONSOR MESSAGE
4. Top Stories of the Week
A look back at this week’s most-read stories from our website. Follow @RoughDraftATL on Instagram for regular updates.
① Midtown International School’s abrupt closure stuns parents
② Skol Brewing to open gaming lounge in Downtown Atlanta (Pictured)
③ Dunwoody City Council faces backlash over Flock camera privacy
④ Buckhead dentist’s license suspended by Georgia Board of Dentistry
⑤ Brookhaven considers changes to affordable housing mandates and regulations
📍 More walkable. More to do. More coming. Find out what’s next for Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, and Brookhaven on Tues., May 5 at Envision Perimeter, the only event that brings it all into focus. SPONSOR MESSAGE
💭 Test your knowledge of the week’s news in tomorrow’s News Quiz. Keep an eye out for our email at 8 a.m. or bookmark this page!
🔤 Play News Word Atlanta, our daily word game.
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