May the 4th be with you
Monday, May 4 — To mark today’s annual Star Wars Day celebration, the Tara Theatre is showing “A New Hope” tonight at 7 p.m. The Plaza Theatre’s showing of “Attack of the Clones” is sold out. Fans can also expect new merch drops related to the upcoming “The Mandalorian & Grogu” movie opening Memorial Day Weekend.
🌤️ Mostly sunny with a high of 77° today.
🗳 An exclusive new AJC poll released this morning (subscription required) shows former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms leading the Democratic gubernatorial primary with 39%. A third of voters are undecided, and a runoff remains likely. Early voting is underway in the May 19 primary, with record numbers being reported in the first week.
🚨 A 33-year-old Cuban man died in an apparent suicide at Stewart Detention Center last week, the second death in ICE custody in Georgia this year and the 18th nationwide.
🚒 Two buildings at the abandoned Azalea Gardens apartment complex in northwest Atlanta burned down on Saturday.
🔥 A suspect is in custody for starting a fire inside the Walmart in Chamblee on Saturday.
🎤 Run-DMC’s Darryl “DMC” McDaniels will perform at an Atlanta Track Club event the night before the Northside Hospital Peachtree Road Race in July.
🧢 The Braves have the best record in baseball after sweeping the Rockies over the weekend. Atlanta heads to Seattle for a three-game series with the Mariners beginning tonight at 9:40 p.m. (Braves.TV; 93.7 FM).
ELSEWHERE
🚢 Three passengers died, and three others are being treated for suspected hantavirus infections aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic. What is a hantavirus?
👗 “Costume Art” is the theme of tonight’s 2026 Met Gala in New York, co-chaired by Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour, with Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos serving as honorary chairs.
🏥 Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani was hospitalized in critical condition yesterday.
🏇 Cherie DeVaux became the first woman trainer to win the Kentucky Derby when longshot Golden Tempo rallied from last place to win by a neck on Saturday.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• DeKalb Economic Development Week
• Community gardens
• Global Headlines
AND
• Look & Listen
🏡 Tucked just beyond Vinings Jubilee, this Cochise home offers a gated drive and light-filled living spaces. A remodeled kitchen creates an easy, functional layout, while the home features a spacious primary suite, flexible living areas and a private backyard, and is listed with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty. SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. DeKalb County to launch first women-owned business guide during Economic Development Week
💼 Decide DeKalb will celebrate Economic Development Week 2026 with a series of free public events today through Friday, including complimentary coffee and breakfast giveaways, the launch of a first-of-its-kind women-owned business guide, and a pre-recorded fireside chat with the developer of Lulah Hills.
The week kicks off today, with the “Make You Love Monday” promotion, in which Decide DeKalb will offer 100 complimentary food and drink items at three DeKalb County small businesses.
Tonight from 6:30-8 p.m., Decide DeKalb will unveil the 2026 DeKalb Women-Owned Business Guide – the first such guide in the county’s history. The event will be held at The Book Bird in Avondale Estates.
🤝🏽 Find out more about the events here.
An Evening of Purpose, Impact, and Hope
SPONSORED BY CHRIS 180
❤️ Join CHRIS 180 for the 2026 CHRIStal Ball, Sat., Aug. 15 at Curate.
This elegant garden-party-inspired evening will celebrate healing, resilience and brighter futures while raising critical funds to expand access to mental health care for children, youth and families across Metro Atlanta. The gala will also honor Equifax’s Julia Houston and Georgia Power for their leadership, service and commitment to strengthening the Atlanta community.
🎫 Help CHRIS 180 bring healing, hope and life-changing support to more families across our community. Tickets are on sale now, with sponsorship opportunities available.
2. From garden plot to food pantry, community gardeners help neighbors in need
🥕 Community gardens run by passionate gardeners across Metro Atlanta are contributing thousands of pounds of fresh produce per year to food pantries, soup kitchens, and free food stands.
Whether the land lends a few acres or a handful of plots, an abundance of fruits and vegetables is being donated to neighbors in need. Contributor Logan C. Ritchie looks at thriving community gardens in Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Tucker, and Stone Mountain.
3. US to escort stranded ships; New Banksy in London
🇮🇱 🇮🇷 🇺🇸 President Donald Trump said the U.S. would use Navy destroyers and more than 100 aircraft to guide stranded ships out of the Iran-controlled Strait of Hormuz beginning today. Iran called it a ceasefire violation.
🛂 The White House plans to release commemorative passports featuring President Trump’s portrait as part of the country’s 250th anniversary celebrations.🇲🇦 Two U.S. service members are missing in southwestern Morocco after participating in African Lion, the largest annual U.S. military exercise on the continent. A search and rescue operation is underway near Tan Tan.
🇬🇧 Banksy confirmed a new statue in London’s Waterloo Place is his work, depicting a suited man hoisting a flag that covers his face as he steps off a ledge into thin air.
🇦🇺 A week after the killing of a five-year-old Indigenous Australian girl known as Kumanjayi Little Baby, police say a man was charged in connection with her death.
🇲🇽 The U.S. Department of Justice indicted ten current and former Mexican officials with drug trafficking and weapons offenses, prompting the governor of Mexico’s Sinaloa state to step down temporarily.
🇨🇭 Support is growing in Switzerland for a proposal to cap the country’s population at 10 million, according to a new poll ahead of a June vote.
🇦🇪 The United Arab Emirates formally withdrew from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), opting instead for a more autonomous energy strategy.
🇮🇪 Voters in Ireland may soon elect a candidate accused by the U.S. State Department of leading an organized crime family.
🇮🇷 FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed that Iran’s men’s national soccer team will compete in World Cup matches in the United States as scheduled.
🇰🇷 A free Pokémon card giveaway at Seoul Forest was canceled on Friday after an estimated 40,000 people overwhelmed the venue.
🇩🇪 A stranded 12‑ton humpback whale known as “Timmy” was rescued after German crews used a converted freight barge to tow it safely back into the North Sea.
🗓️ As global power and trade dynamics shift, understanding China has never been more urgent. Join the World Affairs Council of Atlanta on May 21 for a free virtual conversation with Ker Gibbs, a leading authority on U.S.–China relations and global trade. Drawing on his book “The Fragile Dragon: Trade, Trump, and China’s Vulnerabilities,” Gibbs will explore China’s rising influence – and the economic, demographic, and political pressures beneath it. Register today.
🌞 Whether you’re searching for family-friendly activities at Lake Oconee, planning a relaxing lake vacation, or hoping to recreate the “good old days” with your kids or grandkids, this is the perfect place to slow down and make lasting summer memories. Plan your nostalgic summer getaway at Lake Oconee. SPONSOR MESSAGE
4. Lights, Camera, Action!
Scene newsletter curator Sammie Purcell is back with some suggested reads and pods to help scratch your entertainment itch.
🎧 Hollywood history podcast “You Must Remember This” has just released the first episode of a new podcast called “Cautionary Tales,” about what happens when the bright lights of Hollywood collide with … tax evasion! The first episode, linked here, focuses on Ernest Borgnine.
🎸 One of my favorite movies this year is “Mile End Kicks,” a coming-of-age movie about a young music critic finding her way. Check out this IndieWire interview with filmmaker Chandler Levack for musings on music, her favorite movies, and more.
🏖️ Summer is just around the corner! And while I know what I’m listening to and watching (Olivia Rodrigo and Wet Leg, finally starting “The Pitt”), maybe you need some extra help. Take a listen to this recent episode of NPR’s “Pop Culture Happy Hour” for some summer culture tips.
🌳 Did you know Atlanta has the world’s longest linear arboretum? It’s one of many ways trees are iconic to our city. Support our work by attending this festive fundraiser. Root Ball 2026 Thurs., May 14 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. SPONSOR MESSAGE
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