Primary Day
Tuesday, May 19 — The polls are open until 7 p.m. for today’s election, with closely watched primary contests for U.S. Senate, governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and attorney general, as well as nonpartisan elections for several judicial positions, including the Georgia Supreme Court. Nationwide, a handful of other states, including Kentucky, have high-stakes primaries. Follow our site throughout the day and for results this evening.
☀️ Sunny with a high of 89° today.
⚖️ Georgia Supreme Court candidates Jen Jordan and Miracle Rankin are striking back against the Republican-dominated Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission’s complaints against them.
🗞️ The Georgia Trust for Local News announced that Cynthia DuBose, a digital media executive who worked at the AJC and McClatchy, will become its new executive director.
💸 The Atlanta Regional Commission voted on May 13 to award $13.5 million in federal funding to complete Phase II of the Peachtree Creek Greenway in Brookhaven.
🏳️🌈 Atlanta Pride announced the recipients of the 2026 Pride Across the Peach State grant.
🇺🇸 “American Pie” singer/songwriter Don McLean will perform at Sandy Springs’ annual July 4 celebration.
ELSEWHERE
🇨🇩 The WHO’s director-general said he was “deeply concerned about the scale and speed” of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where at least 131 people have died.
🕌 Three people were killed in a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego yesterday in what police are investigating as a hate crime. Two teenage suspects died from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
💰 The Justice Department announced a $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” after President Donald Trump dropped his lawsuit against the IRS.
⚖️ A California jury took less than two hours to dismiss Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
🎨 A Jackson Pollock “drip” painting sold for a record $181.2 million at Christie’s in New York.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• Capitol Skybridge criticism
• TrustDALE on sunlight and windows
• Managing financial emergencies
• HIV services coalition
AND
• Volunteer Opportunities
🏡 Listed with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty, this 2023-built custom home in Alpharetta is priced at $2.599 million. The open layout features a glass wine room, chef’s kitchen, and main-level primary suite, while a level, pool-ready backyard and walkability to downtown shops and dining elevate everyday living. SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. Skybridge installation at Georgia State Capitol draws criticism
🌉 A controversial $10 million pedestrian bridge connecting the Georgia State Capitol building to a new legislative building over Martin Luther King Jr. Drive is being installed in early June.
The enclosed skybridge is the most recent addition to the Gold Dome’s campus since a statue of Martin Luther King Jr. was installed in 2017.
The steps of the Capitol are a known gathering spot for press conferences and protests. Critics worry that the skybridge will encourage legislators to lose touch with constituents as they move above the street from their vehicles to meetings.
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2. Are your windows fading your furniture?
TOGETHER WITH TRUSTDALE
🛋️ A sunlit room feels warm, open, and quietly luxurious, until the rug under the coffee table starts wearing a ghost outline, the sofa arm turns a different shade than the cushions, and the hardwood near the patio door looks tired before its time.
Homeowners often blame age, cleaning products, or cheap fabric, but the culprit may be pouring through the glass every afternoon.
The folks at TrustDALE will teach you how sunlight travels through windows, why UV exposure matters inside the home, what low-E glass actually helps with, and how to decide whether window upgrades, films, shades, or replacement makes sense for protecting furniture, flooring, artwork, and other interior investments.
🪟 Learn more from TrustDALE here.
3. Here’s how to handle an emergency expense
🏦 For many people, a surprise expense isn’t just a setback – it’s an unsolvable puzzle. How can you pay the mechanic or doctor if you simply don’t have the money?
That’s the reality for millions of people. Thirty-seven percent of adults couldn’t completely cover a $400 expense with cash or money in their bank account, according to the Fed’s Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025 report, released May 13.
Financial advice often starts with building an emergency fund to cover these surprises. But, that can be hard to do when you’re also dealing with debt payments, insufficient income, and high prices on essential expenses. Those are the most common reasons Americans aren’t saving more.
👛 Get more from NerdWallet on Rough Draft here.
4. Emory University joins national coalition to advance HIV services in community pharmacies
💊 Rx for Change is a national coalition to advance HIV services in community pharmacies, including testing and prevention. The partnership includes Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, AIDS United, the Black Public Health Academy, and the National Pharmaceutical Association.
Bringing HIV prevention services into pharmacies will increase access and reduce stigma, said Natalie Crawford, associate professor at the Rollins School of Public Health.
Expanding pharmacy-based HIV prevention services could increase PrEP access points by as much as 80-fold in the southeastern U.S. since nearly 90% of Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy.
➡ Read more in this story from GPB.
🏡 Listed with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty, this 2023-built custom home in Alpharetta is priced at $2.599 million. The open layout features a glass wine room, chef’s kitchen, and main-level primary suite, while a level, pool-ready backyard and walkability to downtown shops and dining elevate everyday living. SPONSOR MESSAGE
5. Volunteer Opportunities
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HANDS ON ATLANTA
🌱 Wylde Center (pictured) is seeking volunteers on Wednesday evening in Atlanta to assist in the Edgewood and Coan gardens. Participants will weed, spread mulch, harvest, and help with maintenance on garden beds, chicken coops, and compost bins.
📦 Grace Community Fellowship Church needs volunteers on Thursday afternoon in Atlanta to work in their food pantry. Volunteers will sort food items, stock shelves, monitor food quality, and help with distribution.
⛰️ Food Well Alliance is seeking volunteers for a Stone Mountain Garden Community Workday on Saturday morning in Stone Mountain. Expect to learn about community gardening and urban agriculture while helping out in the garden alongside Food Well staff.
🤸 The Little Gym offers gymnastics-based summer camps where kids build confidence through movement, music, and play. Half-day, full-day, and full-week options available—including Memorial Day week when many camps haven’t started yet. Sign up now! SPONSOR MESSAGE
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