Finals week
Monday, July 13 — The American Red Cross said a steep decline in blood donations since the end of May has created an emergency blood shortage. Donors who give before July 31 will receive a Fandango Movie Ticket.
☔ Thunderstorms are likely with a high of 81° today.
⚽ The 2026 FIFA World Cup enters its closing week, with the final set for Sun., July 19 in New Jersey. The semifinals kick off tomorrow with France v Spain, and then England and Argentina play on Wednesday in Atlanta. Find a local watch party.
⚖️ A judge set July 24 for a plea and sentencing hearing for Colt Gray, 16, who is charged with murder in the 2024 Apalachee High School shooting that killed two students and two teachers.
🚧 Scaffolding and debris littered 14th Street in Midtown on Sunday afternoon after falling from the long-stalled renovation of the Campanile building.
🚽 Georgia is one of 31 states where a diarrhea-causing parasite – likely from unwashed produce – has been detected in patients.
🗳️ Libertarian candidates will not be on the Georgia midterm ballot this November after a petition drive failed to get the needed signatures.
🎗️ LGBTQ+ advocates are mourning the loss of Larry Pellegrini, who made history as one of the first openly gay lobbyists at the Georgia State Capitol.
🚰 DeKalb County announced road closures for water main replacement at the intersection of Peachtree Boulevard and Miller Drive starting tomorrow.
🎨 The Woodruff Arts Center appointed eight new members to its Board of Trustees and two new members to its Governing Board.
ELSEWHERE
⚖️ The Justice Department subpoenaed four New York Times reporters over their reporting about security shortcomings on the new Air Force One.
🎗️ South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham died Saturday after a “brief and sudden” illness at the age of 71.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• Vela Park food hall
• Upcoming Events
• Global Headlines
AND
• Look & Listen
❤️ Tickets are on sale now for CHRIS 180’s 2026 CHRIStal Ball, Sat., Aug. 15 at Curate. Join us for an elegant evening supporting trauma-informed mental health care for children, youth, adults, and families across Metro Atlanta. Buy tickets here! SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. Vela Park mixed-use community will include new food hall
🍽️ Perennial Properties has opened leasing at Vela Park, a new development in East Lake that transforms the long-vacant Bag Factory site into a residential and retail community.
The nearly 12-acre project, located just south of East Lake Golf Club, includes 328 apartments and townhomes, about 5,000 square feet of retail, and a public green space.
A major feature of the development will be Vela Park Food Works, a food hall planned by the team behind Chattahoochee Food Works.
🛋️ Find out more about the project here.
MORE REAL ESTATE NEWS
🧑🎓 CCI Real Estate will begin pre-leasing later this summer for 740 Techwood, a new student living complex, next to the Georgia Tech campus. First student move-ins are expected in the fall of 2027.
When the Matches End, the Dining Begins
SPONSORED BY LIVABLE BUCKHEAD
⚽ After cheering on your favorite teams across Atlanta, treat yourself to the city’s best tables during Buckhead Restaurant Week, July 27-Aug. 1.
More than 50 participating restaurants are serving exclusive prix-fixe menus and inventive pairings crafted to turn post-game energy into an unforgettable evening. Whether you crave bold flavors or a relaxed celebration with friends, Buckhead delivers.
➞ Explore the lineup and discover your next favorite meal. The final whistle is just the beginning of a delicious night.
2. Upcoming Events
🇻🇪 Chefs from across Atlanta are hosting a community potluck fundraiser benefiting World Central Kitchen’s Venezuela earthquake relief efforts tonight from 5-9 p.m. at Tio Lucho’s
🎸 Paul Simon’s A Quiet Celebration tour tonight at 8 p.m. at Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park.
🎤 Eddie’s Attic in Decatur is hosting its Songwriters Open Mic Night tonight at 7:30 p.m.
🇫🇷 Brasserie Lundi in Midtown is hosting a Bastille Day Wine Flight tomorrow to mark the French national holiday.
🎭 Theatrical Outfit’s Launchpad 2.0 series continues with a production of Kira Rockwell’s new play“The Penelopes” on Wed., July 15 at 7:30 p.m.
🏄 The Beach Boys surf into the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on Fri., July 17, at 8 p.m. to mark more than half a century of making music.
3. Oil spikes on US-Iran strikes; Deadly Bangkok pub fire
🇮🇷🇺🇸 The U.S. and Iran exchanged strikes over the weekend, with Tehran hitting American bases in the region, and Washington striking Iranian air defenses and radar sites, deepening a standoff over the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices were up nearly 3% on the news this morning.
🇪🇸 Wildfires in Spain have killed at least 13 people.
🇹🇭 A fire tore through a Bangkok bar late Sunday, killing at least 27 people and injuring 63, with Thai officials saying smoke was the likely cause of most deaths and blocked exits were a factor.
🇬🇷 A Ryanair Boeing 737 made an emergency landing in Thessaloniki, Greece, on Friday after a window dislodged mid-flight, partially sucking out a passenger who survived without life-threatening injuries.
🇶🇦 Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who is widely credited with driving Qatar’s emergence as an influential modern state, was buried in Doha after passing away at the age of 74.
🇨🇳 Communities along China’s southeastern coastline are evaluating the impact of Typhoon Bavi, a massive storm spanning roughly six hundred miles that came ashore late Saturday.
🇧🇼 Botswana could become the second African nation to legalize same-sex marriage as a couple goes to court this week to argue that their marriage should be recognized by law.
🇫🇷 Masked thieves smashed into France’s Musée Lalique, stealing about twenty pieces of crystal jewelry worth $4.7 million in a rapid early‑morning raid less than a year after a high‑profile Louvre heist.
🇰🇷 K-pop supergroup BTS is facing a plagiarism lawsuit filed by three songwriters who claim that the group’s track “SWIM” bears significant similarities to a demo they previously created.
🇿🇦 South African midfielder Jayden Adams, who helped his country reach the World Cup’s round of 32, died at 25.
🎾 At The Championships, Wimbledon, Italy’s Jannik Sinner captured the men’s singles title for a second straight year, while 21-year-old Czech Linda Nosková won the women’s crown.
🗓️ The Pacific Islands sit at the crossroads of geopolitics, security, and climate change. Join the World Affairs Council of Atlanta and John D. Brewer, Director of the Office of Insular Affairs, on Aug. 6 for “The Pacific Islands and the New Global Competition” – a conversation on U.S. partnerships in the Pacific and why this region is increasingly central to the future of the Indo-Pacific. Register today.
⚽ When the matches end, the dining begins. After cheering on your favorite teams across Atlanta, savor the city’s best tables during Buckhead Restaurant Week, July 27-Aug. 1. More than 50 restaurants serve exclusive prix-fixe menus. Learn more here. SPONSOR MESSAGE
4. World Cup final
As we head toward the final match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sun. July 19, here are some pods looking back at the month of games and what’s still to come as the semifinals continue this week.
🎙️ The daily “First Touch ’26” podcast has analysis and cultural context with an American perspective on the World Cup.
🎧 “The Athletic FC” podcast, hosted by Ayo Akinwolere and featuring the likes of David Ornstein, Adam Crafton, and Matt Slater, takes a look inside the matches.
🎙️ The official U.S. Soccer YouTube page spotlights interviews, clips and analysis for the World Cup.
🎧 “The Road to World Cup 26 Podcast” has news, analysis, and commentary as the tournament wraps.
⚽ When the matches end, the dining begins. After cheering on your favorite teams across Atlanta, savor the city’s best tables during Buckhead Restaurant Week, July 27-Aug. 1. More than 50 restaurants serve exclusive prix-fixe menus. Learn more here. SPONSOR MESSAGE
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