Finalists
Tuesday, Aug. 11 — MARTA’s Board of Directors interviewed three finalists yesterday for its general manager and CEO position: Interim CEO Jonathan Hunt, Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s Cleveland Ferguson III, and WMATA’s Leroy Jones. The board expects to name a winner at its Thursday meeting.
🌩️ Scattered thunderstorms with a high of 91° today.
⚖️ Fulton County offered Atlanta $56.5 million to buy the city’s detention center, saying the deal would save Atlanta $27 million annually as the current lease nears its year-end expiration.
💾 In recent news about data centers across the state:
- Effingham County officials secretly met with OpenAI to broker a deal to construct a data center, leaving residents with questions about the lack of transparency.
- Developers withdrew plans for a 403-acre data center campus in Lovejoy, GA, after residents voiced overwhelming opposition.
- The nonprofit Science for Georgia found that Georgia data centers will likely require more energy than the state can provide.
🏫 Atlanta Public Schools ranked first among Metro school districts in year-over-year academic gains for the current school year.
🗣️ Sandy Springs officials are encouraging community members to attend one of two upcoming meetings to share their thoughts on the city’s comprehensive plan update.
💸 Some Georgia farmers still haven’t received compensation for damages caused by Hurricane Helene nearly two years after the storm hit the area.
🏳️🌈 Atlanta Pride announced that drag icon Shea Couleé will join the entertainment lineup for the 2026 festival in October.
🎟️ Join us for the August 25 Rough Draft Dinner Club. Close your laptop and meet other RD readers. A previous diner said their experience was, “Good food and great company in a low-pressure environment.”
ELSEWHERE
💉 President Donald Trump signed an executive order recommending fewer childhood vaccines and splitting the MMR shot into three, again falsely linking vaccines to autism. Legal experts expect court challenges.
🗳️ Voters in Minnesota, South Carolina and Wisconsin cast primary ballots today in races including picking Sen. Lindsey Graham’s successor and testing how progressive candidates will fare in swing states.
🇨🇴 A 7.4-magnitude earthquake in western Colombia killed at least 132 people, with dozens of others injured or trapped inside collapsed buildings.
📋 A report found nearly 50 adults affiliated with Interlochen Center for the Arts sexually abused students from the 1950s to the 2010s, including allegations against Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• TOUR golf honorees
• TrustDALE
• Olympic memories
• Upcoming Events
AND
• Volunteer Opportunities
👨🍳 Join us for an EPIC Potluck on Oct. 4! 30+ award-winning chefs and mixologists creating incredible dishes at the gorgeous Serenbe Pavilion to raise money for Wholesome Wave Georgia. Grab your tickets today. SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. TOUR Championship announces 2026 HOPE Tee Shot honorees
⛳ The TOUR Championship announced its 2026 HOPE Tee Shot honorees, with First Tee – Metro Atlanta members Ariel Collins and Jacob Smith selected to hit the opening tee shots at the PGA TOUR’s finale event on Thurs., Aug. 27.
Both honorees will also receive a scholarship on behalf of the TOUR Championship Proud Partner Accenture. Collins, 16, and Smith, 14, will be honored during the HOPE Tee Shot Opening Ceremony on Aug. 27 on the No. 1 tee box at East Lake Golf Club.
Atlanta’s Trusted Source for Orthopedic Care
SPONSORED BY PEACHTREE ORTHOPEDICS
⚾ The last thing anybody has time for is an injury that disrupts their week. But Peachtree Orthopedics is here to make life easier.
For 70 years, we’ve been committed to helping Atlantans return to the activities they love. At our 11 convenient locations, we have 42 leading physicians, all of whom are fellowship-trained, with specialties in every body part.
Injured in the evening or on the weekend? Skip the ER. Our UrgentORTHO clinic offers same-day, evening, and Saturday hours.
➞ It’s time to get back to doing what you love. Peachtree Orthopedics is here to help you Get Better.
2. Can summer heat damage your roof? What property owners need to know
TOGETHER WITH TRUSTDALE
☀️ When it comes to the question of whether summer is doing a number on your shingles, the clear answer is yes. The question, “Can summer heat damage your roof?” matters because high temperatures aren’t the only stressor on your roof.
Ultraviolet exposure, humidity, trapped attic heat, and sudden storms coupled with extreme temperatures can interact with aging materials, turning small weaknesses into leaks.
For homeowners, business owners, and property managers, the issue is less about panic and more about evidence. Summer roofing problems usually develop gradually, so the complete roofing system should be evaluated before deciding whether replacement is needed. A faded or hot roof doesn’t automatically need replacement, but it does need an honest assessment of its condition.
🏠 Learn more from the folks at TrustDALE here.
3. Artist Steve Allen offers chance to see Olympic memories and Afrofuturism
🎨 Atlanta artist Steve Allen worked as a technician for office machines before quitting his job at age 38 in 1992 to paint.
Although he had only a few years of experience, Allen was chosen by then Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell to create an Olympic mural and become the official artist for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta.
This summer at Hammonds House Museum in Southwest Atlanta, dual exhibitions “Infinite Inheritance: Afrofuturism, Sacred Geometry, and Ancestral Imagination of Steve R. Allen” and “O Jogo Bonito (The Beautiful Game): Works by Steve R. Allen” honor the 30th anniversary of the Atlanta Olympics and showcase Allen’s personal visions.
➡ Read more in this story from GPB.
4. Upcoming Events
🚗Drivin N Cryin and Black Lion Reggae are playing at Wine Down Wednesday tomorrow at Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre.
🏈Corky Kell & Dave Hunter Classic, featuring South Gwinnett vs. Lanier and Grayson vs. North Gwinnett; Wed., Aug. 12 beginning at 5 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
🎶Criminal Records is celebrating its 35th anniversary with a series of concerts on Sat., Aug. 15.
🖼️ The Piedmont Park Arts Festival will run Aug. 15-16.
📽️ The17th annual BronzeLens Film Festival’s first weekend runs from Aug. 21-23, and then again from Aug. 27-30.
🤝 Community starts with connection. Meet Rosemary Watts and Nikki Washington and discover how they’re helping shape Perimeter through connection, placemaking, and community in the Heart of Perimeter video series. SPONSOR MESSAGE
5. Volunteer Opportunities
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HANDS ON ATLANTA
🚙 Open Hand Atlanta needs volunteers for meal delivery to seniors on Thursday morning in Metro Atlanta. Expect to follow a 2-3-hour route to drop off meals for seniors in need.
🐝 Keep Smyrna Beautiful (pictured) is looking for volunteers for their 2026 Pollinator Pocket Garden Work Days on Friday morning in Smyrna. Help maintain an educational pollinator garden through mulching, weeding, and pruning.
🪥 Operation D.E.F.R.O.S.T. needs volunteers on Saturday morning in Atlanta to distribute food and supplies to the underserved. Expect to prep hygiene kits, connect participants with long-term resources and support services, and prepare and serve meals.
💙 Mental health care should be accessible to everyone. We offer affordable, professional counseling through in-office, telehealth, school-based, and community programs. You don’t have to face it alone. Find a therapist today at Summit Counseling Center. SPONSOR MESSAGE
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