
Hot weekend
Saturday, Aug. 15 — There’s another full lane closure on I-285 this weekend between Cascade Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The lanes won’t reopen until 5 a.m. on Monday.
☀️ Mostly sunny and hot with temperatures hovering in the mid-90s. A heat advisory remains in effect until 8 p.m. tonight.
MARKET UPDATE
📉 All major indices were down yesterday, although the S&P 500 notched its third straight weekly gain. The Nasdaq was also up slightly for the week, but the Dow finished the week down 0.6%.
LOCAL NEWS
⚕️ Georgia health officials moved to include low-income people living with certain HIV diagnoses among those considered “medically frail,” bypassing Medicaid work requirements.
⚖ Todd Burkhalter was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison Friday for orchestrating a $380 million Ponzi scheme through his Georgia firm Drive Planning, defrauding more than 2,000 investors.
🚨 The City of Norcross will hold a public open house for its new public safety building on Aug. 22.
🎭 City Springs Theatre Company will kick off its ninth season with the musical “Les Misérables” from Sept. 11- 27.
🏈 The NFL suspended Falcons edge rusher James Pearce Jr. for eight games for violating its personal conduct policy following a February domestic violence arrest.
🏈 The Falcons fell 27-7 to the Denver Broncos in their preseason opener last night.
ELSEWHERE
🇮🇩 A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off Indonesia’s Flores Island early today, killing at least 38 people and collapsing buildings, though officials later lifted an initial tsunami warning.
⚓ President Donald Trump dismissed concerns over the USS Abraham Lincoln’s record 250-plus-day deployment, as families have reported mental health crises, including crew members attempting to jump overboard.
⚖️ Luigi Mangione pleaded guilty on Friday to shooting and killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND
🦋 Commune with the butterflies at Chattahoochee Nature Center’s Breakfast with Butterflies tomorrow from 10 a.m.-noon.
🎂 Criminal Records is celebrating its 35th anniversary with a series of concerts today from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
🎨 The Piedmont Park Arts Festival is today and tomorrow in Piedmont Park.
🏀 The Atlanta Dream host Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever tomorrow at 5 p.m. at State Farm Arena.
⚾ The Atlanta Braves continue their series against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Truist Park today at 7:15 p.m and tomorrow at 1:35 p.m.
⚽ Atlanta United takes on Red Bull New York tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
🐝 Georgia Tech’s Yellow Jackets Women’s Volleyball faces the Kennesaw State Owls on today at 4 p.m. at O’Keefe Gymnasium.
🎒 Youth Villages Georgia’s Backpack Heroes is hosting an event for their program, Georgia Backpack Heroes, in celebration of National Nonprofit Day on Aug. 17 at Westside Pizzeria + Bar from 6-9 p.m.
➡ Here are some concerts to check out:
⚰️ Down @ The Eastern (tonight)
🎸 Electric Avenue @ Atlanta Symphony Hall (tonight)
🫁 Masego @ Coca-Cola Roxy (tonight)
☀️ The Sundogs Present: The Tom Petty Show @ Variety Playhouse (tonight)
💐 Ava Liv Mabry @ Eddie’s Attic (tonight)
🇯🇲 Beres Hammond + Kes the Band @ Gas South Arena (tomorrow)
✌️ Poppy @ Tabernacle (tomorrow)
📺 Dominic Fike @ Coca-Cola Roxy (tomorrow)

A Landmark Inman Park Home
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- 12 fireplaces
- Showstopping lower and upper front porches
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- Grand, light-filled rooms
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Enjoy your Saturday!
⚡ Southern Company, Official Energy Company of the PGA TOUR, is building stronger communities through golf. Since 1998, the TOUR Championship has raised more than $71 million for Atlanta nonprofits, fueling education, youth development, and neighborhood revitalization. That’s what it means to drive good energy, on and off the course. Learn more. SPONSOR MESSAGE

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 Nearly 40 years in, Atlanta Chinatown is in the midst of a revival
② Two locations of Buckhead steakhouse Hal’s will open in Midtown and Roswell (Pictured)
③ Atlanta chain Hungry AF announces new Tucker location
④ Criminal Records celebrates 35 years with concerts on Aug. 15

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