25 years later
Friday, Sept. 11 — Today is the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the U.S., when terrorists flew planes into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field in Shanksville, PA, killing nearly 3,000 people. Commemorations are happening across the region today, and we also have a list of 9/11 memorial podcasts below.
☔ Scattered thunderstorms and 87° today.
🏈 Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained an oblique injury at yesterday’s practice and is listed as day-to-day, leaving backup Cooper Rush ready to start Sunday’s season opener if needed.
🏠 The City of Atlanta will host a community celebration tomorrow from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Microsoft’s donated parcel for affordable housing in the Grove Park neighborhood.
🚇 MARTA will host an in-person public hearing at the Decatur Recreation Center on Mon., Sept. 14 to collect public feedback on proposed service adjustments to several bus routes.
🚒 The Brookhaven City Council deferred an intergovernmental agreement between the city and DeKalb County for a new fire station at Blackburn Park after nearby residents said they were unaware of the plan.
👋 City Manager Eric Johnson said farewell to the Norcross community at the Sept. 8 council meeting, after nearly six years as the city’s top official.
💸 Two Sandy Springs shopping centers secured $72 million in refinancing funds from global investment firm KKR.
🎵 The Atlanta Chapter of the Association of Independent Music Publishers is hosting a creative summit Sept. 15 and 16 at Morehouse College.
🪩 After nine years of daytime parties that began in the former 8 Arm parking lot, Chaka Khan Hacienda is coming to an end on Sept. 27.
✡️ Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins at sundown tonight. Observed with shofar blasts and apples dipped in honey, the holiday ushers in the Days of Awe. Shana Tova to all who celebrate.
ELSEWHERE
🇾🇪 Iran-backed Houthi forces routed Yemeni government troops to seize a strategic Red Sea port, giving an Iranian ally a stronger foothold near a key shipping strait.
🗣️ President Donald Trump closed the GOP convention in Dallas by warning supporters they would “go to hell” if they didn’t vote, while renewing his pledge of a $5,000 dividend if Republicans keep Congress.
🗳️ The U.S. Supreme Court blocked Missouri’s new Republican-drawn congressional map, forcing the state to revert to its 2022 map for the midterms.
🎾 Aryna Sabalenka reached her third straight US Open final and will face Elena Rybakina, who beat Coco Gauff. The men’s semifinals start at 3 p.m. today, with Americans Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe squaring off at 7 p.m. (ESPN).
🥵 Scientists say August was Earth’s hottest month on record.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• Movie Review: ‘Practical Magic 2’
• Heritage restaurant opens
• Look & Listen: 9/11
• Joshua Bell at ASO
• Upcoming events
AND
• Top Stories of the Week
🍴 Alpharetta Restaurant Week is Oct. 10-17 and a great opportunity to visit restaurants you’ve always wanted to try and to rediscover old favorites. It’s a celebration of the cuisine that makes Alpharetta a culinary hot spot! SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. ‘Practical Magic 2’ continues the trend of nostalgia ploys aimed at women
WEEKLY FILM REVIEW | BY SAMMIE PURCELL
🪄 Lately, there’s been a run of movie sequels aimed at women of a certain generation. “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.” “The Devil Wears Prada 2.” “Freakier Friday.” And now, “Practical Magic 2.”
Our critic Sammie Purcell isn’t sure when studios started to believe that the only way to get women to come out to the theater was to prey on their nostalgia. But, she writes, she shouldn’t be surprised. Original star-driven, female-centric stories – about friendship, sisterhood, and the like – have all but disappeared. When they are made, they’re usually smaller films. But lately, when they’re big – despite the success of movies like “Book Club” or “Little Women” – they tend to be sequels.
The powers that be assume we don’t actually care about Anne Hathaway or Meryl Streep enough to come out and see them, but we do care about “The Devil Wears Prada,” and we’ll shell out our money for that. And “Practical Magic” is a perfect example of how these sequels rest on the laurels of their performers, and the audience’s relationship to those performers, and squeak by on everything else.
🧹 Click here to read Sammie’s review. You can also read her review of the new science fiction epic “Hope” here.
🍿 Stay in the picture with Scene by Rough Draft, our weekly newsletter about Georgia’s film industry. Subscribe for free.
Amy Sherald: American Sublime
SPONSORED BY THE HIGH MUSEUM OF ART
🎨 You’ve seen Amy Sherald’s iconic portrait of Michelle Obama. Now, her largest exhibition to date is here in Atlanta, featuring rarely seen paintings and monumental portraits spanning nearly two decades.
Amy Sherald: American Sublime is in its final weeks, marking the last chance to see one of the leading artists of her generation on view in her home state. Get your tickets before the show wraps.
Can only make it in the evening? We’ve got you covered. The show stays open after hours every Friday. Grab a drink, snag an exclusive exhibition poster, and explore the galleries at your leisure.
2. Chef Demetrius Brown opens Heritage, his seminal Afro-Caribbean restaurant in Summerhill
🍽️ “From pop-up, to Bread & Butterfly, to Summerhill,” Chef Demetrius Brown writes upon the opening of his new restaurant Heritage. It’s a moment Brown wants to savor because it’s been a journey to get here – and one which his family helped him navigate.
In fact, his mother’s shepherd’s pie anchors the food menu in the cocktail lounge. His aunt’s cucumbers begin the multi-course tasting in the dining room.
Heritage is meant to be an immersive experience, exploring not only Brown’s culinary roots in the South and the Caribbean, particularly Trinidad, but also the ingredients and dishes that are part of the far-reaching tendrils that connect food throughout the African diaspora.
🥒 Read more in Beth McKibben’s feature story here.
🛍️ Shop local outdoor this fall at monthly Midtown Artisan Markets! Discover Atlanta makers, handmade goods, food, family-friendly activities, and more at Midtown Green. Sun. Sept. 13, Oct. 25, Nov. 22 & Dec. 13, noon-6 p.m. Free admission. SPONSOR MESSAGE
3. Remembering 9/11
📻 Listen to how NPR’s “Morning Edition” covered the news on Sept. 11, 2001.
🎙️ “60 Words” from Radiolab and BuzzFeed revisits a 2014 episode on the single sentence that gave presidents the power to wage the war on terror.
🎧 StoryCorps’ “September 11th Initiative” preserves the memories of the people who were lost that day and those who survived it.
🎙️ The Atlantic profiled the family of FDNY Lt. Kevin Dowdell, whose teenage sons searched Ground Zero for their father after he disappeared on 9/11.
🎙️ CBS News revisited survivors from the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Flight 93, whose memories remain as vivid as the day tragedy struck.
📺 The History Channel’s gripping documentary “102 Minutes That Changed America” recounts the terror attack as it unfolded that morning.
4. Violinist Joshua Bell + Atlanta Symphony
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
🎻 Superstar violinist Joshua Bell joins the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for a one-night-only concert at Atlanta Symphony Hall on Wed., Sept. 16. From breathtaking lyricism to dazzling technique, Bell brings an extraordinary energy that continues to captivate audiences around the globe.
The program opens with Prokofiev’s witty, effervescent “Classical” Symphony, then turns to Lalo’s vibrant Symphonie espagnole, where Bell brings dazzling color and rhythmic flair to the Spanish-inspired showpiece. The evening closes with Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances, a brilliant orchestral showcase filled with sweeping melodies, glittering textures, and irresistible momentum.
5. Upcoming Events
🍻 Brews & Bites supporting The Ansley School; Oct. 1 at 6:30 p.m. at Monday Night Brewing – The Garage.
🧢 Atlanta Braves vs. Philadelphia Phillies; tonight at 7:15 p.m. at Truist Park.
🍞 Joe Alterman’s Toast & Jam Jazz Brunch; Sun., Sept. 13 at 11 a.m. at City Springs.
🔥 Summer’s Last Flame, a four-course tasting menu; Tues., Sept. 15 at The Woodall.
🎨 “The Art of Banksy Without Limits;” starting Fri., Sept. 25 at Pullman Yards.
📧 Find out how you can get your event featured in Rough Draft.
🗓️ For more events, visit RoughDraftAtlanta.com/events.
🎉 Say thank you on Sept. 25! Two out of three people in the U.S. have worked in food service. Join Giving Kitchen’s National Food Service Worker Day by celebrating the people who make our meals and moments possible. Show a food service worker some love and say thank you! SPONSOR MESSAGE
6. 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 Beltline gives recommendations for $3.5 billion light rail plan
② Peachtree Circle historic district effort fails in Ansley Park (pictured)
③ Anonymous $150k donation secures reopening of Tucker’s American Legion Post 207
④ Dunwoody community rallies around 14-year-old freshman with rare brain cancer
⑤ Two in custody, 3rd suspect wanted after shots fired at Piedmont Park
💭 Test your knowledge of the week’s news in tomorrow’s News Quiz. Keep an eye out for our email at 8 a.m. or bookmark this page!
📌 A correction to a piece we ran yesterday: A resolution on Beltline rail from Atlanta City Councilmember Kelsea Bond was sponsored by eight of their colleagues, not nine. We regret the error.
🔤 Play News Word Atlanta, our daily word game.
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