Game, set, match
Monday, Sept. 14 — Alexander Zverev beat Atlanta-born Ben Shelton in four sets Sunday to win the U.S. Open, denying American men their first Grand Slam title since 2003. It was Zverev’s second major of the year, following his French Open win.
☀️ Sunny and 92° today.
🏛️ The Stockbridge City Council removed Mayor Jayden Williams from office Saturday after a 10-hour hearing on misuse of city funds and inappropriate messages with an 18-year-old.
🗳 The Secretary of State’s Office removed 226 convicted felons still serving time from Georgia’s voter rolls in Spalding County.
⚖️ The federal case against a man charged with planning a mass shooting at the Atlanta airport is in limbo.
🗣️ Georgia gubernatorial candidates Keisha Lance Bottoms and Rick Jackson are both focusing on affordability with starkly different proposals aimed at easing household expenses.
💼 The Brookhaven Chamber of Commerce appointed James Shannon as its new membership director.
⚕️The Marcus Autism Center was awarded $17.25 million to join a newly formed international autism clinical trials network.
🏈 The Falcons lost their season opener to the Steelers 20-13, with third-string quarterback Cooper Rush throwing two interceptions and kicker Nick Folk missing two field goals.
ELSEWHERE
🏭 The New York Times reports that the White House plans to announce that it will end federal limits on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, unraveling existing climate policies.
🤔 The contractor behind the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool’s new blue liner acknowledged its own installation errors caused the peeling, contradicting Trump administration officials’ claims of vandalism.
🏆 The Emmy Awards air tonight at 8 p.m. on NBC, with “Widow’s Bay,” “The Pitt” and “DTF St. Louis” favored, after sweeping most of last weekend’s Creative Arts ceremonies.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• Indie Music Summit
• Beltline Lantern Parade
• Upcoming Events
• Global Headlines
• TEDxAtlanta
AND
• Look & Listen
🍁 Whether you’re looking to unwind, reconnect, or explore, Lake Oconee is Georgia’s hidden gem for fall getaways. Find your reason for an easy escape from Atlanta with this Ultimate Fall Getaway Guide.
SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. Independent music summit at Morehouse
🎶 The Atlanta Chapter of the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) is hosting a creative summit tomorrow and Wednesday at the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center at Morehouse College.
The event, called the Creative Entrepreneurship Summit Atlanta, is designed to connect and empower the independent music community. The summit will bring together music publishers, songwriters, producers, artists, industry executives, and other music professionals.
Featured speakers include Grammy Award-winning producer Troy Taylor and songwriter Briana Shelko of Level Up Music Productions.
🎹 Find out more about the summit.
Oglethorpe alumni are making an impact
SPONSORED BY OGLETHORPE UNIVERSITY
🤝 Atlanta is shaped by people who choose to invest their talents in something bigger than themselves.
Across the city, Oglethorpe alumni are making an impact through healthcare, the arts, nonprofits, public spaces, and community organizations that help Atlanta thrive.
→ Their careers may take different paths, but they share a commitment to service, leadership, and creating opportunities for others. Here are story highlights on just a few of the graduates whose work is strengthening Atlanta and helping shape its future.
2. Don’t Miss the 2026 Atlanta Beltline Lantern Parade
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ATLANTA BELTLINE
🎊 The Beltline Lantern Parade returns this Sat., Sept. 19 with an expanded route and more ways to celebrate!
✨ Presented in partnership with Chantelle Rytter and the Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons, the parade begins at Gillette Avenue near Beulah Colbert Park, travels along Allene Avenue SW and the Southwest Trail, ending at Lee + White. Line-up begins at 7:15 p.m., with step-off at 8 p.m.
🎶 Families can also enjoy the Kids Parade at Pittsburgh Yards from 4-7 p.m. with music, performances, activities and lantern-making.
🍴 West Midtown Restaurant Week debuts Sept. 20-26, uniting James Beard-honored kitchens like Bacchanalia and Miller Union with beloved favorites like Taqueria del Sol. Enjoy prix fixe dinners, tasting flights and signature cocktails crafted for the occasion. Reserve your table today!
SPONSOR MESSAGE
3. Upcoming Events
🎤 Singer-songwriter Shoshana Bean performs at Buckhead Theatre tomorrow at 8 p.m.
🎥 ATL Jewish Film is hosting a screening of the documentary “All God’s Children” tomorrow at 7:15 p.m. at the Tara Theatre.
👠 “The Wizard of Oz” opens at the Center for Puppetry Arts on Sept. 16 at 10 a.m.
🏀 It’s fan appreciation night at Atlanta Dream vs. Connecticut Sun on Sept. 17 at 7:30 p.m. at Gateway Center Arena.
📽️ Off the Wall @ 725 Ponce is premiering Mickey Duzyj’s documentary “Smooth World” on Sept. 19 at 8 p.m.
🍽️ Rough Draft Dinner Club; Tues., Sept. 22.
📧 Find out how you can get your event featured in Rough Draft. For more events, visit RoughDraftAtlanta.com/events.
4. Trump wades into Irish politics; US wins 5th straight FIBA Women’s World Cup
🇺🇦 President Donald Trump called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to stop targeting Russian diesel infrastructure, saying the resulting fuel shortages had pushed U.S. diesel prices above $6 a gallon for the first time.
🇷🇺 Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that European troops entering Ukraine would mean“a war with Russia,” as separate strikes across Ukraine killed at least eight civilians this weekend.
🇮🇪 President Trump called for a unified Ireland during a weekend visit to his golf course there, wading into a politically sensitive debate that drew thousands of protesters to Dublin.
🇾🇪 Iran-backed Houthi rebels advanced south along Yemen’s Red Sea coast this week, displacing at least 76,000 people and reviving fears of the humanitarian catastrophe that killed 150,000 before a 2022 ceasefire.
🇮🇳 Leaders at the BRICS Summit 2026 in New Delhi adopted a joint declaration calling for greater Global South influence, reforms to international institutions, and opposition to unilateral trade barriers.
🇮🇩 A ferry carrying more than 240 people overturned in Indonesia’s Java Sea on Sunday, leaving at least 129 missing after 108 survivors were rescued and six bodies were recovered.
🇦🇫 Former Afghan soldiers and the U.S. veterans who fought alongside them are still grappling with the Taliban’s return to power, 25 years after 9/11 drew America into the war.
🇺🇸 Team USA rallied from a 14-point deficit to beat France 97-79 Sunday, winning its fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s World Cup title as Breanna Stewart earned tournament MVP honors.
🇮🇹 The Venice Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize went to Lee Chang-dong’s “Possible Love,” a Korean drama exploring class and human relationships that has emerged as a contender in the international awards race.
🗓️ Join the World Affairs Council of Atlanta for an evening with former U.S. Ambassador and Senator Jeff Flake, one of America’s most respected voices on democracy, diplomacy, and global affairs. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear firsthand from a leader who has been at the center of some of the most consequential foreign policy and political debates of our time. Register today.
5. What kind of Atlanta do you want to help build?
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TEDXATLANTA
✨ The places where we work shape us. The way we lead affects who gets heard. And the ambitions we support determine which ideas get the chance to become real.
Meena Krenek, Wendi Williams, Karen Robinson-Cope, and Sig Mosley will challenge you to look differently at design, leadership, entrepreneurship –and the role each of us plays in shaping Atlanta.
→ If you care about where this city goes next, come be part of the conversation. Join us at TEDxAtlanta, Oct. 2 & 3.
🎉 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. Lights, camera, action!
VIA SCENE, A WEEKLY FILM & TELEVISION NEWSLETTER | SUBSCRIBE
Scene newsletter editor Sammie Purcell shares what she’s been listening to and reading.
👓 If I recommend you read anything this week, it’s E. Alex Jung’s piece “The Wasian Generation” for Vulture. Jung talked to so many people and tackles thorny questions surrounding race, representation, and identity.
🎧 This week, “The Big Picture” podcast tackled the news coming out of the Telluride Film Festival and the Venice International Film Festival. Listen here to learn which films Amanda and Sean are looking out for this fall.
📺 Sometimes I, too, feel a little basic, and I thought this new episode of NPR’s “Pop Culture Happy Hour,” exploring the basic shows and movies the hosts unapologetically love, was very funny. Check it out here.
💰 Labor Day marked the end of the biggest summer ever at the box office, coming in at $4.76 billion domestically. That tops the previous 2013 record of $4.75 billion.
🔤 Play News Word Atlanta, our daily word game.
💡 Help support independent local media by becoming a Rough Draft member today. Pick up some cool swag, including our new, limited-edition LOCAL hoodie.
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