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Tuesday, Sept. 15 — In a 7-2 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected President Donald Trump’s plan to overhaul mail-in voting before the midterms, leaving a lower court’s injunction in place. Early voting starts in less than four weeks, and it’s a good time to check your voter registration status.
☀️ Sunny with a high of 89° today.
🤝 Atlanta Community Food Bank CEO Kyle Waide will take over as Downtown Atlanta Inc.’s new president and CEO in December, succeeding longtime leader AJ Robinson.
🗣️ Atlanta Public Schools said it was investigating an incident where Maynard Jackson High marching band members were subjected to “racist language” while leaving a football game at Jefferson High School.
⚖️ Former Democratic state Rep. Dexter Sharper was sentenced to time served over false statements he made in connection with fraudulent pandemic unemployment benefits.
⚠️ Security researchers warn that advancing AI makes it easier to exploit a flaw in Georgia’s voting equipment that could link voters to their ballots.
🥒 The Dunwoody City Council heard several rezoning proposals yesterday, including about pickleball expansion at the Marcus Jewish Community Center that drew resident complaints over noise.
🎭 City Springs’ production of “Les Misérables” is an ambitious task that mostly works, writes critic Sammie Purcell. Check out her full review here.
⚾ An investor in the Braves is pushing the team to explore a sale, citing record valuations and risks from an expected offseason lockout.
🏈 Georgia’s Sept. 26 home game against No. 24 Oklahoma will be a 3:30 p.m. kickoff as the teams meet for the first time as SEC rivals.
📢 The Brandweek conference starts today at Southern Exchange, bringing marketing leaders to Atlanta through Thursday for sessions on brand reinvention and AI.
ELSEWHERE
🤖 President Trump downplayed concerns about AI, even as tech leaders and political voices as varied as Steve Bannon and Bernie Sanders are calling for slowing its development.
💸 Donald Trump Jr. and his wife confirmed that a Russian oligarch with ties to the Kremlin paid for part of their Bahamas wedding celebration.
📺 Apple TV’s “Widow’s Bay” dominated last night’s Emmys with 14 wins, including best comedy, as Matthew Rhys and Jean Smart both had historic nights. “The Pitt” repeated as best drama.
🎗️ Fashion and costume designer Bob Mackie, whose clothes have been worn by the likes of Cher, Dolly Parton, and Tina Turner, died yesterday at the age of 87.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• Atlanta evictions
• TrustDALE
• Georgia’s first baby box
• Decatur Book Festival
• Upcoming Events
AND
• Volunteer Opportunities
🍴 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
1. Report: Atlanta eviction rate is three times the national average
🏡 Metro Atlanta landlords filed 140,000 eviction cases in 2025, a rate researchers say is more than three times the national average and higher than any other major metro area in the country.
Researchers at Princeton University-based Eviction Lab spoke to attorneys, judges, elected officials, and nonprofit leaders on Sept. 10, shocking many audience members with statistics about Atlanta’s skyrocketing eviction filing rates.
About 31,000 of the five-county region’s eviction filings occurred within the City of Atlanta – one filing for every four renter households. New York City, with four times as many renter households as Metro Atlanta, saw about 25,000 fewer eviction filings over the same period.
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2. AC repair or replacement: how do you decide?
TOGETHER WITH TRUSTDALE
🥵 Your aging air conditioner quits during a heat wave, and the technician quotes a four-figure repair. Paying for the fastest fix can feel like the only option, especially when you need to air condition your home or business again quickly.
Still, AC repair or replacement is a big financial decision. An air conditioning system’s age, repair history, refrigerant, warranty coverage, energy efficiency, and installation quality all play a role in determining the better choice. The same cost comparison can apply to a heat pump, which both heats and cools.
TrustDALE has some tips for how to know when a repair is the best option, and when it’s time to pull the trigger on a brand new unit.
🗣️ TEDxAtlanta 2026 is two days of conversations, experiences, and talks fueled by one simple belief: Bold, brave ideas can change the world. Engage with new ideas and meet people working to solve tomorrow’s challenges, today. Reserve your seat. SPONSOR MESSAGE
3. Georgia’s first baby box creates the option for the anonymous surrender of infants
👶 A state law passed this year allows so-called safe havens, such as hospitals and police and fire stations, to install baby boxes for the anonymous surrender of very young children.
The first has been installed at the Henry County Fire Rescue Station No. 6 in Ellenwood.
Fire Chief Pat Wilson says in his 40 years of work, he’s never seen a baby surrendered. But he says the new baby box, the first in Georgia, makes it so that when a surrender does happen, there’s a safe and secure place to go.
➡ Read more in this story from GPB.
4. Exhilarating YA sessions at the DBF
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DECATUR BOOK FESTIVAL
🌟 The DBF is thrilled to bring to this year’s YA stage four acclaimed authors whose young adult novels are releasing in September: Tomi Adeyemi (“The Siren”), Ryan Douglass (“Night of Madness”), Lynn Painter (“Trust Fall”), and Aiden Thomas (“Cemetery Boys: Espíritu”).
📚 These four highly anticipated novels explore themes of identity and belonging, truth and deception, and power and ambition. Come see them all on Sat., Oct. 3 in Decatur!
🗓️ See the full schedule here.
5. Upcoming Events
🎪 Step into Bèl Rèv, a dreamy circus dinner theater blending jaw-dropping performances with a seasonal four-course menu. Sept. 18-19 at LOOP. Reserve your seat here.
🌳 Trees Atlanta Ask the Expert: From the Beltline Arboretum to Your Backyard; Thurs., Sept. 17 at noon (virtual).
🎸James Taylor and his All-Star Band; Thurs., Sept. 17 at 7:30 p.m. at Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park.
🎵Shaky Knees Music Festival; Sept. 18-20 in Piedmont Park.
🦒Sippin’ Safari; Sept. 19, 5:30-9 p.m. at Zoo Atlanta.
🍽️ATL’s OG Dinner Club with Rough Draft. Unplug and meet fellow RD readers IRL; Tue., Sept. 22.
📧 Find out how you can get your event featured in Rough Draft.
🗓️ For more events, visitRoughDraftAtlanta.com/events.
6. Volunteer Opportunities
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HANDS ON ATLANTA
🥗 The Grady Health System needs help with their Food Pharmacy downtown on Wednesday morning. Be ready to help sort, pack, and serve food.
🌳 The Piedmont Park Conservancy is looking for volunteers to help with park cleanup on Thursday morning. Expect to pick up and dispose of trash.
🏃♂️ Refuge Coffee Co. (pictured) needs volunteers to help set up for their Atlanta Community 5K in Clarkston early Saturday morning. Work will include handing out medals, setting up cones, and face painting.
👨🍳 Your favorite chefs are going to Southern Chefs Potluck! Are you? Join us at the Serenbe Pavilion on Sun., Oct. 4 for an EPIC Potluck that raises funds for Wholesome Wave Georgia. Grab your tickets today. SPONSOR MESSAGE
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