Home, sweet home
Wednesday, Oct. 14 — The Atlanta Dream will play Games 3 and 4 of the WNBA Finals against the Golden State Valkyries at State Farm Arena on Wed., Oct. 21 and Sat., Oct. 24, rather than the smaller Gateway Center. Game 4 tips at 1 p.m., and the Hawks will host the Houston Rockets at 8:30 p.m. in their regular-season home opener.
🌞 Sunny with a high of 86° today.
🎗️ The man who fell from the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags on Monday was identified as Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, an educator at Wesley International Academy, an APS charter school.
- Six Flags said it was temporarily closing nine similar rides nationwide.
📺 Eleven debates from The Atlanta Press Club’s Loudermilk-Young Debate Series, including last night’s between U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff and Rep. Mike Collins, are now available for streaming. Early voting continues through Oct. 30.
🗣️ A Norcross City Council debate, originally scheduled for Oct. 6 and then postponed, was canceled.
✈️ The Delta Air Lines Foundation awarded a $1 million grant to support Agnes Scott College’s Global Journeys program for students.
🪴 The inaugural Dirt & Glitter Plant Show will take place Oct. 16-18 at the former Forever 21 location at Atlantic Station.
🏈 Kennesaw State plays at Missouri State tonight at 7:30 p.m. (CBS Sports Network).
ELSEWHERE
🇻🇦 The Vatican announced yesterday that Pope Leo XIV was diagnosed with lung cancer following a successful surgery at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital to remove the lower lobe of his right lung.
🇬🇷 Kimberly Guilfoyle, a former Fox News personality and Donald Trump Jr.’s ex-fiancée, resigned as U.S. Ambassador to Greece amid misconduct allegations.
🐴 After years of pushback from animal rights activists, the New York City Council will vote next week to ban horse carriages.
❌ Cornell University banned fraternity social events for the rest of the academic year.
🎗️ Actor and disability rights advocate RJ Mitte, who played Walter White Jr. on “Breaking Bad,” died Monday at the age of 34.
PICTURE THIS: The Rough Draft and Georgia Voice team took part in Sunday’s Atlanta Pride Parade, which drew thousands to Peachtree Street and Piedmont Park. Be sure to subscribe to our free, weekly Crosswalk newsletter, curated by Collin Kelley, with LGBTQ+ news impacting Georgia. You can sign up here.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• Banning robotics tech
• Kitten rescue saga
• Upcoming Events
• The Reset
AND
• Concert Picks
🎈 A hundred years of art in Atlanta calls for more than one party. Expect special exhibitions, collection favorites returning to the galleries, music, family programs, and one-of-a-kind events that honor the past and look toward the next 100 years. See what’s planned at the High. SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. Atlanta City Council reviews proposed ban on robotic police technology
🤖 The City of Atlanta is exploring restrictions on autonomous and remotely operated weapons through the Human Authority over Lethal Technology (HALT) Act proposed by City Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari.
The legislation would prevent the city from purchasing or accepting weaponized autonomous systems, drones, and remotely operated machines to prevent what Bakhtiari called “RoboCop,” a reference to the 1987 science fiction film. It would also prohibit city employees and contractors from deploying autonomous weapons.
🚨 Read more on this story from Logan C. Ritchie here.
The High Centennial Block Party
SPONSORED BY THE HIGH MUSEUM
🎉 Happening this weekend! Join the High Museum on Sun., Oct. 18 from noon-5 p.m. for the celebration of a lifetime. Giveaways, immersive experiences, the custom beer we made with Wild Heaven, and exciting photo moments are all in the works. This is one you don’t want to miss! Learn more here.
2. Stray Sandy Springs kitten ‘wheels and deals’ his way to a new home
🐱 Last Friday, Nicole Motahari and her husband, Brandon Lou, drove to the Abernathy Publix in Sandy Springs for cupcakes and came home with a different kind of treat – a one-pound kitten.
“After we left, suddenly, this woman came up on us, honking her horn like crazy,” Motahari said. “She said, ‘There’s a cat hanging under your car.’”
The tiny stowaway, found in the wheel well of the couple’s vehicle, didn’t make the rescue easy.
🐾 Read about the happy ending in Cathy Cobbs’ story.
3. Upcoming Events
🗳️ How Civic Engagement Changed America; tonight at 7 p.m. at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library.
🎺 Jazz on the Green; tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. at Emory University.
🛍️ Seoul Social Club; Fri., Oct. 16 from 1-6 p.m. at Ponce City Market.
👟 2026 Komen Greater Atlanta Race for the Cure; Sat., Oct. 17 at 8 a.m. at Lenox Square.
🫂 The Art of Caring: Workshop and Author Talk; Sat., Oct. 17 at 3 p.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church.
🎃 Halloween Spooktacular; Sun., Oct. 18 at 1 p.m. at Dad’s Garage.
📧 Find out how you can get your event featured in Rough Draft. For more events, visit RoughDraftAtlanta.com/events.
🥳 Free museum entry on Oct. 21! Access for All Day is Centennial-themed this month. Join the High for fun conversations in the gallery, a collection story you probably haven’t heard before, and postcard-making. Register for your free day of art. SPONSOR MESSAGE
4. Hope Booth brings 24/7 mental health support to Spelman College students
THE RESET
“The Reset by Rough Draft” is edited by Laura Scholz. The Reset is a weekly, Wednesday newsletter with even more content, and you can subscribe here with one click.
🔁 A comment like “I’m so OCD about my desk” is not what OCD represents. OCD is a loop, and the compulsion can be completely silent. OCD Awareness Week runs through Oct. 17. Get a free consultation with Intown Psychology.
☎️ Atlanta-based nonprofit Hope Booth partnered with L’Oréal Paris to install a mental health kiosk at Spelman College on Sept. 30. Housed in a reimagined telephone booth, the interactive kiosk offers free, 24/7 mental health support services for students.
The booth at Spelman, like two others in Atlanta and dozens more worldwide, provides accessible, stigma-free resources ranging from breathing exercises and positive affirmations to available connections and support services in a 5-mile radius.
🫶🏽 Read Laura’s story about Hope Booth here.
❤️ Therapy that helps you feel seen, supported, and understood – while building practical skills to navigate life with confidence at Intown Psychology.
🏛️ Curious about Midtown history? This walking tour on Oct. 29 is for you! Learn about the architects who designed the buildings that have housed the High throughout its 100-year history. Get your tickets! SPONSOR MESSAGE
5. Concert Picks
Wed., Oct. 14
🇵🇭 beabadoobee @ Gas South Arena
👟 Foster The People @ Coca-Cola Roxy
📦 Parcels @ The Eastern
🩺 The Brothers Comatose @ Terminal West
Thurs., Oct. 15
🤠 Alabama @ Gas South Arena
😇 Arcángel @ Coca-Cola Roxy
🏊♀️ Great Lake Swimmers @ Vinyl
🌏 Interpol @ The Eastern (also Fri.)
🐈 Katseye (pictured) @ State Farm Arena
🎈 Tank and the Bangas @ Terminal West (also Fri.)
Fri., Oct. 16
🎧 $uicideboy$ @ Lakewood Amphitheatre
🎸 Guster @ Atlanta Symphony Hall (also Sat.)
💗 Bombargo @ Aisle 5
🚀 San Holo @ Tabernacle Presented by iTHINK Financial
🇵🇷 Tito Nieves @ Atlanta Coliseum
Sat., Oct. 17
🕺 Don Omar @ State Farm Arena
🃏 Nine Vicious @ Coca-Cola Roxy
🏎️ Silverada @ Terminal West
🔊 Whethan @ The Eastern
Sun., Oct. 18
🌅 Abbie Gamboa @ Center Stage
🦇 Cavetown @ Tabernacle Presented by iTHINK Financial
☁️ Afterlife @ Smith’s Olde Bar
Mon., Oct. 19
🎻 Black Violin @ Atlanta Symphony Hall
🤘 Chad Gray @ Buckhead Theatre
🚆 Journey @ State Farm Arena
🎚️ Bassvictim @ Variety Playhouse
😢 Vince Staples @ Tabernacle Presented by iTHINK Financial
Tues., Oct. 20
💭 Teddy Swims @ State Farm Arena
🍎 Rapsody @ Vinyl
🔥 The Linda Lindas @ Terminal West
Wed., Oct. 21
🍋 Dope Lemon @ Buckhead Theatre
👠 Karina Rykman @ Aisle 5
🔤 Play News Word Atlanta, our daily word game.
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