On the brink
Tuesday, Oct. 27 — The Valkyries beat the Dream 64-55 in San Francisco last night to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven WNBA Finals. Game 6 is Thursday at 12:30 p.m. at State Farm Arena, after the Hawks moved their game against Cleveland to 8 p.m. that night. Atlanta must win to force a Game 7, which is scheduled for Halloween at Golden State.
☀️ Sunny with a high of 74° today.
🗳️ A week before Election Day, nearly 2 million early and mail-in votes have been cast in Georgia. You can still vote early through Oct. 30. Find your polling information.
⚖️ Prominent GOP donor Brant Frost IV got 15 years in prison for a Ponzi scheme in which prosecutors said he spent investor money on jewelry, a vacation rental, and political donations.
🔥 A Douglasville man was charged with attempted arson after allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at the ICE field office in Downtown Atlanta.
ELSEWHERE
🇮🇱 Israelis are voting in record numbers today in the first national election since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks. Follow live events here.
🇺🇸🇮🇷 The vote comes in the wake of a CNN report that President Donald Trump rebuffed Netanyahu’s push for a pre-election strike on Iran.
⚖️ Federal prosecutors charged former FBI Director James Comey with authorizing a 2016 classified leak to The New York Times, the third criminal case against him in about a year.
🤖 Claude maker Anthropic filed for what may be the largest IPO ever. The prospectus warned investors that its models could pose “catastrophic or existential risks to humanity.”
⚾️ The Brewers beat the Rays 10-1 to take a 3-0 lead in the World Series. Game 4 is tonight in St. Petersburg, FL, at 8 p.m. (FOX).
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• ‘NU AFRICANS’ at Hammonds House
• TrustDALE
• ‘Forever chemicals’ in GA water
• Upcoming Events
AND
• Volunteer Opportunities
📅 Did you know that it’s already “school-shopping” season in Atlanta? Be sure to include Ben Franklin Academy among the private high school options for your student and learn about our mastery curriculum model, individualized instruction, flexible learning times, and impressive college placement record. Register for Open Houses Nov. 11 & Dec. 3. SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. Crowning the women of ‘NU AFRICANS’ at Hammonds House
VIA SKETCHBOOK, A WEEKLY ARTS NEWSLETTER | SUBSCRIBE
📷 When “NU AFRICANS” debuted in 2020, the pandemic forced the show online. Now it’s back at the Hammonds House Museum through Dec. 13, with roughly 30 portraits of Black women.
The exhibition features work by mixed-media artist Maurice Evans, who photographed the subjects, and sculptor Grace Kisa, who dressed them.
Before sketching a single costume idea, Kisa did homework. She and Evans watched documentaries and dug into the history of women warriors in Africa, the Caribbean, and the United States.
🌍 Read Sherri Daye Scott’s feature story here.
Atlanta’s Trusted Source for Orthopedic Care
SPONSORED BY PEACHTREE ORTHOPEDICS
🍂 The last thing anybody has time for is an injury that disrupts their week. But, Peachtree Orthopedics is here to make life easier.
For 70 years, we’ve been committed to helping Atlantans return to the activities they love. At our 11 convenient locations, we have 42 leading physicians, all of whom are fellowship-trained, with specialties in every body part.
Injured in the evening or on the weekend? Skip the ER. Our UrgentORTHO clinic offers same-day, evening, and Saturday hours.
➞ It’s time to get back to doing what you love. Peachtree Orthopedics is here to help you Get Better.
2. Battling bamboo and kudzu: Why cutting vines isn’t enough
TOGETHER WITH TRUSTDALE
🎋 You plant a little bamboo at the edge of your yard as a fast and easy privacy fence. Next thing you know, it’s everywhere. Or you start to notice kudzu spreading in your yard.
So you pay someone to clear it out. The crew hacks it all down, hauls it off, and your yard looks great. A few weeks later? It’s creeping right back.
Here’s why: Cutting kudzu vines or pruning back bamboo takes care of what you can see, but the roots underground are still alive and ready to push out new growth. A cleanup can look finished long before the plant is actually gone.
🐌 Learn more about how to battle bamboo and kudzu from TrustDALE.
🗓️ TMS in days, not weeks. Breakthru’s accelerated TMS protocols, including ONE-D and AMPLIFI, allow eligible patients to complete treatment in just two days. Learn more. SPONSOR MESSAGE
3. Harmful ‘forever chemicals’ found across Georgia water systems
🧪 Several water systems in Georgia have tested positive for contamination with PFAS, so-called “forever chemicals” that can last decades in the environment.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, have historically been used in the manufacturing of products that are nonstick, water- and oil-repellent, and are found in things like firefighting foam and sewage from airports.
These chemicals can enter the environment through discharge by manufacturers into the water and the air, can spread from wastewater treatment plants, or migrate as PFAS-heavy products break down in landfills.
➡ Read more in this story from GPB.
4. Upcoming Events
SPONSORED BY ATLANTA BELTLINE
🩺 Walk with a Doc this Sat., Oct. 31, at Rodney Cook Sr. Park. Free walk, women’s health talk, and free screenings from Piedmont Healthcare. Register now.
🥙 A Taste of Israel culinary roadshow; today from noon-3 p.m. at the Marcus Jewish Community Center.
🍝 Halloween Pasta Classes; tonight at 7 p.m. at Bellina Alimentari.
🇨🇺 Buena Vista Social Club; tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Fox Theatre.
🏀 Atlanta Hawks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers; Thurs., Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. at State Farm Arena.
🎸 Sammy Rae & The Friends; Fri., Oct. 30 at 8 p.m. at The Eastern.
💥 Black Atlanta Comic Expo; Sat., Oct. 31 and Sun., Nov. 1 at 10 a.m. at Crowne Plaza Atlanta NE.
📧 Find out how you can get your event featured in Rough Draft. For more events, visit RoughDraftAtlanta.com/events.
🏈 Join the City of Chamblee for the last 3rd Spot Watch Party of the season between UGA and Ole Miss on Sat., Nov. 7. Wear your team colors, bring your friends, and make Chamblee your college football destination. SPONSOR MESSAGE
5. Volunteer Opportunities
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HANDS ON ATLANTA
🥔 First African Community Development Corporation (pictured) is looking for volunteers for its food pantry and distribution event tomorrow morning in Decatur. Expect to sort, pack, and distribute uncooked food to the community.
🪴 No Limits Community Development Corporation is looking for volunteers at the Urban Community Garden on Friday morning in Atlanta. Come and help with planting, weeding, harvesting, and cleanup.
🗻 EcoAddendum is hosting a volunteer event at Stone Mountain Trail on Sunday morning in Scottdale. Volunteers will help remove kudzu and other invasive plants.
🔤 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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