Concert refund?
Monday, Nov. 9 — Georgia reclaimed the No. 1 spot in the AP Top 25 on Sunday after a 42-7 rout of Ole Miss in Oxford, earning 53 of 70 first-place votes. The Bulldogs were No. 2 in last week’s College Football Playoff rankings, which will be updated tomorrow night.
☀️ Sunny and 72° today.
🚰 Water service is back on in McCaysville following last week’s devastating flooding, but city officials said it should only be used for flushing toilets.
🦏 Zoo Atlanta’s 2-year-old female southern white rhino, Zuri, died Friday following a brief illness.
🤬 TMZ reported that a backstage argument between Usher and Chris Brown delayed their Nov. 5 Atlanta show, and fans have since launched a petition demanding refunds or a make-up concert.
🏘️ The Georgia Secretary of State’s Office held hearings last week on rules for a new law letting homeowners challenge HOA fines and fees through a state complaint process instead of court.
🚧 GDOT will hold a public information open house tomorrow from 5-7 p.m. about a proposal to replace the Peters Street bridge.
🏈 The Falcons fell 34-17 to the Bengals at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium yesterday, dropping to 3-6. Atlanta hosts Kansas City on Sun., Nov. 15.
🥇 Paideia sophomore Emma Gay won the GHSA Private girls cross country title. Mount Vernon took the team crown over Wesleyan and Pace. Westminster, St. Pius X, Marist, and Atlanta Classical also won team titles. See full results.
ELSEWHERE
🏛️ In Washington:
- Congress returns today for its post-election lame duck session.
- House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he was a “hard yes” on GOP Rep. Thomas Massie’s resolution to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
- President Donald Trump told “60 Minutes” his deportation policy was “too tough” and cost Republicans midterm votes. Watch full interview.
- Today is immigration hard-liner Stephen Miller’s first day as White House Chief of Staff.
🪧 Police arrested three people in Philadelphia yesterday as a boycott of six Jewish-owned restaurants drew hundreds of protesters and counterprotesters.
🕵️ Nvidia’s board opened an investigation into whether its CEO was targeted by Chinese intelligence after he admitted an affair with a woman linked to one of the chipmaker’s customers.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• Letters Festival
• Upcoming Events
• Global Updates
AND
• Look & Listen
🎶 Violinist Tessa Lark and cellist Joshua Roman join seven-time Grammy winner Edgar Meyer for an evening of virtuosity and genre-crossing artistry. Featuring Meyer’s bluegrass-inspired arrangements, this remarkable trio brings classical and American roots traditions together at the Schwartz Center on Nov. 19. Reserve your seat today. SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. Literary Letters Festival opens tonight
📚 The 13th annual Letters Festival opens tonight at 7 p.m. with a kickoff event from the nonprofit literary organization Lostintheletters.
The festival, which runs through Nov. 14, will bring live readings, writing workshops, discussions, and more to locations around Candler Park and Little Five Points.
Rough Draft’s own dining reporter Sarra Sedghi will be one of the local authors featured in the festival, along with Justin Haynes, Maya Marshall, Victoria Kornick, Nicole Hernandez, Jessamine Chan, Jay Morris, Donna Mintz, Ra’Niqua Lee, and Masha Vlasova.
💌 See details and the lineup here.
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2. Upcoming Events
🍽️ Slow Food Atlanta Snail Trail 2026; tonight, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at JenChan’s.
🏀 College Park Skyhawks vs. Long Island Nets; tomorrow, 7 p.m., at Gateway Center Arena.
🎤 Olivia Rodrigo; Wed., Nov. 11, 7 p.m., at State Farm Arena.
🥁 UB40; Thurs., Nov. 12, 8 p.m., at Center Stage.
📽️ Little Shop of Horrors 40th Anniversary Screening; Fri., Nov. 13, 8 p.m., at Atlanta Symphony Hall.
🍴 Rough Draft Dinner Club; Tue., Nov. 17.
📧 Find out how you can get your event featured in Rough Draft. For more events, visit RoughDraftAtlanta.com/events.
🎁 Invasion: Christmas Carol combines the heart of the beloved classic Dickensian tale with the outrageously unpredictable joy of improv live onstage at Dad’s Garage starting Fri., Nov. 27. Reserve tickets now for an unforgettably twisted holiday experience! SPONSOR MESSAGE
3. Eisenkot tapped to build coalition; Russia-Ukraine peace talks
🇷🇺🇺🇦 Russian, Ukrainian, and U.S. negotiators will meet in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday for their first talks since February. The Kremlin said European envoys would be barred from the room.
🇵🇱 A gunman killed six people in Krakow’s Main Market Square on Saturday in what Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called an act of terrorism. Officials said the 24-year-old suspect held far-right views.
🇵🇾 Paraguay’s Senate unanimously removed President Santiago Peña from office Friday over his ties to a U.S.-owned digital lender whose collapse left millions without access to their money.
🇮🇱 The clock is ticking for Gadi Eisenkot to form Israel’s next government after receiving the mandate yesterday. He rejected another election and invited Likud lawmakers, though not Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to join him.
🇳🇿 New Zealand’s election remains unresolved, with roughly 400,000 special votes uncounted.
🇨🇳 People living in Beijing have until Nov. 15 to surrender their drones as authorities in the Chinese capital tighten restrictions on the technology, citing security concerns.
🇷🇺 Novaya Gazeta, Russia’s last major independent newspaper, ceases operations today under pressure from authorities. Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev helped found the paper in 1993.
🇦🇺 A Melbourne police officer donated his rare antibody-rich blood at all 85 of Australia’s donation centers, a project he started as a way to see the country.
🇦🇷 Pope Leo XIV headed to Argentina on Sunday for a politically delicate visit with President Javier Milei, whose deep social spending cuts have drawn sharp criticism from the Catholic Church.
🗓️ Join the World Affairs Council of Atlanta for Coffee with the Council on Dec. 3, our final in-person program of the year. Meet members, staff, and our Board Chair, make new connections, and enjoy conversation in a relaxed setting. Discover our mission and new ways to engage with Atlanta’s global community. Register today.
💙 Mental health care should be accessible to everyone. We offer affordable, professional counseling through in-office, telehealth, school-based, and community programs. You don’t have to face it alone. Find a therapist today at Summit Counseling Center. SPONSOR MESSAGE
4. ‘The Ron Show’ debuts
🎙️ Digital news organization Heartland Media launched “The Ron Show,” hosted by Georgia radio veteran and podcast host Ron Roberts, on WMLB-AM 1690.
The daily show, in partnership with Georgia NOW, airs in the 5 p.m. primetime drive slot Monday through Friday.
The program covers local governance, civil rights, legislative accountability, and community issues that impact all of Georgia.
🔤 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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