Wednesday
June 23—Good morning, Atlanta!
Chad Radford here. We know you have a lot of choices on where to spend your four minutes this morning, so we are really grateful you're here with us. Your local eyes are supporting local journalism and we can't tell you how important that is. 🎉
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⛅ It's June in the South, so the weather is bonkers. Sunny today, but then mostly cloudy and partly cloudy for the next few days. At least that's what my weather app tells me. 82° today—I'll take it over the dangerous 108°-112° temps our fellow Americans are seeing out west.
🎼 At any rate, it’s a good week for some Beethoven and chill. GPB just announced the launch of GPB Classical, a digital 24-hour classical radio station, funded through a multi-year donation from a supporter in Macon.
So that’s a thing! GPB Classical will also roll out on all the apps and, in certain markets, an HD2 frequency.
🏆 Speaking of maestros, Nate McMillian is conducting a masterpiece season for the Atlanta Hawks. The Eastern Conference Finals begin tonight when the Hawks face the Milwaukee Bucks in Wisconsin. 8 p.m. (TV: TNT)
There are six stories In today's Draft. We look at the examination of new DNA evidence in the Atlanta child murders case, some new initiatives to make our roads safer, and a new food court at Colony Square. Plus, it's Wednesday, so we have a coffee spotlight.
Dive in and have a great day!
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1. Waiting for answers and not totally sure why
👮🏿 In 2019, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced that new DNA testing of evidence in the Atlanta Child Murders was in the works, along with a City Hall memorial dedicated to the victims. The memorial has progressed through City Council review, but DNA testing has gone quiet.
Between 1979-1981, at least 25 African American children and adults were found dead around metro Atlanta, including Brookhaven and Buckhead. Wayne Williams is serving a life sentence for two of the killings and is suspected of committing most of the others. Williams maintains his innocence. Some police officers and journalists have suggested others were involved, possibly including the Ku Klux Klan.
If you are unfamiliar with the story, the Atlanta Monster podcast is an excellent place to learn more.
In January 2021, the Atlanta Police Department said that testing would begin within 60 days, but now it’s on hold.
“The investigation remains open and we are awaiting approval for funding to cover the DNA testing of our evidence in this case,” Officer Steve Avery, an APD spokesperson says. “Once the funding is approved, we will submit the evidence to the crime lab and move forward with the testing. We do not have a timeline, at the moment, but are hopeful we will be moving forward with this soon.”
Read more about the case at Reporter Newspapers.
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2. Bad news for auto repair shops
🚧 In a blow to auto repair shops across the region, the Atlanta City Council found money to fix up DeKalb Ave, frequently derided as one of Atlanta's worst roads (and that's saying something!).
On Monday, City Council unanimously approved earmarking $5.4 million for much-need improvements to DeKalb Ave., Decatur St., and other safety-related expenses, from Jackson St. to Ridgecrest Rd. Projects include removing DeKalb Ave’s reversible lane, adding a dedicated left turn lane, bike lanes, road resurfacing, and sidewalk repairs. Work is slated to begin this summer.
“The improvements coming to DeKalb Avenue are important to our administration’s plan for safer streets,” Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said. “Making the road inclusive for drivers, bike riders and pedestrians will give all residents more secure ways to get around and ultimately make our City safer.”
Soon, when you leave Fox Bros. BBQ and your stomach is bursting, the drive home won't make things worse.
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3. Take a walk downtown
🚴 Taking Mayor Bottoms’ goals of making the road inclusive for drivers, bike riders, and pedestrians to other parts of the city, on June 22, the Department of City Planning launched a demo for the Peachtree Shared Space Study. The project encourages walking, biking and transit as the primary modes of transportation, while allowing cars to drive through at slow speeds.
“This is just the beginning of a cultural shift of how we use public space in the city,” says Monique Forte, the Department of City Planning’s project manager for this study. “We want to test it to make tweaks along the way, so we can create a space that embodies the culture of our city and a beautiful experience for all of the users of this space.”
Phase 1 of the demo was implemented on Peachtree Street between Baker and Ellis Streets. Additional space will be created for pedestrians by using paint striping, planters and wheel stops, as well as creating a new mid-block crossing at Peachtree Center.
“The demonstration project will allow us to give space back to people, rather than focus solely on vehicles, and fulfill a need for more public spaces in our city,” said Commissioner of City Planning Tim Keane. “As we experience a new wave of growth, we need Peachtree Street, and all of our public spaces, to be recreated as exceptionally designed places for all people every day.”
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4. Colony Square food hall
The new Politan Row food hall at Colony Square in Midtown hosts a grand opening weekend June 25-27.
Enjoy food and drinks from Bar Politan, Belli Pizzeria, Bun Mi Grill, Federal Burger, Gekko, Locale Cafe, Pretty Little Tacos, Tandoori Pizza & Wings, Unbelibubble, and YOM.
The celebration kicks off Friday morning at 10:30 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and remarks by officials. At 11 a.m., the food hall opens with entertainment and interactive experiences.
On Saturday, June 26, the food hall opens during regular operating hours (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.) and all-day acoustic entertainment will be performed in The Plaza while foodies get a taste of the many flavors available from the food hall’s chef-driven concepts. At 8 p.m., the energy picks up during a live DJ performance by Yvonne Monet.
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💘 Don't forget to tell your friends about the Draft. Use <<RH_REFLINK>> to enter our June 23 drawing for a $50 gift card! One entry per every 5 friends who subscribe!
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5. What's filming in Georgia?
Stranger Things is back in business! The cast and crew spent last week filming in Jackson, GA’s town square, transforming it into the show’s fictional town of Hawkins, IN.
As usual, the show is teeming with ‘80s nostalgia, so don’t be surprised if you see the Surfer Boy pizza van (pictured above, courtesy Filming in Georgia) in traffic, hauling some new cast members around the area. Something tells me they aren't delivering pizzas.
Stranger Things Season 4 is still in production. No release date has been announced yet.
The new Apple TV+ thriller Echo 3 began production in Sharpsburg earlier this month. The 10-episode series follows Amber Chesborough (Jessica Ann Collins), a scientist who goes missing along the Colombia-Venezuela border. Her brother (Luke Evans) and husband (Michiel Huisman) must track her down amid layers of drama, set against the backdrop of a secret war.
The series will be shot in both English and Spanish and is based on the Israeli series When Heroes Fly, created by Omri Givon and loosely based on a novel of the same name by Amir Gutfreund. Mark Boal (Zero Dark Thirty, The Hurt Locker) is writing and executive producing.
The production was spotted in several locations around Atlanta the week of June 7 under the production code “Longboard,” but has since moved to Coweta County. Most recently, the crew set up shop at NCG Cinema in Sharpsburg, about an hour outside of Atlanta. The series will continue shooting in Georgia till the end of the month, when it moves to Colombia for the rest of the year.
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6. Coffee spotlight: Buteco
☕ Brazilian street eats, quality coffee, and some of the city’s most creative cocktails—Buteco has it all.
Located in Grant Park's The Beacon complex, Buteco fosters a tightly-knit community around weekly live music, dance parties, and an array of Latin libations.
“Buteco” means “bodega” in Portuguese. The name represents owner Rafael Pereira’s mission to provide “a little bit of everything” to Buteco’s customers. Stop by earlier in the day for a cup of house blend coffee from Chicago’s Intelligentsia. Pay a visit in the evening to knock back a cachaça (a Brazilian spirit made from fermented sugarcane juice).
When it comes to food, you can't go wrong with Buteco’s savory bites, which include crispy tapioca tots, pulled chicken croquettes, and corn and cheese rissole. We also think they may have the best egg sandwich in town (Sunday brunch only).
During the pandemic, Buteco expanded its menu to include new items such as “feijoada,” Brazil’s version of soul food. More new items are on the way. Meantime, every new recipe is taste-tested and tweaked by Pereira’s mother (is there a better stamp of approval?), and the restaurant will have a brand new kitchen built this winter.
As life returns to normal, Buteco is revamping many of its regular festivities. Many, like Friday's "Smiling Hour," are curated by DJ and tastemaker Mike Zarin. In February, the shop hosts the greatest Carnivàle celebration in town.
Rough Draft's guide to local coffee is cataloging the metro area’s scene. What’s your favorite coffee shop?
Drop us a line over on Instagram and let us know!
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