Morning, y’all! Happy Friday, and happy August! (Rabbit rabbit.) We’re cooking up a special Sunday A.M. ATL edition for back-to-school season, with everything you need to know about the upcoming school year in Georgia. We’ll also have expert tips for keeping sane in the chaos of backpacks, paperwork, new routines and school politics. Keep your eyes on your inbox Sunday morning.
Let’s get to it.
CLERK CHARGED AND OTHER GOVERNMENT GOINGS-ON
Cobb County Superior Court Clerk Connie Taylor was hit with two felony charges yesterday, and her actions are tied to a 2022 AJC investigation.
- Taylor was charged with two counts of destruction of public records and two counts of violation of oath of office and indicted by a Cobb County grand jury.
- In 2022, the AJC reported on Taylor taking passport processing fees as personal income, a legal act in Georgia, which put an estimated $425,000 in her pocket over two years.
- When the AJC submitted open records requests related to the story, a whistleblower in her office alleged Taylor had ordered the employee to delete records related to the fees.
- Now, Gov. Brian Kemp can appoint a commission to decide if Taylor should be suspended from her position. If she is convicted of the felonies, she will be removed from office under Georgia law.
🔎 READ MORE: Taylor’s office had a reputation for records issues
We’re back to 2020 again
Meanwhile, three right-wing members of the Georgia State Election Board want the support of President Donald Trump’s Justice Department to revive Republican complaints regarding his 2020 loss in Georgia.
State GOP leaders have signaled they want to move on from the issue, which has turned up no evidence of widespread voter fraud or given credence to Trump’s claims he won the state. However, some in their party don’t want to give it up.
Case closed, maybe
At City Hall, Atlanta’s interim inspector general has rapidly closed a backlog of cases accusing city officials of wrongdoing. However, none of the findings have been made public yet
- Interim Inspector General LaDawn Blackett says the cases aren’t technically closed, which means they can’t be released to the public. Her office needs to send the cases to the group’s governing board before they can be closed.
- One problem: Such a governing board doesn’t exist right now.
Blackett was appointed by Mayor Andre Dickens after a bitter feud between the mayor and the city’s last inspector general.
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DELTA AND ALASKA AIRLINES ARE FIGHTING
It’s sad to see a friendship crumble. Delta and Alaska Airlines used to be allies in the industry, marketing each other’s flights and offering perks to shared customers.
- However, the hotly competitive Seattle air travel market drove the two apart. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is Alaska’s home base, which is being encroached upon by Delta’s growing trans-Pacific presence.
- Alaska recently subpoenaed Delta in a separate lawsuit about the Virgin airline brand. Alaska bought Virgin America in 2016, but Delta has a 49% stake in its counterpart, British Virgin Atlantic.
- Alaska says Virgin, working with Delta, “has repeatedly infringed upon Alaska’s exclusive right to the Virgin trademark in the U.S. to attract customers.”
Yeah, it’s ugly.
🔎 READ MORE: Details on the Delta-Alaska feud and what Delta said about the subpoena
WEEKEND PLANS
What strikes you this weekend, darling? A little early football fun? A family museum date? Atlanta is your oyster.
🏈 First Saturday on the Flats: Georgia Tech football’s fan event includes tailgating games, autographs and kid-friendly activities.
🖼️ Family Saturday at the High: A trip to the High is always a good idea. Also: air conditioning. Say less.
📚 Clarkston Library Book Sale: Stuff as many books in a bag as you can for only $5. Your TBR list is going to hate you for this.
🦖 Movies & Mocktails: Enjoy a double feature of “The Good Dinosaur,” followed by The Bad Dinosaur (aka ”Jurassic Park").
⛱️ Find your weekend vibe: More details on the above and additional end-of-summer inspo right here
Weekend spotlight: Black Writers Weekend
Black Writers Weekend is on at Atlanta’s Auburn Avenue Research Library and Loudermilk Conference Center. The event is hosted by Atlanta author Tamika Jamison, but it isn’t just about writing. Black creators, artists, podcasters and musicians are also welcome to celebrate Black creativity and network with like-minded people. More info here.
MUST-KNOW POLITICS AND BUSINESS
🏋🏼 President Donald Trump wants to revive the Presidential Fitness Test for schoolchildren. The crucible of unquantifiable childhood trauma was sunset in 2012.
💵 Trump set a Friday deadline for tariff deals with key trade partners. While a lot is still uncertain, experts at least think whatever deals get done will act as a precedent for tariff expectations going forward.
MENTAL HEALTH CHECK-IN TIME
I know, I know. It’s silly, it’s too touchy-feely, whatever. I know I’m just some code in your phone. But humor me, OK? It only works if you let it.
Unclench your jaw. Release any tension in your shoulders. Take a deep breath in and out, maybe closing your eyes while doing so. Now say something you’re grateful for today. OK. Thank you. Onwards.
Georgia is near the bottom in a new survey on mental health care access, and a surprising factor is partially to blame.
- Our state is 47th in the nation for access to mental health care, according to Mental Health America’s 2024 The State of Mental Health in America.
- The problem of access also includes a growing language barrier. About 5% have limited English proficiency, which can make finding and keeping care nearly impossible.
🔎 READ MORE: How Georgia can improve its mental health accessibility
Now you may be thinking, “Thanks, AJ, for asking me about my mental health right before a depressing story.” Yes, I apologize. Here, have a cool story about the importance of feel-good walks. Did you know Georgia has two of the top streets for “wellness walks,” according to Assisted Living Magazine?
NEWS BITES
Vote: How many games will Georgia football win this season?
🙂 A billion! 🙂
Peach pizza, fancy anchovy sandwich and other dishes to try this month
Why not? If you can get away with pineapple on pizza, surely peach isn’t too bad.
Capybaras are the latest stars of tourist-loving Helen
Well, now I’m imagining them in lederhosen eating pretzels at Hofbrauhaus.
Atlanta police unveil new uniforms with global flair ahead of World Cup
No lederhosen, though.
ON THIS DATE
Aug. 1, 1948
From the front page of The Atlanta Constitution: Doris Lockerman First Woman Associate Editor. She is, as far as we have been able to learn, the first woman to serve in that capacity on a metropolitan daily newspaper. She is appointed because of her ability, of course. But she is appointed, too, because The Atlanta Constitution recognizes the increasing importance and influence of women in current affairs, and regards this growing influence as wholesome.
Mighty obliged to ya, Doris.
ONE MORE THING
I will spend the weekend contemplating the use of the word “wholesome” in the article above. May go on some wellness walks, too. Lots of mushrooms to look at and small creatures to greet.
Thanks for reading to the very bottom of A.M. ATL. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact us at AMATL@ajc.com.
Until next time.
About the Author
AJ Willingham is an National Emmy, NABJ and Webby award-winning journalist who loves talking culture, religion, sports, social justice, infrastructure and the arts. She lives in beautiful Smyrna-Mableton and went to Syracuse University.
