A.M. ATL: An elegy for the ‘free fridge’

Morning, y’all! Another scorcher today, with high humidity and temperatures in the mid-90s.

News wise, we’ve got new details on The Stitch, the workers killed at a Delta maintenance shop and arrests in a nationwide “swatting” ring targeting elected officials. Plus: When you’re a bit of an icon at two schools, who do you pull for when they play each other?

But first, the harsh reality of helping out.

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NOT ENOUGH?

Credit: Tyler Estep/AJC

Credit: Tyler Estep/AJC

The “free fridge” was a noble idea born of humbling circumstances.

With COVID-19 and the price of groceries simultaneously surging, it became a place for more fortunate folks to leave food — a few extras picked up at the store, home cooked meals, those granola bars their kid refused to try — for neighbors in need. No rigmarole, or red tape, or questions asked.

There were at least six at one point, in various neighborhoods and cities around Atlanta. My colleague Nedra Rhone wrote about them in 2022.

Now they’ve all pulled the plug. Or just about.

Late Tuesday, organizers announced (and Decaturish first reported) that the last fridge standing would close Saturday. It’s nestled inside a bright yellow shed on the property of North Decatur Presbyterian Church, just east of that city’s limits.

It’s also my neighborhood.

I won’t get too deep into the drama that’s developed in recent months, mostly on Facebook (of course). Amid legitimate concerns, some ugliness arose. But mostly my neighbors (and especially the volunteers running the thing) tried real hard to make it work.

And, frankly, it did.

Too well, in the estimation of Rev. David Lewicki. The pastor at North Decatur offered this on Facebook and gave me permission to share:

“The number of people it attracted, and the various life issues that some Fridge patrons brought with them, provoked concern from residents, businesses and the school the church houses.

“There is no way for the church to address these deep, difficult issues without help from a broader social service continuum — mental health, truly affordable housing, and police. Those services in DeKalb County are unable to mobilize effectively at this time, which is a failure of our public leadership.”

Amen, brother. And it’s not just DeKalb.

Related AJC coverage:

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PIECING IT TOGETHER

Credit: Central Atlanta Progress

Credit: Central Atlanta Progress

Officials say The Stitch — that Downtown Connector-capping green space — is definitely still happening. And freshly revealed designs suggest the first phase will include a pedestrian plaza with a pollinator garden, plus concessions and a water feature.

Expect it by 2029. Or maybe 2030.

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DELTA DISASTER

Mirko Marweg, one of two workers killed this week when a tire exploded at a Delta maintenance facility, worked for the airline for 20 years. He planned to retire next spring.

“He helped anybody out,” his wife told the AJC. “He was a loving father and a loving husband, loving brother.”

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COBB CONTROVERSY

Cobb County officials gave up the fight against a state-drawn electoral map. That leaves Commissioner Jerica Richardson living outside her district — but it’s unclear what happens next. And when.

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ON THE TRAIL

Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz kicked off their South Georgia bus tour with stops at a Liberty County High School band practice and a barbecue joint near Savannah.

The Democratic duo will rally in Savannah this afternoon before their first joint interview airs at 9 p.m. on CNN.

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SWATTING SUSPECTS

Federal authorities charged two men from Eastern Europe with making hoax bomb threats and false emergency reports aimed at creating chaos for dozens of public officials.

The “swatting” incidents targeted at least four Georgia state senators, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

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JACKETS VS. PANTHERS

Credit: AJC File Photo

Credit: AJC File Photo

Saturday’s game is the first matchup between Georgia Tech and Georgia State, whose campuses sit a few wind sprints away from each other. So who is Bill Curry, the Yellow Jacket legend and founding father of Panthers football, rooting for?

“I think it’ll be fun to watch for everybody except me,” Curry told AJC columnist Ken Sugiura.

More sports highlights:

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FAMILY BUSINESS

Jonnetta Patton, mother to R&B superstar Usher, chatted with UATL’s Christopher A. Daniel about J’s Smokehouse, her brand new Doraville-based barbecue food trailer.

How does a Cajun fried chicken sandwich topped with mac-n-cheese, yams and broccoli slaw sound?

» Only vaguely related: Who’s ready for an André 3000 film?

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MORE TO EXPLORE

» Suspect in pregnant Gwinnett teen’s murder granted bond

» Another juror excused from Young Thug trial

» Georgia colleges prep for protests as war continues

» Monica Pearson talks with Georgia Tech’s president

» Black Atlanta entrepreneurs share struggles at ‘family meeting’

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ON THIS DATE

Aug. 29, 2005

Hurricane Katrina made landfall in New Orleans, producing catastrophic flooding and ultimately claiming nearly 1,400 lives.

Many evacuees and other survivors became accidental Atlantans.

Credit: File photo

Credit: File photo

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PHOTO OF THE DAY

Credit: John Spink/AJC

Credit: John Spink/AJC

AJC photographer John Spink captured the aftermath of a DeKalb County school bus crash that left 19 kids with minor injuries.

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ONE MORE THING

Meet Mary Webb, a brain cancer survivor and UGA freshman who’s paying it forward with a T-shirt set to be sold at Saturday’s big matchup between the Bulldogs and the Tigers.

“This is not just a game for me,” she said. “It is so much more than that.”

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Thanks for reading to the very bottom of A.M. ATL. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact me at tyler.estep@ajc.com.

Until next time.