Morning, y’all! Expect temperatures in the low 80s today, with rain moving in for the rest of the week thanks to Hurricane Francine.
- Today’s newsletter offers plenty of coverage of last night’s debate, which somehow lacked a question about school shootings but did trigger a Taylor Swift endorsement.
More on that — plus Cobb County drama, Rich Homie Quan and the best biscuits in town — momentarily. But first: a string of struggles for Delta and other big Atlanta businesses.
***
BAD BREAK
Credit: John Spink/AJC
Credit: John Spink/AJC
A Delta plane clipped another, much smaller plane Tuesday on the runway at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, nearly snapping the smaller plane’s tail clean off.
Officials said nobody suffered injuries, but it was a frightening ordeal nonetheless — and not a good look!
In fact, it has been an … interesting few months for several of Atlanta’s biggest brands. Let’s recap, shall we?
Delta: While we’re on Atlanta’s pet airline, let’s not forget about the July technology outage that grounded or dramatically delayed thousands of flights nationwide. Delta’s still hashing things out with CrowdStrike but figures it lost more than half a billion dollars (and a whole lot of goodwill).
- About two weeks ago, two workers died when a tire exploded in a maintenance hangar near the airport.
Norfolk Southern: The Midtown-based railroad had started putting the big 2023 derailment in Ohio behind it — but now its CEO is under investigation for possible ethical lapses.
- According to some reports, Alan Shaw is expected to step down.
UPS: Earlier this year, everyone’s favorite brown-themed delivery service announced it was cutting about 12,000 management-level jobs. On Monday, it announced more layoffs, though the scope remains unclear.
- CEO Carol Tomé called 2023 “a difficult and disappointing year,” business wise.
Waffle House: A wholly different situation, but Waffle House president and CEO Walt Ehmer died this week after what his family deemed “an incredible, and at times miraculous, fight against cancer.”
- Ehmer was just 58 years old. Succession plans haven’t yet been made public.
Otherwise, honorable mentions go to the still-struggling local film industry and Texas-based AT&T, whose failure to reach a deal with striking communications workers continues causing issues for some Atlanta-area customers.
But fret not, friends! Georgia is still the No. 1 place to do business!
Not signed up yet? What’re you waiting for? Get A.M. ATL in your inbox each weekday morning. And keep scrolling for more news.
***
GLOVES OFF
Several hours after many Barrow County students completed their first day of school since last week’s shooting at Apalachee High, the presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump produced nary a gun-related question.
Trump — whose campaign held a watch party at a metro Atlanta shooting range — did briefly reference Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and repeat lies about the 2020 election. He also pushed conspiracy theories about immigrants eating people’s pets in Ohio.
Harris called Trump “a disgrace” and focused on economics and reproductive rights.
- So did it change the dynamics of the race? “I did not see any major mistakes from Harris,” UGA political scientist Audrey Haynes told the AJC. “She did bait him, but did so in a way that seemed rational, fact-based and often used his own words and actions.”
A special post-debate Politically Georgia podcast is live now. Make sure to check out photos from local watch parties, too.
***
LOCAL INTRIGUE
» Cobb County commissioners declared colleague Jerica Richardson’s seat vacant on Tuesday, a few weeks after a court struck down locally drawn redistricting maps.
» In Gwinnett, a judge dismissed two lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the new city of Mulberry.
***
ON-SET ACCUSATIONS
In a lawsuit filed in Fulton County, an extra who worked on Francis Ford Coppola’s Atlanta-filmed “Megalopolis” accuses the famed director of unwanted kissing, touching and sexual harassment.
- An attorney for Coppola told the AJC there was “nothing to say at this time.”
***
QUESTIONS REMAIN
Atlanta police released a few new details in the death of rapper Rich Homie Quan.
The 33-year-old’s brother reportedly found him passed out at home in the middle of the night and put him on the sofa. His girlfriend discovered him unresponsive a few hours later.
- More from “Heat Check” by DeAsia Page: Death creates another void in Atlanta’s rap prowess
***
SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS
» Braves: After starting pitcher Reynaldo Lopez left the game early with shoulder tightness, the offense exploded to provide a 12-0 win over the Nationals. Also, the Mets lost.
» Dream: A 76-64 home loss to the Lynx put a serious damper on Atlanta’s playoff hopes.
» Falcons: After Sunday’s loss to the Steelers, head coach Raheem Morris again defended his decision not to play starters in exhibition games. Columnist Ken Sugiura says he better figure out the offense in a hurry.
***
BISCUIT BOSS
Credit: Erika Council
Credit: Erika Council
Erika Council of the Bomb Biscuit Co. in Old Fourth Ward made the “Food & Wine” list of best new chefs. The group of 13 includes “leaders at the stove, creating food that is innovative, disruptive, highly personal and delicious.”
- More food coverage: Gullah chef shares recipe, memories of crab rice
***
MORE TO EXPLORE
» Man gets prison in Christmas day wreck that killed 6-year-old
» Lin Wood fined $105K for social media posts about ex-colleagues
» “Seinfeld” creator Larry David will discuss career at Fox Theatre
» Nedra Rhone: How to combat the loneliness epidemic
***
ON THIS DATE
Sept. 11, 2001
An early afternoon edition of The Atlanta Journal highlighted one of America’s darkest days: “Today was another day that shall forever live in infamy as terror rained from the sky in New York and Washington.”
Events around metro Atlanta will mark today’s anniversary.
Credit: File photo
Credit: File photo
***
PHOTO OF THE DAY
An Associated Press photographer captured families of American service members killed during the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan as their loved ones posthumously received the Congressional Gold Medal in Washington, D.C.
***
ONE MORE THING
Let’s close things out with some business news. Kelly Yamanouchi reports that robots are proliferating at local distribution centers — and may well be filling your online orders.
And that might explain why a book I ordered recently came in a box big enough for a microwave …
***
Thanks for reading to the very bottom of A.M. ATL. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact me at tyler.estep@ajc.com.
Until next time.
About the Author
