Morning, y’all! A while ago we talked about pollen, and the A.M. ATL family had questions. For one, how did the pollen count get so high over the years? We finally have some answers. On the bright side, Atlanta has a lot of trees! About 25 different species of trees in Atlanta release pollen. On the not-so-bright side, climate change has stretched the pollen season way longer than it used to be. However, there is an actual solution that doesn’t involve living in a plastic bubble! It has to do with what kind of trees we plant.
Let’s get to it.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE ECONOMY?
Whether one sees the Trump administration’s tariff wars as economic destruction or economic growing pains, the facts are clear: International markets are down and financial uncertainty is way up. What does it all mean? Only time will tell.
🐻 A potential bear market: On Wall Street, a bear market happens when an index such as the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones Industrial Average falls 20% or more from a recent high and stays there for a certain period of time.
- The last bear market happened in 2022, but investors are worried that uncertainty from the ongoing tariff wars could lead to a long sink.
- Fun fact of the day (on such a fun subject!): Down markets are called bear markets because bears hibernate. Active, optimistic bull markets are called that because bulls charge. I would like a dependable and resilient market. A honey badger market, if you will.
📉 Recession worries: Economists at Goldman Sachs raised their odds that the U.S. will experience a recession to 45%, up from 35% last week.
- How do we know if we’re in a recession? Experts note clear signs, like rising job losses, unemployment and bankruptcies. Then, there are secondary signs, like consumer habits. One economist noted to the AJC that, of all things, trips to Las Vegas are slightly down.
💸 More to come? President Donald Trump threatened additional tariffs on China if the country follows through with planned retaliatory tariffs against the U.S.
- The problem is, not only is a large section of American retail behavior anchored by Chinese products, but also China could simply turn away from the U.S. and offer cheaply-made products elsewhere to build new international trade relationships.
The AJC’s business team wants to know:
Are you doing things differently to prepare for possible economic pains? Are you cutting spending, and how? Are you trying to make big purchases in case prices go up later? Drop a line to business reporter Mirtha Donastorg. Remember to include your name and where you’re from. Your input may be used in a future AJC story.
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.
RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY
More nasty weather has been blighting the Georgia area, which is a great vibe for writing newsletters but not so much for, say, attending the Masters in Augusta.
- Rain washed out the first day of practice at the tournament, and patrons were asked to leave the grounds before noon. The course was closed for the rest of the day.
- Severe storms are being blamed for the death of a former Columbus police officer and his father, who were crushed by a falling tree in Muscogee County.
NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN AUGUSTA
In other golf news, Tiger Woods is bringing more golf greatness to Augusta! Augusta National announced the five-time Masters champ will design a par-3 course at the renovated Augusta Municipal Golf Course, which provides a less pricey alternative for local golfers. Woods’ foundation will also build an educational center for local public school students.
MARCH MADNESS BRINGS APRIL CONFETTI SHOWERS
The University of Florida claimed its third men’s NCAA basketball championship last night. With a deviousness the SEC knows well, the Gators rallied late and won a thriller — denying an intense, focused Houston team a final three-pointer and their first title.
- This was the first SEC basketball title since Kentucky in 2012.
- A record 14 SEC teams were invited to March Madness this year, and two reached the Final Four.
Could the men and women’s tournaments be combined? That’s the word on the street. The NCAA’s top brass have been discussing the idea of a joint NCAA showcase that could increase revenue opportunities. Some also think it could increase gender parity as women’s college basketball enjoys a continued surge of fans.
MUST-KNOW POLITICS AND BUSINESS
🗳️ Georgia’s Public Service Commission is facing its first election since 2020. The all-Republican regulatory board oversees electricity and utility rates for much of the state and went without an election for years due to a redistricting court battle that raised questions about fair election policies.
🏅 Here are the winners and losers from Georgia’s 2025 legislative session. We’ll talk more about its effects later this week.
✈️ Delta is making a $16.5 million contribution to Clayton County, where it operates its Atlanta hub. The money will be used to support the county’s education and workforce development.
💸 The U.S. Department of Labor fined BioLab $61,000 following an investigation that found that improperly stored hazardous chemicals caused a fire at the company’s Conyers facility seven months ago.
NEWS BITES
American YouTuber who left a Diet Coke can for an isolated tribe on an island is arrested
It’s just a recipe for bad karma. (Also, anyone remember “The Gods Must Be Crazy?” That movie already had a sequel, man. It doesn’t need another.)
If you’re sluggish in the morning, more protein will change your life. Trust me.
Scientists genetically engineer wolves with white hair and muscular jaws like the extinct dire wolf
The last time we genetically engineered wolves we got pugs and tiny nervous chihuahuas, so let’s rethink this, hmm?
Dwight Howard and Maya Moore named to the Basketball Hall of Fame
Two metro Atlanta legends! You love to see it.
ON THIS DATE
April 8, 1974
From the front page of The Atlanta Journal: It’s over: Hammerin’ Hank Stands All Alone at 715. And then there was one. After 2,966 other games, after 11,294 other times at bat and, yes, 714 other home runs, Hank Aaron stands alone and not even the mighty, legendary Ruth can touch him.
Hank Aaron’s record-breaking, history-making home run got lovely coverage in the paper. (You’ll notice the date is April 9, obviously, the morning after his feat.)
ONE MORE THING
I got to interview Hank Aaron a few years before his death, and no, I’m not above bragging about it! You meet a lot of people when you work in the news business, so the idea of celebrity very quickly loses its luster. But Mr. Aaron filled up a room. Not just because he was enormous and bear-strong, even in his 80s, but because he had about him that mythological gravity of greatness you don’t believe is real until you’re standing in its pull.
He spoke about growing up in poverty in Alabama and about the racism he faced in his beloved sport. Though he was frank, it was clear he did not allow himself or his greatness to be diminished by hate or hardship. Truly one of a kind.
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.
