A.M. ATL: 📺 Murder TV

Morning, y’all! Expect plenty more rain today, with temperatures hovering in the low- to mid-60s.

Otherwise, we’ve got intel on early struggles with the state’s school voucher program, arena-opening issues in Athens and the Cobb County police shooting that left a pet dog dead. The latest on UGA’s injured quarterback, too.

But first: Time for a television vibe check.

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HEADED TO HULU

Credit: Joshua Boucher/The State, via TNS

Credit: Joshua Boucher/The State, via TNS

At one point in my life, I was an undiagnosed “Law & Order” addict. I listened to first couple seasons of “Serial.” I spent the first several years of my career writing almost exclusively about crime and death and sorrow.

So … I get it.

But can we, as a society, maybe chill out a little bit with the murder TV?

I say this in response to an article from my AJC colleague Rodney Ho, who reports that Hulu’s developing a scripted series about the Murdaughs: the well-to-do South Carolina family very recently plagued by fraud and murder.

Like I said … I get the appeal! Hollywood loves a rich white Southerner almost as much as it loves true crime. A rich white Southerner convicted of killing his wife and son? During a nationally televised trial?

That’s a recipe for ratings gold. But it also gives me the icks.

My guiding journalistic philosophy is, essentially, “tell good stories.” That’s about it. That’s all I’ve ever really wanted to do. But there’s also a line somewhere — considerations about exploiting or profiting off other people’s pain.

I’m not here to be preachy. I am a little grumpy, though. And perhaps it’s the recency factor that’s bothering me about this one.

But what I’m asking, really, is this: Can we focus on TV shows that land somewhere between “real people have their lives ended” and “hot Hallmark snowman comes to life”?

Please?

Shoot me an email and let me know if I’m on target or way off base. And if you’re not signed up to get A.M. ATL in your inbox each weekday morning, what’re you waiting for?

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GOLD DOME GOALS

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns (R-Newington) sat down with the AJC to discuss legislative priorities ahead of the General Assembly’s 2025 session, which starts Jan. 13.

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SCHOOL SNAFUS

One of last year’s big Republican initiatives, meanwhile, is off to a rocky start.

The state twice posted then removed a list of low-performing schools where students are eligible to apply for a new voucher program that would help pay for private school tuition elsewhere.

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CRIME WATCH

» The man who lost his mother, his young children and their mother in a suspected DeKalb County murder-suicide spoke to the AJC, calling the incident “world-ending.”

» Police in Rome believe a hoax bomb threat targeting U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene came from Russia.

» Cobb County police released body camera footage from a recent shooting in which officers responding to a 911 call killed a family’s dog. Chief Stuart VanHoozer says the officers feared for their lives.

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ARENA ANXIETY

Credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

Credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

Athens’ shiny new arena was supposed to open last week. One problem: it hasn’t passed final inspections, and has no certificate of occupancy.

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DATA, DATA EVERYWHERE

Great news, South Fulton: a developer wants to build another mall-sized data center in your backyard. We’re talking 59 acres of computer servers within a couple miles of similarly massive projects by Microsoft and others.

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OPINION PENDING

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

Officially, Georgia quarterback Carson Beck hurt his throwing elbow, is “seeking treatment options” and has no timetable for return. Other media reports suggest he’s getting a second opinion after initial tests showed an injury to his ulnar collateral ligament.

That’s the one that sometimes forces baseball players to get Tommy John surgery.

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‘FAT KID FOOD’

Maybe I’m just cold and hungry but … the menu at new Reynoldstown restaurant Small Fry looks to die for. Co-owner Omar Ferrer calls it “fat kid food” and “anything you can fry, with an Italian twang.”

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MORE TO EXPLORE

» Freed after 26 years in prison, Georgia man sues county, investigators

» Atlanta radical group leader sentenced for working with Russian agent

» Atlanta startup wins a $1M Pharrell-backed prize

» EPA bans cancer-causing chemicals used in dry cleaning

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ON THIS DATE

Dec. 10, 1930

Eastern Air Transport officially launched the first passenger plane service between Atlanta and New York (though the photos suggest a bumpy ride awaited anyone willing to hop on).

Readers of a certain age will remember the company later known as Eastern Air Lines as a major force in the industry before it dissolved in 1991.

Credit: File photo

Credit: File photo

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PHOTO OF THE DAY

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

AJC photographer Arvin Temkar recently captured George and Dorothy Williams inside their newly rebuilt Atlanta home. Filmmaker Tyler Perry helped cover renovation costs after the couple fell victim to a repair scam.

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ONE MORE THING

Fun fact: AJC columnist Bill Torpy is certainly a grump-o-saurus rex sometimes — but he’s a softie, too! As proof, here’s a delightful little clip of him putting up Christmas decorations.

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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.