A.M. ATL: 🗣️ Talk turkey, not politics

Morning, y’all! Expect highs back around 70 degrees today.

• Georgia Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson died Sunday, about nine months after publicly announcing his pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

We also have fresh details from an investigation into the BioLab fire and a look at a podcast diving into the depths of Lake Lanier’s history, plus the latest on UGA football and Atlanta United’s miracle playoff run coming to an end.

But first, a guide to civil conversations.

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DON’T MAKE IT PERSONAL

It’s Thanksgiving week 2024.

We’re fresh off a presidential election that made many people happy — and many others angry, sad or fearful. When you sit down to break bread with your extended family, chances are you’ll probably find a mix of both surrounding you.

So how do you approach politics in a setting like that?

First of all, maybe just don’t! Stick to football, or macaroni and cheese, or cousin Brian’s failure to land a steady girlfriend.

• But if you do find yourself wandering down an ill-advised path, “Politically Georgia” producer extraordinaire Natalie Mendenhall got some tips from Drew Westen, professor emeritus at Emory University and a licensed psychologist.

It’s worth reading their whole conversation. But I’ve included some key pieces for setting the table (and clearing the air) here.

How can we prep for talking politics with family members who disagree with us politically?

The best rule on holidays in an election like this, where the country is so polarized, is to stay clear of politics if you have really divergent opinions around the table. And whatever the holiday, to have a prayer at the beginning. To be thankful for family and for close friends, if they’re there. And regardless of their different opinions, we all share most of the same values at (our) core. We’re thankful for that.

• The cost of your Thanksgiving meal might be a bit cheaper this year
• Pass the gravy? How to navigate Thanksgiving on Ozempic

What if the conversation gets heated, how can we de-escalate?

Have a safe word. You could do this at the beginning of dinner. All of you agree that if a political discussion gets heated, someone says a word or a phrase, something — it could be “George Washington” — and then everyone knows to stop the political conversation.

What if you’re the one that ended up making politics personal, how do you apologize?

Your point about apologizing is actually really important. I mean, to maintain relationships, there are really two phrases you really have to be able to say genuinely — that is, thank you and I’m really sorry.

You know, and if you can’t say those two things, you’re not going to be able to maintain relationships. Be able to say to someone, “You know what? I’m really sorry. I crossed the line with that comment and I didn’t mean to make this personal about you, but it’s so personal to me.”

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THE WEEK AHEAD

Atlanta voters cast ballots at their Election Day polling place, the Don And Mary Ellen Harp Student Center.

✅ Today: Early voting in Dec. 3 runoffs continues. A total of 16 local positions are up for grabs, including spots on the Atlanta City Council and DeKalb County commission.

• The Hawks pay tribute to the late Dikembe Mutombo during their game against the Mavericks (7:30 p.m. on FanDuel Sports Southeast).

⚖️ Tuesday: President-elect Donald Trump won’t be sentenced in his New York hush money case, as scheduled. The sentencing is postponed indefinitely.

💲 Wednesday: The next Personal Consumption Expenditures Price index report (the Fed’s preferred measure of inflation) is released.

🦃 Thursday: Gobble gobble, baby.

🏈 Friday: A one-day-earlier-than-usual edition of Clean Old-Fashioned Hate, the gridiron matchup between Georgia and Georgia Tech, kicks off at 7:30 p.m. from Athens. Watch on ABC.

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MORE DETAILS EMERGE

Smoke billows from the BioLab facility in Conyers on Sept. 29.

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board released new info from its investigation into the havoc-wreaking September fire at BioLab’s facility in Conyers.

• Of note: An employee heard a “popping sound” around 5 a.m. and alerted their only colleague on site. They tried to isolate the reacting chemicals but failed.

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CRIME WATCH

» Atlanta police say off-duty officers made a quick arrest in a fatal shooting on Crescent Street in Midtown.

» Few details, but Marietta police say they found a dead newborn at a local residence after responding to a call.

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BLACK NOVEMBER

This 2022 file photo shows Black Friday shoppers at the Bass Pro Shops at Sugarloaf Mills in Lawrenceville.

Confining holiday sales to Black Friday and beyond ended a while ago. But things ratcheted up even earlier this year, thanks in part to the economy, the election and the calendar.

• Thanksgiving’s about a week later than usual, which encourages retailers and shoppers alike to “start Black Friday, or Black November, a little bit earlier,” one expert told the AJC.

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CURSED FACTS

Need some travel listening? The Atlanta History Center and WABE teamed up to make this cool new podcast exploring the fact and fiction behind Lake Lanier, its “curse” and its history.

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A HECKUVA RUN

Atlanta United’s surprise run into and through the MLS Playoffs ended Sunday, with a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Orlando City. The Five Stripes couldn’t overcome a pair of key injuries.

“I don’t know why the games go chaotic all the time, but it just seemed like they do,” said interim manager Rob Valentino, who’s hoping for the full-time gig.

• A little chaos, meanwhile, helped Georgia football land a spot in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. The Bulldogs will play the winner of this weekend’s Texas-Texas A&M game.
• Rico Carty, who starred in the Braves outfield from 1963-1972, died at age 85.

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

» They were tasked to investigate deaths of pregnant women. Georgia dismissed them all

» Georgia Democrats map out postelection strategy after Trump’s win

» Jose Ibarra came to Athens for work. Now, he and brothers all in custody

» ‘Blanket ban’ on renters with criminal histories sparks federal lawsuits

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ON THIS DATE

Nov. 25, 1994