Morning, y’all! Last night’s storms downed trees and left at least one person dead. Today’s temperatures will reach the mid-90s, with plenty of humidity to boot. Stay safe out there.
- New from overnight: An airstrike in Iran killed exiled Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. The militant group blamed Israel for the assassination, which could escalate an already dire conflict.
Otherwise, today’s newsletter offers all the highlights from Kamala Harris’ raucous rally at Georgia State, Delta’s post-meltdown plans and a forthcoming Usher movie (yeah!).
But first: Do the Braves know what year it is?
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BACK FOR MORE
The year: 2021.
Joe Biden is our nation’s spry, 78-year-old president. Billionaires are going to space. Drawings of monkeys are worth lots of fake internet dollars.
And the Atlanta Braves, reeling after Ronald Acuña Jr.’s season-ending knee injury, have amassed a new group of outfielders that included Adam Duvall, Eddie Rosario and Jorge Soler.
Any of that sound familiar?
Los Bravos reacquired Duvall and Rosario earlier this year and officially launched the reunion tour by getting Soler in a Monday night trade with the Giants. (They snagged former reliever Luke Jackson, too, though they parted ways with fellow 2021 bullpen stalwart Tyler Matzek to get it done.)
Last night’s trade deadline then passed without any more moves. Which necessitates the question:
- Will it be enough to challenge the division-leading Phillies and make a deep playoff push?
Well … maybe could’ve used another arm.
But you could certainly do worse than getting the World Series-winning band back together!
- General Manager Alex Anthopolous said he’d long targeted Soler, deeming him “the best bat available, in our minds.” Jackson? He’s looked “like the old Luke” in recent outings.
Neither of them made it in time to participate in Tuesday night’s game against the Brewers, which the Braves won, 5-1 — marking just their third victory in 10 games.
One of many rough stretches this season.
But if those 2021 Braves taught us anything, it’s that the playoffs run on vibes. Sudden bursts of swag can carry you a long way.
So when in doubt, why not run it back?
Don’t miss Michael Cunningham’s column on the trade (thumbs up!). And make sure to sign up for the Braves Report newsletter, too.
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DEMS DO IT BIG
An enthusiastic crowd of thousands greeted Vice President Kamala Harris at Georgia State’s Convocation Center last night, as the presumptive Democratic nominee for president headlined a rally with high-profile guests and, yes, performances by Megan Thee Stallion and Quavo (photos here).
- Harris said her path to the White House runs through Georgia and called on opponent Donald Trump to meet her on the debate stage: “Because as the saying goes, if you got something to say, say it to my face.”
Trump and Republican running mate JD Vance are set to hold their own rally at the very same venue on Saturday.
» More AJC coverage: Harris supporters highlight concern over abortion
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CRIME AND COURTS
» Rapper Young Thug and his Fulton County co-defendants will remain in jail for now, as new judge Paige Reese Whitaker appears intent on moving forward with the long-paused trial. Proceedings continue today.
» The family of 14-year-old Gabriel Stone wants answers after a cinder block wall collapsed and killed him at Robins Air Force Base.
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LET’S TRY THAT AGAIN
The Georgia Election Board will meet next week for a redo of the possibly illegal meeting in which a handful of members adopted contentious new elections rules.
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A DREAM DEFUNDED
Just about a year ago, conservative activists filed suit against the Atlanta-based venture capital firm Fearless Fund. The impact of a subsequent court ruling nixing a grant program for Black women entrepreneurs is dramatic, the AJC’s Mirtha Donastorg reports.
- “Taking them out of the system, now you have even less access to capital,” one business leader said.
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MORE BUSINESS NEWS
» The Atlanta Housing Authority approved $105 million for budding affordable housing projects. They include work at the Atlanta Civic Center and a hotel near the former Turner Field.
» Delta hired a law firm to pursue potential legal action against Microsoft and CrowdStrike, the companies that helped trigger the airline’s five-day meltdown.
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PRESEASON POSITIVITY
What’s that? Folks are feeling hopeful … about the Falcons?
The team sold out its season ticket allotment for the first time in nearly two decades. New quarterback Kirk Cousins says his Achilles is fine. And owner Arthur Blank, still seeking that Super Bowl title, is “more optimistic than I’ve been in several years.”
More sports highlights:
- Olympics: Simone Biles and Team USA took gymnastics gold Tuesday, as you’ve no doubt heard. Former Atlantan Coco Gauff, meanwhile, lost her tennis match after a heated dispute with an umpire.
- Atlanta United: The Five Stripes spent $13 million to add Aleksey Miranchuk, a 28-year-old attacking midfielder from a club in Italy.
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USHER ON SCREEN
Atlanta R&B star Usher continues to have a heckuva year. He announced Tuesday that a new concert film from his recent residency in Paris will hit theaters worldwide in September.
- “Usher: Rendezvous in Paris” will screen at 30-plus AMC theaters in metro Atlanta. More details (and tickets) available at UsherinParis.com on Aug. 6.
» More entertainment news: Phaedra Parks returns to ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’
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MORE TO EXPLORE
» Man pleads guilty to threatening Marjorie Taylor Greene
» Torpy: When a bribe is really a tip (to ensure governmental promptness)
» Former Georgia teacher guilty of catfishing students, sharing child porn
» Georgia ports face choppy business seas as strike threat looms
» Hyundai wants to build hybrids, not just EVs, in Georgia
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ON THIS DATE
July 31, 1919
Coca-Cola founder Asa Candler sold off to “New York financial interests,” getting $25 million in return. According to a very official online inflation calculator, that’s the equivalent of nearly half a billion today dollars.
The company, of course, remained based in Atlanta.
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PHOTO OF THE DAY
AJC photographer Seeger Gray captured first grader Anderson Kelly hugging his mom, Bonnie Perdue, on the first day of school at Decatur’s Glennwood Elementary School.
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ONE MORE THING
As more and more schools get back to business, remember: Passing a school bus? Bad and dangerous.
And a new Georgia law means you could be looking at a $1,000 fine, too.
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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.
About the Author
Tyler Estep hosts the AJC Win Column, Atlanta's new weekly destination for all things sports. He also shepherds the Sports Daily and Braves Report newsletters to your inbox.
