Morning, y’all! It’s almost the weekend, if you squint a little. Expect another toasty one with temperatures in the low- to mid-90s.
Today’s newsletter offerings include the latest on the AP African American Studies spat, a Cobb County courthouse calamity and a metro Atlanta athlete earning a historic medal at the Olympics. Plus a little jazz club drama.
But first: One of our city’s oldest restaurants hits the market.
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HISTORY FOR SALE
Atlanta doesn’t always do a great job of preserving its history. Just about everything becomes a parking lot sooner or later.
All things considered, though, we do have a solid number of historic-type restaurants hanging around.
And now’s your chance to buy one.
The Colonnade, purveyor of fine Southern foods (and martinis!) since 1927, is on the market.
Originally operating out of a white-columned house at Lindbergh Drive and Piedmont Avenue, it moved to its current perch on Cheshire Bridge Road in 1962.
That’s what you can now purchase for the low price of $975,000.
Less than a Buckhead condo! And one of those won’t come with an iconic neon sign. Or these kinds of vibes:
- “It’s very much a social place,” Patrick O’Neal, a regular since the ’80s, said earlier this year. “People don’t just come for the food and drinks. They chatter and catch up with each other.”
Why is it for sale, though?
Well, the listing doesn’t offer an explanation. The Colonnade turned a profit last year but, generally speaking, it has seen better financial times.
- In late 2020, a GoFundMe raised nearly $125,000 to keep things afloat. (Fellow icon Manuel’s Tavern went through a similar ordeal.)
Also of note: The listing says whoever scoops up the building can keep the restaurant as is — or open a new concept.
I’m not one to tell folks what to do with their money. In fact, Colonnade is a really hard word to type, so I’m open to a name change.
But at a minimum, let’s all agree to keep the fried chicken flowing. K?
What’s your favorite iconic Atlanta restaurant? Vote in the poll below or email me if you have other suggestions. (Warning: I will judge you if you say The Varsity.)
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REVERSE COURSE
Georgia School Superintendent Richard Woods ended the contentious saga surrounding Advanced Placement African American Studies on Wednesday, saying the high school class can move forward with state funding.
- Woods’ reversal came a day after the AJC reported on Attorney General Chris Carr saying the class does not violate the state’s “divisive concepts” law.
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ONE MORE TIME
The Republican majority on the Georgia Election Board voted to request (another) investigation into Fulton County’s 2020 presidential recount.
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COURTHOUSE CHAOS
A new emergency order suspended filing deadlines in Cobb County Superior Court for 30 days.
Why? Because the court clerk (who has already had a fraught tenure) purportedly tried to move the online filing service to a new provider. That crippled access to documents and other key services, officials said.
- “These issues are so serious as to impact, or have the potential to impact, due process and other constitutional rights of litigants,” the county said.
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COLD CASE ARREST
Atlanta police arrested Christopher Wolfenbarger on murder charges Wednesday — some 25 years after they say he killed and dismembered his wife. They didn’t disclose what evidence led them to the arrest.
- “We have finally made it,” Melissa Wolfenbarger’s mother said. “He’s in custody, and now we just need to get over the last hurdle and get him convicted.”
» More crime coverage: Kennesaw father charged with murder after toddler drowns
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RISING COSTS
Monthly premiums for the 1.3 million Georgians using Affordable Care Act health insurance plans could spike by an average of 85% if pandemic-era subsidies expire, according to a new study.
- “When groceries and McDonald’s and everything else has gone up, they’re going to have to make choices,” a Georgia insurance broker told the AJC.
» More health news: New HIV-prevention drug could help Atlanta end epidemic
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A STRONG SHOWING
Marietta’s Hampton Morris (pictured above) claimed bronze in men’s weightlifting Wednesday — becoming the first U.S. man to earn an Olympic medal in the sport since 1984. Yowza!
Powder Springs resident Katie Moon won silver in the pole vault, too.
More sports highlights:
- Braves: An 8-5 loss to the Brewers, their fourth straight overall, included shoddy Jorge Soler defense and manager Brian Snitker getting tossed.
- Falcons: Expect to “get a good look” at rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in Friday’s preseason exhibition. Wide receiver Rondale Moore sustained what appeared to be a serious leg injury.
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SOUR NOTES
A flurry of musicians say Alpharetta jazz club The Velvet Note failed to pay them for recent performances. Owner Tamara Fuller told the AJC she’s struggling to stay open.
“I have tried everything I can think of to honor artist contracts, even when their shows don’t sell seats,” she said.
» Related coverage: Lauryn Hill and the Fugees cancel tour, including Atlanta stop
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MORE TO EXPLORE
» Audit finds one-third of Atlanta’s fire trucks beyond their lifespan
» Atlanta rolls out program for older people facing rising property taxes
» Delta hit with class action lawsuit over outage cancellations
» Ex-Fulton jailer sentenced for choking female detainee
» CNN launches new free streaming channel for original programming
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ON THIS DATE
Aug. 8, 1974
As President Richard Nixon prepared to resign over the Watergate scandal, reporters did their best to nail things down.
“I’m 99 and 9/10 percent certain, but who really knows?” one source told The Associated Press.
Wholly different situations — but echoes of last month’s Joe Biden discussions, no?
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PHOTO OF THE DAY
AJC photographer Jason Getz caught first-year student Jillian Zonts moving into her dorm room this week at Kennesaw State University.
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ONE MORE THING
In light of Tropical Storm Debby (which forced a few dozen Statesboro-area folks to evacuate their homes Wednesday), AJC Savannah bureau chief Adam Van Brimmer offered some insight into how locals approach hurricane season.
One common joke: “The main use of the generators (is) to run blenders and keep the daiquiris and margaritas flowing.”
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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.
