A.M. ATL: We ❤️️ diners

Morning, y’all, and bundle up! North Georgia saw snow flurries and metro Atlanta got its first 20-degree temperatures of the season overnight — and today’s highs are only in the mid-40s. Warming center locations included in the link above, if you know someone in need.

• It’s local runoff election day! Atlanta, DeKalb County, Henry County and the new Gwinnett County city of Mulberry all have council or commission races on the ballot, among others. Here’s the full rundown.

Otherwise, we’ve got the latest on the VA’s attempts to improve mental health services, the legal fight over Fani Willis’ testimony and the death of a beloved restaurateur.

But first, some comfort food.

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DININ’ AND SMILIN’

A cozy booth or a well-worn seat at the counter.

A friendly smile, a steaming mug and a massive menu — from pancakes and patty melts to pastries — primed for a leisurely look-see.

That’s why we all love diners, right? The eats, the ambience, the availability?

Reader, you’re in for a treat.

• The fine folks over on the AJC’s food and dining team just dropped their latest guide to good eats. And it’s all about diners.
• It’s also our first such guide with statewide sweep — from the Majestic in Atlanta to icons of Columbus, Cleveland and everywhere in between.

That’s right. We’ve got the inside story on 33 diners all around the Peach State, plus some beautiful photography and a piece exploring the origins of these uniquely American institutions.

It’s truly an impressive undertaking — and only fitting, Georgia being the birthplace of Waffle House and all.

• “I love that diners are a microcosm of life, where people of different temperaments, talents and convictions gather at the counter for a good cup of coffee and a great conversation,” the project’s photographer, Greg Rannells, said.

So dive on in, look for your favorites and find somewhere new to visit. Heck, plan a road trip.

Then shoot me an email letting me know what you think: What’s your most beloved Georgia diner? Your menu item of choice? What’d we miss?

I’d love to hear all about it.

Hankering for more restaurant coverage? Sign up for the AJC’s weekly food and dining newsletter.

And while you’re at it, check out this look at a presidential proposal to eliminate taxes on tips — and what it could mean for service workers like the folks at your local diner.

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HELP FOR HEROES

Nearly 18 months after the AJC reported on a whistleblower complaint about mental health calls to the Atlanta VA Medical Center going unanswered, the health system says it’s hired more workers — and data shows dramatically improved service for military veterans in crisis.

• “This progress underscores our commitment to providing timely, accessible mental health support for Veterans — and we won’t rest until 100% of calls are answered,” an official said.

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COURT WATCH

» A judge will hear arguments today over the state Legislature’s power — or lack thereof — to subpoena Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. A Senate committee investigating Willis wants to compel her testimony.

» Still no verdict in Fulton County’s “Young Slime Life” gang case. But defendant Deamonte Kendrick returned to court Monday morning, just a few hours after someone stabbed him at the Fulton County jail annex.

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ROUTE TERMINATED?

Gwinnett County Transit driver Tiese Daniels picks up riders in Snellville last week.

If there’s one form of transit that folks in the ‘burbs have embraced in recent years, it’s the rideshare: not Ubers and Lyfts, but on-demand vans offering rides at a reasonable price. Also known as microtransit.

“Once they heard about it, it spread like wildfire,” one driver told the AJC.

• Offerings in Cobb and Gwinnett counties, though, could face the chopping block after voters rejected recent transit referendums.

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WRAY REVIEWS

President-elect Donald Trump wants to install loyalist Kash Patel as FBI director once he’s in office. To do that, current director Christopher Wray (who Trump appointed the first time around) would have to be fired or step down.

• Let AJC legal reporter Bill Rankin walk you through Wray’s deep ties to Atlanta — including a connection to a predecessor of this newspaper.

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HORNS DOWN

A Georgia football fan flashes the "horns down" symbol during the Bulldogs' October win against Texas.

Saturday’s SEC Championship Game marks Texas’ first appearance at Mercedes-Benz Stadium — but head coach Steve Sarkisian, a former Falcons assistant, certainly knows his way around the place.

And while the Longhorns are favored in their rematch with Georgia, columnist Ken Sugiura writes that “nearly every team in the country would happily trade places” with the Bulldogs.

• Jackets: It’s college football transfer season and Tech’s set to lose its starting left tackle, a productive backup quarterback and a few more players. Recruiting looks good though!
• Hawks: Atlanta won its fourth straight, this one a 124-112 victory over the Pelicans and former teammate Dejounte Murray.

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RIP, MAMA HARDEN

Rapper Killer Mike poses with founding owner Helen Harden during last month's soft opening of the revamped Bankhead Seafood.

Helen Brown Harden, founder of Westside Atlanta staple Bankhead Seafood, died — just a few short weeks after the iconic soul food spot reopened under the leadership of rappers Killer Mike and T.I.

• “I just wondered if I was gonna live long enough to see it come to reality, but since God was good, here I am, and everything is just what I dreamed of,” Harden, known to many as “Mama,” said at the time.

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MORE TO EXPLORE

» New report: Georgia laws on crime contribute to school-to-prison pipeline

» Atlanta council member drops plan for data center after public pushback

» Midtown’s newest high-rise is an office tower disguised as a hotel

» The Georgia Voice, Atlanta’s landmark LGBTQ newspaper, gets new owner

» Here’s why Lil Jon is suddenly so crunk about your colon

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ON THIS DATE

Dec. 3, 2001

“Revolutionary.” “Bigger than the Internet.” “Like a cross between an old rotary lawn mower and a Razor scooter.”

Inventor Dean Kamen went on “Good Morning America” and finally unveiled the device that would change transportation (and mall cops) as we knew them.

That’s right: the Segway.