Morning, y’all! Help me out, is this False Spring No. 1 or False Spring No. 2? How many are we going to get before Lady Winter ends her cruel games? The worst thing is, it’s going to be nice for at least several more days! How unfair.
A LOOSE END IN A PAINFUL TRAINING CENTER FIGHT
Credit: Brynn Anderson/AP
Credit: Brynn Anderson/AP
In 2023, opponents of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, which they dubbed “Cop City,” collected more than 108,000 signatures hoping to force a vote on whether the people of Atlanta could revoke the land lease the city granted the Atlanta Police Foundation for the project.
A federal appeals court never gave a ruling on whether that vote could happen, and now, well, the center is almost completely done.
The question is, is it worth the trouble to continue with the voting effort?
- The City of Atlanta’s attorneys say no. Police officers, firefighters and first responders are already training on the site, and, according to them, “Any outcome of such a referendum would be merely academic at this point.
- Attorneys for a group of activists who sued for the right to collect the signatures say the central issue of the lease is still relevant.
The 85-acre $115 million center has been a controversial project from the start, fraught with tension about public trust, police overreach, environmental consequences and the future of neighborhoods around the site.
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THE EGG SITUATION IS LOOKING BLEAK
Credit: Fernanda Galan/The Fresno Bee
Credit: Fernanda Galan/The Fresno Bee
You know, maybe you should put all your eggs in one basket, because they’re not getting cheaper any time soon.
The Agriculture Department says current record prices for eggs may soar 40% or more in 2025, and that’s on top of already record highs. It’s because of that darn bird flu.
The Trump Administration’s bird flu plan:
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the USDA will invest $1 billion on top of the roughly $2 billion it has already on bird flu measures since 2022. One of the big priorities will be tightening up biosecurity on farms.
Millions of birds have had to be slaughtered to prevent the spread of the disease, which has led to the eye-popping $4.95 average price per dozen.
WHILE WE’RE TALKING DISEASE ...
Isn’t it fun when retro things make a comeback? Not the measles, though. There’s nothing fun about the measles, yet here we are worrying about it like it’s 1912.
Measles was declared eliminated in 2000, but has come roaring back. The Atlanta-based CDC says there have been at least 93 reported measles cases across the country, including three people from the same family in Georgia.
The problem is, measles is very, very, very contagious. The CDC says if one person has the disease, up to 90% of the people close to that person will also become infected if they’re not immune.
🏥 Here’s how to know if you need a measles vaccination, even as an adult. (If you were born before 1957, you’re probably good.)
🏥 Plus, a Roswell pediatrician shares some insight on measles’ impact in metro Atlanta.
Bottom line: If your child is vaccinated, you have nothing to worry about. If not, for whatever reason, the symptoms of measles are indistinct, and you should keep an eye out for any pockets of disease in your community.
TO FIX A BROKEN HEART
Credit: Christopher McKenney/Courtesy of Georgia Tech
Credit: Christopher McKenney/Courtesy of Georgia Tech
How about some good health news for a change? Researchers at Georgia Tech and Emory University have built an innovative 3D-printed heart valve that could change the way heart valve disease is treated.
The current way isn’t pretty: People with heart valve disease have to endure repeated, invasive surgeries throughout their lives, because artificial heart valves — made from animal tissue — only last 10 to 15 years. Think about how especially rough that is for kids with the disease.
The 3D-printed heart valve is made out of special material that scientists hope can regenerate in the body.
BUDGET CHANGES
Georgia could spend even more on Hurricane Helene relief under a newly-amended 2025 budget — sometimes called the midyear budget. Some other changes:
- The Senate budget includes Kemp’s proposed income tax refund, which could put hundreds of dollars in taxpayers’ pockets. The $1 billion for the effort would come from the state’s $16.5 billion reserve.
- It eliminates $47.2 million Kemp proposed to get rid of QR codes on ballots.
- The Senate also eliminated $7 million the House proposed to help prepare for the 2028 Super Bowl and other future events, saying the city could spend later and earn more interest now.
None of it’s a done deal, though. The newly proposed budget will bounce back to the House, and maybe back and forth again until a final compromise is made.
MUST-KNOW POLITICS AND BUSINESS
✂️ The Trump Administration has foreshadowed more large-scale federal layoffs in a new memo calling for agencies to submit reduction plans by March or April. Expect pushback from labor unions, legal experts and Democratic leaders.
⚡ That bill to make Georgia Power charge data centers more for their outsized energy use has advanced to the Senate Rules Committee.
👾 AI tech giant Nvidia saw its fourth-quarter profits soar due to growing demand for its specialized chips that power artificial intelligence programs.
🧡 Porsche Cars North America, based in Atlanta, auctioned off a rare 60th anniversary edition Porsche 911 S/T for $1 million. The money will go to the American Red Cross for victims of natural disasters like the California wildfires and recent hurricanes in the South.
Credit: Courtesy Porsche Cars North America.
Credit: Courtesy Porsche Cars North America.
NEWS BITES
Edibles on DoorDash? It could be possible in Georgia
I know someone out there needs this spelled out for them: They mean drugs, honey. (Legal ones, that is.)
The Atlanta Falcons moved from 25th to 3rd on the NFLPA report card
It basically grades how much players like working with the team. That big of an improvement is pretty neat!
Let’s just say Flack set the night to music and played a little cupid.
Amazon’s new AI-powered Alexa wants to be your ‘best friend in a digital world’ for a monthly fee
Which is not weird! All my best friends require monthly fees, too.
ON THIS DATE
Feb. 26, 1935
Credit: AJC
Credit: AJC
From the front page of the Atlanta Constitution: HOUSE VOTES TO LEGALIZE BEER IN GEORGIA AND ASSIGNS REVENUE FOR FREE SCHOOL BOOKS. Vote On Beer Is 112 to 58. Efforts to Include Wine in Measure Are Downed; Separate Bill Planned.
Beer for books? Doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.
ONE MORE THING
Chalk up another win for the Atlanta music scene: Producer Dallas Austin was chosen to lend an Atlanta flavor to the World Cup soundtrack! He and other artists from other World Cup 2026 host cities were each asked to remix the official FIFA theme song to reflect their area’s unique sound. (Oh and he’s wearing an Atlanta Journal-Constitution hat in part of his social media announcement, NBD!!!)
Editor’s note: An earlier version of today’s newsletter incorrectly referred to Maynard and Valerie Jackson as the Maynards.
Thanks for reading to the very bottom of A.M. ATL. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact me at AMATL@ajc.com.
Until next time.
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