Morning, y’all! Welcome back. Expect high temperatures in the mid-80s, before things cool down a tad the rest of the week.
- Today marks the anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel. Authorities remain on alert as Jewish and pro-Palestinian groups plan vigils and protests.
It’s also the last day to register to vote in November’s election. Let’s go ahead and dive into that — then the latest on BioLab, the Bulldogs and the Brookhaven MARTA station.
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JUST AROUND THE CORNER
Today’s the day, folks: Your last chance to register to vote in the Nov. 5 election.
Go ahead and double check that you’re all set (or join the club!) — then accompany me on a quick little cruise through everything the AJC has to offer you, the Georgia voter.
Let us be your guide: The updated AJC-Atlanta Civic Circle voter’s guide is live! Just type in your address to find what’s on your ballot. Sign up for district-specific alerts, too.
Vibe check: All year long, reporters have touched base with voters in five key Georgia counties to see how they’re feeling about the presidential race. As one might expect, views and expectations vary.
- Also check out data wizard Isaac Sabetai’s breakdown of what the latest polls (and gambling lines) say about the race in Georgia. (Hint: it’s close!)
The issues: With the election approaching, we asked readers like you to submit questions about hot button topics. And now we’re answering them, in a series called Know Your Stuff.
- So far, we’ve explained the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border and the deal with Medicaid. Tune in later today for a comparison of presidential housing plans.
Locally speaking: Lest we forget, every seat in the state legislature’s up for grabs, too. Candidates in competitive districts have tricky lines to walk, while a handful of Gen Zers are looking to liven things up a bit.
- Democrats in the 11th Congressional District are backing a write-in candidate, convinced that a Republican won the party’s primary under false pretenses..
- Here’s where the candidates for an at-large Atlanta City Council seat stand on key issues.
- Cobb and Gwinnett counties have big-dollar transit referendums on the ballot. Stay tuned later this week for more coverage.
Helene havoc? The U.S. Postal Service (which was already struggling a bit!) suspended operations at several Georgia facilities after the storm, leaving some folks worried about their ability to process absentee ballots.
- Here’s how to track your mail ballot.
New rules: The State Election Board has some folks freaking out, too, with its last-minute changes to things like ballot counting and certification.
The good news is our boy Mark Niesse (@markniesse), the Politically Georgia crew and the rest of the newsroom have just about everything covered.
So read up and buckle up, folks. Early voting starts a week from tomorrow.
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THE WEEK AHEAD
🚇 Today: Gold line MARTA trains start skipping the Brookhaven station, as six weeks of platform renovations begin. Buses are available to ferry folks to and from nearby stops.
- The Georgia High School Association meets to discuss a potentially seismic plan to classify schools based on athletic success — not enrollment size.
🏀 Tuesday: The Hawks host the Pacers for their first exhibition game of the preseason. The State Election Board meets to discuss voter challenges.
🌀 Wednesday: Hurricane Milton could make landfall near Tampa, Florida, according to the latest forecasts — which do not include Georgia in the storm track.
🎶 Thursday: Dance music sensation Fred Again plays State Farm Arena.
🙏 Friday: Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, begins at sundown. Post Malone, now a country star, plays Lakewood Amphitheatre.
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THE END IS NEAR?
At last check, the shelter-in-place order for Rockdale County residents was scheduled to end today at 7 a.m. Meanwhile, leaders of the BioLab facility responsible for chemical-fueled clouds wafting across metro Atlanta launched a “community website.”
And protesters gathered for a rally on the steps of the Georgia state Capitol.
- “We feel like there’s been no oversight and they’ve been treated too laxly,” organizer Jacob Dallas said.
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CRIME WATCH
» A SWAT team barreled into a southwest Atlanta townhome after an hourlong standoff. But the suspect, a man accused of killing his roommate, was nowhere to be found.
» Police say a drive-by shooting at a South DeKalb strip mall left one person dead and two others wounded.
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DATA DARLINGS
In terms of raw power-sucking capacity, metro Atlanta now leads the country in data centers under construction. They’re getting bigger and bigger, too.
- One recent proposal in Coweta County calls to build a data center bigger than the Mall of Georgia.
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NOT GOOD ENOUGH
Georgia football coach Kirby Smart called out Sanford Stadium fans after Saturday’s 31-13 win over rival Auburn.
“We need it to be tough on other teams to play here. But it’s not,” he said. Yeesh!
- UGA remained at No. 5 in the latest AP poll. Texas retook the top spot and Alabama dropped to No. 7 after its shocking loss to Vanderbilt.
- Here’s what we learned from Georgia Tech’s win over previously undefeated Duke.
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GOURD SEASON
It’s October and you know what that means: time to hit a pumpkin patch. Or several. Check out — and bookmark! — our guide to the best local spots!
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
» Report finds bribery in Atlanta city permitting process
» APD ‘Investigator of the Year’ killed allegedly breaking into home
» Michael Stipe holds his first art show in Atlanta
» Little moments keep Atlanta United in playoff picture
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ON THIS DATE
Oct. 7, 1993
Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan announced his retirement from basketball, saying he longed for a “normal existence.”
He would, of course, decide to try his hand at minor league baseball. Then return to the NBA in March 1995 — before finding time to shoot the cinematic masterpiece “Space Jam” a few months later.
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PHOTO OF THE DAY
AJC contributor Jenni Girtman caught Tanya Patterson, 9, and mom Alexis taking a selfie at Zoo Atlanta Saturday, while giant panda Yang Yang chills in the background. The zoo held a “Panda Palooza” event before the pandas head back to China. More photos here!
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ONE MORE THING
Here’s a weird one: Toy company Mattel is fighting a local pitmaster for her “Amanda’s BarBeeQue” trademark … because it has its own sauce collab with Heinz called “Barbiecue.”
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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.
