Morning, y’all! We’re looking at high temperatures in the 70s and plenty of rain as the system tied to now-Tropical Storm Francine heads our way.
News wise, we’ve got fresh statements from the mother of the accused Apalachee High shooter, an exclusive about questionable health insurance brokers, and Jermaine Dupri’s thoughts on artificial intelligence in music.
- Also: Norfolk Southern’s CEO resigned over a consensual relationship with a colleague.
Other than that? How about a local legal battle with national implications.
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SAGA SETTLED
Credit: Ben Gray for the AJC
Credit: Ben Gray for the AJC
AJC readers have closely watched the Fearless Fund’s legal clash with conservative activists.
Now it’s over.
With the two sides announcing a settlement Wednesday, let’s take a quick look at how we got here — and why it’s important.
The Fearless Fund is an Atlanta-based venture capital firm founded to invest in women of color. Among its programs: a $20,000 grant contest for Black women entrepreneurs.
- Why? According to the fund, such business owners received just 0.39% of all venture capital investments in 2022. Another nonprofit group found an even lower percentage in prior years.
Meanwhile, in Washington: The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling against affirmative action in college admissions opened the door for Edward Blum and the American Alliance for Equal Rights to turn their attention to private sector programs.
- The Alliance’s August 2023 lawsuit accusing The Fearless Fund of discriminating against non-Black businesspeople marked one of the nation’s first targeting corporate DEI initiatives.
- In June, a panel of federal circuit court judges in Atlanta issued a preliminary injunction against the Fearless Fund.
Neither party released the full terms of the settlement — but both confirmed the grant program in question is dead.
“Our overarching mission remains focused on helping and empowering entrepreneurs who have been historically overlooked in the venture capital marketplace,” Fearless Fund CEO and co-founder Arian Simone said.
- An attorney for the fund said the agreement “does not restrict or relate to any other investment or charitable activity.”
Notably, he added that it means the circuit court’s decision “will not bind the country.”
We’ll see. As my colleague Mirth Donastorg reports, the Alliance already has at least nine other lawsuits pending elsewhere.
More business news from the AJC:
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THE PARENTS OPINE
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
The mother of the 14-year-old accused of killing four people at Apalachee High School issued a new statement late Wednesday. She apologized and said her son is “not a monster.”
- “We are all in a living nightmare right now,” Marcee Gray said, “and I will personally never forgive myself for what has happened.”
Meanwhile: Attorneys for the suspected shooter’s father asked officials to separate him from the Barrow County jail’s general population, saying he’s received an “incalculable” number of threats.
- Colin Gray faces a litany of charges tied to allegedly allowing his son to possess the gun used in last week’s shooting.
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THE PLOT THICKENS
A lawsuit led by former Republican state legislator Scot Turner argues that the Donald Trump-backed majority on the State Election Board exceeded its authority when making controversial new election rules.
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CAVEAT EMPTOR
Credit: Olivia Bowdoin/AJC
Credit: Olivia Bowdoin/AJC
Georgia’s new Affordable Care Act health insurance enrollment website goes live Nov. 1 — and, as of right now, would allow residents to sign up with companies banned by the federal government.
- Benefitalign and Inshura stand accused of misleading customers and improperly exporting their data to other countries.
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A FITTING TRIBUTE
MARTA plans to unveil a bus honoring the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis and his wife, Lillian, today. That’s apt for a lot of reasons, but especially because Lewis was one of the Civil Rights Movement’s original Freedom Riders.
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BACK OUT OF IT
Credit: John McDonnell/AP
Credit: John McDonnell/AP
Max Fried was a little off and the offense went quiet again in the Braves’ 5-1 loss to the Nationals. The Mets won, so Atlanta’s one game out in the wild card race again.
Then there’s this: Starting pitcher Reynaldo Lopez landed on the 15-day injured list after leaving Tuesday’s game with shoulder tightness.
- Bulldogs: Saturday’s game against Kentucky (and former Bulldog quarterback Brock Vandagriff) kicks off a brutal SEC schedule for top-ranked UGA. It’s ready for the challenge.
- Jackets: Bad news: Georgia Tech’s disappointing loss to Syracuse. Good news: The Jackets play VMI this week — and are 9-1 after a loss under coach Brent Key.
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JD VS. AI
In an exclusive interview with the AJC, Atlanta super-producer Jermaine Dupri decried the use of artificial intelligence (and the overreliance on technology) in music.
“It’s not even about being old or young,” he said. “It’s just about being smart and not being controlled.”
- More music coverage: Soul singer Frankie Beverly dies six months after final Atlanta show
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MORE TO EXPLORE
» Afghan refugees continue to arrive in metro Atlanta, following delays
» Turkey investigates killing of Turkish-American activist in West Bank
» Georgia man gets home detention for Jan. 6 conviction
» Mother grieves airport worker killed in DeKalb
» FDA launches investigation into toxic metals in tampons
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ON THIS DATE
Sept. 12, 1992
Flight attendants at Delta Air Lines pushed back on weight limits. As in, for themselves. Which apparently used to be an industry norm.
“I had to be white, female, Christian, a virgin and less than 32 years old,” flight attendant Jean Kopp said of being hired a few decades earlier. “I also had to weigh less than 135 pounds, and it was only that much because I’m tall.”
The weight limit was the only requirement still standing.
Credit: File photo
Credit: File photo
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PHOTO OF THE DAY
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
AJC photographer Natrice Miller captured members of the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square performing during Wednesday’s 9/11 commemoration ceremony at the Georgia state Capitol. More photos here.
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ONE MORE THING
Rock star Jon Bon Jovi recently helped convince a woman not to jump off a bridge in Nashville. Really!
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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.
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