Morning, y’all! Sometimes, when I’m not looking forward to doing something, my friends or husband will sweeten the deal with a coffee run. In that spirit, there’s a LOT of politics to get to today — all interesting, though! But if you stick with me, there’s also a story about Starbucks drinks. Let’s get to it.
JUDGE OUT, GENERAL MANAGER IN
Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael P. Boggs has announced he will resign at the end of March. Eagle-eyed state government watchers will note he was just reelected three months ago, but Boggs said he and his newly retired wife have family obligations to see to.
Who’s up next:
- The Georgia Supreme Court justices will vote among themselves to choose the next chief justice. Traditionally, that goes to the person with the most time on the bench, which would be Presiding Justice Nels Peterson.
- It also gives Gov. Brian Kemp a new spot to fill on one of the most powerful bodies in the state, often tapped as the deciding voice in contentious public policy debates.
Meanwhile, there’s a new leader at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Maryland Aviation Administration executive director Ricky Smith will be Hartsfield-Jackson’s new general manager.
He was at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) before this. I mostly mention that because BWI’s my hometown airport, and I like to see its name in print.
It took eight months to fill the general manager position after the previous GM stepped down. Smith will be tasked with ongoing improvements at the airport, including modernization, partnerships, growth, and finally finishing that pesky Concourse D expansion.
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STATE OF THE STATE OF THE CITY
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens was in full reelection mode at Tuesday’s annual State of the City address. Some big takeaways:
- Dickens is in his last term year, and made it pretty clear to the crowd he wants to be reelected to lead the city until 2030.
- He touted the city’s reduced crime rate during his administration. Dickens also displayed a video showing off the newly finished Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.
- He addressed ongoing infrastructure challenges like water main breaks.
- He pledged to continue to find affordable housing opportunities in a city still marred by rising homelessness rates.
- He pulled out one of his favorite phrases: Atlanta is a “group project.”
🔎 Here’s a full recap of the evening.
A GEORGIA MUSIC OFFICE? IT COULD HAPPEN
Georgia has a film office, of course. But what about a music office?
A new state Senate bill calls for the creation of a Georgia Music Office that would support the music industry in the state. According to the bill’s author Sen. Sonya Halpern, a music office would be tasked with
- attracting music-related investment
- attracting jobs and hiring opportunities
- connecting music companies and government agencies
Other successful state film and music offices in the U.S. have also been able to offer financial incentives and create infrastructure that is useful for musicians, producers and others in the business. After all, such programs are how we became such a sweetheart in the film industry.
🎵 Read more about the bill here, and the impact Georgia’s music industry carries
HBCU SCHOLARSHIPS ARE BACK
The White House has restored a number of HBCU scholarship opportunities under a federal program after public condemnation by elected officials.
- The 1890 Scholars Program benefits agricultural students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
- The program is a partnership between the USDA and 19 historically Black land-grant universities, including Fort Valley State University here in Georgia.
- Georgia Dems were against cutting the program, which they say contributes to the country’s agricultural industry.
Georgia Congressman David Scott graduated from Florida A&M University, one of the HBCUs on the list (remember A&M stands for Agricultural and Mechanical), and is a big supporter of the program.
“The food and agriculture sector has a significant impact on everyday life for millions of Americans, and maintaining a strong agriculture workforce is critical in protecting our food supply,” Scott said in a statement.
IN REGARDS TO YOUR EMAIL
Federal workers and workforce leaders are still trying to figure out what to do about Elon Musk’s email to government employees last week, asking them to list five things they did during the week.
The AJC viewed a copy of an email sent to employees at the Department of Health and Human Services in response to the request. The note said employees did not have to respond and issued a warning if they did.
“Assume that what you write will be read by malign foreign actors and tailor your response accordingly,” the email read.
However, the confusion continues:
- On Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said more than 1 million federal workers had responded to the initial email, which had a Monday night deadline. That’s less than half of the federal workforce.
- More than 20 civil service employees resigned Tuesday from Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. In a joint letter, they said they didn’t want to use their skills to “dismantle critical public services.”
A CUP OF NO
See, I promised you a Starbucks story, but now I realize it may make some of you sad. I’m sorry!
Starbucks is cutting a bunch of less-popular drinks from its menu next week. According to the company, “These items aren’t commonly purchased, can be complex to make, or are like other beverages on our menu.”
Imagine wistful violin music in the background as we say goodbye to:
- Iced Matcha Lemonade
- Espresso Frappuccino
- Caffè Vanilla Frappuccino
- Java Chip Frappuccino
- White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino
- Chai Crème Frappuccino
- White Hot Chocolate
☕ And that’s only half the list! Starbucks also announced this week it will lay off 1,100 corporate employees across the globe, so many unfortunate changes afoot.
NEWS BITES
Students wrote thank you notes to people searching Lake Oconee for missing coach Gary Jones
The way communities come together, man. It comforts the heart.
After three decades, not much has changed at BBQ haven Daddy D’z
Oh, there’s no place like Daddy D’z. BBQ egg rolls, buffalo shrimp, broccoli casserole, strawberry cake? Heaven on a styrofoam plate.
Shaky Knees Festival lineup announced; Blink-182 and My Chemical Romance to headline
It’s the early 2000s all over again!
Nine of the country’s worst traffic bottlenecks are in Atlanta
I’m shocked! Are you shocked? Wow. I don’t believe it. (I was going make the worst bottleneck in the city a trivia question, but we all know it’s Spaghetti Junction, sitting at #4 nationwide.)
ON THIS DATE
Feb. 26, 1990
From the front page of The Atlanta Constitution: “You mean to tell me that someone sitting next to me on the airplane can have four martinis and get right in their car after we land, and yet I can’t smoke a single, solitary cigarette?”
As a smoking ban went into effect on all U.S. domestic flights, people were livid. The writer of this story was ruthless, too. Another ban critic is described as having “puffed vigorously on a Benson & Hedges.” News AND entertainment!
ONE MORE THING
I feel like I owe y’all for the Starbucks thing. At least this may inspire us all to try more local places? (Shoutout to Bolivar Coffee in Smyrna, me encantan siempre.)
Thanks for reading to the very bottom of A.M. ATL. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact me at AMATL@ajc.com.
Until next time.
About the Author
AJ Willingham is an National Emmy, NABJ and Webby award-winning journalist who loves talking culture, religion, sports, social justice, infrastructure and the arts. She lives in beautiful Smyrna-Mableton and went to Syracuse University.
