A.M. ATL: Health hazards

Morning, y’all! Happy Presidents Day. We’ll keep it short so you can go buy a new refrigerator or re-read George Washington’s Inaugural Address or whatever festive pursuit you have planned.

ICYMI: CDC CUTS COME TO ATLANTA

Credit: Dreamstime/TNS

Credit: Dreamstime/TNS

The Centers for Disease Control is losing one-tenth of its workforce as part of the Trump administration’s move to get rid of all probationary federal employees. That translates to about 1,300 jobs, many of which are based in Atlanta. We’ll probably hear more this week from politics and health experts about what this means for the city’s reputation as a major healthcare and research hub.

HHS officials did not answer specific questions about the move, but said they were supporting President Donald Trump’s “broader efforts to restructure and streamline the federal government.”

One infectious disease expert told the AJC people in probationary positions (which can include long-term employees as well) do vital work, and such a “slash and burn” approach will hurt the CDC’s work in understanding diseases.

Not signed up yet? What’re you waiting for? Get A.M. ATL in your inbox each weekday morning. And keep scrolling for more news.

MARIETTA DEBATES HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT ISSUE

The Marietta City Council has moved forward with an ordinance banning homeless camps on private property, but there’s a thought-provoking detail lawmakers are trying to iron out.

The issue was raised as part of a larger conversation regarding what to do about the growing homeless population in the area. Proponents say adding city ordinances to existing state anti-trespassing laws will give Marietta authorities more control over the situation.

While homeless advocates have argued laws that criminalize homelessness are inhumane, others raise concerns about public safety.

❓ That brings us to the other issue: If a law aims to keep people off of private property, how do you enforce it without, you know, going on private property?

Marietta police Chief David Beam said the way the city handles any new law would be key. He told the City Council police officers would have to make sure they actually received a complaint before enforcing anything.

“We can’t just go tromping on private property,” he said.

He also addressed humanitarian concerns, saying the city does not believe “you can arrest your way out of the homeless situation.”

LET’S SHOW ’EM WHY THEY CALL US MR. WORLDWIDE

Credit: Georgia Ports Authority/Emily Goldman

Georgia posted yet another record year for international trade in 2024! That’s the fourth record year in a row, proving even more that Georgia is a strong contributor in the international economy.

By the numbers:

💰 $198 billion: The state’s total trade value for 2024, nearly a 7% increase from 2023

💰 75%: Roughly how much international trade in Georgia relied on imports

💰 $53 billion: The value of Georgia products sold overseas – a nice little increase over last year

This is all well and good, but economists are keeping a finger to the wind regarding ongoing tariff squabbles, which could damage this progress.

Today’s trivia question: What is Georgia’s biggest export, worth more than $12 billion last year?

a. civilian aircrafts and parts

b. nuts

c. cellphone parts

d. crude minerals

I’ll put the answer at the bottom.

SEARCH ON OCONEE CONTINUES

The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office is still searching for any sign of Gary Jones, the track and field coach who disappeared two weekends ago. The body of Spelman College instructor Joycelyn Nicole Wilson was found on Feb. 9, the day after the boat the two of them shared was spotted circling Lake Oconee.

The latest as the search enters its 10th day:

Jones and Wilson were engaged. They had first met roughly 30 years ago when the two attended Clark Atlanta University.
They were planning to wed March 14. A longtime friend of Wilson said Wilson was excited to get married.
The couple had taken a weekend getaway to celebrate Jones’ 50th birthday, according to friends.
Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said there was no report of screaming or yelling from the boat the day it was spotted by witnesses.
Sills did add that “the boat they were in was not appropriate for this water.”

While the search continues, Wilson’s loved ones and the Spelman community are mourning an educator and friend described as “very funny” who “really loved what she did.”

🔎 More to know about the Lake Oconee boaters

WHAT’S COOKING FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Credit: Arvin Temkar / AJC

Black History Month is a great time to support local Black-owned businesses, and we are fortunate enough to be surrounded by Black excellence here in Atlanta.

Here is a hand-curated list of 300 (yes, 300!) Black-owned restaurants and food businesses in the metro area. And, as if that weren’t enough, the AJC’s Yvonne Zusel has put them all in a handy map! Now you have literally NO excuse to come up short-handed next time someone asks where you want to go for dinner.

🍔 300 (and counting) Black-owned food destinations in the Atlanta area

NEWS BITES

Atlanta couples tied the knot in group Valentine’s Day ceremonies

The definition of “share the love!”

The weekend’s basketball results: UGA Women lose to Kentucky, Tech grabs a buzzer beater against California, UGA men suffer third straight SEC loss, Kennesaw loses to Sam Houston, Georgia State gets a W.

Yeesh. At least the Hawks were saved by the All-Star Break.

We’re getting 45 more minutes of daylight than we did on the longest day of the year in December

Longer days are coming, slowly but surely.

The Daytona 500 was paused for rain after 11 laps

I like to imagine they pull a big tarp over the track like in baseball. That would be cute.

ON THIS DATE

February 17, 1958

Credit: AJC

From the front page of The Atlanta Constitution: Heartbreak Kills Male Swan Here. Joggeli — the one remaining Swiss swan at Grant Park Zoo — is dead. “And he died of heartbreak, too,” Michael Hack, the Atlanta architect who helped arrange the gift of the pair of swans said ... “We’ve been expecting him to die since the death of his mate ... You know, that kind of swan mates for life, and when one dies, the other just pines away.”

Well, great. Now I’m sad about a pair of swans who died decades ago. Fly high, Joggeli!

ONE MORE THING

The answer is a: civilian aircrafts and parts! Georgia’s biggest import? Cars. So there’s definitely a theme, here. Also, it’s time for another installment of ...

What a classical music fan is spinning for Black History Month:

Credit: AJ Willingham

The Morehouse College Glee Club performing “I Ain’t Got Weary Yet” (or literally anything)

When it comes to choral singing, there are few finer sounds in Atlanta than the MCGC, under the longtime direction of Dr. David Morrow. These young men blew the roof off the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center this weekend with this piece, among others. Their vocal blend is crazy. In person, you can literally hear the air sparkle as their voices settle into different chords. The MCGC is more than 110 years old, and its history is deeply intertwined with classical and choral greats like Wendell Whalum, a well-known Black composer, musicologist and former MCGC director.

Another fun fact: Maynard Jackson, Atlanta’s first Black mayor, was a Morehouse College Glee Club alum.

Thanks for reading to the very bottom of A.M. ATL. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact us at amatl@ajc.com.

Until next time.

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