Morning, y’all! It’s the first day of spring; the vernal equinox; the light at the end of the long winter tunnel. You can also tell its spring because yesterday it was in the mid-70s with an overnight frost warning. Love that “parka in the morning, shorts in the evening” time of year.
Let’s get to it.
AW, SHUCKS!
Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
Maybe you don’t think about oysters all that often. Maybe you should. Did you know, for instance, that Savannah was once the world’s busiest oyster harvesting location, or that oysters can be a way of bolstering tourism and local identity along Georgia’s coast?
Frequent oyster considerers know summer is not typically oyster season because Atlantic waters in the South are too warm to harvest safely. But state regulators are proposing a solution.
- A new set of rules would allow Georgia’s two existing floating oyster farms to harvest their crop year-round for the first time ever.
- The catch? (Ha.) Harvesters would have to refrigerate their crops within two hours to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Food safety concerns have been a big challenge for the industry.
- The rules mirror similar plans that went into effect in South Carolina in 2017.
READ MORE: Bobbing along with one of Georgia’s floating oyster farms
Oysters are a flavorful feature of Savannah’s culinary scene. There’s a lot of state history involved, too. Canned oysters were a big thing about a century ago, and Georgia’s annual oyster crop topped 8 million pounds a year back then — more than the current harvest of any single state. Now, Georgia doesn’t even crack the top ten. (I really don’t mean to keep making oyster puns.)
Trivia: What state currently harvests the most oysters? Hint: It’s not Florida. I put the answer at the bottom of the newsletter.
These new rules mean oysters would be a more regular feature on coastal menus. Savannah-area lawmakers and leaders say it will also help grow the region’s culinary identity. Want good oysters? Come to Savannah. That’s the goal — as long as they can be eaten safely.
READ MORE: Why some oyster farmers say the new rules aren’t enough
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CDC CROWD INVITES RFK JR.
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
A group of protesters met outside of the CDC yesterday, and some of them had a message for Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: Come see our work before you write it off.
“RFK needs to come to this lab,” said Steve Monroe, a former CDC associate director for lab sciences. He was one of about two dozen retired CDC scientists who held signs outside the agency and greeted cars honking in support of their work.
RFK’s stated goals actually align with some CDC work.
- The new HHS secretary has criticized ultra-processed foods and food additives. The CDC labs in Chamblee have researched glyphosate in food and how “forever chemicals” stay in the body.
- The CDC has also provided data on chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer, which are central to RFK’s public health agenda.
Other critical health research is on the line
HIV: Widespread federal cuts have gutted CDC offices and stalled important health research. This week, the Trump administration said it was considering additional cuts to the CDC’s HIV prevention division.
Opioid addiction: The Trump Administration, and state legislators right here in Georgia, have both said they want to fight the fentanyl epidemic. The CDC’s Chamblee site also researches opioid usage.
MEN CLOSE TO LAKEN RILEY’S KILLER SENTENCED
Two brothers and a roommate of Jose Ibarra, the man convicted of killing 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley last year, have been sentenced to prison for possessing fake green cards.
Two of the men, who are Venezuelan nationals, will be released on the time served and deported. The three men were arrested during the February 2024 investigation into Riley’s death.
Ibarra was convicted of murder in November and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
MUST-KNOW POLITICS AND BUSINESS
🍳 Egg prices are dropping in Georgia, but we’re not out of the clear yet. The industry would still be vulnerable if another breakout hits. Plus, retailers often source eggs from several different channels.
⛔ Twenty-six Social Security offices are expected to close this year because of DOGE cuts. A full list is in the linked story.
LATER TODAY: Canadian air regulators are expected to release a preliminary report into the recent Delta Air Lines crash in Toronto. Thankfully no one died, but there are still many questions left unanswered.
A CELESTIAL ODE TO THE CARTERS
Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi/AJC
Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi/AJC
How cool is this? A new mural is going up at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to celebrate the lives and legacy of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. The AJC’s Kelly Yamanouchi spotted artist Fabian Williams at work on the piece in the airport’s North terminal. They chatted about the colorful, celestial piece and what it meant to Williams to create it.
“We need people like this,” Williams said of the Carters. “We need good people to step up. … I like painting reminders of good people that stood up for other people, you know?”
You can read their whole conversation here. It’s a soul-soother.
NEWS BITES
Bracket busters: Possible March Madness upsets you shouldn’t ignore
March Madness is like the Olympics. Everyone becomes a passionate expert for like, a month. No shade, I love it!
Braves sign All-Star closer and former Braves fave Craig Kimbrel to minor league deal
Wait, let’s see if I can recreate his stance.
_|==😡==|_
Close enough. Gonna be a rockin’ season in Gwinnett!
Passenger reportedly bitten by man on Delta flight
How many times do we have to say it? Don’t. Bite. People. On. Airplanes!
Whomst amongst us hasn’t tried to cut ravioli with a wine glass, broke the glass, cut our hand and had to have serious medical work done to regain strength? Happens all the time. (To be fair, we all have a stupid kitchen injury in our past.)
ON THIS DATE
March 20, 2003
Credit: File photo
Credit: File photo
From the front page of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: On a night of war, Georgia celebrated a man of peace.
On the same day the United States initiated its war on Iraq, Atlantans gathered to celebrate former President Jimmy Carter winning the Nobel Peace Prize. Carter acknowledged it was “kind of an ironic night.”
ONE MORE THING
The trivia answer is Louisiana. Big surprise there!
Also, today is International Day of Happiness. If you don’t have extra happiness lying around, it’s OK to make your own. Store bought is just fine, too. Better living through (legal) chemicals? Big fan. However you can get it, you deserve it.
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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