Morning, y’all! It’s chilly out there! Temperatures in metro Atlanta are flirting with the 30s this morning and won’t get above the mid-50s.
News wise, we’ve got the latest on Gov. Brian Kemp’s influential new role, Coca-Cola’s AI-generated Christmas ads and Georgia Tech football’s prime-time clash with NC State.
But first: An emotional day in Athens.
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‘HOLE IN MY HEART’
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Five calendar days after his trial began, Jose Ibarra — the Venezuelan migrant now convicted in the February killing of nursing student Laken Riley — learned his fate.
Guilty on all 10 counts.
Life in prison without parole.
The horrific case captured attention across the country, reigniting a contentious national conversation about immigration and the Southern border. The verdict also prompted a wide range of reactions, political and otherwise.
Most included in the selection below are edited for brevity.
Allyson Phillips, Riley’s mother, in court: “He took my best friend. He ripped away every beautiful memory we will ever be able to make with her again.”
Lauren Phillips, Riley’s younger sister, in court: “I now have this hole in my heart and in my life that I know will never be filled.”
Lynn Gainous, cofounder of a campus safety group, in an interview: “This crime was 100% preventable. There were so many things out there that could have deterred it.”
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, on social media: “Open border policies failed Laken Riley, and today’s verdict is a reminder that the safety of our communities must remain our number one priority.”
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, on social media: “Laken was a smart, beautiful young woman with boundless potential. Tragically, she is not the first American life lost at the hands of illegal aliens.”
President-elect Donald Trump, on social media: “We love you, Laken, and our hearts will always be with you. It is time to secure our Border, and remove these criminals and thugs from our Country, so nothing like this can happen again!”
Before delivering his sentence Wednesday, Judge H. Patrick Haggard acknowledged the pain of Riley’s friends and family, adding that “closure” is a largely unachievable thing.
But, he said: “As many times as you reflect on the loss, at some point you start smiling about the memories. I’m hopeful that at some point that takes over to a certain extent.”
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MOVING ON UP
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
The Republican Governors Association tapped Gov. Brian Kemp as its next chair, effective immediately. The prominent role should further bolster Kemp’s national profile as he mulls a run for U.S. Senate in 2026 (or perhaps president in 2028).
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CONTAMINATED CARROTS
A Savannah woman who says she’s among the dozens of people nationwide who contracted E. coli from organic carrots filed a lawsuit against their California producer.
At least one person died after eating the carrots from Grimmway Farms.
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MADE IN GEORGIA
Credit: Courtesy Hyundai Motor Group
Credit: Courtesy Hyundai Motor Group
The AJC’s Zach Hansen hoofed it all the way to Los Angeles this week, where he learned that auto giant Hyundai plans to build an all-new model at its Metaplant near Savannah.
- The three-row electric SUV dubbed IONIQ 9 makes two vehicles announced for assembly at the massive Georgia factory, which began operations last month.
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AD DEBATES AND DELTA DINING
» Coca-Cola generally aces holiday ads. They practically invented them. But this year’s AI-generated offerings have some folks crying “not the real thing.”
» Delta Air Lines, meanwhile, announced plans to focus even more keenly on “premium travelers” — which apparently includes offering Shake Shack burgers on some first-class flights.
- What would be your top choice for an in-flight meal? Shoot me an email and let me know!
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MIDWEEK BUZZ
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Georgia Tech football hosts NC State tonight. And a win would mean their first undefeated season at home in 25 years. Fun fact: Head coach Brent Key played on that 1999 squad.
Tune in to ESPN at 7:30 p.m. to see if the Jackets can pull it off — and watch a pair of brothers face off for the first time in college, too.
- Braves: Chris Sale indeed won the National League Cy Young Award, the first of his career. “It’s special to me because of all the hard work that other people put in to get me here,” he said.
- Hawks: Golden State 120, Atlanta 97. Woof.
- United: The Five Stripes are preparing for Sunday’s playoff semifinal in Orlando and interviewing potential managers at the same time.
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DITCH THE KITCHEN
We already gave you a list of places where you can order Thanksgiving dinner this year. And if you’re planning to eat out on Turkey Day, we’ve got options for that, too.
Reservations encouraged!
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MORE TO EXPLORE
» Griffin electrical lineman killed on the job remembered as local hero
» Mother found guilty but mentally ill after baby’s stabbing death in Cherokee
» Athens area golf course, club sells to new firm
» Jane Fonda’s Georgia teen pregnancy prevention group raises $1.2M
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ON THIS DATE
Nov. 21, 1922
Georgia’s Rebecca Latimer Felton, 87, became the U.S. Senate’s first female member — if only for a day.
A bit of a long story. But a senator died and the governor appointed Felton (the wife of a former state legislator and congressman) to serve before the winner of a special election could take office.
It’s worth noting, of course, that Felton was not only an outspoken advocate for women’s rights but a former slave owner and a big fan of lynching. So let’s not get too excited.
Credit: File photo
Credit: File photo
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PHOTO OF THE DAY
Credit: Taylor Croft/AJC
Credit: Taylor Croft/AJC
The AJC’s Taylor Croft recently caught Koda, who belongs to Cathy Gable, preparing to take photos with Santa at Perimeter Mall in Dunwoody.
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ONE MORE THING
Don’t forget your jacket today!
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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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