Morning, y’all! Today’s shaping up pretty good, with highs in the mid-60s and a few clouds. But go ahead and prepare yourself for a rainy Thanksgiving.
- A quick programming note: A.M. ATL’s off for the holiday but will return Friday, with guest host Eric Mandel.
- And a sales pitch: You get this email for free either way. But if you’re not an AJC subscriber, you might want to consider our sweet Black Friday deal: 60% off for a whole year!
Now that the housekeeping’s done, some news. We’ve got the latest on car thefts at the airport, post-panda life at Zoo Atlanta and the NBA levying a curious fine against the Hawks.
Now. Where have all the turkeys gone?
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GOBBLE GOBBLE GONE?
Credit: Courtesy photo/Joe Berry
Credit: Courtesy photo/Joe Berry
Have you ever seen a living, breathing, wild turkey?
Like all large birds, they’re terrifying. Prehistoric freaks with a mean streak.
But …
That’s not the point of this missive. The point is that wild turkeys in Georgia are on the decline. And even scary animals deserve the chance to flourish.
- In his latest deep dive, the AJC’s Matt Kempner reports that we’re currently looking at around 200,000 turkeys roaming around the Peach State. That’s compared to roughly 350,000 in the early 2000s.
Why, though?
Our gobbly little frenemies are the second-most hunted animals in Georgia, behind deer. But while the state has tweaked some rules to prevent overhunting, folks like UGA professor Michael Chamberlain — aka “the Wild Turkey Doc” — don’t think that’s the main issue.
For that, you’ve got to look to the forest. Or the increasing lack thereof.
Chamberlain and others posit that housing developments, roads, industrial projects, utility easements and many other kinds of human undertakings are trashing the fairly specific types of habitats turkeys need to thrive: forests with hardwood trees, lush vegetation and enough undergrowth for little Tommy and Tammy to scurry around safely.
- Without that? Coyotes and even raccoons make easy prey of the young’uns and senior citizens alike.
Make sure to read Matt’s full story for more.
But know that the Wild Turkey Doc and his graduate students are on the case, outfitting birds with small backpacks to track their movements, analyzing other data from around the country and trying to see how they could help.
“I want to see their populations be sustainable because I value not only the bird, but the places they call home,” Chamberlain said.
Need some last-minute sides to accompany your farm-bred bird? You could do a lot worse than these recipes from “When Southern Women Cook.” But be prepared for pricey eggs.
And know that these restaurants are open for the holiday, too. Just in case.
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LOCK ‘EM UP
Credit: Steve Schaefer/AJC
Credit: Steve Schaefer/AJC
Oh goody, one more thing to worry about while traveling! Atlanta police say at least 310 cars have been stolen from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport this year — more than triple the 2023 number.
- That mirrors numbers at other airports, and the FBI thinks it’s a “highly organized” racket. They suggest using a steering wheel lock, if you can.
Either way: leave early if you’re flying out today.
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COURT WATCH
» A Fulton County judge granted a $101,000 bond — with stipulations — to the 70-year-old man accused of triggering a SWAT standoff last month by firing guns from his apartment at the Four Seasons Midtown.
» Meanwhile: Fulton County’s “Young Slime Life” case officially landed in the hands of jurors Tuesday afternoon. If they don’t reach a verdict today they’ll resume deliberations next week.
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EVS AND EGOS
Credit: John Bazemore/AP
Credit: John Bazemore/AP
Electric vehicle maker Rivian’s forthcoming $6.6 billion loan from the U.S. Department of Energy means construction will (eventually) restart on its massive factory east of Atlanta.
- It also puts Gov. Brian Kemp in an interesting political position, the AJC’s Greg Bluestein writes.
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THE MIDDLE EAST
Israel and Hezbollah reached a ceasefire deal in Lebanon (which does not directly impact anything in Gaza).
A group of local Jewish leaders, meanwhile, condemned recent votes by U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock to restrict American distribution of certain weapons to Israel.
But another rabbi writes that such condemnations “failed to recognize the nuance of their actions.”
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REALLY THOUGH?
Credit: Jason Allen for the AJC
Credit: Jason Allen for the AJC
The NBA fined the Hawks $100,000 for sitting guard Trae Young during their Nov. 12 matchup against Boston. That was a in-season tournament game, and league rules require teams to “ensure that star players are available” for such contests.
Naturally, Young’s listed as questionable for tonight’s game in Cleveland (7:30 p.m. on FanDuel Sports Southeast).
- Clean Old-Fashioned Hate: Georgia Tech football coach Brent Key has 100,000 reasons to beat hated rival Georgia — which sits at No. 7 in the latest playoff rankings — this weekend.
- Falcons: Atlanta says its ready for a physical game when the Chargers come to town Sunday.
- United: It appears interim manager Rob Valentino won’t be getting the full-time job.
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WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN’
Next year’s Shaky Knees music festival will rock Piedmont Park in September. That’s a departure from recent May dates at Central Park — and a positive sign for an industry that’s taken plenty of lumps lately.
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LIFE WITHOUT LUN LUN
Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
Zoo Atlanta says it’s in a good position, financially speaking, to weather post-panda life. But this little factoid from my colleagues’ closer look raised eyebrows: Panda-related souvenirs accounted for half the zoo’s merchandise sales.
“They drive a lot of areas of revenue, but they are also very expensive animals to take care of,” CEO Raymond King said. “Net, net, we’ll see how it settles out.”
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MORE TO EXPLORE
» Democrats scrambled to back a write-in candidate for U.S. House
» Mountains of Georgia hurricane debris go up in smoke or in landfills
» 30 years after woman’s Thanksgiving murder, her killer could go free
» Rhone: Thankful for the thoughtfulness of Maya Angelou
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ON THIS DATE
Nov. 27, 1989
The Atlanta Constitution reported on Alabama mulling legal action over Georgia (and metro Atlanta’s) use of water from the Chattahoochee River.
The Yellowhammer State followed through on that threat the next year — kicking off the legal “water wars” that raged on (and made lawyers rich) until the primary issue was resolved in 2023.
Credit: File photo
Credit: File photo
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PHOTO OF THE DAY
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
AJC photographer Arvin Temkar recently captured the Jonesboro High School marching band — aka the Majestic Marching Cardinals — preparing for their gig at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York.
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ONE MORE THING
Y’all have a lovely, calm, nonconfrontational Thanksgiving, ya hear me? We’ve all got lots to appreciate.
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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.
