Morning, y’all! It’s Aquarius season, so happy current and upcoming birthday to all you eccentric, visionary air sign babies. ♒ We’ve got an update on the cold weather and warnings about a new hot flash drug. But first, let’s get up to speed on yesterday’s inauguration of President Donald Trump.
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47 IS IN THE (WHITE) HOUSE
Credit: Kevin Lamarque/AP
Credit: Kevin Lamarque/AP
“This will truly be the golden age of America.”
That was the promise posted on the White House’s updated home page just minutes after President Donald Trump took the oath of office and was sworn in as the United States’ 47th president.
How everything went: No crowd size kerfuffle here. The inauguration ceremony took place in front of a pared-down crowd inside the Capitol rotunda, followed by several (indoor) inaugural events. Trump also participated in the traditional gestures that mark the peaceful transfer of power. He and First Lady Melania Trump escorted outgoing President Joe Biden and former First Lady Jill Biden to a waiting helicopter, embracing them before the Bidens left the Capitol for good.
GA Democrats weigh in on the day: Both Sen. Raphael Warnock and Sen. John Ossoff were at the inauguration. Warnock said his presence was “an endorsement of our democratic principles.”
Dems are split on whether to encourage bipartisan cooperation with Trump and his allies, or take a more aggressive approach. Georgia Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones says the people are the most important part.
“I don’t think we should have ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome,’” Jones said. “Our strategy should be to show the people of Georgia our ideas. It’s not necessarily just about pushing Donald Trump. It’s about focusing on Georgia.”
🔎 How Georgia Democrats are preparing for a new Trump term
What’s next for Georgia: From Day 1, Trump has communicated big changes for the country. Various AJC reporters and experts weighed in on how his policies on health care, immigration, transportation, agriculture and more will affect people here. Consider it today’s must-read.
In short, Trump’s plans sometimes differ from state goals, and could threaten things that are already working in the state, like green energy tax incentives or new transit projects. However, if they do, state leaders on both sides of the aisle — including many Trump allies — seem willing to protect Georgia’s interests. Leaders and advocates are also worried how Trump’s policies may complicate existing challenges in the state, like housing costs.
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.
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HOPE YOU KEPT THOSE ICE SCRAPERS OUT
Credit: Ben Hedren/AJC
Credit: Ben Hedren/AJC
Parts of Georgia are under a winter storm watch through today and tomorrow, and that may include ice, snow, that icky thing where it’s kind of snowing but mostly raining, the scary snow where you can hear it hitting the ground, and all other manner of unscientific winter effluvia.
🔎 An updated list of Georgia schools and colleges closing or changing their schedules today
The National Weather Service offered some advice for traveling in the mess:
❄️ Share your travel plans so someone knows where you’ll be.
❄️ Fill up your tank and make sure you have winter supplies in your car (blankets, flashlight, water, a few granola bars, etc).
❄️ Be especially careful on bridges and overpasses which freeze faster than surface streets (we’re looking at you, Spaghetti Junction).
Some airlines including Delta, United and Southwest are offering travelers a chance to change their plans early this week. That could include vouchers or rescheduled flights. So get on that if you need to.
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GA DOCS STILL FANS OF HOT FLASH MEDS
The FDA has issued several warnings in the last few months about Veozah, a drug that curbs menopause-related hot flashes without hormones (a big deal for women weathering menopause, or just looking anxiously toward it). Most recently, the agency added a box warning in December saying the drug has been linked to liver injury.
However, many docs and OB-GYNs in Georgia say the benefits outweigh the risks, especially with proper blood monitoring.
“It’s the first we have seen that gives more relief from hot flashes. I have been very excited about it,” LaGrange OB-GYN L. Joy Baker told the AJC. “Not everyone is a good candidate for it but if they are, it’s a viable option.”
“Many women tell me they are fine with accepting some level of risk to feel like themselves again,” she added.
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HOW ABOUT THEM HAWKS
Credit: Ross D. Franklin/AP
Credit: Ross D. Franklin/AP
After a few years of mess, the Atlanta Hawks have turned in a strong first half of the season despite falling to the New York Knicks yesterday. Their 22-20 start to the year is the best since the 2016-2017 season, and Hawks center Onyeka Okongwu says the team’s fearlessness is propelling them upward. Head coach Quin Snyder says the team sees adversity as something that can “bring you together” and “raise your level.” In other words, if you’re going through hell, keep on going.
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UGA GIVES NEW HOPE IN THE OPIOID ADDICTION BATTLE
Now this is community news we want to hear. The University of Georgia has received about $1.2 million from the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust to help combat the opioid epidemic in rural Georgia. With that money, UGA will partner with at least 50 rural community pharmacists to provide training, support and compensation for distribution of naloxone, a life-saving drug administered to people in the middle of an overdose.
Addiction has hit the state hard: Drug overdose deaths in the state increased 56% from 2019 to 2021, including a 218% increase in deaths from fentanyl during that period, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.
🔎 Get more scoop in a roundup of the latest Georgia college news
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DANG IT, BIRD FLU
All state poultry exhibitions, shows, swaps, meets and sales are suspended until further notice after a strain of bird flu was detected in a Georgia commercial poultry flock. Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper called the virus’ emergence a “serious threat to Georgia’s #1 industry and the livelihoods of thousands of Georgians who make their living in our state’s poultry industry.” However, he also said the outbreak doesn’t affect poultry items for sale at grocery stores, and people should “have 100% confidence” buying their meat and eggs as usual.
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NEWS BITES
Ohio State defeats Notre Dame to take CFP national championship
But our real MVPs were the ladies of the Spelman College Glee Club, who delivered a gorgeous “America the Beautiful” and celebrated 100 years of choral excellence.
And no player on either team will ever feel their fingers or toes again.
Keke Palmer comedy ‘One of Them Days’ and ‘Mufasa’ in close race at MLK weekend box office
A buddy comedy? With funny women? And SZA?!!! Say less.
At the intimate inauguration, close-up encounters between political rivals sometimes got awkward
Oof. Usually at these things you can put the whole length of the National Mall between you and your least favorite coworkers.
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ON THIS DATE
Credit: AJC
Credit: AJC
From the front page of the January 21, 1921 edition of the Atlanta Constitution (best read with headline as punchline): Joseph Jejois … bought the Wausakee [Wisconsin] jail for thirty dollars and will use it for a woodshed. City officers, in explaining the sale, said that since the advent of prohibition the jail, which has been in service for 30 years, has been idle. Probably the Wood Even Will Dry Out If Jailed for Long.
It’s nice to know our newspaper forebears had fine senses of humor. (Another short item on the front page about snoring and sleep talking being charged as disrupting the peace in Ohio is titled “Strong Arm of Law Would Even Reach Into Land of Nod.”)
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ONE MORE THING
My buddy who keeps chickens in High Point, North Carolina, says he puts ping pong balls in their water to keep it from freezing. Other chicken owners have found less success with this method, but the idea is to keep a little movement on the water’s surface. It’s worth a try!
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Thanks for reading to the very bottom of A.M. ATL. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact me at tellus@ajc.com.
Until next time.
