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Articles by Thomas Wheatley
MOCA GA opens its long-awaited permanent Atlanta home
The doors are officially open at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia's new home. Why it matters: Building a permanent home for Georgia's contemporary artists has been one of MOCA GA's goals since its founding 26 years ago. The 26,300-square-foot facility includes space to house the more than 1,600-work permanent collection and other archives. Zoom in: Designed by Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects, the museum has five galleries, a tiered auditorium, library, programming spaces and offices.
The fallout over the death of HeeHaw the donkey, explained
The police killing of a 1-year-old donkey named HeeHaw at a farm near Rockmart has sparked a state investigation and legal battle over when officers can use lethal force against animals. Driving the news: Cedartown police officer Trenton Ryan Garner, who was placed on administrative leave after shooting the donkey, has asked a federal judge to dismiss a civil rights lawsuit filed against him by HeeHaw's owner, Hannah Israel. Catch up quick: Shortly after midnight Aug.
Atlanta's High Museum turns 100 with a big block party
The High Museum of Art is celebrating its 100th birthday with a massive Peachtree Street block party Sunday and a refresh of its galleries. Why it matters: This weekend marks a century since the High opened its doors. What began in a Tudor-style home in then-bucolic Midtown now spans 312,000 square feet across three buildings and has become one of the South's most significant cultural anchors.
How to visit the High Museum of Art
Architect Richard Meier's atrium at the High. Photo: Courtesy of the High Museum of Art The High Museum of Art spans three buildings and covers more than 312,ooo square feet, making it the largest visual art museum in the Southeast. Here's how you can make your visit a smooth one. Ride MARTA Skip parking fees and crushing Midtown gridlock. The MARTA Arts Center station is next to the Woodruff Arts Center campus. Go for free Admission is free every second Sunday thanks to a UPS sponsorship.
Atlanta weekend events: Messi, Interpol, Halloween parade and more
You've been working hard lately. Go unwind and wind yourself up with these weekend events. 🎸 Interpol and opener DIIV play The Eastern. (Fri.) 🃏 Pack up your Pokémon and gather your Magic: The Gathering for Atlanta Card Fest at Atlanta Expo Center North. (Fri.-Sun.) 🏴 Don your tartan and get ready to toss some cabers to celebrate Scottish culture at the Stone Mountain Highland Games.
Atlanta's ambitious highway park project has a new plan
The team developing The Stitch , an ambitious proposal to cap part of Atlanta's Downtown Connector with a park, plans to begin street construction next year before tackling the project's signature green space. Why it matters: The project, roughly a decade in the making, aims to repair the damage caused by the construction of the Downtown Connector and could spur new development. Driving the news: The nonprofit Atlanta Downtown Stitch Inc.
Questions linger after man falls to death from Six Flags roller coaster
Cobb County police and state officials are investigating the death of a man who appears to have been ejected from the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia on Monday. Driving the news: Cobb County police responded to the park in Mableton just before 4pm Monday and found 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem unresponsive and not breathing under the coaster.
Atlanta's Stitch project reveals new plans for Downtown park
The team developing The Stitch, an ambitious proposal to cap part of Atlanta's Downtown Connector with a park, plans to begin street construction next year before tackling the project's signature green space. Why it matters: The project, roughly a decade in the making, aims to repair the damage caused by the construction of the Downtown Connector and could spur new development. Driving the news: The nonprofit Atlanta Downtown Stitch Inc.
Atlanta's Bowen Homes redevelopment builds on its legacy
Atlanta's public housing authority is tapping Bowen Homes' history to guide the site's mixed-use redevelopment. Why it matters: Atlanta Housing officials on Thursday said Ariel Place at Bowen signals that the 2,000-unit redevelopment is intended to represent more than just apartments and townhomes.
Hurricane Isaias could bring strong winds, flooding to Atlanta
Illustration: National Weather Service Atlanta office State officials are preparing for potential strong wind, heavy rain and overwhelmed storm drains as Hurricane Isaias approaches from the Gulf of Mexico. State of play: Gov. Brian Kemp yesterday afternoon declared a state of emergency across Georgia in anticipation of the first hurricane of the Atlantic season making landfall along the Gulf coast.
Stat du jour: Metro Atlanta's eviction crisis
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios 142,047 Number of eviction cases filed in the five-county metro Atlanta region over the past year, according to the Princeton University Eviction Lab. Driving the news: The center's researchers recently visited the Atlanta History Center to share data about metro Atlanta's eviction crisis with nonprofit, civic and government leaders. Zoom out: Metro Atlanta has the highest filing rate among the 11 states and 43 cities tracked by the research center.
Atlanta weekend events: Pride, Jonas Brothers, antiques and more
Make some plans, find your best parade gear and pray that the rain dodges metro Atlanta. 🎤 The Jonas Brothers bring their Burning Up Tour All Over Again to State Farm Arena. (Thurs.) 🏺 Find your next heirloom or dining-room table at the Scott Antique Market at the Atlanta Expo Centers. (Thurs.-Sun.) 🏳️🌈 Atlanta Pride has arrived, bringing with it parties, galas and an inimitable PG-13 parade celebrating the city's LGBTQ culture.
Bottoms, Jackson clash over Flock cameras, data centers in Georgia governor debate
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Bottoms, Jackson clash over Flock cameras, data centers in Georgia debate
Keisha Lance Bottoms and Rick Jackson clashed in what might be the only debate between the Democratic and Republican gubernatorial candidates during the general election season. Why it matters: Bottoms, a former Atlanta mayor, and Jackson, a billionaire health care executive, told undecided voters their plans for the economy, education and more at Atlanta News First's debate Tuesday evening at Assembly Studios in Doraville.
Bottoms and Jackson meet for only confirmed Georgia governor debate
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Bottoms and Jackson face off in only confirmed Georgia debate
Tuesday might be Georgia voters' only chance to watch the major-party candidates in one of the nation's most competitive gubernatorial races debate on a stage. Why it matters: Tuesday's Atlanta News First debate is the only confirmed showdown between Republican billionaire Rick Jackson and Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, and it takes place with just one week until early voting starts.
Celebrating five years of Axios Atlanta newsletters
Sunday marked five years since the first Axios Atlanta newsletter arrived in readers' inboxes. If you've been with us since the beginning or just started reading, thank you. Why it matters: One of the best ways to understand this dynamic city we call home is with quality journalism, and Axios is charting a new sustainable path to help provide coverage.
Outkast fans pack Atlanta Waffle House for merch drop
The line for merchandise including hoodies and bucket hats wrapped around the block. Photos: Thomas Wheatley/Axios Thousands of Outkast and Waffle House fans waited an hour-plus Friday to shop Atlanta merch and order from a souvenir André 3000- and Big Boi-themed menu. Zoom in: Atlanta police closed the street near Waffle House's Centennial Olympic Park location to accommodate the line of people who wrapped around the block to celebrate the two Atlanta institutions.
Georgia "I voted" sticker by Atlanta artist draws criticism
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Georgia "I voted" sticker by Atlanta artist draws criticism
A new "I voted" sticker designed by an Atlanta artist that an AJC columnist once dubbed the "da Vinci of the GOP" is drawing criticism online. Why it matters: Steve Penley's reboot of a routine election giveaway fueled fears that Georgia's beloved peach sticker was going away — and sparked chatter online about the artist's conservative politics.
Georgia's library checkout rate is among nation's lowest
Data: Institute of Museum and Library Services Public Libraries Survey; Note: Reporting periods and adherence to survey definitions can vary by state; "No data" states did not report electronic material circulation; Map: Sami Sparber/Axios Georgia has one of the lowest rates of library checkouts per person in the country. The big picture: Public libraries nationwide reported 6.5 checkouts per person in FY 2024, according to the Institute of Museum and Library Services survey.
Georgia Democrats see a path to ending GOP control of the state House
Georgia Democrats say they have a fighting chance of breaking Republicans' two-decade grip on unified state government in the November midterms. Why it matters: Gaining control of the chamber would fundamentally change how laws are passed and policies are created in Georgia and would give Democrats greater power on budgeting and important legislation.
Georgia Democrats see path to flipping the state House
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios Georgia Democrats say they have a fighting chance of breaking Republicans' two-decade grip on unified state government in the November midterms. Why it matters: Gaining control of the chamber would fundamentally change how laws are passed and policies are created in Georgia and would give Democrats greater power on budgeting and important legislation.
Georgia has 119 more data centers planned
Georgia is expected to have roughly 60 large data centers by the end of 2026, with nearly twice as many planned for the years ahead. Why it matters: The 119 data centers planned for later years would increase Georgia's 3,906 MW capacity by 287%, according to records analyzed by market intelligence company Cleanview. State of play: Data centers face increasing local resistance across Georgia over concerns about water and energy use and community impacts as the midterm elections draw near.
Weekender: Dolly Parton Day, Beltline lanterns and salsa dancing
You deserve a weekend to-do list that features plenty of fun events. Here are a few. 👱♀️ Celebrate Dolly Parton with drag performances, a look-alike costume contest and more on Sept. 25 — 9 to 5, get it? — at Jolene Jolene in Kirkwood. (Fri.) A portion of the proceeds will benefit Friends of the Library in Kirkwood. 🎮 Tickets are scarce: A 25-piece orchestra performs the score from Toby Fox's UNDERTALE video game under a screen of game footage.
E. coli surges after Atlanta airport sewage spill
Illustration: Axios Visuals TNTC, or "too numerous to count" — A result used when a sample contains more bacterial colonies than the testing method can reliably count, like E. coli samples recently collected by the Flint Riverkeeper downstream of a Sept. 16 sewage spill at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, per GPB.
Atlanta's best week for homebuyers is almost here
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios Metro Atlanta is entering the best week of the year to snag a house, according to a Realtor.com report. Why it matters: This sweet spot gives buyers a break from the bidding wars and waived home inspections that are more common earlier in the year. By the numbers: Early fall — particularly the week of Sept. 27 — brings some of the best conditions for buyers in the metro, according to Realtor.com, which analyzed data from recent years.
Atlanta 911 outage triggers emergency backup operations
Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios City officials are investigating why Atlanta's 911 system suffered an outage on Monday night, spurring officials to activate a backup center. Catch up quick: APD officials publicly acknowledged around 9pm that the system was experiencing technical issues that affected the ability to receive and dispatch emergency calls. 911 staff moved operations to Atlanta's public safety training center and Fulton County's emergency communications center, according to Fox 5.
Atlanta zoning code rewrite will undergo a rewrite
Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios City officials are pumping the brakes on a years-long effort to rewrite Atlanta's antiquated zoning code after a city-commissioned critique warned the proposals could leave the city worse off than what's currently on the books. Why it matters: Zoning drives the look and feel of a city, and ATL Zoning 2.0 is the first overhaul of Atlanta's rules and regulations since 1982, when the city had roughly 100,000 fewer people and no Atlanta Beltline.
The strange, brilliant Atlanta of "Atlanta" turns 10
Brian Tyree Henry, Zazie Beetz, Donald Glover and Lakeith Stanfield attend FX's "Atlanta Robbin' Season" event in 2018. Photo: Presley Ann/Getty Images September marks 10 years since "Atlanta," Donald Glover's surreal exploration of our city, its social and power structures and its chaotic beauty, debuted. Thomas' thought bubble: Atlanta's been the setting for plenty of shows (hello, "Designing Women!") and a filming location for many more.
Metro Atlanta's future is older
Metro Atlanta's 65 and up population is projected to boom in the coming decades amid a demographic inversion that's expected to deepen well into the future. Why it matters: Aging in place isn't easy in the sprawling, car-dependent metro, and regional planners say action is needed to accommodate a 65 and older population expected to more than double by 2050.
Metro Atlanta marks 25 years since 9/11 with events
Metro Atlanta cities and counties are holding events to mark 25 years since 9/11, a day we remember for the nearly 3,000 people who were killed and the countless lives forever changed. Here are some events happening Friday to honor the lives lost in the terrorist attacks: πΊπΈ 9/11 Field of Flags, a partnership of the Marietta Kiwanis Foundation and the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, features 2,977 American flags representing the people killed on 9/11.
Junkman's Daughter gets a new face in Little Five Points
The new mural project is expected to take at least four weeks. Photo: Thomas Wheatley/Axios Junkman's Daughter, the iconic Little Five Points emporium of almost everything, is getting a new face. Why it matters: The stalwart megashop's facade and the Vortex Bar and Grill's oversized skull entrance are key ingredients of L5P's magic.
Junkman's Daughter gets a new face in Little Five Points
College & University 1 hour ago Emory professor has her ‘biggest classroom’ with Emmy-nominated ‘Gilded Age’ ajc.com - Benjamin Carr • 1h This story was originally published by ArtsATL.
Buckhead is getting a new Atlanta Beltline connection
Preliminary work has already begun on the new pedestrian bridge and on the tail end of the existing path that leads to Ardmore and Taynard Creek parks. Rendering: Courtesy of Atlanta Beltline Inc. Photo: Kristal Dixon/Axios Work is underway to fill a major gap of Atlanta Beltline connectivity in Buckhead. Why it matters: A new 1-mile Beltline segment opens up a brand new pedestrian and bicyclist path connecting Loring Heights, Brookwood and Ardmore to Buckhead's trail network.
Six Flags buys ArieForce One, but its new home is a mystery
ArieForce One, a celebrated roller coaster whose short and vivid life seemed to end when the Fayetteville amusement park it called home closed down this summer, is getting a new lease on life. Driving the news: Six Flags Entertainment Corp. announced Tuesday that it acquired the gravity-defying ride, which had drawn legions of roller coaster fans to Fun Spot America Atlanta in Fayetteville since it opened in 2023. Catch up quick: The Aug.
Atlanta wants to take the surprises out of parking
Atlanta parking lot and garage operators would have to post clear information about prices, payment options, penalties and surveillance technology under an ordinance the Atlanta City Council could consider next week. Why it matters: Atlanta drivers are navigating a brave new world of automated surveillance, text-to-pay and confusing parking lot rules.
4 games, 3 days: Atlanta's big college football weekend
Are you ready for some football? Because this weekend is a three-day college football festival. Thursday: Georgia Tech opens its season against Colorado at Bobby Dodd Stadium at 8pm. Head to the Helluva Block Party on Bobby Dodd Way at 4pm or join the ESPN SportsCenter on Campus live broadcast on the top level of the Peters Parking Deck at 5pm. Friday: Georgia State University hosts North Carolina A&T at 7pm at Center Parc Credit Union Stadium for the two teams' first-ever showdown.
How to enjoy Dragon Con without attending Dragon Con
Dragon Con, the largest sci-fi and fantasy convention in the Southeast and an Atlanta treasure, is back. But you don't need a badge or deep understanding of "Doctor Who" history to experience the fun. Why it matters: The five-day convention is a Labor Day weekend tradition, and organizers estimate roughly 75,000 people will attend the parties, panels and a concert by a "Star Wars"-themed heavy metal band that performs composer John Williams' scores.
How to enjoy Dragon Con without attending Dragon Con
Recollection: A Star Trek Story episode 4, “I Only Work in Outer Space,” takes the growing tension aboard the Good Hope and gives it a ticking clock, …
Georgia tick bites hit August record ahead of fall peak
This year's tick season has been a doozy in Georgia — and another peak is coming in the fall. Why it matters: Tick bites can pose serious health risks, transmitting pathogens that cause illnesses including Lyme disease and triggering alpha-gal syndrome, an allergy to red meat. By the numbers: Georgia broke its August record with 30 ER visits for tick bites per 100,000 total ER visits, according to the CDC's tracker.
André 3000 joins Scooby-Doo series filming in Atlanta
André 3000 of Outkast at the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony in Los Angeles. Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for RRHOF André 3000 of Outkast is joining the cast of a new streaming series all about those meddling kids and their dog. Driving the news: Netflix announced that André, whose real name is André Benjamin, has accepted a recurring role in "Scooby-Doo: Origins," a live-action streaming series.
We tried Waffle House's new tacos in metro Atlanta
Waffle House, the Norcross-based culinary and cultural icon, is getting into the tacos game — for a limited time. Why it matters: The Waffle House empire stretches across more than 2,000 locations in 25 states, and the menu and stores are familiar territory. But they occasionally become proving grounds for new menu items. And a new fighter has entered the arena.
Georgia paid over $20B in Trump tariffs, report estimates
Data: Trade Partnership Worldwide, via National Taxpayers Union Foundation. Note: Includes only executive-action tariffs. Excludes tariffs established by legislative statute. Chart: Brad Jennings/Axios Georgia businesses have paid some of the nation's highest tariff costs under President Trump's trade actions since the start of 2025. Why it matters: Local industries dictate how heavily communities have been hit, from Georgia's auto manufacturing industry to Virginia's aerospace sector.
Atlanta rideshare drivers push back against robotaxis
Atlanta rideshare drivers are urging city and state lawmakers to curb the expansion of Waymo and other robotaxis and consider the technology's long-term economic impact. Why it matters: A group of independent contractors who helped disrupt the taxicab business model is now organizing to push back against automation.
Atlanta's final 8pm sunset of 2026 is next week
Data: NOAA solar calculations; U.S. Census Bureau; Note: Times are calculated for a single point within each U.S. county or equivalent. Actual sunset times across a given county might vary; Map: Brad Jennings/Axios Get ready for shorter days: Atlanta's final 8pm sunset of the year arrives next week as fall inches closer, per NOAA. The big picture: We lose a little more daylight every day as the Earth's Northern Hemisphere tilts away from the sun through Dec.
Weekender: Golf, more golf and pirate puzzles
And boom, the weekend's back. Start planning now: â³ï¸ Kiss your sunburn worries goodbye with a six-hole, par 3 night golf course at Lanier Islands Resort. (Thurs.-Sat.) â³ï¸ Some of golf's best players compete for a $40 million purse at the PGA Tour Championship at the historic East Lake Golf Club. (Thurs.-Sun.) ğº Vocalist and trumpeter Joe Gransden joins pianist Kenny Banks Sr. on stage for two shows at the Velvet Note.
Beltline stabbing renews debate over mental health, public safety
The fatal stabbing Sunday on the Atlanta Beltline Eastside Trail has sparked calls for action on public safety, the mental health system and criminal justice reform.
Remember when Atlanta got drive-thru funeral viewing?
In the mid-1960s, Atlanta mortician Herschel Thornton dreamed of a novel idea: a series of drive-thru windows where people could view loved ones from the comfort of their cars. Why it matters: Herschel Thornton Mortuary claims to be the first funeral home in the country to offer a 24-hour drive-thru viewing window. Catch up quick: Thornton, who moved the mortuary from Downtown to the Adamsville neighborhood in 1964, said the idea came to him in his sleep.
Hipcamp names Georgia's best campsites for 2026
From mountain escapes to the Okefenokee, these Georgia campsites earned top marks from Hipcamp.
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