Atlanta, GA
đđ˝ Clubbing at the High
High Frequency FridayÂ
Oct. 25 â The weekend is here, and if youâre looking to fill your dance card, between One Musicfest at Central Park,Jerry Seinfeld at the Fox, or the Hawks at State Farm Arena tonight, there is much to choose from. Visit our How Do You Atlanta? event calendar for more ideas.
âď¸ Sunny and 81° today. The weekend also looks warm and sunny.Â
đŤ Former President Barack Obama, Bruce Springsteen, and Tyler Perry joined Vice President Kamala Harris at her Clarkston campaign rally yesterday, which drew an estimated 20,000 people.
âď¸ Defense attorneys for the three Brunswick, GA men convicted of killing Ahmaud Arbery are asking for a new trial for their clients.Â
đł A full master plan for The Stitch â the Downtown Connector capping park â will be released on Oct. 31.Â
đ DeKalb County CEO-elect Lorraine Cochran-Johnson started her constituent listening tour in Dunwoody this week. See where else sheâs headed.Â
đĄ A movement to declare the Candler Park neighborhood a city historic district has failed after a community vote.
đ¨ Conyers residents are demanding the BioLab chemical plant answer their questions, pay restitution, and leave town nearly a month after smoke from a fire brought daily life to a standstill.
đ DeKalb Fire & Rescue had to rescue two 10-year-old boys who tried to zip line after hours in Dunwoodyâs Brook Run Park.
đď¸Â A group of local Jewish organizations is hosting âReflecting on a Year of Heartbreak, Resilience, and Hopeâ on Sun., Oct. 27 from 2-5 p.m. The event is open to all, but registration is required.
đ Tucker Meat Market owner Andrea Woolf is trying to bring home the title of the World Burger Champion at the World Food Championship next month.
â¸ď¸ An ice skating rink will be a part of Brookhavenâs citywide winter celebrations for the first time this year.
ELSEWHERE
đ President Joe Biden will visit a Native American reservation today, where heâll formally apologize for federal Indian boarding schoolsâ historical abuses.
âď¸ The Los Angeles district attorney said he will seek resentencing for Erik and Lyle Menendez, who killed their parents in 1989, saying theyâve âpaid their debt to society.â
đ Hereâs whatâs in todayâs newsletter:
⢠Clubbing at the HighÂ
⢠Film Review: âConclaveâ
⢠The Sports Section
AND
⢠Top Stories of the WeekÂ
Have a good weekend,
Collin & SammieÂ
đš Join us Sat., March 29 for an Intimate Evening with Jason Isbell LIVE at The Fox Theatre! Tickets go on sale today, Fri., Oct. 25, at 10 a.m. at FoxTheatre.org!
SPONSOR MESSAGE

1. Friday evening jazz and DJs transform the High into Atlantaâs hottest nightclubÂ
đˇ Twice a month on Friday night, the High Museum of Art stays open later than usual for High Frequency Friday and Friday Jazz. Both evenings invite people to see the High in a different light â beyond just a museum â offering music, dancing, cocktails, and mingling with art as the backdrop to it all.
People begin lining up for Friday nights at the High well before the doors open at 6 p.m. Crowds come dressed to the nines, transforming the museum into the cityâs hottest pop-up nightclub for four hours featuring some of Atlantaâs best DJs and jazz musicians.
Once the doors open, museum staff members begin scanning QR codes on tickets. The line moves quickly. People soon find the cocktails, beer, and wine inside and head toward the music.
đ¨Â Learn more about the pop-up here.

Georgia Power hosts backpack and supply drives for families in need
SPONSORED BY GEORGIA POWER
đ This summer, Georgia Power employees teamed up with local organizations to host backpack and supply drives to support families in need. Spearheaded by 15 citizen chapters across the state, these grassroots efforts gathered more than 2,800 backpacks filled with essential school supplies, benefiting 20 school districts.
Georgia Power employees are not just giving back; theyâre helping to create a supportive environment where education can thrive. Itâs all about building a brighter future for students across Georgia, one backpack at a time.
âĄÂ Read the full story here.

2. âConclaveâ is petty politics done right
WEEKLY FILM REVIEW | BY SAMMIE PURCELL
đłď¸ One of the most important locations in âConclaveâ â a film that beautifully recreates echoing church halls and the dramatic, high ceilings of the Sistine Chapel â is a simple auditorium.
Itâs here where a few men are trying to decide who should become the next pope. The men in this room â including Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), who has been tasked with running this election â think it imperative that the progressive Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci) wins. Mostly because he doesnât want it. âNo sane man would want the papacy,â Bellini says.Â
Itâs a familiar adage, although perhaps used in an unfamiliar setting; the person who does not seek power is usually the best person to wield it. âConclave,â directed by Edward Berger and written by Peter Straughan, based on the novel by Robert Harris, meditates on many ideas like this, ideas that feel poignantly on the nose in todayâs climate.Â
Itâs a political thriller dressed up in a cardinal hat, but one thatâs a lot more fun to languish in than our current political state. âConclaveâ isnât reinventing the wheel, but is an eminently watchable and entertaining parable about the perils of ambition and what happens when grown men get a little too big for their britches.
âŞÂ Read Sammieâs full review here.
đżÂ Stay in the picture with Scene by Rough Draft, our weekly newsletter about Georgiaâs film industry. Subscribe for free.

3. ATL United faces Messi in playoffs, World Series begins
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GEORGIA POWER
â˝ Atlanta United plays in Round One of the MLS Playoffs against Lionel Messiâs Inter Miami tonight at 8:30 p.m. in Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Apple TV+; 92.9 FM). The Five Stripes advanced after beating CF MontrĂŠal in a penalty shootout.Â
âžÂ Game 1 of the World Series between the Yankees and Dodgers is in Los Angeles tonight at 8:08 p.m. (FOX). This will be the 12th time the iconic MLB teams have faced each other in the Fall Classic.
âžÂ Former Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela died this week at 63. The Mexican-born star started âFernandomaniaâ by winning both the Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981.
đ The Atlanta Hawks won their season opener against the Brooklyn Nets 120-116 in Atlanta on Wednesday night. The Hawks face the Hornets at home tonight at 7:30 p.m. (FanDuel Sports Network; 92.9 FM).
đ Previously winless Kennesaw State upset previously unbeaten Liberty University on Wednesday night 27-24 as fans rushed onto the field.
đ  Here are tomorrowâs local college games:
- Georgia Tech plays at Virginia Tech at noon (ACC Network; 93.7 FM)
- Georgia State plays at Appalachian State at 1 p.m. (ESPN+; 88.5 FM)
- Mercer hosts Western Carolina at 3:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
- West Georgia hosts Southern Utah at 2 p.m. (ESPN+)
- Morehouse College hosts Fort Valley State at 2 p.m. (ESPN+)
- Georgia Southern lost to Old Dominion last night.
- No. 2 Georgia and Clark Atlanta are off this week.
đ The New York Liberty won the WNBA Finals in overtime against the Minnesota Lynx 67-62 on Sunday. The championship-deciding Game 5 was the most-watched WNBA Finals game in 25 years.
đ The Falcons play division-rival Buccaneers in Tampa Bay on Sun., Oct. 27 at 1 p.m. (FOX; 92.9 FM).
đ The Drive for the GHSA State Title continues tonight with Woodward Academy vs. Decatur, live on the Peachtree Sports Network at 8 p.m. Stream the game here.Â
âď¸ The Sports Section is sponsored by Gameday Menâs Health Buckhead, offering testosterone, weight loss, peptide, and ED therapies so you can get back in the game. Learn more today!
đš Join us Sat., March 29 for an Intimate Evening with Jason Isbell LIVE at The Fox Theatre! Tickets go on sale today, Fri., Oct. 25, at 10 a.m. at FoxTheatre.org!
SPONSOR MESSAGE

4. Top Stories of the Week
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HANDS ON ATLANTA
A look back at this weekâs most-read stories from our website. Follow @RoughDraftATL on Instagram for regular updates.
â Â Two long-derailed Dunwoody properties move forward with new owners
âĄÂ Kemp announces another $1B tax rebate
â˘Â 7 classes in Atlanta for keeping your kitchen and culinary skills sharp (pictured)
âŁÂ Capitol skybridge proposal concerns historic preservationists
â¤Â Georgia Supreme Court delays ruling on election board rules until after Nov. 5

đ Test your knowledge of the weekâs news in tomorrowâs News Quiz. Keep an eye out for our email at 8 a.m. or bookmark this page!
đ§Â Todayâs newsletter was edited by Julie E. Bloemeke.
Atlanta, GA
What this food hall could mean for a south Atlanta neighborhood
Switchman Hall has opened in Peoplestown, a neighborhood that could be the next frontier of development.
Terminal South, a mixed-use development in Peoplestown that opened earlier this year, includes retail businesses and a food hall called Switchman Hall. Switchman Hall was supposed to open in 2024 but kept getting pushed back as vendors struggled with delays with permitting and the time it takes to build restaurant infrastructure from scratch, an official with the developer said. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
When Olga Alvarezâs 70-year-old uncle came to visit her new food stall, Staxx, at the Terminal South development in Peoplestown, he recognized the building. Or at least, he recognized what it had been.
The collection of buildings at 1161 Ridge Ave. SW have been around for more than 80 years, according to property records. When developer Stafford closed on the property around 2023, it was being used for warehouse storage, said Melissa Ahrendt, executive director of real estate at Stafford.
dluow nrut ot eht taht was liater laitnetop esu-dexim tol otni esuoh ,llah doof tnempoleved sessenisub dna a a lanimreT namhctiwS ,htuoS .llaH tdnerhA
raey tahw tisnart ot hguorht siht siht eht eht eht eht taht ,remmus pots tes dipar denepo eno no no fo fo ,doohrobhgien doohrobhgien elim rojam enil sâti ti si ni morf gnimochtrof tsrif reilrae detubed psuc sessorc dluoc detelpmoc .egnahc eb eb dna dna tuoba a a .liarT liarT lanimreT edishtuoS edishtuoS htuoS tnemgeS nwotselpoeP sâATRAM sâtI sâeniltleB sâeniltleB atnaltA atnaltA lirpA 2 .81
ot eht eht desiop denepo fo fo .doohrobhgien erom sti ti sah egde srood detcennoc retnec eb ta ta ,lla a lanimreT htuoS ,nwotselpoeP dimA

Mixed-use development Terminal South opened in Peoplestown this year with a food hall, Switchman Hall. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
A long road to opening
htiw ohw saw sesuoheraw ot ot meht eht eht eht eht taht gnihtemos tnediser denwo revo .tuo no gnikool denrael rof evord od elpuoc kcehc ,sgnidliub nehW egdiR kraP tnarG eunevA tdnerhA
dluow htiw tânsaw ot ot eht taht ,egarots dekcats tsaehtuos ehs ehs was dias modnar tcejorp ylralucitrap ytinutroppo erom evisserpmi rof roolf ,tsrif gniliec gnidliub gnirb ta na seitinema a .atnaltA hguohtlA
tahWâ ew ew ew ,saw â,nwot ot eht edis ehs secivres evres tnemges was dias ,liater yllaer ruo ruo fo fo weivretni ni evah evah evah ,llah doof hguone hguone tânod tânod tânod ta na a namhctiwS I .llaH ,eniltleB
,sraey dekrow eht derohcna-erots gnippohs ,dias seitreporp tcejorp no fo reven ti nwotni ni ni .llah tândah dah yrecorg doof sâynapmoc .sretnec tliub erofeb era dna dna na a lanimreT droffatS ,htuoS htuoS tsoM aigroeG ,adirolF aniloraC erofeB atnaltA tdnerhA
,sraey erew saw ,snoisrev rieht eht eht eht sseccus lareves tcejorp secalp nwo denepo fo ortem ekil tsal deripsni ni evah sllah doof ytic sretnec yb .gnimoob dnuora decnuonna dna nehW namhctiwS teertS ecnoP .tekraM tekraM gorK nI llaH ytiC atnaltA ,3202
sraey htiw saw eerht eht eht seihtooms .sehciwdnas tnaruatser ylteiuq denepo gnireffo fo ni llah doof tubed ,slwob ,decnuonna dna retfa iaca a namhctiwS ,xxatS ylraeN llaH rebmeceD
htiw rodnev ot esoht eht eht taht llits sllats sllats sllats sâehs nees dias ,tnaruatser evitatneserper ,ylraluger sulp tuo nepo fo enin tfel .desael ,desael gnidulcni reh sah llah morf rof doof evif ,dellif demrifnoc eb ,rab era a lanimreT .xxatS htuoS fO zeravlA A 81 31 31

Atlanta native Olga Alvarez has opened Staxx in Switchman Hall with smoothies and toasts. (Courtesy)
sraey nehw saw eht naht was .dezingocer ytinutroppo ytinutroppo fo doohrobhgien erom ni ni emoh eh eh llah rednuof doof tsrif ,tcaf thguob na osla ,oga a nwoT ehT .nwotselpoeP selpoeP nI ,eeffoC ,zciwoilbiB ydnA 01
saw detnaw ot siht yeht yeht ocat os tcejorp snalp ,rentrap etapicitrap atiragram wenk ,ni sih draeh eh rof depoleved .tpecnoc ssenisub dna dna tuoba a a nehW eT ,socaT namhctiwS sâdroffatS oreiuQ ,zereP siuL ,llaH zciwoilbiB
htiw ot ot eht eht dengis dengis dnoces ,tnaruatser snalp nepo no esael ni ni ni ni rof .tnempoleved gnidliub dna dna dna na tnecajda dda a lanimreT eT htuoS oreiuQ azziP azziP zereP yluJ eH sdooG sdooG netulG ,eerF leeF leeF zciwoilbiB 4202 ,3202
hcihw tânerew tânsaw saw saw rednu ,emit eht eht eht stnanet llits ecnis emas dias gninepo fo ynam desael ti weivretni gnidulcni ni eh llah ylluf doof gnileef .noitcurtsnoc denrecnoc emoc ta dna na tuoba eT ,socaT oreiuQ ,yraunaJ tuB zciwoilbiB

In this photo from February, Andy Bibliowicz’s concept Te Quiero Tacos is on the left, but it will no longer open in the food hall. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
dekrow htiw htiw hcihw srodnev koot ot ,emit yeht rieht eht eht stnanet emos gnittimrep nwo rof decneirepxe syaled srotcartnoc noitcurtsnoc .seinapmoc detubirtta sa dna dna lla tuo-dliuB tdnerhA
,raey lliw erew owt ot siht tes tnaruatser nepo nepo on regnol ni ni ni demrifnoc stpecnoc tub dna dna lanimreT eT socaT namhctiwS .htuoS oreiuQ azziP ,hcraM llaH sdooG leeF sâzciwoilbiB zciwoilbiB tdnerhA
,sraey hcihw eciwt ot .semit eerht esoht meht eht eht eht detanimret lareves dias gnisael-er ssecorp gnicalp tsap revo elpitlum del sesael desael ni ni ,llah dah ylluf doof dnapxe ylrae ,noitcurtsnoc tub sessenisub nageb erofeb neeb kcab namhctiwS namhctiwS llaH llaH tdnerhA ,5202
htiw hcihw llew ot ot eseht eht tnanet ,secaps ecnis noitareneg-dnoces gnisir stnaruatser gnitsixeerp fo fo evom tsom ynam robal si otni .dellatsni morf rof doof doof snoitautculf tnempiuqe tnemnorivne ytluciffid ,stsoc gnitepmoc repaehc gnignellahc egareveb detubirtta sa sa era dna dna ydaerla a ehS
eht maet sllats tnaruatser gninepo erom gnidulcni ni evah morf rof yretae tpecnoc ,ssenisub dniheb neeb dna a ,semiT .akdaT namhctiwS ecniS gninosaeS tcefreP alasaM naciamaJ naidnI llaH iseD ,rebmeceD

Ali Lemma (right, standing), owner and chef at Rukiâs Kitchen, serves food at Terminal South on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Atlanta. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
dluow saw detnaw ot ot eht eht ehs ralupop secalp rehto gninepo no fo fo fo wen .ybraen kcal detseretni ni depoh tae ward tnempoleved cihpargomed .sremotsuc gniredisnoc renwo-oc esuaceb eb ta osla a a ,smailliW namhctiwS ehS ,gninosaeS tcefreP llaH ahsilaD
sraey saw gnitiaw dlot ot eerht eht eht eht taht emos ecnis ehs ehs ,nepo fo ,deipucco ti tânsi llah dah ylluf rof doof .deid denrecnoc zzub dna retfa tuB CJA
sâerehTâ ot ,ereht eht sâtaht llits secaps os ehs .dias fo ton tol ti ni llah doof ytpme dluoc gnisuac â,eb eb sa sa evitca a
htiw rediw tuonrut ot eht eht eht taht naht ecnis ehs ehs ehs ehs nees gniees dias ,tluser yltnecer denepo eno hcum doof-orcim gnitekram rewol noitacol si ni ni reh tânsah sah ,llah dah ecneirepxe .detcepxe ytinummoc ,desolc ta sa sa dnuora ,dna dna a a ,skroW skroW namhctiwS gninosaeS tcefreP .eirehcaeP sânwotdiM llaH dooF dooF derapmoC eehcoohattahC eehcoohattahC
emoSâ gniklaw ot ot hguorht yeht â,ereht ereht eht eht os ehs .dias yap srotarepo eno fo on tsuj tsuj si evah evah gnitteg sdnuf doof seeyolpme tânod degaruocsid seidob esuaceb era
lliw ohw sdnekeew pu ciffart hguorht skniht sâereht eht taht taht laicos ecnis egangis ehs ehs ,dias dias detsop gnikcip ,gninepo ecno fo erom ,aidem sâti ti reh reh reh evah sah ,llah rof toof doof dnif sremotsuc emoc tub .reisub .reisub neeb neeb emoceb dnuora dna a ynaM zeravlA
lanimreTâ fIâ htiw siht neht eht eht syats ees .dias llarevo ecin â,dedeen detekram si llah rof doof ,gnihtyreve ydobyreve yltcerroc tnetsisnoc â.ytinummoc nac gnieb tessa dna dna a htuoS I zeravlA
Will a rising tide raise all ships?
htiw ot eht ksat .doohrobhgien dah gnipoleved gnitcennoc rehtona :hsilpmocca lanimreT ,htuoS nwotselpoeP sediseB tdnerhA
dluow saw detnaw egaw eht eht eht eht eht taht dias stnediser tnediserp yap fo fo ton doohrobhgien erom emitgnol emitgnol elbavil sboj detaroprocni ni ni ni .llah doof ,tsrif enoyreve citatsce ytinummoc eettimmoc ,aera aera dna .tsivitca tuoba a a a ,draW ehT noitazilativeR nwotselpoeP nwotselpoeP ,.proC submuloC tA ,1991
dluow htiw eht dnuos dias enohp ynam ekil ,sboj ti ni eh llah doof tândid llac gnirb a .CJA A
tânsaw saw dlot ot ot yeht meht eht eht eht taht taht ehs ehs dias nruter .citsilaer on sgniteem regnol sboj lairtsudni depoh reh puorg rof denialpxe ,ytinummoc ytinummoc .esac dednetta derussa dna nehW tdnerhA
dluow dluow dluow gnikrow htiw ot ot ot neht rieht eht eht taht tnanet stneduts llits ehs pihsralohcs selas ,dias gniriuqer noitrop fo desab-sdeen .hctam ,sboj ni etaidemmi llah rof doof hcae etubirtnoc ytinummoc ytinummoc dettimmoc yb gnirb eb dna a a droffatS droffatS A
lliw ot ot eht taht troppus ,stneduts spihsralohcs .dias gnimmargorp tiforpnon doohrobhgien lacol sdik sboj otni ni ,erutuf gnidnif gnidliub gnirb eb kcab dna dna smia gniretsinimda a a nwotselpoeP maerD ,sredliuB tdnerhA
â,srodassabmaâ elihw ot ot eht eht eht ytiruces ytiruces citobor ytreporp snalp dellortap lortap edistuo fo fo si edisni erih sah ,sdraug yllaitnesse .sgod yb osla lanimreT droffatS htuoS

Terminal South has said it will staff its security and janitorial crew with employees from the neighborhood. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
gnikrow htiw htiw .pu ciffart ot ot evâyeht eht eht ffats dias snalp skcip elpoep erom lairotinaj si derih toof evif .werc ta sa dna srodassabma dda tuoba lanimreT droffatS htuoS maerD sredliuB tdnerhA
osâ gnikrow htiw htiw tahw tahw saw pu siht siht eht eht eht eht ecaps ecaps .dias dias pihsrentrap fo fo wenk wenk sti ni esuoh lufepoh eh eh eh dah werg rednuof dne dluoc .ytinummoc tub ,kcolb nageb ,neeb â,eb ta dna osla tuoba a nehW lanimreT htuoS ,nosnhoJ yaJ I I eH maerD llerraD ,sredliuB tdnerhA
esu ot ot thguoht eht eht eht .snur stnaruatser ,tcejorp ecudorp elbissop ,seitinutroppo etunim thgim sboj yletaidemmi woh draeh eh eh nedrag morf neve pihsruenerpertne nwod ytinummoc eb dna tuoba tuoba elba ehT nosnhoJ
tIâ tuBâ dluow tahw tahw tânsaw saw â,detnaw su gniyrt ot kniht eht eht eht eht ehs .dias reffo â.doohrobhgien doohrobhgien doohrobhgien aedi ylluf rof deredisnoc ytinummoc stifeneb esuaceb eb detpecca draW I
elihw ,setadpu ereht eht taht emos laicos dias stnediser deviecer mroftalp ,nepo .no no ,redlo fo swen doohrobhgien ,aidem ynam ycagel sâti sâti sih tânsah sah puorg neeb tânera dna a draW woN
dluow nehw ,keew tnaw pirt deirt .ot ot ot ot skniht yeht ereht eht eht eht troppus emos sroines gniludehcs stnediser gninnalp ecno srobhgien erom erom sgniteem wenk ti ni fi flesmih sâeh pleh ,llah rof doof dleif neve gnitae nac yb sessenisub gnirb ssenerawa ta .aera dna droffa tuoba tuoba a a draW lanimreT ,htuoS sâeH
eht eht eht eht detrats ecaps ralimis deusrup sesahp ,shtap rehto gninepo sdoohrobhgien esu-dexim ekil ni ni ni ni ni evah llah rof doof evisnapxe tnempoleved dna dna deriuqca etihW tseW srentraP HDM eeL .dnE stnempoleveD .oC atnaltA namrekcA .3202 ,9102 + ;pma&
eWâ sihTâ htiw tahw tahw erâew detnaw koot ot ot ot ot yeht meht meht llet dias liater tnediserp ralucitrap fo ton doohrobhgien teem netsil si spuorg gniog ââ,od tnereffid erac ta sa dna dna ,reneiW oeL .oC namrekcA ;pma&
parw htiw hcihw tahw erew srodnev gnisu ot ot yeht .sevlesmeht meht eht eht eht emos emos dias sksir tnaruatser detseuqer elbissop ylgnimlehwrevo tuo ,snoitpo srotarepo srotarepo fo srobhgien tinuitlum .xim ynam lacol del si edulcni ni yhtlaeh dah laog rof emit-tsrif gnidliub lwob ecnalab sa sa dna dna osla a reneiW ,etihW nehW eeL otsuG .oC namrekcA + ;pma&
sâtIâ dooFâ â.sraey nrut ot rieht dnet llits sllats .dias â,ksir revo fo eguh eh sllah yreve elpuoc a %02-01
,raey hcihw srotisiv ot eht eht eht ,setis was ,dias liater tnaruatser ,ytreporp rehto seciffo noillim sedulcni eh .tnempoleved stpecnoc yrewerb ta dna dna tuoba etihW eeL tsaL 1 +
sdnekeew .detnaw yteirav .ciffart ot ot yeht meht eht eht eht taht sseccus os ytnelp no sgnireffo ffo fo fo fo detacol gninetsil ni ni depleh gnivah sah toof doof raf ,sgnineve sdworc ytinummoc lartnec sgnirb gnignirb gnieb rab setubirtta tcartta dna dna dna a a etihW eeL eH eniltleB ,oslA +
â htlaew gniklaw .segaw nrut ot rieht eht eht taht sseccus dias stnediser yap snoitpo seitinutroppo no fo srobhgien doohrobhgien detacol elbavil detsevni otni gnimocni ni ni ni woh ,semoh sih sâeh eh morf doof desucof tnemyolpme ecnatsid tnempoleved ylpeed noitaerc era etaicerppa dna lla evoba elihW draW .nwotselpoeP
eWâ dnAâ krow ohw tnaw tnaw ot ot siht yeht yeht eht gnihtemos gnihtemos ees .dias elpoep fo evol tol ekil ni tog rof degagne â,od od ytinummoc ytinummoc erac â.retteb retteb dna dna osla a draW I
ot emit eht eht eht taht tnanet ekat emos dias ,stnediser desimorp tuo xim yam swonk sboj sti eh llah steg rof doof .reisub sdliub sa dna nwotselpoeP nosnhoJ sA
doogâ ohw ot eht eht eht eht âdrawets laicos dias sesimorp dnuoforp rehto seitinutroppo ylno eno no sevom naem ti si otni ni ni mih reh evah sah cimonoce ssucsid srepoleved dereviled .ytinummoc .segnahc nac tub neeb ,aera ,aera dehcaorppa dna dna na a nehW nosnhoJ eniltleB tdnerhA
stnaw ot eht eht eht erus dias stnediser fo doohrobhgien ekam ,sevol ycagel lufepoh sâeh eh eh eh erutuf .nettogrof tânera tuoba elihW
eWâ yllufepoHâ sihtâ tahtâ htiw ew su â,euqinu eht eht eht âteerts â.teerts edis edis .dias esir ssap ,revo ro fo fo on doohrobhgien â.ti si tânod tnempoleved era dna lla yllautca sihT sâerehT .nwotselpoeP nosnhoJ
Atlanta, GA
Dozens arrested during raid of drug
Officers with the Atlanta Police Department say they arrested dozens of vendors during a raid of a so-called “marijuana pop-up event” over the weekend.
Authorities say the event, scheduled at for Saturday at the warehouse on Ted Turner Drive SW, had over 1,400 registered attendees.
According to authorities, the Atlanta Police Department began its investigation, later titled “Operation No Smoke,” after receiving an anonymous tip about “large-scale marijuana pop-up events” in February.
When officers and Fulton County deputies arrived at the scene before the event was supposed to start, they say they found multiple vendors setting up and customers waiting at the location. Footage shared by the department showed many trying to escape police through the warehouse’s back door and running across nearby roofs.
Once police were able to get inside the warehouse, they say they identified 24 separate vendor stands.
In total, investigators say they seized 1,220 pounds of raw marijuana, 391 pounds of THC edibles, 29 pounds of psilocybin mushrooms, 15 firearms, nine vehicles, and more than $32,000 in cash.
Officers arrested 40 suspects, including the event’s organizer. Because the event was shut down before it started, officials say the majority of those arrested were vendors.
Two suspects were injured while attempting to run away from police, officers said. They received medical aid at the scene.
Authorities say they believe vendors from 11 different states had gathered to sell drugs at the meet-up.
During a press conference, police reiterated that marijuana is illegal in Georgia and argued that the wholesale sale of the drug could lead and has led to violence.
Atlanta, GA
Havana in Atlanta: 6 Cuban restaurants we keep craving
Photograph by Ben Rollins
In the â90s, when I was new to Atlanta, I found my way to the Atlanta Cuban Club in Doraville. On Saturday nights, it was a place to eat, dance, and listen to stories of life in Cuba before the Castro Revolution. The scene felt straight out of Miami, with a touch of Southern charm. But, about five years ago, the club closed its doors.
âI miss having a place that feels like ours,â my friend Karina Reoyo, a fellow Cuban American from Miami, tells me. âThereâs nothing like that here anymore.â
Like me, Reoyo grew up in the Kendall neighborhood of Miami, where our Cuban roots showed in everythingâfrom weekday meals to our parentsâ stories about the island. She moved to metro Atlanta seven years ago, and I moved back in 2024, after first living here as a graduate student at Mercer University in DeKalb County. Now, without the Cuban Club to guide us, weâve kept our roots alive the way we know best: through food.
And weâre not alone.
Thereâs a growing network of Cuban Atlantans crisscrossing the city like detectives on a hot trail, chasing down leads. Weâll drive 45 minutes for a proper pastelito, a flaky pastry filled with guava and softened, sweetened cream cheese; ground beef; or another classic rendition (like coconut). If theyâre âjust like they make them in Miami,â then weâll share our finds with like-minded food sleuths we meet through friends, at PTA meetings, or even at the gas station.
If a Publix, like the one on West Paces Ferry Road, has stocked up on Materva (the sweet, slightly herbal Cuban soda made from yerba mate), then errands will be rerouted for an emergency grocery-store run. And, if Kroger, like the one on Dallas Acworth Highway in Paulding County, puts five-pound bags of frozen yucaâa starchy root vegetable served at most Cuban mealsâon sale (which hasnât happened yet this year), watch out! Weâll be there ready with two shopping carts, as if itâs Black Friday.
Photograph by Ben Rollins
Photograph by Ben Rollins
Photograph by Ben Rollins
It hasnât always been this way. Havana Sandwich Shop co-owner Debbie Benedit says there was a time when few people in Atlanta were familiar with Cuban food. When she and her late husband, Cuban-born Eddie Benedit, opened their Buford Highway restaurant in 1976, Cuban fare was often mistaken for Mexican cuisine.
She says customers would ask, âWhere are the tacos? Whereâs the salsa? Why isnât this spicy?â Then sheâd have to provide a quick culinary lesson. âWeâd explain that Cuban food isnât spicy. Itâs olive oil, garlic, beans, rice, citrus, and vinegar,â she says. Cuban cuisine blends Spanish, African, and Caribbean influences. Itâs shaped by the islandâs tropical climate and the ingredients that thrive there, including sour oranges, lemons, limes, root vegetables, and plantains.
âThings are different now,â Benedit says, adding that more Atlantans are seeking out Cuban flavors. The areaâs growing Cuban population may explain the culinary shift. According to The Atlanta Regional Commission, Cubans are the fourth-largest Caribbean-born group in the area, and their numbers have more than quadrupled in counties such as Forsyth, Henry, and Gwinnett since 2010.
When Miami-raised Stacie Antich moved to Atlanta in 2007, she craved pastelitos, but there was a problem: âPastelito recipes werenât on Pinterest or Instagram,â she says. âYou didnât even know what was in them. I had to work from memory.â
Photograph by Ben Rollins
In 2016, she opened Buena Gente Cuban Bakery food truck, serving up her perfected pastelitos, empanadas, croquetas, and other favorites. Then, in 2020, Antich cut the ribbon on a brick-and-mortar bakery of the same name in North Decatur; the shop is bright and pink, just as her food truck was, with freshly baked pastries in a welcoming display case. âThis would be considered a fancy bakery in Miami,â she says with a smile.
Buena Genteâs pastelitos are flaky, golden, and sweet, with delicate layers that break apart with each bite. And they come in a few distinct shapes: a circle for meat, a rectangle for guava, and a rolled cigar shape for cream cheese aloneâan unspoken code for Cuban pastry lovers. The pastelitos de queso (cheese pastries), my go-to every time, are indeed just like the ones sold from the ventanitas (walk-up windows at neighborhood restaurants) in Miami.
Photograph by Ben Rollins
Photograph by Ben Rollins
In Roswell, Lazaroâs Cuban Cuisine offers a proper sit-down meal wrapped in nostalgia, with Cuban memorabilia throughout. A black-and-white photo of the I Love Lucy star Desi Arnaz (surely Cubaâs best-known expat) hangs directly across from the front door; I even found a bottle of Agua de Violeta in the bathroom, a nod to the abuelitas who douse the floral cologne all over babies.
Cuban-born chef and owner Lazaro Tenreiro, who once owned jewelry stores in the metro area, also says he missed the food he grew up with before he opened his own eatery. âWhen I opened the restaurant in 2012, it was really a passion project. I wanted food my kids and my family would eatâso it had to be good,â he says.
Lazaroâs frijoles negros (black beans) are exactly how I was taught to make them: rich with garlic, onions, and a hint of cumin. And the vegan picadillo (a clever twist on our traditional ground beef dish) is a tasty surprise, with ground green-plantain peel cooked with peppers, onions, and Manzanilla olives.
Photograph by Ben Rollins
Photograph by Ben Rollins

In Marietta Square, a popular spot to take my kids for a quick, authentic meal is DâCuban Cafe, which has other locations around metro Atlanta. Colombian co-owner Nicolas Angel says his cousin, DâCuban co-owner Lucas Mejia Angel, also from Colombia, fell in love with Cuban food during a trip to Miami and brought those flavors back to Atlanta.
Though the DâCuban menu is fast-casual, everything is made from scratch daily. A bowl of ropa vieja (âold clothesâ in Spanish) comes with shredded beef simmered in a garlicky tomato sauce, served alongside black beans, white rice, and perfectly sweet maduros (ripened plantains).
Of course, Papiâs Cuban Grill is still my top pick when Cuban relatives come to town. The Kennesaw location brings back memories of the casual spots we Miamians grew up with. When my family and I walk in the door, weâre transported to the famed Versailles restaurant on Calle Ocho as the aroma of sofritoâthe base of most Cuban dishes, comprising the holy trinity of onions, garlic, and green peppersâfills the air. And the fried yuca appetizer, crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, is even better than the one I grew up eating.
Meanwhile, in Paulding County, my friend Karinaâs husband, Carell Rodriguezâwho is also Cuban and from Miamiâis reviving the spirit of the Cuban Club by guest-teaching rueda de casino, a form of Cuban salsa, at Rosa Negra restaurant in Dallas. âRosa Negra is Latin-infused, and not necessarily Cuban food,â Rodriguez tells me. âI do, nonetheless, enjoy their chicharrones (crispy fried pork), empanadas, and tostones (twice-fried, smashed plantain slices). They remind me of home.â
After class, he unwinds with a mojito. âA mojito is basically Cuba in a glass,â he says. âItâs light, refreshing, and nostalgic.â His wife agrees, chiming in, âTheir mojitos are better than the ones in Miami.â
I canât vouch for their mojitos (not yet, anyway). But in many ways, Atlantaâs Cuban finds are better than what we left behind. Maybe itâs the chase that makes them more satisfying. Or maybe itâs just the joy of tasting home, right when you need it most.
This article appears in our April 2026 issue.
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