Atlanta, GA
Atlanta inspector general warns new City Council legislation could ruin leadership transparency
Will Atlanta’s Inspector General lose its teeth?
Atlanta’s Inspector General claims new legislation to give her office more oversight is actually turning the clocks back on progress the city had made in rooting out corruption. The independent watchdog agency has come under fire by city employees for allegedly seizing cellphones and checking cash app accounts. Even Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens’ office has found itself at odds with the inspector general.
ATLANTA – Atlanta’s Inspector General warns legislation introduced this week will gut her office and turn the clock back on attempts to weed out corruption, fraud and misconduct at City Hall.
The independent watchdog agency has come under fire by city employees for alleged tactics and procedures.
Even Mayor Andre Dickens’s office has found itself at odds with the IG.
The legislation is sponsored by longtime Council member Howard Shook and six of his colleagues.
The IG says if it passes, it will rip the teeth out of her office.
Shannon Manigault, Atlanta’s Inspector General, sits down with FOX 5 Atlanta for a one-on-one interview on Dec. 4, 2024. (FOX 5)
“We have had delays. We’ve had obstruction. We’ve had disclosure of our requests,” said Atlanta Inspector General Shannon Manigault.
She is disappointed in legislation introduced Monday by Shook to limit the authority of the independent office in its effort to hold city employees and officials accountable.
Currently, stakeholder organizations nominate board members to oversee the IG, but Shook’s legislation would change the charter.
“It takes the additional step of creating a mayoral board, so right now the board of the inspector general and the language in the charter says the board is there to ensure the independence of the office. That model, which is a great one, and one that had been lauded by other cities,” Shannon Manigault affirmed.
That could soon go away. The IG believes all Atlantans should be alarmed by this.
Another new aspect, the new board would appoint an inspector general, which could leave Manigault searching for a new job.
“Always what is important is what’s best for the institution. It’s not about Shannon Manigault. It’s about the citizens of Atlanta having trust in this office that’s supposed to build trust in city government,” the IG said.
Manigault says the proposed legislation also does away with the IG getting immediate access to employee documents.
“Rather than have immediate access of records, we need to root out fraud, waste, and corruption in the city. We have to go to employees, and it’s voluntary as to whether those employees are gonna provide city records and city property. That’s unheard of,” the top attorney explained.
The legislation was introduced Monday.
There will be an opportunity to make changes to it next week during the finance committee meeting.
The Source: This is part of continuing coverage from FOX 5 Atlanta reporter Aungelique Proctor.
Atlanta, GA
Skol Brewing opening 30,000-square-foot gaming lounge in downtown Atlanta
Key points:
- Skol Brewing is expanding with a sprawling gaming lounge in downtown Atlanta.
- Valhalla Gaming Lounge should open in May at 200 Peachtree, adjacent Skol Brewing.
- The gaming venue will feature food, drinks, and more than 40 game options, including simulators, bocce courts, and an old-school arcade.
Skol Brewing Company is about to get a lot bigger. The Nordic-themed brewpub in downtown Atlanta’s 200 Peachtree building is expanding into an adjacent 30,000-square-foot space dedicated to playing games.
Valhalla Gaming Lounge should open in May, ahead of the FIFA World Cup matches in Atlanta this summer at nearby Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Longtime Atlantans will remember that the 200 Peachtree building, located next door to the Westin Peachtree Plaza, is the former home of Davison’s and Macy’s department stores.
All 2026 FIFA World Cup Atlanta coverage
What to expect
Valhalla Gaming Lounge will feature more than 40 gaming options, including simulators, soccer experiences, bocce courts, billiard tables, darts, and old-school arcade games. There’s also a possibility a live-music stage and climbing wall could become part of the gaming lounge in the future. Skol already operates an axe-throwing venue at the downtown Atlanta brewpub through a partnership with American Axes.
Expect the Skol food and drinks menu served at Valhalla Gaming Lounge.
Related stories:
• 200 Peachtree announces Skol Brewing Co., Valhalla Social
• Red Phone Booth team opening three new Downtown Atlanta restaurants
• Where to eat like a local in downtown Atlanta
Skol Brewing in Atlanta
Skol Brewing Company opened at 200 Peachtree last year with a Nordic-inspired theme and menu. The menu, developed by Chef Rich Rosendale, leans into Midwest comfort food like Ellsworth Creamery cheese curds, smoked brisket poutine, and a take on a “Jucy Lucy” burger (cheese-stuffed patty popular in Minnesota).
The brewery produces nearly 20 beers, including Northern Lights Lager, Space Wrangler Hazy IPA, and Skol Nation Cold IPA, the last of which was brewed with Minnesota Vikings fans in mind. (The bar produces indoor snow whenever the Vikings score a touchdown.)
Valhalla Gaming Lounge joins several other restaurants in the works within the heart of downtown Atlanta and South Downtown near the state capitol. Many of these restaurants will open ahead of the World Cup.
Atlanta, GA
Power outage impacts more than 5,000 customers in Midtown Atlanta
Thousands of people are without power in Midtown Atlanta as crews work to restore service following an equipment failure, according to Georgia Power.
The outage affected nearly 5,300 customers, stretching from Currier Street Northeast to 11th Street.
Georgia Power said the outage was caused by an equipment issue, and crews are on-site making repairs.
Officials added that, thanks to smart grid technology, service is expected to be remotely restored to more than half of affected customers soon.
An estimated restoration time was listed at 10:15 a.m.
Atlanta, GA
The Best Vintage Shops in Atlanta
Vogue’s guide to the best vintage stores in Atlanta is part of our directory of the very best vintage around the world, curated by editors from all over. Whether you’re traveling and searching for some superb stores to visit on your trip or are curious about your local vintage treasure chests, Vogue’s directory has you covered.
Come to Atlanta for its southern charm and lush greenery, stay for its vintage. The Hollywood of the South has a lot more than on-set locations and an upcoming roster of FIFA World Cup games, and whether exploring shops along the Beltline, losing your voice at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, or itching for the eccentric pleasures of a roadside antique mall, these vintage gems make the journey to the A more than worth it.
Photo: Courtesy of The Clothing Warehouse
Dutch field pants, netted shirts, prairie dresses, and a floor-to-ceiling selection of cowboy boots are a few of the many goods awaiting your search at this Atlanta mainstay. Opened by Jim Buckley in 1992, the Clothing Warehouse now calls the hipster Little 5 Points home. Its redbrick exterior is hard to miss—head upstairs for womenswear and union-made dresses, then downstairs to a room of seriously color-coded tees—it’s likely you will find plenty of Atlanta history in the form of 1996 Summer Olympics shirts. Plus, its wholesale location is a 15-minute drive away in West Midtown, if you’re up for an afternoon dig.
Address: 420 Moreland Ave NE, Atlanta
At the vintage and makers market Mother Lode, there’s something for every lover of old things. Founder Lindsay Short’s estate sale background is well-reflected in the shop’s range of garments, decor, and wares. Find 1930s beach pajamas beside bowling shirts and Edwardian tunics at Fellows Vintage’s booth, or ’60s wedding dresses that seem more Factory Girl than bride-to-be from Iron Pony. The hunt continues at Mother Lode’s sister location in college town Athens, which opened in 2023.
Address: 3429 Covington Hwy Ste B, Decatur
Monet Brewerton-Palmer first got her love for bridal from her grandmother, who was a shop seamstress. Then, after shopping for her own wedding dress in 2014 and ending up with four, her interest (and personal collection) only grew. Now, Brewerton-Palmer offers brides an array of dresses by Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta, Catherine Rayner, and more. Standout pieces include a 1959 one-of-one from Jacques Heim, a silk rose-covered Christian Dior for the romantic, and a fur-accented Muriel Martin for the nontraditionalist.
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