After years of dialogue about the way forward for Atlanta’s jail, metropolis officers have determined the very best use for the South Downtown lock-up proper now’s…to stay a jail.
Driving the information: Fulton County and town have come to a four-year settlement that may permit the county to lease as much as 700 beds on the Detention Middle from town to alleviate crowding at its northwest Atlanta jail.
The proposed four-year settlement has to get ultimate approval from Metropolis Council and the Fulton County Board of Commissioners.
Based on town’s information launch, the settlement requires Fulton County to switch about 250 detainees from its annex in Union Metropolis and as much as 450 folks from different services to the Atlanta jail.
What they’re saying: Mayor Andre Dickens stated in a press release that he nonetheless needs to transition the detention heart for different makes use of, however “we’re confronted by an actual and speedy disaster of overcrowding on the Fulton County Jail.”
“Many of those detainees are Atlanta residents, and our conscience calls us to behave,” he stated.
Catch up fast: Metropolis Council in 2019 handed a decision that known as on closing the Detention Middle and making a activity pressure to find out its future, based on the AJC.
The 11-story, 1,300-bed detention heart solely makes use of just a few flooring to deal with fewer than 50 folks every night time, most of whom are there for nonviolent, minor offenses, the AJC reported.
Doable new makes use of included remodeling it right into a neighborhood heart or razing the location to construct housing.
In February, the Council moved forward with authorized groundwork to show the detention heart right into a 24-hour facility the place non-violent folks can entry psychological well being counseling, therapy or different assets as a substitute of going to jail.
Fulton Sheriff Patrick Labat and District Lawyer Fani Willis have known as for the ability to proceed working as a jail.
The Fulton Sheriff’s Workplace, which runs the county jail, didn’t reply to requests for remark.
The opposite facet: Moki Macias, the manager director of the Atlanta Policing Options and Diversion Initiative, which redirects folks going through arrest to substance abuse and psychological well being companies, informed Axios that shifting forward with a diversion heart is the “first step to rework the complete facility” from its unique goal of incarceration.
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She additionally informed Axios that any income town makes from leasing jail beds to Fulton County can be “incompatible with [PAD’s] mission and our values.”
The Southern Middle for Human Rights, which has been vital of the county for situations at its services, stated in a press release that the lease “will solely create a brand new location for ache and struggling within the metropolis, fairly than holding Fulton County accountable for its failure to responsibly handle its personal jails.”
Sure, however: The town of Atlanta says its plan to launch a Middle for Diversion and Providers on the repurposed jail remains to be on observe to start in 2023 and isn’t affected by the settlement.
Atlanta will quickly start in search of proposals for alternate makes use of for the constructing that may start as soon as the lease ends with Fulton County.
ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 24: Spencer Schwellenbach #56 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates during the … [+] seventh inning against the New York Mets at Truist Park on September 24, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images)
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Atlanta Braves right-handed starter Spencer Schwellenbach kept his team in the National League Wild Card race with a huge victory September 24.
Schwellenbach, 24, improved to 8-7, with a fine 3.47 ERA, and 1.07 WHIP in 20 starts for Atlanta.
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Schwellenbach has thrown 116.2 innings in 20 appearances for the Braves.
ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 09: Injured Braves pitcher Spencer Strider watches the game from the dugout … [+] during the Monday evening MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Atlanta Braves on September 9, 2024 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Impactful Injuries:
The Braves have endured some very serious injuries this season, and they still have a chance to make the playoffs.
All Star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. required surgery for a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament on his left knee. He has missed almost the entire season.
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All star right-handed starter Spencer Strider, considered one of the best pitchers in baseball, has been sidelined since mid-April with elbow surgery that required an internal brace.
And to make matters worse for Atlanta, highly regarded third baseman Austin Riley’s season is over, due to a fractured hand.
Starter Reynaldo Lopez, who was having a very solid season on the mound, has been disabled with shoulder inflammation since September 10.
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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – AUGUST 27: Spencer Schwellenbach #56 of the Atlanta Braves delivers a pitch … [+] against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Target Field on August 27, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Braves defeated the Twins 8-6 in ten innings. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
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About Spencer Schwellenbach:
The Cleveland Indians selected Spencer Schwellenbach in the 34th round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft. He did not sign with Cleveland.
Schwellenbach, who attended Heritage High School in Saginaw, Michigan, chose to attend the University of Nebraska, where he spent one season.
Schwellenbach, who also played soccer in high school, was named the Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year, as well as Mr. Baseball in his senior year
Schwellenbach played three years of shortstop in high school, and was a two-way player at Nebraska.
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At Nebraska, Schwellenbach appeared in 18 games on the mound, all in relief. He earned 10 saves.
Schwellenbach earned the John Olerud Award as the best two-way college player.
Schwellenbach was chosen in the 2nd round of the 2021 draft by the Braves.
Atlanta gave Schwellenbach a $1 million signing bonus.
After the draft, Schwellenbach underwent Tommy John surgery, keeping him off the mound in both 2021, and 2022.
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Schwellenbach missed a month of pitching in 2023, with shoulder inflammation.
His injury history dictates care in his use by the Braves staff.
This old scout was fortunate to see Schwellenbach in the 2023 All Star Futures Game in Seattle.
In that game, Schwellenbach threw one inning in relief; yielding one hit, while striking out two.
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ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 07: Spencer Schwellenbach #56 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the … [+] fourth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Truist Park on September 7 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images)
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Scouting Spencer Schwellenbach:
Even though he was an award winning closer in college, the Braves have always used Schwellenbach as a starting pitcher.
Before his big league debut May 24, 2024, Schwellenbach made 24 minor league starts for Atlanta. He threw 110 minor league innings before he graduated to the Braves rotation.
Schwellenbach has a strong frame at 6-1, 200 pounds. He’s an excellent athlete.
A true power pitcher, Schwellenbach relies on both two-and four-seam fastballs as the foundation of a six-pitch mix.
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According to brooksbaseball.net, Schwellenbach’s four-seamer sits at 96 miles per hour, but he can increase velocity when needed.
Schwellenbach’s sinker has a bit less velocity, sitting at 95 miles per hour.
Schwellenbach also throws a curve, a slider, a cutter, and a split.
One of the best aspects of Schwellenbach’s approach is his ability and desire to use any pitch at any time in the count. And his pitch distribution is very equal. Here are the percentages of Schwellenbach’s pitch use:
Fourseam fastball-37.24%
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Sinking fastball=6.09%
Split (also a form of fastball)=10.77%
Cutter=14.52%
Slider=18.50%
Curve=12.88%
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While he strikes out an average of 9.4 hitters per nine innings, Schwellenbach is only walking 1.8 hitters per nine, showing fine command and control of his arsenal.
Schwellenbach has yielded only 14 home runs in his 116.2 innings, which is outstanding.
Schwellenbach is the fifth starter in a solid Braves rotation that includes:
Chris Sale-LHP
Max Fried-LHP
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Charlie Morton-RHP
Grant Holmes-RHP
Spencer Schwellenback-RHP
Scouting Grade: 55
For this old scout, Spencer Scwellenbach is a Grade 55 starter, which is a better than average performer.
Perhaps due to the Braves pitching injuries, Schwellenbach graduated to the big leagues quickly. However, he has earned the trust his team has placed in him.
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If the Braves do make the playoffs, we may see Spencer Schwellenbach on the roster as pitching depth for a team on a mission.
As rain poured down on Atlanta Wednesday, Major League Baseball announced two pivotal games were postponed due to the wet conditions.
Wednesday’s and Thursday’s New York Mets-Atlanta Braves games, set to take place at the Braves home stadium Truist Park, have been postponed due to “the forecast and the inclement weather.”
The MLB season was supposed to conclude on Sunday but will now extend into next week. The called-off games will be made up on Monday as part of a traditional doubleheader at Truist Park.
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The postponements come as Hurricane Helene nears, along with a cold front leading to a slow-moving line of showers and storms on Wednesday.
The combination will make for “an unprecedented” weather event in North Georgia, according to the National Weather Service.
The series between the two division rivals was seen as one of the most crucial of the 2024 MLB season to determine the final spots in the playoffs.
The Mets are currently a game up on the Braves for a wild card spot. The Braves are a half-game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks for the third and final wild card.
The Mets head to Milwaukee to face the Brewers this weekend while the Braves host the Kansas City Royals.
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Monday’s first pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. ET.
