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The first Biden-Trump debate will be in Atlanta, a city rich with political drama

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The first Biden-Trump debate will be in Atlanta, a city rich with political drama


After it appeared voters wouldn’t get the chance to see the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates square off this year, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump last week agreed to two debates.

The first debate will take place June 27 in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s welcome news for the city of Atlanta, which was one of three finalists bidding to host the 2024 Democratic National Convention. It ultimately lost out to Chicago, but it wasn’t for lack of political drama within the state.

Atlanta became an epicenter of conspiracy theories and “election fraud” alleged by the Trump campaign during the 2020 election. Fulton County is now the site of the former president’s election inference case. And the battleground state carries major electoral weight, having flipped blue for the first time in nearly 30 years during the last presidential election.

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The location of the debate has history for Trump and will likely give him and Biden plenty to spar over.

More: Biden and Trump to debate in Atlanta, announces CNN

Trump’s history with Fulton County, Georgia

It’s fitting that the debate will be held at CNN’s studios, nestled in the center of Fulton County. The studios are less than a mile from the State Farm Arena, which served as a ballot processing site during the 2020 election.

State Farm Arena quickly became the subject of conspiracy theories about illicit votes spread by Trump and his associates on social media in the hours following the election. Trump claimed that surveillance video showed election workers staying after hours and removing “suitcases full of ballots” from under a table.

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The truth was much simpler. A plumbing issue at the arena had delayed Election Day operations, forcing some election workers to stay late to continue processing ballots. After a lengthy investigation by multiple agencies, it was determined that no fraud took place.

The Fulton County courthouse

Former President Trump is now intimately familiar with the Fulton County Courthouse, just half a mile from the site of the upcoming debate.After an investigation by the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, Trump became the first former president to be indicted on felony charges in Georgia. He and 18 allies were charged with trying to interfere with the 2020 presidential election in Georgia after pressuring state officials to overturn the results.

Prosecutors in Georgia proposed August 5 as a start date for the trial.

Georgia’s potential as a swing state

The Georgia State Capitol, located a mile from the debate stage, played a significant role in the 2020 election.

It was where Biden was certified as the first Democrat to win Georgia in almost three decades, defeating Trump by nearly 12,000 votes.Georgia will remain a crucial swing state for the candidates in the 2024 election. Both Trump and Biden have made multiple stops to the Peach State during their reelection campaigns, showing just how important these votes are to the candidates.

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Atlanta, GA

Starters Braves Have on Their Radar, Top Prospects in Play

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Starters Braves Have on Their Radar, Top Prospects in Play


The Atlanta Braves have locked down two free agents. One bolstered the bullpen while the other diversified their options on the offense. Now, from what we’re hearing, the attention has turned to fortifying the rotation. 

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We are gaining an idea of who the Braves are targeting on the starting pitching market. Framber Valdez and Michael King appear to be the top two free-agent options they’re taking a look at, per source. The goal would be to land one of the two. How far along any potential talks are or if they’re currently talking at all is unclear. We just know now that these two are preferred targets. 

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Previous reports said that the Mets and Giants had previously chatted with Valdez. King is on the radar of the Tigers and Cubs. There are contenders in play for these same guys.

Signing a free agent is their plan A for acquiring starting pitching depth. What we are hearing confirms the willingness to cough up a draft pick to make a big signing. Both have a qualifying offer attached to them. 

That being said, they are willing to go out on the trade market if needed and in a specific circumstance. Plan B is to make a deal for Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta. 

The 2025 All-Star has been rumored to be a trade candidate since the start of the offseason. What we are hearing lines up with previous speculation as to the type of moves the Braves could make. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden suggested the Braves make a move for Peralta, and part of that suggestion included a potential trade piece that would likely be dealt in this scenario.

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The Brewers would likely want to make the centerpiece of the return the Braves’ No. 2 prospect, JR Ritchie. However, the Braves would likely prefer to hang onto Ritchie. They see him as a key piece of their future. They would likely prefer to make the centerpiece of the deal Hurston Waldrep, who showed significant promise once she was called up toward the end of last season. 

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Another player would likely be dealt along with one of the two names. The Braves would like to know whether an extension would be in play. They wouldn’t want to make the move for strictly a rental. 

However, the Brewers want to get a trade done during the offseason. If he’s on the roster during the regular season, it would put them in a bind. They don’t see him as someone they’ll be able to keep around, but if they’re contending, they can’t trade him at the deadline. He would have to stick around for a push, and then he would walk. 

Meanwhile, the Braves are pushing to have a top-five payroll in the league for next season. That puts them in the position to take on one of the two possible free-agent signings or take on a contract extension in a potential trade. 

More From Atlanta Braves on SI



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2 Dead In Fiery Crash On Interstate 75 In Atlanta

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2 Dead In Fiery Crash On Interstate 75 In Atlanta


ATLANTA, GA — Two people are dead following a fiery crash on Interstate 75 in Atlanta, according to police.

The crash occurred shortly before 3:15 a.m. Saturday on southbound I-75 near Cleveland Avenue Southwest. According to police, a Kia Sportage was traveling on I-75 when the driver lost control of the vehicle while attempting to exit at Cleveland Avenue.

Police said the vehicle left the roadway, hit a pole and subsequently caught fire.

Two unidentified occupants of the vehicle were pronounced dead at the scene.

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Investigators with the Atlanta Police Department Accident Investigations Unit responded to the scene to determine what led to the crash. The investigation into the collision is ongoing.



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Atlanta chef charged after shooting 2 suspected teen porch pirates outside his home

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Atlanta chef charged after shooting 2 suspected teen porch pirates outside his home


An Atlanta chef allegedly shot two teenagers who were suspected of trying to steal packages outside his home in broad daylight.

Rakim Bradford was charged with two counts of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony after he opened fire on the boys, ages 15 and 16, at his townhouse in the Mays neighborhood, southwest of Downtown Atlanta, on Thursday around 3:40 p.m.

Bradford, the head chef at an area IHOP, according to his LinkedIn, was at his home on the 700 block of Celeste Lane SW when he noticed the teens near his front porch, Atlanta Police said.

Rakim Bradford was charged with two counts of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm for the shooting on Dec. 11, 2025. Fox 5 Atlanta/YouTube

Officials believe the teens had traveled to the Villages of Cascade complex, where they spotted a delivery van and followed it, according to Atlanta News First, citing Bradford’s arrest warrant.

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“After the packages were dropped, they agreed to steal that package from the front of the residence,” the warrant stated.

Bradford caught the teens going for the packages and allegedly shot the pair before they could steal the delivery.

“We believe a property crime was occurring, that some packages were being taken off a front porch, which is common this time of year,” Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum told reporters. “The homeowner did discharge his weapon to stop that theft of packages.”

The unidentified 15-year-old was found with a gunshot wound to the right foot. Officers later found the 16-year-old suffering from a gunshot to the right arm.

Police believe the teens attempted to steal packages from Bradford’s front porch before the shooting broke out.
Police investigate the shooting that broke out in a townhouse complex at around 3:40 p.m. on Dec. 11, 2025. WLBT
Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum speaks to reporters after the shooting in southwest Atlanta on Dec. 11, 2025. Atlanta Police Department

He was transported to the hospital in critical condition before undergoing surgery. The teen is expected to survive.

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“The Atlanta Police Department takes gun violence very seriously,” Schierbaum said. “Anytime a child is injured in our city, we really take that really seriously. We want to make sure they know what’s happening.”

Bradford was detained after the shooting and brought in for questioning.

Officials ruled out a home invasion and didn’t announce any charges against the two teens.

Neighbors warned potential porch pirates of stealing packages from other homes.

“Don’t go and steal people’s packages,” Andrew Julian told the outlet. “On the other side of that, what right do you have to defend your own home, and then what decision do you make to defend your own home based on somebody taking an item off of your porch? So, it’s certainly a conversation to be had.”

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