Atlanta, GA
💃🏽 Clubbing at the High
High Frequency Friday
Oct. 25 — The weekend is here, and if you’re 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.
☀️ Sunny and 81° today. The weekend also looks warm and sunny.
🫏 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.
⚖️ Defense attorneys for the three Brunswick, GA men convicted of killing Ahmaud Arbery are asking for a new trial for their clients.
🌳 A full master plan for The Stitch – the Downtown Connector capping park – will be released on Oct. 31.
👂 DeKalb County CEO-elect Lorraine Cochran-Johnson started her constituent listening tour in Dunwoody this week. See where else she’s headed.
🏡 A movement to declare the Candler Park neighborhood a city historic district has failed after a community vote.
💨 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.
🚒 DeKalb Fire & Rescue had to rescue two 10-year-old boys who tried to zip line after hours in Dunwoody’s Brook Run Park.
🎗️ A group of local Jewish organizations is hosting “Reflecting on a Year of Heartbreak, Resilience, and Hope” on Sun., Oct. 27 from 2-5 p.m. The event is open to all, but registration is required.
🍔 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.
⛸️ An ice skating rink will be a part of Brookhaven’s citywide winter celebrations for the first time this year.
ELSEWHERE
🙏 President Joe Biden will visit a Native American reservation today, where he’ll formally apologize for federal Indian boarding schools’ historical abuses.
⚖️ The Los Angeles district attorney said he will seek resentencing for Erik and Lyle Menendez, who killed their parents in 1989, saying they’ve “paid their debt to society.”
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• Clubbing at the High
• Film Review: ‘Conclave’
• The Sports Section
AND
• Top Stories of the Week
Have a good weekend,
Collin & Sammie
🎹 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 Atlanta’s hottest nightclub
🎷 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 — beyond just a museum — 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 city’s hottest pop-up nightclub for four hours featuring some of Atlanta’s 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.
🎨 Learn more about the pop-up here.
Georgia Power hosts backpack and supply drives for families in need
SPONSORED BY GEORGIA POWER
🎒 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; they’re helping to create a supportive environment where education can thrive. It’s all about building a brighter future for students across Georgia, one backpack at a time.
➡ Read the full story here.
2. ‘Conclave’ is petty politics done right
WEEKLY FILM REVIEW | BY SAMMIE PURCELL
🗳️ One of the most important locations in “Conclave” – a film that beautifully recreates echoing church halls and the dramatic, high ceilings of the Sistine Chapel – is a simple auditorium.
It’s here where a few men are trying to decide who should become the next pope. The men in this room – including Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), who has been tasked with running this election – think it imperative that the progressive Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci) wins. Mostly because he doesn’t want it. “No sane man would want the papacy,” Bellini says.
It’s 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. “Conclave,” 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 today’s climate.
It’s a political thriller dressed up in a cardinal hat, but one that’s a lot more fun to languish in than our current political state. “Conclave” isn’t 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.
⛪ Read Sammie’s full review here.
🍿 Stay in the picture with Scene by Rough Draft, our weekly newsletter about Georgia’s film industry. Subscribe for free.
3. ATL United faces Messi in playoffs, World Series begins
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GEORGIA POWER
⚽ Atlanta United plays in Round One of the MLS Playoffs against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami tonight at 8:30 p.m. in Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Apple TV+; 92.9 FM). The Five Stripes advanced after beating CF Montréal in a penalty shootout.
⚾ 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.
⚾ Former Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela died this week at 63. The Mexican-born star started “Fernandomania” by winning both the Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981.
🏀 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).
🏈 Previously winless Kennesaw State upset previously unbeaten Liberty University on Wednesday night 27-24 as fans rushed onto the field.
🏈 Here are tomorrow’s 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.
🏀 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.
🏈 The Falcons play division-rival Buccaneers in Tampa Bay on Sun., Oct. 27 at 1 p.m. (FOX; 92.9 FM).
🏈 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.
♂️ The Sports Section is sponsored by Gameday Men’s Health Buckhead, offering testosterone, weight loss, peptide, and ED therapies so you can get back in the game. Learn more today!
🎹 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 week’s most-read stories from our website. Follow @RoughDraftATL on Instagram for regular updates.
① Two long-derailed Dunwoody properties move forward with new owners
② Kemp announces another $1B tax rebate
③ 7 classes in Atlanta for keeping your kitchen and culinary skills sharp (pictured)
④ Capitol skybridge proposal concerns historic preservationists
⑤ Georgia Supreme Court delays ruling on election board rules until after Nov. 5
💭 Test your knowledge of the week’s news in tomorrow’s News Quiz. Keep an eye out for our email at 8 a.m. or bookmark this page!
📧 Today’s newsletter was edited by Julie E. Bloemeke.
The public is getting its first look at the two pandas that will be heading from China to Zoo Atlanta.
NBC’s Janis Mackey Frayer was able to visit female Fu Shuang and male Ping Ping before they make the nearly 8,000-mile flight. The giant pandas are both 6 years old and are headed to the United States as part of a new decade-long conservation agreement between China and the U.S.
Ping Ping’s keepers say he tends to follow them around, which is atypical behavior for a panda, but may be because of the food they have for him. Fu Shuang — which translates to “double happiness” — is playful, but nervous, and enjoys placing her chin on her paw. She also likes apples and has a penchant for finding them.
“Because we will hide pieces of apples, for example under the tree … she can find them everywhere,” panda keeper Wang Shun told Mackey Frayer, noting her “clever” behavior.
The pandas are part of an international cooperative research agreement on giant panda conservation between Zoo Atlanta and the China Wildlife Conservation Association, a renewal of panda diplomacy between America and China that began in 1972.
“Zoo Atlanta is delighted and honored to yet again be trusted as stewards of this treasured species and to partner with the China Wildlife Conservation Association on the continued conservation and research efforts that are the most important outcomes of this cooperation,” Zoo Atlanta President and CEO Raymond B. King said in a statement in April.
“We can’t wait to meet Ping Ping and Fu Shuang and to welcome our Members, guests, city, and community back to the wonder and joy of giant pandas.”
Pandas are already at zoos in Washington, D.C., and San Diego. Zoo Atlanta maintained a panda agreement with China from 1999 until 2024, when Lun Lun and Yang Yang went back to their home country, along with their two youngest cubs.
Animal behaviorist James Ayala marvels at how pandas mature.
“You see cubs and they seem so cuddly and clumsy and cute. And then they grow up into these big, majestic bears,” he told Mackey Frayer.
Fu Shuang and Ping Ping will be transported further south into a mountainous region where they will be prepped to make the trip to the U.S. It is unknown when they will leave.
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Soccer fever took over The Battery Atlanta on Thursday as fans gathered outside Truist Park for a rare chance to see the FIFA World Cup trophy in person.
Children kicked soccer balls across the plaza while crowds counted down to the dramatic reveal of the iconic trophy, widely considered the most coveted prize in international sports.
The appearance marked the first public viewing of the FIFA World Cup trophy in Atlanta.
“It’s the real trophy,” said fan Abdulrahman Dwead. “Nobody is allowed to touch the actual trophy unless you won it or are the president of FIFA. So, me standing beside that cup, that’s an honor to me.”
The trophy stop carried extra significance because Atlanta is one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Local fans said the event gave them a deeper sense of excitement ahead of the tournament.
“It’s the greatest feeling in the world,” said Melissa Richardson. “It’s something that doesn’t happen often and to be here in this moment is very important to me.”
The trophy was displayed outside the ballpark before moving inside Monument Garden during Thursday night’s Braves game, allowing ticket holders another opportunity to see the historic prize.
Organizers said the event gave thousands of fans a rare chance to experience a piece of soccer history in Atlanta.
“I’m so happy that Atlanta will host eight games,” Dwead said. “I’ve been here in Atlanta for almost 14 years and I love Atlanta so much.”
Copyright 2026 WANF. All rights reserved.
The Atlanta Dream are undefeated heading into their home opener and still finding ways to improve their roster.
The Dream announced Wednesday the signing of forward Amy Okonkwo to a developmental contract. It’s the latest roster move for an Atlanta team that is 2-0 and gearing up to play Sunday against the defending champion, Las Vegas Aces.
Okonkwo brings an impressive résumé despite her young career.
She most recently attended training camp with the Dallas Wings ahead of the 2026 season and appeared in eight games with Dallas during the 2025 WNBA season, averaging 11.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game while shooting better than 60 percent from the field. She recorded a career-high 20 points against Phoenix on Sept. 11, 2025, and made history as the first undrafted player since 2000 to average 10 or more points while shooting 60 percent or better through her first two WNBA games.
Her international résumé is equally impressive. Okonkwo has earned back-to-back FIBA Women’s AfroBasket MVP honors in 2023 and 2025 while helping Nigeria’s national team capture consecutive gold medals. Collegiately, she played at USC before finishing her career at TCU, where she earned 2018 Big 12 Sixth Player of the Year honors.
Okonkwo joins a 12-player roster that includes Naz Hillmon, Te-Hina Paopao, Jordin Canada, Angel Reese, Aaliyah Nye, Rhyne Howard, Madina Okot, Allisha Gray, Isobel Borlase, Indya Nivar, Sika Kone and Brionna Jones.
The signing caps a busy stretch of roster moves for Atlanta.
Earlier this month, the Dream claimed guard Aaliyah Nye off waivers after she was selected by the expansion Toronto Tempo in the 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft and subsequently waived on May 7. Nye brings championship pedigree to Atlanta, having been a member of the 2025 WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces as a rookie, appearing in all 44 regular season games and finishing fourth among franchise rookies in made three-pointers with 37.
A guard out of the University of Alabama, Nye is one of the sharper shooters in the league. She finished her college career with 389 three-pointers across stops at Alabama and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, shooting 40.9 percent from beyond the arc. In her final season with the Crimson Tide, she earned Second Team All-SEC honors after averaging 15.2 points per game and setting the program’s single-season record with 111 made three-pointers.
To make room for Nye, the Dream waived guard Holly Winterburn, a move that came with an emotional cost. Winterburn, a Northampton, England native who went undrafted in 2025 before signing with Atlanta as a free agent, said she learned she had been cut just before boarding the bus for the team’s first game of the season on May 9.
“I thought my welcome to the W moment would happen on the court, not as I’m getting on the bus for my first ever game,” Winterburn wrote on Instagram. “But that’s the reality of this business and I will always be grateful for the opportunity Atlanta gave me. I’m built for this.”
Winterburn did not stay without a job for long. The Portland Fire signed her to a developmental contract shortly after her release.
After Tuesday’s road win in Dallas, the Dream return home Sunday to face the defending champion Las Vegas Aces at 1:30 p.m. at State Farm Arena.
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