👹 Lady Gaga coming to ATL

Wonderful Wednesday  Sept. 10 — Lady Gaga is expanding the North American leg of her “Mayhem Ball” tour and will stop at State Farm Arena on March 4 & 5. Ticket presales start today for Citi and Verizon customers.  Sunny and 84° today.   A Fulton County judge said he will dismiss racketeering charges against protesters accused of trying to stop construction of “Cop City.” DeKalb County firefighter Preston Fant, a 21-year veteran of the department, was killed in the line of duty on Monday. Georgia’s net tax collections rose by 3.2% last month compared to August 2024, according to the state Department of Revenue. Democratic state lawmakers are asking Gov. Brian Kemp to recall the Georgia National Guard members he recently deployed to Washington, D.C.   The City of Dunwoody will host a free Kids Bike Safety Rodeo on Saturday at Brook Run Park. ELSEWHERE A judge ruled that President Donald Trump cannot fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook over mortgage fraud allegations.  Health and Human Services released a report outlining steps to improve children’s health through better nutrition and exercise, but critics say it lacks specifics and contradicts recent budget cuts. Israel struck Hamas leadership in Qatar, killing five, but missing top targets and complicating U.S.-backed ceasefire negotiations hosted by the Gulf nation. The White House called the attack “unfortunate.”  Apple introduced a series of new iPhones, watches, and AirPods yesterday. A new, ultra-thin iPhone Air will retail for $999.  PICTURE THIS: The Atlanta Dream wrap up the regular season schedule tonight as they face the Connecticut Sun at 7 p.m. The Dream are currently the third seed in the WNBA Playoffs, which begin on Sun., Sept. 14. Photo of MVP candidate Allisha Gray by Sam Gardella. Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter: • Ralph Ellis’ debut novel• Tucker entertainment districts • Wellness WednesdayAND• Concert Picks  Alpharetta Restaurant Week runs Oct. 11-18, with 60+ restaurants offering special menus. It’s the perfect chance to try something new or revisit a favorite spot. Don’t miss the area’s largest culinary event! Learn more here. SPONSOR MESSAGE Photo courtesy of Ralph Ellis 1. Veteran journalist Ralph Ellis releases debut novel, ‘The Accident Report’  Veteran journalist Ralph Ellis has published his first novel, “The Accident Report,” a crime/mystery novel infused with small-town newsroom details and a cast of quirky Southern characters. Ellis, who cut his teeth at local newspapers before joining the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and CNN, may have more than a passing resemblance to his main character, Ronald Truluck. Set in the summer of 1974, Truluck is working as a rookie reporter at a newspaper in a tiny North Carolina town, but he has dreams of being the next Woodward and Bernstein.   Learn more about the novel here. Celebrate 20 Years of Stories at the Decatur Book Festival SPONSORED BY THE DECATUR BOOK FESTIVAL Join us Oct. 3-4 in downtown Decatur as we celebrate 20 years of one of the nation’s most beloved literary festivals. The festival kicks off Friday evening with two special events: the 6 p.m. Kidnote with Angie Thomas and the 7 p.m. Keynote with Saeed Jones. All remaining events take place Sat., Oct. 4, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Enjoy 100+ authors, book signings, performances, kids’ activities, and more. Free admission. Get the full schedule here. Photo by City of Tucker 2. Tucker looks to expand entertainment district to include town green In anticipation of the November opening of the Tucker Town Green project, the city council held a first hearing on expanding the Downtown Entertainment District to encompass the park.The Downtown Tucker Entertainment District went into effect on Jan. 1, 2022. It allows in-district Tucker businesses with a consumption on-premise alcohol license to serve specially marked beverages that can be carried outside of the establishments, but within the boundary of the entertainment district.When the district was first created, the Tucker Town Green was excluded from the boundary, as the green space had not yet been designed. At its Sept. 8 meeting, the council discussed a text amendment that would expand the boundary “to further activate the green space and Downtown Tucker,” according to a staff memo about the amendment. Cathy Cobbs has more on this story here. Photo courtesy of Skyland Trail 3. Wellness Wednesday The Skyland Trail 5K Run/Walk is Saturday at 8 a.m. on Dresden Drive in Brookhaven. The event is a fundraiser for the mental health facility. (pictured) Melissa Barnhill, a representative from DeKalb Public Health, will discuss how vaccines reduce the risk of severe illness at Davidson Library in Lithonia on Saturday from 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Chef Megan McCarthy will be at the Atlanta Botanical Garden on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., offering up healthy, mouth-watering recipes from the Edible Garden.  The Bebop Cancer Foundation is hosting its third-annual Atlanta Against Cancer event at Ponce City Market on Saturday from noon to 9 p.m. For many students and young adults, entering the workforce can be a challenge without the proper skills, resources, and community support. Learn why Georgia Power joined 14 other partners to launch the You’re Employed and Skilled (YES) Workforce Academy. SPONSOR MESSAGE Dua Lipa via roughdraftatlanta.com 4. Concert Picks Wed., Sept. 10 Wolf Alice @ Buckhead Theatre Andrew Bird + Atlanta Symphony Orchestra @ Atlanta Symphony Hall Benson Boone @ State Farm Arena Iniko @ Variety Playhouse Thurs., Sept. 11 Gian Marco @ Gas South Theatre Pink Turns Blue @ The Masquerade (Purgatory) The Wellermen @ Aisle 5 Fri., Sept. 12 Calva Louise + Mike’s Dead @ The Masquerade (Altar) Nelly + Ja Rule @ Lakewood Amphitheatre  Earth, Wind & Fire + Chicago Tribute Band @ Gas South Theatre Jessie Murph @ Coca-Cola Roxy Christone “Kingfish” Ingram @ Buckhead Theatre Sat., Sept. 13 Above & Beyond @ Lakewood Amphitheatre  Joe and Dru Hill @ Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre Michael Minelli @ The Masquerade (Purgatory) Dua Lipa (pictured) @ State Farm Arena (also Sunday) Nick Hexum + Water Tower @ Terminal West PJ Morton @ Tabernacle Dream Theater @ Coca-Cola Roxy (also Sunday) Sun., Sept. 14 Steven Curtis Chapman @ Mount Paran North Church  Dylan Gossett @ Tabernacle The Thuggish-Ruggish-Mafia Tour @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre  Stereolab @ Variety Playhouse Mon., Sept. 15 James Marriott @ The Masquerade (Purgatory) Boldy James @ Aisle 5 Tues., Sept. 16 Phish @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre (also Wednesday) The Boyz @ Atlanta Symphony Hall Laufey @ State Farm Arena Strings and Heart @ Vinyl Wed., Sept. 17 Hazlett @ Terminal West BUNT. @ Buckhead Theatre Matt Maltese @ Tabernacle Isabella Lovestory + Cece Natalie @ Aisle 5 The Mountain Goats @ Variety Playhouse Located in the heart of Virginia-Highland and listed for $1.395 million with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty, this six-bedroom Craftsman-style home blends character, space, and walkability. With a renovated primary suite and a finished basement featuring a second kitchen and wine cellar, the home offers luxury and functionality. SPONSOR MESSAGE  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!  Thanks for the great feedback on our “How much is this house?” bit yesterday. The correct answer was $4.495m, which 45% of readers guessed. Don’t miss News Word Atlanta, our new, daily word game.  Connect with us on Bluesky. Have a friend or colleague who would enjoy getting this newsletter? Forward them this link to subscribe. The post 👹 Lady Gaga coming to ATL appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.