🌱 Mural Honors President Carter + Man Charged In Church Vandalism

Hey, friends. It's Tuesday in Atlanta and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on the most important things happening in the community today. Today you'll read about:

• Atlanta's airport is still the world's busiest.
• A mural in the Atlanta skyline is Georgia's Own Credit Union's tribute to former President Carter.
• Georgia teachers' discussions of race complicated by new "divisive concepts" law.

But first, today's weather:

A couple of showers. High: 67 Low: 59.

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Here are the top five stories today in Atlanta:

1. A man has been charged after spray-painting hateful images onto the Providence Missionary Baptist Church. A 60-year-old man was arrested and charged with vandalism after being accused of spray-painting hateful images on the historic Atlanta church. The man was found and arrested on Sunday sitting across from Providence Missionary Baptist Church, according to Atlanta Police. (11Alive.com WXIA)
2. Atlanta's airport is still the world’s busiest with nearly 94 million passengers in 2022, an increase of 24 percent over 2021. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport operated 724,145 flight operations in 2022, a 2.3 percent increase over 2021. The airport also completed several substantial projects in 2022, including Fire Station 32, the T-North gate expansion, a Deicing Complex, and improvements to Ramp 19. (WSB Radio)
3. A firefighter was injured after the roof of a home collapsed on Saturday, according to Atlanta Fire Rescue. The fire happened at a one-story vacant home along Hollywood Drive NW in Atlanta's Grove Park neighborhood and is now under investigation. The firefighter suffered minor injuries to his neck and was taken to Grady Hospital. (11Alive.com WXIA)
4. Georgia's Own Credit Union honored Former President Carter with a mural in the Atlanta skyline. The portraits of Carter are 450 feet in the air on the Credit Union's building's marquee and span the length of two basketball courts. The credit union worked with the Emory Ethics & the Arts Program when commissioning this project, and Dane Jefferson was the local artist recommended by the program's leadership. (MDJOnline.com)
5. Georgia teachers are discussing how to handle topics involving race under the state's new "divisive concepts" law. The death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of police officers in Memphis and recent protests around a proposed police training center in Atlanta have raised questions about race and power. Georgia teachers want to discuss current events like these with their students but have to do so within the confines of the new law banning teachers from discussing nine topics related to race. (WABE 90.1 FM)

Today in and around Atlanta:

• Adventure Cubs At Zoo Atlanta (9:30 AM)
• Preschool Storytime At Chamblee Library (10:30 AM)
• Black History Month Film Series At DeKalb County Public Library (11:00 AM)
• Celebrate Mardi Gras At C&S Seafood And Oyster Bar! (12:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• The APEX Museum is hosting “Sankofa Tales” from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Feb. 25. The event is free for children 5-11 and will feature arts and crafts making as well as the telling of three African fables, offering teachings on kindness, cooperation, and more. Founded in 1978, APEX Museum is the oldest Black history museum in the City of Atlanta. ( The Atlanta Journal Constitution)
• Registration is open for summer Atlanta Public Schools programs! Programs are available for elementary, middle, and high school students through Academic Recovery Academy and Power Up. Registration ends Mar. 31 and can be done at the link. (Atlanta Public Schools via Facebook)
• The Jet Black Roses will play the Fox Theatre Revival benefit show. Featuring Red Bud natives Trey and Andrew Bentley, the band will join Collective Soul, Mother's Finest, and Drivin N Cryin as part of a series to benefit Georgia's historic theaters on May 13. The event will be hosted by Kevin Kinney and more special guests are expected to be announced. (Northwest Georgia News)
• Atlanta Regional Commission Community Development Assistance Program is accepting applications now through Feb. 28. Apply for the chance to receive technical planning help and expertise for projects in your community. (Atlanta Regional Commission via Facebook)

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Alrighty, you're all caught up for today. I'll see you back in your inbox tomorrow morning with a new update!

— Lauren Kubiak

About me: Lauren is a freelance copywriter for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. She graduated from Rowan University with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism. She is a full-time editor at an association management firm, editing peer-reviewed nursing journals, textbooks, and newsletters.