🌱 New Years Day Immersive Arts Festival + Atlanta Walmart Arson Case

Hello all. It's me, Danielle Fallon-O'Leary, your host of the Daily. Here are all the things you need to know about what's happening locally. In today's issue of the Daily, you'll read about these stories and more:

• New Years Day Arts Festival
• Southwest Airlines continues to cause chaos with cancellations
• Atlanta Walmart Set On Fire

But first, today's weather:

Mostly cloudy. High: 60 Low: 53.

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Here are the top five stories in Atlanta today:

1. Start off the year with a celebration of art and culture in Atlanta. The Arts New Years Day Edition: Art, Music, Food, Dance, Poetry, Film will be held at The Underground on Jan. 1. The event will include DJs, local artists, creatives, live performers, and much more. Experience poetry, play around with body paint, and even get a tattoo! (AllEvents)
2. Southwest Airlines is still struggling after the winter storms of last week. The Dallas carrier has canceled another 2,350 flights as workers scramble to assist stranded passengers across the country. Southwest has been the only airport unable to recover from the weather-related delays. The airline has already announced that cancellations will continue into the weekend.(WABE 90.1 FM)
3. Want to add a furry friend to your family and make a positive impact on the world at the same time? Adopt a dog, cat or other animal from a local shelter or organization! Many Atlanta shelters are still working to fulfill adoptions and place pets in their forever home. We've compiled this week’s list of animals available for adoption near you. Whether you’re looking for cuddles or companionship, one of these animals could be the perfect fit for your family. (Atlanta Patch)
4. Atlanta Police are looking for a suspect they believe started a fire in a Walmart on Wednesday night. The Walmart on Howell Mill Road was intentionally set ablaze. The fire started in the men's clothing section. The sprinklers put out the fire quickly, but the store was still evacuated as a precaution. (WSB Atlanta)
5. The temperature may be rising, but the fallout from last week's frozen weather continues across Atlanta. Plumbers across north Georgia are warning residents that exploding pipes and flooding are far from over. As the weather warms up, frozen pipes will begin to leak and burst, which could result in more people being stranded without water for days at a time. The number of calls to plumbers is expected to rise dramatically over the coming weeks. (WSB Atlanta)

Today in Atlanta:

• End Of Year Party With AMIS at Eye Consultants of Atlanta-Cumberland (4:00 PM)
• Feel Good Friday at TEN ATL (6:00 PM)
• Fusion Fridays at The Starling Atlanta Midtown, Curio Collection by Hilton (6:00 PM)
• Dumpstaphunk at Center Stage Theatre (7:00 PM)
• New Year’s Bubble Bash at Children’s Museum of Atlanta (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Meet Penny! This gorgeous girl is currently chilling at the Atlanta Humane Society, but she'd love to find her forever home with you! (Atlanta Humane Society via Facebook)
• On Jan. 16, the Atlanta History Center will be holding an event to celebrate civil rights leaders in Atlanta! This event will feature food, drinks, games, and trivia about Atlanta's fascinating history. (Atlanta History Center via Instagram)
• Are you counting down the days until you can register for Atlanta Botanical Garden Summer Camp? You can sign up on Feb. 1! (Atlanta Botanical Garden via Facebook)

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Featured businesses:

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Events:

• Online webinar about our types of roofing in Atlanta, GA (January 1)
• Lori Williams - Birthday / Live Jazz Concert (January 22)
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Housing:

• Facing a Foreclosure... Don't sell your home... Its not too LATE (Details)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Friday! I'll see you soon.

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a senior writer with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.