Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: 15+ Eateries Open, 3 Close In GA: Top Restaurant News 2025

Happening soon: Community Engagement - Gun Violence Prevention Panel on the Atlanta Patch calendar

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Saturday January 3rd Patch AM
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Morning Atlanta! We've got the scoop on the latest happenings in town. Read on to get looped in. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • Award-winning BBQ, new chains and fresh metro Atlanta eats
  • Why Atlanta’s $750M road plan is still crawling forward
  • What we know so far about the James P. Brawley shooting

Also on today's calendar: Community Engagement - Gun Violence Prevention Panel and 9 more events.

Find out what's happening in Atlantafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: I got fired from the M&M factory. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Atlantafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Saturday: Rain and a thunderstorm, with a high of 57 and low of 41 degrees.
  • Sunday: Pleasant with sunshine, temps: high: 60, low: 42.
  • Monday: Plenty of sun, with a high of 64 and low of 43 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. 15+ Eateries Open, 3 Close In GA: Top Restaurant News 2025 (patch.com) — Georgia’s restaurant scene saw big changes in 2025, from award-winning pitmasters and new Raising Cane’s locations to closures that made way for fresh concepts. Atlanta gets a special nod with new metro eateries and Chick-fil-A’s first Georgia vending machine, giving local diners more options in airports and around the city.
   

2. Moving Atlanta Forward is largely stuck in neutral, advocates say (wsbtv.com) — Atlanta’s $750 million Moving Atlanta Forward infrastructure program is lagging, with less than 20% of funds spent and many road projects still not in construction. City officials say spending accelerated in 2025 and new contracting tools should speed up long-promised safety upgrades for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.
   

3. Two injured in Atlanta shooting along James P. Brawley Drive (fox5atlanta.com) — Two people were shot Friday night on James P. Brawley Drive NW in Northwest Atlanta, but both were alert and breathing when taken to the hospital, according to Atlanta police. Investigators have not yet identified the victims, suspects, or a motive, and have not said whether a weapon was recovered or if the victims lived at the address.
   

4. Atlanta volunteer program helps foster kids make big strides for their future (wsbtv.com) — Atlanta’s Court Appointed Special Advocates program pairs foster children with trained volunteers who stick with them through court and school, dramatically boosting their chances of graduating and pursuing college or careers. Local volunteers and leaders say the work is emotional but transformative, and Atlanta adults 21 and older can apply after passing a background check and training.
   

5. Rideshare drivers pushing for safety improvements after 3 separate violent incidents (atlantanewsfirst.com) — Atlanta rideshare drivers are voicing safety concerns after a local driver was hit by a stray bullet and other recent violent incidents in Lawrenceville and involving DeKalb County inmates. A representative of the Atlanta Rideshare Drivers Union is urging stricter rider checks, better safety tools like dashcams, and policy changes from major platforms to better protect drivers.
   

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Briefing Document: The Ariana Lyons Blueprint for Atlanta’s Healthcare Future —Ariana Lyons Read on Patch
  • Residential Roofing - Fascia Explained —New Image Roofing Atlanta Read on Patch
  • The Atlanta Health Review: Where Medicine Meets the City —Ariana Lyons Read on Patch
  • Meet LifeLine Animal Project's Pets of the Week —Timyka Artist Read on Patch
  • On New Year’s Eve 12/31/2025 I got engaged and I said Yes to my best friend.
    I said yes to everything that comes our way good or bad. Even though I am already his wife and he is already my husband without the rings and… (Nextdoor Woodward Hills)
  • I've stepped across the threshold of the new year with the continued desire to see and be in the nature that is around me.
    Admittedly, sometimes my "to-do" takes precedence. But it is here, in the seeing and photographing and sketching/watercoloring, that I find my place… (Nextdoor Briarlake)
  • The Atlanta City Council will hold an organizational meeting in conjunction with the 2026 inauguration ceremony on Monday, Jan. 5, followed by a... (X: atlcouncil)
  • The Dickens Administration keeps building toward #OneSafeCity Thanks to policing and non-policing efforts, Atlanta saw fewer than 100 homicides for... (X: CityofAtlanta)
  • Wal-Mart posted a job opening for Stocking Team Associate in Atlanta. Apply here.
  • Reyes Holdings posted a job opening for Inventory Cycle Counter in Atlanta. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Atlanta here.

Ok Atlanta! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I kept throwing out all the W’s.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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