📺 More Freaknik memories – Rough Draft Atlanta

May 28 — Yesterday morning’s lousy weather forced Dunwoody’s Memorial Day Ceremony indoors at city hall, where 150 attendees heard from newly appointed Police Chief Mike Carlson, who served in the USMC and the Georgia Army National Guard.

🌞 Sunny and 88° today.

🔎 Atlanta police are investigating a deadly shooting that happened near the Trap Music Museum on the Westside on Sunday night. 

 ✅ The Libertarian Party chose former Georgia Senate candidate Chase Oliver as its presidential nominee, rejecting appeals from Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

🗳 After failing to make the June 18 runoff for DeKalb CEO, District 4 Commissioner Steve Bradshaw has endorsed Larry Johnson.

💵 The Sandy Springs City Council agreed at last week’s special budget meeting to put $800,000 in undesignated funds into its reserve rather than commit it to any projects.

🎒 Peachtree City’s Matthew Baber, 14, and 10-year-old Sarv Dharavane of Dunwoody will represent metro Atlanta in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which begins today in Maryland.

🏆 Georgia Tech sophomore Hiroshi Tai won the NCAA men’s golf title.

🎗️ Miller Pope, the longtime radio engineer for Georgia Tech, the Falcons, the Hawks, Atlanta United, and many other professional and college sports broadcasts, died Sunday.  

ELSEWHERE

➡ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that an airstrike in Rafah was aimed at Hamas commanders, but unintentionally caused civilian casualties. “Something unfortunately went tragically wrong,” he said in a speech to Israel’s parliament. 

🎾 Fourteen-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal lost in the first round at Roland Garros for the first time ever yesterday. 

🏀 The Celtics swept the Pacers to advance to the NBA Finals. They will play either the Mavericks or the Timberwolves. 

🎗️ Basketball legend, and avid Deadhead, Bill Walton died yesterday at 71. 

🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:

• 98-year-old alum throws first pitch
• A new perspective on Freaknik
• GPB: Therapist-designed online dating
AND
• Volunteer Opportunities

Have a good day,
Collin & Sammie

✈️ Ben Folds: Paper Airplane Tour lands at The Fred Amphitheater in Peachtree City (45 min south of ATL) on Sat., June 1! The Emmy-nominated artist is famed for his pop albums with Ben Folds Five plus solo projects, collaborative records, and performing with the world’s greatest symphony orchestras. 

SPONSOR MESSAGE

1. 98-year-old Tennessee alum throws ceremonial first pitch at baseball game

⚾ When Jim Worthington, University of Tennessee’s oldest letterman at the age of 98, threw out the first pitch at the school’s baseball match-up with the University of South Carolina last Saturday, Georgia was well-represented both on and off the field.

Worthington, who still lives independently in a townhome in Norcross, played for three seasons for the Vols as a catcher in the late 1940s until his job student teaching at Tyson Junior High School forced him to make the difficult decision to quit during his senior year. 

On May 18, Worthington, after leaning in and “shaking off” a couple of signs – to the amusement of the crowd – fired the ball into the glove of Vol catcher Charlie Taylor, a redshirt junior who hails from Dunwoody and graduated from the Wesleyan School in 2021. 

🧡 Read more about the first pitch here.

▶️ Press Play: Flyover Tour of the ‘Transformed’ 285/400 Commute

SPONSORED BY PERIMETER COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS

10.5 miles of highway improvements.

Reconstructed bridges for better connectivity.

New & improved underpassesand overpasses for smoother traffic flow.

The Transform 285/400 Project from the Georgia Department of Transportation has come a long way, promising significant enhancements to the daily commute through Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, and Brookhaven.

Experience these improvements firsthand with our hyper-real flyover video tour.

👉🏼 Watch it here.

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2. Freaknik promoters say the Hulu documentary doesn’t tell the whole story

📺 When “Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told” debuted on Hulu earlier this year, the usual players came out to reminisce in the documentary:

Luther Campbell (Uncle Luke), Jermaine Dupri, Killer Mike, and other celebrities and artists, who played – or maybe attended – Freaknik back in the 1990s. The original Freaknik founders, who started the event as students at the Atlanta University Center with a picnic and the name “Freaknic” in 1983. Various city officials who interacted with the event in one way or another as it grew from an HBCU spring break event into something that would draw hundreds of thousands of students from around the country each year. 

All of these parties have valuable insight into what Freaknik was and what it became. But there are other sides of the story that don’t often get a second look. 

🎉 Click here to hear two promoters talk about their experience. 

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3. This Georgia company says ‘modern dating is broken’ and has a plan to fix it

📱 If you’re looking for a romantic partner, there is no shortage of apps that you can use to find someone. A new digital offering designed by therapists prioritizes mental health among those seeking to find a partner and incorporates relationship course offerings.

It’s called Green Flag, and co-founder Abby Larner says the team is trying to solve two problems: compatibility for a long-term relationship, and the skills to help a relationship succeed. “No one really teaches you how to be in a relationship, so we’re hoping we’ll be able to kind of help people bridge that gap,” she says.  

❤️‍🔥 You can learn more in the story from GPB.

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⚽️ Show up and show out for Atlanta United as they take on rival Charlotte FC on Sun., June 2 at 4:30 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It’s the Kings of the South vs. Queen City. Unite & Conquer. Get your seats today.

SPONSOR MESSAGE

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4. Volunteer Opportunities

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HANDS ON ATLANTA

⚕️Georgia Harm Reduction Coalition Inc. is holding a volunteer orientation for Narcan and overdose training on Friday afternoon in Atlanta. A tour of the GHRC Bennett Center and an informational video will also be part of the session.
 
✂️ New Life Community Alliance is looking for volunteers for their Decatur Praise Salon on Saturday morning. A variety of roles are available including braiders, front desk reception, washing assistants, and stylists. 
 
🫐 Hope Food Pantry through Conyers SDA Church (pictured) needs volunteers Sunday morning to sort, pack, and distribute donated food to clients in their community and surrounding communities. You must be over 18 and a background check is required.

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📧 Today’s newsletter was edited by Julie E. Bloemeke.

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