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A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Atlanta. Written by Emma Hurt, Kristal Dixon and Thomas Wheatley.

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Axios Atlanta

An iconic Downtown Atlanta building is now a member of the Historic Hotel of America program.

What's happening: The Ellis Hotel is one of 11 Georgia places that are now included in the registry run by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Other hotels that have been granted the designation include The Georgian Terrace, Hotel Indigo Atlanta Midtown and The Candler Hotel Atlanta.

Catch up quick: Located at the corner of Peachtree and Ellis streets, the building formerly known as the Winecoff Hotel opened in 1913 and was designed by architect William L. Stoddart, Atlanta Preservation Center Executive Director David Mitchell told Axios.

The hotel is widely known for a Dec. 7, 1946 fire that killed 119 guests (including original owners William and Grace Winecoff) and injured 65, according to the AJC.

In 2006, the hotel underwent a massive renovation that updated its floor plan while preserving its historic architecture.

Zoom out: More than 300 hotels around the country are part of the National Trust's program, which recognizes venues for their "authenticity, sense of place and architectural integrity," according to its website.

A hotel can be nominated if it's at least 50 years old, has been designated by the U.S. interior secretary as a National Historic Landmark or is included in or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.

What they're saying: Scot Gladstone, manager of the Ellis Hotel, said Tuesday in a press release that the designation honors "the historic importance of the Ellis Hotel in Downtown Atlanta’s Peachtree District."

Atlanta's Ellis Hotel gains historic designation

Originally known as the Winecoff Hotel, the hotel dates back to 1913.

An iconic Downtown Atlanta building is now a member of the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Historic Hotel of America" data-vars-click-url="https://www.historichotels.org/us/" data-vars-content-id="3e660776-0ba7-42a8-a775-b3318846fa46" data-vars-headline="Atlanta&#x27;s Ellis Hotel gains historic designation" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.historichotels.org/us/" target="_blank">Historic Hotel of America</a> program.What&#x27;s happening: The Ellis Hotel is one of 11 Georgia places that are now included in the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="registry" data-vars-click-url="https://www.historichotels.org/us/about-historic-hotels/" data-vars-content-id="3e660776-0ba7-42a8-a775-b3318846fa46" data-vars-headline="Atlanta&#x27;s Ellis Hotel gains historic designation" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.historichotels.org/us/about-historic-hotels/" target="_blank">registry</a> run by the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="National Trust for Historic Preservation" data-vars-click-url="https://savingplaces.org/" data-vars-content-id="3e660776-0ba7-42a8-a775-b3318846fa46" data-vars-headline="Atlanta&#x27;s Ellis Hotel gains historic designation" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://savingplaces.org/" target="_blank">National Trust for Historic Preservation</a>.

News

A grassroots effort is underway to preserve what's left of a hospital that served Black patients at the height of Atlanta's Jim Crow era.

Why it matters: McLendon Hospital, which Dr. Frederick Earl McLendon opened in the mid-1940s, was one of two places in Atlanta where Black people could get quality medical care with dignity and respect.

The other facility was Harris Memorial Hospital, which opened in the 1920s for Black patients.

What they're saying: Lisa Reyes, president of the Historic Hunter Hills neighborhood association, told Axios she has reached out to the property owner with the hopes of starting a discussion on how the former hospital can be recognized.

"It was a place of hope for people," she said. "They knew that they could go somewhere to get care, no matter the color of their skin and they could be treated well."

Of note: Axios reached out to the property owner by phone, text and email and he did not respond to requests for comment.

Catch up quick: McLendon was housed in three buildings across the Hunter Hills and Mozley Park communities. Only one structure at the corner of Bernard Street and Chicamauga Avenue stands.

It offered services like general medicine, surgery, pediatric care and obstetrics and gynecology.

According to a 1946 article in the Atlanta Constitution, the clinic had 30 beds and was "equipped with the finest surgical apparatus available" when it opened.

Context: Myrtle Davis — a former Atlanta City Council member and wife of Dr. A. M. Davis, who delivered babies at McLendon — told Axios that the clinic was "huge" because Black people faced substandard care when they went to segregated facilities such as Grady Hospital.

"There is a certain pride that people had to say that they were born at McLendon or Harris," she said, noting her two daughters were born at the former facility.

The bottom line: David Mitchell, executive director of the Atlanta Preservation Center, which has been communicating with residents on preservation efforts, told Axios that historic spaces like the clinic signify "so much of Atlanta."

Mitchell also said the organization hopes to start a conversation with the property owner "so we can create something that not only you know, respects his ownership of the property, but also to acknowledge the experience that space represents for that community in the city."

Atlanta residents seek to preserve historic Black hospital

McLendon Hospital opened in the 1940s and closed in the 1980s.

Only one of three buildings that comprised McLendon Hospital stands at the corner of Bernard Street and Chicamauga Avenue. Photo: Courtesy of Atlanta Preservation Center

A grassroots effort is underway to preserve what&#x27;s left of a hospital that served Black patients at the height of Atlanta&#x27;s Jim Crow era.Why it matters: McLendon Hospital, which Dr. Frederick Earl McLendon opened in the mid-1940s, was one of two places in Atlanta where Black people could get quality medical care with dignity and respect.

Gwinnett County Board of Education members will consider approving a new health and sex education curriculum at a meeting Thursday night.

Why it matters: Sex education and the question of whether schools should be responsible for educating students about this subject is always a polarizing topic in education.

Gwinnett’s proposed move away from the abstinence-focused curriculum has sparked a backlash from some parents, as first reported by the AJC.

Details: Materials for the new curriculum, called HealthSmart, would cost Gwinnett County Public Schools more than $15 million, according to tonight's meeting agenda. If approved, it would be implemented at the start of the next school year.

What they're saying: Dr. Tasha Guadalupe, the school system's health and physical education director, said at the board's Feb. 23 work session that Gwinnett is focused on adopting a "comprehensive health education program" and not just a sex education program that its current program, Choosing the Best, offers.

She also said some teachers who reviewed resources said Choosing the Best was "not free of bias or inclusive of our current population of students that we are providing instruction to."

The other side: School board members Dr. Mary Kay Murphy and Steven Knudsen were skeptical of the proposed move to HealthSmart.

Knudsen said Choosing the Best, which the district has been using for 20 years, has proven successful, adding that measures like student achievement, at-risk behaviors, and anxiety have been trending in positive directions in Gwinnett.

Board member Karen Watkins said Gwinnett County Public Schools, the largest in the state with 182,000 students, is very different from what it was 20 years ago.

"It sounds like our community is looking for something different," she said.

Zoom out: Georgia Department of Education's health and physical education plan calls on schools to educate students about sex and HIV/AIDS, disease prevention, safety, community health and alcohol and other drug use, among other topics. Age-appropriate lessons must also be taught to students about sexual abuse and assault.

Parents have the ability to opt their children out of these lessons.

By the numbers: The number of births among children and teens aged 10 to 19 has been on a steady decline in Georgia, from 13,087 in 2011 to 6,205 in 2021, according to Department of Public Health data.

STD rates among people aged 10-19 have been a bit more erratic over the last 10 years from 1,642.9 in 2011 to 1,595.7 in 2021, state data shows.

Of note: Board members will also vote on adopting instructional resources for math, social studies, language arts, career and technical education and world languages and dual language immersion.

What we're watching: Thursday's meeting starts at 7pm and will be streamed online.

Gwinnett schools consider new sex education curriculum

If approved, it would be implemented at the start of next school year.

Illustration of an eggplant and peach drawn on a chalkboard.

Gwinnett County Board of Education members will consider approving a new health and sex education curriculum at a meeting Thursday night.Why it matters: Sex education and the question of whether schools should be responsible for educating students about this subject is always a polarizing topic in education.<ul><li>Gwinnett’s proposed move away from the abstinence-focused curriculum has sparked a backlash from some parents, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="as first reported by the AJC" data-vars-click-url="https://www.ajc.com/education/proposed-sex-education-change-in-gwinnett-county-draws-backlash/BDFJCLAEC5AF5PTP3YLOI273GE/" data-vars-content-id="9b4f6303-89df-443b-9d75-5c499b8681ad" data-vars-headline="Gwinnett schools consider new sex education curriculum" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.ajc.com/education/proposed-sex-education-change-in-gwinnett-county-draws-backlash/BDFJCLAEC5AF5PTP3YLOI273GE/" target="_blank">as first reported by the AJC</a>.</li></ul>

Some DeKalb County lawmakers are once again trying to remove the Confederate memorial designation from Stone Mountain Park.

Driving the news: House Bill 794 would drop the "memorial" wording from the park's official name and rename its oversight board to the Stone Mountain Park Association.

It would also eliminate requirements that the board preserve the carvings of Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson on the mountain and sell Confederate memorabilia.

Why it matters: While Stone Mountain is Georgia's largest shrine to the Confederacy, its history is unknown to many people. No Civil War battles took place there.

What they're saying: State Rep. Billy Mitchell, a Democrat from Stone Mountain and one of the chief sponsors of the bill, said Monday in a press release that legislators want to implement "needed changes to the false history of the park and the carving."

Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver (D-Decatur), another co-sponsor of the bill, said the park is an "important asset for our county" and needs to change its course of "honoring the Confederacy and adherence to a 'Lost cause.'"

Yes, but: There's a state law on the books that prohibits any changes to the carving.

Of note: Mitchell introduced similar legislation in 2021, but it did not make it out of the House.

Catch up quick: Local activists, residents and elected officials have campaigned for changes to Stone Mountain Park.

A proposal released by the association in 2021 calls for, among other things, creating an exhibit telling the origins of the carvings of the Davis, Lee and Jackson, according to the AJC.

What we're watching: Since H.B. 794 was introduced late, it's not likely to progress this year. But bills that don't pass this year remain alive in 2024.

Go deeper: New documentary explores Stone Mountain's history

Stone Mountain Park could shed its Confederate memorial designation

Stone Mountain carving of Jefferson Davis, Stonewall Tell and Robert E. Lee

The carving of three Confederate leaders, Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis, at Stone Mountain State Park. Photo: Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images

Confederate States of America

Some DeKalb County lawmakers are once again trying to remove the Confederate memorial designation from Stone Mountain Park.Driving the news: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="House Bill 794" data-vars-click-url="https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/65480" data-vars-content-id="de0d0bbb-a37e-4d92-af7d-f87e43f7d412" data-vars-headline="Stone Mountain Park could shed its Confederate memorial designation" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/65480" target="_blank">House Bill 794</a> would drop the &quot;memorial&quot; wording from the park&#x27;s official name and rename its <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="oversight board" data-vars-click-url="http://stonemountainpark.org/" data-vars-content-id="de0d0bbb-a37e-4d92-af7d-f87e43f7d412" data-vars-headline="Stone Mountain Park could shed its Confederate memorial designation" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="http://stonemountainpark.org/" target="_blank">oversight board</a> to the Stone Mountain Park Association.

Spring is one of the most glorious times to live in Atlanta. The temperature is just right, the sun shows off every evening and native plants add new life to your walk.

It makes all the pollen kind of worth it.

Here's a handy guide to some of the best ways to take advantage of all that Atlanta has to offer.

People attend an outdoor jazz festival in a verdant park with the Atlanta skyline in the background

The Atlanta Jazz Festival. Photo: Marcus Ingram/Getty Images

'Tis the season for concerts al fresco. Dance with crowds at metro Atlanta's amphitheaters, parks and neighborhoods. Our picks for those you can't miss:

Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival (March 25-26): Brookhaven presents HANSON, Band of Horses, Don McLean and The Fray. 

Virginia Highland Porchfest (May 20): Porch concerts, food trucks and walking in the streets in one of Atlanta's prettiest neighborhoods. That's a good list. 

Atlanta Jazz Festival (May 27-29): The city-sponsored three-day jazz festival — a mainstay since 1978 — returns to Piedmont Park. Admission is free.

Shaky Knees (May 5-7): The Killers, Muse and the Lumineers headline the crowd-pleasing concert series.

SweetWater 420 Fest (April 22-23): The heady concert series moves from downtown to the brewer's Armour Yards HQ. Bands include Shakey Graves and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. 

People read information sheets about a variety of plants arranged at a sale in a wooded area

Trees Atlanta's plant sale at the Carter Center. Photo: courtesy of Trees Atlanta

Ready to get your hands in the dirt and spruce up your yard? Then you won't want to miss native plant sales planned for the spring.

Trees Atlanta: The city's biggest tree-hugging organization offers two options to order native plants — both of which attract large crowds.

Order online through March 27. Pick up those orders March 31-April 1 at the Trees Atlanta operations center in Oakland City.

Trees Atlanta's in-person native plant sale will be 8am to 1pm Saturday, April 8, at The Carter Center. Plant experts will be around to answer any questions you have.

Oakland Cemetery: The Historic Oakland Foundation rolls out a range of hearty and hard-to-find plants at its well-attended spring sale from 9am to 2:30pm on April 15 at the cemetery's Magnolia Square.

The Georgia Native Plant Society: The plant-lovers' North Metro Atlanta chapter hosts its spring native and edible plant sale from 10am to 2pm on April 29 at Old Rucker Farm in Alpharetta.

🎻 Get cultured: A night of music and art

A vivid and bright painting of cool-toned flowers rising with a sky in the background

"Flowers, Italy." Joseph Stella. Photo: courtesy of the High Museum of Art

People singing in French, pin-drop quiet galleries and rousing works of classical music await.

Joseph Stella at The High Museum of Art (until May 21): The "Visionary Nature" exhibit running until May focuses on the modernist painter's work of flowers, trees and birds. 

"The Anonymous Lover" at the Atlanta Opera (March 31-April 2): The 1780 opera about a young widow receiving mysterious letters was written by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, a pioneering Black composer. 

Megan Mosholder at the Atlanta Contemporary (until Dec. 22): The Atlanta artist's Spectrum Gradation, a  site-specific sculpture inspired by twilight, continues its yearlong exhibition.

Casen Alesi's "Music for Woods and Metals" at eyedrum (April 1): The 19-year-old percussionist and Kennesaw State student plays marimba and vibraphone performances of works by Olivier Messiaen and Steve Reich. 

"Significant Others" at Atlanta Ballet (May 12-14): Remi Wörtmeyer choreographs the world premiere of a ballet about the power of collaboration.

See also: Terminus Modern Ballet's spring season

"A Sea Symphony" at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (April 27-29): Guest conductor Nicholas Carter and company perform works by Richard Wagner, Lera Auerbach and Vaughan Williams exploring "the lust for adventure."

💪 Skip the gym, go outside: Free outdoor workouts

Take a POUND class from KaToya Sumner in Old Fourth Ward this spring. Photo: courtesy of POUNDFIT/KaToya Sumner

Escape your gym's mirrors, fluorescent lighting and clanking weights on a nice day. Here's where to raise your heartbeat outside.

👟 Run with the Beltline's weekly run club. Thursdays at 6:15pm at a rotating array of breweries. (Details)

🥁 Pound it with KaToya Sumner at the Old Fourth Ward Park Amphitheater. POUND is like drumming … but make it a workout class. Mondays at 6pm through August. (Details)

🧘 Do yoga in the Colony Square plaza. Wednesdays at 6pm from April through October. (Details)

💪 Join Victory Fitness' classes. Organized by Victory Church, they break into three levels of fitness one Saturday a month at the Westside Reservoir Park. The next is April 8 at 9:15am. (Details) 

😅 Get sweating with the November Project. They meet year-round but you no longer have any weather excuse. Wednesdays at 6:27am at the North Avenue bridge on the Eastside Trail. (Details) 

⛰️ Walk it out at Arabia Mountain with a park ranger guide. 4pm on Wednesdays. (Details) 

A wooden bridge crosses a small stream as part of a grassy path blanketed with yellow daffodils

From now until April 15, more than 20 million daffodils of more than 100 varieties will cover the hills and valleys at Gibbs Garden in Ball Ground.

What's happening: Billed as the largest daffodil display in the U.S., the springtime bloom attracts visitors from all over the region.

"My favorite springtime activity is ordering my first Nut Brown Crown of the year from Zesto! I guess I'll have to drive a little farther for it this year, but it's worth it!"

Axios reader Rob A., commenting on the magical wonder that is the fast-food chain's chocolate-dipped and crushed peanut-covered soft-serve ice cream.

The Axios spring guide to enjoying Atlanta

Plus, have you been to the opera recently?

People walk dogs, bike, and jog on a wide paved path surrounded by a park and trees

Spring is one of the most glorious times to live in Atlanta. The temperature is just right, the sun shows off every evening and native plants add new life to your walk.<ul><li>It makes all the pollen kind of worth it.</li></ul>Here&#x27;s a handy guide to some of the best ways to take advantage of all that Atlanta has to offer.

Kristal Dixon

Featured stories

Atlanta residents seek to preserve historic Black hospital

Atlanta's Ellis Hotel gains historic designation

Stone Mountain Park could shed its Confederate memorial designation

The Axios spring guide to enjoying Atlanta

Gwinnett schools consider new sex education curriculum