Atlanta

blue

Get smarter, faster on what matters in Atlanta with Kristal Dixon and Thomas Wheatley.

Axios Atlanta

Standard

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

Axios Atlanta Thought Bubble

Thought Bubble

Atlanta Alerts

Alert

Axios Atlanta Partners

Atlanta Members

Membership

Why Wall Street is betting against the Atlanta Braves

Short interest has roughly doubled even as the publicly traded team's stock hits record highs.

Business

A Major League Baseball labor dispute and the prospect of a lockout has Wall Street short sellers betting against the Atlanta Braves, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Bloomberg reports" data-vars-click-url="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-08-21/mlb-lockout-fears-spur-rush-of-shorts-into-atlanta-braves-shares" data-vars-content-id="4e82e0af-0bcd-4eb6-b7ad-4da1654e48b0" data-vars-headline="Why Wall Street is betting against the Atlanta Braves" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-08-21/mlb-lockout-fears-spur-rush-of-shorts-into-atlanta-braves-shares" target="_blank">Bloomberg reports</a>.Why it matters: The Braves are the only publicly traded professional baseball team in the United States, making the franchise one of the few places where sellers and investors can gain direct exposure to shifts and shake-ups in the sports world.

Peachtree Circle historic district hits roadblock

Atlanta City Council member Alex Wan wants two-thirds of residents to support the proposed historic district before he backs the request.

Development

A campaign to create the Peachtree Circle historic district in the Ansley Park neighborhood hit a wall this week when the proposal stalled in committee.Why it matters: Many Atlanta neighborhoods are experiencing tear-down-and-rebuild projects that replace older and (sometimes) smaller homes with postmodern and (often) much larger living quarters that clash with the community aesthetic.

Dine out and pay what you can at these Atlanta restaurants

Three Atlanta-area restaurants are participating in the Pay What You Can campaign.

Culture

Can you spend $20 or $200 on a Michelin-starred meal? On Wednesday, it won&#x27;t matter because some of the world&#x27;s best restaurants will let diners pay what they can.Why it matters: What began as a community-minded experiment among Mexico City chefs is going global this year — and three Atlanta-area restaurants are joining in.

Atlanta's final 8pm sunset of 2026 is next week

The city is losing a little more daylight each day as summer winds down and fall approaches.

News

Get ready for shorter days: Atlanta&#x27;s final 8pm sunset of the year arrives next week as fall inches closer, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="per NOAA" data-vars-click-url="https://gml.noaa.gov/grad/solcalc/table.php?lat=33.733&amp;lon=-84.383&amp;year=2026" data-vars-content-id="2b7606d8-1837-41a3-b2f1-5934fe553a6d" data-vars-headline="Atlanta&#x27;s final 8pm sunset of 2026 is next week" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://gml.noaa.gov/grad/solcalc/table.php?lat=33.733&amp;lon=-84.383&amp;year=2026" target="_blank">per NOAA</a>.The big picture: We lose a little more daylight every day as the Earth&#x27;s Northern Hemisphere tilts away from the sun through Dec. 21 — the first day of winter and the shortest day of the year.

Atlanta health advocates target one of the nation's highest HIV rates

Nearly 45,000 metro Atlantans live with HIV as advocates push prevention and access to care.

Health

Health advocates gather this weekend to share strategies to prevent new HIV infections in metro Atlanta, which has some of the nation&#x27;s highest rates of new diagnoses.State of play: The Southern AIDS Coalition&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Saving Ourselves Symposium" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/p/DZDhijKFrYQ/" data-vars-content-id="76f56507-6b3d-46f6-bb90-71c032f6dd3f" data-vars-headline="Atlanta health advocates target one of the nation&#x27;s highest HIV rates" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DZDhijKFrYQ/" target="_blank">Saving Ourselves Symposium</a>, a four-day conference aimed at supporting Black LGBTQ+ communities, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="kicks off today" data-vars-click-url="https://roughdraftatlanta.com/2026/08/19/black-hiv-advocates-conference-atlanta/" data-vars-content-id="76f56507-6b3d-46f6-bb90-71c032f6dd3f" data-vars-headline="Atlanta health advocates target one of the nation&#x27;s highest HIV rates" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://roughdraftatlanta.com/2026/08/19/black-hiv-advocates-conference-atlanta/" target="_blank">kicks off today</a> at Atlanta Marriott Northwest at Galleria in Cumberland.

Wellstar uses federal grant to expand maternal care in rural Georgia

The $1.2 million federal Health Resources and Services Administration grant allows Wellstar to expand obstetrician and gynecological care and hire three doulas.

Wellstar Health System is using a federal grant to help improve health outcomes for pregnant women and new mothers in nine rural counties across Georgia.Why it matters: Georgia continues to have worse-than-average infant and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="maternal health" data-vars-click-url="https://thecurrentga.org/2026/07/02/report-nearly-90-of-georgias-maternal-deaths-were-preventable/" data-vars-content-id="49b1799b-b7ac-46d0-8caa-05f315b0f1b3" data-vars-headline="Wellstar uses federal grant to expand maternal care in rural Georgia" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://thecurrentga.org/2026/07/02/report-nearly-90-of-georgias-maternal-deaths-were-preventable/" target="_blank">maternal health</a> outcomes. According to a 2025 March of Dimes <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="report" data-vars-click-url="https://www.marchofdimes.org/peristats/reports/georgia/report-card" data-vars-content-id="49b1799b-b7ac-46d0-8caa-05f315b0f1b3" data-vars-headline="Wellstar uses federal grant to expand maternal care in rural Georgia" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.marchofdimes.org/peristats/reports/georgia/report-card" target="_blank">report</a>, the state&#x27;s infant mortality rate was 7 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023, higher than the national average of 5.6.<ul><li>The preterm birth rate (11.8) is also higher than the national average (10.4).</li></ul>

More Georgians now qualify for medical cannabis program

New rules allow stronger products, more qualifying conditions, and pharmacy sales across Georgia.

Georgia&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="biggest-ever expansion" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2026/04/01/georgia-medical-marijuana-expansion-hemp-delta8-thc-laws-2026" data-vars-content-id="9fb9e266-b657-4d6b-9b98-3372579ac610" data-vars-headline="More Georgians now qualify for medical cannabis program" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2026/04/01/georgia-medical-marijuana-expansion-hemp-delta8-thc-laws-2026" target="_self">biggest-ever expansion</a> of its medical cannabis program takes effect Wednesday, allowing stronger products, more qualifying conditions, and sales through independent pharmacies.Why it matters: The changes significantly broaden access to regulated <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="medical cannabis" data-vars-click-url="https://dph.georgia.gov/low-thc-oil-registry" data-vars-content-id="9fb9e266-b657-4d6b-9b98-3372579ac610" data-vars-headline="More Georgians now qualify for medical cannabis program" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://dph.georgia.gov/low-thc-oil-registry" target="_blank">medical cannabis</a> and may bring Georgia closer to neighboring Southern states&#x27; programs.<ul><li>Industry leaders believe enrollment may eventually triple.</li></ul>

Atrium Health files for 1st Atlanta hospital in West End

The proposed West End teaching hospital could help replace beds lost after Wellstar's Atlanta Medical Center closed.

A <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new state filing" data-vars-click-url="https://weblink.dch.georgia.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=1064081&amp;dbid=1&amp;repo=HealthPlanning" data-vars-content-id="d807a409-9368-4fd0-88b3-33373fae471f" data-vars-headline="Atrium Health files for 1st Atlanta hospital in West End" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://weblink.dch.georgia.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=1064081&amp;dbid=1&amp;repo=HealthPlanning" target="_blank">new state filing</a> makes it official: Charlotte-based Atrium Health wants to build a hospital on a proposed 40-acre medical campus in West End.Why it matters: The proposed facility would be Atrium&#x27;s first hospital in metro Atlanta and could help fill health care gaps left by the closures of Wellstar&#x27;s Atlanta Medical Center and AMC South.

Atlanta partners with Throne Labs to install public restrooms along Beltline

Restrooms have so far been installed at Cascade Springs Nature Preserve, Piedmont Park and Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark.

Atlanta is partnering with a company to install public restrooms in several areas around the city.Why it matters: Nothing is more stressful than trying to enjoy an outing in Atlanta while mentally mapping out the nearest bathroom.

Northside Hospital expands emergency department to meet demand

The 67,000-square-foot expansion will add 18 treatment rooms, a new entrance and lobby, five triage rooms, EKG rooms, and a CT scanner in a two-story building.

Northside Hospital Atlanta in Sandy Springs is expanding its emergency department footprint to respond to the steady increase in patients each year.Why it matters: As metro Atlanta <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="grows" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2025/08/14/atlanta-population-growth-arc-region-fulton-henry-gwinnett-forsyth" data-vars-content-id="3382d792-2336-442d-8fa4-cacf95ef6aae" data-vars-headline="Northside Hospital expands emergency department to meet demand" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2025/08/14/atlanta-population-growth-arc-region-fulton-henry-gwinnett-forsyth" target="_self">grows</a>, area hospitals and medical facilities must meet the demand that comes with an expanding population.

Emory monitors 2 cruise passengers linked to hantavirus outbreak

The Georgia Department of Public Health says there is no risk to the public.

Two passengers who were aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius at the center of a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="hantavirus outbreak" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/05/11/hantavirus-response-cdc-questioned" data-vars-content-id="00568331-113f-4dc8-9a53-262565c5dc05" data-vars-headline="Emory monitors 2 cruise passengers linked to hantavirus outbreak" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/05/11/hantavirus-response-cdc-questioned" target="_self">hantavirus outbreak</a> are being monitored at Emory University Hospital&#x27;s specialized biocontainment unit.Why it matters: Emory&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Serious Communicable Diseases Unit" data-vars-click-url="https://ebola.emory.edu/" data-vars-content-id="00568331-113f-4dc8-9a53-262565c5dc05" data-vars-headline="Emory monitors 2 cruise passengers linked to hantavirus outbreak" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://ebola.emory.edu/" target="_blank">Serious Communicable Diseases Unit</a> in Atlanta is among a few facilities in the U.S. that are equipped to treat patients with dangerous infectious diseases.

Why your symptoms might not tell the full story

You can research symptoms, track changes and still not have a clear answer — but imaging could help guide next steps.

Partners

You now have more ways than ever to research symptoms, compare treatments and track your health.<ul><li>But even with all that information, getting a clear diagnosis isn&#x27;t always straightforward.</li></ul>The landscape: The traditional care path often focuses on managing symptoms first, either by waiting to see if symptoms improve or through treatments.<ul><li>That approach doesn&#x27;t always identify the cause of the issue, and without a clear diagnosis, care can become a series of short-term fixes instead of a targeted plan.</li></ul>

Grady to open freestanding emergency department in south Fulton

The emergency department in Union City will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Grady Health System on Monday will host a ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening of its freestanding emergency department in south Fulton County.Why it matters: The facility is part of Grady&#x27;s effort to address a gap in health care access created after WellStar in 2022 <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="closed" data-vars-click-url="https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/wellstar-amc-south-emergency-room-closes-south-fulton-county/85-6dcd0c20-bebb-4e3d-ae4f-c2516f32c25b" data-vars-content-id="d2213199-7f50-4807-ad3d-4d6e8bc58cf7" data-vars-headline="Grady to open freestanding emergency department in south Fulton" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/wellstar-amc-south-emergency-room-closes-south-fulton-county/85-6dcd0c20-bebb-4e3d-ae4f-c2516f32c25b" target="_blank">closed</a> its Atlanta Medical Center South hospital in East Point and its <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="main hospital" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2022/09/02/atlanta-reels-after-news-of-atlanta-medical-center-closure" data-vars-content-id="d2213199-7f50-4807-ad3d-4d6e8bc58cf7" data-vars-headline="Grady to open freestanding emergency department in south Fulton" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2022/09/02/atlanta-reels-after-news-of-atlanta-medical-center-closure" target="_self">main hospital</a> in the Old Fourth Ward.

Black maternal mortality gap still persists in U.S.

The maternal mortality rate for Black women was 44.8 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared with 14.2 for white women, 12.1 for Hispanic women and 18.1 for Asian women

Black women remain three times more likely than white and Hispanic women to die from pregnancy-related complications, according to the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="latest maternal mortality rates" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/hestat113.htm" data-vars-content-id="1d5fc442-0c27-466c-96c5-a065bd79abe6" data-vars-headline="Black maternal mortality gap still persists in U.S." data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/hestat113.htm" target="_blank">latest maternal mortality rates</a> released last month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Why it matters: Advocates fear inconsistent abortion access across the U.S. and anti-DEI efforts by the Trump administration could fuel the continued racial disparities.

Health 🩺

Atlanta health advocates target one of the nation's highest HIV rates

New tool tracks Georgia hospital losses

Wellstar uses federal grant to expand maternal care in rural Georgia

More Georgians now qualify for medical cannabis program

Atrium Health files for 1st Atlanta hospital in West End